Karsa Orlong

Glad you enjoyed it! I guess you didn't need to knock a mark or two off my score after all

Yeah, some time towards the end of September Made a start on Harvest by Jim Crace this morning.

Aw, diddums!

You don't like the race that includes Anomander Rake and Korlat? There's no pleasing some people Actually, when you think about it, all the races are pretty miserable Pretty bad, yeah ETA: oh yeah, completely forgot why I came in here in the first place Finished it this afternoon. Talk about being put through the emotional wringer . . . ETA2: Still trying to put my thoughts in order. But dear Lord, the scene as Duiker and Nether look on from the walls of Aren . . .just leaves me in bits. Seeing Bult and List go down, Bult trying to get up again, the dogs fighting with him. Then Coltaine . . . Stormy and Gesler looking for Duiker's body. Mappo giving his last elixirs to save the dogs. Poor Mappo, everything he had to go through, and then we find out that he's been lied to all along, and Icarium didn't destroy his village Not to mention that Gothos is Icarium's father. Had to laugh at Moby, and Iskaral Pust and Mogora - there's a match made in heaven That's my favourite ending to a book, that epilogue. First time around I remember being so upset about Coltaine (still am ) and then that happens. Crows, so many crows. Really gives me chills, every time

Shame you didn't enjoy it, Tim. Maybe you should've read this one

Told ya! I finished Steven Erikson's Deadhouse Gates this afternoon. Haven't decided what to read next as it's left me in bits

# 52 Deadhouse Gates (Book 2 of The Malazan Book of the Fallen) by Steven Erikson 2000 - Tor paperback - 836 pages From Amazon.com: In the vast dominion of Seven Cities, in the Holy Desert Raraku, the seer Sha'ik and her followers prepare for the long-prophesied uprising known as the Whirlwind. Unprecedented in size and savagery, this maelstrom of fanaticism and bloodlust will embroil the Malazan Empire in one of the bloodiest conflicts it has ever known, shaping destinies and giving birth to legends . . . Set in a brilliantly realized world ravaged by dark, uncontrollable magic, this thrilling novel of war, intrigue and betrayal confirms Steven Erikson as a storyteller of breathtaking skill, imagination and originality--the author who has written the first great fantasy epic of the new millennium. Thoughts: I honestly don't know where to start As usual, I haven't thought about what I'm going to write, so I'm just going to wing it It's kind of strange - I've been a fan of this series for so long, and this is my third time reading it, but it's the first time I've sat down and written anything like a review of each book. And to do it without spoiling anything? Bloody hell! Anyway, this - the second book in the main sequence - begins the storyline(s) set on the continent called Seven Cities. Some years before, the Malazan Empire had conquered these shores, but the locals are now on the verge of an uprising, to become known as the Whirlwind and led by a prophetess called Sha'ik. As the seven so-called holy cities begin to fall one by one the 7th Malazan army must protect many thousands of refugees as they flee south to the last remaining free city, called Aren, in what will become known as the Chain of Dogs. This particular storyline was once mooted as being made into a film, but it never happened. It's interesting because I think these books are pretty much unfilmable, but extracting that one storyline might have worked. Into this simmering cauldron come a handful of characters that we met in Gardens of the Moon plus a whole bunch of new ones. Chief among these are: Felisin, younger sister of Ganoes Paran; her companions Heboric and Baudin, thrown together during the cull of the nobility; Coltaine, leader of the Crow Clan of Wickans and new Fist to the 7th Army, and his second in command, Bult; the Wickan warlocks Nil, Nether, and Sormo E'nath; the Imperial historian Duiker and cadre mage Kulp; Stormy and Gesler from the Coastal Guard; Iskaral Pust, a High Priest of Shadow and an absolute loon (and joy); and last, but by no means least, Mappo and Icarium - two of my favourite characters in the whole series. I don't know why I listed all of them - I just couldn't pick one or two because they're all brilliant and all vital in one way or another - some of my favourite characters in any book I've read. There are others who appear only briefly but will become much more important later on, too. Much of the story is told from the POV of Felisin, Duiker and Mappo. Their storylines are hugely important, alongside those of the returning Fiddler and Kalam. Duiker's role as Imperial historian effectively puts him in the middle of the Chain of Dogs and it's through his eyes that we witness the huge battles that ensue. It's in this book that Erikson kicks things up several levels, from the scale to his writing style to the imagery to the subtexts to the characters, down to simple things like the humour, which is hugely important in what can be a very bleak, distressing tale. Each time I've read this book I've surfaced at the other end in pieces. It's so immersive, so atmospheric, so focused that I find it impossible not to get totally invested in the characters and their various struggles. And he's not afraid to put them and the reader through the wringer. He's the only author I've encountered (so far) whose books have left me an emotional wreck. So the humour is vital, and it is laugh-out-loud funny on many occasions, and it comes so naturally from the characters and their interactions (or, in Iskaral Pust's case, his interactions with himself - he does struggle to keep his internal monologues, well, internal ). And it never gets old - in fact, it gets funnier the more you get to know him. The pacing of this book is immaculate. I can't think of one part of the story where I felt bored, or wanted to skip parts involving a particular character (even if Felisin is particularly unsympathetic at times). It's also notable how various little details kept cropping up that fit together with the previous book, or foreshadow later events, or just click into place in the overall puzzle. I think, because there are so many intertwining storylines here, and so many great characters, that the pages keep turning, the story never loses impetus and - for such a doorstopper - it never loses that focus and drive. And then, as the final punch to the emotional solar plexus, he produces that ending. I'm not talking about the ending of the main plotline(s), which I won't say anything about, but the very last page. Erikson has written some of the best prologues and epilogues I've come across, and this one . . . I remember the first time I read it, and the hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end. And it did it again this time. It's just a perfect ending for this book, so fitting that I can't imagine any way he could've done it better. As my favourite final pages go, there are two or three books that I always think of: Richard Matheson's I Am Legend, GRRM's A Storm of Swords, and there are a couple of other Malazan books that rank above them. Erikson's got a knack for it, and this one's my favourite. Goosebumps. Gardens of the Moon was great but it's here, for me, that Erikson climbed onto that pedestal. He's been there ever since, and no-one's come close to knocking him off it. So, so good. 10/10

