Malazan Book of the Fallen (Malazan Universe)

Discussion in 'TMB Book Club' started by The Blackfish, Apr 15, 2015.

  1. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    Just keep reading
     
  2. Jax Teller

    Jax Teller Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Alabama Crimson TideAtlanta BravesTennessee TitansNashville PredatorsNashville SC

    Ok I don't hate him now.
     
  3. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    15% through The Bonehunters

    So "The Soldier of Hood" just showed up to Cutter. Looked like a corpse with ancient armor, lots of weapons and filed teeth. Has a white masks with one cut on it. He's the First of the Seguleh!!. So "The Soldier of Hood" sounds like Dassem Ultor but he isn't Seguleh as far as I know and the description doesn't sound anything like him. I do know however that Quick Ben aka Adaephon Delat aka Rule the Rude called Hood out for fucking up Ultor. Maybe it's him :idk:

    Still excited to meet the First of the Seguleh. Don't tell me if I'm right about Dassem. Really the only thing that makes me think that is the fact the first was called The Soldier of Hood. Also we know Dassem was unrivaled when it came to sword fighting. Oh and he was searching for Skinner who we know Dassem fought in the past and didn't kill. [/quote]
     
    RegimentML likes this.
  4. JohnCalvinTM

    JohnCalvinTM Well-Known Member

    [/quote]
    I love the whole series but The Bonehunters is where it really took off for me and is one of my top 3 individual books.
     
    RonBurgundy and The Blackfish like this.
  5. JohnCalvinTM

    JohnCalvinTM Well-Known Member

    I love the whole series but The Bonehunters is where it really took off for me and is one of my top 3 individual books.[/quote]
    Not sure why my last post went to a spoiler. I didn't do it.
     
    The Blackfish likes this.
  6. Blaster

    Blaster Seeker for Truth and Penitence
    Liverpool

    The Blackfish great recommendation, I have been absolutely devouring these books since I picked up GotM. This series is amazing and Erikson is a god.

    I just started House of Chains this afternoon, seems interesting so far. I am most curious about Dancer and Kellanved. Hopefully, this book will shed some light on to their background, and also Dassem Ultor.

    The Teblor seem familiar to me but I can't quite place them in the previous books. Is the Sha'ik's bodyguard Teblor? The one with the wooden sword, I can't remember his name.
     
    RonBurgundy and The Blackfish like this.
  7. Blaster

    Blaster Seeker for Truth and Penitence
    Liverpool

    Top 5 Characters so far:
    1. Whiskeyjack
    2. Anomander Rake
    3. Quick Ben
    4. Icarium
    5. Kruppe
     
  8. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    Sha'ik's bodyguard goes by Toblakai
     
    Blaster likes this.
  9. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    Love Greyfrog

    "I could regurgitate the goat, and we could share the fine repast. Fine, still kicking repast. Aai, worst kind of indigestion"

    "Greyfrog!" Cutter called up. "What are you doing up there?"

    "Friend Cutter. Discomfort. Regretting the horns."

    Made me laugh audibly. Imagine a conversation between Kruppe, Pust and Greyfrog
     
    RonBurgundy, RegimentML and lazy bum like this.
  10. JohnCalvinTM

    JohnCalvinTM Well-Known Member

    I would have 2 maybe 3 of those in my top 5. Interested to see what your list would look like once you finish.
     
    RonBurgundy and Blaster like this.
  11. JohnCalvinTM

    JohnCalvinTM Well-Known Member

    Not sure if anyone is planning to read The Kharkanas Trilogy next but book 2 was just delayed. Pushed back to April 2016. Should give everyone plenty of time to finish and read book 1 of the trilogy.
     
    The Blackfish likes this.
  12. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    I plan on reading but yeah I won't be done with everything before April so doesn't really affect me.
     
  13. JohnCalvinTM

    JohnCalvinTM Well-Known Member

    What book are you on now? Bonehunters still?
     
  14. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    Yep about halfway through
     
  15. Blaster

    Blaster Seeker for Truth and Penitence
    Liverpool

    About half-way through HoC now, things are really starting to pick up. I just met Traveller on the Island. Fucking Awesome.

