Steven Erikson here. I'm taking the liberty of putting a link to this on my Erikson FB page. Thanks for such a succinct analysis. I do get that this book has a lot of chaff buzzing around it, and even many fans of the series find it to be the weakest of the lot. Naturally, I view it somewhat differently. GotM sets the table and it does so by beginning the convention of deconstructing and inverting common (at the time) fantasy tropes, and I do recall I had a lot of fun writing it, especially with the stylistic tone of understatement prevalent throughout, particularly in dialogue. The pace is certainly ramped up as well. I'm now very curious how you will respond to the prologue of Deadhouse Gates, as it asserts a distinctly different tone (hopefully no less poetic). Given that you picked up on how the weather vane opening to the series actually signposted (pun intended) the entire series, I suspect you will read perfectly what's there in the 'buzzing' figure arriving in the prologue's very first scene. In the meantime, have an enjoyable and peaceful holiday break.
No way! Thanks so much for taking the time to watch my video! I definitely got the feeling that you had a lot of fun writing the novel; you had to have with the level of detail and care given to every little thing. I was surprised to learn that Gardens of the Moon is regarded by many as the weakest novel because I enjoyed it so thoroughly. I’m incredibly excited to continue on with the series. Thanks again for sharing my video and commenting, this really made my whole week. Happy holidays!
Wow, that is SO awesome that the author commented on your video. Kudos, both to you and him. I am definitely going to read it in January. That kind of fan interaction is amazing. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Great analysis of the weather vane! You’re spot on about the prose and the characters too. I’m so happy you’ve started Malazan, not least because I can’t wait to hear more of your reactions.
This legit might be the best 'first impressions breakdown' for this book I've seen. And not just only because you enjoyed it of course, but your cutting through the mythos around it and just getting down to what it is... I'd suggest this video over so many others for new readers. So good.
also very interested in your spoilery takes, esp with what specifically you weren't as taken with. I find solid critique on it very rare. Always feels like people are 100% in or 100% out, which is... ironic given much of the point of the series.
It's so good to see the Malazan community slowly building up in UA-cam. All the content creators supporting each other and Mr. Erikson himself also comments on a lot of videos. This community is becoming one of the most supportive communities on this platform and I'm enjoying every moment of it. Loved the video and can't wait for you to get to Deadhouse Gates. Hope you have a great journey 👍
As someone who has been wanting to read Malazan for about a year and has watched tons of non spoiler videos, I think this one was the best. I'm reading Malazan second half of 2021 and I think this review has me the most excited for it. I really appreciate your approach to the subject of the complexity for the series and whether or not it's truly grimdark. Aces, great work!
Characters, prose, humor-I completely agree with each topic you discussed. I was definitely at an advantage not having heard a single review when I read the book. The bakery explosion analogy was excellent! I loved how Erikson did that in Gardens of the Moon. I don't recall him doing that as much in Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice, but that was one of my favorite devices in GotM! I haven't heard any other reviewer discuss that, and you described it perfectly.
Ah it’s disappointing to hear the structure isn’t as prevalent in other books but I’m still curious to keep reading. Erikson’s prose is good enough that I’ll give anything he writes a chance now.
@@r1ddhima it'll be used again in the series a number of times, sometimes books apart - as is the case with deadhouse gates... you'll see a certain strange ship, and then in later books you'll see it from, well your bakery analogy is good.
I originally found out about your channel through Philip Chase, but I was so excited when I saw that Erikson shared this on his FB! It was definitely a great discussion and very worthy of the spotlight he put on your video. I love it when people who have been trained in writing and dissecting books talk about Malazan because I feel like there is so much there to plumb from its depths. Your analysis here is right up there with the best I've seen so I thank you for your contribution to the community and, as a fan, I can't wait for your next Malazan video!
Wow thank you! I really appreciate the kind words from someone who is a super fan. I can’t wait to get through the rest of the series so I can do a deep dive of your channel. Thanks again!
Wow... This is probably the best analysis of Gardens of the moon I've watched so far from a first-time reader. The insight you have on the series after having read less than 10% is mind-blowing. It speaks of how much attention you are paying. I look forward to the point when you reach Book 3 or 5 or 10 and realize just how right you are in many of your points. Amazing content, keep it up!
“Malazan awards curiosity” yes yes yes. Every time I’d get done reading a chapter or 2 before bed, I’d brain storm so much about the series that was fueled by my curiosity
This was truly an excellent video! The fact that you already have such a good grasp of the series makes me optimistic you're going to love the rest. If you ask me, the difficulty is often a tad overhyped. It's not an easy read, but not as impossible as some people say it is either. Re grimdark: GotM is probably the least dark book in the series. Deadhouse Gates is definitely darker, as you'll see and the series does have a hunch of pretty brutal scenes. But it never really gets completely nihilistic. Grimhope is a good term to describe it, I think. Also, GotM is the weakest book in terms of prose and characterisation. Erikson improves a lot in those areas and the series gets more humorous, too! Have fun on your journey! :)
Just finished Gardens of the Moon yesterday! One of my expectations vs realities was I expected this not to be a satisfying novel for some reason? Like I thought it was going to be this big set up that I was just going to have to deal with but its actually a really satisfying story! For sure not perfectly paced for my taste but the pay off for this slow burn was really worth it. And I do like the characters but wish I had gotten a bit more page time watching characters interact with each other and develop those relationships but honestly I really did like my experience as weird as it was. I don't think I have ever spent so long reading a fantasy book since Dance of Dragons which is a lot a longer.
I just finished Gardens of the Moon as part of Mike's Book Reviews read-along and I now I'm gobbling up as much content about it as I can. You said "Malazan rewards curiosity" and I think, despite all the analysis that could be done about this book, your statement is the most important. As much as I loved my experience with GotM, the most powerful aspect of it was how much it drew me in and how much I wanted to keep reading and learning about this world. I can't wait to read more and watch more of your reviews!
Love to see Malazan getting more recognition recently. GotM really shouldn’t be demonised as it is, not that hard to grasp if you are really into it. Defiantly not easy reading, but it’s a give and take from reader to writer that pays off so well.
700 SUBS LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I am even more excited to get into the series now, because I actually LOVE being slam dunked into world building. Like just being expected to know what's happening before I even know what's.....even happening. Also this format of review is chefs kiss, so unique. An interesting content creating QUEEN.
