[polishgenius]

So, in case you clicked by accident, don't read on. If you haven't finished, go away >_>. It's for your own good.










Wtf happened with Icarium? Anyone get it? I guess it'll be explained in later books, but how bizzare.
Karsa rocks. It's weird, though, because the climax was totally different to how the buildup suggested it would be - the whole Champion thing was relegated to almost a sideshow. Even that fight wasn't anything like we thought it would be. But not even that, the entire thing ended up being not nearly as epic as everything indicated - probably the least chaotic of all the books, in fact.
Interesting stuff came of it though. I though the Seguleh was meant to be fighting Rhulad before Karsa though?
And at the big death. He can't do that! I'm not sure about anyone else, but he was the only one I totally never predicted.
Beak was pretty obvious though, from the start. Still moving.


Also, a thing to note - almost no clue about where the series is going next now. Again unlike all the previous books. All the major plot threads running through the book tied off here. Obviously, there's still things to happen, but we're not left with an indication of what they'll be.

[Folken]

Aye apparently Kallor was totally distraught by the final death he demanded explanations from SE:p (of course assuming we're discussing the same death here)

[polishgenius]

Trull?
It was the first one that made me think "no, you can't do that!", and also the first major one that I didn't, to some extent, see coming. Which made it more shocking. I want explanations too!
>_>


I thought Tehol was going to get it for a while.

[Folken]

Well put it this way...it was one of the more realistic sort of deaths. Or one of those you know tragic events you hear about in real life. Every book needs one...Trull was just this books tragic death. Though I don't think BH had one...

[polishgenius]

I agree, there. It was just senseless-seeming and random.

Made worse because of the awesomeness of a crippled Trull caning the First Sword of Rake in a fight.
Boo!

[Dancer+]

I can understand to a certain extent why Kallor felt that way...

The death was out of nowhere and didn't seem to add anything particularly to the story. It happened so quickly, such a contrast to the other deaths; I think the others set in a bit more when reading through the book.

The last fight was surprising, and it shows further how powerful Karsa is, Rhulad couldn't even scratch him in the slightest before getting tired out. Where does the Crippled God from here? I was surprised how powerful Quick Ben was, I assume the dragon flying to Letherii was Silchas Ruin, who was beaten back effortlessly almost. If not him, then there seems to be no other explanation. I was shocked when Fear went to stab Silchas Ruin in the back, although I kind of pre-emptively guessed a meeting between Ruin, Seren, Fear etc. and Trull in particular.

I was disappointed in a way how little the book linked things to the bigger picture (burn) and conniving plots which would affect the pantheon more. But overall it was an entertaining book, which offered a few explanations.

[polishgenius]

Yeah, the dragon has to be Ruin. Quick says at one point that once he'd recovered, his overstretching against Iccy made him more badass.

I can't help feel there has to be a payoff somewhere, though. Like his power failing at a crucial moment. He seems to have stepped off the normal human mage-scale now - though Ruin had taken two cussers to the face and the three sisters weren't actually killed by him, I can't see anyone else, including Tays, delivering that kind of slapdown.

[Mithfanion]

So outside of Trull, which major character dies? Silchas Ruin?

Are characters beahving wildly inconsistent again in terms of previously established power/prowess?

[Dancer+]

If you wish to know, and it's your choice.


*SPOILERS*


Rhulad dies at the end, Menadore and Sheltatha Lore die too. And all of the other champions, save Icarium.

Icarium's strength is again highlighted at times, but it isn't shown in any way. Silchas Ruin isn't as powerful as one would assume imo, Quick Ben has grown far superior to what he was and the rest is fairly consistent off the top of my head.

[Ivan the terrible]

Karsa?! No!!!!!

[Mithfanion]

From what I gather upthread Karsa doesn't die.

Cult,

That's odd what you say about Ruin because what we see as well as hear about him in MT leads one to rank him amongst the mightiest of beings in the Malazan world.

Don't tell me he gets stabbed in the back again

[Ivan the terrible]

"And all of the other champions, save Icarium." guess i just assumed Karsa was a champion but thats cool...can't wait!

[stone monkey]

Spoiler

Not true. The Seguleh doesn't seem to get killed iirc as she walks past Fiddler and Hedge as they enter Letheras

[Morgoth]

I found Trull's death very fitting to the story.. The pathos.. or I dunno.. It has the tinge of a Greek tragedy. The last -and perhaps only decent- member of a tragic family returns in search of forgivness and is in turn slain almost as an afterthought while grieving his brother. I really liked it, though obviously it was a very sad scene as well..

Mind you, nothing touched me as much as when the Captain looked down on Beak's body and what she saw.

The Seguleh thingy made me wonder too.

And I was very pleased to find the humour in this book able to make me laugh out loud -or more often chuckle- whereas in the last book, much was somewhat over the top. And who suggested Tehol as emperor? I seem to remember that theory being brought forth at one point

Questions answered aplenty, but even more questions have been born in their stead. All in all, I really liked this book

[Mithfanion]

So is this female Seguleh the mysterious no. 2? Or had Skinner been positively identified as such?

So who does Rhulad encounter as opponents in the Champion's fights then?

[Morgoth]

she can't have been. Her mask had several markings on it.. Perhaps she was the 8th, searching the oceans for Anomander Rake in order to climb rank?

[polishgenius]

About Silchas - I'm not sure that he isn't as badass as we thought, it's just how badass Quick has got. He's layed down some pretty sound beatings in the past, after all, but Quick by that point had already turfed out the three sisters (who claimed together to be more than a match for ruin) with seemingly little effort.
And Silchas had already taken two cussers by the time Quick got started.

Iirc, everyone else has got pretty consistent powerwise. The Errant starts showing what he can do. Bastard.


The Seguleh had runes on her mask or something? It's not mentioned whether there's any marks, but I don't think she's the First.

[Morgoth]

it is.. I think they mention it as the champions dissembark from the boat or around there ish. She wears a mask adorned with several markings.

[polishgenius]

Ah, kay then. I recalled that as being some kind of writing, but I could be wrong.

That probably still counts as marks, I suppose.

[Morgoth]

Aye, I find it hard to imagine a Seguleh adorning her mask with additional symbols when the very purity of that mask is what they dedicate their life to.