[Gathras]

Hi there everyone,

I've been watching some of the discussions in the forum for some time now, but since I had't finished the series then I did not post anything because I was afraid of any spoilers, but now I've finished the series and am ready to join the fray.

I started around four years ago, but my English wasn't good enough at that time so it was quite hard to get what is happening all the time (admittedly it still is sometimes). I realized the books were great but it was just to hard to read. About four months back I picked it up again and now I am pretty much addicted and will start my first reread tomorrow.

So I am ready to discuss and predict away although I will have missed many things but I already know that you guys know alot more than I and the forum has helped me often enough when I missed something important.

[Erik Raditzky]

Alrighty there dudez and dudettes, I've been floating around for a while now and even posted in at least one topic, but never formally introduced myself. So, "here I am here I remain" (kind of, I'm not exactly a regular near a P.C) Real names Dean by the way, Erik Raditzky is just a character I made up for various different thins, but you can call me either. I've been really enjoying reading through some of the other posts, there are a few funny people on this forum (and I mean that in both good and not so good ways. lol) well, thats about all my mediocre brain can manage to say about myself for now. so where was I? oh yes! Hello.

[Griven]

Hi there,

Names John, from Canada, I started the Malazan series about a year ago now, am currently about 200 pages into Toll the Hounds.

I really enjoy the series, it's always a fun read and tough to put down, but neccessary to put down unless I want to die of malnutrition because all the books are so damn long.

Anyways, I'm terrible at intros, looking forward to posting here, I haven't been part of a forum community for a while...

[HoosierDaddy]

Welcome Cleantoe, Gathras, Griven, and Erik! Hope you enjoy the forums!

This post has been edited by H.D.: 07 March 2010 - 04:19 AM

[Garak]

Hello. I've been lurking on this forum for a while now and I've decided to step forward and introduce myself.

I'm Andrei from Romania and I began reading this series on a whim in all honesty. I was going through a dry patch of reading material - I had read every Star Wars, 40k, Dune, Feist, Gemmell book I own and the two series I was following at the time (ASoIaF and Twilight Reign by Tom Lloyd had nothing new). I was basically going nuts without anything to read and in no mood to re-read anything (and I enjoy re-reading so much there are books I've read twenty times by now). So when I picked up Toll the Hounds -they only had this and Return of the Crimson Guard- I was desperate. The book looked big enough to keep me busy for a while and the blurb on the back seemed interesting enough - when I read Anomander Rake, Son of Darkness I thought "Well it sounds epic so why the hell not?". I thought it sounded epic........boy, I had no idea just how epic. The next day I went back and bought RotCG when I found it was the same setting. I admit that the first half of TtH was confusing - not the writing style itself (which I loved actually since it was new and most of the time it felt downright artistic) so much as the fact that I had no idea who these characters were, their motivations, the events they kept mentioning etc. But I read on since the story was good, the characters fun (I instantly liked the ex-Bridgeburners and of course Rake stole the show when he got screen time) and the setting interesting (besides I didn't really expect the author to tell me who was who in the 8th book in the series for Hood's sake) and I trusted the author to make worth it. Boy, was it worth it. The convergence left me slack jawed and grinning stupidly at the same time. When I finished it, I was stunned. I felt like my soul was gut-punched and I couldn't believe how bittersweet that ending was. I got tears in my eyes when Druss fell in Legend but when

Spoiler

Rake made that sacrifice and the ending scene with Brood

- well I'm not ashamed to say this book had the honor of being the first book to make me cry.

After that I was on board all the way. I still didn't manage to get the books in proper order of course. I read them like this: Toll the Hounds, Return of the Crimson Guard, Deadhouse Gates (which again left me crying at the end), House of Chains, Reaper's Gale (the first half was weird because I again had to adjust to characters I knew nothing about), Gardens of the Moon (which I loaned to friend a few days ago) and Memories of Ice (which I just finished and again I was crying). Next up is Bonehunters and then I'll have to order the rest from Amazon. The three books that made me cry were my favorite from the series and I think they rank as the best I've ever read - probably because of the impact they had on me. What's worse is that now I'm feeling even more shock.