Thank you so much for doing this video. I was gifted the entire series...about ten years ago. BUT, everyone has made it sound so incomprehenible...that I have not ventured to read it. I know a LOT of people praise it, but...it has been intimidating. I am going to put Gardens of the Moon on my January TBR now.Thank you.
AHHHH That's simply awesome. i'm so glad i was able to assuage some doubts/fears about the series. If I can stick with it, so can you. Happy reading in the New Year :)
@@r1ddhima - Yes, I'm currently gathering my TBR for January 2021 right now. It's on the docket. I have a strange TBR. I've been reading nearly 30 books a month...so my TBR is about 90-100 books long. I read nearly 30%. It is near the top. BOTH book 1 & 2. Thank you.
Ive read1000s of fantasy books and i really think that Malazan is the no1 fantasy series ive read,it totally knocked ASOIAF out of my top five series ...i love LOTR because it was my gateway to fantasy in the 70s and though its very close(for me) to Wheel Of Time i feel Malazan is a shade better...
I am happy you liked it! Some books are more about war then others. Not sure if you have heard this before but Steven Erikson was asked to sum up the series in one word and he said compassion. Hearing that made me appreciate the reread. I also thought your take on it was spot on.
First off, loved this and the fact that the man himself commented speaks more to your review than I could ever accomplish. Second Off, The Elf on the Shelf showing up threw me for a loop. I look forward to your continued reviews. Also do SPOILER reviews. No one seems to do them and well when you meet Storm and Gessler (or Bug) you'll hopefully understand why.
if you’ve already finished malazan or you’re about to start, or you just love books, come join my discord! I need more people to talk to about malazan 👀 discord.gg/Scy2uxf94b
I’ve read it twice, and am about to start my third read through the series. I agree with just about all of what you said, especially about Erikson’s sense of humor. So cool that Erikson responded.
This was such a good look at the book. I’ve not read it yet, largely because I’m a victim of the “complicated” hype surrounding the series. But it’s one I want to try soon. I’m hoping in 2021 to get to it. I’m glad you mentioned the characters being well developed. That has always been my biggest fear about the series is that it was idea focused rather than character focused. Which is not something I enjoy in books. Great video as always! Happy reading 😊😊😊
Great analysis. Great video editing for commentary pacing...reminds me of the speed of GotM. Congratulations on Erikson linking to this. Such an honor. After listening to this, I am really looking forward to your DHG and especially MoI analysis and reactions. You won't be disappointed. Thank you and nice work.
Your first time reading experience of Gardens of the Moon (I suspect you will read it more then once) makes me think you will absolutely looove the rest, because it will only get better, funnier and more emotional. Looking forward to more Malazan from you!
This was perfect. I decided to do the read along with Mike's Book Reviews. This is all the more motivating and calms some of my apprehension. Great job!
Wow, this was a fantastic video! Thank you for using yourself as a case study to dispel the myths surrounding Malazan and GoTM. I loved your comments about each scene being a stanza in a poem and the tone of dramatic irony. Very refreshing and intelligent discussion on this book. I look forward to hearing more from you!
This video was so helpful! I think unmet expectations are big reason why some people dislike good books. Sure it's fun to go into a series knowing nothing about it at all; therefore, no expectations, but with a series this big...I have to see what I'm getting myself into. haha
Jimmy Nutts brought me here and he was right: excellent review! I'm halfway through the book right now and agree with all you said. I hope more readers can adjust their expectations when going into this because I think that's all that is needed to be able to take it on and enjoy reading Malazan.
This was so helpful, I was planning on reading Malazan in the future but there was always this .. dreafulness surrounding the idea, like preparing myself for some chore to do, but this made me so excited, the way you made a breakdown of the book was super helpful and refreshing .. thank you and now I'm super excited to pick them up!
FANTASTIC analysis! Probably one of the best first impression breakdown I have seen! Can't wait to see what you have to say about Deadhouse Gates! PS. I am on book 3 now, but I did hear the series get funnier later!
Such an astute analysis, I like how you support each of your conclusions. I'm finishing GotM these days, and my impression is very much the same, but you put it in better words. :)
I loved watching the elf move around! :) I plan on starting this series in January and glad to hear your review on the book...looking forward to this series!
Oh wow. I am just so excited for you, and to watch your impressions as you proceed. It would be great to see you do this for the whole series, and then do a response to this first video after. Buckle up!
Hi friend, glad I found you while deep-diving Malazan content. Your analysis of and interest to further a Malazan journey tells me that you will find the whole series a soul changing literary experience. 4th re-read here to encourage your read
Wow. Just wow. I am very analytical and really liked the point counter point format. It is really not to comment without spoilers. But your intuition is spot on about so many things. Especially the comments on the battle scenes. But you do seem do have adapted to the style and format a lot faster than many. They are different which some equate to complicated. Yes, enjoy the ride as there are so many payoffs. Add me to the list of those curious on your continued reviews.
I know I’m late to the party here. I have not read Malazan. Your review has me more interested in reading this book than any I have watched so far. Thank you for that. I think it was the structure of expectation vs. reality that you used. I need to clear out some of my TBR but now I think I will give this book a try within the year:) BTW I found your channel through your Chatting with Nutts episode on The Fantasy Nuttwork. Plan to watch more of your videos soon. Keep up the good work :)
Just wanted to say this was an excellent review and I’m excited to follow the rest of your Malazan journey! I’m working my way through the series right now too and I agree the ‘difficult read’ aspect is way overhyped. Also, so cool that Erikson commented and shared this to his page!! Kudos.
I seriously can't wait to read this and this is yet another video you've made that gets me excited for a book. I need me some complex and dark fantasy. I also love a 'show don't tell' kind of book. I wanna be thrown in there! So I'm ready. Great video as always, Riddhima 💚
Excellent take on the weather vane! In some ways you can see the entire series mirrored in the first book and I am so glad you caught that this early. It's going to be great seeing your progress through the series.
Thank you for your video. This was really helpful and a balanced view...loved how you pointed out the difference between difficulty versus “gate keeping” 😂 right? This video brings a fresh voice to Malazan videos ❤️🙌
I'm about 4000 pages into the series and finally starting to figure it out. I can't say it's one I'd suggest easily, since it is a bit of an investment. (Frankly the "It makes more sense the second time you read it" crowd are a bit annoying since life is too short for that) However it is essential to undertake at least once if you want to consider yourself a "fantasy aficionado" or whatever. Anyway, good luck with the channel!
