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This is my first post on this forum,so I'd thought I'd ask the following question.Does series need to be read in order.I've read many different answers.On hiatus from GRRM until the next one is due.Ordered GOTM and DG from Amazon.Picked up MOI at bookstore before trip to gym today.Got 45 pages into it before I said "Whoa!" What I've read so far is good.Any suggestions?
Does series need to be read in order?
#2
Agraba 
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Posted 30 January 2006 - 12:36 AM
Each book is a stand-alone story, as well as a part of the series. So they all have a necessary introduction and conclusion as a stand-alone novel would have. But if you're on 45, then you probably just read the prologue, which takes place hundreds of thousands of years before the events of the series. And afterwards, you're going to be introduced to characters that have not been in books 1 or 2. But then, it's going to go back to a bunch of characters that you should already be familiar with.
And if anybody knows what they're doing, it's definately Steven Erickson. So the answer is, I definately suggest you read the books in order. There are startling revelations and actions of characters that will mean absolutely nothing to you unless you've read the first two books.
And if anybody knows what they're doing, it's definately Steven Erickson. So the answer is, I definately suggest you read the books in order. There are startling revelations and actions of characters that will mean absolutely nothing to you unless you've read the first two books.
#3
Folken
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Posted 30 January 2006 - 01:11 AM
Dude...its a series...it's like watching a movie from 3/4 of the way in, or deciding to start the book from the middle you just don't do that and expect to understand the entire story. Start from Book 1, they're written in a specific order for a reason. I mean sure Book 1 seems a whole lot better after you read all the other novels, but tahts besides the point lol. Read them in order...
<div align='center'>You must always strive to be the best, but you must never believe that you are - Juan Manuel Fangio</div>
#4 Guest_Sonnyboy_*
Posted 30 January 2006 - 09:15 AM
I got about a hundred pages into MoI when I decided I'd better go read the first two before going further. You can read MoI without reading DG, certainly, but it's better to read them in order. And I don't think I'd have enjoyed MoI as much as I did if I hadn't read GotM. The series glosses over backstory enough without me actually missing a whole book.
#5
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Posted 30 January 2006 - 02:28 PM
read GotM first, be prepared to be (possibly) confused and puzzled...dismayed even..
then read DG - and know some of the same feelings all over again...
then read MoI and finally know that all is right with the world...
HoC (for me) brought back some of that puzzlement until it's place was asserted roughly a third of the way in..
and MT ... well.. all I can say of that is... it was like a whole new dimension, but currently resides alongside MoI in the "favourites" section of my brain
then read DG - and know some of the same feelings all over again...
then read MoI and finally know that all is right with the world...
HoC (for me) brought back some of that puzzlement until it's place was asserted roughly a third of the way in..
and MT ... well.. all I can say of that is... it was like a whole new dimension, but currently resides alongside MoI in the "favourites" section of my brain
#7
Folken
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Posted 30 January 2006 - 03:57 PM
...shut up...
<div align='center'>You must always strive to be the best, but you must never believe that you are - Juan Manuel Fangio</div>
#8
stone monkey
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Posted 30 January 2006 - 05:38 PM
You could almost certainly get away with not starting with GotM, although given the continuity and story problems it causes, you might consider not reading it at all! (You'd be missing out on a cracking little book, however)
DG, MoI, HoC have to be read in that order to get the best from them. MT can be read at any time - at the moment, this may change once we've assimilated the effect of TBH on the story.
DG, MoI, HoC have to be read in that order to get the best from them. MT can be read at any time - at the moment, this may change once we've assimilated the effect of TBH on the story.
If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do. If some one maintains that two and two are five, or that Iceland is on the equator, you feel pity rather than anger, unless you know so little of arithmetic or geography that his opinion shakes your own contrary conviction. … So whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of opinion, be on your guard; you will probably find, on examination, that your belief is going beyond what the evidence warrants. Bertrand Russell
#9
Abyss
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Posted 30 January 2006 - 07:59 PM
Kallor said:
don't listen to them...read reaper's gale first
BRAINZ!!!!!!!!
But my inclination to consume Pallor's brainz and thus know all in advance aside, I suspect the series does make more sense read in order, BUT, if you were going to start out of sequence, MoI or DG is probably a good place to do it. Certainly HoC would make little sense without the context of all three earlier books, but while MoI references certain events in GotM, and certain characters do appear again, it can stand on its own, imnsho. I mean, if you're reading it and enjoying it, hey, all the good. It's just even better with the context of the earlier books behind it.
- Abyss, shaming Pallor for confusing the newcombers...
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#10 Guest_Devyn_*
Posted 30 January 2006 - 10:16 PM
My thoughts are to read Gardens of the Moon once, then read it again. I found it to be even better the second time as there was so much that I missed. Only then should you go to DG.
#11 Guest_Whiskeyjack_*
Posted 31 January 2006 - 12:12 AM
Thanks folks,I'll read them in order.This series comes highly recommended.The first three will keep me busy until August when book 4 is released.
#12
Abyss
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Posted 31 January 2006 - 03:12 PM
Break the piggybank, go international and you can have 4, 5, AND 6 ready to go.
Sell a kidney and you can add NoK and the Bauchelain/Broach novellas too.
- Abyss, literary globalist.
Sell a kidney and you can add NoK and the Bauchelain/Broach novellas too.
- Abyss, literary globalist.
