Malazan Empire

[Blabla]

Well, unlike many people here it seems, Gardens of the Moon is my favorite of the serie alongside Memories of Ice . In fact I really miss the "confusion" and the exhilaration-like feeling I got when so many seemingly loose threads snapped perfectly together at the end of the book. It really made me feel like I stumbled upon something great. Maybe I grew accustomed to Erikson's style, but I didn't get this feeling from the other books.

As a side note, does anyboby else think that maybe the man should slow down or something? I mean, MoI was such a literary masterpiece that i thought that this serie could become a classic and a reference for decades to come, that goes beyond the fantasy niche. So House of Chains was a letdown somewhat, by all mean good, just not ... great. And now he is doing like 3 novellas and a novel in a year. Not counting the eventual burnout/writer's bloc or whatnot. Why rush it and let it degenerate into a WoT-like serie (no offence meant WoT lovers ) when there's so much potential? I would hate see it happen ( if it does). Surely the one-book-a-year contract could be amended somewhat if sales are good enough.

Hope you'll excuse my little rant. Here's for hoping Midnight Tides will be the real thing.

[rune]

Sorry I had to give up on this series. I started book 2, Deadhouse Gate last week and it took me a week just to read 100 pages.

I read for pleasure, not to give myself a headache. It's just too much hard work trying to figure out the storyline and I can't be on with books like that

On to something easier.

rune

[Arith]

Rune, the point w/Erikson is not try to to "figure it out" just read the book and enjoy whats happening. Deadhouse Gates is one of the best books ive ever read and quiting by page 100 just does not do the book justice, there is hardly anything happening by page 100, everything is just being setup. Trust me, Deadhouse Gates is unbeleiveable.

[rune]

Originally posted by Arith
Rune, the point w/Erikson is not try to to "figure it out" just read the book and enjoy whats happening. Deadhouse Gates is one of the best books ive ever read and quiting by page 100 just does not do the book justice, there is hardly anything happening by page 100, everything is just being setup. Trust me, Deadhouse Gates is unbeleiveable.

Unfortunately I am someone that needs to be able to follow the plot line to enjoy a book. If I dont know what's going on I can't enjoy the story

I also think it speaks volumes as you say 'there is hardly anything happening by page 100'. I remember reading a book about how to write a good story and one of things was catching the reader very quickly within the first few chapters. Erikson didnt do this in the first book of the Malazan series either. I remember having to read a good q/e of the book before anything of real interest happened. I personally feel this is very indulgent of the author and not very kind to the reader.

rune

[Iskaral Pust]

I would argue that things most definately happen in the first 100 pages.

[Asper]

I love the non-linear plots, ok so at first you don't know why things happen but when they start to click into place it's a real buzz, I found the best way was to just read not to try and work things out early on and not to keep refering to the cast list, just go with the flow! Nothings happening in the first 100 pages of deadhouse?
*****Spoilers****




Umm Baudin saws an old womans head off with a chain, Fiddler blows up a giant sea snake- thats pretty attention grabbing to me. Next is a war council with a load of new faces that is confusing to all first read I think, but continue to the saving of the young girls and then Mappo and Icarium(great fun!)

So my point being you're not supposed to know what's going on, the payback comes later when you realise "Oh, thats what they're up to WOW!

[Voland]

Originally posted by rune


Unfortunately I am someone that needs to be able to follow the plot line to enjoy a book. If I dont know what's going on I can't enjoy the story

I also think it speaks volumes as you say 'there is hardly anything happening by page 100'. I remember reading a book about how to write a good story and one of things was catching the reader very quickly within the first few chapters. Erikson didnt do this in the first book of the Malazan series either. I remember having to read a good q/e of the book before anything of real interest happened. I personally feel this is very indulgent of the author and not very kind to the reader.

rune

Erikson caught my attention within the first 10 pages. So, imo, he obviously qualifies as writing a good story according to the standard you put forth above.

Now, I like complex stories. So I enjoy authors like Erikson and Bakker a great deal. I found GotM confusing at first but I never considered not finishing it. The story is just that awesome

[Matrim]

Originally posted by Voland


Erikson caught my attention within the first 10 pages. So, imo, he obviously qualifies as writing a good story according to the standard you put forth above.

Now, I like complex stories. So I enjoy authors like Erikson and Bakker a great deal. I found GotM confusing at first but I never considered not finishing it. The story is just that awesome

Same here. I was hooked from the start of GotM and it hasn't let me go yet. Just let the story to unveil and don't bother with trying understand everything because you simply lack a lot of the needed information. The great thing about that is that rereading is nearly as great experiece as first reading - you can find new clues, hints and details which have meant nothing the first time around but are now clear.
Of course, I love complex plots and really if you like simpler ones, rune, you probably should try another series.

[AuntiePam]

I'm one of those people who gave up after 100 pages or so, but it was mostly because of my eyesight. It was just too hard to read the small print in the mass market paperback.

Is there another edition? Book club? Trade pb? Hardcover maybe?

[rune]

I have gone onto something easier . I am reading Snare by Kathering Kerr and the style is much easier to follow than Erikson, not so many long names either.

rune

[Arith]

Maybe i didnt phrase that correctly, what i meant to say was that Run did not give the book much of a chance because things really start to pick up after a bit and like i said earlier it is one of the best books ive ever read...

[snake0024]

I remember reading a book about how to write a good story and one of things was catching the reader very quickly within the first few chapters. Erikson didnt do this in the first book of the Malazan series either. I remember having to read a good q/e of the book before anything of real interest happened.

as I recall, after the prologue in Unta, you are sent straight to Genabackis, and are put in the middle of the Siege of Pale, and everything just picks up from there...

[AuntiePam]

I'm going to give it another try. I just checked at Amazon UK and there's a hardcover coming out in June, so I preordered it.

Amazon UK is an excellent resource for SF and Fantasy, IMHO.

How many books are in this series? Is it finished, or is he still writing?

[Iskaral Pust]

Four books so far, most agree the third is the best. The fifth comes out in the Uk on the 1st March. He's been keeping a fairly steady one book per year with few delays. From the very first book he has said ten books in the series when completed, however each book is quite self-contained, there are no cliff-hangers at the end or anything.

[AuntiePam]

Iskaral, thanks.

At my age, I can't do too many cliffhangers.