Welcome to this excellent series. A lot of your points regarding difficulty and characterisation I completely agree with. I hope to see the review of the rest of the series.
Next books are even better :) Much much better actually. GotM was written in 1991 as a film script and some time later turned into a novel. A novel which nearly no publisher wanted to publish. Next books in the series are written as novels from the beginning and it makes a big difference. Enjoy Christmas and I look forward to watch your review of the rest of the Malazan series :)
That’s super interesting! I definitely get a cinematic feel from the dialogue and the settings. Gardens of the Moon would make an awesome movie (with a huge budget lol)
@@r1ddhima Yes, GotM could work as a standalone movie but the whole series could not. At least not without massive cuts and that would destroy it. Which is sad but still better than terrible adaptation :)
Great job on your video! I'm excited to see how your impressions of Malazan and Erikson as a writer change throughout the 10 books. Personally, I don't think SE goes on a tear until Memories of Ice, but the quality of the story ramps up drastically between GotM and DG. The two things that are going to change for you are the darker aspects of the series (GotM is pretty light-hearted compared to the rest) and also the "progressive" or "forward-thinking" aspects of the series. Erikson and Esslemont created an egalitarian universe that would be ahead of its time if the books were released in 2050 or beyond that. Just give it time. I hope you make a new video with each book. Scope my videos for a spoiler-free full series review if you are interested. I am not a book reviewer. Great work on this! Your enthusiasm is palpable.
Interesting to hear the quality gets better, and I'm curious to find out more of this "egalitarian" society. Thanks for taking the time to leave such a detailed comment.
Great video. I'm looking forward to seeing more videos on your malazan journey. I read the first book over 10 years ago amd still remember how I felt when reading it. Alot of Wtf moments for the first half but once I was more familiar with his writing it became much easier and so much fun to read. Take care 😀
Short, concise, and to the point; way to cut through much of the mythos and misconceptions. Hope to start a reread the first of the year. Good analysis. Great review.
I'm on third read through it's a masterpiece of fantasy and each book shows the growth of Erikson writing and the way he writes the common soldiers is as good as( Coles the black company) and when you get to "midnight tides" there is a group of characters that would fit into( Terry Pratchett's Discworld) I actually laughed out loud
Excellent video, great insights - looking forward to seeing your reviews going forward 😊 With regards to the difficulty, is it exaggerated? I'd say yes, and no. Is GotM or the series as a whole extremely hard to get in to and read - does it require high intelligence, superb grasp of literary tools and mastery of the language? No! But, on a spectrum, it leans more towards difficult than easy. Because of the way it is structured, the layers, language and lack of handholding.. it can be daunting. And that's even without considering there are ten big books in the main series, with a constantly growing number of books surrounding it. I think it pays to sketch a realistic image to new readers - but I think the size of the series alone does most of the intimidating. As to the romances, I often see those criticized and I always feel impelled to defend them. In part I feel the drama there is inflated because GotM was initially written as a screenplay - and Hollywood needs them dramas.. But there are several types of romantic relationships used by Erikson - from teenage infatuation to trauma-fuelled codependency - and like most events in the book they can be interpreted differently as seen through the eyes of various characters. Just as the historical and political events change meaning when looked at with different eyes. Exactly the same as the exploding bakery.
firstly the structure of this video is gr8, secondly plz consider a future career in audiobook narration (squeaky voice preferable) - i'm the same way with endorsement > synopsis, seeing peoples love for a series is usually what convinces me to pick it up (literally the only thing i knew about malazan before this was how obsessed ppl are with it)
Gardens of the Moon is exactly summed up in a phrase "Not completely sold on". It's quite hard to read on the first go and it took me a half a year break to finish it. Then i managed to read a second book in 2 months. In the next 4 months i reached book 7, reading Malazan non-stop. It begins slow but when you give it time to brew it blows your fucking mind. Hands down one of the most impressive and deep fantasy series i know. And that's before i even finished it! :D
You're gonna love the portrayal of women in the coming books. No other series can top the amount of badass woman that is in Malazan. Can't wait to see your Deadhouse Gates review.
Great video, great insights and analysis. I have always loved this series and you're inspiring me to pick it up again with what you've said in mind this go 'round. Cheers. :)
I'm so envy at anyone who starts with the Malazan journey. I can not describe what reading this series made me feel. If you enjoy The Gardens of The Moon you will enjoy the rest and the other books of this rich world. I'm now reading The Fall Of Light and it is so much more then just a book to me. After that I think I reread the Malazan again. BTW, I see the ten books as one story so it is really hard for me to say which one is the weakest or which one is my fav. Its all one big epic mega super story.
good video! definitely move on with the series, things get better after this book. also, check out some of Glen Cooks works, particularly The Black Company series and the Dread Empire series. you'll see some similarities with those series to Malazan
I very excited to have this as a tool to show potential readers rather than me just verbally flailing about. I agree on the Shakespearian tone, many of the scenes of dialog would be very fun to adapt to the stage.
A bit of an extra to offer on your assertion that this isn’t really grimdark fantasy:: it’s closer to the original bit of grimdark fantasy than what the sub genre is now known for. The oldest example of it is Glen Cook’s Black Company, a mercenary company usually hired by classic fantasy’s bad guys.
It took me 6 attempts to get through GOTM after coming from Sanderson and Abercrombie. My main advice to new readers after just finishing Midnight Tides and reading the series consistently for 5 months is to just go with it. Don't expect anything to make sense straight away, just know it eventually will, this isn't a take away meal, it's a 10 course taster menu that will challenge you in ways that no other series can. PS. Welcome to the Anomander Rake fanclub!
im back after just finishing gardens of the moon! ty so much for making this video, while i was interested in the series, you made it seem much more approachable and im so glad i read it. i completely agree with what you said where it feels like the second or third book in a series, and i really loved that since it was very fun and engaging trying to keep up with all the characters and all the threads of their intentions and alliances. i also agree that labeling certain fantasy series beginner or advanced probably does more harm than good, but on the other hand i think i would only recommend this book to someone who had already read some epic fantasy and who might be tired of farmboy humble beginnings and infodumping as gardens of the moons beginning feels like the opposite of that
Untill now... I was scared to read malazan... Like I was watching explanation of magic systems and history of malazan (without spoilers) just so I could understand the book better n enjoy.... But after watching ur vdo.... Int actually really really excited (and not intimidated) to read it asap... A grt vdo. Thank u !!! 💝🙏🙌
That’s awesome, I can’t wait to reread the series once I’ve finished it. It’s one of those series that you notice a million things on reread that you didn’t the first time around
Malazan does get very very dark. But the series is about compassion, and all the terrible things which happen are contrasted with the people who choose to do the right thing. So it’s definitely quite a hopeful series by the end.