    I assume he is Daseem Ultor? Seems like it has to be. Everything about Vengeance/Grief was awesome.

    I loved it when Aspalar reassured Cutter that Darist would not prove a hinderance during the second Edur attack, "The sword will carry him."

    Also very cool to finally see Cotillion in action.
     
  16. JohnCalvinTM

    JohnCalvinTM Well-Known Member

    Been thinking on the top 5 list of characters and decided it was impossible. I need a minimum of 7 or 8 spots. I know my top 2 but after that I can't decide between the next group. I could really probably do a top 15 or so.
     
  17. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    I have a top 2 that I would be very surprised if they ever left my top 5. Rake and Fid
     
    RonBurgundy and Blaster like this.
  18. Blaster

    Blaster Seeker for Truth and Penitence
    Liverpool

    I just finished House of Chains, really enjoyable read. Overall, I would say MoI remains my favorite book thus far, but all of them have been great. Karsa is a badass. Initially I was not feeling him at all, but I definitely came around as his character arc played out. So many awesome lines in the later half of the book. Witness. Love Fiddler aswell, really hoping that F&H can be reunited somehow.

    Erikson's style demands a lot of patience in a reader, he seems to not believe in any exposition whatsoever but I really love it. There are a were multiple gratifying "A Ha!" moments in HoC where the pieces finally fall together and you realize what is actually going on (who knows how many little things I missed). It's astounding how intricate and interconnected everything remains despite the series massive scope.

    I finally feel like I understand most of the players in the game and their motivations, but still so many questions remain. On to Midnight Tides tomorrow.
     
    RonBurgundy likes this.
  19. Blaster

    Blaster Seeker for Truth and Penitence
    Liverpool

    Also, I cannot stop using the word efficacy in everything I write
     
    RonBurgundy likes this.
  20. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    Be warned, Midnight Tides is the biggest departure from what you consider the main storyline yet. It's great though, especially Tehol and Bugg
     
    RonBurgundy and JohnCalvinTM like this.
  21. Jax Teller

    Jax Teller Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Alabama Crimson TideAtlanta BravesTennessee TitansNashville PredatorsNashville SC

    Just started midnight tides.
     
  22. Blaster

    Blaster Seeker for Truth and Penitence
    Liverpool

    I still haven't started MT yet but I have a few more questions/ theories. Heavy spoilers through House of Chains

    What was up with the item Lostara gave Cotillion? Right after she knocked out Pearl. Cotillion suggests that it was important to Losara. Was it the QB acorn that fell on Kalam later? (knowing her run-in with Delat in the temple of shadow this makes sense, they fucked right?) That is what I assumed, but why was it there? And she claims that Pearl was about to interfere, how could this interfere with Cotilion's plans? Because pearl wants to kill Kalam still? Also why did QB let Bithdal escape?

    What was up with the Otaral dragon? I assume more will be revealed later but have I missed anything about this? And the Jade Giants, worshipers or sacrifices to the chained god maybe? These things are all obviously tied, but how? L'oric and Heboric's conversation about otaral was very interesting. What gateway is the dragon blocking? Where are the statues coming from? wtf is up with the souls in the jade? and speaking of otaral I wonder who used to wield Kalam's new dagger.

    The T'lan Imass are huge dicks, Tool and Onarck notwithstanding. I think that killing the fake Osseric will have serious repercussions. The Liosans seem like dicks too. I think that they will fall to the chained god, after it is revealed they have been worshiping an illusion. Osseric doesn't seem to care one way or another. The Edur serve the chained god aswell, or at least I think. It is interesting that the chained god is attempting to control the thrones (just as Kellanved did) but still no real appearance from ST himself. Cotillion is one of my new favorite characters.

