[Abyss]

Just finished this. Good fun as usual for a B&KB story.

Way, way more of KB in this one from the previous two, which was great because he really does steal every scene he's in, in some sick, twisted, eunuchy sort of way. And i loved the ref to Hood not being particularly fond of him.

Bauchelain is actually a bit more... 'human'... in this one. He drinks, he gets horny, he gets his ass kicked, and yet remains more or less calmly himself thru all of it. Well, except for the bloodwine incident, which was damn funny.

The other characters were fun, albeit a little hard to distinguish them sometimes, other than by name. Bena and her Mom in the crows nest were just creepy and the three Brivs were damn funny. I liked how the people/ghosts who lost bits of themselves could still feel what happened to the bits attached to the Lich or 'child'. And the whole thing with the nails and ghosts was funny.

All in all, possibly my favorite of the three novellas.

Some fun little Malazan world bits...

- the Seguleh islandS, plural - apparently they have more than one;

- the reference to the crimson road being Mael's blood and ref'ing blood being integral to 'all things Elder' - echoes Toc's comment in GotM and Rel/Jhistal's link to Mael's less pleasant aspect;

- the pilgrim ships of the Fallen God - wtf?!?! He has worshippers! Like, serious ones, as opposed to his House of Chains flunkies!!!

- The S-F demons that were created by the Jaghut, based on the FA... now isn't this interesting... the Jaghut genetically created a (slave/demon?) race based on the FA. I always suspected there was an element of genetic funny business amongst the races;

- great fun to learn some bits about dhenbari biology;

- the Jhorigg (sp) thing was just sick. Incorporating it into the Lich was even sicker when you think about it;

- the Lich v KB's 'child' fight was even sicker.

- bloodwine... oh, those crazy Teblor must throw some wild parties.

- now just what, i wonder, happened to the Crimson Guard on Stratem that they bailed on a contract just like that?

Totally a fun read. Not at all necessary for grasping the main books, but a fun little addition.

- Abyss, wants bloodicecream.

[ASAGO]

Where is the best site to order these books, I am having a very hard time getting Esslemonts books, I want only hardcovers. if anyone can help. please do

[caladanbrood]

Esselmont's? Well, the only one of those so far is Night of Knives - and you're better off waiting for the mass market release (June the 4th, but in Europe only)

For the KB&B novellas, www.pspublishing.co.uk - if there are any still available, that's your best chance of getting them.

For the US, Nightshade Books have also published the first two novellas.

[Imperial Historian]

Just read it recently myself as well, definitely a fun read and some nice malazan titbits...

Quote

the pilgrim ships of the Fallen God

The book is prior to MOI, i'd assumed these were some followers from the pannion domin, but I could be wrong...

Quote

the Jhorigg (sp) thing was just sick.

Was it just me or was this thing a k'chain che'malle or some relation, this coupled with bits in RG are making me think that maybe the k'chain didn't vanish, they just moved back into their natural habitat the oceans...

Quote

now just what, i wonder, happened to the Crimson Guard on Stratem that they bailed on a contract just like that?

They didn't bail I don't think, the contract hadn't been delivered, the crimson guard moved on before the contract could be offered, presumably to either assail or back to quon, at least thats the impression I got.

[Abyss]

Imperial Historian;186517 said:

The book is prior to MOI, i'd assumed these were some followers from the pannion domin, but I could be wrong...

Can't be - the Pannion Domin followed the Seer - they didn't know the CG was behind it all, while these seem to be declared followers. It's not unthinkable that in the midst of all he's up to in the Malazan Empire and Leth, that he's doing something even MORE evil elsewhere.

Imperial Historian;186517 said:

Was it just me or was this thing a k'chain che'malle...

I can see the temptation to link anything lizard'ish to the KC, but this seemed to be a fairly primal parasite more than anything else. Have to love how SE explains it, but carefully does NOT explain how it ended up in the Lich.

