[Darujhistan~Glow]

I asked a guy in the SciFi/Fantasy aisle to recommend a series. He recommended Malazan disclaiming how complex it was. It took me two times through to get a understanding that I was comfortable with. I'm a bit obsessive and needed to absorb every detail, which turned out to be counter productive in this story.

I took to the method of reading it as if it were a David Lynch movie, letting it wash over me in large strokes. Reading this forum, I've heard it said the story gets "easier" to read as it progresses. I'm hoping this is true?

A few notes

• Rake is bad-ass; probably the most bad-ass character of all time.
• Caladan Brood must be more of a bad-ass then Rake. I hope I learn more about him.
• The apparition of flesh scene with Night chill's/Tattersails silent screaming mouth wandering in the dark was incredibly vivid and disturbing
• I love the mixture of sorcery and violence.
• The dream / death / warren / otherworldly sequences are trippy
• What's a convergence?

Thanks for reading.

[Aptorian]

In the Malazan Universe power draws power. This is both meant figuratively but often becomes something quite literal. If power is used, real power that is, there are "players" that will take heed. That is anyone from your lowly mage and sensitive, to the big elder beings, to the old Gods and young ascendants. One power might come to the defence of another. One might come for the chance to weaken an enemy. One might come for a chance to win the spoils of war. One might come because his/her aspect demands it, etc.

The powers converge and things usually go bad.

This post has been edited by Aptorian Sharktopus: 01 September 2011 - 05:52 PM

[alt146]

Darujhistan~Glow, on 01 September 2011 - 05:42 PM, said:

I asked a guy in the SciFi/Fantasy aisle to recommend a series. He recommended Malazan disclaiming how complex it was. It took me two times through to get a understanding that I was comfortable with. I'm a bit obsessive and needed to absorb every detail, which turned out to be counter productive in this story.

I took to the method of reading it as if it were a David Lynch movie, letting it wash over me in large strokes. Reading this forum, I've heard it said the story gets "easier" to read as it progresses. I'm hoping this is true?

A few notes

• Rake is bad-ass; probably the most bad-ass character of all time.
• Caladan Brood must be more of a bad-ass then Rake. I hope I learn more about him.
• The apparition of flesh scene with Night chill's/Tattersails silent screaming mouth wandering in the dark was incredibly vivid and disturbing
• I love the mixture of sorcery and violence.
• The dream / death / warren / otherworldly sequences are trippy
• What's a convergence?

Thanks for reading.

Welcome to the books/forums

The broad strokes approach is generally the best, just go with the surface current, you'll start to understand what's happening at deeper levels as more of the back-story gets filled in. If you get around to rereading the series (still a long journey before you get to that point ) it's almost like reading a different book because of how much stuff that you skimmed over the first time through makes sense once you know who's going on.

To add to what Apt said, a convergence isn't necessarily a concious decision by all the players. One of the major themes in the series is the need for balance, powerful beings can get sucked into a convergence the way air gets sucked into a vacuum . A convergence is almost like a force of nature in that respect. Which is why you see gods and ascendants shy away from paths that will lead to a cenvergence unless they have no other option, it's impossible to predict who else might be drawn into the fray.

[Bulwyf]

I too love this series!

I'd recommend reading thru the series and then rereading it again.
You may understand more things by rereading the book right away, but you'll definatelly pick up on more things once you've read more of the books and then go and reread them.

But each book gets better than the previous in the beginning of the series.

[maquis]

"But each book gets better than the previous in the beginning of the series. " so, does that mean later books in the series will get worse??

[worry]

vvvvv Free of spoilers vvvvv
No, the later books are certainly more divisive though. DG and MOI kind of set the standard for single novel stories in this or any other series (IMO). The latter half of the series tends to coalesce the more serialized elements of the story though, and don't necessarily have the big finales that those two have (until the ultimate big finale). DG and MOI essentially bring a certain kind of literary high, and the addicts get starved for that fix as the series goes on since SE insists they go cold turkey. I don't mean for his characters, who go through plenty of suffering along the way, but SE just doesn't repeat himself much. Not that there aren't plenty of parallels and references along the way though. Maybe this wasn't helpful, I dunno. It's complicated!

[Dolorous Menhir]

There are highs and lows, as you would expect in a ten book sequence. You're fortunate that you get to look forward to discovering them for yourself. Form your own opinions before putting too much importance on the views here.

[Bulwyf]

maquis, on 01 September 2011 - 10:18 PM, said:

"But each book gets better than the previous in the beginning of the series. " so, does that mean later books in the series will get worse??

No, but they clearly get better and better in the beginning with each book as more is unraveled, then it's hard to put them in order of favorites. They're all awesome

I just remember thinking GotM was awesome, being surprised DG was even better, then MoI was even better...

*edit for spelling

This post has been edited by Bulwyf: 02 September 2011 - 01:33 PM

[HiddenOne]

I agree with most of your notes, you've come to the right place, this forum will enhance your experience with the series.

The books do continue to get better, IMO, and change with the progression of SE as a writer (a good thing).