I would say Malazan is ultimately optimistic, despite the brutal shit going on in later novels. It is certainly dark, but there is always a light in the end of the tunnel.
I've read Stormlight archive,lotr,asoiaf,kingkiller chronicles,wheel of time and a lot of other dark,low and epic fantasy books but among them all Malazan is in my top 3 of all time.
The one thing I would push back on is the notion that Malazan isn't grimdark. Certainly GotM is particularly grimdark. And I wouldn't necessarily say that grimdark describes the series as a whole. But most of the books going forwards has points where it gets grimdark. And when it gets grimdark, Malazan gets really grimdark.
If you liked his prose in GotM then you're in for a treat, it continuously gets better throughout the series, with a significant jump in the second book. Cheers!
this was great to watch, thanks so much! I’m a little conflicted rn between what i should read next, I’m finishing WoR in stormlight, and have wanted to go on to wheel of time, but love what ppl have said of the writing in malazan. Would you suggest alternating books or will that make my brain explode 😭
This series has been on my TBR for a while now, how does it compare in complexity with the book of the new sun? I think people are really doing the books a disservice by talking about how hard they are to read instead of giving people advice on how to better read them. To explain that it won't be straightforward like a brandon sanderson novel but that it's easily doable if you take your time, and don't just skip the parts that you don't understand. I think many people are too intimidated to start reading series and books that have the reputation of being hard to read. And or they try to read them, then quickly get confused at the start, instead of trying to understand it they keep reading and then at the end they claim they didn't get it or impossible to understand. If you look at recent reviews for books like Neuromancer it's mostly like that. Even positive reviews claim they didn't know what was happening half the time.
Steven Erikson here. I'm taking the liberty of putting a link to this on my Erikson FB page. Thanks for such a succinct analysis. I do get that this book has a lot of chaff buzzing around it, and even many fans of the series find it to be the weakest of the lot. Naturally, I view it somewhat differently. GotM sets the table and it does so by beginning the convention of deconstructing and inverting common (at the time) fantasy tropes, and I do recall I had a lot of fun writing it, especially with the stylistic tone of understatement prevalent throughout, particularly in dialogue. The pace is certainly ramped up as well. I'm now very curious how you will respond to the prologue of Deadhouse Gates, as it asserts a distinctly different tone (hopefully no less poetic). Given that you picked up on how the weather vane opening to the series actually signposted (pun intended) the entire series, I suspect you will read perfectly what's there in the 'buzzing' figure arriving in the prologue's very first scene. In the meantime, have an enjoyable and peaceful holiday break.
That post brought me here! Loved the analysis, and always enjoy hearing an author's response / rebuttal.
No way! Thanks so much for taking the time to watch my video!
I definitely got the feeling that you had a lot of fun writing the novel; you had to have with the level of detail and care given to every little thing.
I was surprised to learn that Gardens of the Moon is regarded by many as the weakest novel because I enjoyed it so thoroughly. I’m incredibly excited to continue on with the series. Thanks again for sharing my video and commenting, this really made my whole week. Happy holidays!
Wow, that is SO awesome that the author commented on your video. Kudos, both to you and him. I am definitely going to read it in January. That kind of fan interaction is amazing. Thank you for sharing this with us.
I'm a simple man, I see good Malazan content, I like and subscribe. Great video!!!
Honestly, i'm amazed at how active you are in interacting with your fans. It is quite heartwarming.
Great analysis of the weather vane! You’re spot on about the prose and the characters too. I’m so happy you’ve started Malazan, not least because I can’t wait to hear more of your reactions.
I can’t wait to read the rest of the books! thanks for stopping by 😊
@@r1ddhima Always a pleasure!
Thanks for the intro to this channel a while back, Philip. High-quality stuff here!
@@IskarJarak Totally agreed!
This legit might be the best 'first impressions breakdown' for this book I've seen. And not just only because you enjoyed it of course, but your cutting through the mythos around it and just getting down to what it is... I'd suggest this video over so many others for new readers. So good.
also very interested in your spoilery takes, esp with what specifically you weren't as taken with. I find solid critique on it very rare. Always feels like people are 100% in or 100% out, which is... ironic given much of the point of the series.
Thank you for the kind words! I might make a spoilery discussion video in the future, maybe once I'm half way through.
It's so good to see the Malazan community slowly building up in UA-cam. All the content creators supporting each other and Mr. Erikson himself also comments on a lot of videos. This community is becoming one of the most supportive communities on this platform and I'm enjoying every moment of it. Loved the video and can't wait for you to get to Deadhouse Gates. Hope you have a great journey 👍
Indeed, the community is hella supportive and I love it
As someone who has been wanting to read Malazan for about a year and has watched tons of non spoiler videos, I think this one was the best. I'm reading Malazan second half of 2021 and I think this review has me the most excited for it. I really appreciate your approach to the subject of the complexity for the series and whether or not it's truly grimdark. Aces, great work!
thank you, I can’t wait to see what you think of malazan! It’s such a unique experience
Characters, prose, humor-I completely agree with each topic you discussed. I was definitely at an advantage not having heard a single review when I read the book. The bakery explosion analogy was excellent! I loved how Erikson did that in Gardens of the Moon. I don't recall him doing that as much in Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice, but that was one of my favorite devices in GotM! I haven't heard any other reviewer discuss that, and you described it perfectly.
Ah it’s disappointing to hear the structure isn’t as prevalent in other books but I’m still curious to keep reading. Erikson’s prose is good enough that I’ll give anything he writes a chance now.
@@r1ddhima it'll be used again in the series a number of times, sometimes books apart - as is the case with deadhouse gates... you'll see a certain strange ship, and then in later books you'll see it from, well your bakery analogy is good.
I originally found out about your channel through Philip Chase, but I was so excited when I saw that Erikson shared this on his FB! It was definitely a great discussion and very worthy of the spotlight he put on your video. I love it when people who have been trained in writing and dissecting books talk about Malazan because I feel like there is so much there to plumb from its depths. Your analysis here is right up there with the best I've seen so I thank you for your contribution to the community and, as a fan, I can't wait for your next Malazan video!
