[Ceda Cicero]

Hetan, on 21 January 2011 - 11:18 PM, said:

@ Ciceronian - you will be surprised at how much fore-shadowing there is - right back to the beginning of the series, which is what makes it so amazing - and no, there are no pointers from me.
@everyone else - You can ask all you like but neither Pat nor I will tell you anything about anything.
Sorry, but that's how it works.

Fair game. Honestly pretty much anything I say in this particular forum between now and Feb 21 should be disregarded as ramblings of desperation and anticipation. And rage. So much rage.

[Lister of Smeg]

Could you answer one question? Roughly how much of the book is setup and how much is the awesome convergence of awesomeness that we've all been waiting for? Is it 25% build-up or closer to 50%?

[pat5150]

As is the case with basically all the Malazan installments, about 50% of the book is devoted to the setup. Although, a number of storylines move forward a whole lot or get resolved within the span...

Patrick

[Illuyankas]

All I want to know, ALL I want to know, is do we get Fist Kindly? Do we? Do we?

[pat5150]

The Crippled God is in there, I can tell you that spoiler-free...

Patrick

[Lister of Smeg]

And is my guess that the book ends with Nefarrious Bredd stomping on the Crippled God's head correct? Is it is it is it?

[Knight of Darkness]

If it ends that way it won't be a scene in the book. You'll just hear the women talking about how awesome it was when Nefarrious Bredd stomped on the CGs head, followed by the words THE END.

[Skywalker]

Ha, I say to you Pat, Ha! And again Ha!

Why? Because I AM rereading the whole series and all of ICE's books before I read tCG and I will be rewarded far moar than all you early readers rubbing my nose in it. Already well into TtH too!

Skywalker - is not bitter. Really. No, I'm not. Ok maybe a little... no, but I'm ok really... OK, do you WANT my fist to meet your nose?

[Blueiron]

Replying to a pretty old post here but I think it's worth saying.

amphibian, on 22 December 2010 - 10:57 PM, said:

On page 644 of my hardback edition of Dust of Dreams, Sechul Lath, Kilmandaros and the Errant discuss what to do immediately after Draconus arrives:

Quote

'Wrong,' said Sechul. 'Draconus has returned. But listen to us. We swirl round and round this dread pit of truth. Errastas, will you stand there frozen as a hare? Think you not the Master of the deck is bleeding from the ears right now? Strike quickly, friend - he will be in no condition to intercept you. Indeed, make him fear we planned this - all of it - make him believe we have fashioned the Consort's escape from Dragnipur.'

Kilmandaros's eyes were wide on her son.

Errastas slowly nodded. 'A detour, of sorts. Fortunately, a modest one. Attend me.'

So yes, I too believe Paran is in Kolanse or very close to it. The congery of Elder Gods is already headed to Kolanse to attend the convergence and to consume the Crippled God's power.

Errastas apparently takes a shortcut through the Hold of Death - which is now controlled by the Bridgeburners and Sechul Lath walks with him in order to steal power from one target or another (betrayal of the Errant being most likely). Do you think Iskar Jarak will let the Errant kill Paran - one of the few living Bridgeburners?

later down on the page the following exhange occurs

Quote

'which one will you seek out first?'
'the one under a Jaghut stone, of course

That sounds an awful lot like they're planning to release Calm (not knowing that Karsa did that ages ago)
I don't think they were going for a direct attack, just somehow trying to convince other big nasties to mess Paran around

[chaosek]

Earlier, just after the reading in Letharas and bluffing away the Errant, Fidler picks up the Master of the Deck card and mentions it feels lifeless, which worries him. Brys says the position is not vacant, which is a reassuring thing. This ofc is odd, but it might mean the MotD is out of the game or at least very occupied. This also seems to set up the fact that he won't be in Kolanse or able to intervene.
The statement about the bleeding ears and the MotD being distracted comes from the breaking of Dragnipur I think. Draconus, Apasalar and Hood coming in to the world again might cause some pressure on the MotD. That's the distraction the elder gods are talking about. How this fits in with the 'lifeless' remark of Fiddler I don't know.

