[Dark Mac]

I loved Bonehunters if only for the awesome scenes with Paran and Apsalar.

[MUC1]

Midnight Tides. I can't really think up a good argument as to why I like this book the best, but upon subsequent reads, I like this book the best.

[polishgenius]

1. MoI (as others have said, great on reread when you can ignore the Mhybe... mercifully her chapters are brief, otherwise she'd have ruined the whole book).
2. MT
3. DG (but 2 and 3 are basically interchangeable)
4. RG
5. HoC
6. GotM (this would be higher, but some inconsistencies in the writing style irritate me. "Release the seven within me!" indeed).
7. TBH I agree with Jen, too much of a bridging novel with no self-contained arc really. Only the very end really saved it.

[Gem Windcaster]

People don't seem to get Bonehunters - I can't understand why people rate MoI so high. I enjoyed MT, Bonehunters and RG much much more. Even certain parts of HoC beat MoI. I only put MoI before HoC in my list because it's overall a better book than HoC, but if I take certain parts that is not the case. Hey, I even like certain parts of DhG better than some parts of MoI. Yeah, so I don't get why people bash on Bonehunters. To me it's one of the best in the series.

[Kindly]

Bonehunters is much more than just a bridge novel. it gives a chance for Quick Ben to play with the big boys as well as showing that Kalam is the coolest character. Whilst it does set up a bunch of storylines it also shows us much more of Tavore's character as well as the 14th as a whole. But MoI is still the best book in the series. Loadsa scope, awesome characters, finding out how the BBs came to be and how QB got his souls is cool, and we get more Anomander Rake which cant be a bad thing. if it didnt have the Mhybe then itd be teh perfect book. (at least until TtH comes out)

[Gem Windcaster]

Indeed, Kindly. The part with Kalam in the end is one of my favorite moments in the entire series. And Icarium vs. Quick Ben. I mean come on! Plus I loved the entire Bonehunter story. The Big Fire. The Plague. Ganoes Playing With The Dogs Pissing Off Shadowthrone. Not Not Not Apsalar meet the ghost dragons. And more. How can anyone not like it? And oh, the story with Kalam's cousin, what's his name...and Perl. Gah I could go on and on.

[Ezgara (the insect)]

I agree. TBH was great and I enjoyed every page. I too am a bit surprised people do not rate it higher, but you cannot argue about taste/opinion.

Nonetheless, I think MoI was even greater. The mhybe did not bother me as much as it seems to bother some of you and the rest was just freakin' amazing. Like Kindly said, there was a lot of Anomander Rake there. Maybe if he'd shown up in TBH that would be my favorite...

[Urb]

Gem Windcaster:

I think most people really enjoyed tBH, but it had a bit too much going on at once. In my opinion it didn't have as much of an impact as the earlier books.

[dolfanuk]

my favourite bit of tBH to be honest and i'll probably get laughed at/ridiculed is the story between the lass with the funny name, is it gill or yil or wil or somethin and pearl.

great he thinks she's died, goes a little crazy and depressed, gets himself killed and then she arrives before he dies but he doesn't realise it as he's to far gone to know.

very R&J sort of.

[Kindly]

Ezgara:
the Mhybe sucks. ok shes dying but she doesnt have to keep going on about it to quote Lister in Red Dwarf "You're obsessed, get on with life".

[Gem Windcaster]

Beefcake;206973 said:

Gem Windcaster:

I think most people really enjoyed tBH, but it had a bit too much going on at once. In my opinion it didn't have as much of an impact as the earlier books.

I have to disagree. I like when things get complicated. In some ways, I thought MoI was too simplistic - in comparison to after MoI. To me SE has gotten much better at telling realistic, complicated and compelling stories. I agree that MT was 'cleaner' than RG and BH, but that 'cleanness' have both pros and cons. If you want complicated, you have to give up a little cleanness. And if you want cleanness, you have to give up a little complication. I guess it comes down to what taste you have. Personally I like really complicated stories, that I can dig into. Anything else gets boring.

[Ezgara (the insect)]

Kindly;206996 said:

Ezgara:
the Mhybe sucks. ok shes dying but she doesnt have to keep going on about it to quote Lister in Red Dwarf "You're obsessed, get on with life".

