[nicetrout]

I just finished rereading Toll the Hounds. My first read, I thought it was pretty good but nothing to write home about. However, my opinion changed on a reread.


In short, I appreciated the book a great deal the second time through. In fact, I would say enjoyed the first half of the book more than the ending. The long chapters, just living in the spaces of both Darujhistan and Black Coral were my favorite. The book ultimately enchanted me with it's atmosphere this time around, an atmosphere saturated with grief and self reflection. In fact, I would say the whole Darujhistan Blow Out at the end, whilst cool, is barely what I think of now when I think of TTH. You know, I think about far more about the contrast between the two cities, the Cult of the Redeemer, and the despair of all these deeply confused characters.

I've read other folks, here and on the Malazan Subreddit, share similar experiences. I mean it's a popular thing to talk about rereads in general, but especially with Toll the Hounds people seem to appreciate it a lot more the second time through. I wonder why this is... I can't really put a finger on it. Perhaps it's an eagerness for more "action" throughout the book, however that doesn't seem quite right. I mean they are plenty of other parts of the series that I would say, the main appeal is more based in mood, philosophy and character then more typical fantasy action beats.

You know what I mean? Like I don't think Toll the Hounds is some crazy outlier. It seems of a piece with the rest of the series, in a real quintessential way. I know some people enjoy it the first time through, but I am amongst the crowd that really dug in on the second read of it. So why is it that the second time you read TTH is maybe when some people start to appreciate it more? Any ideas?

[worry]

It's all about the Azath Builder. The first time through people are like "Who the hell is this guy?" and then the second time people are like "Oh yeah, this guy, glad to see you again." Everything else in TTH is secondary imo.

[nicetrout]

worry, on 27 September 2019 - 04:49 AM, said:

The first time through people are like "Who the hell is this guy?"

Nail on the fucking head. lmao

[Zuzu Bolin]

First read through series (2013) I'd have ranked TTH towards the bottom (just ahead of Reaper's and DoD) but I enjoyed RG more this time around.

I think reading (suffering through) Bakker's books since this initial read has made me less tolerable of religious/philosophical navel gazing.

[Adhara]

I think TTH is the most literary book within the series, and perhaps due to that it needs time to digest.

[NathanGamer]

It seems of a bit with the relaxation of the series, in an actual integral way. I've actually read about it on this page.

This post has been edited by NathanGamer: 14 December 2019 - 05:48 PM