[Aptorian]

2020 MALAZAN RE-READ: TOLL THE HOUNDS

Book description for Toll the Hounds:

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In Darujhistan, the city of blue fire, it is said that love and death shall arrive dancing. It is summer and the heat is oppressive, but for the small round man in the faded red waistcoat, discomfiture is not just because of the sun. All is not well. Dire portents plague his nights and haunt the city streets like fiends of shadow. Assassins skulk in alleyways, but the quarry has turned and the hunters become the hunted. Hidden hands pluck the strings of tyranny like a fell chorus. While the bards sing their tragic tales, somewhere in the distance can be heard the baying of Hounds...And in the distant city of Black Coral, where rules Anomander Rake, Son of Darkness, ancient crimes awaken, intent on revenge. It seems Love and Death are indeed about to arrive...hand in hand, dancing. A thrilling, harrowing novel of war, intrigue and dark, uncontrollable magic, "Toll the Hounds" is the new chapter in Erikson's monumental series - epic fantasy at its most imaginative and storytelling at its most exciting.

January 1st 2020 we began the re-read of the main series of the Malazan books. The plan being to read one book a month. We've now added additional Erikson and Esslemont publications to the schedule, to be read roughly according to the publication order.

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2020
January: Gardens of the Moon
February: Deadhouse Gates
March: Memories of Ice
April: House of Chains
May: Midnight Tides
June Night of Knives & The Bonehunters
July: Return of the Crimson Guard
August: Reaper's Gale
September: Stonewielder
October: Toll the Hounds
November: Orb Sceptre Throne
December: Dust of Dreams

2021
January: The Crippled God
February: Blood and Bone
March: Assail
April: Forge of Darkness
May: Fall of Light

You can read our thoughts from earlier months in these threads:

2020 Malazan Re-read: Gardens of the Moon

2020 Malazan Re-read: Deadhouse Gates

2020 Malazan Re-read: Memories of Ice

2020 Malazan Re-read: House of Chains

2020 Malazan Re-read: Midnight Tides

2020 Malazan Re-read: Night of Knives

2020 Malazan Re-read: Bonehunters

2020 Malazan Re-read: Return of the Crimson Guard

2020 Malazan Re-read: Reaper's Gale

2020 Malazan Re-read: Stonewielder

October 1st we begin the re-read of Toll the Hounds, the 8th book of the Malazan Book of the Fallen series.

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 or the Path to Ascendance books for example, I'd personally appreciate it.

Are you ready? What do you remember about Toll the Hounds.

I remember this book being a slow burn. A very long run up to an excellent convergence on the last 200 or so pages.

I remember finding the whole Black Oil and puppet god stuff more confusing and weird than satisfying to read about. Why was Bellurdan brought back as a puppet character and not Hairlock?

Kallor was cool in this book. It's the first book where some humanity is introduced to the character and we get a glimpse of the man as more than just a stereotypical bad guy.

I remember finding the whole Hood needs to manifest so Rake can chop him and the commit suicide plot stupid. We've seen plenty other gods manifest in physical form. Or been Dragged into that situation, Quick Ben threatened to do just that to Hood in Memories of Ice. It's also ridiculous that Rake needed to have Dassem defeat him. Maybe if you believed that Dassem was needed to protect the blade you can see some logic in it, but that doesn't explain what the point of the fight was. I for one believe that Rake controlled that fight and manipulated Dassem into the killing blow. At which point you may ask: Why didn't Hood and Rake just meet in a deserted area, Rake kills Hood, Rake stabs himself. Done.

Was a cool convergence though. "Now turn this wagon around".