    Rampant speculation:
    Hounds of Light!
    Traveller will kill Hood. Vengeance, but also maybe more Grief for him as well. Still unsure of what went down with his daughter though. Hood is a Jaghut, just like Gethol suggests in MoI.
    Gothos (Icarium's father in the Azath House) is responsible for shattering the elder warren of shadow. He seems to be staying in the Azath of his own volition, perhaps because of the threat he represents to the world if free.
    Icarium's rage will be unleashed. It is inevitable, but who could stop him? Rake's sword has to break somehow, right?
    That dude with Leoman (can't remember his name - Csomething) seemed pretty lucky. Very lucky even.
    The Talon is not gone. Cotillion was looking for surviving members and Korbolo Dom's "Talon" was bullshit. It is someone else in the army.
    14th army = Bonehunters
    T'amber is probably somebody important
     
    RonBurgundy and The Blackfish like this.
  23. JohnCalvinTM

    JohnCalvinTM Well-Known Member

    Tehol and Bugg, imo, may be the height of Ericksen's writing.
     
    RonBurgundy and The Blackfish like this.
  24. JohnCalvinTM

    JohnCalvinTM Well-Known Member

    You're close on some things. Not all. Alot of your questions would take major spoilers to answer.
     
    RonBurgundy and Blaster like this.
  25. JohnCalvinTM

    JohnCalvinTM Well-Known Member

    I liked MOI alot. Think Deadhouse Gates was my favorite early book in the series just because of the Chain of Dogs.

    I have read most of the books 3 times and I was still having "a ha" moments the last time through.
     
    RonBurgundy and The Blackfish like this.
  26. LT8

    LT8 Well-Known Member

    I'm about 75% through HoC and haven't read any spoilers but for those this far
    Is the Traveller character Dassem Ultor? Figured he was judging by the way Cotillion and Shadowthrone refer to him and their history

    Also my dog was losing her mind barking at a cat in the front yard the other day and I looked at her and said, "What the hell are you gonna do about it? Not a Hood damned thing, now hush".
    This series is taking over my life.
     
  27. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    There are two people I think could be Ultor. This is one of them. The other I don't believe you've met yet.
     
  28. JohnCalvinTM

    JohnCalvinTM Well-Known Member

    That's awesome. I was using "Hoods balls" for quite a while in real life. Also, started using "aye" like the Malazan marines.
     
    RonBurgundy, LT8 and Blaster like this.
  29. Blaster

    Blaster Seeker for Truth and Penitence
    Liverpool

    Aye, me too. I also want to call every girl lass, especially after a few drinks.
     
  30. Blaster

    Blaster Seeker for Truth and Penitence
    Liverpool

    I just finished Midnight Tides. I loved it, maybe my favorite of the series so far, but then again I have thought that after every one I read. Everyone was absolutely right about Tehol and Bugg, my new favorite characters. The dialogue between them is just amazing. I really didn't mind the story's departure from the previous 4 novels. Actually, I liked it. Lots of interesting revelations in this novel as well. I think Erikson/Tehol has successfully convinced me to become a socialist.

    The ending was amazing. By far the most satisfying conclusion of all the novels thus far.

    Favorite quote from Tehol, 'Sympathy belongs to the small-membered, Bugg'
     
    RonBurgundy and The Blackfish like this.
  31. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    Finished The Bonehunters

    Holy shit what a great book. I can't even rank my favorite books they are all so good.

    Damn, that ending. Fucking Kalam, now him and Rallick Nom are stuck in Azaths at death's door Hood's Gate. When he was left in there by Shadowthrone it reminded me of Nom which is the first time I had thought of him in a while.

    We finally see Icarium unleashed. What a beast. Glad he was stopped. Really hope Mappo reaches him soon. Glad to see he is starting to realize Veed is a fraud.

    Loved seeing Cartheron Crust and Withal show up with the 14th.

    Love Cotillion, Love Quick Ben. NEED MORE RAKE
     
    RonBurgundy, Blaster and JohnCalvinTM like this.
  32. JohnCalvinTM

    JohnCalvinTM Well-Known Member

    Agree on all points.
     
  33. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
    Donor
    Oklahoma SoonersMetal

    Oh, hello fellas.

    I'm starting Gardens of the Moon once I finish War and Peace. I'll post thoughts as I go. Looking forward to this one. Should begin by Christmas.
     
