[Skywalker]

Hi Guys! Meta emo crap first: Yes, I've become a serial lurker... in my defense, real life is hectic, and I just haven't had time for the intertubez.

Hope you missed me?

I'm dropping in today to do what will look like shameless self-publicity, but it really isn't - it is a reaching out to like-minded people!

A while ago (a year ago actually) I had started a thread on the forums to document my "Great Series Re-read". At the time I had hoped to read every SE and ICE book in sequence (except the novellas) and post to my blog a review/ impression for each one. Those posts never happened... for myriad reasons... Instead, I ended up writing a roughly 5000 word "analysis" on the series (I very pretentiously call it a "meditation") and kept it offline.

Although I had initially written the document as an exercise in reader catharsis, Werthead's recent posts about aSoIaF inspired me to break the huge damn thing into bite-sized pieces and post it to the blog. Maybe at some point I'll consolidate the dang thang in a PDF and try and find a way to get it to SE (you know, if he doesn't mind)... I'm really not sure who I was/ am writing for here...

Then I thought you guys might like to have a look? ETA: Comments welcome on the blog or on this here thread, which I will visit every few hours in anticipation

I've put up a context setting "introduction" to this exercise yesterday, and the first part discussing series elements today. The later parts will also be put up (every couple of days or so) and I hope to complete the exercise by next weekend.

Have a look:

A Malazan Meditation - Prologue
A Malazan Meditation - Part 1: Elements
A Malazan Meditation - Part 2: Quirks & Features
A Malazan Meditation - Part 3: Species

This post has been edited by Skywalker: 24 July 2011 - 02:52 PM

[amphibian]

Pretty good. I think you get the themes of the books right.

[Daemonwolf]

I quite like it so far, only one typo I noticed [Not me being an ass, just figured you would like to know.]

"somewhat despondent philosophy about humanity and out(<---- this should be 'our' I'm sure) place in the world"


I will agree that the morals/messages are subjective in nature, especially since I think there are so many of them (In my opinion). Subjectivity seems a message in and of itself throughout the whole series. I still greatly admire his ability to have so many different characters with their own personalities and quirks.


Keep up the good works, I look forward to the next one.


just my two cents....

[Skywalker]

Thanks Amphibian and Daemonwolf... appreciate your taking the time to read!

@Daemonwolf - thanks for pointing out the typo I'm pretty obsessive about stuff like this and you aren't being an ass at all!

The next part will be up on the blog tomorrow morning, and I'll announce each update here and put the link in the OP. Cheers!

[James Hutton]

That's a nice read, I'm looking forward to reading your meditations!

Is it true that Part I - the Elements (the second link) is not yet online? All possible links to that redirect to a page that does not exist.

[Skywalker]

Thanks @James Hutton!

The post is up - but somehow went back into "Draft" mode when I was trying to edit it to fix the typo! Grr...

Please try again and the link in the OP should work

[Beliar]

Some good reading mate, certainly hit some cords similar with myself. Keep them coming

[Skywalker]

Thanks Beliar!

I've now posted Part 2: Quirks & Features on the blog... link also updated in the OP

[Daemonwolf]

Skywalker, on 19 July 2011 - 04:46 AM, said:

Thanks Beliar!

I've now posted Part 2: Quirks & Features on the blog... link also updated in the OP

Nice update Skywalker!!!

I'm really digging your in-depth and interesting perceptions. Especially loved the reference to Mael's simplified explanation of power to Seren Pedac.

Didn't notice any typos this time, but there was one part I'm curious about.

Quote

It does strain credibility however to believe that someone like a farmer or even a common soldier can have an appreciation for the finer philosophical points they end up making in their soliloquies

If anything I don't think this strains credibility, philosophy is a part of everyone's life after all. Whether realized or not its a part of how we live our life, IMHO, such that a soldier or farmer is still capable of thinking on the finer points of philosophy as it pertains to their own outlooks which is what SE gives them. But again, I'm not trying to be an ass. I probably shouldn't have said anything anyway, seeing as its your own perspective your writing from. Just out of everything that comment made me curious. I'm still loving the posts though!


just my two cents...

[Skywalker]

Cheers mate - comments are totally welcome.

I do agree that philosophy is a party of everybody's life, but my reading is that a) most don't think or talk about it, and b ) they wouldn't be able to put it as eloquently as they do in these books, in real life.

SE does get it right most times - for example Beak never says anything that is above his established iq level - and yet expresses his profound love for those around him.

Fiddler on the other hand, sounds like freaking Socrates sometimes

More later... Thanks again for reading!

This post has been edited by Skywalker: 19 July 2011 - 01:44 PM

[Bauchelain the Evil]

Excellent analysis,I'm really enjoying reading these.

