Memories of Ice Part 3-April 29th-May 5th: Book Three (Chapters 14-20)

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

Here is a post for the third installment of Memories of Ice, where Buke is trying to disrupt Bauchelain and Broach's 'activitites', Gruntle is hissing at a cat, Hetan is flirting with Itkovian, and oh yeah, they are about to be attacked!

Start posting your thoughts on this section!

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

One of the first things that happens here is the rape of Stonny. I always get upset when novels go into graphic rape descriptions, and I really think the way Erikson handled this was well done. There was no gratuitous scenes, and the emotion on everyone's part was well played out, especially Gruntle's thought re keeping her mind in the right place.

[Julie]

You know I almost forgot about that, but it is one of the reasons that Gruntle decided to kick some butt and then ended up the Mortal Sword of Trake. Also, Sonny handle it so well, or at least we haven't really seen the complete fallout from it yet....on her side of things.

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

there will be some fallout, but I think it is a long way off yet...

What did you think of Keruli showing himself as K'rul...finally!

When did you all figure it out?
I think it was for me when Envy went to that house in the destroyed city to talk to K'rul.
With K'rul the master of the warrans in the game, things should start happening!

PS-Julie, I will put up the 4th book posting too

[Julie]

I actually didn't figure out that Keruli was actually K'rul himself until you mentioned it right now. I thought that Keruli was actually like the other Raths and he was there to take his place among them now that he was "back in the game". Here is the thing, all the other Gods have mortal swords etc. but the Elder Gods don't seem to have them. The Crippled God is working to put a team together even. Is that the case?

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

well, it seems like the roles are only filled when they are needed. Since CG is working up to try a takeover of some sort, yes he is putting together some support. We saw that Munug at the beginning of the book, and the Jaghut who is his new Herald after getting fired from Death.

[Julie]

But wouldn't K'rul need more power to fight CG, I mean he is technically poisoning K'rul with his poisoning of the Warrens.

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

oh nothing is starting here...yet

lol
This whole series is about the war with the crippled god. He kind of needs to be attacked on various fronts (I dont want to be spoilery about the other books)

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

Now Gruntle in his anger has started a whole rallying defense of the city...this is a thing Erikson is great at; showing reluctant 'heroes' who just do the right thing...

I thought the whole exchange with calling his cutlasses his 'claws' was humorous, see Itkovian realizing that Fener has fallen and Treach taken over? THis is indeed the end for the greyswords.

[Amelia]

I didn't figure out that Keruli was K'rul until he revealed himself at the meeting. Then I had to smack myself because the name bascically says K'rul only it's spelled out instead of apostricized.

I don't really understand Baucelain and Korbal Broach in this book. They seem to just be leaches of a sort. (view spoiler)[ They didn't help much protecting Capustan, other than creating an undead army to protect themselves and one botched attempt to try and get the boy (Ansalar?) Maybe they do more in the next books. As characters, though, they are very interesting. Morbid, but interesting. (hide spoiler)]

[Jason]

Maggie wrote: "oh nothing is starting here...yet

lol
This whole series is about the war with the crippled god. He kind of needs to be attacked on various fronts (I dont want to be spoilery about the other books)"

I was finally starting to get this in this book.

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

Bauchelain and Broach...they are not here to help, that is for sure!

Well, you have noticed the body count piles up when they are around, and that this seems to be Buke's motivation in working for them, to keep an eye on things and thwart them when he can.

Their shape-shiftin ability is damn eerie

[John]

Bauchelain and Korbal Broach: I hope no one will consider it a spoiler if I say that they aren't particularly important to the overall story, at least in the first 8 books. They pass through here in Memories of Ice and then I don't think we see them again, unless my memory is failing me in this instance.

However, Erikson has written some novellas in which they are central figures--I can't say any more than that because I haven't read them (yet) although I picked up Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, which collects the first three novellas and will get around to it sometime.

Here, though, they're minor characters who add some interest and bring in some humor (love that scene with Quick Ben!).

[Julie]

I also loved the scene of Quick Ben giving both of them the equivalent of smacks up side the head with his warrens. A good way to test out what you are capable of with his new side kick Talamandas.

In addition, I loved what the T'lan Imass did to Korbal as well. However, I'm not sure how much different those two people are with them being a key part of bringing Tattersail back isn't that a type of necromancy???

[John]

Julie wrote: In addition, I loved what the T'lan Imass did to Korbal as well. However, I'm not sure how much different those two people are with them being a key part of bringing Tattersail back isn't that a type of necromancy???

Not really, at least I don't think so. I think they refer to it as "Soul Shifting," which is like what QB did with Hairlock, as well as being something that we see with the Wickans in Deadhouse Gates and then later too. I read necromancy more as animating corpses, contrasted with moving souls around before they can be claimed by Hood.

