Malazan bok of the fallen discussion thread

[Hodor2]

Just finished House of Chains. You were right, Karsa is a bad ass!! I have to say though that I fully expected him to "tame" the two Hounds of Darkness, not kill them. I thought the whole point of him earlier when he was running with his two buds and he indentified the leader of a pack of wolves and then got them to cower and follow him was all foreshadowing for this very climactic showdown. It would have been awesome for Karsa to have those two as companions. One each for his two downed brothers. Now instead he is riding around with their heads chained and dragging behind his warchief version of a Clydesdale. I guess that's pretty cool but my option would have been way better. Karsa and 2 obediant Hounds of Darkness to challenge the Crippled God. Now that's a fair fight.

Question: Can anybody tell me if I am every going to hear about Empress Laseen? Do any of these books get into her story? I suspest that they eventually do but in which one?

 

[Megaman_zx]

not really, at least, not so far anyways. it talks about her alittle later, then just throws her away and doesn't mention her.

 

[fugazi]

Yes, Hodor. Grab Night of Knives and Return of the Crimson Guard and you'll get to see more of her. Especially Return of the Crimson Guard gives you a good look at Laseen, but I can't say any more about it without spoiling it

I myself quite like Tayschrenn and think it's a shame he hasn't popped up more in Eriksons writing.

 

[Megaman_zx]

i'm sorta a fair weather fan, but i like all the beastly fighters like karsa, gruntle, and ganoes paran.

i used to like quick ben, but he gets really cheap *cough* singlehandedly taking down 3 dragons *cough*

 

[Hodor2]

To those of you who have read all of Malazan, I want to know if there is going to be a book coming up that explores Surly/Empress Laseen? Her history, family story, background, assassinations of Kellanved, Dancer, etc. I am currently reading Midnight Tides, I think it's #5.

Also is there going to be more about Anomander Rake? I miss him. He is the best character, bar none!

 

[fugazi]

Yes, Hodor. Grab Night of Knives and Return of the Crimson Guard and you'll get to see more of her. Especially Return of the Crimson Guard gives you a good look at Laseen, but I can't say any more about it without spoiling it

.. and yes, there's more Anomander Rake in the later books. Can't say more than that really without spoiling anythnig, once again

 

[Eat_Up_Martha]

Are there any other Bugg-Tehol affectionados?

Definitely!
I actually really liked all of the parts with the Letherii. They were the best part by far though.

Did anyone else find the use of Kruppe as narrator in Toll the Hounds a little tedious at times?

 

[Hodor2]

I'm sorry I asked the same question about Laseen twice. I didn't realize there was page 2 on thiis board. Rookie mistake.

Is there a "family tree" of the Malazan Empire, mortals and gods, somewhere on the web?

 

[Megaman_zx]

kruppe is sorta a bittersweet character. you like him at times and hate him at others.

about letheras, the stuff with tehol is fun, but otherwise, i thought it was sorta a tangent.

 

[Hodor2]

Is there a "family tree" of the Malazan Empire, mortals and gods, somewhere on the web?[/QUOTE]

Mainly Draconic/Elient with Mother Dark, Rake, Envy, Andarist, Osric, Draconus, etc.

 

[Megaman_zx]

i don't know, i know they have a full deck of dragons at malazanempire.com (the forum section) you might be able to find one there.

 

[Hodor2]

Just finished the Bonehunters. I am of course still a little confused about a few things but given the scope of these books, who wouldn't be. Overall, I enjoyed it very much but I am having a very big problem with one thing.

Are you telling me with all the cadres, mages, spies, little birdies, future telling Decks, Claws, etc. that we are to believe that by the end of Bonehunters, where Tavore is running for her life back to the boats, Tarvore still doesn't know that it was Felisin that she slew with her otataral sword in Rakuru?

I get that everybody is afraid to tell her and that she is becoming beloved by the
14th/Bonehunters, but come on. That just seems way to far of a stretch even for these books.

 

[Excelsi]

I have the first book and I just don't like it. It's bland, immature and full of itself. Erikson had the idea of subverting fantasy but he did so just for the sake of it, he didn't make fantasy better he just arrogantly turned everything inside out by making Gods inexplicably petty and all the characters really moody and cynical. He sets up scenes (like anything with Hairlock or the bit with Tattersail and Bellurdan blowing up) that are so wilfully abrupt and weird that they just seem forced when they're clearly supposed to impress. They're so vague and smart assed that instead of thinking "Holy crap she's dead?" I'm wondering what the hell happened.

I also hate the details, like how he names things: "She's called "Sorry", how quirky and original am I?". How hypocritical he is, in that how he made this clever magic system to subvert traditional arm waving antics, yet people still close windows by waving their hands and "enchant" objects. Its pure classic cheese just prefaced with "he opened his warren".

Very occasionally there was a good bit, I enjoyed the rooftop scenes with Crokus ("Hey he's nmed after a flower, I'm so unique!) and the parallel storytelling in those scenes. Also I liked Quick Ben and Kalam, even if Kalam was a generically cool and professional assassin. All in all it was a tenth of the book I expected after the beautifully written first few pages. i heard he improves later on, but I'd rather be reading Robin Hobb, George R R Martin or David Gemmel than finding out.

Oh, and I hate Kruppe. He's a cartoon character.

 

[Hodor2]

I too struggled with Gardens of the Moon but it does get better by Book 3 thru 7. Is it flawed, no doubt. I do enjoy the Gods and Elder gods though. To me they are the best part of the story. The history of them and how they all tie in together are what drives me to read on.

An I agree with GRRM. He has no equal. Nothing can touch ASOIAF. But after reading each book 7 times and listening to them on tape 3 times I had to find something else to read while we all wait for the basterd to finish ADWD.

 

[Hodor2]

Question to ANYBODY out there. This is about Bonehunters so if you have not read it, stop reading this post. (I don't know how to do a spoiler alert) .

WTH was the deal with the "Jade Island"??? Heboric's dead body was taken there by Crokus and friends for some climactic reason. There ends up being a huge shower of jade from the sky, the island blows up, huge mountainous rocks grow out of the gound, everybody gets showered with debris. Heboric comes back to life and saves the deaf mute. Lady Spite and Trell are also in the area. Spite saves her group from the shower with magic.

WTH was that all about? No explanations as to what all that was for? What does it mean? It has to do with the jade stautes and his "ghost hands".

What did I miss?