[kogs]

Hi all, I just finished the first 2 chapters of Gardens of the Moon, including the prologue. I can honestly say I am completely lost. I feel like I am just going through the motions of reading the words. I can't even tell who the narrator is. Is this written in an omniscient point of view? I have read that some people feel it is better to read book 2 before book 1. Should I stop now and go onto book 2 first or continue trudging along?

[Stormcat]

It is normal to feel lost. There will be AHA! Moments later when things come together.

[Egwene]

Keep reading!!! You'll never find a more amazing and, in the long run, rewarding fantasy series, imho. If you are stuck with who is who, or a particular aspect of the book, ask here and we'll try and help without giving away too much. Once you're further along, you can also use the Malazan Wikia but for the moment you'll find too many spoilers there.

There is one thing that you best don't bother with - trying to work out who is good and who is bad - even, who is on whose side. Enjoy the meal without trying to identify the ingredients, so to speak.

[Gothos]

Also, the timeline is not important. The timeline is not important. The timeline is..........

This post has been edited by Gothos: 07 April 2014 - 09:26 AM

[kogs]

I think right now the biggest problem I am having is I don't know when one scene ends and another one starts. Perhaps it's just the formatting of the e-book I have but there is no indication of a scene break........simply the next paragraph.

[Abyss]

kogs, on 07 April 2014 - 03:17 PM, said:

I think right now the biggest problem I am having is I don't know when one scene ends and another one starts. Perhaps it's just the formatting of the e-book I have but there is no indication of a scene break........simply the next paragraph.

Aaah, that would be a problem.


If it's legit ebook, check your reader settings (spacing, font, size, etc), because that can bollox line-breaks that would otherwise be obvious.
If that doesn't work, contact the vendor, complain, cancel/return it and buy from a different vendor.

[kogs]

It's a legit e-book. I have the Kindle Paperwhite. I think the problem is how I put the book on my device, using Calibre.

I find this quote very appropriate right now. The Claw is talking to Captain Paran,

"Out of your depth, Captain? Don't worry, every damn person here's out of their depth. Some know it, some don't. It's the ones who don't you got to worry about. Start with what's right in front of you and forget the rest. It'll show up in its own time."

I like to think it's Steven Erikson's nod to the reader.

[Abyss]

kogs, on 07 April 2014 - 04:14 PM, said:

It's a legit e-book. I have the Kindle Paperwhite. I think the problem is how I put the book on my device, using Calibre.

I find this quote very appropriate right now. The Claw is talking to Captain Paran,

"Out of your depth, Captain? Don't worry, every damn person here's out of their depth. Some know it, some don't. It's the ones who don't you got to worry about. Start with what's right in front of you and forget the rest. It'll show up in its own time."

I like to think it's Steven Erikson's nod to the reader.

You may have the problem there. Try the direct dl to your kindle, skip Calibre. You can always throw it into your library later.

And yeah, i totally agree with your interp of that quote. Had forgotten that but i remember laughing at it on the reread.

[Stormcat]

I have had the same problem with kindle books. I often read on Thinking we are talking about the same people the go... wait a minute... how did Rake get over here!? I have to back track and find where the page break should have been. Very frustrating.

[Slow Ben]

I've found a useful solution to the Kindle problem. 1) hold it over the trash. 2) drop it. 3) get an actual book.



Taaaaadaaaaaaaa!

[Abyss]

Slow Ben, on 07 April 2014 - 10:36 PM, said:

I've found a useful solution to the Kindle problem. 1) hold it over the trash. 2) drop it. 3) get an actual book.



Taaaaadaaaaaaaa!

Luddite

[kogs]

Let's not debate the merits of e-book readers vs. paper here

I have deleted the book off my e-reader and uploaded it directly into the reader, no change. I think the reader has some formula that deletes excessive line breaks. But I just opened up the ebook using the e-book reader provided with Calibre and I see no scene break. So maybe it's hard coded in the mobi file or something.

This post has been edited by kogs: 07 April 2014 - 11:26 PM

[worry]

You should get a refund and then put the money forward to your purchase of this little bargain book:

http://www.amazon.co...k/dp/B00HL0MA3W

[Abyss]

kogs, on 07 April 2014 - 11:14 PM, said:

Let's not debate the merits of e-book readers vs. paper here

I have deleted the book off my e-reader and uploaded it directly into the reader, no change. I think the reader has some formula that deletes excessive line breaks. But I just opened up the ebook using the e-book reader provided with Calibre and I see no scene break. So maybe it's hard coded in the mobi file or something.

weird and understandably irritating in a book that's already complex. is there an epub or pdf option?

[kogs]

Kindles are VERY picky in that they will not play epub files. From personal experience PDF files are generally a lot worse for formatting. I think I'm getting the hang of it though. Generally Erikson starts a new scene with a description of setting. It's kind of annoying how a lot of times he waits until about paragraph 3 or 4 until he actually shows us which character he is looking at though.

[Imperial Historian]

This issue is in all the ebooks I have for the series. Its very annoying sometimes. Amazon needs to introduce section breaks, as I've noticed the lack in a few series now. Its easy for me to realise when the scenes change, but for a first time reader I can imagine its difficult.

[Gothos]

As my library and wardrobe expand enough that I feel I'd need a small truck next time I move addresses, Kindle is looking pretty friendly, same as Steam/Origin did.

And yeah, I can see how no scene breaks could make stuff extremely confusing. For reference: go try read 'Conversation in The Cathedral" by Llosa.

[Tarthenal Theloman Toblakai]

i have had the E book problems but never with the Malazan, only with Joe Abercrombies First Law world books. Currently the ASOIAF books are without fault too. I find the problem only happens on my phone app too, but I have the Nokia Lumia 1020 and while its an awesome phone, the apps are dog shit and very little support is supplied them. My paperwhite never has a problem though, have you tried updating it? It might also be your specific line gaps, margin widths and font type and size. I have mine on medium font, widest margins, smallest line gap with a font I can't remember and currently haven't got my kindle with me sorry.

Hope you solve the issue, i am surprised you have this problem though

[kogs]

How do you update your paperwhite? I click on the "sync items" frequently. This is my first kindle I've had (used Kobo before).

[kogs]

Ok I'm now 45% done the book according to my Kindle. I feel a bit better about the book now. The characters are a little bit easier to follow now. I find it rather curious that Oponn and Shadowthrone can be competing gods and somehow both seem to be opposing both human sides.

Curious in a good way, of course. Kind of similar to the Greek Gods in the Trojan War.

This post has been edited by kogs: 09 April 2014 - 09:14 PM