[caladanbrood]

SonOfDarkness;327987 said:

He must have met Kallor. Hes in deadhouse gates.

Kallors in GotM

Fleetingly yes. How much did you know about Kallor after GotM? I meant met properly.

[SonOfDarkness]

caladanbrood+;328166 said:

Fleetingly yes. How much did you know about Kallor after GotM? I meant met properly.

True!

We knew he enslaved an empire and Genebackis was a mere speck to what he had done in his past. Theres a few passages detailing some of this in GOTM.

Your refering to MOI and the outcome. To me it wasnt suprising. It seemed to me from GOTM that Kallor had evilness.

Although I did like it when he took Rakes side against brood in MOI. " Ill be to your left Rake "


something along the lines of that.

[Gabriele]

I'm looking forward to meeting the guy.

[wolf_2099]

The sex scenes, the are freaking awesome!

Er wait, wrong messageboard?

*checks board*

Nope.

[Zorland]

1. The prose. Erikson's writing is both meticulous and amazing. This is brought to my attention most when I try to quote the text, only to find that what I've quoted is how I would have written the passage. And his is much better.

2. Emotions. I think that where Erikson excels here is in his ability to convey emotion quickly and succinctly. For example, consider the brief moment in Coral (?) where Toc is let out of the Matron's grasp and is 'guarded' by and Seerdomin. As the recess ends, the Seerdomin offers to carry Toc back. I paraphrase here:
S: I will carry you, you're weight is as nothing.
T: I'm glad I won't weigh heavily on you.
S: I did not say that.

That was an especially strong scene for me. Such compassion, such emotion, and it is done so masterfully.

3. I would also like to echo whoever mentioned how he can quickly create a compelling back story for a character or people. Back to the same passage from MoI...
That whole encounter begins with the narrator talking about the people who lived in the trees and cliffs around Coral in order to anchor the ships (because the bay was too deep, perhaps?). After spending a few paragraphs explaining their existence, Erikson goes on to mention how they've become extinct thanks to the Seer. Ouch.

And also, the seerdomin tells Toc about his family. While the seerdomin's father is out at sea, the entire family embraces the faith of the Pannion Domin. Upon seeing this, the father "tacks back out to sea", never to be seen again. And the seerdomin mentions that he was happy for/proud of his father. Chills!

Enough raving for now...

[Ain't_It_Just_]

Because of the simple reason it ain't your normal fantasy story. Everyone is either bitter, sardonic, cynical or just plain annoying. Fid? He may have done some nasty things (i.e. murdered a few officers) but we all love him, because he's a good man.

In short, it feels so superior to the other fantasy books, that all follow the same vein. I believe SE shows his contempt for that sorta thing in Udinaas's narrative in RG.....

EDIT: Oh yeah, and the religion kicks ass. The curses were pure class; "Hood's Breath, Beru Fend, Togg's Teats....".... I love it. And they can get fucking good. Like, "Hood's balls skewered on a spit."

[Gabriele]

The only disadvantage is that reading Erikson can frustrate an aspiring writer.

When I read GRRM, my reaction was sometimes along the lines, wow that's good, I should have a look at the scene where Antonius Merenda, already wounded, stays back to give the group that managed to get out of the Varus battle mess a slim chance to make it through - it needs more punch towards the end.

When I read Erikson, I keep telling myself I can never write anything even remotely as strong. *sniff*

[Aptorian]

Gabriele;328669 said:

The only disadvantage is that reading Erikson can frustrate an aspiring writer.

When I read GRRM, my reaction was sometimes along the lines, wow that's good, I should have a look at the scene where Antonius Merenda, already wounded, stays back to give the group that managed to get out of the Varus battle mess a slim chance to make it through - it needs more punch towards the end.

When I read Erikson, I keep telling myself I can never write anything even remotely as strong. *sniff*

That's my exact problem aswell.

I'll be reading stuff like Jordan, Gemmel or Glen Cook, etc and I'm certain that I could write a story that's equall to, if not better than most of what they've ever made.

I'll be reading something like Trudi Canavan or Terry Goodkind and I don't have the slightest doubt I could write BRILLIANT stories and sell a BILLION copies.

But then you read something like Erikson or Mieville or GRRM and you'll be sitting there scratching your head wondering how the hell they pull it off, sort of scared and itching to rewrite half of it...

EDIT: Then you look up Goodkind and it's all good again...

[bwgan]

Haven't been around for ages as I have been ill (don't worry , I'm a brave girl and am on the mend), but had to reply to this one..then realised that nearly everything I wanted to say had been said.