Wow thank you! I really appreciate the kind words from someone who is a super fan. I can’t wait to get through the rest of the series so I can do a deep dive of your channel. Thanks again!
Wow... This is probably the best analysis of Gardens of the moon I've watched so far from a first-time reader.
The insight you have on the series after having read less than 10% is mind-blowing. It speaks of how much attention you are paying.
I look forward to the point when you reach Book 3 or 5 or 10 and realize just how right you are in many of your points.
Amazing content, keep it up!
Thank you for the kind words! I spent a lot of time writing this review so I really appreciate it 🥰
“Malazan awards curiosity” yes yes yes. Every time I’d get done reading a chapter or 2 before bed, I’d brain storm so much about the series that was fueled by my curiosity
that’s the best feeling, when you think about a book even when you’re not reading it
@@r1ddhima for sure! And Malazan made me do that way more than any series which is a big part of why I love it
This was truly an excellent video! The fact that you already have such a good grasp of the series makes me optimistic you're going to love the rest.
If you ask me, the difficulty is often a tad overhyped. It's not an easy read, but not as impossible as some people say it is either.
Re grimdark: GotM is probably the least dark book in the series. Deadhouse Gates is definitely darker, as you'll see and the series does have a hunch of pretty brutal scenes. But it never really gets completely nihilistic. Grimhope is a good term to describe it, I think.
Also, GotM is the weakest book in terms of prose and characterisation. Erikson improves a lot in those areas and the series gets more humorous, too!
Have fun on your journey! :)
“Grim hope” I LOVE THAT. I’m not a huge fan of nihilism, if there’s no point then why write the story? Thanks for the insight on future books!
Just finished Gardens of the Moon yesterday! One of my expectations vs realities was I expected this not to be a satisfying novel for some reason? Like I thought it was going to be this big set up that I was just going to have to deal with but its actually a really satisfying story! For sure not perfectly paced for my taste but the pay off for this slow burn was really worth it. And I do like the characters but wish I had gotten a bit more page time watching characters interact with each other and develop those relationships but honestly I really did like my experience as weird as it was. I don't think I have ever spent so long reading a fantasy book since Dance of Dragons which is a lot a longer.
OMG. another mezla tuber. I can’t wait for you to read Deadhouse Gates!!
Same! I just need to get my hands on a copy lol
@@r1ddhima Can I donate a kindle version to the cause while you wait?? We're selfishly thirsting for more Malazan content!
😭😭😭 Thank you, but I ended up buying it myself! Malazan content incoming 🚂🚂🚂
@@r1ddhima party time!
I just finished Gardens of the Moon as part of Mike's Book Reviews read-along and I now I'm gobbling up as much content about it as I can. You said "Malazan rewards curiosity" and I think, despite all the analysis that could be done about this book, your statement is the most important. As much as I loved my experience with GotM, the most powerful aspect of it was how much it drew me in and how much I wanted to keep reading and learning about this world. I can't wait to read more and watch more of your reviews!
Thanks, I’m reading Deadhouse Gates right now so it’ll be coming out soonish!
So much Malazan on UA-cam lately, I'm so excited to see more from you as you read through!
Thank you, I hope you enjoy your stay! 😊
The algorithm saves
Love to see Malazan getting more recognition recently. GotM really shouldn’t be demonised as it is, not that hard to grasp if you are really into it. Defiantly not easy reading, but it’s a give and take from reader to writer that pays off so well.
well put! Rewarding is exactly how I’d describe reading this book.
700 SUBS LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I am even more excited to get into the series now, because I actually LOVE being slam dunked into world building. Like just being expected to know what's happening before I even know what's.....even happening. Also this format of review is chefs kiss, so unique. An interesting content creating QUEEN.
Rachael 🥺🥺🥺 thank u, I’m patiently waiting for you to read gotm so we can talk about it 💕
OKAY 3K VIEWS 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you so much for doing this video. I was gifted the entire series...about ten years ago. BUT, everyone has made it sound so incomprehenible...that I have not ventured to read it. I know a LOT of people praise it, but...it has been intimidating.
I am going to put Gardens of the Moon on my January TBR now.Thank you.
AHHHH That's simply awesome. i'm so glad i was able to assuage some doubts/fears about the series. If I can stick with it, so can you. Happy reading in the New Year :)
@@r1ddhima - Yes, I'm currently gathering my TBR for January 2021 right now. It's on the docket.
I have a strange TBR. I've been reading nearly 30 books a month...so my TBR is about 90-100 books long. I read nearly 30%. It is near the top. BOTH book 1 & 2.
Thank you.
Okay Riddhima has once again convinced me to pick something else up! I shall read this.
heck yeah! can’t wait to hear your thoughts
You're in for a treat. Without a doubt my favorite fantasy series and what I consider the best of the genre, at least that I've read.
I'm definitely gonna savor this first read through. I could see it becoming a favorite for myself as well.
Ive read1000s of fantasy books and i really think that Malazan is the no1 fantasy series ive read,it totally knocked ASOIAF out of my top five series ...i love LOTR because it was my gateway to fantasy in the 70s and though its very close(for me) to Wheel Of Time i feel Malazan is a shade better...
I am happy you liked it! Some books are more about war then others. Not sure if you have heard this before but Steven Erikson was asked to sum up the series in one word and he said compassion. Hearing that made me appreciate the reread. I also thought your take on it was spot on.
That's actually quite beautiful. I definitely felt a lot of compassion in this book for sure. The found family trope is really well done here.
Yes! So happy you enjoyed this! Can’t wait to see more Malazan videos!
Also definitely check out the ten very big books podcast!
I actually have a couple episodes downloaded I just haven’t listened. Thanks for the reminder, and for watching!
First off, loved this and the fact that the man himself commented speaks more to your review than I could ever accomplish.
Second Off, The Elf on the Shelf showing up threw me for a loop.
I look forward to your continued reviews.
Also do SPOILER reviews. No one seems to do them and well when you meet Storm and Gessler (or Bug) you'll hopefully understand why.
I think my future videos will be spoiler discussions since they’ll be sequels! Thanks for the suggestion, glad you enjoyed the video! :)
if you’ve already finished malazan or you’re about to start, or you just love books, come join my discord! I need more people to talk to about malazan 👀
discord.gg/Scy2uxf94b
Im starting gardens of the moon January 1 i cant wait
You’ve got an exciting read ahead of you!
