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Starting ICE books

#1 User is offline   bwub60 

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Posted 15 October 2015 - 01:57 PM

do I need to read them in order or can I bounce around? Really want to sink my teeth into Assail and Return of the Crimson Guard.
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#2 User is offline   Gorefest 

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Posted 15 October 2015 - 02:43 PM

Although the ICE book arcs are sort of stand-alone stories for each book, there are a few characters in there who's journey you follow throughout the various books and those storylines would make no sense whatsoever if you hadn't read the previous ICe ones. So I strongly recommend reading them in order.

This post has been edited by Gorefest: 15 October 2015 - 02:43 PM

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#3 User is offline   Mentalist 

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Posted 15 October 2015 - 02:59 PM

You don't need to read NoK (it's pretty much a standalone).

Without spoiling anything, after RotCG the rest of the books follow somewhat of an arc concerning the things you appear to be most interested in, so you're best off reading them in order.

Not to mention that they interweave (somewhat) with SE's books, so if you haven't read those yet, you may encounter some spoilers.

There are several threads dealing with what the forumites think is the best reading order, most of them spoiler-free. Check those out.
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View PostJump Around, on 23 October 2011 - 11:04 AM, said:

And I want to state that Ment has out-weaseled me by far in this game.
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#4 User is offline   Nevyn 

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Posted 15 October 2015 - 03:19 PM

View Postbwub60, on 15 October 2015 - 01:57 PM, said:

do I need to read them in order or can I bounce around? Really want to sink my teeth into Assail and Return of the Crimson Guard.


I would read them in order.

RotCG is the second one anyway and NoK is good and not long.

ICE has some characters SE does not. Going in order gets you introduced to them as intended.
Tatts early in SH game: Hmm, so if I'm liberal I should have voted Nein to make sure I'm president? I'm not that selfish

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When Venge's turn comes, he will get a yes from Mess, Dolmen, Nevyn and Venge but a no from the 3 fascists and me. **** with my Government, and i'll **** with yours
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#5 User is offline   Gorefest 

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Posted 15 October 2015 - 04:04 PM

View PostMentalist, on 15 October 2015 - 02:59 PM, said:

You don't need to read NoK (it's pretty much a standalone).


NOK introduces Kefka and Temper, Kefka being a major character in the ICE books going forward and Temper reappearing as well in both SE and ICE. On top of that NOK gives you very interesting insights into the events prior to ST and Dancer's ascension.
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#6 User is offline   Mentalist 

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Posted 15 October 2015 - 04:12 PM

View PostGorefest, on 15 October 2015 - 04:04 PM, said:

View PostMentalist, on 15 October 2015 - 02:59 PM, said:

You don't need to read NoK (it's pretty much a standalone).


NOK introduces Kefka and Temper, Kefka being a major character in the ICE books going forward and Temper reappearing as well in both SE and ICE. On top of that NOK gives you very interesting insights into the events prior to ST and Dancer's ascension.

True, Kiska's background can be considered important. And I am in no way denying that NoK is good.
I was trying to address the OP's specific question, since he's mostly interested in CriGs. In terms of that on its own, NoK is skippable.
But it's never as simple as that with Malaz, :)

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 15 October 2015 - 04:12 PM

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View PostJump Around, on 23 October 2011 - 11:04 AM, said:

And I want to state that Ment has out-weaseled me by far in this game.
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#7 User is offline   Nevyn 

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Posted 15 October 2015 - 04:24 PM

View PostGorefest, on 15 October 2015 - 04:04 PM, said:

NOK introduces Kefka and Temper, Kefka being a major character in the ICE books going forward and Temper reappearing as well in both SE and ICE. On top of that NOK gives you very interesting insights into the events prior to ST and Dancer's ascension.



Yep, I started down the same road (thinking of things one can skip) and then you start remember what characters pop up.

