[Odintag77]

As a brand new reader can I skip book 2and continue the saga with book 3??? Please help.

[Abyss]

 Odintag77, on 11 July 2016 - 05:16 PM, said:

As a brand new reader can I skip book 2and continue the saga with book 3??? Please help.

Short answer: yes.

Longer answer, yes, books 2 and 3 are more or less parallel... but my $0.02C, the author wrote the story in a certain order and it flows best if you follow it the way he told it.

[Aptorian]

The question is why do you want to skip book 2?

Do you not like Deadhouse Gates or do you just need to see what happens on the Genebackan continent right away?

Like Abyss says, book 2 and 3 run almost parallel. You could read them out of order if you want. However I would advise against it, unless it's because you're about to give up. There is a particular part of Memories of Ice that has a hell of a punch when you've read Deadhouse Gates first.

[Vengeance]

 Apt, on 11 July 2016 - 05:50 PM, said:

The question is why do you want to skip book 2?

Do you not like Deadhouse Gates or do you just need to see what happens on the Genebackan continent right away?

Like Abyss says, book 2 and 3 run almost parallel. You could read them out of order if you want. However I would advise against it, unless it's because you're about to give up. There is a particular part of Memories of Ice that has a hell of a punch when you've read Deadhouse Gates first.

DeadHouse gates is a brilliantly written book with significant events whose consequences reverberate throughout the entirety of the series. This is not a series that you can rush through. Therefore it would behoove you to read deadhouse gates then MOI.

[Hocknose]

no

[PLUGO]

 Apt, on 11 July 2016 - 05:50 PM, said:

The question is why do you want to skip book 2?
You could read them out of order if you want. However I would advise against it, unless it's because you're about to give up. There is a particular part of Memories of Ice that has a hell of a punch when you've read Deadhouse Gates first.

I'm wondering if we're thinking of the same "punch." I just introduced a reading buddy to the series and for the sake of experimenting I suggested he go from Book 1 straight to book 3 then follow with book 2. The expected result was a deeper appreciation of the Bridge Burners and various characters that appear in books 1 & 3. The unexpected result, was that he jumped straight into House of Chains, eager to get on with the story. I personally found myself enjoying books 1, 2 & 4 only after making it past the first third of each book, where as book 3 instantly drew me in.

[The White Crow]

2c over here also; Depending whether you have ever read through of course, 1,2,3, then do what you want. Feels more like a end of a tale so 4 and 5 would then be the beginning.

having said that, I've read this series (with Esslemont of course) more times than healthy.

As a new reader, you are kind of sabotaging yourself on missing those small nods between events that you may stumble on.

[Kruppe of Darujhistan]

I have yet to read the books in proper order but it has not been by design. Though the events of Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice occur more-or-less simultaneously, I believe Deadhouse Gates ends before Memories of Ice does. Read Deadhouse Gates first, if only to best adhere to the chronology.

[Salt-Man Z]

 Kruppe of Darujhistan, on 15 September 2016 - 05:43 PM, said:

Though the events of Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice occur more-or-less simultaneously, I believe Deadhouse Gates ends before Memories of Ice does.

Correct. The epilogue of MoI specifically takes place after the entirety of DG.