Just one thing: I presume the character trapped in a pit who appears in an early SE novel is Ryllandaras and I believe that it's not a mistake but rather Ryllandaras having split his D'ivers form.

But really,that's really minor.

[Skywalker]

Thanks Bauchelain!

it was Dragnipur = pit of despair and Draconus that I was talking about actually - assuming he's the lord of darkness appearing in RotCG (before attaining freedom in TtH)

[Skywalker]

Thank you all for the comments (and rep!)... this is just to say that there wont be a new post today. I haven't had a chance to work on it yesterday and most likely wont today either.

So in lieu of that... how about an anecdote?

I sent SE a link (using his official website Contact feature) to that prologue post last night (India time), this being the first "fan letter" I'd ever written in my life... and I'm stoked because SE (or someone on his behalf) responded within hours with a short note to say (and I quote): I've already read your blog posts on the series and enjoyed them. I look forward to reading more of your thoughts.



Stoked, I say... stoked!

New post tomorrow - latest by the day after. Cheers!

[Daemonwolf]

Skywalker, on 20 July 2011 - 01:28 AM, said:

Thank you all for the comments (and rep!)... this is just to say that there wont be a new post today. I haven't had a chance to work on it yesterday and most likely wont today either.

So in lieu of that... how about an anecdote?

I sent SE a link (using his official website Contact feature) to that prologue post last night (India time), this being the first "fan letter" I'd ever written in my life... and I'm stoked because SE (or someone on his behalf) responded within hours with a short note to say (and I quote): I've already read your blog posts on the series and enjoyed them. I look forward to reading more of your thoughts.



Stoked, I say... stoked!

New post tomorrow - latest by the day after. Cheers!

That would actually be him himself that responded, I'll miss not reading a new post tonight Skywalker, but I'm definitely looking forward to your new one when it arrives.

=) cheers.

[Skywalker]

OK, quick update: I pulled a bit of a GRRM

I had a single post ready to go that had some bits on the Species used in the series, and some on my favorite characters... but it was getting too long, so I split it into two sections. Then I decided to write a bit more in each section, which became a lot... and the post was delayed by a few days.

Edit:

I want to embed some art in the posts too... but reaching out to folks on the art forum for their permission to use their work as embeds might take too long to do today. So I've reserved that for the next post (the penultimate one).

Anyway - the new post is up now! Link here and updated in the OP!

This post has been edited by Skywalker: 24 July 2011 - 10:57 AM

[Daemonwolf]

Skywalker, on 24 July 2011 - 10:18 AM, said:

OK, quick update: I pulled a bit of a GRRM

I had a single post ready to go that had some bits on the Species used in the series, and some on my favorite characters... but it was getting too long, so I split it into two sections. Then I decided to write a bit more in each section, which became a lot... and the post was delayed by a few days.

Edit:

I want to embed some art in the posts too... but reaching out to folks on the art forum for their permission to use their work as embeds might take too long to do today. So I've reserved that for the next post (the penultimate one).

Anyway - the new post is up now! Link here and updated in the OP!

Thanks for the update Skywalker. Other than my disagreeing with the jaghut being reptile like (between their tusks, and their very strong bodies, and their warren of Ice reptile never seemed to come across to me, I always thought they were more like wild boar people in my imaginings), I enjoyed it just like the previous ones.

[Skywalker]

Wild boar people does sound more like them, doesn't it? I went with "reptile" based entirely on the green scaly skin and took the tusks as fangs... in any case, I knew my classification was forced. The point of a taxonomy is to group things based on similarities and to me the Jaghut stand alone in most ways. Somehow I was inclined to give them some company!

[Daemonwolf]

Skywalker, on 25 July 2011 - 01:56 AM, said:

Wild boar people does sound more like them, doesn't it? I went with "reptile" based entirely on the green scaly skin and took the tusks as fangs... in any case, I knew my classification was forced. The point of a taxonomy is to group things based on similarities and to me the Jaghut stand alone in most ways. Somehow I was inclined to give them some company!

lol, no worries, the beauty of SE is that everyone's going to interpret it in their own way, and he's just fine with that. Since he doesn't go overboard on descriptions of surroundings and characters, it only stands to reason that everyone has a different thought of what stuff looks like.

[James Hutton]

Those are great reads, keep it up! I especially liked your admission: "All the stuff I've covered so far in these posts is of course just backdrop." I can image someone unfamiliar with the series go on that.

ps. I have to agree with Daemonwolf on the Jaghut as reptiles though , barring cold-blooded physiology! But that's what books are for: it's everybody's own imagination.

[Skywalker]

@James Hutton - lol thanks mate - and yeah, that line scared my wife (she's helping me in proofing the posts)

On the Jaghut = Reptile business... the more I think about it, I'm convinced it's worth cycling back and revising those portions. Maybe I will soon... but the first priority remains to get the next post out latest by Saturday.