The one thing I would say is that as far as I recall, OST can be read after all the other books instead of in its place. I don't think it sets up anything you need to know for Blood and Bone or Assail
Tatts early in SH game: Hmm, so if I'm liberal I should have voted Nein to make sure I'm president? I'm not that selfish

Tatts later in SAME game: I'm going to be a corrupt official. I have turned from my liberal ways, and now will vote against the pesky liberals. Viva la Fascism.
When Venge's turn comes, he will get a yes from Mess, Dolmen, Nevyn and Venge but a no from the 3 fascists and me. **** with my Government, and i'll **** with yours
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#8 User is offline   koehkont 

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Posted 15 October 2015 - 05:43 PM

View PostNevyn, on 15 October 2015 - 04:24 PM, said:

View PostGorefest, on 15 October 2015 - 04:04 PM, said:

NOK introduces Kefka and Temper, Kefka being a major character in the ICE books going forward and Temper reappearing as well in both SE and ICE. On top of that NOK gives you very interesting insights into the events prior to ST and Dancer's ascension.



Yep, I started down the same road (thinking of things one can skip) and then you start remember what characters pop up.

The one thing I would say is that as far as I recall, OST can be read after all the other books instead of in its place. I don't think it sets up anything you need to know for Blood and Bone or Assail


It kinda does. As I recall there is a
Spoiler
. And doesn't Fisher walk in on them in the end.
Spoiler

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#9 User is offline   Nevyn 

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Posted 15 October 2015 - 06:46 PM

Fair point.
Tatts early in SH game: Hmm, so if I'm liberal I should have voted Nein to make sure I'm president? I'm not that selfish

Tatts later in SAME game: I'm going to be a corrupt official. I have turned from my liberal ways, and now will vote against the pesky liberals. Viva la Fascism.
When Venge's turn comes, he will get a yes from Mess, Dolmen, Nevyn and Venge but a no from the 3 fascists and me. **** with my Government, and i'll **** with yours
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#10 User is offline   Itwæs Nom 

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Posted 15 October 2015 - 07:02 PM

View PostGorefest, on 15 October 2015 - 04:04 PM, said:

View PostMentalist, on 15 October 2015 - 02:59 PM, said:

You don't need to read NoK (it's pretty much a standalone).


NOK introduces Kefka and Temper, Kefka being a major character in the ICE books going forward and Temper reappearing as well in both SE and ICE. On top of that NOK gives you very interesting insights into the events prior to ST and Dancer's ascension.



Kefka :)
And I thought Kiska sounds ridicolous enough
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#11 User is offline   Gorefest 

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Posted 15 October 2015 - 07:09 PM

Oh yeah, that one. I find it difficult remembering names of unmemorable characters.
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#12 User is offline   Tarthenal Theloman Toblakai 

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Posted 16 October 2015 - 08:28 AM

You do need to read NoK. Cuz it's fucking awesome! Posted Image

But I would seriously read the lot in order of release. Various characters progress through the lot, and you will be left missing alot of history and therefore miss alot of dem feels about various characters as they thunder through your mind
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#13 User is offline   bwub60 

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Posted 19 October 2015 - 01:27 PM

Thanks for all the replys. Im about half way through with TCG and just really wanna know what the deal is with Assail and The Crimson Guard.
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#14 User is offline   Mentalist 

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Posted 19 October 2015 - 01:59 PM

I'm almost done re-reading RotCG.

In retrospect, some stuff will make a bit more sense if you read through NoK first. Not Kiska, but the other main char. There are off-hand mentions of CriGs in NoK that link up to some comments in RotCg to help you piece together how things went down way back when.

And there's one scene of epic awesome in RotCG, towards the end, that will be so much more awesome if you have the proper context for it from reading NoK first.
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View PostJump Around, on 23 October 2011 - 11:04 AM, said:

And I want to state that Ment has out-weaseled me by far in this game.
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#15 User is offline   bwub60 

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Posted 19 October 2015 - 04:00 PM

I also really wanna know what the deal is with the undead Segulah who wants to kills Skinner. So. many. questions.
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