Also, under a Jaghut stone. This could ofc refer to Calm, but I seem to remember something being trapped under a stone in Shadow. Don't remember where, could be the prologue of NoK (haven't read that in a while), though if it is in one of ICE's books it might not be relevant for the last book of SE.

This post has been edited by chaosek: 31 January 2011 - 09:53 AM

[Siergiej]

Quote

Also, under a Jaghut stone. This could ofc refer to Calm, but I seem to remember something being trapped under a stone in Shadow. Don't remember where, could be the prologue of NoK (haven't read that in a while), though if it is in one of ICE's books it might not be relevant for the last book of SE

It was Jhedel. Didn't really look too important - just another usurper of Throne of Shadows, who ended up being imprisoned for eternity. The interesting thing is, that during his dialogue with Jhedel, Edgewalker implies that he is bound as well. I wonder, what does he mean by that?

Quote

That sounds an awful lot like they're planning to release Calm (not knowing that Karsa did that ages ago)

In that case... wouldn't it be wiser to go to Genabackis, where she was imprisoned, than rush straight to Kolanse?

And coming back to Paran... I think he is planning something really tricky. As a Master of the Deck, he probably can pop totally out of nowhere, and flip the balance of power over. In the end Ganoes may play the role of his allies' shaved knuckle. Whoever those allies would be. My guess: Tavore or Hood.

[Bauchelain the Evil]

I thought "under the Jhagut stone" was just a way to say the Hold or (better) Warren of Death. Killy tells Mael they went there and it would make sense, it's King, Hood, being a Jhagut and all.

[chaosek]

Totally off topic but worth a mention, just noticed the part in DoD where Osserec is scared out of his mind of Edgewalker. Makes me wonder what role he will play in the final book.

[Tattersail_]

So many wild theories or guestimates. From a few review I have got the impression that Paran does not appear in TCG or if he does only briefly, I think he may appear but too late what has happened has happened!!

[Blueiron]

on the subject of wild theories, what could all those elder gods possibly have been bribed with by SE to keep them from just talking in plain language!? honestly, there's no need to be cryptic like that unless there is someone listening that you don't want to understand. wait...


Dammit, every second word in an SE book is twelve theories. How does he do it?

This post has been edited by Blueiron: 01 February 2011 - 07:10 PM

[Sinisdar Toste]

Tattersail, on 01 February 2011 - 11:17 AM, said:

So many wild theories or guestimates. From a few review I have got the impression that Paran does not appear in TCG or if he does only briefly, I think he may appear but too late what has happened has happened!!

i don't think we have to worry about this anymore

[lorddarkflare]

Sinisdar Toste, on 01 February 2011 - 07:04 PM, said:

Tattersail, on 01 February 2011 - 11:17 AM, said:

So many wild theories or guestimates. From a few review I have got the impression that Paran does not appear in TCG or if he does only briefly, I think he may appear but too late what has happened has happened!!

i don't think we have to worry about this anymore

Explain.

[amphibian]

lorddarkflare, on 05 February 2011 - 02:24 AM, said:

Explain.

Go read the first 10 pages of from The Crippled God, which was taken from Tor.com, and make what you will of it.

And please, don't write possibly rude one word demands of people here. It's not nice.

[lorddarkflare]

amphibian, on 05 February 2011 - 02:30 AM, said:

lorddarkflare, on 05 February 2011 - 02:24 AM, said:

Explain.

Go read the first 10 pages of from The Crippled God, which was taken from Tor.com, and make what you will of it.

And please, don't write possibly rude one word demands of people here. It's not nice.

I apologise, I did not intend the statement to sound rude.

Thanks for referring me to the that; good stuff.

This post has been edited by lorddarkflare: 05 February 2011 - 03:48 AM