Try putting yourself in her position. I think she is entitled to some whining.
Try putting yourself in my position: why should I think someone sucks because you think she sucks?

[Kindly]

Ezgara:

The Mhybe: yeah but she doesnt have to take up page after page.

To You. sorry man wasnt trying to force my bigoted view on you lol

[Fist Gamet]

Memories Of Ice
Deadhouse Gates
House of Chains
Reaper's Gale
Bonehunters
Gardens of the Moon
Midnight Tides

Not so easy really, my first second and last I am sure of but it gets hazy in the middle...

[Danforth]

1. MoI (because its fricking awesome, the best novel I've ever read)
2. MT (a very close second, because there were only a few main povs it gave alot of time to each important character and the pacing and climax was spot on)
3. GotM (I loved the way each story came to an ultimate climax and confrontation, sets up the style for the rest of the series)
4. DHG (some nice characters and stories)
5. HoC (is above the other two because a third of it is dedicated to Karsa)
6. RG (I expected alot and it was enjoyable but it wasnt another MoI)
7. BH (no real epic malazan climax it felt quite disjointed but there were some cool scenes)

[Ezgara (the insect)]

Kindly;207040 said:

Ezgara:
To You. sorry man wasnt trying to force my bigoted view on you lol

It won't work, I'm a master of Mockra

It would be interesting to see the overal total of these votings...though I think I know which book would come first

[Mr.Warren]

Memories of Ice
House of Chains
Reaper's Gale
The Bone Hunters
Midnight Tides
Dead House Gates
Guardians Of The Moon

although 3,4 and 5 are about equal to each other in my mind, thats the order I'd put them in with a gun to the head.

I do feel guilty for putting Guardians of the Moon last because it is the first it deserves a lot of credit to sucking you in to this amazing world, but it also seems like the weakest because hes yet to hit his stride.

Dead House Gates is a good book, i love the whole 'Chain of Dogs' thing, but it seemed like the only story line worth anything, perhaps maybe cos it out shadowed the other story lines too much? Again thinking why it was awesome also being the reason on how i thought it could have been better.

In Midnight Tides, for me it was about the 3 Bedditc brothers, Tehol being the most enlightening charachter and by far the best sidekick in the world, a dotty old man servant named Bugg, who also by the way is an elder god and so pretty much you do not ever have to worry about much because this guys got your back. The horribly depressing Seren Pedac and her most depressing walk ever written with the suicidal caravan master, the undead theif who is also a sex addict, the little child talking to gohsts and ripping peoples throught open, or the fact that Letheras is the most unlikable city so for with the most likable Charecters. The Crimson Guard too appearing to depress Seren some more was really cool too. This book contrasts itself so well, so much so it all couldn't be all good, the Tiste Edur are basiclly dicks, [except for trull], although the consession being its not just all fun and games, we have to have war somewhere.

The Bone Hunters, my adolecent brain laughed a little bit once first reading this title. BONEhunters. any way seriously the Ircrium vs Quick Ben with the lead up being Trull and Onrack, that was pretty wicked.Y'Gahtan[sp?] and the hole bit with the drug honey, COOL!. Bottle being my standout Character in that book was entertaininly educational on understanding the 'old' magic stuff. and whats not to like about Giant massive black dogs running round chewing on everything and anything it likes, no telling these pups to get of the dang couch. and who doesnt just root for the drunk guy? or in this case a drunk woman sergeant? . On the down side, it did tend to drag on a bit [like my reasons for my picks, ha!] The Jaught sorceress Dying too was a little bit of a let down, i mean if she had to die at least have made it better, there was a dead dragon nearby that could have come back to life only to kill her and in turn the jaught lady killing the recently awoken dragon in the fight, that would have been awesome, but hey i spose thats just nit picking now isnt it?

