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Haven't read them myself yet since I'm only on 5th book of the main serie but from wikipedia.
"Esslemont and Erikson collaborated on the storyline for the entire sixteen-book project and Esslemont's novels are considered as canonical and integral to the series as Erikson's own."
So if you love Malazan they are probably worth it and I for one am at least planning to read all 16 books, it's just pretty time consuming so it's a slow process for me. Absolutely loving these though.
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The other guy is Ian C. Esselmont, co-creator of the Malazon world. Basically the setting is the same and everything is completely canon. You can tell that they split up who was telling what side of events. For example in ICE's books Dassem Ultor's and Osserc's characters play a prominent role. In Erikson's books characters talk and speculate about the events that led up to Shadowthrone and Cotillion's ascension or Surly's assassination and replacement with Mallick Rel. ICE's first two books tell you exactly that story. It fills in the gaps. ICE is considered to be an inferior writer to Erikson but I find his books very readable. It's just that it somehow doesn't have the same charm.
I already answered a few of your questions I think but regarding the other ones: as far as I remember they wanted Quick Ben to reveal himself as an extremely powerful High Mage rather than just some company mage. In the end there were basically three successful groups that were trying to influence events (Anomander and Hood, Shadowthrone & co, and Quick Ben and the gang) so be was actually one of the story's main puppet masters.
Torrent was the one that killed Olar Ethil right? I think he just slipped off and died.
Redmask remains a mistery. One of the many chesspieces in events.
The fate of the crippled god leaves room for interpretation. One wonders how it fits into Shadowthrone and Cotillion's schemes. They aren't evil so it's not necissarily beyond them to simply help but it has been clearly stated they were looking to become the rulers of a third throne...
And lastly Draconus. Described as the biggest powerhouse of the series. He mainly got released to kill the Elder gods. Yet his motivations are obviously far more complex. His relation with figures like Anomander, Hood, Mother Dark, and Caladan Brood go back hundreds of thousands of years so there is obviously more there. So much even that Erikson is writing the Kharnakas Trilogy now (I'm somewhere in tbe first book). Basically it's the story of aformentioned characters as they share origins.
Much more stuff out there to read to fill in some gaps. It's amazing that even after having put the series down for months I am still pondering it's complexity sometimes...
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Oh I forgot to ask. Do any of the books by ICE feature Karsa? One of the best characters in the entire series got a pretty dull ending I think.
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On November 28 2015 11:11 Westy wrote: Oh I forgot to ask. Do any of the books by ICE feature Karsa? One of the best characters in the entire series got a pretty dull ending I think. AFAIK no, but after Erikson is finished with the Kharnakas trilogy there is a trilogy just for Karsa planned. Epic shit.
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Don't open if you haven't read.
+ Show Spoiler +Having finished the books, I'm a little disappointed that Coltaine never resurfaced. Like...it was cool that Whiskeyjack and the other Bridgeburners got another day in the sun, but Coltaine had become almost the Malazan equivalent of a God with worshipers and everything. I kinda assumed he'd resurface during the "final battle" or whatever to lend his military genius. Was a little sad he didn't.
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On November 29 2015 01:22 VisceraEyes wrote:Don't open if you haven't read. + Show Spoiler +Having finished the books, I'm a little disappointed that Coltaine never resurfaced. Like...it was cool that Whiskeyjack and the other Bridgeburners got another day in the sun, but Coltaine had become almost the Malazan equivalent of a God with worshipers and everything. I kinda assumed he'd resurface during the "final battle" or whatever to lend his military genius. Was a little sad he didn't. + Show Spoiler +Return of the Crimson Guard
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For all the peepz who still love the Malazan world: Dancer's Lament (by ICE) and Fall of Light (by SE) have been released earlier this year. The latter is part 2 of The Kharnakas Trilogy, and the first is the first book in a new series by ICE detailing The Path To Ascendancy (series title) of the Malazan Empire OG's (so far I have encountered Dancer, Kellanved, and Dassem Ultor). Interestingly this is maybe the first time that ICE's book is rated higher by man than SE's book. So far I only read a bit of ICE's book but I have to agree that it seems he has found his style and has written a slightly more light-hearted, yet epic book.
I apparenty have a way of misreading names in the Malazan universe. I always thought it was Kharnakas but apparently its Kharkanas. I also used to think it was Kellenvad, instead its Kellanved. Mind=blown.
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Awesome, been waiting for Fall of Light for ages now :> Can't wait to devour it.
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Just finished book 6, The Bonehunters. At first I liked it very much but as the time went on I didn't feel like this book has a big story line like the previous one's. Boy I was wrong. Like at the 80% of the book the shit gets real and you start to understand that this book is mean to pivot the story line in preparation for next books. Damn that ending was good. One of the best so far! Now for some spoilers + Show Spoiler +A lot of awesome stuff happened. Eres'al getting involved. Hints of Icariums power. Full display of shadowdance with Apsalar (even though it happened behind the screen). And Kalamn. Damn those fights vs Claw. I think we finally saw why he is often displayed as one of dangerous assassins. And Fiddlers song. Oh Kalam Brigeburners break my heart
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Book 8 is the worst in that regard. 90% is decent at best but the last 10% is madness. Probably one of my favourite parts of all the books together with book 3.
