A new reader, a new believer...a new, slightly confused fan...?

[Quick Ben]

Originally Posted by Hilarious Joke

Oooh I'm v. glad I stumbled onto this thread because I had the same sort of worry as you Commonmind. I'm 360 pages into Gardens of the Moon and part of me is just not trying to understand everything and enjoy learning about new characters that keep popping up and the world they are in. It seems this is the way to go!

I'm a bit confused, do the same storylines carry over into the next books or are they new storylines in the same world with different characters and some old characters chiming in? I'm just curious, I'm pretty sure I will be getting the next book after I've finished this one.

I am only up to book 4 myself so someone else can come and give you the rest but basically after Gotm, you have:

Deadhouse gates: Takes place in the seven cities (different continent), 70% new characters, 30% old. New story lines.

Memories of Ice: Direct sequel to Gotm on continent Genabackis again, so you have all the characters returning from book 1 (except a few).

House of Chains: Direct sequel to Deadhouse gates.

[Hilarious Joke]

Wow! What an interesting format! I like it! Thanks for that Quick Ben!

Isn't it great to have a nice big juicy fantasy series to look forward to?

[Rane Longfox]

Well, Midnight Tides is an entirely new story on an entirely new continent, with only one character that we've seen before, but time-wise it lasts from before GotM to most of the way through MoI.

Bonehunters follows HoC, sort of.

Reaper's Gale is a sequel to MT, but with many new characters.

Toll the Hounds... well, it goes back to the storyline of Memories of Ice, I suppose.



All very complicated, and you get a hoard of new characters introduced in every book

[Rosemary]

I had trouble when I started reading Erikson's first book of the series too. There certainly seemed to be so many people, tribes and plots it was hard to work it all out to start with. However, our dear Erikson fans encouraged me to keep reading and that it would become easier. They were right of course, although I still have to peek at the list of people - alive, dead or undead!

I would say 'continue reading' and enjoy Erikson's epic fantasy series.

[Wiggum]

And if you don't read about the defence of Capustan, as a fantasy fan, you have missed out sorely.

It's second only to the Wildings storming the Wall. (from a Martin fanboy)

[Quick Ben]

Originally Posted by Wiggum

And if you don't read about the defence of Capustan, as a fantasy fan, you have missed out sorely.

It's second only to the Wildings storming the Wall. (from a Martin fanboy)

I'll agree with that.

Anyone who has any doubts over Erikson and his writing or the Malazan books in general should at least stick it out until the siege of Capustan - Best. Battle. Scenes. Ever.

The subsequent attack on Coral isn't half-bad either and the ending is incredible again

[HoopyFrood]

Amen to that. Memories of Ice is an awesome book indeed. I also liked it more than the others because of the humour in it. I loved the little moments with Picker and Blend and the other Bridgeburners. The amount of times I laughed out loud at their exploits...

[Fedos]

I also am a new convert and fan of Steven Erikson, having just finished Gardens of the Moon. What I read I thoroughly enjoyed, though there was the almost prerequisite feeling of not really understanding what was going on or whos who for at least half the book, but I'm very happy that I stuck with it.

Like some others, one of the very few things that I didn't really like was the lack of a defined glossary. It would have been very nice and a much easier read had the glossary been expanded, giving more detail on things like the different Ascendants, Warrens, and other things . Despite that very minor squabble, I greatly anticipate reading the next book in the series, and am thrilled to know that there's author out there like Steven Erikson.

[Commonmind]

Well, I'm further into GotM and, although still a bit lost, I'm starting to "get it." It's almost as if GotM starts as the second season of a complicated television series, as I read I feel that, although I've missed the first season, I'm starting to understand the story and the characters more and more. Sorry for the strange analogy, but as my wife has forced me to watch some of her favorite shows mid-season, I'm often experiencing this very thing and it seemed somewhat relevant.

[KiwiBird]

I liked the last one so far best, that drunken sergeant with her two corporals, and the malazans invading letheras marine-style is just awesome.
(And yes i am bad at remembering names)

The only book i had some problems with finishing was Deadhouse gates, i had to start over three times, and still i had difficulty with that book. Felesin is annoyingly written, i wanted to strangle her, and burn the book to ashes. Added to that Heboric with is philsophical was nothing short of a stew for driving me insane.The other books i liked very much.

[Sar]

I am currently plowing throught the Malazan books and enjoying them. I can sympathize with the slightly confused sentiments out there. The scope of these books is so vast that it's easy to get lost. It helped me to not get caught up in having to understand exactly what was happening every moment. I find myself now enjoying the Malazan books for their incredible epic feel. I figure I'll find out what's going on eventually, and if I don't? Oh, well, it was a fun journey.

Also, on a slighty unrealated note, does Erikson's writing styly sometimes annoy anyone? I like its unconventionality, but sometimes his sentences don't form complete ideas.

[Corn! Corn! Corn!]

Just started GotM yesterday, and am about 100 pages in. I finished (or caught up on, rather) GRRM's ASoIaF last week, needed something else to read, and stumbled upon this. I hope it's as enjoyable as many of you claim. I'll let you know my thoughts upon finishing.

[Ross]

I'm getting all 8 books for christmas. So when I do finally get onto them (which won't be too soon) should I be expecting confusion by the sounds of things then?

[Corn! Corn! Corn!]

Whoa, all eight books? That's quite the leap. I do hope you enjoy them! I bought the first alone to test the waters, and will read the second (no matter my reaction) as I've heard the series only gets better. As to the third, well, we'll have to just wait and see.

That being said, I'm now about 200 pages in to GotM and am surprisingly not finding the story overly confusing at all. I guess reading everyone's statements and reactions toward it prepared me for confusion, but I'm finding it easy enough to follow. Not that I feel I understand everything, however.

[Ross]

Originally Posted by Corn! Corn! Corn!

Whoa, all eight books? That's quite the leap. I do hope you enjoy them! I bought the first alone to test the waters, and will read the second (no matter my reaction) as I've heard the series only gets better. As to the third, well, we'll have to just wait and see.

That being said, I'm now about 200 pages in to GotM and am surprisingly not finding the story overly confusing at all. I guess reading everyone's statements and reactions toward it prepared me for confusion, but I'm finding it easy enough to follow. Not that I feel I understand everything, however.

Well the option was chocolate or books. I like chocolate but i'll get so much more outta the books