[TheWhiteWalker]

100 pages in and I am still not interested in this book. Is this normal or just me?

[Itwæs Nom]

Actually, I found the book quite interesting from beginning, Temper was that right type of guy and I really liked Kiska's perspective.
I think its the weakest part of MBotF and first three ICE novellas, but It's far from boring. For me it was because I expected more info and something a bit different from it, and possibly I had to get used to ICE's style.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact there's not much action in the beginning?

[James Hutton]

TheWhiteWalker, on 04 November 2015 - 12:59 PM, said:

100 pages in and I am still not interested in this book. Is this normal or just me?

I think I had the same, but it's worth finishing the book.

[Gorefest]

TheWhiteWalker, on 04 November 2015 - 12:59 PM, said:

100 pages in and I am still not interested in this book. Is this normal or just me?

What is 'normal'? How many people, statistically speaking, read fantasy in the first place? How many epic fantasy? It's all subjective.

The general reader opinion on NoK does seem to be that it actually is a bit more fast-paced and easier to read than most of SE's works. So in that respect, your assessment isn't the norm. But that doesn't mean you're reading it wrong or you need urgent help. For what it's worth, the action really picks up significantly after the first section. So I would really give it a chance, as it fills in lots of backplot for the Empire and it has some really tasty gruesome bits.

[Esa1996]

NoK isn't my favorite by ICE by any means and I had some of the same problems as you. Didn't really get interested in it until the end. Then again, most Malazan books had the same problem for me. THe beginning of the books was always kind of all over the place and it often took at least a hundred pages for me to get interested. This is actually one of my main complaints with the series. If they followed each other more directly and were less standalone it'd be far easier to get into the new books. After GotM, however, I trusted SE to create a good ending with all the randomness which helped get through the beginning. ICE has some of the same problems. NoK is quite different from the other Malazan books, but with RotCG it again took me a while to get interested, and again, ICE like SE, made the early struggles worth it with a brilliant ending.

This post has been edited by Esa1996: 04 November 2015 - 04:57 PM

[TheWhiteWalker]

Charlie Nom, on 04 November 2015 - 02:58 PM, said:

Actually, I found the book quite interesting from beginning, Temper was that right type of guy and I really liked Kiska's perspective.
I think its the weakest part of MBotF and first three ICE novellas, but It's far from boring. For me it was because I expected more info and something a bit different from it, and possibly I had to get used to ICE's style.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact there's not much action in the beginning?

Yeah, I think I was feeling like nothing was happening. The writing style change from SE to ICE also jolted me a bit. Well, now 150 pages in, I feel my interest rising in the book. Hope the ending's good!

[Avatar]

It's the book.

[Abyss]

TheWhiteWalker, on 04 November 2015 - 12:59 PM, said:

100 pages in and I am still not interested in this book. Is this normal or just me?

It's just you.Sort of. You've been replaced by a non-self-aware replicant, you just don't realize it, but that's why your reaction is so aberrant. I suggest therapy and possibly exorcism. Or vodka.

TheWhiteWalker, on 04 November 2015 - 07:08 PM, said:

.... Well, now 150 pages in, I feel my interest rising in the book. Hope the ending's good!

Oh, ok, forget the whole replicant thing and carry on reading.
You can keep the vodka.

[worry]

It bored through my skull and lives in my brain now.

[Andorion]

worry, on 05 November 2015 - 03:13 AM, said:

It bored through my skull and lives in my brain now.

Everything makes so much more sense now

[TheWhiteWalker]

Abyss, on 05 November 2015 - 03:03 AM, said:

Oh, ok, forget the whole replicant thing and carry on reading.
You can keep the vodka.

Thanks for the vodka! In 200 pages and having a blast!

[Abyss]

Andorion, on 05 November 2015 - 03:54 AM, said:

worry, on 05 November 2015 - 03:13 AM, said:

It bored through my skull and lives in my brain now.

Everything makes so much more sense now

i KNOW!

All this time Worry had a brain and we never knew...

[Kanese S's]

TheWhiteWalker, on 04 November 2015 - 12:59 PM, said:

100 pages in and I am still not interested in this book. Is this normal or just me?

Maybe you're just boring.

