[ritchiediaz]

I'm gradually coming to the end of my first re-read of Fall of Light, and I must say I'm mightily conflicted.

Unlike Forge of Darkness, which I loved from the off (and got even better on a re-read), I was lukewarm on Fall of Light, and my re-read has actually made me like it even less.

Whilst there are some really great moments in the book, it really feels like there is a lot of filler (especially the cod-philosophising that nearly everyone seems to partake in!).

Bits that really missed the mark for me are as follows:-

- Thel Akai / Lasa Rook. I appreciate that the tone of the book was dark and some humour was maybe required, but these sections really missed the mark for me. Had to try very hard not to skip these in my re-read
- Prazek and Dathenar; think Erikson overindulged with these two, he maybe laid it on just a bit thick.
- Tiste females; I'm sure I'm reading too much into things, but Erikson really paints Tiste females in a REALLY bad way (Hish Tulla being the only possible exception). Nearly all of them come across as dissolute, messed up and downright vile creatures. And that's not even getting into Olar Ethil... something about Fall of Light in particular has so many nasty female characters, it really felt off to me, far more than any other book. Renarr, Infayen Menand, Tathe Lorat, Sheltatha Lore, Sharenas, Syntara, Emral Lanear, Faror, Toras Redone... not much redeeming features between the lot of them!
- Repetetive use of words - how many times is 'venal' used in FOL? It's repeated use became really jarring.

But it's Erikson, so even off his game, there is still plenty of great stuff
+ Jaghut
+ Anomander & Caladan Brood - easily my high point of the book
+ Skillen Droe / K'rul
+ Eleint (Telorast / Curdle)
+ Aradata / T'riss as a couple
+ Shake / Watch / Yedann Narad / Derryg / Lightfall (timeloop?) stuff

Probably my least satisfying read since Toll the Hounds (although that improved a lot on a re-read, Fall of Light simply emphasised my initial issues).

This post has been edited by ritchiediaz: 19 September 2016 - 12:59 PM

[Nevyn]

I like FoD more or less when I first read it, and did NOT like the re-read.

I disliked FoL the first time and probably WON'T reread at all.

Even FoD is a bit dreary and overly philosophical on a re-read. The first time through, discovery and new information sort of power you through that stuff. But going back into it, when you are just looking for interesting details you may have missed, feels way more like work than the main series did.