[Lady Bliss]

So I've read all of the ICE and SE books except for the novellas. I love Malazan, and want a fix while waiting for the next books to release, but am not sure about the Bauchelaine and Korbal Broach books. Are there any cameos from our other characters? Any good information? Will I be dissappointed?

[Defiance]

Read them for fun. If you enjoy absurd, black humor. If you liked the interactions between Bauchelain and Korbal Broach in Memories of Ice, I'd definitely give these a try. They certainly aren't vital to understanding the story, though.

I've heard the fourth book, Crack'd Pot Trail, is an amazing commentary about the nature of art.

[amphibian]

Defiance, on 12 January 2012 - 08:29 PM, said:

I've heard the fourth book, Crack'd Pot Trail, is an amazing commentary about the nature of art.

Abalieno went overboard with the praise for that novella. It's kind of like a funny version of Rashomon and Chuck Palahniuk's Haunted mixed together. Go in expecting very little actual Bauchelain and Broach and you should be pleasantly surprised at the horror comedy.

[D'rek]

BlissFulnite, on 12 January 2012 - 07:51 PM, said:

So I've read all of the ICE and SE books except for the novellas. I love Malazan, and want a fix while waiting for the next books to release, but am not sure about the Bauchelaine and Korbal Broach books. Are there any cameos from our other characters? Any good information? Will I be dissappointed?

As said above, the main reason to read them is for the humour. There is no mistaking that they are Malazan through-and-through, so if your main concern is that you want them to fit into the world of the novels, that is not a problem.

I would have formerly also said to read at least Blood Follows just to see Korel, but now with SW out that doesn't really work, so here's something else. You may or may not remember, but there's an off-hand reference in RG or DoD about

Spoiler

the fall of the K'Chain Che'malle, with one specific reference to a desperate Che'malle Matron who released her eggs into the sea, hoping to create something new (and terrible?).

Well if you're curious what that is, the answer is in Lees of Laughter's End (not confirmed 100% but it's by far the most reasonable answer, and it is awesome). So you'd get more world-building from that.

Of course Lees follows from Blood Follows, so you've got to read that first, and then with both of those down why not round it out with Healthy Dead...

[Salt-Man Z]

I think Lees is the most Malaz-related of the novellas thus far (I haven't read the fourth) and it's easily my favorite. I love the idea of Mael's blood. But the other novellas are enjoyable enough to check out; just pick up the omnibus edition.

Don't forget Erikson's also got "Goats of Glory" in the Swords & Dark Magic anthology, which is almost entirely unrelated to anything Malazan, but has a couple of details that hint that it's in the Malazan universe, and SE himself confirmed that it takes place south of Shal Morzinn on the 7C continent.

[kcf]

They are not directly related to the Malazan sequence, but they are great fun in the world of Malazan. Plus, I think that Erikson is actually a much better writer at novella length. I enjoy them very much and can't wait for more.

[Kanese S's]

You should read them because they are hilarious.

[Use Of Weapons]

_Crack'd Pot Trail_ is amazingly good.