I particularly picked up on the curses - you feel like you realy could use them (if you weren't afraid your other half would be confirmed in his opinion that you're completely nuts ).

But I suppose for me it's the fact that I swear I can hear the background noises, like in an army camp; I can smell the aromas...not so nice when it's sweat, but still...I can even feel the heat and cold - how many writers can do that? And I don't like overly descriptive writing...it can be so boring. But I couldn't tell you if his writing is overly descriptive because I don't even feel like I am noticing the words..I'm just there..living it...ok, so my old man is right :eek:

Oh..and if for nothing else I would love SE forever for Chain of Dogs...cried every single time...BUT can't reread Itkovian's sacrifice again - that's just too upsetting.

Oh and Rake is fab...in a very improper way :eek:

Oh, oh and Ladyenvy is my heroine.

Oh, oh, oh and Fiddler and Toc could do with a cwtch.

Oh, oh ... *is dragged away by better half muttering to himself "knew I shouldn't have let her near Malazan this early in her recuperation*

[Gabriele]

Aptorian;328686 said:

EDIT: Then you look up Goodkind and it's all good again...

Lol, maybe I should not have given away my copy of Wizard's First Rule after I stopped reading halfway through that neverending torture scene.

Not that I mind torture scenes, but that one was just boring.

[Gem Windcaster]

Sinisdar Toste;327335 said:

so this is exactly what it looks like. i want you to think about the most specific little details that make the MBotF stand out from everything else. you know there's tons of them so lets go!

1. hellian. plain and simple i love this woman.
2. names change and are bastardized over the millenia. liossercal=osric, anomandaris purake= anomander rake etc.
3. idigenous tribes. i can imagine jungles in shal-morzinn where there is uncontacted tribes just like in the amazon.
4. not everyone likes 'good guys' not everyone hates 'bad guys'
5. the past is present. you know what i mean
6. people that talk like maniacs, (pust, kruppe, tehol, the sinker lake two)
7. mother nature is alive
8. religion is twisted and shaped by mortals into what they want
9. nobody *really* understands magic

anyways there are a few of mine, what do you think?

I think you nailed most of them.

SE's writing is witty, intelligent and multi leveled. Plus the storylines keep reminding me of sci-fi and Shakespear together. It's WIN!

[Optimus Prime]

Why do I love SE? Because he doesn't pull any punches. He'll kill anybody. He'll flip the script on you when you least expect it, even 7 books in, when he killed Trull. It wasn't just that he killed him, it was how he did it as well.

But mostly, it's the way he's able to handle so many plots so well. It boggles my mind. It challenges me to write better.

[Gem Windcaster]

Oh and I love the little by-the-way details that can have great meaning a book later...

[Sinisdar Toste]

another fave detail is how he uses features of the natural environment as an allegory to a character or situation in the story

[lorddarkflare]

Sinisdar Toste;329014 said:

another fave detail is how he uses features of the natural environment as an allegory to a character or situation in the story

I have nor realized this(not true, i have seen it once or twice). Hmm, i may have yet another series re read to do. Damn You!!!

[Ain't_It_Just_]

Xander;328881 said:

Why do I love SE? Because he doesn't pull any punches. He'll kill anybody. He'll flip the script on you when you least expect it, even 7 books in, when he killed Trull. It wasn't just that he killed him, it was how he did it as well.

But mostly, it's the way he's able to handle so many plots so well. It boggles my mind. It challenges me to write better.

Trull's death seemed...messy to me. Annoying. Didn't leave a lot. I mean, when Kalam nearly died, ST threw him in the Deadhouse, leaving something to extrapolate on. Trull? Nup. I expect to see him come back in some way or form, however. Or his child.

[Tattooed Hand]

I love it that heirarchies of race and gender don't exist like they do in our world, that fantasy is a world where women can be stronger than men, people can be blue and everyone is sort of thrown together. It seems more about individuals. Societies and groups still take each other out, but you don't have this lame boring world where all the women are doormats and punching bags and all the evil terrorists are brown people.

[Optimus Prime]

Ain said:

Trull's death seemed...messy to me. Annoying. Didn't leave a lot. I mean, when Kalam nearly died, ST threw him in the Deadhouse, leaving something to extrapolate on. Trull? Nup. I expect to see him come back in some way or form, however. Or his child.

That's just it though. Trull's death seemed so...empty...pointless....shocking in it's stupidity. At least that's how I took it.

[Ain't_It_Just_]

Xander;330750 said:

That's just it though. Trull's death seemed so...empty...pointless....shocking in it's stupidity. At least that's how I took it.

Yeah, that's basically it. I doubt SE will just leave it at that. If he DOES, I'll be extremely disappointed.