It's off the 'Voices In My Head' EP: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Voices-My-Head-Riverside/dp/B000FG82LS/ref=sr_1_12?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1409304169&sr=1-12&keywords=riverside

Is that the real Brent Weeks? I wonder how many fantasy books these days have hooded figures on the cover

Last night I read the bit where Gesler breaks Coltaine's hand. That was funny (and a little scary!) I think the T'Lan Imass are my favourite race in the series - just edging out the Tiste Andii and K'Chain Che'Malle. Oh, and the Toblakai of course The only problem I have with the T'Lan Imass is that when I visualise them - especially Tool - they always end up looking like Iron Maiden's mascot, Eddie . . . Oh bloody hell, I can't remember. So much has happened since then

Oh yeah, Lightning is fantastic

Yeah, more clues . . . no answers, just clues The stuff I mentioned that Mappo says comes later. That storyline only gets really good once he reaches his destination, I think. Me, I just think anything involving Kalam is brilliant And without it there'd be no Pearl and Lostara Yil I loved the way Duiker, Lull and co went after the Tithansi warlord, and then Duiker thought a Claw had been helping them, but it's only a while later we find out exactly what happened Felisin is completely unsympathetic, I find. If I had one problem with this book it would be her. But I don't have a problem with it I'd forgotten about Legana Breed giving Stormy his sword. I just loved what he said as he did so: "This weapon is our memory. Carry it, mortal. Learn its weight. Stone ever thirsts for blood." Dunno. I thought they said it was someone who'd been driven mad by the otataral. I haven't seen anything else about it since, and I can't remember anything else about it

That's not science fiction, that's your Mr Blobby books

Some that haven't been mentioned: Robert McCammon, Peter Straub, Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Dan Simmons, Poe, Lovecraft . . .

Yes! And I'll add American Tabloid and The Cold Six Thousand to those, too.

Yeah, he lost an arm in a battle - then was it Mappo who suggested that he'd been taken by Shadowthrone as leverage over Cotillion (for Apsalar)? And that his new arm was something to do with ST? The book is moving a lot faster than I remember it doing so - the pacing is great for such a long book. I can't remember how many years it was between him writing GotM and DG, but the step up in the quality of his writing is impressive. I'd also heard that he was working on MoI as the second book, then lost the manuscript when his computer broke down, so turned to DG instead. Maybe that has something to do with the sense of urgency that's coming across to me Also, the ramping up of the scale is very apparent and yet it's still only hinting at how big it's going to get. The crossing of the Sekala ford was great - the first real large scale battle in the series I still love the way Iskaral Pust can't keep his internal monologues to himself

Captain Phillips. Brilliant.

I read Splinter a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it

Yeah, agreed. Either TMC or HMS Surprise are better starting points - or, should I say, more the sort of story I was expecting. I found the first half of M&C a real struggle but I'm glad I stuck with it. Marvellous series.

Well, bear in mind what you'd say to people who give up on Malazan after GotM

I'd managed to completely forget the relevance of the boat Mappo and Icarium found

http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0091906814/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408881279&sr=1-1&keywords=how+to+win+friends+and+influence+people

Whilst rolling my eyes to the heavens and tutting. Yes, that's exactly how it was

Iskaral Pust really needs to choose his staff better Reading it now, I really love how the mystery of Icarium is being held on such a tight leash