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 05 October 2020 - 09:06 AM

[Aptorian]

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DRAMATIS PERSONAE

Cutter, an assassin
Scillara, his companion
Iskaral Pust, High Priest of Shadow, the Magi, God of the Bhokarala
Sister Spite, a Soletaken
Mogora, Iskaral's occasional wife
Barathol Mekhar, a tourist
Chaur, a gentle man
Mappo Runt, a Trell

Picker, a retired Bridgeburner and partner in K'rul's Bar
Blend, a retired Bridgeburner and partner in K'rul's Bar
Antsy, a retired Bridgeburner and partner in K'rul's Bar Eye-open
Mallet, a retired Bridgeburner and healer
Bluepearl, a retired Bridgeburner
Fisher, a bard, a regular at K'rul's Bar
Duiker, once the Malazan Empire's Imperial Historian

Bellam Nom, a young man
Rallick Nom, an awakened assassin
Torvald Nom, a cousin of Rallick's
Tiserra, Torvald's wife
Coll, a Council Member in Darujhistan
Estraysian D'Arle, a Council Member in Darujhistan
Hanut Orr, a Council Member in Darujhistan, nephew of the late Turban Orr
Shardan Lim, a Council Member in Darujhistan
Murillio, a consort
Kruppe, a round little man
Meese, proprietor of the Phoenix Inn
Irilta, a regular at the Phoenix Inn
Scurve, barkeep at the Phoenix Inn
Sulty, server at the Phoenix Inn
Challice, wife of Vidikas, daughter of Estraysian D'Arle
Gorlas Vidikas, newest Council Member in Darujhistan, past Hero of the Fete
Krute of Talient, an agent of the Assassins' Guild
Gaz, a killer
Thordy, Gaz's wife

Master Quell, Trygalle Trade Guild navigator and sorcerer
Faint, a shareholder
Reccanto Ilk, a shareholder
Sweetest Sufferance, a shareholder
Glanno Tarp, a shareholder
Amby Bole, a retired Mott Irregular and newfound shareholder Eye-open
Jula Bole, a retired Mott Irregular and newfound shareholder
Precious Thimble, a retired Mott Irregular and newfound shareholder

Gruntle, a caravan guard on extended leave
Stonny Menackis, a caravan guard
Harllo, a child
Bedek, Harllo's 'uncle'
Myrla, Harllo's 'aunt'
Snell, a child
Bainisk
Venaz
Scorch, a newly hired bodyguard
Leff, a newly hired bodyguard
Madrun, a newly hired compound guard
Lazan Door, a newly hired compound guard
Studlock (or Studious Lock), a castellan
Humble Measure, a mysterious presence in Darujhistan's criminal underworld

Chillbais, a demon
Baruk, a member of the T'orrud Cabal
Vorcan, Mistress of the Assassins' Guild
Seba Krafar, Master of the Assassins' Guild
Apsal'ara Eye-open
Kadaspala
Derudan, a witch of Tennes
K'rul, an Elder God
Draconus, one of the Slain within Dragnipur

Korlat, a Tiste Andii Soletaken
Orfantal, a Tiste Andii Soletaken, Korlat's brother
Kallor, a challenger
Lady Envy, a bystander
Anomander Rake, Son of Darkness, Knight of Darkness, Ruler of Black Coral Eye-open
Spinnock Durav, a Tiste Andii
Endest Silann, a Tiste Andii wizard
Caladan Brood, a Warlord
Hood, the God of Death
Ditch
Samar Dev, a witch
Karsa Orlong, a Teblor Toblakai warrior
Traveller, a stranger
Shadowthrone, the God of Shadow Eye-open
Cotillion, the Rope, Patron God of Assassins
Prophet Seech, the High Priest of the Fallen One, once a middling artist named Munug
Silanah, an Eleint
Crone, a Great Raven
Raest, a Jaghut Tyrant (retired)
Clip, Mortal Sword of Darkness
Nimander Golit, a Tiste Andii
Skintick
Nenanda
Aranatha
Kedeviss
Desra
Sordiko Qualm, a High Priestess
Salind, a High Priestess
Seerdomin
Gradithan
Monkrat
Baran, a Hound of Shadow
Gear, a Hound of Shadow
Blind, a Hound of Shadow
Rood, a Hound of Shadow
Shan, a Hound of Shadow
Pallid, a new Hound of Shadow
Lock, a new Hound of Shadow
Edgewalker, a wanderer
Dog walkers, two witnesses

[Stalker]

The copy / paste of reading schedule shows Stonewielder for Sept. What book should we be reading?

