r/Malazan

Kinda wanting to put off starting his next book I’ve enjoyed the rest a ton and I do trust the process just didn’t find trull that appealing in HoC. How long did this book take to grab you guys?

I used to do these types of posts when reading wheel of time and wanted to ask again for some Malazan books.

So reddit, what are some of the best chapters of Toll the Hounds?

And if you want, add you least favorite chapters too! Do your best to explain with minimal to no spoilers.

Finished all of Malazan book of the fallen and like many was wondering if I should read Esslemont books. Read a few reviews and decided to give it a try and boy am I happy I did. Currently on book 2 (return of the crimson guard) and the amount of gaps this fills for some very cool characters so far is nice. Are the poem’s and writing as fancy as Erickson? Not so far. Is it well written and good books so far? Absolutely. Mostly to keep myself accountable on reading often I started a fable group for Esslemont books as I go through them. Only started it as I was 1/4 of the way through book 2 but did but a review for night of knives on fable as well. If you’re reading Esslemont or not sure feel free to pop in or message me.

I’m a bit into crimson guard and my god how many characters in Malazan are named Rell. Is it their Smith/Mohammed?

>!After praying for his downfall for 900 pages, finally getting to read Karsa Orlong kill Bidithal so brutally was exactly how I wanted him to go out.!<

I finished the main 10 a couple months ago and I’ve been reading Forge of Darkness. I would say that it has been the most enjoyable Malazan book I’ve read to date. Front to back I have loved every bit of it! The feel of the book has really resonated with me, and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know more about the Tiste. It makes the whole Shake storylines in DoD and TCG way more interesting.

For some reason I’ve not felt rushed at all. I know the absolute ending of the story, so I’ve just been enjoying soaking in the characters and worldbuilding.

Hoping the third is worked on soon!

Help! Trying to find some Malazan iPhone wallpapers but not having any luck. Anyone know of anywhere I can find them??

I'm on HoC now, and I feel like the character descriptions are quite sparse. Only Tattersail's curves every get a clear description lol. I looked up Paran on the malazan wiki and it just said black hair. In the fan art he looks southern European but I saw someone say Quon Tali have huge racial diversity (from nothern European to east asian to sub-saharan african as closest real world equivalents). Obviously this is nit something I would normally think about when reading a fantasy book, but given that anthropology is so baked in the DNA of the series, it really has me wondering. Reading the books, we come to understand why certain races are distributed in certain areas, so I was wondering if human ethnic diversity/ evolution follows a similar pattern to our earth. Plus random blue people of course. For how small Napan looks on the map, there sure seems to be a ton of Napan characters.

Jus finished book 2, why does it feel like most of the povs are just different groups of characters wandering across the desert

Lorasta Yil talking to Pearl and this cracked me up considering what book it came from. Don't think i caught that one before...

Main idea of fundamental plotline in Malazan books so far(im finishing Dust of Dreams rn) is "no gods, no circumstances can stop ordinary folk with enough explosive garbage".

Micdrop.

P.s. Of course, enough explosive garbage AND idea of doing things as just as possible.

I have finished DoD and one thing stuck to me. Maybe I will learn more in chained god but what’s the deal with Forkrul Assail ? Why do they want to chase after children and kill them all.

I remember from a previous book that they had obsession about judgement ? But like a twisted sense of it, so they are more like nihilistic society that just wants to kill everything because that’s the judgement ? I just don’t understand.

And then like they are suppose to be super powerful race ? Like similar to Jaghut.

Chapter 5:

Big Reveal.

Batman and Joker were Dancer and the Emperor the whole time. I don’t want to accept it. In my mind, the Emperor is like this big, serious human version of Anomander Rake while Shadowthrone is similar to Kruppe.

In GoTM I almost wanted to call them Team Rocket, the title I initially gave to Oponn. But them being the Emperor and Dancer, did the process of becoming a god screw with them?

