[Bairoth Gild]

This is a two part question do you think that the passages at the start of each chapter are important to the story and do you enjoy reading them.

[HoosierDaddy]

I think they frame the chapter to come, and perhaps more so in the case of the larger ones. They are great for little bits of information and such, so I do enjoy them. Some more than others.

[hmqb]

Lets see I read them most of the time, but they seem to have no relation to the rest of the book, most of the time. I might just not be noticing stuff, but it seems like he's ust trying to fir more history in these parts.

Like using the quotes to more devolop the backround of the story, but also just to be interesting. For example all the ones Fisher wrote are like life lessons, and some may relate to Wu.

This post has been edited by High Mage Quick Ben: 16 June 2010 - 02:24 AM

[Daeghrefn]

Some of them are interesting and insightful, others... not so much. Erikson's attempts at poetry are passable at best, but in most cases he seems to be trying to emulate "ancient" poetic forms that have gone through several rounds of translation, so the awkwardness of his verse can be seen as a literary device. That being said, most of the epigraphs make me roll my eyes for one reason or another - the one from DoD describing the Malazan equivalent of Darwin was particularly cringe-inducing. Sure, it may flesh out the world a little bit more, but there was really no need to include it, and I think the same can be said for a lot of the epigraphs. "Too many words," as Karsa says.

[Sinisdar Toste]

 Daeghrefn, on 16 June 2010 - 04:15 AM, said:

Some of them are interesting and insightful, others... not so much. Erikson's attempts at poetry are passable at best, but in most cases he seems to be trying to emulate "ancient" poetic forms that have gone through several rounds of translation, so the awkwardness of his verse can be seen as a literary device. That being said, most of the epigraphs make me roll my eyes for one reason or another - the one from DoD describing the Malazan equivalent of Darwin was particularly cringe-inducing. Sure, it may flesh out the world a little bit more, but there was really no need to include it, and I think the same can be said for a lot of the epigraphs. "Too many words," as Karsa says.

great post. i agree that eriksons poetry isn't particularly gripping compared to actual greats, but its serves the story well, imo. i read every one and think most are fitting and worth the 60 seconds it takes to read. though i do prefer the passages of history more, especially the poetic sounding ones.

that "betrayal of the fittest" thing i could see from a mile away, but the slight twist on the wording made me grin.

This post has been edited by Sinisdar Toste: 16 June 2010 - 05:55 AM

[worry]

Yah, that was awesome.

[Daeghrefn]

I do usually enjoy the ones that deal with history more than poetry, like the one from the perspective of the First Empire soldiers.

[Shadow of Shadowthrone]

I admire Erikson for including them. They are inspirational when they are at their most poetic, and indeed a bit jarring when the real-world equivalent becomes too apparent.
Still, I think they add a tone to the books that set them even more apart from anything else, and that's got to be worth something.
From his reading today I can promise you two great ones in The Crippled God

[NikitaDarkstar]

I'm not that fond of the long ones really. But the shorter ones or just the simple quote I quite enjoy, the longer ones just distract me more than anything. But I still read them, sometimes they add to the mood, sometimes they don't, but they're in the book and that means I'm reading them.

[ansible]

Like others have said, some of the poems are better than others. One that particularly stood out to me was in Midnight Tides, I believe (not with my books currently); the poem describes the aftermath of a battle and then an old man exclaims that there is peace finally and he shouts, etc. Then a soldier on a horse shoots the old man with an arrow says, "Now there is peace." I always thought it was a pretty badass poem.

I paraphrased that pretty badly, I really need to look that one up.

This post has been edited by ansible: 22 June 2010 - 02:19 AM

[champ]

http://lifeasahuman....h-is-the-dream/

section by SE discussing the poems at the start and how he pieces them together etc

[alt146]

I enjoy them. The tend to set the scene and you'll notice on a reread they are often choc-full of hints of what is to come later in the book/series.

[The Seguleh 46th]

I like them, but i will admit that most of them fly right over my head (not a poetry buff in the least). Still, adds for me simply by virtue of being there, more than actually making sense to me as a reader, as i tend to view this entire series as a huge historical textbook in a way.

[foolio]

Some of them are awesome. And some are not. I love the one about the dude stabbing his king in the back becasue the king had been a coward(and ran away) so he was always going to put his soldiers at risk to prove his false bravery....
also liked the one in RG that forshadows alot, describing the letherii expedition turning around when they saw the massive "dragons" rising up in the wasteland.

Sorry, but one more, love the one Outrider Hurlochel writes about witnessing the arguement between the high king and Caladan brood, it ends with Caladan telling Kallor "you never learn." Which I think is in GOTM and you really arent introduced to Kallor until 3 books later. Snipets of him in GOTM but not the relevance of the passage..../

[Salt-Man Z]

I love the poem "Stone Bowl" from RG.

Fisher kel Tath said:

I took the stone bowl
in both hands
and poured out my time
onto the ground
drowning hapless insects
feeding the weeds
until the sun stood
looking down
and stole the stain.

Seeing in the vessel's cup
a thousand cracks
I looked back
the way I came
and saw a trail green
with memories lost
whoever made this bowl
was a fool but the greater
he who carried it.

[ShadowRaven]

I agree that they are sually quite nice in setting the mood for the upcoming chapter, and that they are interesting in the sense that they contain hints towards later books. There are even some real gems in them, although I can't remember any right now. However, if I were to compare with another author, I'd have to say I like the way Robin Hobb uses them even better in the sense that Fizz tells the history and background of some issues we come across in the relevant chapter. It wouldn't work in MBotF, because the Farseer books are strictly first person, but they still seem more effective there (although the Malazan series is otherwise way better ).

[Findarato]

I (mostly) enjoy them, but I have to read them often twice. once before and then after reading the chapter. and now with my rereading the series, I understand more of what is told in them.

[haroos]

 Bairoth Gild, on 15 June 2010 - 11:56 PM, said:

This is a two part question do you think that the passages at the start of each chapter are important to the story and do you enjoy reading them.

i tend to skip the poetry.
read the "historical accounts" and other lesser pieces.
there was one passage by "essel monte" hmm... i think in MoI.

[Sucka27]

I don't really care for the poetry, but some of the others are great. My two personal favorites are from Reaper's Gale. One called In Defence of Compassion about the stupidity of being either extremely liberal or conservative.

http://books.google....epage&q&f=false

The other is about the people of Cabal and their "One God." This storyline to me gives the most insight to Erikson's personal religious beliefs, and this could be seen as a scathing judgement on Christianity and other world religions.

The One God strode out - a puppet trailing severed strings - from the conflagration. Another city destroyed, another people cut down in their tens of thousands. Who among us, witnessing his emergence, could not but conclude that madness had taken him? For all the power of creation he possessed, he delivered naught but death and destruction. Stealer of Life, Slayer and Reaper, in his eyes where moments earlier there had been the blaze of unreasoning rage, now there was calm. He knew nothing. He could not resolve the blood on his own hands. He begged us for answers, but we could say nothing.
We could weep. We could laugh.
We chose laughter.
Creed of the Mockers Cabal

[The Lord of Sorrow]

I think they are very good at creating more depth and feel to world, and they can give snippets of information that may not necessarily be important to the storyline but are very interesting none the less.

I am just on a reread of Deadhouse Gates and one stood out

"He swam at my feet,
Powerful arms in broad strokes
Sweeping the sand.
So i asked this man,
What seas do you swim?
And to this he answered,
"I have seen shells and the like,
On this desert floor,
So i swim this land's memory
Thus honouring its past."
Is the journey far, queried i.
"I cannot say," he replied,
"For i shall drown long before
I am done."