Malazan Empire: Here's what I've got so far... - Malazan Empire

Okay. Wow. This book positively made my head hurt. In a good way. I read it over the holiday... need to read it again. But on a first read, let's get this stuff straight... (if any of my questions are answered in the following books, do tell)

A, There's a hungry Empire devouring the world. It's ruled by Laseen, who killed the former emperor to get where she is. At the beginning, Dujek Onearm commands the imperial army in Pale, and it's more loyal to him than to the Empress. Whiskeyjack and his Bridgeburners used to serve the old emperor, so the Empress is nervous about them as well.

B, Pale has an alliance with Moon's Spawn. The Empire attacks. A lot of people die. High Mage Tayschrenn kills some of his own people. The hell? Why? How come he sends the giant dude after Tattersail?

C, Shadowthrone and the Rope massacre a whole bunch of people to conceal the kidnapping and possession of a girl. What’s the plan, here? I don’t get it. Adjunct Lorn recruits Paran to find this girl, who's infiltrated the Bridgeburners. The Rope/Sorry kills Paran, but the god Oponn rescues him. In this way Paran becomes Oponn's tool?

D, So then we go to Darujhistan. The Empress wants this city bad. So she sends in agents to make a deal with the Guild of Assassins, in order to get rid of the city's secret rulers. That’s the T’orrud Cabal, right? Anomander Rake comes along and makes an alliance with the Cabal, Baruk to be specific.


E, Meanwhile a hell of a lot of other stuff is happening. We’ve got Rallick and Murillio settling an old score for their friend. We’ve got a thief who somehow manages to become another one of Oponn’s cronies. (How did that happen, anyway? The Coin just dropped out of nowhere at Crokus’ feet.) We’ve got Kruppe the master spy who manages to face down a Jaghut Tyrant, wandering around the city and teething snacks and having messed up dreams.

F, Lorn and Tool free the Tyrant. Uh, why? Because they want to force Rake’s hand, figuring that when it goes down, it’ll take the Son of Darkness with it? Why does Tool stay behind to fight it, then?

G, Where did the Azath come from? What’s an Azath anyway? (I was so bloody confused at this point, but it was so amazing and everybody was just doing things that were too cool for words and I couldn’t stop reading... haha.)

H, If Mammot is a learned wise scholar, why would he do something so stupid as to wear a Jaghut mask and “attract” its attention?

I, How come Lorn wanted to kill the Coinbearer? If she’s already got a Tyrant loose, why did she need the Galayn demon?

More questions later. Must gather thoughts.

Btw... hi everyone, I’m new.