[Tattersail_]

 Abyss, on 27 June 2016 - 04:32 PM, said:

 Tattersail_, on 27 June 2016 - 01:37 PM, said:

Before reading the thread i'll post my thoughts here. This is quite possibly the worst book in the entire Malazan world that I have read....

You can start your own thread to slam the book Tatts, instead of redirecting mine, unless you're replying to my views or those in the thread.

Didn't know which thread to put in my initial views. I'll read this and reply soon to some posts and thoughts.

[Kanese S's]

 Tattersail_, on 27 June 2016 - 01:37 PM, said:

Before reading the thread i'll post my thoughts here. This is quite possibly the worst book in the entire Malazan world that I have read. I don't automatically see the point of any of the plot. I don't care for any of the characters. The best bit of the whole book was the epilogue and I think that could have been the whole story. To be frank it was shit. It could have been so much better as well. I didn't understand what was happening or the point of it all really.

The plot thinks you're pointless and the book thinks you're shit.

[Aptorian]

Hey now, don't resort to personal insults.

My opinion mirrors a lot of what Tattersail is saying. In retrospect, a hell of a lot of what takes place in Blood and Bone is actually inconsequential or turns out to be a "ruse". Where and why people are moving on the map seems more like an excuse for a book than a more cohesive, meaningful story.

Still that doesn't mean that there weren't parts of the book I liked, like everything Kallor does or says.

[Tattersail_]

Right, been playing mafia for the last 2 weeks so not been out of my alt. I am midway to 2/3's of the way through Assail and the difference in class, story telling is immense. I am a fan of Malazan, I enjoyed all previous Esslemont books so its not like I am slagging off the author. The book is not good at all. In any way. If I wanted a description of a jungle and nothing else I would just pick up a book on jungles. Let me see...

[Tattersail_]

 Abyss, on 03 December 2012 - 05:51 PM, said:

In BAB, the setting IS important to the story. Very important actually.
Yes, most of the storylines involve characters tromping through the jungle while their gear rots around then and insects and beasties try to eat them, but on a broader scale there's a sense of pace. No one in this book, among the jungle-located storylines (so not Jatal and co but we'll get to them) is going anywhere fast. They all get to where they're going, more or less, but it's a slow dirty painful crawl that cannot be hurried.

So you say it yourself. Yes its characters basically going for a walk and not a Chain of Dogs type of walk where there is much pay off, no not one of them. Just a bloody walk.

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As an aside, i have to give ICE credit for writing a book that is essentially a travelogue, one of the things i dislike most in fantasy - characters slog tiredly from point A to point B - without ever leaving me bored, impatient or frustrated. In fact, it was a nice change of pace where the journey really was the destination and the destination was a nasty, beautiful place.

my point exactly.

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Ultimately this is a story set in a jungle, and about a jungle, and in the same way some people write 'the city is one of the characters' when discussing other books, the jungle is one of the characters too... literally at the end of the book, but figuratively for most of it.

The frustrating part, is that you have to read it because it is in the middle of a series. There is no escaping having to read it.

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In terms of what happened....

SAENG/HANU/PON-LOR - I liked this storyline. Saeng could have been annoying but ICE kept her likeable with a nice combo of desperation, wilfulness and wonder.

By the time she stepped into the Light thingy at the end, her actions were totally logical.

Let's just look at that sentence shall we. That lighty thingy. What was it. Was it explained properly, I mean we've read for hours to get to this point, you think it would be clear as to what was happening, and what actually happened. For all the slog of the read through, the ending seemed rushed, and confusing.


Look I am not going to go on, I am enjoying Assail. I think it's a good book so far. Blood and Bone was not my cup of tea at all.

[Abyss]

 Tattersail_, on 13 July 2016 - 01:45 PM, said:

 Abyss, on 03 December 2012 - 05:51 PM, said:

...
In terms of what happened....

SAENG/HANU/PON-LOR - I liked this storyline. Saeng could have been annoying but ICE kept her likeable with a nice combo of desperation, wilfulness and wonder.

By the time she stepped into the Light thingy at the end, her actions were totally logical.

Let's just look at that sentence shall we. That lighty thingy. What was it. Was it explained properly, I mean we've read for hours to get to this point, you think it would be clear as to what was happening, and what actually happened. For all the slog of the read through, the ending seemed rushed, and confusing.

...

Light thingy was me being facetious. It was pretty clear what that was (a gate into Kurald Thyrrlan), but even if it wasn't, you're surprised that something isn't explained in graphic detail in a Malazan book?