[obvakhi]

I'm about 500 pages in, and so far I like Gardens of the Moon better. Everyone keeps saying that book #2 is when the series gets really good... it's ok but I've yet to be blown away. The only characters that I care about are the 2 Bridgeburners & Crokus/Apsalar, since they were in the first book. And Crokus has barely said anything which is kinda pissing me off. The new people like Mappo, Icarium & Duiker do not interest me at all and I feel like I just wanna quickly read through their chapters so I can go back to the other characters.
So have I just not hit the best part yet or does it only get so much better after this?
No spoilers please.

This post has been edited by obvakhi: 27 August 2013 - 07:16 AM

[worry]

It follows both the characters you like and the characters you don't like to the conclusions of their stories as appropriate for this novel. It will definitely not cater to one preference over another in any respect. I hope you like the rest of the book, but from the information you provided I can only predict you will enjoy some of the rest of it and not enjoy the rest of the rest of it, so to speak.

[Studlock]

If you don't like Duiker there's no hope for you. Turn back or be lost.

[Siergiej]

Oh, you will start liking Duiker and Coltaine pretty soon. Well, if not... it's pretty much what Studlock said. No hope.

[paran falcon]

As a first time reader of this series (now on book 7, Reaper's Gale) I can understand where you're coming from. I liked Gardens of the Moon (and loved the ending!) but was quite frustrated at the way Erikson just drops you into his world and leaves you to "learn to swim" with next to no insight and/or backstory to understand what's going on. No explanation of the "magic system", etc. But the ending was so good I was committed to one more book. Then DG begins and almost everyone and everyplace is new again. I struggled with it, somewhat, till about the halfway point or so as well. But let me say this: I found the end of DG to be quite possibly the most powerful ending I've ever read, and I'm mid-forties and have been reading this genre since my early teens. I won't say more than that but I strongly advise you to finish DG before making an assessment of the book or the series. I know everyone is different but after finishing DG, I was convinced I'd be reading the whole series. From where I am now, I'm glad I made that choice. Malazan is hard to compare to anything else but it is without a doubt among the best, imo, and I haven't even finished my first readthrough of the series. Erikson writes with incredible power and ends a book at least as well as any other author I can think of. Although it still drives me crazy that I can't remember some of the mutitude of characters or that I can't get a clear sense of some of the timelines of the histories/races, etc, I personally believe this series has far more great than bad.

[End of Disc One]

I was in the same boat as you, obvakhi. Loved GotM and people overhyped DG for me. But I recommend pushing through and sticking with the series, because most of the books are fantastic.

[Abyss]

DG is a bit of a slow boil. I remember on the re-read i was surprised how long the book ran before events really truly go mad.
The pay-off, when it hits, is HUGE. In ALL the plotlines.

Strongly suggest you keep reading. Even if you're skimming some

[greySnow]

I am totally agree with paran falcon. I am also in my first reading, book 8, and like you both it was quite difficult for me to overcome the beginning of DG, 'couse I was waiting to read more about characters from GoTM. In my opinion, you just have to forget, for the time being, about GoTM and read DG like it is the first book in a totally new series. I think that if you won't try all the time to find connections to GoTM, you will find it quite easy to like the new characters like Felisin, Duikar, Coltain, Stormy, Gesler etc. This is really a very good book, much better in my opinion than GoTM, it just that if you read him in expectation to read a sequel for GoTM, you will get disappointed.

[Spoilsport Stonny]

I don't know what any of you are talking about. I hung on every word of Deadhouse Gates. I felt like I was in a K-hole the entire time I was reading it. I haven't read anything like it before or since. And the ending was so much better because of it. In fact, I was lost the entire time and had to immediately read it again before I even understood WTF happened. There was tension and mystery and adventure on every page. And potsherds. Lots of potsherds.

[Duikers'Ghost]

 Studlock, on 27 August 2013 - 08:31 AM, said:

If you don't like Duiker there's no hope for you. Turn back or be lost.

Amen brother! Duiker is one of the most interesting characters to read about...his thoughts and perceptions are truly profound.

