Jon Taylor’s Reviews > Gardens of the Moon > Status Update

A black block appears in the gardens of Darujhistan. Lots of multi- character action but I still don’t feel the stakes.

The big bad has arrived. Don’t know why Erikson didn’t build him up more - feels a bit like it was added on to keep the story going somehow. Would have given the middle of the book more tension. Things moving again now though.

Where’s the epic overriding plot that ties everyone together? This feels disjointed with too many subplots that are beginning to feel like they don’t need to be there. Slowing me down at this crucial stage of the book…

Weird passage with Hairlock, Paran, Toc, Rake and the Hounds. Some of this seems pointless - wildly imaginative and still interesting, but I really hope all those strands mean something in the grand scheme of things.

T’laan Imass lore is cool. Not sure why Lorn is crying. So many threads: it’s tricky keeping them all to mind - I’d forgotten Hairlock!

Exciting mage battle.

Starting to understand that things happen before they get explained in this book. Quite rewarding if you stick with it. And the last chapter stepped things up pace wise. Good.

Tattersall reborn. Kruppe is irritating. Not sure who I’m supposed to be rooting for but I think that’s how it’s supposed to be. So many characters and subplots that it is a little difficult to follow - also lacking a bit of excitement at the midpoint - but I’m still confident it will be worth the effort.

Becoming very convoluted - hanging on at the moment. Hope this all pulls together into something epic. Still enjoying the ride though…

Author says that readers will have made their minds up around the first third of the novel as to whether they are exasperated by the detail and lack of exposition or are in it for the long haul. Well, about a third in I’m in the latter camp. Must confess, found it hard to ‘start again’ after Book 1 finished but am feeling myself drawn back in…