Amazing that Steven commented! So glad that you’re starting this journey, it’s a hell of a ride.
PS: Subscribed!
Thank you, I hope you enjoy your stay 🥰
I’ve read it twice, and am about to start my third read through the series. I agree with just about all of what you said, especially about Erikson’s sense of humor. So cool that Erikson responded.
Super cool of him to take the time to share and comment :) He’s definitely got a wicked sense of humor
This was such a good look at the book. I’ve not read it yet, largely because I’m a victim of the “complicated” hype surrounding the series. But it’s one I want to try soon. I’m hoping in 2021 to get to it. I’m glad you mentioned the characters being well developed. That has always been my biggest fear about the series is that it was idea focused rather than character focused. Which is not something I enjoy in books.
Great video as always! Happy reading 😊😊😊
Chris I think you would have no trouble at all with Gardens of the Moon! I’m super curious to hear what you think of it as well 👀
The over-hype is actually an asset IMO--you're going to get in there and be like, "What was the big deal??"
Great analysis. Great video editing for commentary pacing...reminds me of the speed of GotM. Congratulations on Erikson linking to this. Such an honor. After listening to this, I am really looking forward to your DHG and especially MoI analysis and reactions. You won't be disappointed. Thank you and nice work.
Haha, I like to keep my videos as short as possible. I'm glad you enjoyed, thank you for commenting!
Your first time reading experience of Gardens of the Moon (I suspect you will read it more then once) makes me think you will absolutely looove the rest, because it will only get better, funnier and more emotional. Looking forward to more Malazan from you!
I can't wait for the journey ahead of me. Thanks for watching :*)
This was perfect. I decided to do the read along with Mike's Book Reviews. This is all the more motivating and calms some of my apprehension. Great job!
Wow, this was a fantastic video! Thank you for using yourself as a case study to dispel the myths surrounding Malazan and GoTM. I loved your comments about each scene being a stanza in a poem and the tone of dramatic irony. Very refreshing and intelligent discussion on this book. I look forward to hearing more from you!
Thanks! I look forward to reading more in the series :)
Loved this video. Great idea to break it down by expectations and really give people a better understanding of what to expect.
Im reading this in January and you made it sound much easier to get into than most people.
It is a bit rocky at first but nothing too crazy. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
This video was so helpful! I think unmet expectations are big reason why some people dislike good books. Sure it's fun to go into a series knowing nothing about it at all; therefore, no expectations, but with a series this big...I have to see what I'm getting myself into. haha
For sure, bigger series are such a time investment. It’s nice to have a little idea of what you’re getting into
Jimmy Nutts brought me here and he was right: excellent review! I'm halfway through the book right now and agree with all you said. I hope more readers can adjust their expectations when going into this because I think that's all that is needed to be able to take it on and enjoy reading Malazan.
This was so helpful, I was planning on reading Malazan in the future but there was always this .. dreafulness surrounding the idea, like preparing myself for some chore to do, but this made me so excited, the way you made a breakdown of the book was super helpful and refreshing .. thank you and now I'm super excited to pick them up!
I'm so glad I was able to communicate how enjoyable the book really is! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.
I can't wait to follow you on your Malazan journey! Wonderful video. So much for you to uncover. Welcome to the community.
I've seen many malazan videos to make myself prepared to read but to be honest this video is THE video that inspires me to start it. Awesome video
Love to hear it thank you!!
FANTASTIC analysis! Probably one of the best first impression breakdown I have seen! Can't wait to see what you have to say about Deadhouse Gates! PS. I am on book 3 now, but I did hear the series get funnier later!
I'm super excited to read Deadhouse Gates! Thanks for watching :*)
Please make videos often , Your channel is awesome , you will grow very fast
I’m definitely planning on making more content while I’m on winter break! I appreciate the kind words :*)
Such an astute analysis, I like how you support each of your conclusions. I'm finishing GotM these days, and my impression is very much the same, but you put it in better words. :)
Fantastic video! I look forward to hearing your impressions of Deadhouse Gates
can’t wait to read it :,)
I loved watching the elf move around! :) I plan on starting this series in January and glad to hear your review on the book...looking forward to this series!
hopefully you like it as much as i do so far!
Oh wow. I am just so excited for you, and to watch your impressions as you proceed. It would be great to see you do this for the whole series, and then do a response to this first video after. Buckle up!
Great ideas, thanks for the sharing your thoughts! I will definitely aim to make a video per book, there's just so much to talk about.
I can NOT wait for you to read the rest of this series!!! Please keep posting your reviews of it.
I will! Thanks for the kind words of encouragement
Hi friend, glad I found you while deep-diving Malazan content. Your analysis of and interest to further a Malazan journey tells me that you will find the whole series a soul changing literary experience. 4th re-read here to encourage your read
Wow. Just wow.
I am very analytical and really liked the point counter point format.
It is really not to comment without spoilers. But your intuition is spot on about so many things. Especially the comments on the battle scenes.
But you do seem do have adapted to the style and format a lot faster than many. They are different which some equate to complicated.
Yes, enjoy the ride as there are so many payoffs.
Add me to the list of those curious on your continued reviews.
I’m glad you enjoyed the format of the video, it was fun to structure it in this way instead of doing a normal book review. Thanks for watching!
I know I’m late to the party here. I have not read Malazan. Your review has me more interested in reading this book than any I have watched so far. Thank you for that. I think it was the structure of expectation vs. reality that you used. I need to clear out some of my TBR but now I think I will give this book a try within the year:) BTW I found your channel through your Chatting with Nutts episode on The Fantasy Nuttwork. Plan to watch more of your videos soon. Keep up the good work :)
Just wanted to say this was an excellent review and I’m excited to follow the rest of your Malazan journey! I’m working my way through the series right now too and I agree the ‘difficult read’ aspect is way overhyped. Also, so cool that Erikson commented and shared this to his page!! Kudos.
I think you just sold me on Malazan
Ayyeee, I hope you enjoy it!
I really enjoyed this take on reviewing and commenting on GOTM 👍👌
Congrats on 700 subs!!
