[nacht]

For some reason, some names get stuck in my mind and I keep repeating them (mostly when other people are not around :-)

The one that has the most effect on me right now is "Toras Redone" (I have no idea why but maybe it is tied to strong emotional attachment of betrayal and loss)
The other is "Bars. Iron Bars!". It is little pick me upper for me but has to be said in a particular loud way
Draconus is another one which gets a strong reaction.

I am wondering if there is any explanation for this. Like some "musical" or "emotional" resonance thing.

Also would be interesting to find out what others think are "catchy" names :-)

Interestingly SE comes up with some very good names (wonder if they is any pattern to making these up).

[Illuyankas]

Kagamandra Tulas Shorn, High Mage Tesormalandis, High Mage Stumpy. I want a book about those last two.

[worry]

Telorast and Curdle. One's very much a fantasy name but in Erikson's typically catchy world-fitting mold, the other is a very Malazan-via-Glen Cook instantly descriptive word name. And they go great together.

[Studlock]

I really like the name people from One Eye Cat (I think it's One Eye Cat) get. Like Sweetest Sufferance, Studious Lock, Precious Thimble and Humble Measures. They're kind of descriptive like the marines but also kind of lyrical? Other than that I really like some of the Marines names like Smiles and Bottle.

[Rictus]

Those Grey Sword names stuck, such as Farakalian or Itkovian. Though not descriptive, they have a certain appeal...or what have you.

[Spoilsport Stonny]

Dessimbelackis. Bairoth Gild. Pretty much all of the Elient. SE's naming conventions are off the chain and on the mark nearly 90% of the time.

I too love the names of native One Eye Catians.The adjective-noun style is fantastic.

This post has been edited by Spoilsport Stonny: 06 June 2013 - 03:40 PM

[Ruthan Good]

From the start Fiddler brought up all the incredibly negative connotations

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Dessimbelackis has stuck ever since I saw someone on here call him Dessimbewacky

Worry's already mentioned Telorast and Curdle, but for me a lot of the two-word names stand out most - Anomander Rake and Silchas Ruin being the main two. Spinnock is nice too - it just sounds lovely spoken aloud.

[Salt-Man Z]

 Studlock, on 06 June 2013 - 06:48 AM, said:

I really like the name people from One Eye Cat (I think it's One Eye Cat) get. Like Sweetest Sufferance, Studious Lock, Precious Thimble and Humble Measures.

This. I also really like Lazan Door and Madrun Badrun (which may just be the most fun Malazan name to say out loud.)

This post has been edited by Salt-Man Z: 10 June 2013 - 07:54 PM

[worry]

Dessimbelackis is a great choice, there's just something about it, like Ozymandias. It fits right alongside Anomander as absolutely perfect for the character.

Skwish is also one of my favorite names. Sounds great phonetically, evokes funny connotations that are character-appropriate, and the spelling itself just tickles me.

[close_one_eye]

I have only read Gardens of the Moon, yet I've found that the names SE chooses for his characters are either creatively unique or wildly stupid with no grey-area. "Sorry" and "Worrytown" are two examples of such names that seemed like appropriations of fictionalized reality, which did not seem to sit well with a true conception of a fantastical world. I don't want to be reminded that "worry" or "sorriness" or any other human emotion is descriptive in a world contra our own.

[worry]

How come?

[close_one_eye]

 worry, on 12 June 2013 - 09:01 PM, said:

How come?

Not sure if this was me you directed your response at.

I can make an amendment to my statement by adding that I don't want human emotion to be descriptive in human terms and explicit in the things that are signified by those terms. To simplify myself,, I feel like it'd be shallow to assume sorrow or worry as emotive descriptors in the Malaz world, since these are linguistic appropriations that belong to "us" in our reality, not to SE.

When we recognize a word, such as sorry, that we already have purpose for, I don't think we can divorce it from it's hermeneutical baggage. It's a weak way of ascribing characters their intended (or opposite) tropes. If that makes sense.

