[Tattersail_]

I, like you, Love this series. I think it is the best thing I have read. I say this because every single day I think about it to some capacity, I want to share my experience with none fantasy readers, educated people, non eductaed people, girlfriend, friends and family. As an insider I ask, what would you say to someone who knows nothing of this world, nothing of Steve and Ian, to get them to read the series? How about people who don't read, people who do but like thrillers/horrors/factual based books? I cannot see how any sane person could dislike this series read from start to finish, it doesn't matter if it is complex, it shouldn't matter that it needs patience. What review would you point them to?

thanks for your replies

[Use Of Weapons]

First thing I would say is, accept that it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea. Some people will never have read anything that would prepare them for reading Malaz. Would you really give these books to someone who'd been raised on a diet of, say, Anne Rice and Mercedes Lackey? However good these authors are in their niches, it would be a significant jump in complexity, one that many readers wouldn't be able to make.

Second thing I'd say is, what is your purpose in introducing them to it? If it's to spread the love of the series and earn SE and ICE more money, then it would behoove you to wait until they're ready. If it's for any reason other than love of the series (and we all need to disentangle our own motivations for our actions from time to time), I'd say, desist.

In general, people read reviews in order to support their own point of view. If they read a review that contradicts their worldview, studies have shown that this has the effect of cementing their opinions -- not the effect you would wish, I'd warrant.

Finally: it does matter that it's complex, and it does matter that it requires patience. Not everyone reads for the same reasons.

If, at the end of all that, you still want to convince people: start with Night of Knives. Quick, easy, hinting at complexity, but not a huge commitment.

This post has been edited by jitsukerr: 09 September 2010 - 03:02 PM

[TheSurvivor]

Well given that I've tried to express the sheer awesomness to friends in the past and they have acted like I never said anything I'd say I'm the wrong person to ask. My girlfriend had read GotM before I met her and after I did meet here I've been lending her the books to the point where she's bought almost all of them herself and is tBH. Alas, she doesn't show the same level of interest in the series as I do, doesn't seem to react as strongly to breathtaking events. I was able to convince my sister to read the first book but it's been nearly four months and she's still not in the 200's which is a bad sign cause she's a fast reader. All in all my efforts to communicate the literary power that is the MBotF have failed so I don't know how I would answer your question.

[Quick Bill]

I have the same problem. Seasoned fantasy readers are usually willing to give it a try; however, trying to get non-fantasy readers to give it a go is sketchy.

One of my friends, who reads a lot of prominent science fiction commented to me that reading Dune was fascinating, "there are fients within feints and plots within plots" he said. I thought, well here we go, somebody who can handle Malaz as an introduction to fantasy. And believe me this fellow is no stranger to complexity in reading. However, to my dismay he put the book down after like two chapters due to what he described as the "cheesy descriptions of people brandishing weapons etc." Some people will be turned off by very small aspects of the writing and not take the time to get into it and appreciate the depth of and immersion into the story.

That being said, I have had grand success in getting females to read George R.R. Martin. They love it. Only now I refrain from doing this since the series will likely never be finished and I do not want to piss any more people off by recommending a life-long cliffhanger.

I wish I had a way to get everyone I like talking books with to read Malaz; this is more selfish I must admit, since I want someone to talk about it with. I have converted one really good friend. But we are both fantasy fiends. We yell and scream about it every time we get together. It is awesome.

There comes a point where you have to be content knowing that you have found something many do not have the patience to get into. It is their loss in my humble opinion.

[TheSurvivor]

I forgot to mention that I did get one friend to listen but she refuses to read the books because of all the dramatic sad stuff which is like a quarter of the awesomeness and that disappointed me. All that aside I would merely suggest reading GotM and allow it to play through. Of course there's a major jump between GotM and DHG but I feel it's important to start from the beginning of something to fully understand it. I realize that with the MBotF this is kind of difficult given it doesn't have a clear beginning.

[Mcflury]

I'm in a gaming guild and I succeeded in making some of the fellow members reading these books. Also, once they're fully translated to dutch, I'm gonna buy them for my gf (she likes fantasy also, but isn't too great at fully understanding english books). So a translated version is better than nothing at all

[alt146]

My approach is normally something along the lines of "Dude, there are zombie cavemen and dinosaurs with swords for arms!" Granted though, it has only worked twice so far. I am holding thumbs for a third time, but last I heard he had just started Deadhouse gates and complained it was like trying to read a history textbook.

The series definitely isn't everyone's cup of tea, which is something that you have to make peace with if you're going to start handing out recommendations to all and sundry.

[Sanctume]

Here's paraphrasing to what I said to my cousin who likes to read.

This is a series that is epic in scale. With a history of over 300 thousand years. It's a gamer's paradise: you got empires, armies, marines, hack and slash swords, assassins, mages, uber magic, magical weapons, uber bosses, and technology--bombs and explosive all part of huge battles and wars. You have mortals, gods, and in between, and on the way to godhood, legendary toons, undeads, dragons, races, realms, warrior tribes, god wars, a world of many continents, and many flavors of magic--not your typical mana based magic system.

If you like stories and can get carried along for the ride, and to find out that there are more stories within them that a re-read is worthwhile and more satisfying, then this series is worth your time.

[hmqb]

alright all you have to do is offer them some water, then after they drink the water claim it was full of poison. Then only offer them a temporary antidote every day if they can give you a report of what they read and they at least read say 5 chapters. This will insure there speediness with the series and you won't actually poison them so it will be perfectly safe.

Also you gotta realize that some people don't like fantasy. Although don't take no for an answer poison them!

[iRFNA]

Show them stuff like this.

[ranman]

I lent GOTM to a friend and he got started on the series, and he got another guy started on the series too. Don't know if he was a fantasy reader to begin with.... I just said "hey, this book is awesome you should read it". He told me that he found the violence "shocking". I was dismayed, because I hadn't noticed that it was all that violent. Yikes. At any rate, I was lucky to get someone else to read it. He is slow though, and is only half way through the series.

I consider myself lucky when my wife will let me read her the odd scene in the book. I read her the scene in DoD where Onrack is talking about Kilava being cared for by the shoulder women. She liked that (she's pregnant now too), and I did think it was very interesting the picture he painted of living in a primitive society.

[Abyss]

"It's like The Lord of the Rings. As written by an anthropologist/archeologist. On crack. Only better and more intelligent."

[Bauchelain the Evil]

I'm sorry Abyss. I think I prefer alt146's presentation.

[Abyss]

Bauchelain the Evil, on 13 September 2010 - 04:35 PM, said:

I'm sorry Abyss. I think I prefer alt146's presentation.

Communist.

[worry]

Indeed, I would recommend crack cocaine abuse to any and all would-be fantasy writers.

[Epiph]

I only recommend it to fantasy readers, and always with the warning that the first 100 pages of GotM can be disorienting and hard to get through, but it's worth it. I also like to mention that it is actually going to be finished in January, so you don't have terrible, wrenching years of waiting between books. Infrequently, I recommend it to someone who doesn't like fantasy but appreciates nuance and tragedy, as a "if you ever decide you want to give fantasy a try, this is the series you should read."