I loved the Reaper's Gale, massively cool. Tehol and Bugg at at again, bitchy witch, Beak the Mage! I had to have a ciggy after that chapter It was kinda like a demise with a happy ending, the perfect charector to have in just one book rather than a few or the whole serires. Ding dong that gold plated fool is dead. Quick Ben taking on dragons left right and centre Udinaas becomming rather interestingly cynical and self loathing in his own ego. Clip the wounderful dick. Toc and Redmask was pretty cool too, although i reckon Toc didn't have to die.......yet. The Awl where a bunch of silly pricks, i had no sympathy for them, although if Tool and co turned up eariier and gotten its war on that could have added something i think. I most certainly did not like Trull Dying, but i still hold that faint hope that he'll come back, i mean we got Hedge back didn't we? and Seren i'm sorry but lighten up girl, i blame you for Trull's death, its you and your sad little world that had to have him die, otherwise you'd might have ended up happy?! you have alot of explaining to do!

House of cahins for me was all about Karsa Orlong. The most brilliant character ever, hes good in all the books but here you understand that sheer determination, a big F#cking sword and to be quite a bit stronger and bigger than usual helps in this topsy turvy god and acendant filled world.
Who knew that a young war leader from the teblor mountains would achieve so much? The whole sense withe Deragoth, thats got to be on of the biggest highlights for me in the whole serires. I also like Trull and Onrack always have, i'll invite them round for some ale sometime. The down side was the 14th army though, they kinda seemed to static through the whole thing, they had thier moments but for me it never seemed like enough, but as you read on you kinda get the feeling thats the point...hmmmm?

Memories of Ice, My favorite beacuse of Itkovain, i had to have a ciggy after Beak the mage did his thing, i had to have a whole pack after Itkovain and Whiskeyjack's death, man that was some heavy reading! I like to think that Both those charecters will come back right at the end probably the last book, just something I'd like to see. Toc and Tool and Envy, that was some good reading too, and that poor sister of Tool's, that silly bitch, and a really good bad guy too, i mean he was top notch evil huh, canabalisim and chaos good stuff. NA d by far the most amount of war in anyo of the books, i mean there was heaps of war, guts and blood oh man loved every minute of it. We learnt in quite a bit of and after school special way about the warrens too, Quick Ben giving the tutorial with his little twig spirit thing. The Mhybe did have too much book devoted to a ratrher sad an ineffectal charecter, important? yes, entertaining? not so much.

BTW i'm new, and have just found this place exsisted, and quite frankly i'm crapping rainbows. the first rant is always the longest, but and epic post for an amazingly awesome fantasy epic right?

[Shryval]

House of Chains I put first narrowly above

=Memories of Ice and
=Deadhouse Gates (Though personally Coltaine's story didn't touch me much, but the Path of Hands was fabulous)

Midnight Tides was wonderful in places but descended in to silliness too many times (necrophilia, and forced masturbation with orangutan-women)

Beyond that I'm not gonna order the rest except that Reapers Gale goes last because for me so far it's the worst in the series by a considerable margin and a cause for concern as to where the series is going. I still can't finish the book after 4 months because every time I put it down, I have no urge to pick it up again.

[drinksinbars]

gotta put moi first and dhg second with the others all cramming in behind looking for some attention. do think RG was the worst of the series so far, mostly because its way to slow starting and a few of the storylines didnt go anywhere for me. I especailly disliked the way he killed a few of the characters.

it isnt that i think its bad though, i really think its an excellent book, but i just feel a few things could have been handled better. Of course helian, fiddler, tehol, quick and silchas raise the book beyond the norm to the exemplary.

[Urb]

Gem Windcaster;207002 said:

I have to disagree. I like when things get complicated. In some ways, I thought MoI was too simplistic - in comparison to after MoI. To me SE has gotten much better at telling realistic, complicated and compelling stories. I agree that MT was 'cleaner' than RG and BH, but that 'cleanness' have both pros and cons. If you want complicated, you have to give up a little cleanness. And if you want cleanness, you have to give up a little complication. I guess it comes down to what taste you have. Personally I like really complicated stories, that I can dig into. Anything else gets boring.

I see what you mean. Personally I put most weight on character development (not necessarily the character in itself, but how the reader sees it) to make stories really interresting. I love Paran's and Karsa's and Icarium's stories, but in tBH there just wasn't enough for me to rank it above all the others. That being said I really enjoyed the book, and compared to the other ones it's a very close call. It's like they're all 9/10 (just to leave room for improvement), and tBH is just not ranked top for me because of small preferences.