[Okai]

I've seen a lot of people talk about how complex this series is. Though, I don't see anyone talking about what makes it complex in the first place. In a non-spoiling way, I've only read the first book, could anyone tell me about what makes this series complex? I'm not refering to the catchphrase that fans often use: "spoonfeeding" or "holding hands." Is there something more than just refusing with explanatory prose or dialogue, misleading or lieing points of views, etc.

This post has been edited by Okai: 23 February 2014 - 09:13 PM

[Gabriel Chase]

Yes, things like ‘unreliable’ narrators, multiple viewpoints, numerous characters and a richly developed world history, people’s legends and myths being revealed later as something other than what they imagined…

That sort of thing.

[Kanese S's]

A few things.

1. A very large number of viewpoints. There are lots of POV characters, each with their own stories going on. Sometimes these link up, directly, or indirectly.

2. All of those viewpoints are fallible. Every point of view is just that of a character, all of whom are just people, and so of course can be mistaken. This makes it somewhat difficult to know who is correct and who isn't.

3. Lack of opening exposition. Things just start happening. There are tidbits about how the world works, but generally they are scattered throughout the books, rather than grouped together in a convenient package at the beginning. It's up to the reader to piece the puzzle together. Erikson refuses to engage in such explanations because the characters wouldn't get any such help, so neither do the readers.

That's just a start, because it's sunday afternoon and I am lazy.

[Gabriel Chase]

Kanese S, on 23 February 2014 - 11:03 PM, said:

Erikson refuses to engage in such explanations because the characters wouldn't get any such help, so neither do the readers.

He’s also stated that he was influenced by Frank Herbert’s DUNE, and you hit the ground running in that. If it’s good enough for Herbert, it’s good enough for him!

[worry]

The scope is worldwide and it actually feels that way. A huge variety of personalities, both human and inhuman, interact and the results are honestly played out. Actions have consequences, individuals have personal motivations, and power is varied and dynamic. Fantasy elements exponentiate ripple effects over space and time.

[Garak]

The various themes he explores throughout the books. Especially the core theme of the series - or at least what I took as the core theme.

[Tarthenal Theloman Toblakai]

Erikson gets a lot of story going and introduces a lot of races in a short space of time. He gives tidbits of info of various races, histories and parallel stories as he goes along and the unknown 'stuff' snowballs. This 'stuff' then gets explained, either later in the book, later in the series, in Esslemonts parallel books or even never! The other fact that the series is explored on a truly global scale and also with other realms, means there is a huge amount of lore to understand about the Malazan universe, as well as characters, histories and events. On top of this, there are alot of regional varieties of humans similar to our own Earth, so the diverse religions and sometimes regional dialects of the English they speak is different too, adding another layer of complexity. Sometimes characters are in their own world (within the series, a bit like Inception lol) and they don't percieve the world in conventional ways. This unique POV can add more complexity too. Even trying to think about the layers to write here, has left me blubbering in the corner unable to work for the rest of the week!

[The_Wanderer]

There a lot of things that make it difficult. I'll list what challenged me the most about reading the series.

1. Giant Scope - The length and depth of the histories, the mythologies, the huge cast of characters, and the massive size of the world needs to be comprehended by the reader in order to understand what's going on. This for me is what was most difficult about reading the series.
2. Lack of explanations - Erikson doesn't tell you what's going on, rather the reader has to figure out what's happening from the context that the story is presented in.
3. More advanced vocabulary - Erikson writes the story with vocabulary that's more challenging than what you would find in your average book.
4. Shifting viewpoints - Viewpoints between characters shift frequently, some narrators are unreliable, sometimes the story shifts between 3rd person limited and omniscient, and sometimes character perspectives switch before there is a noticeable paragraph or chapter break in the story.

[Tiste Simeon]

I think the fact that half the characters speak in riddles, half truths, vague generalities, insane babble and cryptic musings doesn't help either...

[Abyss]

Tiste Brent Not Abyss Weeks Simeon, on 28 February 2014 - 04:59 PM, said:

I think the fact that half the characters speak in riddles, half truths, vague generalities, insane babble and cryptic musings doesn't help either...

i think it helps tremendously.

[theocean]

Im not going to lie, without this forum there wouldve been a few times i wouldve been lost as to the relevence or meanings of certain things throughout the series. The things that make it complex too me seem obvious, there are 20 some odd books that jump around story lines from book to book, jump around in time from book to book, and a ton of tough names and or names that sound very close to each other. There are also old story lines from peoples memories or histories you have to remember. There are also different races that are sometimes vaguely introduced and explained. Some of the story lines make the reader assume this or that without really going to in depth. That being said i could not be happier i read the series.