[vendevere]

Got to say the Panspot'sun Desert-don't remember where the @#$% apostrophe goes-struck me as very funny. Both SE and ICE can be very punny when it suits them...

[worry]

 close_one_eye, on 12 June 2013 - 09:49 PM, said:

Not sure if this was me you directed your response at.

I can make an amendment to my statement by adding that I don't want human emotion to be descriptive in human terms and explicit in the things that are signified by those terms. To simplify myself,, I feel like it'd be shallow to assume sorrow or worry as emotive descriptors in the Malaz world, since these are linguistic appropriations that belong to "us" in our reality, not to SE.

When we recognize a word, such as sorry, that we already have purpose for, I don't think we can divorce it from it's hermeneutical baggage. It's a weak way of ascribing characters their intended (or opposite) tropes. If that makes sense.

It appears you are saying you don't like it because it can become a lazy shorthand for the author, like just-add-water character development. I can see that, and it's probably been done in plenty of fantasy. SE, however, takes the naming convention in partial homage to/inspiration from Glen Cook (who never used it that way), and also there's an in-world Malazan explanation for the naming convention that you just don't have context for in GotM. In other words, regardless of whether you like individual names or not (or whether you change your mind on that or not over the series), it is distinctly not what you think it is as of now. It's not Prince Charming. So I hope you grow to like it, though it's still possible it won't appeal to you even when you see the difference developed.

This post has been edited by worry: 12 June 2013 - 10:37 PM

[close_one_eye]

 worry, on 12 June 2013 - 10:30 PM, said:

 close_one_eye, on 12 June 2013 - 09:49 PM, said:

Not sure if this was me you directed your response at.

I can make an amendment to my statement by adding that I don't want human emotion to be descriptive in human terms and explicit in the things that are signified by those terms. To simplify myself,, I feel like it'd be shallow to assume sorrow or worry as emotive descriptors in the Malaz world, since these are linguistic appropriations that belong to "us" in our reality, not to SE.

When we recognize a word, such as sorry, that we already have purpose for, I don't think we can divorce it from it's hermeneutical baggage. It's a weak way of ascribing characters their intended (or opposite) tropes. If that makes sense.

It appears you are saying you don't like it because it can become a lazy shorthand for the author, like just-add-water character development. I can see that, and it's probably been done in plenty of fantasy. SE, however, takes the naming convention in partial homage to/inspiration from Glen Cook (who never used it that way), and also there's an in-world Malazan explanation for the naming convention that you just don't have context for in GotM. In other words, regardless of whether you like individual names or not (or whether you change your mind on that or not over the series), it is distinctly not what you think it is as of now. So I hope you grow to like it.

I'm going to stick with the series all the same. Like I said, it's really not a huge distraction since the writing is, in fact, very strong and his concision is admirable for a fantasy series! I'm glad to hear this is all explained throughout the course of the story. Thanks for you feedback!

[worry]

I will revise a little to say that I don't want to paint any one thing as universally true (or untrue for that matter). There are lots of characters, from lots of places/cultures, and thus a wide variety of naming conventions are represented. I'll just repeat that as far as I recall, they all pretty much have in-world plausibility, but I can't deny there are po-mo/metafictional motivations on occasion as well.

[Grimjazz]

I always loved the names Throatslitter and Deadsmell. Also Cowl is a cool name for an assassin.

[nacht]

The crimson guard have some great names. Short and memorable. I particularly resonate with Lor-sinn for some reason (otherwise a completely forgettable character).

[Grimjazz]

 nacht, on 16 August 2013 - 08:54 PM, said:

The crimson guard have some great names. Short and memorable. I particularly resonate with Lor-sinn for some reason (otherwise a completely forgettable character).

Even though we've not met him yet, only heard of him. I still remember the name of Cal-Brinn very well. Cool name.