Fiddler figured it out when Apsalar started talking from Dancer’s POV. So they do remember their previous lives. Why did they attack their own soldiers at the beginning of GoTM? Why not join hands with Whiskeyjack and Dujek?

Also, somebody injured Moby. They better have a good explanation.

I want to see the reaction of other people when they discover this info. Kalam finally manages to make the delivery, and in return he gets a demon escort: the Aptorian demon. Was it this guy that Icarium and Mappo were stalking earlier? The demon is related to Shadowthrone as well. Is this the way Kalam will find out about Shadowthrone’s identity?

Anyway, after Kalam leaves, as soon as Sha’ik opens the book, the red capes who were following Kalam shoot her in the head. Her two protectors beat them up pretty well and wrap Sha’ik in a blanket.

Chapter 6:

There is so much sadness in this world. I feel it would be better for Felisin if she had died early on.

BTW, I have a theory: the Empress wanted to get rid of nobles for some reason. Maybe she feared something. What if the act of avoiding that fate eventually leads to just that, Felisin becomes an omega level threat? My theory hinges on the fact that two of three siblings have become important figures. I assume the third would follow as well.

She is obsessed with Beneth, her abuser. I guess he is the most predictable of the few people she knows.

When Beneth took her out during patrol past curfew, I thought that was the end for her. But luckily she survived. A soldier dude rescued her and took her to Heboric and Baudin. They were planning to escape, without her.

Well, I have a theory. Initially, H&B were planning to escape with her. But she moved more and more towards Beneth, and on top of that she is literally a child, they didn’t let her in on the plan. And I think the moment that sealed the deal and took her out of the plan was when she wanted to go back to Beneth after being brutally beaten by him.

Anyway, here she throws a fit that she wants Beneth. Baudin goes back to look for him. Man, I don’t want to read a Beneth redemption.

Heboric saves Felisin’s life from the flies. I’m inclined to say they are even now. BTW, when the flies avoided Heboric and his hands were glowing, weren’t they chopped off? Is he a mage?

Baudin comes back bearing the good news that Beneth is dead. Felisin thinks he is lying.

The thing is, Felisin is acting in a way that invites frustration. It is understandable. I hope she grows out of the infatuation she has with Beneth and sees things clearly after some time alone.

Duiker and Kulp are making moves to save Heboric; they meet up with some Malazan soldiers, and shit goes south. Kulp ends up on the boat with the Malazan soldiers, they seemed to be followers of Fener, the god Heboric used to follow, and Duiker has to pretend to be a rebel to get back to Coltaine.

This will be interesting. I wonder if he will join them against the Malazans?

After Mappo and Icarium fight Pust’s broom, he tells them that they have to leave. Mappo doesn’t want Icarium’s memories to return. Is this guy a prisoner, a hostage? What did Mappo do to him in the past? Or maybe Icarium has a traumatic past.

Fiddler had pretended to be a Gral, a people who are very serious about identity theft, and it’s his luck that he was on the same trail as a whole Gral tribe. They have one punishment for identity theft: death. This time Fiddler manages to get away. Also, what is going on with Moby? He is definitely a magic monkey. He disappears and appears at will. But is he fighting his own fights? Because last time he came back with injuries.

Also, there is something called Tremorlor that Fiddler wants to reach. Quick Ben told him about it, so I’m inclined to believe it.

I really like how Kalam isn’t clueless. He actually sensed out that someone was following him. The Red Blades should start counting their days. Kalam and the Apt demon are attacked by a D’iver wolf, I think the same one who was talking with Icarium and Mappo earlier. Anyway, they fight the wolves; Kalam loses one of his daggers but they manage to survive.

For how long can I call myself a new reader??

I am on the third book, I am absolutely in love with at least 5 different characters, I still don't completely understand the way everything works, but reading some of these passages has my heart thumping excitedly because of how brilliant the writing, the description, the dialogue is!

I missed this feeling and I savour it.