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I'm 70% into Dust of Dreams atm and other than couple highlights it hasn't been great so far. I imagine it's going to pick up pace later like most Malazan books, if not maybe it's just set up for Crippled God which hopefully delivers all the way through.
Memories of Ice and House of Chains still my personal favourites, HoC mostly due to Karsa.
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At least most of the books have more or less well rounded stories. Think that's why I liked Memories of Ice and Midnight Tides the best I think. I didn't like House of Chains that much. Imo his character develops nice later on.
But dear god I like Shadowthrone and Cotillion in The Bonehunters. Especially Cotillion!
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England2648 Posts
Been slowly getting through these books since I read this thread way back when. I have The Crippled God left and then I'm done.
Quick and simple question - how worth it are the non-main series books? I fear that the Tiste books are going to lose a lot of the character I like as the Tiste have their own personalities and outlooks and most of the characters I really enjoy reading are human.
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I'll tell you how Forge of Darkness is once I finish it.
I'm reading it at a slow pace though rather than devouring it like all other Malazan books because the next one isn't out yet. =[
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Netherlands19124 Posts
On August 16 2016 22:39 SK.Testie wrote: I'll tell you how Forge of Darkness is once I finish it.
I'm reading it at a slow pace though rather than devouring it like all other Malazan books because the next one isn't out yet. =[ Fall of Light is out and I finished it a couple of weeks back. The last one dealing with Shadow is set to be released end of next year. So you can read Forge and have another 800+ pages to read still ahead of you .
Dancer's is in the mail so gonna read that this week. Ordered it along with another 13 books so I'm set for the next 2 months.
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On August 16 2016 22:51 Nyovne wrote:Show nested quote +On August 16 2016 22:39 SK.Testie wrote: I'll tell you how Forge of Darkness is once I finish it.
I'm reading it at a slow pace though rather than devouring it like all other Malazan books because the next one isn't out yet. =[ Fall of Light is out and I finished it a couple of weeks back. The last one dealing with Shadow is set to be released end of next year. So you can read Forge and have another 800+ pages to read still ahead of you . Dancer's is in the mail so gonna read that this week. Ordered it along with another 13 books so I'm set for the next 2 months.
Thank you. =]
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On August 16 2016 22:51 Nyovne wrote:Show nested quote +On August 16 2016 22:39 SK.Testie wrote: I'll tell you how Forge of Darkness is once I finish it.
I'm reading it at a slow pace though rather than devouring it like all other Malazan books because the next one isn't out yet. =[ Fall of Light is out and I finished it a couple of weeks back. The last one dealing with Shadow is set to be released end of next year. So you can read Forge and have another 800+ pages to read still ahead of you . Dancer's is in the mail so gonna read that this week. Ordered it along with another 13 books so I'm set for the next 2 months. From Esslemont return of the crimson guard anf especially dancer's lament were good. Forge of darkness is good as well.
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As far as ICE goes: Dancer's Lament, Night of Knives, and Orb Sceptre Throne are good reads, Return of the Crimson and Stonewielder less so.
Forge of Darkness gives you a shitton of background on many of the ancient characters you encounter in the books. It also gives you insight in how the world came to be. To me it didn't diminish the characters at all.
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Netherlands19124 Posts
Finished Dancer's lament two days ago and I must say I'm positively surprised. I hated Orb Scepter Throne (even though I loved the concepts in the book, just detested the execution), Blood and Bone missed all the marks for me and Assail was the biggest disappointment I've had reading a book in over a decade. This was really disappointing for me because I really liked Night of Knives and Return of the Crimson Guard with Stonewielder hanging somewhere in the middle. Going back in after those books was a tough call for me but ah well, more Malazan right? In the end more than worth it. Really enjoyed it and I hope ICE has found his style and stride with this book and that we can expect more of this quality work in the future. It turned me around from hating his last books to looking forward to the next 2 installments in the path to ascendancy trillogy.
On another note, Fall of Light is an absolutely brilliant piece of work by Erikson. How he touches upon so many modern day social issues and historical events in a critical and interesting manner with flawlessly weaving them into his fantasy epic is inspiring. So many passages really made me think and inspired new trains of thought. It's so much more then a fantasy epic, for me it was also quite a few new perspectives on modern day issues.
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England2648 Posts
On August 22 2016 01:09 Nyovne wrote: Finished Dancer's lament two days ago and I must say I'm positively surprised. I hated Orb Scepter Throne (even though I loved the concepts in the book, just detested the execution), Blood and Bone missed all the marks for me and Assail was the biggest disappointment I've had reading a book in over a decade. This was really disappointing for me because I really liked Night of Knives and Return of the Crimson Guard with Stonewielder hanging somewhere in the middle. Going back in after those books was a tough call for me but ah well, more Malazan right? In the end more than worth it. Really enjoyed it and I hope ICE has found his style and stride with this book and that we can expect more of this quality work in the future. It turned me around from hating his last books to looking forward to the next 2 installments in the path to ascendancy trillogy.
On another note, Fall of Light is an absolutely brilliant piece of work by Erikson. How he touches upon so many modern day social issues and historical events in a critical and interesting manner with flawlessly weaving them into his fantasy epic is inspiring. So many passages really made me think and inspired new trains of thought. It's so much more then a fantasy epic, for me it was also quite a few new perspectives on modern day issues.
You think it would be worth to just skip over the ICE Novels until I've nothing else to read and go straight onto Kharkanas and Path to Ascendancy books then?
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