Malazan series by Steve Erikson... anyone read it?

[IcedEarth81]

It's a good series. Despite its flaws I find the huge nature of the world, the story, the action, and the cast, well, kinda endearing. There are lots of big things going on with gods messing with mortals, mortals fighting gods, big battles, plane hopping (well, sorta...), and just all kinds of stuff that screams fantasy to me. It's fun and sometimes Erikson manages to actually create some interesting characters that pull you in.

I agree. The scope of the series is amazing and Erikson handles it better than a lot of fantasy writers.

 

[mmu1]

I like the Malazan books - they don't make my top 10, since Erikson... well, either needs to organize his ideas better, or needs a better editor, or both. And the books are rather uneven - a lot of the time, I find myself not getting enough of the characters and plots I like, and having to slog through ones I don't care that much about.

Still, there's a lot of very imaginative stuff in there, and some excellent moments when something absolutely, absurdly over the top comes together, and he really does nail the epic feel he's going for - enough, at least, that I'll keep reading.

 

[bbarrington]

I've just started MoI this past week and I'm really liking it so far. I had started GotM last year but just coudn't get past the half-way point. This fall I needed something to read for a trip so I started it from scratch again and liked it much more this time. Went straight through DG next and liked it even more.

Is it the best series I've ever read? No, but I'm still getting enjoyment out of reading it and look forward to each book.

 

[Xyanthon]

I read Gardens of the Moon on a recommendation from a friend that got me hooked on GRRM's Song of Ice and Fire series. On my first reading I was severly disappointed. I felt that I should like the book, but it just seemed to be a muddle. There were so many scattered elements that I just couldn't wrap my mind around it at the time. However, there were things that were really cool to me as well. I'm not sure that I really gave it a fair shake as I started reading it immediately after reading A Storm of Swords by Marting and was expecting something similar. I've got enough distance between me an the first reading now that I'm willing to give it another go. I'm also wanting to start the Prince of Nothing series soon.

 

[Sarigar]

I trodded through the first half of Gardens. I am not one to put a book down in the middle, but I will stop a series in the middle, and I'm glad that I didn't stop. The second half of Gardens finally gets to where it intends, and has fun doing it. Still, I'm not on the second book after a month, even though I bought it. I will get back to it, but I'm not in a hurry despite that I liked how the first book ended after the slow start.

 

[barsoomcore]

Count me as a fanboy. I don't care for Martin's work -- never finished the first book, and I don't think Bakker is a very good story-teller (the first twenty pages of The Prince of Nothing is the best part of the whole series), and Erikson's not a GREAT writer, for sure. He's not much of a stylist and I understand why folks find GotM tough to get through.

I LIKE books that require re-reading and are dense, complicated and confusing. I find it fun to pick through huge tales and go, "Oh! I never realised that so-and-so had already found out about such-and-such." And Erikson gives me that in spades.

Deadhouse Gates is an AMAZING novel, by any reasonable standard, and I personally found Memories of Ice even more moving. The following three books have had some good stuff (Midnight Tides was surprisingly hilarious at times) but he hasn't quite gotten back to that high point yet.

I love the scope and sweep of these books, and I like how he's using fantasy to talk about stuff that fantasy's good at talking about -- he sort of NEEDS two-hundred-thousand-year-old characters to say what he wants to say. I like that it's not a story about a guy who has to stop this one unstoppable evil, and once he does so, everything's okay (until the writer gets offered a chunk of change to write ANOTHER series). It's about how individuals, organizations and societies tear at each other and damage each other and every now and then manage to help each other.

I find it very moving (when it's at its best), and always entertaining.

But then I'm a fanboy. Just ask JR, he'll tell you.

 

[barsoomcore]

Oh and yeah, Gruntle's a key part of Memories of Ice.

 

[The Human Target]

I'm on page 400 or so of Gardens of the Moon. Just got it for Christmas. First time reading it.

I've liked it since the beginning, but its really has got me hooked in the second half. I was fine with no knowing what was going on at the start. Made things for some fun revelations down the line.

I liked it so much I went and bought the next two.

Reminds me a lot of Thieves World mixed with some Martin and a little Black Company.

Not perfect, but what is?

Anyone who calls me a fanboy or insults my intellect can eat me.

 

[Pants]

Anyone who calls me a fanboy or insults my intellect can eat me.

Well, what do you taste like? That will dictate what I say next

Note: This thread is not complete until there is at least one juvenile sausage reference

 

[The Human Target]

Well, what do you taste like? That will dictate what I say next

Note: This thread is not complete until there is at least one juvenile sausage reference

A mixture of dried rose pedals and parchment.

Its a long story.