Series: Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson ("Gardens of the Moon")

[John]

has anyone read these books ?? I just started the first one.

[Stan]

Heh. Yeah, the books have been read.

[Tracey the Lizard Queen]

Yeah they're awesome. On book 6 now.

[Scott]

for me, the most amazing series I've read. It seems to be a series where people either love it or hate it.

It's an effort to get through it, and if you just have to push through sometimes when you are confused/lost but the payout is worth it. Some of the best endings

[Stan]

I've read them all twice. They've changed the way I view fantasy literature and humanity in general.

Warning: It will become very hard to enjoy fantasy books written by authors with less skill and imagination after you finish this series.

[YouKneeK]

This series is on my list of books I want to read. I don’t know if I’ll get to it this year or not, but hopefully within the next couple of years.

[Scott]

Stan wrote: "Warning: It will become very hard to enjoy fantasy books written by authors with less skill and imagination after you finish this series. "

I've been worried about this since I finished the series, haha

[Silvio]

Read and liked. I suggest checking out https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... for chapter-by-chapter commentary. People were pretty good about avoiding spoilers past the current chapter, so you can follow along with the old discussions as you go.

[♥Xeni♥]

Has anyone listened to the audiobooks of Malazan? I am considering getting them, but I've been slightly daunted because so many people say that you can't really follow along very well in the first two books. I'm wondering if it will be worse or better by listening.

[Bruce]

I tried listening to the first Malazan audiobook and then returned it because I just couldn't understand what was happening. I tried listening to it and following along with the synapses on the website, but I still couldn't get a good grasp. There was just too much happening for me to follow in an audio format. I'll have to try sitting down and reading them some day.

[Scott]

I couldn't imagine doing these in audio but I'm not the best listener in the world. I tried doing the Dresden books and got lost constantly, and I'd already read them

[Chris]

I tried listening to Deadhouse Gates (Book 2) on a reread and couldn't get into it. And I loved the book on the text read.

[♥Xeni♥]

Thanks guys for the info. I'll scratch the audiobook plan for now and go the good ol' old fashioned route, then.

[Chris]

I got to Memories of Ice and gave up. Well, I say gave up.I dip in now and again and I must admit they do have good memories for me (no pun intended) so I may give it another try again, again, again!

[Jen]

I love these books. I recently finished #6, The Bonehunters.

I'm still digesting it, and haven't finished reading through the resources at the Tor Re-Read yet. I plan to pick up #7 later this month.

[Travis]

Are we planning to keep a once-per-month schedule for these? If so, we can post a schedule. I'm excited to read Deadhouse Gates next month.

[Soo]

I'm in. I may not stick to schedule exactly but I plan on reading the whole series. =)

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Yes! The goal is one a month to finish the core books by December.

[Sabrina]

I'm in for Deadhouse Gates in February too, will see how it goes from there.

[Anna]

If you do post a schedule, I can change the link in the BR thread to point to it.

[Soo]

I will make a mock schedule when I get home. Unless someone else wants to do it. 😁

[CBRetriever]

I haven't read the last book, but I'm waiting until I have all of them in Kindle format before I start it again (I currently own 1, 2, 9 & 10)

[Travis]

Soo wrote: "I will make a mock schedule when I get home. Unless someone else wants to do it. 😁"

That'd be great. Thanks!

[Lost Planet Airman]

Silvio wrote: "Read and liked. I suggest checking out https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... for chapter-by-chapter commentary. People were pretty good about avoiding spoilers past the current chapter, so you..."

Thanks, Silvio. I'm on the first book and listening to audio is leaving me missing some details, so this should help!

[David]

I've read Gardens of the Moon and I'm thinking about continuing with you guys... but to be honest I didn't understand Gardens of the Moon when I read it and I've almost completely forgotten since :)

Maybe I'll read through the Tor re-read of the book to jog my memory.

