Excellent review! I don’t think I’ve ever thought about the parallel between Silverfox and Toc. This book has some powerful emotional punches with the Whiskey Jack and Itkovian storylines. There is no lack of incredible battle scenes in this series, and Capustan is one of them. While this book didn’t reach the emotional level that Deadhouse Gates did for you, I’m glad you deeply connected with this one!
Thank you Johanna. ❤️ I think if I allowed myself I could wallow in this one but I was wrung out after DG. There were some terrible and yet incredible scenes in Capustan in particular. The wall of bodies ...
Apart from the final book of this series, no other book has made me cry as much as Memories of Ice. It's one of the most profoundly impactful things I've ever read. The Crippled God was mentioned briefly in Gardens of the Moon. The mhybe was, according to Erikson, an exploration of severe post partum depression based on his wife's experience (I believe). Toc and Tool are the best buddies ever.
Isn’t it strange how different books in the same series affect people differently. I’m curious why you found this one so moving. The Mhybe it seemed to me, went beyond post partum depression and I loved Toc and Tool.
Great review! As far as reading order goes and if it makes a difference- I personally started with deadhouse gates. It was a coffee-stained, ripped up paperback I got from a used bookstore free-bin. This was years ago, I knew nothing about Malazan and only picked it up because the cover looked cool. At least for me, going from DH to gardens to MoI, I still didn't feel a connection with what I considered to be the 'gardens' characters. My father passed away while I was on MoI so my experience was certainly affected by that. I remember feeling absolutely nothing when whiskeyjack was cut down. Capustan was also my favorite part of the book. Itkovian's sacrifice and the magic gravemound outside Coral hit me really hard. As far as the seguleh culture- Esslemont's Novels of the Malazan Empire goes HEAVILY into that. Pulling back the curtain did make them feel less special though.
Apparently some readers are Seven Cities fans others Genebackis. I'm also more invested in Seven Cities though I do love Whiskeyjack. Mood and other things happening in our lives also affects our reading experience. Itkovian ... I can understand his story line having such an impact on you. I'm going to read Esslemont once I'm done with the series.
Yess!!! This made me so happy. As someone who is reading the series myself for the first time, I adore these videos. I think you're right to only do spoiler reviews moving forward. While Spoiler Free would attract a larger audience.. These books are so dense, it would be so hard to convey your thoughts with such restrictions. The Toc the Younger and Tool scenes towards the end definitely made me the most emotional haha another wonderful review Kathi and ps. love the ambient music
Thank you so much for the kind words. I’m so glad you are enjoying the videos. I have to wonder if people would watch a spoiler free review on a book in the middle of a series, I know I don’t but you could be right. No matter, I much prefer to be able to talk freely about the books.
Mhybe is similar to Felisin in some ways -- difficult to read in the moment, and amazing in hindsight. I really appreciate how Erikson challenges the reader with characters that aren't sympathetic. In the moment, I'm aggravated. In hindsight, I can be self-reflective about my reaction as a reader and think about I can learn from that reaction to be more empathetic in real life.
Whiskey Jack's death gets to me more after each re-read. In the World According to Garp, Garp is a child of the dead seed. I can listen to people talk about Malazan for forever.
Quick comment as I’m a few minutes into the video - Erikson has told the story of how MoI was going to be book 2, and he started writing it, then lost the manuscript somehow. He was frustrated of course, and his reaction was to start writing DG instead. And that’s how we ended up with this structure of switching back and forth between the continents for the first 4 books. And he’s since said he’s 100% sure that he made the right choice in the end. It’s hard to know if hindsight is 20/20 or whatever. And for my own opinion, it’s hard to judge because I can’t guess what the experience would be reading GotM then MoI, then DG then HoC. Maybe it would be better? Who knows, how can I guess???? So I’ll just trust Steve lol
I can give you the vague experience of what reading DG, GotM, then MoI was like because I accidentally picked up DG first. It's vague because it was over 10 years ago I first read them, but I remember having a good time with the books in that order and didn't have any issues starting the series with DG. I do know that I recall not liking MoI nearly as much as the other 2 books and it remained low on my tier list all the way through my readings
I actually read that after I had made the video. I try not to read anything before my reviews so I’m not influenced in my “raw” thoughts on it. I’m now curious to see how I’m going to react to HoC which I’m intending to start this weekend.
Don't worry about pronunciation, 95% of readers mispronounce "Malazan" anyway! As a non-native english speaker I do get upset when native english speakers pronounce stuff with actual english pronunciation, like "K'chain Che'malle" somehow becoming a bikechain. Nice review, I enjoy the unscripted and laid back style! I had much the same reaction as you regarding the Mhybe on my first readthrough. A recent re-read gave me a much different experience. I'd say that what you describe is exactly the reaction the author wanted out of you. The point being, that a severely depressed person does not think rationally and can be grating to listen to but they deserve our understanding and compassion none the less.