Thank you Anja 💕
I seriously can't wait to read this and this is yet another video you've made that gets me excited for a book. I need me some complex and dark fantasy. I also love a 'show don't tell' kind of book. I wanna be thrown in there! So I'm ready. Great video as always, Riddhima 💚
Thanks Emma! I think you would really enjoy this book, please read it and review it (yes I'm trying to get you to come back and make more content lol)
@@r1ddhima ahh I'll start making videos soon! Life has been hectic. Can't wait to start Malazan in particular!!
Excellent take on the weather vane! In some ways you can see the entire series mirrored in the first book and I am so glad you caught that this early. It's going to be great seeing your progress through the series.
That weather vane observation might just be my crowning achievement so far. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Erikson's comedy is some of my favorite in writing, period. Especially when it comes to pairs of characters.
I love a good comedic duo
Thank you for your video. This was really helpful and a balanced view...loved how you pointed out the difference between difficulty versus “gate keeping” 😂 right? This video brings a fresh voice to Malazan videos ❤️🙌
I'm about 4000 pages into the series and finally starting to figure it out. I can't say it's one I'd suggest easily, since it is a bit of an investment. (Frankly the "It makes more sense the second time you read it" crowd are a bit annoying since life is too short for that) However it is essential to undertake at least once if you want to consider yourself a "fantasy aficionado" or whatever. Anyway, good luck with the channel!
Thanks Nick! It does seem like Malazan is becoming an essential read. Exciting to be a part of the growing fan base
Welcome to this excellent series. A lot of your points regarding difficulty and characterisation I completely agree with. I hope to see the review of the rest of the series.
Thank you! I have two videos on Deadhouse Gates and I’m in the middle of Memories of Ice rn 🙂
Very perceptive. I'll be following your progress with interest (just started 'The Bonehunters' myself, so I am also still 'en route').
Thank you! :*)
This is great. Thank you for your thoughts and feelings on Gardens of the Moon.
I haven't read this series in many years... But this makes me want to revisit it!
What an excellent video! Thank you!
Congrats on 700 subs! I recently found your channel and loving the content!! 🥰✌️
Thanks Anna! I’m glad you’re enjoying my videos, I really appreciate it 😊
Thanks for the video and your perspective! I look forward to watching more.
Next books are even better :) Much much better actually. GotM was written in 1991 as a film script and some time later turned into a novel. A novel which nearly no publisher wanted to publish. Next books in the series are written as novels from the beginning and it makes a big difference.
Enjoy Christmas and I look forward to watch your review of the rest of the Malazan series :)
That’s super interesting! I definitely get a cinematic feel from the dialogue and the settings. Gardens of the Moon would make an awesome movie (with a huge budget lol)
@@r1ddhima Yes, GotM could work as a standalone movie but the whole series could not. At least not without massive cuts and that would destroy it. Which is sad but still better than terrible adaptation :)
Nice catch on the weathervane!
Very good review as always! I haven’t read the book, but I might in the future.
if you do end up reading it, I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for stopping by :)
Great job on your video! I'm excited to see how your impressions of Malazan and Erikson as a writer change throughout the 10 books. Personally, I don't think SE goes on a tear until Memories of Ice, but the quality of the story ramps up drastically between GotM and DG. The two things that are going to change for you are the darker aspects of the series (GotM is pretty light-hearted compared to the rest) and also the "progressive" or "forward-thinking" aspects of the series. Erikson and Esslemont created an egalitarian universe that would be ahead of its time if the books were released in 2050 or beyond that. Just give it time. I hope you make a new video with each book. Scope my videos for a spoiler-free full series review if you are interested. I am not a book reviewer. Great work on this! Your enthusiasm is palpable.
Interesting to hear the quality gets better, and I'm curious to find out more of this "egalitarian" society. Thanks for taking the time to leave such a detailed comment.
Damn, dope analysis. You're gonna love the other books
I just bought DG so I’m super excited to continue on!
Great video. I'm looking forward to seeing more videos on your malazan journey. I read the first book over 10 years ago amd still remember how I felt when reading it. Alot of Wtf moments for the first half but once I was more familiar with his writing it became much easier and so much fun to read. Take care 😀
Thank you! I felt the same when I read Wheel of Time for the first time, so I’m definitely gonna enjoy this ride.
Short, concise, and to the point; way to cut through much of the mythos and misconceptions. Hope to start a reread the first of the year. Good analysis. Great review.
Thank you! Enjoy your reread 📚💕
I'm on third read through it's a masterpiece of fantasy and each book shows the growth of Erikson writing and the way he writes the common soldiers is as good as( Coles the black company) and when you get to "midnight tides" there is a group of characters that would fit into( Terry Pratchett's Discworld) I actually laughed out loud
Excellent video, great insights - looking forward to seeing your reviews going forward 😊
With regards to the difficulty, is it exaggerated? I'd say yes, and no.
Is GotM or the series as a whole extremely hard to get in to and read - does it require high intelligence, superb grasp of literary tools and mastery of the language? No!
But, on a spectrum, it leans more towards difficult than easy. Because of the way it is structured, the layers, language and lack of handholding.. it can be daunting. And that's even without considering there are ten big books in the main series, with a constantly growing number of books surrounding it.
I think it pays to sketch a realistic image to new readers - but I think the size of the series alone does most of the intimidating.
As to the romances, I often see those criticized and I always feel impelled to defend them.
In part I feel the drama there is inflated because GotM was initially written as a screenplay - and Hollywood needs them dramas..
But there are several types of romantic relationships used by Erikson - from teenage infatuation to trauma-fuelled codependency - and like most events in the book they can be interpreted differently as seen through the eyes of various characters. Just as the historical and political events change meaning when looked at with different eyes.
Exactly the same as the exploding bakery.
Great points about the romance! Personally I felt they were a little underdeveloped but I’m interested to see how Erikson handles them moving forward.
firstly the structure of this video is gr8, secondly plz consider a future career in audiobook narration (squeaky voice preferable) - i'm the same way with endorsement > synopsis, seeing peoples love for a series is usually what convinces me to pick it up (literally the only thing i knew about malazan before this was how obsessed ppl are with it)
OMGGGG 700 SUBSCRIBERS YES QUEENNNN
same, part of the reason I wanted to read malazan was seeing other booktubers get so excited about it. I just wanna part of the cool kids club
Thank u 🥳🥰
Gardens of the Moon is exactly summed up in a phrase "Not completely sold on". It's quite hard to read on the first go and it took me a half a year break to finish it. Then i managed to read a second book in 2 months. In the next 4 months i reached book 7, reading Malazan non-stop. It begins slow but when you give it time to brew it blows your fucking mind. Hands down one of the most impressive and deep fantasy series i know. And that's before i even finished it! :D
It can be difficult at first but its so rewarding once you finish
You're gonna love the portrayal of women in the coming books. No other series can top the amount of badass woman that is in Malazan. Can't wait to see your Deadhouse Gates review.
