Fantasy Book Club Series discussion

Sorry I am late-I could have sworn I posted this last night......

Welcome to Night of Knives, the first Ian Cameron Esslemont Installment of the Malazan World. Since this is a shorter book, we will just do a regular type thread instead of breaking the book up...

Here we go back in time a bit, and follow the night that Kellanved and Dancer ascended. Viewed through the eyes of Temper, a grizzled veteran searching for peace after his "retirement" (at least he isn't 'drowned') and Kiska, a youg girl thirsting for the greater world....

But we start out with a prologue, where we see the infamous STORMRIDERS of the Sea of Storms...we will see a lot more about them later....
and a little background with Edgewalker of the Shadow Realm. This guy knows a LOT more than he lets on!

I would like to point out in this book there is an introduction of Ian Esslemont made by Steven Erikson and it is the SINGLE most important narrative I've read about the Malazan world!!! It gives us the background on how the world was created and enlightens us to who, what, where, when and how it was ALL started!! So please take a moment to read the intro, it's worth it!! :)

Shelley wrote: "I would like to point out in this book there is an introduction of Ian Esslemont made by Steven Erikson and it is the SINGLE most important narrative I've read about the Malazan world!!! It gives ..."

I agree with you about the introduction. I found it to be very enlightening.

If I hadn't read this already, I wouldn't have recognized Temper's name when he was metioned in The Bonehunters. It was great seeing the crossover so soon after finishing this book.

Amelia wrote: "Shelley wrote: "I would like to point out in this book there is an introduction of Ian Esslemont made by Steven Erikson and it is the SINGLE most important narrative I've read about the Malazan wor..."

There will be more of it to come Amelia!!! Oh and know this, SE/ICE have the right to kill of each other's characters, it's that interwoven! :O

Oh my. They've really got to be working closely together for that. Could you imagine one of the authors reading the next installment of the other's books and see something like, oh maybe Karsa dying and then the retribution. (Hope that doesn't happen anyway)

They must have so much fun playing off each other.

Amelia wrote: "Oh my. They've really got to be working closely together for that. Could you imagine one of the authors reading the next installment of the other's books and see something like, oh maybe Karsa dy..."

Amelia you don't know HOW close you are but not....Wow! Yeah they must be having a blast writing to each other!! :)

Is anyone finding Kiska to be really annoying? I kinda wanna smack her....lol

Maggie wrote: "Is anyone finding Kiska to be really annoying? I kinda wanna smack her....lol"

Kiska can be annoying, but at the same time she really is innocent and it's refreshing to see an actual totally innocent character! :) But she defiantly has to grow on you!

oh, I agree. I remember on my first read I did not think this at all.

Her aunt agayla is the the same Agayla that Bottle goes to talk to in Bonehunters

I think the best thing about this book is seeing Tayschrenn in a different light. He seems a lot more human here!

Maggie said: I think the best thing about this book is seeing Tayschrenn in a different light. He seems a lot more human here!

I do wonder about his neutral position. Perhaps he is trying to stay out of the politics of things so he can alway be working for 'the good of the empire'.

He showed off some amazing prowess in his powers at the end. I didn't expect him to be Agayla's back-up.

Agayla seems like one of those other mysterious, very powerful characters that I'm thinking will show up in many places - as shown already in Bonehunters.

I liked learing about Temper's story and Dassem Ultar. This little piece helped me place The Sword better in my mind. I wonder what he's really up to?

Amelia wrote: "Maggie said: I think the best thing about this book is seeing Tayschrenn in a different light. He seems a lot more human here!

I do wonder about his neutral position. Perhaps he is trying to sta..."

In RoCG we see more of the internal workings of the Empire and how moves are made and how moves get blocked....in the end you feel more empathy towards certain characters!!

I'm enjoying my re-read of NoK, Temper is a great character to see this night thru because of his experiences and knowledge and Kiska's is the exact opposite, that girl is pretty damn tuff I have to say!

Anyway I'm at the point where Temper fights the Hound in the city, what fight scenes!! And there's more craziness to come!

I am really enjoying the flashbacks to the first battle at Y'ghatan...explains so much!

So what all did you think about the difference in writing style between ICE and SE???

It's somehow alike, yet a lot more concise, I'd say...

"I think the best thing about this book is seeing Tayschrenn in a different light. He seems a lot more human here! "

I haven't read this yet. I intend to next, I am slotting it in between Midnight Tides and Bonehunters.

