Steven Eriksons Malazan series

[Khayman]

Steven Erikson...?

<googles furiously>

I thought he was familiar. He's another anthropologist! And, now that I'm looking at a photo of him, I've seen him shopping at a bookstore near here.

I've been told by two people to read his stuff, and now this thread comes up. All right, world, I get the hint.

 

[Liminal Syzygy]

Let us know what you think of his work from the standpoint of another anthropologist!

 

[mmu1]

I've heard a lot of good stuff about this guy, but the problem I generally have with following ENWorld recommendations is that Gene Wolfe and R.A. Salvatore both get equally enthusiastic reviews around here, sometimes...

Fortunately, I came across the 1st book in hardcover yesterday at Barnes and Noble marked down to $12.50, and it is looking good, aside from the cover.

 

[barsoomcore]

The problem I generally have with following ENWorld recommendations is that Gene Wolfe and R.A. Salvatore both get equally enthusiastic reviews around here, sometimes...

Hee.

Does it help to know that I, probably Mr. Erickson's biggest booster on this board, am on the Gene Wolfe side of that particular opposition?

If you like Gene Wolfe and hate R.A. Salvatore, you'll probably like Steven Erickson. If you're the opposite, you'll probably hate Erickson.

 

[Pozatronic]

If you like Gene Wolfe and hate R.A. Salvatore, you'll probably like Steven Erickson. If you're the opposite, you'll probably hate Erickson.

I dislike R.A. Salvatore. I have yet to read any of Gene Wolfe, but after looking through some of his books and after all the good things I've read about him on ENWorld, I plan on giving him a go.

I may be the only one, but I started the Gardens of the Moon after I received a preview copy...and I didn't really care for it. It was neat at first, but I quickly lost interest in it. I thought it was (don't hate me for this) kinda lame. I didn't really take interest in the Warrens, none of the characters were "alive" to me...maybe I should give it another go (after Gene Wolfe, of course). For some reason I was expecting it to a different kind of epic...more mythic, like Tanith Lee's Flat Earth series. Although, it did have a slightly Martinish feel, what with everybody dying. Please understand, I just came off reading Guy Gavriel Kay's last novel, and a Tanith Lee run...those two authors are difficult to beat.

 

[drothgery]

In a lot of ways, the Mazalan books are The Black Company meets The Wheel of Time, done very well (so far, though I've yet to read book five, as I'm waiting for the paperback).

 

[barsoomcore]

Only with a two-hundred-thousand year history of revenge and pain behind them.

Gardens of the Moon is easily the worst of the series. It's confusing and sometimes not as well-written as the later books are. If you can get through it, you're off to a heck of a race.

VERY different from Guy Gavriel Kay, I'll grant. I find him very different from Martin (who I don't like very much), too.

Pozatronic, you are certainly not the only one to find Erickson not to your tastes. It isn't for everyone, and I think there are some very fair criticisms that can be levelled at the first book. Things do improve muchly after that, and I happen to like the first book, so there you go.

 

[Harp]

I was able to grab a copy of the first book on a recent trip to England, thinking it would be ideal for the 10-hour plane ride home. But, like others apparently, I didn't find myself really getting drawn in by the story or caring about any of the characters after the first 100 pages, so I gave it up and watched the 'Starsky and Hutch' in-flight movie instead. Heck, maybe that says it all right there.

For reference, some of my favorite fantasy authors include Martin, Cook (the Books of the North, in particular), and Kay. Naturally, I was very excited to see that Erickson's work had been favorably compared to them, but from my perspective, it just didn't pan out. I'm not enough of a literary critic to explain why it was different, it just didn't work for me.

And for the record, I can't stand Salvatore, and haven't read Wolfe.

 

[Pants]

Gardens of the Moon is easily the worst of the series. It's confusing and sometimes not as well-written as the later books are. If you can get through it, you're off to a heck of a race.

I actually really liked GotM (although DG is better so far), but it has some really noticeable problems.

GotM spoilers below...

The characterization is quite thin and the attack on Anomander Rake and the Moon's Spawn is one of the most confusing and poorly written parts of a book I've ever read. At some point, it supposedly shifts into a 'flashback' moment, but it's so poorly done that it makes it seem as if Hairlock dies twice. I reread that part several times, but it took someone on the Malazan forums to point out to me that it was a flashback scene. Ugh.

However, aside from that, the book is pretty good. Confusing at times, but still good.

 

[Eridanis]

On barsoomcore's recommendation, I read the first book, and really enjoyed it. Haven't ordered the following books yet, though I will (unless the American editions come out before I get around to it!).

I was at Barnes & Noble last week, and saw the US first edition hardcover for 50% off. $12 is a great price for a hardcover, and definitely worth it for the story.