Imperial Historian;186517 said:

They didn't bail I don't think, the contract hadn't been delivered, the crimson guard moved on before the contract could be offered, presumably to either assail or back to quon, at least thats the impression I got.

I thought they were supposed to receive payment in the form of the six S-F idols and cash, but the CGrd weren't there when the soldiers showed up so the soldiers absconded with the payment?

- Abyss, giggled every time the sailor lost another piece.

[caladanbrood]

You're assuming that the "Fallen God" is the CG. It could be, say, Fener - he had a lot of followers. Or another we haven't heard of yet.

[Imperial Historian]

Re: GG worshippers, yep your right, my bad...

Quote

I can see the temptation to link anything lizard'ish to the KC, but this seemed to be a fairly primal parasite more than anything else. Have to love how SE explains it, but carefully does NOT explain how it ended up in the Lich.

Ok, tell me what you think when you finish Reaper's Gale, it's shifted my perspective a bit shall we say

Quote

I thought they were supposed to receive payment in the form of the six S-F idols and cash, but the CGrd weren't there when the soldiers showed up so the soldiers absconded with the payment?

I got the impression that they were sent to give recruit them with the appropriate payment, but the CGrd didn't know about it so vanished before they got there, then the soldiers absconded...

[voland]

Finished it yesterday and thought it was hilarous. Probably the best novella so far.

I guess the souls in the nails were those slain by KB in Blood Follows

My spleen. It wants to eat me had med cracking up, but there were lots more funny bits. The lost parts used as fish bait were great as well.

And I agree that the jhorligg sounded a lot like a k'chain che'malle, especially considering the Shake in RG.


Edit: Oh, and NoK is available in Sweden now =)

[Abyss]

voland;189874 said:

I guess the souls in the nails were those slain by KB in Blood Follows...

I'm mid RG, so no reread just yet, but i vaguely recall there was a ref to tombs being plundered for lumber and nails in BF...? Which accounts for the ghosts in the nails, while i had thought the bodies in the Lich were those killed by KB. Then again, i could be stretching here...

As for the Johrligg, i'm far enuf in to RG to see what you mean, but not fnished yet so i'll weigh back in once i'm done.

- Abyss, soulzzzzzzz...

[pat5150]

Just finished it today!

It's a nice and hilarious Malazan interlude!

Patrick

[paladin]

great stuff... if douglas adams did fantasy, this would be how it ended up

[Abyss]

so back to the Johrligg thingy, and
WARNING WARNING SPOILERS REAPER'S GALE SPOILERS
WILL MESS WITH YOUR MIND SPOILERS SPOILER
LIKE THUNDER SPOILERS LIGHTNING SPOILERS
THE WAY YOU SPOILERS IS FRIGHTENING SPOILERS

Spoiler

Okay, so the suggestion was raised that jorliggs are immature KC that somehow end up in a human host body rather than crawling ashore and being 'recruited' by matrons. It's not a rediculous notion, tho i'm more inclined to think the jorligg are to KC what wyval are to eleint.

- Abyss, wonders if jhorligg have identity issues.

[paladin]

wait, is that a spoiler? i couldnt tell by your post.

[Abyss]

It's a spoiler re a piece of information revealed about the KC in RG.

- Abyss, FYI.

[paladin]

i was being sarcastic.

[caladanbrood]

NO???:eek:

[Abyss]

I was being facetious.

- Abyss, also, sarcastic and/or witty.

[Flawed]

The Lees of Laughters End. £29.50 ion Amazon! WHAT!

[Abyss]

limited print run from small publisher = bigger $.

Cheaper from PS Publishing and if you don't have the other two, might want to order the omnibus edition with all three.

- Abyss, paid.

[Flawed]

Ta very much, i have the other two, well one in the post the other still its wrapper. Dont step to me ill knock you like clappers.

( Strikes suitable pose with finger gestations )

Ill look into PS Publishing. Thank you Abyss. Have some rep,