My personal method of re-reads is to read all the books before each new one, but I've been around the series since the beginning, so more time has elapsed. I still think the re-read increases comprehension and make the pieces lock together more firmly. Lots of characters and centuries of time, so the reminders are helpful to me

Stick with it!

[l2rdo]

I actually really disliked GotM when I first read it. SE requires a RAFO attitude in order to enjoy the series and I didnt know that. When I first started reading it I kept trying to figure out what was what, and why certain things seemed like they were supposedto be important. I only read DG because I had already bought it, and I have to say that was one of the best decisions of my life! The rest of the series definitely gets easier to read because each book gives you a better understanding of how the world works, and how SEs writing style works. I disagree that the best books are in the beginning. I love DG for the chain of dogs plot line and gut wrenching ending, however, I hated Felisin's side story, and SE writing is still a little rough around the edges. MoI was epic and is my third favorite, but the chain of dogs just affected me stronger for some reason. I originally disliked HoC because of the focus on one character, and didnt care for the character at first, however, the character grows and easily became one of my favorites. I loved the setting and culture changes in MT, and it introduced my favorite character in the series. I didnt actually care for BH at all, and its probably one of my least favorites, though it is well written and does have epic parts to it. I both love and hate RG; it focuses on my favorite characters, and there were two gut wrenching moments at the end that actually made me cry. The ending caused me to love and hate it at the same time. I havent re-read TtH, so maybe that's why Im not as high on it as the other, but nothing overly memorable sticks out to me from it, somewhat like BH. Either way, the series is awesome and just improves as it continues. Each books individual story may not be better than those stories in the beginning, but the overall story just gets better and better.

On a side note, my reading selections have gotten much smaller since reading SE due to having much higher expectations and requirements in my future book seletions.

[whiskeydut]

Darujhistan~Glow, on 01 September 2011 - 05:42 PM, said:

I asked a guy in the SciFi/Fantasy aisle to recommend a series. He recommended Malazan disclaiming how complex it was. It took me two times through to get a understanding that I was comfortable with. I'm a bit obsessive and needed to absorb every detail, which turned out to be counter productive in this story.

I took to the method of reading it as if it were a David Lynch movie, letting it wash over me in large strokes. Reading this forum, I've heard it said the story gets "easier" to read as it progresses. I'm hoping this is true?

A few notes

• Rake is bad-ass; probably the most bad-ass character of all time.
• Caladan Brood must be more of a bad-ass then Rake. I hope I learn more about him.
• The apparition of flesh scene with Night chill's/Tattersails silent screaming mouth wandering in the dark was incredibly vivid and disturbing
• I love the mixture of sorcery and violence.
• The dream / death / warren / otherworldly sequences are trippy
• What's a convergence?

Thanks for reading.



A convergence is the theory that powerful beings tend to 'converge' on one another and eventually have a giant meeting of sorts, of powerful beings that can get kinda nasty. The books get incredibly easier to read, however, you never stop learning secrets and new things in the world of Malaz. For one thing, from one book to the next SE takes us to different continents all together, sometimes far away. New story plots start in Books, 1, 2, and 5, and don't really converge to often until book 8. I am in the 10th book right now, Toll the Hounds, and i am still figuring things out. I was so confused about the magic and warrens when I first read GotM, but once I got past the basic knowledge of it all it became impossible to put these books down. I love SE's style of writing, and I love the fact that we meet new characters every other chapter, and lose them too. No one is safe in his books, so get ready to get emotional a time or two when one of your favorite characters gets bumped off. I can think of one or two times where I actually got choked up when certain characters died. So sit back and enjoy, I am still loving this series as much as the first book in book 10!

[whiskeydut]

maquis, on 01 September 2011 - 10:18 PM, said:

"But each book gets better than the previous in the beginning of the series. " so, does that mean later books in the series will get worse??

While I found DG and MOI to be among the best fantasy books I have ever read, they are not my fav in the series. My favorite books in the series are by far Midnight Tides and Reapers Gale (Books 5 and 8, both heavily tied to the Tiste Edur with my two favorite characters in those books). It seems to me that not everyone agrees which are the best books, I have enjoyed every single one so far (even really like the ICE books) and I am in Toll of the Hounds, book 10, right now.

[fkatschke]

Ok, so I just finished the book for the first time as well and just started Deadhouse Gates. Ever since I finished the book I've been trying to figure out the reason for the whole Jaghut part. I just don't understand why it was a part of the book. Any help. Other than that, I found the book to be uh-maze-ing

[worry]

The empress wanted to release Raest to counteract Anomander Rake, either by mutual destruction or a severe weakening of the survivor.

[fkatschke]

Right, I understand that part. But I mean technically the Jaghut Tyrant seemed to play little role in the overall story and flow of the book.

[wade]

fkatschke, on 24 September 2011 - 01:10 PM, said:

Right, I understand that part. But I mean technically the Jaghut Tyrant seemed to play little role in the overall story and flow of the book.

I think in the case of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, it's all about the bigger picture. It may get elaborated on later, or maybe not, I still haven't read past DG

[Sinisdar Toste]

raest was the means to an end for the empire. it didn't work out in the way they'd hope, but raest isn't gone, nor is his part in the story finished.

[fkatschke]

thanks