[Aptorian]

Curses! Give me a minute.

You saw nothing, Stalker. Merely a glitch in the matrix. Carry on.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 01 September 2020 - 12:11 PM

[Macros]

bumpity

[Stalker]

I started this on Saturday. About 10% in so far and enjoying the setup. Nice to be back in Darujhistan with a familiar cast of characters, all already starting to come together for a deadly convergence.

[Macros]

starting this tomorrow at some stage.

not looking forward to it.

my excitement for reread stopped upon closing RG

[JPK]

Should be starting this tomorrow.

Macros, I know you don't care for the later books as much, but have you reread TtH before or is this your first reread?

[Sindriss]

TTH is really strong on reread I think. Some sections are pretty dull but think it have a lot of strong moments.

[Traveller]

I found that when you know what happens at the end of the story arcs, the reread helps to appreciate the journey. I still hated Clip though.

It's all worth it for the finale.

[JPK]

You hated Clip because we're supposed to hate Clip though. There is nothing likeable about the character, and I truly believe that's completely by design.

[Traveller]

 JPK, on 09 October 2020 - 04:55 AM, said:

You hated Clip because we're supposed to hate Clip though. There is nothing likeable about the character, and I truly believe that's completely by design.

Oh, completely. It's just harder to reread a character like that.

[Slow Ben]

 Sindriss, on 08 October 2020 - 08:38 PM, said:

TTH is really strong on reread I think. Some sections are pretty dull but think it have a lot of strong moments.

Absolutely.

TTH was probably my least favorite book 1st time around.

And on my reread it was by far my favorite.

[Macros]

This is my first reread of anything past RG on Erikson and NoK by ICE.

My dislikes of RotCG and Stoneweilder held fairly consistent with what I recall not liking first run, and I'm about 100 pages into TtH and it's sitting about the same.

[Macros]

Nope.

I'm out. I have no interest in continuing, I'm 20% in and have no desire to follow the myriad inane pointless fucking storylines and overwrought pseudo philosophical mess the series slides into.

I have no desire to slog
I have absolutely zero desire to read the horror of Hetans hobbling again, or the futility of the entire barghast storyline. Fuck you Steve, heartily for that particular run.

I have more things to read, that I might actually enjoy.

I'll jump back in when the reread catches up to ICEs ascendancy trilogy

[RACHEL]

I have to say I am loving the re-read. This is the first of me doing a re-read of the ICE books and I am really glad I did. I remember being confused because as each ICE book came out I had forgotten so much, but this time around the confusion is gone and I really am enjoying the hell out of them. I remember TTH and the next two books being real slog fests but I am maybe 200 pages into TTH and I am really enjoying it. When I first read FOD I basically had to force myself to sit and read it because it was such a slog but when FOL came out and I did a FOD re-read I really enjoyed it. Clearly for me I have to get the first read in to lay the groundwork, then I fill in the blanks with this site, then when I do I re-read I can really just enjoy myself. Hopefully DOD and TCG follow the trend.

[Cyphon]

Just got to the bit where Mogora foreshadows the epic Post Kruppe showdown that is climax of this book.

First few chapters are basically getting the gang together again.

Nice allegory with the pollution from humber measures ironworks as a comparison of the collateral to seek his ends...

Clip so shortsighted to dismiss Nimander and the gang when they are the only survivors from Drift Avalii.

[Cyphon]

I was reading through this, just finished book one and the humour us brilliant. But the more I read the more I sympathise with Macros and read the soul dedeadening bits. Might be a wider world problem than the book but I find the pace of my reading slowing...

[Stalker]

I finished this last week. While there were parts that I felt were slow, it didn’t detract from the read for me. The last 20% was fantastic - a well designed conclusion with many great scenes. Kallor v Spinnock, Rake and Hood, etc. Now on to OST.

[JPK]

I'm only about halfway through this. October was not a good reading month for me in general, but I'm definitely starting to feel the burnout too. I think I'm going to slip in a couple other reads I've been looking forward to and then come back to finish this off by the end of Nov and just skip OST since I've read that one twice and I don't feel an urgent need to do it again.