[Soo]

Malazan Buddy Read Schedule

January 1st - Gardens of the Moon #1 (772p)
February 1st - Deadhouse Gates #2 (868p)
March 8th - Memories of Ice #3 (945p)
April 12th - House of Chains #4 (676p)
May 3rd - Midnight Tides #5 (628p)
June 7th - The Bonehunters #6 (804p)
July 12th - Reaper's Gate #7 (844p)
August 16th - Toll the Hounds #8 (836p)
September 27th - Dust of Dreams #9 (817p)
November 1st - The Crippled God #10 (930p)


The Buddy Reads will start on a Friday and I tried to put in extra time to read the longer books. If we follow this schedule, we should be done with the series before Christmas/holidays.

[Soo]

I vote that we create a series thread for the series and post in that for the whole thing. Well, starting with Deadhouse Gates since we are using an old thread for Gardens of the Moon.

[Anna]

Isn’t this the series thread?

The discussion for Gardens of the Moon is here.

[Soo]

Derp! You're right. I mentally tagged this one as the "planning Malazan thread".

[Sabrina]

David wrote: "I've read Gardens of the Moon and I'm thinking about continuing with you guys... but to be honest I didn't understand Gardens of the Moon when I read it and I've almost completely forgotten since :..."

Same here, I plan to do a quick summary read and also I think the story is from another perspective (but I do not want to re-read otherwise I only end up frustrated again…). So, it would be nice to have you join and I'm sure everyone will help us to understand the missing pieces. And then, hopefully, we will feel better about the second one.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Yes, I'd actually love to talk about some of Gardens in more detail because there's a lot flying by me, too. Beth has said that Deadhouse was easier to read, so you've also go that going for you!

Great pace, Soo, thanks for doing that!

[Travis]

Soo wrote: "Malazan Buddy Read Schedule "

Looks great. Thanks so much for putting it together!

[Soo]

I'm going read my lonely hardback of Gardens of the Moon in a few days and start writing notes. I think I will post said notes for it here vs the spoiler thread.

[Sabrina]

Soo wrote: "I'm going read my lonely hardback of Gardens of the Moon in a few days and start writing notes. I think I will post said notes for it here vs the spoiler thread."

That would be much appreciated! Thank you!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Excellent!

Okay, so i'm through book 3

(view spoiler)[ Things are starting to pick up. This Barghast in the barrow seems to be the focus of this book, at least for now. Kruppe is growing on me, and I really like the mysteries cropping up about Tattersail, the friends in the city and the Imass.

Whiskeyjack is quickly becoming a favorite character. He's so sad and earnest, I can see why his squad loves him so much, and I also enjoy how Erikson shows their love--the things they do to make things easier for him, the ways they set up to be the fall guy so that if things go south he can blame them and still show he's in control etc. It feels honest and tugs pretty hard on those deep-seated responses to selfless acts, courage or hope in the face of overwhelming odds and loyalty that survives death.

I am still confused why the Empire wants the Bridgeburners (why that name do you think?) gone. I get not wanting to have people still loyal to the old Emperor, but my god, how much more proof do you need that Whiskeyjack is a man of ideals?

I am also still finding some of the dialogue between the mages to be difficult to grasp, and I wish Paran and Tattersail hadn't been an item. That was weird to me. Did that add anything for you?

I am suuuuper excited for this next bit.

(hide spoiler)]

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Sabrina wrote: "Soo wrote: "I'm going read my lonely hardback of Gardens of the Moon in a few days and start writing notes. I think I will post said notes for it here vs the spoiler thread."

That would be much ap..."

Soo did a really great breakdown of NOS4A2 for me, maybe we could convince her to do a couple chapter summaries :D

I'd help do some, too, if need be!

[Travis]

Re. Paran and Tattersail

(view spoiler)[I mean, I get that the guy's a looker. But jeez! I agree that their relationship didn't add anything to the story. (hide spoiler)]

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Yes. (inferences through GOTM book 3) (view spoiler)[It does concern me a bit, the number of times I read stories where people who were in love with someone who died recently renew their sex life with someone else less than a week after they're gone. Have these authors never loved someone? Have they never lost anyone? Can they not imagine what it would be like to have lost someone? Did they forget their characters are not just series of events we're reading but people we identify with?