[Duikers'Ghost]

 End of Disc One, on 27 August 2013 - 02:04 PM, said:

I was in the same boat as you, obvakhi. Loved GotM and people overhyped DG for me. But I recommend pushing through and sticking with the series, because most of the books are fantastic.

can i assign negative reputation?

[End of Disc One]

 Duikers, on 27 August 2013 - 04:18 PM, said:

 End of Disc One, on 27 August 2013 - 02:04 PM, said:

I was in the same boat as you, obvakhi. Loved GotM and people overhyped DG for me. But I recommend pushing through and sticking with the series, because most of the books are fantastic.

can i assign negative reputation?

Lol you did and I'm not sure why. I don't care though.

[Studlock]

Despite my somewhat snarky response, I personally find the POV characters in DG to be more interesting and deeper inner lives. Felisin for example has a great character arc we don't really see in GotM, and while not always likeable (and some would said not even sympathetic, but these people are wrong and are terrible heartless monsters) is pretty much always interesting. Duiker is a 'focal point' for me in a series ultimately about compassion. Mappo, Icarium, the Chain of Dogs, I feel like the main themes and plot start to take shape in this book (despite easily being the best 'one and done' storyline) and we she more dynamic characters than we had in GotM (not that static characters are bad). If you're worried about these characters being less important, don't be. It's a long series. If you, for some odd reason () don't like them as much I can't really do anything for you because prepair to see a whole lot of new characters as you go on.

[Dadding]

I'm only just starting Midnight Tides, but Deadhouse gates was probably the novel that took me the longest to finish so far. I finished the last ~150 pages in a night though. I was only half-a-fan of the Malazan world until I finished Deadhouse Gates, it was that good.

[Duikers'Ghost]

 End of Disc One, on 27 August 2013 - 05:03 PM, said:

 Duikers, on 27 August 2013 - 04:18 PM, said:

 End of Disc One, on 27 August 2013 - 02:04 PM, said:

I was in the same boat as you, obvakhi. Loved GotM and people overhyped DG for me. But I recommend pushing through and sticking with the series, because most of the books are fantastic.

can i assign negative reputation?

Lol you did and I'm not sure why. I don't care though.

haha sorry...i was just messing with ya...i gave you the rep back though cheers!

[Siergiej]

Just finished my second reread of Deadhouse Gates. And goddamn, the ending is as bloody awesome, jawdropping and heartbreaking as it was the last two times.

[zenMichael]

 obvakhi, on 27 August 2013 - 07:15 AM, said:

The only characters that I care about are the 2 Bridgeburners & Crokus/Apsalar, since they were in the first book.

I've never, ever, ever, ever understood this reasoning. "The only reason I care about anyone in book 2 is because they were in book 1." But ... they weren't in a book BEFORE that. Don't you at all trust the writer that made you care about those new characters in the last book to make you care about new new characters in this book? Sure, that doesn't ALWAYS happen (there are a LOT of characters in MBotF that I don't like, but ... there are a HELL OF A LOT of characters overall, so no biggie), but c'mon. A friend of mine read GotM & had the same reaction. I told him to skip DG, read MoI, then stop reading. That's what he did. He dug the two books. /shrug/ That's an odd form of insanity to me, but hey, to each their own.

Also, the crepuscular potsherds, man.

[NefaraisBredd]

I can relate to many postings here. SE is à great writer yet he leaves me (the reader) behind at times with his.constant quantum leaping and changing of settings/characters. All I can say is, if you persevere, you will not regret it. I had to.read Bonehunters three times before I really got into it you will meet many awesome characters so.stick.with.it and u will be rewarded.

[obvakhi]

Ok I just finished the book. I'll take back what I said about Duiker at least... he was the most interesting(and sad) of the new characters, even though it took awhile. I enjoyed the ending, enough to keep me reading. Overall I still prefer GOTM... and I'm hoping MOI will live up to the hype more.

This post has been edited by obvakhi: 31 August 2013 - 01:43 AM

[Tiste Andy]

Most powerful ending of a fantasy novel I've ever read. Broke my heart into a thousand pieces.
.