The Watch said:
Okay, a nice enough Malazan novel, but I feel like I'm not getting the information I was hoping for, or I'm missing something obvious or important. Hope you guys can help me (spoilers if you haven't read the book):
1) Why did the Tyrant's followers try to drive the BB out of Krul's Bar? It obviously has something to do with the tomb underneath, but what's in there and why does it matter to the Tyrant?
This had to do mostly with K'rul being a force of opposition to the Tyrant. The less powerful entities to oppose the Tyrant, the better for him. He is just in the beginning stages of reestablishing his empire in Darujhistan, and K'rul isn't extrememly powerful, so take him out now and all is well. The BBs and the pickled Seguleh act as defense for K'rul. Remove them and get to K'rul. But he probably didn't anticipate Tayschrenn's involvement.
The Watch said:
2) Also, I was a little disappointed by the passive reaction of the BB: at the end of TtH (if I remeber correctly), Blend finds the master of the assassins guild and forces him to give up the identity of the one who put a contract on their heads (at the time I assumed it was Humble Measure but after reading OST it seems that Aman is behind it). In TtH, Blend is really pissed of, and I expected her to go after their new enemy. But it seems the BB just went back to running a bar. To me this seems out of character.
They are getting old. It's one of the minor themes throughout, esp in TtH and OST. They've lost their fighting edge, and would prefer to retire in peace. Too many of their friends have died (Mallet and Bluepearl most recently, Picker was in a coma; Antsy is still a bit *ahem* antsy, and chooses to exercise his antsiness in a treasure hunt.), and sometimes it just ain't worth it, especially if it ain't worth it. It looks like, in the end, that Humble Measure also realized that these Malazans aren't too interested in a fight anymore, especially if its over defending the empire. He also probably regrets his role in bringing the Tyrant back, if that was ever even a concious effort on his part. Its been said that the Tyrant was choosing now to return because Rake is no longer around to oppose him. Perhaps Humble Measure was being manipulated somehow all along.
The Watch said:
3) killing the Tyrant: let me see if I got it right: Kruppe brings the shards of Dragnipur to Barathol and Humble (missed that myself but found it in a thread here on the forum, thx) who use the shards to forge bolts, and he also supplies some really nasty substance from that with (= Derudan?). What substance does Kruppe get from the witch? And then he mysteriouy places those bolts in the possession of Leff and Scorch, who are apperenly so stupid you can count on them to shoot the Legate by accident ( kinda funny
. The Tyrant is dying slowly, none of his servants wants to take the mask, so he becomes ineffectual. Ebbin (carrying that pearl thing and part of the Tyrant's spirit inside him) gets to live in the Azath house and Leff and Scorch dump the masked body of the Tyrant back in the well on the Dwelling Plain. Really? This doesn't sound like a final solution to me? But perhaps there was no way to banish or destroy the Tyrant once and for all?
Blanking on what Kruppe got from Derudan. I thought he was providing her with narcotics and sexing her up so she remained out of the Tyrant's influence.
Re: Ebbin and the masked tyrant's body: I don't think there is another way. Scorch and Leff won't go back for the mask. And with Draconus back in the world, that remains a pretty stiff barrier to anyone else attempting to unearth it again and claim the role. Ebbin being Azath'd is effective at keeping his itchy shovel at bay, especially since its a relatively young and powerful Azath, it should hold him for a while, and maybe even heal him. It also allows for the future possibility of the Tyrant returning eventually and Kruppe having to defend his beloved city again. Few things are final, I guess.
The Watch said:
What I did like about this novel very much was that we get some insight in different places and peoples we read about so much (the real deal about the Seguleh, a glimpse in the Moranth), but all in all, also a rather confusing book.
I agree it was tough to puzzle what was going on sometimes. The end of the Tayschrenn/Leoman/Kiska story was not where I saw that going at all. The Tyrant seemed a little weak at points for being so built up. THe Spawns was a cool story, I thought. The Moranth were both frustrating and eye-opening. I always liked them and to seee more and an inside view at that was cool too. The Seguleh were handled perfectly. The reson they wear masks, the glimpse at their culture, Dassem's becoming the First (which was cool in that Rake kept the mask of the First on Moons Spawn, and he killed Rake, so now he gets the mask...Neat right?), Taya finally getting her comeuppance, SHARDS OF FUCKING DRAGNIPUR!
Yes, at times it was confusing, but I think overall, it was a great story and a really good entry in the series. Honestly, after Toll the Hounds, you really can't improve on that. But the story had to go on, and go on it did.
Help
. The Tyrant is dying slowly, none of his servants wants to take the mask, so he becomes ineffectual. Ebbin (carrying that pearl thing and part of the Tyrant's spirit inside him) gets to live in the Azath house and Leff and Scorch dump the masked body of the Tyrant back in the well on the Dwelling Plain. Really? This doesn't sound like a final solution to me? But perhaps there was no way to banish or destroy the Tyrant once and for all?