There are some scenarios I'd buy it, but mostly I just find it jarring and uncomfortable. (hide spoiler)]

[Anna]

I'm sorry to butt in, but are you talking about book 3 of book 1? :D So is the first book divided into several books? Might get confusing if they're all like that!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Anna wrote: "I'm sorry to butt in, but are you talking about book 3 of book 1? :D So is the first book divided into several books? Might get confusing if they're all like that!"

You're right, I'll do the book acronym and then chapter/book number going forward.

It's January, we're all still talking about Gardens (GOTM from here on out), future readers!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Ha! The acronym is Got 'M which feels like an auspicious beginning to a series.

[Soo]

Allison wrote: "Ha! The acronym is Got 'M which feels like an auspicious beginning to a series."

LoL

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Ch. 18

(view spoiler)[ Oh my god I hope Rallick isn't dead, he's so perfectly broody! (hide spoiler)]

Who are your favorite characters?

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

I've finished!

(view spoiler)[ What did you think of the end? Seems like we'll be following the Azath next!

What did you think of all the different power players? I felt a little let down by Selat and Vorcan.

Speaking of the women, what do we think this book got right about representation? What, if anything, seemed a little odd to you? (hide spoiler)]

[Peter_Banning]

I should be finished today but this book is pretty awesome. There might be someone in the last hundred pages or so that I haven't met yet so I can't comment much about power players but there are a lot characters I love so far. I also love how we see all the different POV's. You're rooting for one group and have your favs and then you remember, oh ya those are kinda the bad guys! Granted, I don't think there will be traditional good vs evil in this series, I think it's all gonna be shades of grey.

So far though, I think Rallick is gonna be pretty badass though (view spoiler)[ he just put the dust on himself on the rooftops and the chapter ends with "he began his ascent" does he become a god? what happens to him?! guess ill find out... (hide spoiler)]

soooomany questions and comments! (view spoiler)[ im glad hairlock dies! he was getting on my nerves... and are those two hounds Rake killed alive again? (hide spoiler)]

As for the women in this book, I feel like it was one extreme or another. Either they are basically floozies or straight up badass. Which I feel works given the time this was written. Most women were usually just there to support the men in some way but in this they seem to actually play an important role beyond being a love interest and a damsel in distress.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Rallick and Whiskeyjack are probably my favorite favorites, I think. Because yeah, Rallick is so badass, and I fall every time for the broody psychopath. And Whiskeyjack is so earnest and works so hard to do the best he can!

[Jen]

Oh Whiskeyjack. yea. he's very favorite-able.

[Peter_Banning]

Definitely Rallick, and Whiskeyjack just seems like a great guy (also just love his name lol)

Quick Ben is cool and so is Kalam, and idk why but kruppe too. And this is the first book I've read with a massive cast and I love like at least half of them lol tattersail even though she is like over 200 years old, and Paran. (view spoiler)[ hopefully Toc isn't gone gone, granted he didn't actually die... it's like you almost don't know who to cheer for in this book. Rake is with the good guys but is willing to win at all costs, so his "good" is questionble. But Whiskeyjack and the boys work for the empress who is bad they are just doing their jobs and they don't act in a traditionally bad way... (hide spoiler)]

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Yes, Darrik! I want them all to win. I am going to be devastated at some point I think.

(view spoiler)[ Yes! I want to know what happened to Toc! We read some of his poetry, was that before or after?? And what's going on with Paran and the Hounds? (hide spoiler)]

[Peter_Banning]

I've heard this series is very Game of Thrones with death and to make sure you have some tissues nearby :/ lol

(view spoiler)[ I think his poem is before he disappears, the date was 1141 and most of this book is 1143. And I'm hoping later on the hounds live and like save Paran's life or something! I mean, he freed them and they seem intelligent so I'm sure they will help him or something at some point in return. (hide spoiler)]

I'll definitely be back later with questions and comments when I finish!