[Aptorian]

January 1st we begin the re-read of the main series of the Malazan books. Plan is to read one book a month. Additional publications and spin-offs optional.

There will be spoilers for all published books. So beware. Spoiler blocks are not mandatory but if people want to use boxes for the latest Kharkanas books for example, I'd personally appreciate it.

Are you ready? Have you dusted off the old tomes? Have you dug out Gardens from some long forgotten shelf? Some moldy old cardboard box; strangely full of potsherds?

I'm kinda giddy to crack open my old copy first day of the New Year. I haven't done a Re-read since around the time Reapers Gale came out I think.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 21 December 2019 - 03:23 PM

[Slow Ben]

Sweeeet

[Abyss]

Brainzzzzzzzez

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

ok duiker

This post has been edited by Whisperzzzzzzz: 23 December 2019 - 10:25 AM

[champ]

Reporting in.

[Geoffray]

This post has been edited by Geoffray: 24 December 2019 - 10:21 AM

[Gorefest]

One a month, dear gods, how do you guys read so fast? I may dip in and out because I do like the idea, but I fear I won't be able to match that sort of dazzling speed.

[champ]

Gorefest, on 24 December 2019 - 10:53 AM, said:

One a month, dear gods, how do you guys read so fast? I may dip in and out because I do like the idea, but I fear I won't be able to match that sort of dazzling speed.

I know my last reread was a 8 month undertaking but I had much more free time then. I may struggle with the one a month too but I will see how it goes.

[Aptorian]

I'll admit I'd actually forgotten how long the books are. I think my GOTM paperback is around 800 pages. Luckily I have plenty of free reading time.

People should just read at their own pace. The threads will be there to share impressions and discussions.

[D'rek]

Or just read as much of the book as you can during the month, then put it down and start the next one at the start of the next month, and go back to the remaining chunk of the previous books.

[Aptorian]

Ah, the Dramatis Personae! How I've missed it. More books should have these character lists.

It was always great getting the latest book and seeing the list of new and old and familiar names. Anomander Rake? Raest? Onos and Tool? Brood and Kallor? Oh this is going to be good.

[Aptorian]

Quote

Now these ashes have grown cold, we open the old book.
These oil-stained pages recount the tales of the Fallen,
a frayed empire, words without warmth. The hearth
has ebbed, its gleam and life's sparks are but memories
against dimming eyes - what cast my mind, what hue my
thoughts as I open the Book of the Fallen
and breathe deep the scent of history?
Listen, then, to these words carried on that breath.
These tales are the tales of us all, again yet again.
We are history relived and that is all, without end that is all.

Again and again.

[Traveller]

So Fiddler had his fiddle right at the start.

Ohh Rigga has 5 candles; 3 husbands and 2 sons to keep her company. I wonder if those candles Kallor uses later have Souls stored in them? Or if the candle Sorry is holding helps Rigga soul-shift to protect the girl?

Knowing what's coming - this plan to get at Laseen seems like a really slow ineffective way of achieving anything. Possessing someone on a different continent, signing up with the army, and waiting 2 years in the ranks while everyone gets suspicious? Couldn't Cotillion have just possessed one of Laseens guards in Unta or something, or was this plan with the Hounds carnage just to freak her out first? We've probably discussed this already.

So far following the interview with SE, I'd say the'short story' writing experience he'd had up until this point is already noticable. It explains the sheer density of detail in each scene. Kind of explains why there's so much info in every line.

He also mentioned that the poems at the beginning of each chapter are like a summary of what will happen in the chapter, or at least a kind of indirect hint at its content. I'm definitely paying more attention to them this time around anyway. (The details about K'azz and the Crimson Guard, Brood and the Tiste Andii certainly all give big hints as to who is interferring in Darujhistan later on.)

This post has been edited by Traveller: 01 January 2020 - 10:12 AM

[Traveller]

How do they know Gears name? (Is it on his collar?)

I'm at work and it's not been busy..

This post has been edited by Traveller: 01 January 2020 - 08:29 PM

[Aptorian]

Reading that intro where they body snatch Sorry is much longer and involved than I remember.

It's funny how I remember the scenes but not the content.

[Traveller]

Aptorian, on 01 January 2020 - 06:53 PM, said:

Reading that intro where they body snatch Sorry is much longer and involved than I remember.

It's funny how I remember the scenes but not the content.

Exactly, theres a load of detail.. if you know what's going on. That's a lot to absorb right there.

I've just read a part where Baruk is reading a history, and naming previous Tyrants of the city, and I'm actually looking at the names now as nothing is ever just thrown in there.

I can't even remember which ICE book had stuff about a tyrant returning let alone the details but I bet there are links.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 01 January 2020 - 07:23 PM

[Macros]

starting this tomorrow

[Aptorian]

Orb, Scepter, Throne was the book about old Darujistan. Still, it's not hard to flesh out something mentioned earlier in passing.

[Traveller]

Aptorian, on 01 January 2020 - 07:43 PM, said:

Orb, Scepter, Throne was the book about old Darujistan. Still, it's not hard to flesh out something mentioned earlier in passing.

I'd completely forgotten about this book. I read it once too.

[JPK]

I wasn't sure I was going to join for this, but it's just too tempting to resist. I just finished up the prologue and chapter 1, and that scene between Ganoes and Tavore discussing Felisin at the end of chapter 1 just gets darker and more chilling every time I read it.