[Ukjent]

You know, the weather and stuff. It's some skies that holds the promise of rain here.

[Aptorian]

He didn't spoil anything but he did mention that there is a development in the parasite storyline.

I hope the development is that Butcher writes it out of the series because I really disliked that story angle.

[Vengeance]

Rageun Cajun, on 13 May 2014 - 06:56 PM, said:

Well then I guess my ? on the last pg is indeed brought up in this book.

Still. Bad form Dits not spoiler tagging that and giving it the fuck away...

In all honesty he didn't say anything that you couldn't pick up in the chapter that was just put out.

[Tiste Simeon]

Can't remember anything about the parasite even though I recently did a reread (I fit the whole Malazan series after it though...) Quick refresher?

[Vengeance]

Stalker, on 13 May 2014 - 07:54 AM, said:

So who do I PM my mailing address to?





I'm just going to have to settle for the newest preview chapter here, but damn the American book stores for not making mistakes. It's always Canada or the UK or Germany.

Reread it here.

[Aptorian]

Off the top of my head, there is a parasite like spiritual/mental virus called Nemesis, that infects people and changes them. How it does it is not shown, we also don't know how fast the infection takes place or how much control the thing has.

It can infect anyone, from your average joe to the most powerful godlike being. You can't tell if somebody has been infected because the person retains the personality, it's only that their motives are now different. Anyone could be infected and not even know it themselves it seems, maybe even Dresden.

I can't recall if Nemesis is actually linked to anything particular. It may be some kind of Outsider force.

Anyway, it's fucking stupid and I don't like it.

[amphibian]

Actually, the Nemesis thing, as written in the earlier books, makes its host very much aware of itself.

It's just that Dresden's had so much going on and several different forces inhabiting his body that he may have lost it in the din. The parasite that Demonreach and Mab was referring to in Ghost Story turned out to be an organic thing keeping him alive by hooking him up to tree roots.

[Aptorian]

amphibian, on 13 May 2014 - 08:37 PM, said:

Actually, the Nemesis thing, as written in the earlier books, makes its host very much aware of itself.

And yet, when Cat Sith was infected, it seemed like the virus itself was not sentient, but rather it was like a malady that made Cath Sith act differently and think differently.

[Tiste Simeon]

Yeah I know about Lash but that was more of a semi-possession rather than a parasite.

Thanks for reminding me about Nemesis, I get the impression that dude is in it for the long run...

[amphibian]

Apt Hoc, on 13 May 2014 - 08:41 PM, said:

And yet, when Cat Sith was infected, it seemed like the virus itself was not sentient, but rather it was like a malady that made Cath Sith act differently and think differently.

How on earth would you know this?

Cat Sith gets taken at the Gardens, disappears for a while and then attacks Dresden later. There's no Cat Sith POV or anything of the kind. The Nemesis infection basically made Cat Sith "Not Cat Sith", as in it didn't have to respond to Dresden's summons anymore. This isn't just warping the host's actions and thoughts, this is identity change at work.

This post has been edited by amphibian: 13 May 2014 - 09:27 PM

[Illuyankas]

^^ Nemesis appears to operate on a subconscious level, playing with the ID of whoever it's inside unless forced to take over like with Sith. Good camouflage, really.

Yeah from the hints in Ghost Story and Cold Days the parasite is probably noted divine entity associated with knowledge and a Greek theme who's about to burst forth from a forehead Athena- uh, I mean Lash. It's a plot point that the reason Harry's on the island at all is because the parasite'll burst his brains out without Molly's help, it's silly to assume that storyline won't get advanced in Skin Game.

This post has been edited by Illuyankas: 13 May 2014 - 09:30 PM

[D'rek]

Illuyankas, on 13 May 2014 - 09:28 PM, said:

^^ Nemesis appears to operate on a subconscious level, playing with the ID of whoever it's inside unless forced to take over like with Sith. Good camouflage, really.

What if all those times Harry has had a dream where he sees and talks to his all-in-black subconscious-Harry personality has actually been the parasite all along?

[Illuyankas]

What reason would Lash have to not as much as hint at it, though?

[Obdigore]

I'll just note that the already released 'preview' chapters very much verify that there will be story-line developments related to the parasite.

Crazy ass guestimations for skin games:

Spoiler

Parasite bursts forth from Harry just in time to counter the Nicodemus backstab and tries to make off with the treasure, but the winter knight healing stuff mixed with some blessing from Sanya keeps harry alive enough that he is able to counter a weakened parasite, killing it (with whoever his backup is, I'm guessing Sanya) and he returns whatever they stole from Hades leading to Hades owing a favor to Mab and Harry. Also I feel like he kills Deidre.

This post has been edited by Possibly Brent Weeks: 14 May 2014 - 04:26 AM

[Cause]

I quite like the Nemesis angle. It has finally been revealed that the Red Court-White council war, Kemmler's disciples re-appearance, the white-court civil war, the black council, the denarian schism etc etc and etc and the general increase in magical problems is all part of a bigger plot with the outsiders and hence Starborn Harry blackstone copperfield Dresden at the heart of it. In some ways it makes things a little too neat maybe, in other ways the nemesis problem seems like it should practically be unstoppable but the dresden crack is still the ride of my life and I look forward to more.

Have re-read ghost story and cold days this weak in prep and am continuing to go through it in reverse order. I only wish book one and two were not so disappointing.

[End of Disc One]

The book received a somewhat negative review on Publisher's Weekly (not that it's going to stop any of us from reading it): http://www.publisher...8-0-451-46439-2

[Abyss]

Sussex Months, on 14 May 2014 - 02:49 PM, said:

The book received a somewhat negative review on Publisher's Weekly (not that it's going to stop any of us from reading it): http://www.publisher...8-0-451-46439-2

weird review. terse.

[amphibian]

I find that reviews and statements focusing on deus ex machina are 98% misunderstandings of what a deus ex machina actually is.

We find this popping up so often in the Malazan reviews/discussions elsewhere that it's basically become a "roll my eyes" moment once I read the phrase. I'm still positive on reading this book, even though I've opened the door to cracking and reading the preview chapters a bit by reading that review.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 14 May 2014 - 04:03 PM, said:

Sussex Months, on 14 May 2014 - 02:49 PM, said:

The book received a somewhat negative review on Publisher's Weekly (not that it's going to stop any of us from reading it): http://www.publisher...8-0-451-46439-2

weird review. terse.

Publishers Weekly is a hack RAG. They have given glowing starred reviews to utter and total pap before. I trust random bloggers over PW any day of the week.

[Tiste Simeon]

I kept scrolling thinking that there must be more but no. That's not a review, that's a Facebook status...