THIS IS YOUR REMINDER THAT THERE IS A
'VIEW NEW CONTENT' BUTTON THAT
ALLOWS YOU TO VIEW NEW CONTENT
'VIEW NEW CONTENT' BUTTON THAT
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#13
ObsoleteResolve
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Posted 31 January 2006 - 06:31 PM
Yeah. Selling a kidney is about what you'd need to do for Night of Knives. Blood Follows wasn't too painful- I found it at Barnes and Noble for around twenty or so, which was about how much I paid for MoI (UK Mass-market and US Trade), HoC, and MT.
There's a few problems with buying them from the UK. A mass-market paper-back costs as much as a trade-paperback, when you do the exchange rates and such. And, well, door-stop mass-markets are infamously badly bound, and, if you love the books, you'll end up like me: rebuying them when they come out in the US in Trade form.
My copy of DG has remained in one piece. My copies of, Gardens of the Moon, Memories of Ice, House of Chains, and Midnight Tides have all fallen apart. I've been through two copies of Gardens of the Moon...
So, you'll save more money waiting, but you'll have to wait.
I'm impatient...
.david
-F' The Bonehunters, though. I so want to read it, but I'm so very poor, and screw it. I don't even want to do a conversion based off of the falling dollar to the pound on a hardcover book. It'll hurt. Badly.
There's a few problems with buying them from the UK. A mass-market paper-back costs as much as a trade-paperback, when you do the exchange rates and such. And, well, door-stop mass-markets are infamously badly bound, and, if you love the books, you'll end up like me: rebuying them when they come out in the US in Trade form.
My copy of DG has remained in one piece. My copies of, Gardens of the Moon, Memories of Ice, House of Chains, and Midnight Tides have all fallen apart. I've been through two copies of Gardens of the Moon...
So, you'll save more money waiting, but you'll have to wait.
I'm impatient...
.david
-F' The Bonehunters, though. I so want to read it, but I'm so very poor, and screw it. I don't even want to do a conversion based off of the falling dollar to the pound on a hardcover book. It'll hurt. Badly.
"Say what you will about the sweet miracle of unquestioning faith, I consider a capacity for it terrifying and absolutely vile!"- Kurt Vonnegut
#14 Guest_BAD_*
Posted 31 January 2006 - 06:49 PM
Sonnyboy said:
I got about a hundred pages into MoI when I decided I'd better go read the first two before going further. You can read MoI without reading DG, certainly, but it's better to read them in order. And I don't think I'd have enjoyed MoI as much as I did if I hadn't read GotM. The series glosses over backstory enough without me actually missing a whole book.
Haha I read MoI first not even realising it was the third part of a series ( ¬_¬ @ not having the series published in correct order in the begginning of books). I was confused at times but I still loved it. BUT then when I went and bought and read GotM and DG, I got the "Ooooohhh so that's why. . . that's what they are doing that for. . . . that's why he can. . . " etc. etc. Love it when that happens. :cool:
Horses for courses.
#15 Guest_Whiskeyjack_*
Posted 01 February 2006 - 01:33 AM
O.K. Amazon delivered.Starting GOTM tonight.Hope this series lives up to the hype,being that I really don't read anything in the SciFi/Fantasy genre.Although I'm really enjoying Martin's ASOIAF series.Enjoyed the LOTR movies,but wished some good guys got knocked off.
#16
Agraba
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Posted 01 February 2006 - 01:34 AM
Quote
Break the piggybank, go international and you can have 4, 5, AND 6 ready to go.
Okay, I'm going to go out and ask this:
How do people have the Bonehunters?
Are they just good friends of Erickson? Or is there actually some way to get it?
#17
Folken
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Posted 01 February 2006 - 01:55 AM
Only 2 forum members have read the Bonehunters to date, Malaclyspse & Kallor. Both of whom are friends of Steven Erikson.
The is not yet released, so you'll have to wait a 1month to 2months depending on where you live.
As to US readers wishing to purchase the series, just go to amazon.ca and get it from there. Lord knows why you folks purchase from amazon.co.uk
The is not yet released, so you'll have to wait a 1month to 2months depending on where you live.
As to US readers wishing to purchase the series, just go to amazon.ca and get it from there. Lord knows why you folks purchase from amazon.co.uk
<div align='center'>You must always strive to be the best, but you must never believe that you are - Juan Manuel Fangio</div>
#18 Guest_Whiskeyjack_*
Posted 01 February 2006 - 01:58 AM
Abyss said:
Break the piggybank, go international and you can have 4, 5, AND 6 ready to go.
Sell a kidney and you can add NoK and the Bauchelain/Broach novellas too.
- Abyss, literary globalist.
Sell a kidney and you can add NoK and the Bauchelain/Broach novellas too.
- Abyss, literary globalist.
At those prices I'll have to do all that and prostitute myself.
#19
Illuyankas
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Posted 01 February 2006 - 02:02 PM
So, win-win?
Hello, soldiers, look at your mage, now back to me, now back at your mage, now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped being an unascended mortal and switched to Sole Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re in a warren with the High Mage your cadre mage could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an acorn with two gates to that realm you love. Look again, the acorn is now otataral. Anything is possible when your mage smells like Sole Spice and not a Bole brother. I’m on a quorl.
#20 Guest_erisi236_*
Posted 01 February 2006 - 03:34 PM
ObsoleteResolve said:
I'm impatient...
"In terms of patients the mortal is ever at a disadvantage" - Sorry, GotM
