[Defiance]

Just started my first reread of the series today, already about 1/3 of the way through GotM. I'm enjoying the book so much more this time around, now that I actually understand everything that's going on. It's surprising just how much I missed the first time around. For example, when QB and Kalam and Tattersail and all are talking about one hundred pages in or so, after Paran got stabbed. They basically tell you

Spoiler

that Kellanved and Dancer = Shadowthrone and Cotillion

but I completely missed this, as did many others from what I've heard.

Anyway, on a side note, does anyone know if Tor is going to be publishing the UK covers? I just bought the large paperback version of GotM that has the big stone tower on the front, as my ugly US paperback is lent out (for good) to a friend who's starting to read the series. I like the large paperback versions a lot more, and the UK covers are 10x better than the US ones....so, any chance of getting them over here?

[Harvester]

Defiance, on 12 April 2010 - 03:03 AM, said:

Just started my first reread of the series today, already about 1/3 of the way through GotM. I'm enjoying the book so much more this time around, now that I actually understand everything that's going on. It's surprising just how much I missed the first time around. For example, when QB and Kalam and Tattersail and all are talking about one hundred pages in or so, after Paran got stabbed. They basically tell you

Spoiler

that Kellanved and Dancer = Shadowthrone and Cotillion

but I completely missed this, as did many others from what I've heard.

Quote! Quote! Quote!

[Abalieno]

That's actually written in the first piece of poetry thing written by Felisin.

[Garak]

Yeah. I didn't read the series in order so by the time I got my hands on Gardens I was able to spot the reference easily. I made me smile when I realized that Erikson gave you clues the first time around but the reader was usually to busy with the other info to pick this up.

[Abyss]

For no good reason, i find i usually only pay attention to the little chapter opener poetry bits on the re-read. Which is sort of backwards, because they are (often but not always) both informative and foreshadowing.

I agree with you Defiance - there is so MUCH godness that only becomes clear the second (third, sixth...) time around.

- Abyss, can admit he has a problem.

[Findarato]

Yes, rereads are awesome indeed! I have read GOTM some years ago for the first time (+ the entire series pubilshed so far), and now have read he first 2 books again. There are so many things that hint at things happening in later books one does not (cannot) understand when reading the first time through. For instance all the hints about the Jaghut (the tyrant). At the moment I am waiting for my MOI hardcover copy to arrive in my mailbox, so I can continue. I have replaced all my paperbacks with HC copies now, for rereads of books this size I prefer HC's.

[Gothos]

Re-reads reveal hints and foreshadowing, yes, but they're mostly visible due to you having read the later books. Most of them is too vague to mean anything precise. Most of them could mean numerous other things just as easy. Bit like fortune cookies.

[Salt-Man Z]

Defiance, on 12 April 2010 - 03:03 AM, said:

Anyway, on a side note, does anyone know if Tor is going to be publishing the UK covers? I just bought the large paperback version of GotM that has the big stone tower on the front, as my ugly US paperback is lent out (for good) to a friend who's starting to read the series. I like the large paperback versions a lot more, and the UK covers are 10x better than the US ones....so, any chance of getting them over here?

The "stone tower" cover that you bought is the GotM 10th anniversary edition. It remains to be seen whether Tor will re-release any more of the series like that, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Both DG and DoD already use the same cover art as the Bantam (UK) editions, and I'm sure the final book will as well.

[Harvester]

I have looked it up. Kalam really mentions that in a conversation... how the hell did I... never mind.

This post has been edited by Harvester: 13 April 2010 - 06:19 PM

[Defiance]

Almost done, about 80 pages left. I'm enjoying the book even more this time than the first time I read it, which is something that I almost never experience with books. It's funny how much stuff is referenced...at one point someone, maybe Tool, was talking about Olar Ethil.

I also have to wonder how powerful Raest would have become if he had ever got hands on his Finnest...I mean he was powerful enough to face down five dragons and apparently make Burn stir in her sleep. I wonder, though, why didn't the Jaghut just kill Raest? Or imprison him within an Azath? I would have thought Gothos would have had the foresight to see someone would be foolish enough to release Raest at some point or another (if indeed it was Gothos who made that Finnest...I'm pretty sure it was). Maybe this has already been covered or is covered in a later book, but if so I don't remember it.

