The Malazan Fallen discussion

Chapter Twelve discussion. No spoilers from after this chapter

This chapter is pretty much just focused on Kharkanas and the battle at the shore.

The Liosan have sent in a probing force to guage the strength of the Shake. The commander decides they can't be that strong because they aren't even pure blood Shake. Four of the soletaken Liosan appear to have succumbed to the "Mane of Chaos" - unable to resist the Elient Chaotic nature they no longer semble back to their humanoid form. The Liosan are by no means a united force. It appears they sent in their dissenting elements first into the fray.

On the other side - Yedan observes that the Liosan being thrown at them are not proper soldiers - but he can see the Dragons are coming. Good thing he has a Hust sword - a sword designed to kill Elient.

Sandalath remembers back to when she was a hostage during the last breach of the portal. She remembers being abandoned by her master. She also remembers Rake being outraged at that abandonment.

So we wait for round two of the Liosan vs the Shake/Letherii

Where the hell are Nimander and the Tiste Andii at?

Yeah, where's Nimander? When is Silchas going to show up with the snazzy sword that ST gave him. It seems to me that Silchas being Andii, albino, and soletaken, belongs in this fight.

And before I get upset about this, I need to ask: have we heard about Hust swords before, and what the hell is a Hust? I can't remember hearing of them before, even though the Watch has had his for several books, and we have had dragons since the start. I won't like it if someone confirms that they first get mentioned in this book, so I'm hoping that this is a case of my bad memory.

Duffy wrote: "I need to ask: have we heard about Hust swords before"

Last Chapter - Yedan finds it on the beach. It was originally Blind Gallan's sword - it was broken and discarded but has healed itself

‘A Hust sword, sister.’
‘And it’s healed.’
‘Yes.’
‘But how can a broken sword grow back?’
‘Quenched in dragon’s blood,’ he replied. ‘Hust weapons are immortal, immune to all decay. They can shear other blades in two.’ He held up the sword. ‘This is a five-blade sword—tested against five, cut through them all. Twilight, there is no higher calibre of sword than the one you see here. It was the possession of a Hustas, a Master of the House itself—only children of the Forge could own such weapons.’
‘And the woman threw it away.’
‘It is a mystery,’ Yedan Derryg said.
‘She was Gallan’s escort—’
‘Not that. The matter of how a five-blade Hust sword broke in the first place.’
‘Ah. I see your point.’

Thanks. For Erikson that's an enormous info dump. If this type of sword turns out to be as important as I think it might, then I'm a little disappointed that the concept comes up in the last book of a ten book series.

I'm also amused that the passage refers to the "calibre" of a sword. Calibre refers to guns and ammunition, and is a bit out of place in the Malazan world. I haven't often noticed this sort of anachronism in this series.

I think in the last two books Erikson has been doing some setup for his Karkhanas trilogy. Hust swords and the Hust themselves feature in the first book

David Sven wrote: "I think in the last two books Erikson has been doing some setup for his Karkhanas trilogy. Hust swords and the Hust themselves feature in the first book"

Me too, suddenly Kharkanas, First Shore, Share, more Andii than in other books... I can't wait to translated version.


Duffy wrote: "It seems to me that Silchas being Andii, albino, and soletaken, belongs in this fight."

Well, you know Erikson, nothing is as it seems, never.


Duffy wrote: "I need to ask: have we heard about Hust swords before, and what the hell is a Hust? I can't remember hearing of them before"

What David Sven said. And Shadowthrone gave some other Hust sword to Silchar Ruin.

I liked this chapter, but I still wonder what it has to do with anything. It seems like setup for his other series which annoys me. There is enough going on without a side story.

But that's my point. We are in the middle of book ten, and all of a sudden everything seems to hinge upon these Hust swords, which we have never heard about until the last few chapters. I'm OK with him introducing stuff that will then get picked up in the next books. But it's quite another thing to be wrapping things up in this story by introducing crucial elements at the last minute.

But it's quite another thing to be wrapping things up in this story by introducing crucial elements at the last minute.

I felt the same when he introduced a Deus ex machina called as Olar ethil whom we last saw in Deadhouse gates and all of a sudden she is the inventor of ritual.

It seems like setup for his other series which annoys me.

This is true, because I think he is setting us up for Kharkhans trilogy, but if you are not able to tie up the ends in current series even though it is a ten volume books it is definitely his failure as a writer.