[Ronnie Ron]

I have no clue if someone has posted about this topic. The soldier is described as being young, only a few years older than Paran. The soldier carries an old fiddle. I highly doubt that this young soldier is Fiddler, sapper for the 9th squad. Was there anymore on this soldier? I've read GotM and I'm almost done with DG. Thanks for any opinions.

[masan's saddle]

I'm pretty sure it was Fiddler.

[MTS]

It's Fiddler. Soldiers with pockmarks on their face and hands, a broken fiddle on their back, a shortsword with a broken scabbard and mismatched armour aren't exactly common. Why do you doubt it's Fiddler? It is said he's only a couple of years older than Ganoes, who was twelve at the time.

[Beezulbubba]

Don't listen to them,

Spoiler

it's "Strings" <wink wink, nudge nudge>

Watch the spoilers~Bubba

[Ronnie Ron]

 MTS, on 05 October 2010 - 11:53 PM, said:

It's Fiddler. Soldiers with pockmarks on their face and hands, a broken fiddle on their back, a shortsword with a broken scabbard and mismatched armour aren't exactly common. Why do you doubt it's Fiddler? It is said he's only a couple of years older than Ganoes, who was twelve at the time.

Chapter One of Deadhouse Gates Fiddler is referred to as "The old saboteur". I don't think that 10 years is enough to have made him "old". I guess I see Fiddler older than 24 years. Am I getting the years wrong or something?

[HoosierDaddy]

Saboteurs don't live very long. 24 is positively ancient.

[WhiskeyJackDaniels]

Don't look at 'old saboteur' as 'the old man who is a saboteur' look at it as 'the guy who has been doing this awhile'. Fiddler was one of the first sappers in the Malazan Army. At least one of the first to use moranth munitions

[Defiance]

Definitely Fiddler. This completely gives it away on rereads:

The man shrugged. "Just a feeling. She's taking a new name, you know. Laseen."

[Ronnie Ron]

 WhiskeyJackDaniels, on 06 October 2010 - 02:07 AM, said:

Don't look at 'old saboteur' as 'the old man who is a saboteur' look at it as 'the guy who has been doing this awhile'. Fiddler was one of the first sappers in the Malazan Army. At least one of the first to use moranth munitions

I have considered that but the "flavor" of the character I get from DG is that Fiddler doesn't seem so young in years. I guess I can live with it but it sticks in the craw.

This post has been edited by Ronnie Ron: 06 October 2010 - 02:16 AM

[Sinisdar Toste]

well he's seen a lot since that day on malaz. when we meet him again he's gone through blackdog, mott wood and pale. that'd be enough to age anyone prematurely

[worry]

His age isn't actually given. 12 year old Paran guesses that Fiddler is a few years older than him by sight alone, but nothing about the rest of the story suggests he is right, not to mention the prologue takes place several years before the main action.

There might be some element of GOTMism here but there's also plenty of room for legit explanation (putting in spoilers, though if you're into DG you should be able to read this without much problem):

Spoiler

Fiddler of course went through Raraku with the rest of the Bridgeburners, and they were forged as a unit in a way unique to them. And indeed, since the GotM prologue, Fiddler is weathered plenty in the north of Genebackis and then within the story itself.

That's my take anyway.

[The Seguleh 46th]

Might be a simple GOTMism, but still, i think it says somewhere about kids joining up really, really young. Heck, Apsalar is only 12 or 13 when she gets attached to the Bridgeburners. A few characters later on in the series are really young as well, if i have the right of it. Seems puberty (and sometimes maybe not even that!) is the only real requirement to wear a Malazan military issue uniform!

[The Seguleh 46th]

 H.D., on 06 October 2010 - 01:39 AM, said:

Saboteurs don't live very long. 24 is positively ancient.

Nice!

[Sindriss]

I think it is pretty clear that it is intented to be Fiddler, no matter which minor or major loopholes you conjure

[Abyss]

Filter the comment thru Paran's eyes and its just a kid assuming someone short and wiry must be a kid like him. We know Fiddler's older.

[foolio]

this is bordering on a timeline issue, which as we all know, is not important. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[WhiskeyJackDaniels]

There's no timeline issue. Fiddler is young
Bonehunters spoiler:

Spoiler

Quick Ben thinks about how young Fiddler looks when he shaves his beard.

[foolio]

but according to later events have they not already had their MEMORIES OF ICE SPOILER

Spoiler

Raruku adventure? Wasnt the emperor still around and in charge of day to day operations when they chase QB across the desert? The emperor is running around the azath at the point of the conversation betweeen a teenage looking fdler and whiskey jack. Or at least it seem like Surly is already trying to run the show, and the emperor is not around....

This post has been edited by Abyss: 06 October 2010 - 08:58 PM
Reason for edit: clarify spoiler

[Abyss]

MODGOD warning: watch the spoilers. If anyone wants to have an extended (meaning 'referring to information in later books') discussion re fiddler, do it in a later book forum. No ruining parts of later books for people new to the series.

[Ronnie Ron]

 Abyss, on 06 October 2010 - 01:30 PM, said:

Filter the comment thru Paran's eyes and its just a kid assuming someone short and wiry must be a kid like him. We know Fiddler's older.

Thanks. I like yours the best. Cheers.

I'm just one of those types that takes the literal words as absolute canon. The way you explain it makes the most sense to me.

Thanks to you and worrywort for some good opinions that really helped.

This post has been edited by Ronnie Ron: 06 October 2010 - 10:30 PM