[Findarato]

Yes I know the hints and more understanding at a reread are due to having read the other books. Especially the scenes with Toc the Younger showed me that, as I did not pay so much attention to him during my first read of GOTM, and the second time I found him awesome.

concerning Defiance's post, Raest would probably not have been defeated if he'd had his finnest. Even Rake would not have stopped him, I believe, since the dragons had a hard time with him even without the Finnest. I am not sure either if the Jaghut had been strong enough to kill him or even wanted that at the time. I assume he wasn't the only tyrant they knew, as there seemed to have been several in Jaghut history. Was it stated that Gothos made the Finnest? Even at a reread one misses things..

[killer angels]

I enjoyed my re-read of GotM much better than I did the first time I read it.

[Defiance]

Just finished it, such a good book.

A few questions/interesting things I noticed:

While Sorry is possessed she becomes scared/outraged upon hearing about Otatarol because Cotillion had a very "personal memory" related to it, or some such.

Spoiler

Awesome how this ties in to Night of Knives, when Laseen had the big pile of otataral dust when Kellanved and Dancer confronted her.

Could someone explain what happened with Tool and the Finnest, when Paran got drawn that other world after Raest's magic hit his sword? Seemed to be like the Finnest was contesting the will of the Azath and about to win, but Paran intervened and killed the Finnest's power or something like that. So, how the hell did Paran get there? Did Tool bring him there? Why was Tool there - I know because of the whole Jaghut thing, but why didn't he just appear at Lady Simtal's estate? How'd he enter the world of the Finnest? That's the only part of the book that really confused me.

EDIT: Upon thinking about it, the battle with the Finnest was in Kruppe's dream world...so the question I have is, was Kruppe asleep and dreaming at the time this battle happened? Still pretty confused.

This post has been edited by Defiance: 15 April 2010 - 11:32 PM

[Sinisdar Toste]

yes he was, there's an offhand mention of it a little earlier. he's all covered in crumbs and fast asleep, so that what needs to happen, can happen.

parans appearance i think has to do with

Spoiler

his burgeoning Master of the Deckness, which of course allows him to enter pretty much any realm he wants

[Gothos]

As for defeating/killing Raest... remember, plenty of times even T'lan Imass just buried them under rocks, even children. Possibly finishing a Jaghut off completely isn't that easy, and killing one of Raest's caliber could be a lot... harder... than just entombing him.
Gman probably didn't much care either way.

[jaysen]

Just started to re-read the series myself a few weeks ago and thought I'd ask my question in this thread.

Can't remember who mentions it but somewhere in the first book in GotM, there's mention of "the Year of the Shattered Moon." For some reason I'm thinking it had something to do with a conversation concerning the time when Surly became Laseen and Kell and Dancer became....well ex-emperor and master assassin.
Anyone else catch it? Is it significant considering events later in the series?
Or is it just something Erikson threw in at the time?

[EsotericForest]

I'm about 70 pages into my first reread of the book...and I too am stunned with how much I missed the first time through. Now I'm liking this book a whole lot more than I did originally

[spiral]

Thats it I'm re reading from the start.......just as soon as I polish off another one or two from my to read pile. Why did I look at The Wind-up bird chronicle???? Soon i will be back to GotM

[EsotericForest]

Now I'm 270 pages in...and am wondering how I was so stupid to miss so much of this the first time

[The Seguleh 46th]

About halfway through my re-read as well (Tattersail has departed Pale anyways). Really great at seeing so many things that had flew right over my head the first time take on new life this time around. The only bad part is noticing all the mistakes, but i can live with that, seeing as how most of them are simply names or small timeline issues, i.e., the Mouse Quarter burning happening 9 years prior, yet Tattersail then talking about how its been 20 years since she joined the 2nd Army cadre after the Mouse debacle. No biggie really, as i do understand that SE at the time did not know if this would be a one-and-done, or end up possibly the greatest fantasy series ever written! (Just 2nd behind the Black Company series IMO!)

This post has been edited by The Seguleh 46th: 18 May 2010 - 01:52 AM