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

[Commonmind]

So, I've had several of the Malazan books in my possession, gathered throughout the years as gifts from friends and family -- folks who knew I loved Fantasy, but who didn't particularly know who I was reading at the time -- and I've finally decided to give them a read. Right out of the gate, let me just say that Erikson writes a damn good hook. I had to reread the first few paragraphs several times, but by the time I'd gotten through the prologue, I was an addict.

However, by page 100 or so I began to find that I was having a difficult time following some of the twists and turns. Things were very unclear, so confusing on some ocassions that I found myself starting the book over from page one.

The question here is, are these books laid out in such a way that the answers to certain questions are given in each volume, or am I going to be hanging onto a thread come the last book in the series?

I guess what I'm saying here is that I found the writing to be very, very strong, but I'm having a difficult time following the actual story.

...Help?

[Culhwch]

Originally Posted by Commonmind

I guess what I'm saying here is that I found the writing to be very, very strong, but I'm having a difficult time following the actual story.

...Help?

Exactly my position, Commonmind. It took me three or four attempts to get through GotM, but I can't actually remember that much was resolved - I think it asked more questions than it answered. I'm actually having a hard time recollecting much of it at all, and I only read it at the start of the year. I was set to move straight onto the next book, but I found I couldn't get more than a page or two into it, so put it down and have never had the inclination to go back.

So, bottom line, this is a very unhelpful post! But I'm sure that a Malazan devotee or two will be along in short order to clear up the matter...

[Green]

Yeah, most of your questions won't be answered. Probably ever! But at least for a few books

[Perpetual Man]

I presume that you have just read Gardens of the Moon, and to be honest I found the same thing. But you have just been dropped into a new fantasy universe that in some ways is very different to anything out there on the market. I found it to be exactly the same when I first read it.

However once you start reading the later books (it seems everyone has a different favourite) you become more familiar with things and begin to understand them more and more and the books become more and more enjoyable - and the events of GOTM start to make sense.

Its just one of those things that gets more complete the more you read. Every little bit biulds a bigger picture.

Now I hope that reply makes sense and I'm sure someone else will give a better answer

[Quick Ben]

Well you won't really understand anything until about 400 pages into the book because yes it is very unclear and raises many points without giving any answers.

My advice would be to forget about the plot in the bigger schemes of things and just lap up things as they come and are revealed. Basically, just read without trying to understand everything if you can do that. Once you do, a lot of things will become clear as the book progresses but then again a lot of things won't be because they are saved for latter books.

Just 'go with the flow' and you should be right

[Commonmind]

Originally Posted by Culhwch

Exactly my position, Commonmind. It took me three or four attempts to get through GotM, but I can't actually remember that much was resolved - I think it asked more questions than it answered. I'm actually having a hard time recollecting much of it at all, and I only read it at the start of the year. I was set to move straight onto the next book, but I found I couldn't get more than a page or two into it, so put it down and have never had the inclination to go back.

So, bottom line, this is a very unhelpful post! But I'm sure that a Malazan devotee or two will be along in short order to clear up the matter...

Oh, it was definitely helpful; for a while I was beginning to question whether or not I had the intellect to continue reading, knowing you to be an intelligent guy (and a talented writer yourself) makes me feel quite a bit better about the whole ordeal (and myself).

[Commonmind]

I don't have a problem comprehending an entirely new fantasy universe -- I'm one of those readers who never opens a book with any expectations. In fact, new worlds, new ideas, are something I relish. For me, it was the actual plot and the relationships of certain characters, both to one another and sometimes to themselves (if that makes any sense) that I found confusing.

I'm going to stick with it, however, because I find Erikson to be a wonderful writer. Even if I never understand the plot, I can, at the very least, file the books away as a learning experience.

Thanks for all the help and I'll definitely try and take your advice Quick Ben.

[TK-421]

I'm glad you are sticking with it. I had a hard time as well with GOTM but found that the second half of the book, things really started to come together very well.

The second book doesn't have this same type of confusion about the storylines and characters and I found it much more straightforward (although it was one hell of a long book!). I have yet to dive into the third book.

[Khale]

I am about 1/4 the way through book 4, House of Chains, and I am still learning from this latest book about things that confused me in the first two. It is pretty wild to read something in HoC and then think "Wow, so that is what happened on that boat back in Deadhouse Gates."

In my opinion, the series just gets better and better with each book.

[Green]

Yeah, the first few books are immense. Have to admit, I thought it went down after HoC, myself.

[DanielH]

Definitely don't try to understand it all. Just appreciate the world and learning about it over time. It's fascinating, and enjoyable.

Whenever all of the books have released in the U.S. I plan to go back to the beginning and "read for detail" then, for now I'm just appreciating them and basking in the "local color".

[HoopyFrood]

I currently have the fourth book (House of Chains) propped open before me right now and even though I'm this far in, I still don't get much of the finer detail that goes on, and still get confused between the races. But it definitely gets easier as the series goes on, and there's no doubt that you can enjoy the immediate events without worrying that you're not picking up some of the smaller things. I think this is definitely a series that needs rereading, though. When I started Gardens of the Moon, I stopped halfway through, then went back to it later and enjoyed it much more. And it also meant that when I went onto Deadhouse Gates, I could pick up on some of the smaller details that were mentioned in the first book that I wouldn't have spotted if I'd only read Gardens... once.

But as I say, for pure epicness the series is great. So I might get confused about who's who and who's what race, but it starts to pale into significance when you get totally engrossed in the most dramatic ending ever that appears at the end of Deadhouse Gates, or the long, intense battles that make even you feel exhausted just reading them in Memories of Ice. Indeed, I think this latter has been my favourite up to now. It has my favourite characters in, ones which I've grown to like (and can remember ()) because most appeared in Gardens... so you are more used to them and because it's just an awesome book

It also seems to be the case that things generally do twist and turn, but Erikson refuses to let you have the full details straightaway. Sometimes you only have to wait until later on in the book, sometimes later on in the series. And some of them really are big revelations, indeed....

[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.

[Hilarious Joke]

And can someone explain to me without spoilers what Barghasts are? (man do I feel stupid asking that)

[Quick Ben]

Originally Posted by TK-421

I'm glad you are sticking with it. I had a hard time as well with GOTM but found that the second half of the book, things really started to come together very well.

The second book doesn't have this same type of confusion about the storylines and characters and I found it much more straightforward (although it was one hell of a long book!). I have yet to dive into the third book.

Really??

Deadhouse gates was an easier read in that it flowed more easily and you got used to Erikson's writing but I thought the plot lines were quite confusing. Especially the Mappo/Icarium one, had no idea what was going on with those two until about 600 pages in.