[Tattersail_]

Hello everyone,

I have read all MBOTF book including the ones by ICE, yet I am lying I have not read any of these books. I did not get close to either character in reading through the main series arc and was not that bothered about what happened to them before or after MOI if I am honest.

What would you say to help me read these books?

Do they add much to the main story arc? Are the books solely based on these gruesome characters?

What is the writing like? Is it the same as the main arc? How different are these books compared to the others?

Do not want to sound negative as I am a huge fan of the series and I am on this forum near enough every day, yet this is the first time I thought i'd comment on these books

[HiddenOne]

Tattersail, on 15 February 2011 - 01:41 PM, said:

Hello everyone,

I have read all MBOTF book including the ones by ICE, yet I am lying I have not read any of these books. I did not get close to either character in reading through the main series arc and was not that bothered about what happened to them before or after MOI if I am honest.

What would you say to help me read these books? Look at the part where the author's name appears. There you go.

Do they add much to the main story arc? Are the books solely based on these gruesome characters? Just a little, fills in some details, background, etc. Expands on KB & B. Yes

What is the writing like? Is it the same as the main arc? How different are these books compared to the others? Excellent, see above. Yes & No, seems to be less overt commentary on reality, Just read the books, they are worthwhile.

Do not want to sound negative as I am a huge fan of the series and I am on this forum near enough every day, yet this is the first time I thought i'd comment on these books

I own first 3, and will buy the newest when it's available to me, at a reasonable price.

[Roldom]

i liked them, but they have no impact on the main story, there funny, but short. I really liked the characters in MoI but not so much in the novellas based on them

If you have some spare time, read them. but I went a huge hunt to track them down, and while i enjoyed them, I was disapointed

[Hoods Breath]

These books didn't add much for me. They were just kind of a light 'sidetrack' read to the Malazan series. They are each about 100 pages so you can chew through them pretty quickly without getting bogged down by the hidden meanings, clues, mysteries and depth of the normal Malazan books.

[Sinisdar Toste]

the novellas are some of eriksons best writing imo, especially lees of laughters end and the healthy dead. just rip-roaring good fun on the bun in malaziland

[Luzburg]

I got them in the collection and it was well worth it. Very funny stuff.

[caladanbrood]

Yeah, you can got all three in one volume now (the mass-market paperback of which is soon to be released in the UK, near the end of May I think). They are good fun, and tend to actually follow Emancipor Reece more than KB&B, though obviously they are mostly in a trio, so it ends up being all three of them most of the time. Korbal Broach in particular is actually quite a peripheral figure, narrative-wise in the books. They are good fun, but they are not in the main story arc, so you don't need to read them at all if you don't want to. Personally I very much enjoyed the first three, they are very funny, and would definitely recommend them, now they are available for a reasonable price.

However...

Crack'd Pot Trail is a whole different kettle of fish. Read the first three, but CPT was mostly mediocre, and not really anything to do with the characters, rather it was Steve having a bit of a gloat about how clever and obtuse his writing can be - not his best moment

[Use Of Weapons]

YMMV. Crack'd Pot Trail was easily my favourite of the novellas, followed by The Healthy Dead, Lees of Laughter's End, and Blood Follows in that order.

[Silk]

Dang hard to get your hands on a copy at a decent price... so far seen prices from £20 upto £56 for the hardcover. Just can't bring myself to pay that much for a novella......

[Bauchelain the Evil]

The Healthy Death is just great. It is so absurd, so non-sensical, I was laughing from the beginning to the end.

[DurhangAddict]

I'd say your questions have been answered already, but just wanted to chime in with the support for these novellas. They do offer little glimpses into aspects of the Malazan world, but they're mostly about these 3 great characters.

Yes, they are expensive for the amount of content you get with each one, but it's quality content. I will preorder Excesses of Youth as soon as it becomes available.

I have a friend who reads fantasy but when I told him about the Malazan Book of the Fallen, he wasn't interested in starting them. Then I loaned him my B&KB novellas. When he was finished, he said "ok, give me Gardens of the Moon."

[Puck]

Silk, on 16 February 2011 - 12:53 PM, said:

Dang hard to get your hands on a copy at a decent price... so far seen prices from £20 upto £56 for the hardcover. Just can't bring myself to pay that much for a novella......

Well, if you're only interested in the content and not in the binding and illsutrations and stuff, you can always get the omnibus edition titled 'Bauchelain & Korbal Broach', which collects the first three stories. Should cost around £10 or £15, if I'm not mistaken.

[caladanbrood]

Yeah, there's no need to buy the individual editions for silly money, just get the omnibus. Once the paperback is out, it'll be even cheaper still!