(OT) Better than George Martin

[GreyOne]

Thanks Deadguy. I agree wholeheartedly with your evaluation.

The magic system is very cool and is integrated very well into the story and the world.

 

[barsoomcore]

Steven Erikson is my hero.

Yeah, the magic system's cool, the politics are complicated, the history is detailed and all that.

But it's the characters and what they do and what they go through that rivets me to these books.

Memories of Ice was a staggering experience for me -- the most powerful book I've read in ages. Erikson is completely blowing me away. I am so grateful to the friend who recommended these books to me because I never just pick up fantasy novels by people I'm unfamiliar with anymore. There's just too much crap out there -- if one more person recommends Eddings or Jordan to me I'll scream.

I like Erikson because he doesn't assume I'm dumb and he doesn't make anything easy for me. He assumes I'm going to pay attention and rewards me for doing so. There's no easy answers or solutions, no comfortable distinctions between good and evil, heroes and villains.

 

[jhallum]

Bought 'em from Amazon.co.uk

For about $43 including shipping for the three books in the Series. I like Jordan, I like Martin, and I like the Glen Cook Black Company books. I suspect I'll like these. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[GreyOne]

Still better than George Martin.

So, anybody found them and start to read them?

 

[GreyOne]

Bump, by Fener's Marble Balls!

 

[Dareoon Dalandrove]

post a link. I might forget the name but I will remember the cover.

 

[Avarice]

Better than Martin, eh GreyOne? Okay, I can take only so much: the first two books are on their way from the UK. But be warned, if they don't measure up to all of this praise, I may well have to hunt you down and bludgeon you to death with my credit card bill!

 

[GreyOne]

Great Avarice. You'll like 'em.

Here's a link to a pretty good in progress fansite (the messageboard sees a lot of traffic) :

http://www.malazanempire.com/

Follow the links and you can see the bookcovers.

And this bit of related news:

Blood Follows
Steven Erikson's new book 'Blood Follows', comes out this month (March). It is a novella, following two of the character from MoI, and has a limited print run. The Hardback is £26 from amazon.co.uk , is signed by the author (Erikson), the introducer (in this case it's Stephen R. Donaldson), and possibly by the cover artist. The Paperback which is £8, will be signed by Erikson alone.

"I'm doing a fantasy novella set in the same world as GARDENS OF THE MOON. It involves two characters from the third book: sort of the evil versions of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. It will appear as a book from PS Publishing."

Title : Blood Follows
Author : Steven Erikson
Introduction : Stephen Donaldson
Cover Art : Edward Miller
Editions : Hardcover (300 copies) £25 / $40
Paperback (500 copies) £8 / $14
ISBNs : Hardcover 1902880358
Paperback 190288034X
Pub. Date : March 2002

You can either order it from www.amazon.co.uk or www.pspublishing.co.uk directly.


(this sounds like its about Bauchelain and Korbal Broach)

 

[Deadguy]

this sounds like its about Bauchelain and Korbal Broach

If that's the case, that book will rock! For those who have not read Memories of Ice, these two characters are a brillinat exposition on what powerful magic is like in the hands of someone who is coldly 'scientific' in the way they explore the world! oh, and of course, one of them has homicidal tendencies, but all for his research of course!

Now I am really looking forward to this novella!

 

[jhallum]

I got the first three in the mail today!

I'm about 20 pages in so far. let you know how it goes. Thanks for the recommendation!