[Arthur Dayne]

So I got an Amazon gift card and i've read and re-read all of the SE parts of the series. Bought all of the hardbounds while I was reading through the first time and wanted them on my kindle for the re-reads. Amazon is a cesspool for mis-informative reviews and I have OCD about checking negative reviews. Please tell me the ICE line adds to the overall experience because I totally loved the main storyline and I don't do well when I get bogged down and bored with a book. I want to give it the benefit of the doubt because GotM took me 4 months to get through and used to the writing style but is it that much of a style difference? My hard earned Amazon card is burning a hole in my pocket and I need reading material.

[Gorefest]

Well, it is all very subjective. SE's MBotF works absolutely fine as a stand-alone series, so nothing wrong with limiting yourself to that.

Having said that, if you are intrigued by the Malazan universe on a larger scale, then ICE is required reading. SE and ICE jointly created the Malazan universe and, for writing purposes, they divided up the areas and characters between them. That means that ICE will provide you with information on certain areas, characters and events that SE will mostly just refer to, if that.

So if after reading the MBotF, you are still curious about how Kellanved and Dancer ascended, read Night of Knives. For more on the Crimson Guard and the events on Quon Tali after 'the Bonehunters' (

Spoiler

so after the big battle in Malaz City, discovering Mallick Rel and Korbolo Dom with Laseen, etc

), read RotCG. Korel, the much referenced 'Wall' and the stormriders? Stonewielder. What happened to Dharujistan and the seguleh after the events in Toll the Hounds? Orb, Sceptre, Throne. Silverfox and the Imass? Assail.

The first ICE novel, Night of Knives, is actually relatively small compared to the SE novels, so you can just give that one a go and see if it gives you an appetite for the rest. That way, it will only be a minor investment if it doesn't do it for you.

This post has been edited by Gorefest: 28 January 2016 - 03:28 PM

[Egwene]

Trouble is... it doesn't matter what you read next... after MBotF, everything else takes some getting used to.

Having said that, I did read ICE next and I have my favourites amongst his novels just as I have my favourites in the main series. They are different. Expect that and you'll enjoy the additional opportunity to immerse yourself in all things Malazan

[Egwene]

TheWhiteWalker, on 05 November 2015 - 12:51 PM, said:

Abyss, on 05 November 2015 - 03:03 AM, said:

Oh, ok, forget the whole replicant thing and carry on reading.
You can keep the vodka.

Thanks for the vodka! In 200 pages and having a blast!

How did it go from there?

[Abyss]

Arthur Dayne, on 27 January 2016 - 02:32 PM, said:

...Please tell me the ICE line adds to the overall experience because I totally loved the main storyline and I don't do well when I get bogged down and bored with a book...

Short answer: Yes. Stop whittering and go buy.

Longer answer: Yes. But some people have difficulty with ICE's different style and occasional different takes on characters we first saw in SE books. These people are idiots who should be forced to read nothing but Goodkind til cerebral leperousy sets in. So make up your own mind. Start w NoK because it's ICE's first Malazan book.
If you like it even a little then get RCG. It is bigger and better and will have more of what you like.
Go from there.
If you hate anything you are clearly cold and dead inside stop there.

[Nevyn]

Arthur Dayne, on 27 January 2016 - 02:32 PM, said:

Please tell me the ICE line adds to the overall experience because I totally loved the main storyline and I don't do well when I get bogged down and bored with a book. I want to give it the benefit of the doubt because GotM took me 4 months to get through and used to the writing style but is it that much of a style difference? My hard earned Amazon card is burning a hole in my pocket and I need reading material.

That's a tricky question (unless you are Abyss).

The ICE books will give you a more complete understanding of the world, and more stories with some characters you may like.

I would say they are fine to read as long as you go in with fresh expectations. Expect stories in a world you know, but don't let any hints as to what is to come from the main series build up your expectations for this series. If you go in with baited breath wanting to hear more about this awesome person/thing/place that some character talked about, you might be disappointed.

[Abyss]

Nevyn, on 02 February 2016 - 06:46 PM, said:

... If you go in with baited breath wanting to hear more about this awesome person/thing/place that some character talked about, you might be disappointed.

Fair to say ICE often takes his story in a direction that runs counter to what a reader may expect.

I don't think this is a bad thing.

Others disagree as is their soon to be removed right because the revolution is coming muthafuckahs oh yes the purge is nigh NIGH I SAY.