[Disgruntled]

I'm about 25% through TBH (no big spoilers in this topic, please!). I'm consumed by the Malazan world, but I long for the tone of the first four books, where the drama was interspersed with well-timed humor. The witty and sarcastic asides and thought bubbles consistently made me laugh out loud, and characters like Kruppe provided some nice one-off comic relief, and everything seemed just about perfect. Then, with MT, we get Tehol/Bugg, Shurq and her pals, and Hejun/Rissarh/Shand, contrasted with the ultra-serious Tiste Edur, and it became too much of a contrast and distraction. Now in TBH, we have Telorast/Curdle and all the characters of the Fourteenth, and I'm not sure if I've left the Malazan world and travelled to a night at the Improv. The Dramatis Personae lists Onrack/Trull in this book, so I expect even more comedic genius to come from that duo. I don't know what's in store going forward, and I still love the books, but I had to vent!

[Esa1996]

Disgruntled, on 07 June 2015 - 03:55 PM, said:

I'm about 25% through TBH (no big spoilers in this topic, please!). I'm consumed by the Malazan world, but I long for the tone of the first four books, where the drama was interspersed with well-timed humor. The witty and sarcastic asides and thought bubbles consistently made me laugh out loud, and characters like Kruppe provided some nice one-off comic relief, and everything seemed just about perfect. Then, with MT, we get Tehol/Bugg, Shurq and her pals, and Hejun/Rissarh/Shand, contrasted with the ultra-serious Tiste Edur, and it became too much of a contrast and distraction. Now in TBH, we have Telorast/Curdle and all the characters of the Fourteenth, and I'm not sure if I've left the Malazan world and travelled to a night at the Improv. The Dramatis Personae lists Onrack/Trull in this book, so I expect even more comedic genius to come from that duo. I don't know what's in store going forward, and I still love the books, but I had to vent!

Humor is something that tends to increase with every book. Personally I find it to be a very good thing that it does so. Better yet if it would've been as funny in the beginning as in the end, but can't have everything.

[Herrick The Younger]

I liked Tehol & Bug too much to be annoyed at the constant humor in all of their scenes.

Telorast & Curdle were just annoying.

[Kanese S's]

Herrick, on 18 July 2016 - 08:24 PM, said:

I liked Tehol & Bug too much to be annoyed at the constant humor in all of their scenes.

Telorast & Curdle were just annoying.

I disagree. Telorast and Curdle were hilarious and adorable.

[Kruppe of Darujhistan]

The humor in the MBotF is possibly its greatest strength, IMO. Laughing with Tehol and Bugg, and laughing at Kallor, Korbolo Dom, etc.

[Glass Desert]

MT overdid it with the dialogue, some restraint might have worked better. Gotm & DG could have used more of it, just to even it out, in hindsight.

Telorast & Curdle are fun characters, just don't seem to fit within the setting, like the flavors dont mix. Might have worked better if they were with someone from the bonehunters, maybe bottle.

This post has been edited by Glass Desert: 12 December 2016 - 03:21 PM

[Adhara]

I know it is a bit late, but I must reply. Telorat and Curdle humor matches the setting nicely. They are spectres, and they talk like their undead status would allow, being obssesed with posessions and so on. What do you expect of a ghost but black humor? I personally love these two. (I am on a BH rereading,and finding that I have been unfair to this book).

[MattK3]

This book definitely feels more improvisational than the previous ones, in its dialogue, "jokes" and philosophying. And a lot of it is literally just to pass time, doing nothing. And those things that are "done" in those parts also feel just improvisational and as if to pass time (like the dumb stuff with scorpion betting).
And Steven Erikson's humour is just formally passable, I think I might even give Tolkien the edge in a hypothetical joke contest, as outrageous as this may sound... He'd construct it a bit more carefully. Steven Erikson basically has the humour of a roleplaying party's banter.

This post has been edited by MattK3: 19 August 2018 - 10:48 PM