Spoiler

I liked Anaster Toc in RG but I didn't know the character back then very well. Now I know that both he and the Grey Swords will pass through Hood's gate because of treachery - damn it, after Capustan and Coral they deserved something better, but I guess history doesn't care what you deserve and this series is history marching on. Oh yeah, and now I sorta fell sad that Dragnipur was broken because Kallor deserves to spend eternity pulling that wagon.

This is a bittersweet series but I love it. I'm only sad I didn't discover it sooner.

This post has been edited by Hetan: 16 March 2010 - 08:59 AM
Reason for edit: edited for spoilers

[Red King]

Hi there, I am really glad i stumbled on to this site by accident, i hardly know any people who are reading or have read the series. So, its nice to be in a place where tons and tons of people know how awesome it is. Well, glad to be here and hope i can get invovled quickly.

[Fist Gamet]

Welcome to all you new guys, dive in and have fun

[andrewtkd]

Well, not much to say. I love the Malazan books. Bought Garden of the Moon on vacation in a cruise ship gift shop, and finished it before I got home. He has quickly become one of my favorite (if not favorite) writers. But enough about that. This post is supposed to be about me!

I'm involved in martial arts, I love to read (obviously), like vidya games, and Magic the Gathering. Umm, not sure what else to put here. So I shall shut up.

[kuraegomon]

Howdy all,

Not really a new member, but it's been at least 5 or 6 years since I've been on here. Couldn't even remember my old username (probably not in the DB anymore anyway), so starting over. I just finally made myself sit down and finish Dust of Dreams (amazing how life gets in the way nowadays) - now only 6 months to go to get to the end! (OK - 6-1/2 ... I'm rounding down )

[Tool]

Hello fellow Malazans, i actually joined 2 years ago to ask one question about Return of the Crimson Guard, but i have been actively reading the forums since that time so it feels like i already know alot of the more active posters. I have to say that there alot of very intelligent people who use these forums which is great, i have only read the series once (so far) and whenever i have a question (which is often lol), i am almost certain to have them answered in here. So thank you all for your many great theories, interpretations, deliberations, and speculations that have greatly enhanced my understanding of the stories.

Cheers.

[Hetan]

Welcome and happy posting new members and old

[The Seguleh 46th]

Dove in and gobbled up Glen Cooks "Black Company" series and was introduced to Mr. Erikson via his introduction section in the "Dread Empire" series. Decided to go ahead and give this little Malazan Empire thing a try and have not looked back thus far. Utterly amazing series that makes you think as well as entertain. Really was intimidated at first when i opened up Gardens of the Moon and seen the multi-page layout of characters, but it really was easy after awhile to simply sit back and enjoy this massive cast. Although i did not really know what the hell was going on at first, i did appreciate the fact that Erikson did not feel the desire to lead me by the hand, rather he allowed me as a reader to figure it out on my own. Ballsy, yet ultimately rewarding as a reader, IMO. Favorites of the series thus far are easily DHG, MOI, and HOC. TTH was a very excellent read as well, but also a huge emotional drain as well, in a good way though (not sure about the spoilers thing, so i won't say why). Still haven't read RotCG, but am looking very forward to its US release here in less than a month! Looking forward to debate/discussion with all of you here very soon, as this seems to be a forum populated with highly intelligent folks!

[Silannah]

Hello! I actually picked up GotM about four times at the library, without checking it out, before deciding "what the heck, it can't be too bad" and checking it out. Four weeks later, I've bought or checked out at the library most of the series. It's probably my favorite series of all time, topping R. A. Salvatore's Drizzt series. As someone who has to deal with school, I don't get that much time to read, but I muddle along pretty well, because I spend most of my free time not playing video games, which I like to do, but rereading the series yet again. I have to get the other books related to the Malazan Book of the Fallen series, but they don't have them at the library. In the meantime, I can find those little references to things usually hidden in obscure dialogue somewhere on about the 400th page.

[SantiagoElf]

Hi!