But I thought I would comment on this line. You get a quick glimpse of this 'humanity' at the end of Memories of Ice, where he tries to save Silverfox and is saddened at his failure, which in turn means the death of Whiskeyjack.
At the end of Memories, I was thinking to myself, what is going on with Tayschrenn? he was a right bastard in Gardens of the Moon, with the implications of killing his own mages and burying the Bridgeburners. Now we are being told that he tried to help the Bridgeburners? That Laseen didn't send him to kill all the threats she perceived from within?

No, that happened.

:)

Welcome to Malazan!

Hey Maggie, sorry, that wasn't me asking the question about Taschrenn. That was me talking to myself.

At the end of Memories, the implications are that Tayschrenn tried to save the Bridgeburners by putting them in the tunnels. Well that was the impression i got.

right...lol

You see...Lasseen is not one to put all of her eggs in one basket, nor would she take the blame for anything unpopular...

that's all I meant

If you reread what happened at Pale, you will see it isn't as cut and dry as it looked at the time now that we know what we know about some of the other mages there...So were the Bridgeburners set up to die? Yup. Did Tayschrenn do this to them? No, but he sent them into the tunnels, which was part of the scheme.
and I think later in Gardens Tattersail remembers the demon raising from the side, making it seem as though one of the mages there tried to use the battle to 'cut down' some of their competition...

We will see more of this in RotCG

When I start looking backwards at this story i get a sense of vertigo. It never ceases to amaze me how big it all is.
Well into Midnight Tides and some Crimson Guards have just rocked up Iron Bars).
Absolutely loving this book, it is a riveting story. I am switching to Night of Knives next, so starting to catch up eh?

Maggie wrote: "I am really enjoying the flashbacks to the first battle at Y'ghatan...explains so much!"

We get awesome back story in this book!! I've always wanted to know what happen at the battle of Y'ghatan and what happened to the First Sword, Dassem! Again it's thru Temper eyes that we experience the flash backs so it's a truthful account of these events! :)

Lee wrote: ""I think the best thing about this book is seeing Tayschrenn in a different light. He seems a lot more human here! "

I haven't read this yet. I intend to next, I am slotting it in between Midnight..."

I never warmed to Silverfox, so I wasn't surprised by her reaction at the end of Memories....

As to Tay and where he stands, do we know where anybody REALLY stands??

Maggie wrote: "So what all did you think about the difference in writing style between ICE and SE???

It's somehow alike, yet a lot more concise, I'd say..."

I missed this comment this morning! :( I have to say that the very first time I read this book I picked it apart! :( I'm kinda up set with myself for doing so because I didn't let ICE tell me his story in his own words, I wanted it to be JUST like SE. I'm old enough to know it's hard enough being yourself, let alone trying to be like someone else!! This time around I truly enjoyed Night of Knives (I finished it during the Hurricane!:) and look forward to reading RotCG, which I started!

I know that their two styles are different yet they both got that Malazan "touch" to them that NO ONE ELSE would be able to carry off!!!

Shelley wrote: "Maggie wrote: "So what all did you think about the difference in writing style between ICE and SE???

It's somehow alike, yet a lot more concise, I'd say..."

I missed this comment this morning..."

I thought that ICE did a great job with his writing style. It has the Malazan feel, but enough of a difference that you know it is not SE. It can be a nice change since I feel he does not to overboard with details like SE (not that I don't mind that) does.

Hey gang! I came across this link on another post here on Goodreads, so I wanted to share it with every one here!! There is some amazing art in this collection! Enjoy!!

those were really good-I especially like the ones with Coltaine

Maggie wrote: "those were really good-I especially like the ones with Coltaine"

His and Karsa and Trull's pictures are awesome!! OH and how about Shadowthrone's pictures...amazing! :)

the scenery pics too...I think a really cool scene from this book would be the fisher man out in his boat protecting the city from the Stormrider invasion

Maggie wrote: "the scenery pics too...I think a really cool scene from this book would be the fisher man out in his boat protecting the city from the Stormrider invasion"

I love to see him do a stormrider picture for sure!! And yeah I love the Malaz Island pictures too! The dude commented that he didn't do sceenery pictures well, but I disagree I think they were great!!!

Speaking of the Stormrider, what did you think of him? He truly seems to be holding off all those stormriders!
I imagine in a convergence, that they would be able to do some harm to Malaz...He has to have an AWFUL lot of power!