  34. Blaster

    Blaster Seeker for Truth and Penitence
    Liverpool

    I finished The Bonehunters yesterday. Fucking amazing, I loved it. It might be my favorite Malazan novel so far. The last 300 pages were ridiculously epic, soo much shit went down. It was cool to see certain people finally let loose some serious power.

    revised top 5 characters:
    1. Cotillion
    2. Fiddler
    3. Rake
    4. Tehol & Bugg
    5. Quick Ben


    honorable mentions:
    Icarium and Mappo
    Shadowthrone
    Whiskeyjack
    Karsa
    Coltaine
    Kruppe
    Trull
    Paran siblings
     
  35. JohnCalvinTM

    JohnCalvinTM Well-Known Member

    Good list. Truly and Tavore are higher on mine. Top 5 or 6. So many good characters it's hard to choose.

    Hope yall keep posting your thoughts on wherever you are in the books. Like to see people's reactions to the series.
     
    Blaster likes this.
  36. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    Started Reaper's Gale yesterday really enjoyed the prologue. Chapter 1 of course starts with a bunch of new characters
     
  37. JohnCalvinTM

    JohnCalvinTM Well-Known Member

    I liked it alot. Story is good but the world building in that one is what really stands out.
     
    RonBurgundy and The Blackfish like this.
  38. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    Just met Redmask. :ohholkyfuck:
     
  39. JohnCalvinTM

    JohnCalvinTM Well-Known Member

    I keep going back and forth between enjoying seeing other people like the books and jealousy that y'all are reading it fir the first time. I started Reaper's Gale again last night. I may be a little weird about these books. Even knowing what happens I just enjoy reading them.
     
    RonBurgundy and The Blackfish like this.
  40. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    16% through Reaper's Gale

    Toc!! Man Erikson must fucking hate Toc, he's lying in a stream of women's urine and menstruation. Glad he's back though. And :ohholkyfuck: Redmask is the first sword of the K'Chain Che'Malle
     
    RonBurgundy and RegimentML like this.
  41. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    Just felt like stopping in again to say that these books are so great. Keeping a list of my top 5 favorite characters is becoming impossible.

    Also random thought but the focus of the series has shifted so much since Gardens of the Moon. Thinking back on it it seems like completely different characters and plot that has small significance now.
     
    RonBurgundy and lazy bum like this.
  42. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
    Donor
    Oklahoma SoonersMetal

    Starting Gardens of the Moon today.
     
    RonBurgundy and The Blackfish like this.
  43. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
    Donor
    Oklahoma SoonersMetal

    Are the Esselmont books essential or just side adventures?
     
  44. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    I have only read one so far but I'm glad I did, and apparently the one I read is the worst one. Gave more back story on Emperor Kellanved / Dancer / Dassem Ultor / Surly (Laseen) / Tayschrenn

    Are you planning on using the reading order I posted in the OP?
     
  45. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
    Donor
    Oklahoma SoonersMetal

    Haven't read any of this thread as I didn't want spoilers. I had planned on just reading straight through (1-10)...
     
  46. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    I would read the other works if I were you. Esselmont's work isn't as good as Erikson but the additional information you get is worth it iyam. The Bauchelain and Korbal Broach short stories are written by Erikson and are good dark comedies and quick reads. The characters appear in the main story as well. Also, I believe everything in the thread that is a spoiler is in spoiler tags.
     
    RegimentML likes this.
  47. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
    Donor
    Oklahoma SoonersMetal

    I'll read them eventually but probably only as I get them. 25 books is quite a big undertaking, even if some of them are short stories. And I know the spoilers tag should help eliminate everything, but I was just playing it safe.
     
    The Blackfish likes this.
  48. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
    Donor
    Oklahoma SoonersMetal

    Just bought Blood Follows, The Lees of Laughter's End, The Wurms of Blearmouth, and The Healthy Dead off Amazon. 3 of those were in one collection. Here goes nothin'.
     
    The Blackfish likes this.
  49. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    I have the ebooks I can email you if you want
     
  50. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
    Donor
    Oklahoma SoonersMetal

    About 50% through. Love the scope of this, even though this is surely just the tip of the iceberg. I'll post detailed thoughts upon completion.
     
    RonBurgundy and The Blackfish like this.