[Julie]

I agree, that and it was with Tattersail's permission, as it was with the T'lan Imass when they decided to make themselves undead.

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

also in CH 15, Kallor does that long exposition re: the K'ell hunters.He would know eh?

They are all so happy about the T'lan, then realize the T'Lan will ONLY help with the K'ell, they get so crabby! I am thinking that they should be glad!

Then Kruppe getting Brood so mad he hammers the ground! Yay Kruppe! Everyone is starting to realize he is more than they think...

[Jason]

I love Kruppe! I thought he was more than they think in the first book. Nobody can eat that many cakes and drink that much wine and not die of a heart attack! LOL

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

and what did everyone think about the romance between Korlat and Whiskeyjack????

The Tiste Andii are by nature kind of dour and grim and don't get into emo things, so it is kind of refreshing to see her feelings start to show

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

You know, chapter 16 is my favorite part of this whole book...so I will probably have a lot to say (not that I normally shut up :S)
A lot of people's deep character really shows here.

First, we see Itkovian battle the flood of Tenescowri. Seeing it from his point of view seems truly horror-filled. Yet he fights on, worrying about his horse. When he does break clear, even though he is horribly injured, all he can say is "My horse, mysoldiers. My horse, my soldiers.'

Then we see Gruntle, slowly gaining his tiger stripes and an unhuman strength, filling the tenement house up with bodies...

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

and then: The part that makes me cry like baby; the betrayal of Brukhalian, the greyswords Mortal Sword.

This crime shall be answered, but not by us. Without our deaths, there is no crime, and no punishment. We are done, and now we may choose the meaning of our deaths.

He knowingly walks into the trap. Because he knows that Itkovian will avenge him, and that without the trap, there is no crime to lay at the feet of Rath'Fener. Their exchange where Nilbanis realizes what exactly they are doing:

“The Septarch deems himself clever, sir”. “And us stupid with honor” “Aye, we are that indeed, are we not, old friend?”

and Nilbanis dances. dances in triumph and glory as he proceeds to his death. and then Itkovian awakes, seeing Nilbanis being hit by over a hundred barbs, spinning one last time as if to have his blood join in his dance.

Wow. This is my favorite Erikson scene ever, I think. I am tearing up just writing about it.

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

Next we see Paran realizing what has happened with Fener. It's nice to see these scenes with the 7 cities once in a while, to kind of correlate the timelines.

The info he gets from Nightchill is another piece in the puzzle regarding the sword Dragnipur and what needs to happen...stay tuned for more details on that storyline!

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

Yes Alex! and that happens throughout the whole series...there was clearly a whole story in mind even before Gardens of the Moon was written

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

and don't you love how the Bridgeburners finally get there with the Barghast, thinking the city is lost, and fining that ramp the Tenesowri made to try to get to Gruntle's tenement? You know Gruntle with his transformation is going to fit right in with Paran and the Bridgeburners...

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

I gotta say I love the humour on the parts with Broach and Bauchelain...it really is too funny, I almosty wish they had bigger parts.


What did you all think of the scene where Rake plans to use Dragnipur to kill the Women of the Dead Seed and WJ realizes what a burden that will be and helps him? Seems to me that this is the moment that really cements their friendship...

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

I like Rake too Alex, and I think a lot of people's problem with him is simply that he is already complete, as in there isnt a lot of room for growth in the sense of he really is the most bad-ass character!
He has had thousands of years and years of leadership and introspection. It has to be a lonely place to be...

Later on we will meet his brothers! Quite an interesting lot to say the least...

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

I agree!

[Shelley]

Alex wrote: "Yeah, and when he realized that the mercy Rake was talking about was towards Whiskeyjack, not the women.

I really like Rake as a character. Even in the first book, I never saw him as a "bad guy", ..."

Rake is by far one of my favorite characters! His depth of character and compassion is something to behold!

And if you ask me, SE's ability to make you dislike a character in one book and then make you root for that same character in the next book is a great talent!!

[Maggie, The Malazan Queen of Chaos]

Filing cabinet moments:
One thing to take notice of is Cafal and Hetan finding all those boats underneath the floor...what is this going to signify?

Itkovian 'recognizes' Kruppe as a sort of protege and K'ruls...and feels his power, and is actually confused that people aren't treating him with more deference!

Mentions of the Mott Irregulars...Mott is a northern town that the Empire fought before Pale, that was defended by the Bole family...all wizards. They call themselves HIgh Marshalls...we will see more of them throughout the series

How the dogs are so mad at Envy, lol...

and finally...what do you all think about how Silverfox is handling the T'lan...she seems to be losing her edge a bit...