Hell yeah to badass women!
Great video! I'm excited to start the series :)
Great video, great insights and analysis. I have always loved this series and you're inspiring me to pick it up again with what you've said in mind this go 'round. Cheers. :)
I'm so envy at anyone who starts with the Malazan journey. I can not describe what reading this series made me feel. If you enjoy The Gardens of The Moon you will enjoy the rest and the other books of this rich world. I'm now reading The Fall Of Light and it is so much more then just a book to me. After that I think I reread the Malazan again. BTW, I see the ten books as one story so it is really hard for me to say which one is the weakest or which one is my fav. Its all one big epic mega super story.
Gardens will always be one of my favourites in the series. I loved been thrown into the middle of events.
Same, being thrown in the middle of action is a great way to avoid wasting time
@@r1ddhima i think that was a throw of the knuckles for erikson that payed off in the end.
This review was super helpful. Thank you
good video! definitely move on with the series, things get better after this book. also, check out some of Glen Cooks works, particularly The Black Company series and the Dread Empire series. you'll see some similarities with those series to Malazan
I currently own the first book of the Black Company so I’m on it! Thanks for the rec :)
I very excited to have this as a tool to show potential readers rather than me just verbally flailing about. I agree on the Shakespearian tone, many of the scenes of dialog would be very fun to adapt to the stage.
I can’t totally imagine a theatre production, no idea how you’d pull off the battle scenes but it would be awesome lol
A bit of an extra to offer on your assertion that this isn’t really grimdark fantasy:: it’s closer to the original bit of grimdark fantasy than what the sub genre is now known for. The oldest example of it is Glen Cook’s Black Company, a mercenary company usually hired by classic fantasy’s bad guys.
I’m hearing Glen Cook’s name super often, and I have his first book in The Black Company. I’ll have to check him out soon.
It took me 6 attempts to get through GOTM after coming from Sanderson and Abercrombie. My main advice to new readers after just finishing Midnight Tides and reading the series consistently for 5 months is to just go with it. Don't expect anything to make sense straight away, just know it eventually will, this isn't a take away meal, it's a 10 course taster menu that will challenge you in ways that no other series can. PS. Welcome to the Anomander Rake fanclub!
Thanks for the advice ☺️ I’ll keep that in mind!
when you said this feels like the wheel of time prologues but for a whole book you completely sold me
im back after just finishing gardens of the moon! ty so much for making this video, while i was interested in the series, you made it seem much more approachable and im so glad i read it. i completely agree with what you said where it feels like the second or third book in a series, and i really loved that since it was very fun and engaging trying to keep up with all the characters and all the threads of their intentions and alliances. i also agree that labeling certain fantasy series beginner or advanced probably does more harm than good, but on the other hand i think i would only recommend this book to someone who had already read some epic fantasy and who might be tired of farmboy humble beginnings and infodumping as gardens of the moons beginning feels like the opposite of that
Untill now... I was scared to read malazan... Like I was watching explanation of magic systems and history of malazan (without spoilers) just so I could understand the book better n enjoy....
But after watching ur vdo.... Int actually really really excited (and not intimidated) to read it asap...
A grt vdo. Thank u !!!
💝🙏🙌
I’m so excited for you!! Thank you for the kind words
@@r1ddhima thanks ridh 😌♥️
I picked this up randomly without knowing a thing about it and loved it, I am on my 3rd read of the series
That’s awesome, I can’t wait to reread the series once I’ve finished it. It’s one of those series that you notice a million things on reread that you didn’t the first time around
Malazan does get very very dark. But the series is about compassion, and all the terrible things which happen are contrasted with the people who choose to do the right thing. So it’s definitely quite a hopeful series by the end.
I would say Malazan is ultimately optimistic, despite the brutal shit going on in later novels. It is certainly dark, but there is always a light in the end of the tunnel.
I much rather prefer a hopeful series so that’s awesome to hear
Well done analysis. Color me subscribed. Cheers!!
Thanks for subbing! I hope you enjoy your stay
very good review
I've read Stormlight archive,lotr,asoiaf,kingkiller chronicles,wheel of time and a lot of other dark,low and epic fantasy books but among them all Malazan is in my top 3 of all time.
That’s awesome. Malazan seems to be really well loved despite being a niche series
The one thing I would push back on is the notion that Malazan isn't grimdark. Certainly GotM is particularly grimdark. And I wouldn't necessarily say that grimdark describes the series as a whole. But most of the books going forwards has points where it gets grimdark. And when it gets grimdark, Malazan gets really grimdark.
If you liked his prose in GotM then you're in for a treat, it continuously gets better throughout the series, with a significant jump in the second book. Cheers!
Can’t wait to dive in, I just bought Deadhouse Gates
I've picked this book up and restarted 3 times and still haven't finished lol
Hey it might just not be for you, and that’s ok!
I can read it and found it hard to follow and unnecessarily segmented. It did have some strong characters I may want to keep reading about.
this was great to watch, thanks so much! I’m a little conflicted rn between what i should read next, I’m finishing WoR in stormlight, and have wanted to go on to wheel of time, but love what ppl have said of the writing in malazan. Would you suggest alternating books or will that make my brain explode 😭
Hmm I wouldn’t suggest alternating
This series has been on my TBR for a while now, how does it compare in complexity with the book of the new sun?
I think people are really doing the books a disservice by talking about how hard they are to read instead of giving people advice on how to better read them. To explain that it won't be straightforward like a brandon sanderson novel but that it's easily doable if you take your time, and don't just skip the parts that you don't understand. I think many people are too intimidated to start reading series and books that have the reputation of being hard to read. And or they try to read them, then quickly get confused at the start, instead of trying to understand it they keep reading and then at the end they claim they didn't get it or impossible to understand.
If you look at recent reviews for books like Neuromancer it's mostly like that. Even positive reviews claim they didn't know what was happening half the time.
No love for Crokus? I loved his character.
HAHA, sorry I love Crokus! The thief who has his heart broken. Hope to see more of him
Another fantasy reader in the LBC!
Ayyye!