[Hetan]

Dear All,

I've been contacted by Tor.com to ask if our members here would be interested in taking part in a re-read, similar to the Wheel of Time which is taking place on Tor's website. I think it's quite an interesting process, particularly with two books out later this year (well maybe one in January 2011) and the launch of Transworld's The First Collected Tales of Bauchelain & Korbal Broach – which will be published in Bantam Press hardback at the end of August. The tales in question being Blood Follows, The Lees of Laughter’s End and The Healthy Dead.

In addition there are goodies on offer - see below for more information :-

Quote

On July 7th Tor.com will be launching a book-club style "re-read" of the Malazan series. For the past two years we have been hosting a similar discussion about our Wheel of Time series. Throughout that time we have enjoyed a close relationship with many of the Robert Jordan fan site runners.

In hopes of fostering a similar relationship with the Malazan fan sites, I wanted to introduce myself and offer the use of a free desktop wallpaper design. We have purchased the rights from artist Michael Komark to convert one of his Malazan paintings into a set of desktop sizes. If you are interested in offering them, free of charge, to your readers for a week-long exclusive, let me know and we can supply a variety of screen sizes to you. We can also offer a free banner ad on Tor.com that links back to MalazanEmpire.com.

I've long enjoyed a convention-friendship with Steve and Cam. I'm looking forward to this extended evaluation of their work. and would love to explore any dialogue we can have between Tor.com and MalazanEmpire.com.

So please let me have your comments .. and make them nice?

[Silencer]

I dunno, I think it would be good, and quite fun, but bloody hard to do - the way the link example works, with chapter-by-chapter summaries and 'best line' and so forth doesn't feel entirely reasonable for the Malazan series. Sure, most chapters will have something cool to talk about, but at the same time some don't, and some would be better suited to being dealt with in pairs, or sets even. I dunno if the entire re-read thing is done the way of that first person's link I read, or if that's how it has to be, but even so, it would be cool to see/do.

[Kater]

It seems like an interesting exercise but WoT is more straight forward than the Malazan books, so some of those 'summaries' and important points could be epic. I think they've got the comments section wrong structurally too, I'd imagine the speed at which conversation may take place with people posting it could become quite confusing and fragmented. Nice idea in principal though.

[Lusipher]

This could turn out to be really cool. I've followed the WoT re-read off and on and found the chapter summaries helpful with remembering stuff from books I haven't read in years, and Leigh's commentary is usually quite fun and thoughtful. To answer your concern Silencer, the "best-line" isn't a required feature of the posts, it's just something Leigh does from time to time as a huge fan of the series (she's also done alot of work with the wotfaq website and is a regular from the old usenet days). Going further, I'm sure TOR would allow the person that would be doing the Malazan re-read their own preferences. And you're right Kater, TOR's comments section could use some work, it's horrible trying to follow stuff in there.

For a series that has so many fragmented and disjointed looks at things that don't become important until later, I think alot of people would find something like this re-read quite helpful.

[Salt-Man Z]

Fricking finally. They announced this thing back in March, then in April announced that it would be pushed back to June. Now it's July...

Anyway, I'm really excited for this. I won't be rereading along, but I'll definitely be keeping tabs on the endeavor.

[Obdigore]

Sounds like a good idea.

I'm down.

I have been meaning to start a re-read anyway.

[Mischiefs' Folly]

I think that is a great Idea! It will also give Steve a bit of exposure. I know when I first started reading (or before I started, I was looking at the bookstore fore something new.) I was always put off his books because of the "bad" US covers, especially GotM.

[amphibian]

Good idea - not only will it bring exposure, but if we can make a deal as to sharing the results of it (the summaries, frequently answered questions), we can improve this site also.

It's like one of those Japanese slogans: mutual effort brings great results, or something like that in Engrish.

[WhiskeyJackDaniels]

On the Tor website they say they already have a pair of people that would be doing the re-read. Do they just want contributing help with that? Or are they trying to replace those people?

[Ulrik]

Good idea...but I guess that many part will turn into huge discussion about exact meaning of the scene...first menhir on the Way - Tattersail and Deck of Dragons But I like it...and I even more like that wallpaper possibility

[ansible]

How fast will the reread take place? A book per month? Just curious. I plan to do a reread soon but just can't decide when to start.

This post has been edited by ansible: 01 July 2010 - 11:52 PM

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Who would write the commentaries? It would obviously have to be someone who writes well.

[Lucky Revenant]

I'm not entirely sure I understand what this is, but I'm already rereading the series right now, so it might not hurt.

I also really like the idea of the wallpapers, and no that's not the only reason I like this idea 

[Abalieno]

I was aware of this re-read but no idea what they are asking exactly. I couldn't care less about wallpapers but dialogue between Tor and this site can only be good, if only their requests were more clear.

They should also contact this guy: http://malazanascendancy.com/

[Prophet of Daru]

This sounds quite interesting! Albeit I am only three books into the series, nonetheless it would be fantastic to look at the series in a more directed less discursive way.

If needs be, I am happy to write small pieces - I am one of the ranks of English Lit MAs shambling about with a full brain and an empty wallet.

[Hetan]

For anyone who is interested in adding comments etc to the re-read it should be up on the Tor site "July 7th 10:00am New York Time".

I've already been sent the wallpapers so I'll put them up in the morning.

[Abalieno]

It's up now. Prologue + 1st chapter.

[Hetan]

Please see this thread for the wallpapers.

Due to the threadbusting size of them they are in a locked topic in the Malazan Art forum, where they won't interfere with anyone's posting experience.

If anyone needs a mac version of any particular size - send me a pm.

Many thanks to Tor for the opportunity.

[Beezulbubba]

Yes!!! thank you! (a little pee escaped when I checked out the wallpaper thread). This re-read of Gotm is going to be epic!.... goes to the top of my "daily sites to visit" bookmarks.

[Weave]

Hmm we're not discussing it much!
So far the only thing I've taken from it, is that I must be REALLY frigging thick.
Because as a first time reader, Amanda gets some references/clues WAY before I did. I swear Bill must be prepping her, no-ones that insightful, surely!?
Or maybe as she's readinging and taking notes, she's just paying more attention to detail than I, who approached it purely for fun and entertainment, without realising everything was going to be so full of foreshadowing and hidden hints.
I think I'll massage my ego with that scenario, yes.

How's everyone else finding it?