Memories of Ice...good grief!

[Quick Ben]

Originally Posted by HoopyFrood

Memories of Ice, as this very thread mentions, is full of quite interesting revelations, but there's only been one, which I've just read, that's made me exclaim "Oh, my god!!" when I worked it out.

Baudin is the Knight of Death! Whoa! I'm glad he didn't die though (well, he did, but you know what I mean...)

Yeah I agree. I didn't really see anything that shocked me. I wouldn't really call them revelations but explanations instead.

Although I missed the reference to Baudin being Knight of Death until you just pointed it out so maybe I am not reading properly

[Quick Ben]

Originally Posted by HoopyFrood

And Quick Ben, who was one of my favourite characters from Gardens of the Moon, just keeps on getting better. He's an awesome character.

Yes. Yes he is

I've only read the first 3 of Malazan so I hope we get to see more of him in the following books

[Khale]

Originally Posted by HoopyFrood

I'm about 250 pages from the end of this book and I'm thoroughly enjoying it....

I am about 250 pages from the end right now as well and hope to spend some time this weekend finishing the book. So far it's awesome.

[HoopyFrood]

I'm now a mere twelve pages from the end. Deadhouse Gates finished with an almighty, horrible shock, but the ending of this one is more subtle, and very moving...

OK, and now I've finished. That was a very good read, indeed.

On to the next one, I suppose...

[Lenny]

I'll start with one of my homebrewed SPOLIERS ABOUND tags.

Finished my re-read of MoI at Uni, and there were a few things I picked up on, which I can only put down to a slower re-read, and knowing more about the world from later books.

One of the main things was a revelation about Otataral - Trake, I think it was, somewhere in the first 200 pages (137 springs to mind), makes an offhand thought about how he helped create the otataral desert. Interesting, I thought.

In HoC (more SPOLIERS ABOUND), it is postulated that the Otataral Desert was created to bind the Jade Giant. I'm going to leave the discussion here, as it'll probably get out of hand and move from MoI subjects. I imagine that Dust of Dreams will have a lot to say about the jade giants, judging from its prologue.

[Rahl Windsong]

While I thought Memories of Ice was a good one, my personal favorite is Midnight Tides. Mostly because the story takes a completely new direction yet it is still tied to the rest of it, that and the character Trull Sengar made MT one of my favorite fantasy novels of all times. I have read it several times now.

[Corn! Corn! Corn!]

~350 pages in. Wow, I don't want to put it down. Will be starting the Capustan section soon...

[Wiggum]

Heh, I reread the defence of Capustan again last night, having left my current book at work.

One great thing about being a fan of both Erickson and Martin, is that they are two authors whom write books that can provide the quick fix after you've become familiar with their respective stories.

You go to a chapter/story line you like, reread it and the are satiated for the evening.

From Gruntle transfoming, to Jon Snow holding The Wall.

[Rolynd]

I am disappointed with the death of whiskeyjack and the obliteration of the bridgeburners, simply because I enjoy reading about them and this means they are not in the majority of the series.

Is book four good? Will I get over my favourite characters not being there?

[nj1]

I believe in book four you meet Karsa Orlong, awesome character he is. Book 4 centres mostly on him and events back in Severn Cities, so the cast switches back to that side of the story.
I won't give anything away, but although the bridgeburners are effectively gone, theres plenty of the 'marine' humour and like characters in latter books.#
Enjoy!

[con]

honestly this is the book that got me hooked.i mean deadhouse gates was great but this was it for me.

[Clansman]

I finished MoI last week. This is the book that finally helps me figure out what GotM was all about. Erikson was a little to economical with backstory in the first book, imo, but he has made up for it.

MoI felt like two books, to me. The first ended with the ending of the siege of Capustan, and the story lulled a fair bit at that point, but picked up quickly with the "second" book, the rush to Coral.

The battle scene at the end had to be the best I have ever read, at least since the running battle across the desert in DHG. I almost wept when

S
P
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Whiskeyjack was killed. Yet, what is happening in Moon's Spawn, as it drifts across the ocean to its watery grave??? The demise of the Bridgeburners I had already been spoiled on, but even if I hadn't, Erikson would have disappointed me if they hadn't been at least badly mauled.

I too, loved the epilogue, as Duiker was my favourite character from DHG.

Great book, though it took me over a year to read it, but I think I get this series now. It just took a while.

[El Dirko]

My favourite of the novels so far.

Best wishes,
Dirk

[Rosemary]

I agree with Clansman. After re-reading both books, I have to agree, they tie everything in very well.

I really enjoyed reading about Whisky Jack and the Bridge Burners but Trull Sengar seemed to belong in someone elses book. Didn't like him at all.

[Kierkegaurdian]

MoI is blowing my mind. I am ~55% of the way done, and it is already one of the best fantasy novels I have ever read. *spoilers*

My favorite moments / things so far:

- Tool, Envy, and the three Seguleh taking out thousands of the Pannion Seer's forces. Losing my mind over the First ... who? WHERE? HOW POWERFUL?! OMG.
- Gruntle going into awesome mode. His rallying of the civilians was heartbreakingly good.
- Kruppe ... I love everything he says. I just wish I knew who the !@#$ he was ...
- Capustan ... the battle has only been going on for a day (book time) and I am sure there is much more to come. But goodness, this is a well-written siege.

Honestly, I can't think of another fantasy novel I have read that has this level of epic-ness and emotional impact, together with great characters, mystery, and writing, all rolled into one. Everything about this book (and series) absolutely rocks.