[frank]

Hello Mr erikson

This is completely new to me, but I´ve been reading Fantasy since 77 and last year I discovered.......you. So when i came across this site I just had to join in on the action. Unfortunately I dont´t go very well with either writing or computers, but we´ll se if that doesn´t improve.

First of all I want to tell you something you probably hear a lot, but is still nice to get repeated to you. To me you are number one, sligthly ahed of George R R Martin. I belive it´s important to have fantasy writers that breaks up and renews everything we think we know. And as you yourself has stated, caracter development is very important. I belive that to many fantasy writers put to much into story progression at the cost of the caracters.

I also have a couple of questions.I´ve only read the books once, exept from Gardens of the Moon , wich I just finished for the second time. and I don´t have any of the books with me, so names and stuff are not to accurate.

Here I go: -where was the crippeled god brought down?
-who were the mages bringing him down?
-how were bringing him down going to stop Kallor?
-is it possible to repeat the ritual with another god?
-could you please tell us something more about the crimson guard?
-and about dragons?
-who was the man living in the tower on the cost of seven cities with the big skeleton inside
-are there a lot of other warrens and races? If you find a warren, it´s mages must surely be able to track you back to the Malazan homeworld. And is this a warren in other worlds?
-who controls the deck? That is, who or what force decides that the deck controls all the
other powers?
-why are warrens, races and so on getting weaker the younger they are?
-who creates a new race (yes, I know it´s you, but you know what I mean)
-can any two races produse half breeds?
-sinse you can access any world ( more or less ) through the Azath and warrens are other worlds or ways to access them; are the Azath representatives for the force who created the multiverse? And if so since the crippeled god are from outside the Malazan homeworld, to me obviously a lot stronger than the other gods and as far as I can see ultemately in the centre of your story; does he belong to the opposite force?
-after " a tale of the Malazan book of the fallen ", will there be yet more to come from this wonderful world or will you create yet another fantastic reality for us to explore?

I guess that was all for now. Please, please keep up the good work (as I´m sure you will without me nagging you about it) and be quick about it, else I will burst with exitement!

[caladanbrood]

Just wondering about warrens, can you do anything with any warren, or is Telas just restricted to fire spells, and Denul just healing, ar are they just what each is best at doing? Cos' at Pale, when Tayschrenn was killing of the mages, A'Karonys was engulfed by ice, but Tayschrenn wields Telas...

Bow before thy master, the warlord of irregulars.

[Lady Atheilen]

Know if it will be at a decent price? It would cost so much to get that book, what with overseas shipping and all.

-------------------------
The Poor Me Story- Autobiographical piece in which the male viewpoint character complains that he is ugly and can't get laid.

[caladanbrood]

Itko Kan is, i believe, on the North of Quon Tali, the continent which Malaz Island is just off the coast of...

*************
O xein angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti tede,
keimentha tois keinon rhemasi peithomenoi.
Unaligned - Obelisk - Friend of Asterisk.

[Brys]

Cotillion said:

Question for Mr. Erikson,
How long does it take you to write a Novel? And what kind of hours do you work to get it finnished within said time?

You can work it out (roughly) - he publishes about 1 Malazan novel a year. Then he's written 2 novellas as well, and a couple of novels under the name Steve Lundin - which makes a bit more than 1 book a year. Have to ask Erikson the 2nd one though. (Writing an entire Malazan novel in a year seems impossible, considering that I've managed to write only 50,000 words of a far simpler and shorter novel in 6 months).

My question: Mr Erikson, what periods of history were the most influential in creating the Malazan novels, or was it a mix of lots of periods of history?

[Quark]

Ah, good, I can post here now!


Mr. Erikson (maybe you prefer Steven?),

I've been a player, and fan of, pen-and-paper RPGs for some time now, and your work has inspired myself and a friend to try crafting such a game of our own, based on the world you've created for all of us to enjoy. I'm not sure of your background with such games, or if you're even familiar with the idea. In case you don't know (though I would assume you have at least a vague idea), RPG stands for Role Playing Game, wherein the player creates and completely controls their own character, advancing in whatever profession/class they choose. While the draft alone is nowhere near completion, we've already come to somewhat of a crossroads, mostly to do with the magical aspect of the Malazan Book of the Fallen universe.

To allow a player to use magic in a way that would make the game truer to the books, we would greatly appreciate any clarification you could give us on the many possible manifestations of the various warrens, and their uses. Some warrens/paths seem fairly straight-forward, such as Denul, where others are more vague, like Serc, for example. Ideally, a player who selects the mage class would advance from apprentice to High Mage, learning new ways of manifesting and controlling their chosen path, and - if we include the possibility of soul-shifting - controlling multiple paths.

Of course, this would almost certainly never be published, but if not, we would at least have a great game to play with our friends when it's finished! Thanks in advance for any help you want to or are willing to provide, and I understand that you may be limited in what you can say while keeping the interest of the plot in mind. I have to say, in closing, that your writing is inspiring and thought-provoking on a level I didn't know was possible until I picked up Gardens of the Moon a few years back, and I'd like to thank and congratulate you on staying with the project. We all appreciate it very much, and are more than happy to hand over the money for such a great read!

If you need more room or time to respond to this, don't feel obligated to do so in a paragraph here. You can contact me at pyro.gnome@gmail.com, but if you'd prefer to keep the magic a mystery until the series is finished, I respect that, and I'm sure you could say so in a sentence or two here without needing to e-mail me! I realize this is a fairly old thread, but if you do still read these, thank you very much for being so dedicated to your fans, and I wish you the best of luck with your story-building to come!

~ Cam, a fan from BC

[Folken]

" Obsessed with Mankind being responsible for the end of times theory?"

Read Devil Delivered for an answer to that question;) It's bloody fabulous!

[caladanbrood]

Jen said:

" Obsessed with Mankind being responsible for the end of times theory?"

Read Devil Delivered for an answer to that question;) It's bloody fabulous!

Just what I was gonna say!

[GingerBreadMan]

Simple Question For Ya, wont mention your books besides noting that I wouldnt be here if I didnt like them.

Have you ever wandered through the speculation threads, seen an idea you liked, and used it?

[sarlinspellweaver]

Obviously thanks for writing your books - I share your opinions on the fantasy genre in general, and the Malazan tales are a breath of fresh air.

Only a minor question, but does the Holy Desert Raraku have any link at all with the Ranu Raraku quarry on Rapa Nui (Easter Island)? I thought maybe that the implications of the fate of Easter Island civilisation - resource pressures etc. - might bear some relevance to the tale behind your desert?

I'd be interested to know, and grateful if you have time to answer - thanks!

[High Marshal Flit]

One thing that continually amazes me with your series is the sheer number of characters involved. Most fantasy books employ maybe 3-5 major characters that the author can explore in depth. But you use so many characters, all very well written, with individual personalities, emotional quirks, scarred souls....etc. The success of your characterizations can be seen first hand in these forums by observing the number of different characters members claim as their favorite or most despised. My question to you is, do you have a certain technique or personal method you use to not only keep the personalities of your characters seperate, but that helps you to remember, and write accordingly, the the different speech, idiosyncraticies (sp.) and flavor of the many characters you use. Because I really have to admit that for me this is one of the most spectacular successes behind the MbotF.

[Folken]

we're considering another Q&A in the near future...nothing concrete yet still discussing the type of Q&A. We'll keep you informed;)