Only half way through, but is storm rider the fisherman? Perhaps it's his singing? I know when I sing it keeps people away.
It appears the fisherman has done this before, as his goodbye to his wife, it gave the impression it was something they had experienced.
How often does the shadow moon happen?

Oh I worded that wrong! Yes I meant the fisherman chasing off the stormriders....
the shadow moon doesnt happen that often, but the stormriders are not limited tot he shadow moon, they just take advantage of it.

Ahha, I thInk the shadow moon happens two or three times per century.
Almost finished this, then will start on bone hunters.

Maggie wrote: "Oh I worded that wrong! Yes I meant the fisherman chasing off the stormriders....
the shadow moon doesnt happen that often, but the stormriders are not limited tot he shadow moon, they just take a..."

Maggie lol...there's sooooo many charaters we know it's amazing we can remember half of them!!! :)

Oh and I remember it being once every 100 years, or is it longer, between Shadow Moons!!

Speaking of which, isn't Edgewalker a great character??

Oh and how about Laseen's banning of "magic" users and seeing the attack on the Mouse from Kiska's point of view!

Haven't had too many comments on NoK so I hope everyone enjoyed reading how the old Emperor and Dancer became Shadowthrone and The Rope!!

For myself I enjoyed Kiska's and Temper's near misses all night long and how Kiska thought Temper was something out of a nightmare!!:))

I really enjoyed reading this. I read it early and have been reading other things. I get the details mixed up and I never seem to have my copy with me when I'm on Goodreads. This is why it's been good for me to keep pace with the group. I get too far ahead and then when it's time to discuss, I don't remember the finer points.

I have enjoyed the discussion on it. All of the fighting against the various things at the house was quite intense. I loved seeing Temper having a task worthy of him again.

Amelia wrote: "I really enjoyed reading this. I read it early and have been reading other things. I get the details mixed up and I never seem to have my copy with me when I'm on Goodreads. This is why it's been..."

It's true what you say Amelia, besides the fact that there are sooooo many details to forget! :)

We read ICE's RotCG next, I think you will enjoy that story as well, I love Ereko and Kyle! :)

I thought Reaper's was next? hmmm

I like Night of knives just for the change of pace...but i enjoyed tampers fight with the claws at Mocks hold, and the scenes with the fisherman


edit: just checked-it is Reaper's Gale next!

I got an email saying that RotCG was next, that's why I started reading it last week!!??

BUT I have to say it should be Reaper's Gale next then Return so...... *see Shelley putting down Return and picking up Reaper's Gale!*

hehehehehehe

Maggie wrote: "hehehehehehe"

:o)

Love to read about Trull and Onrack, Tehol and Bugg any day so....YAY!!!!!

Good, I thought it was Reaper's Gale next too. Although I'd be game to read Return of the Crimson Guard too. I'm excited to see what Bugg and Tehol have been up to too.

I'm about 60 pages into this book. His writing style is certainly different than Erikson's but the book has still been enjoyable so far. :)

I really thought the different style was a good change. I like them both but it is good to shake things up eh?

Yep, I agree!

First read this between Memories and House of Chains. I was a bit lost and thought maybe this would help...it didn't. I liked it enough but not a whole lot.
Well done with the main series now. And reread NoK. I did get more out of it. But I didn't recognize any names from Bonehunters. Oops. Lol. I liked it more than I did. The writing seemed a little Malazan-lite to me. Btw, started RotCG and that doesn't. I think I would've liked the book to focus on the main players though. Kellanved, Dancer, Surly, and Tayschrenn.
Strangely I really liked Tayschrenn here.
It makes me nervous that they can kill off each other's characters. I want more Malazan books...but...well you know.

I didn't look through these threads before because I wanted no spoilers accidental or otherwise but I think I will for my second (some are third) read through. You all have caught way more than I did. Lol.

Traci wrote: "It makes me nervous that they can kill off each other's characters. I want more Malazan books..."

This is the thing I find the most interesting of their co-writing! NO ONE has ever done this type co-authering like these two are doing it and it really works for me! :)

Interesting yes but (not really a spoiler but just in case) (view spoiler)[my favorite character lived through the main series. I was so happy and will be so pissed if ICE changes that. (hide spoiler)]

Traci wrote: "Interesting yes but (not really a spoiler but just in case) [spoilers removed]"

Traci, who's your favorite character??

I'll put it under spoiler again just in case.
(view spoiler)[Fiddler (hide spoiler)]

I would'nt worry about that! Remember the end of TCG???