After many attempts to finish first thirth of the GotM, spanning across years, I am finally on the verge to finish it! And after the meeting between Andromander Rake and the Great Alchemist, the book gets better and better.

[Gothos]

Hi! Welcome, and keep on reading :> it gets better.

[Nraig]

Hey there everyone!

I've been reading the series for...eh, a while. the release of Midnight Tides I presume, when the local bookstore (in backwater Norway, so it could be ages after the acctual release)got that book. I picked it up and didnt' quite realize this wasn't book one untill a thrid or so into the book! First thing i did was to run to the store and get them to order book 1-4.
at the moment I've all 9 books of the main series( all well read by now), plus the novellas and the "Novel of the Malazan Empire" in my shelf, along with four hardback copes of book 4, 5, 7 and 8. the damned bookstore can't get their hands on more hardback copies! (or doesnt' want to...and right now i can't affort it anyhow. Come autumn!)
And after that I've kinda been hooked and bugging my freinds with the series.
I've not taken the time to read other posts here yet(will probably gvet around to that soon, though), so i've no idea what to acctualy write...
But well, after a while I've noticed a few things. I write long posts in forums. and most of it is useless babble that people find readable somehow.

I guess the point of this thread is to acctualy say something about myself... so well, I'm a student of history and litterature and isn't really sure why the academics haven't picked up fantasy(...at least some of it. i dont' expect them to pick up Robert Jordan or his ilk).

ah well, I've probably written enough by now. Anyone can ask me stuff, I don't bite all that often.

...And now, i'm off to enjoy the site!

[Grunthor]

Evening folks, been lurking around the site for a while now and decided to take the plunge and join. I was given DG by a collegue in work a few years back but never read it. Ran out of stuff to read, bought GotM and have been hooked ever since. Going to do a re-read after I finish what I 'm reading at the moment. Hope to talk to ye on the forums.

[Pust]

Hello all.

I was first introduced to this series just this past December, and now I'm working through Bonehunters. This series has been the most enjoyable favorite fantasy series that I've ever read, and it has really introduced me to a different kind of fantasy novel. This is a much dirtier and grittier fantasy then what I've read in the past, and I'm really enjoying it.

I love the focus on soldiers and warfare. Spending so much time with the armies really makes every battle and conflict feel much more substantial and it really has an impact on me.

And I am amazed at the epic history worked into every aspect of the story. I feel like I know so much about this world, the ways it works and how it came to be, then with the worlds in most other fantasy novels I've read. The story has such a broad scope, pulling in all sorts of characters in all manner of situation, and it's even pretty damn funny when it wants to be. I feel like this series has something that can appeal to almost any reader of fantasy.

Looking forward to discussing this great series with you all.

[HoosierDaddy]

Welcome to the forums Nraig, Grunthor and Pust!


Ngraig: I love that Midnight Tides was the first book you read. It's astouding that you got that first and then went back to the others! MT (the shorthand for Midnight Tides around here) is so good, I can't imagine it being the first I read. I can only imagine the joy and confusion that were mixing for you!

Grunthor: Re-reads are where the MBotF pay off in spades! SE has stacked his books with so much information that pays off, but it requires a second read to begin really noticing them!

Pust: Welcome to SE's masterpiece of grunt level epic fantasy! SE does some epic battles and he always sets them up so unbelievably well.

It's great to have such huge fans here ready to discuss this series because the Malazan Books of the Fallen are so undeniably awesome! Welcome!

This post has been edited by H.D.: 25 March 2010 - 09:25 AM

[Treg]

Hi, there. I've devoured GotM, DG and most recently MoI. I had gone to the bookstore to pick up HoC, but they were out. Oh well, I thought, I'll "slow roll" MoI and leave enough for the flight back to the US from Norway. *whew* What a book! Unfortunately I left myself with 3 hours of flight and nothing left to read but a book on software Refactoring. Yeah... that wasn't going to cut it.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the series. Oh don't I just?!

Hoping for more Mott Irregulars,
Treg

This post has been edited by Treg: 26 March 2010 - 01:27 AM