I actually like how everyone has their own pronunciation for names in fantasy. Thank you for the kind words. I agree that our mood when we read the books will affect how we respond to a character or story.
Awesome review!!! You definitely didn’t talk about everything and that’s OKAY - you talked about the stuff that impacted and affected you most. And that’s all you should ever do!! I love this book more than you did but that’s okay, of course. It’s usually 2nd or 3rd in my ranking of the series. (Just answering your question of how we like the book 😊) Some stray notes… - on compassion: this quote from Itkovian is frequently cited and for good reason. It hit me deep the moment I read it and literally (along with the rest of this book and series) changed my outlook on the world. I still think about it all the time. “We humans do not understand compassion. In each moment of our lives, we betray it. Aye, we know of its worth, yet in knowing we then attach to it a value, we guard the giving of it, believing it must be earned, T’lan Imass. Compassion is priceless in the truest sense of the word. It must be given freely. In abundance.” - on the relationship between mortals and gods: you’re spot on that there is strong interplay between them, and it’s definitely a main theme of the series. More to come and keep your eyes open for that! - Itkovian: I also cried the most at his funeral scene, even more than his death and taking the pain of the T’lan Imass. Just such an emotional scene - you didn’t mention the K’Chain Che’Malle so I’m just gonna say - undead dinosaurs with swords for arms???! HOLY COW that is some of the coolest fantasy shit you’ll EVER read !!! Okay enough rambling. Thank you again for sharing your experience - see you after House of Chains!!
Thank you truly, for the kind words and support. I very much appreciate it. First, I’m considering doing additional videos where I can talk about those things I omitted to mention in the reviews, like the crazy dinosaurs with swords for arms, the epilogue with Duiker, etc. I can see why MOI would be a favourite. I feel I only briefly touched on some of the themes or plots but there was so much to cover in the video and it is already too long. Itkovian is a character who I will not forget. I had a feeling how it was going to end and braced myself for it. I recall that paragraph on compassion. These books definitely make you think about some profound issues, questions, which is why I’m loving them so much and trying to take my time in reading them. I’m intending to start HOC this weekend. I can’t wait.
@@NerdyKathi you’re welcome and I’m glad you appreciate these books so much!! They’re not perfect and can be a little messy at times, but man… they have SO much good stuff, at the same time. If you make more videos I’ll watch but I’d also say don’t stress and follow your heart. Do what makes you happy!! And have fun with with HoC 🙌 🙌
Amazing review Kathi! I absolutely love hearing about your Malazan journey and I agree with a lot of what you said. I am still reading the series and Deadhouse Gates has not been topped for me yet...which is quite controversial because Memories of Ice seems to be the fan favourite. Looking forward to future Malazan videos! Keep up the great work.
Great review ❤ I loved this book. Still my number 1, even after reading all of Erikson's Malazan books. It had the right combination of humor and serious topics.
I get why you think Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice would have been better in reversed positions, but I disagree. I think it's good that Erikson makes us do those jumps, because this will not be the end of them, so it's best to be trained in them right from the gate. I think the shock would have been greater in Deadhouse Gates after we'd spent 2 whole books with the "same" set of characters than it is in the order as is
I do like the moving from one continent to another but it can take a bit of time to feel re-connected to the world and characters. I think you are right that it is better the way Erikson has set out the order of the books.
@@NerdyKathi Oh yeah, totally agree that it takes some time to adjust. But I think it gets better as the series goes on, you get more used to it (or I did, at least)
I felt similar about the continuity-overall enjoyed it still but I do believe it could have been furthered. That said I’m sure in the end we’ll realize just how deliberate it ends up being. I can’t wait to reread these puppies. It’s also wild that I just found this video 2 weeks later 🫨
Hello, again, Kathi! I'm glad you enjoyed Memories of Ice. I mimic most of your sentiments in regards to this novel. People bigged it up to me as the one of the best entries in the series, and maybe it's a case of unrealistic expectations set by the hype and the profound effect that Deadhouse Gates left on me, but Memories of Ice didn't hit quite as hard. I still absolutely adored the novel, Deadhouse Gates just really spoke to me in a way I'm unsure if any other novel can replicate. ***SPOILERS**** Memories of Ice was a romp though. I loved getting to see such big players such as Anomander Rake, Whiskeyjack, Caladan Brood, and Silverfox interacting. One thing that Erikson does really well is introducing me to new characters who I quickly come to love just as much as characters that have been around since the beginning. Itkovian was such a treat, and his sacrifices throughout the novel were always so poignant. Gruntle and the Child's Standard was another highlight. Him becoming the mortal sword of Trake through his deeds during the Siege of Capustan was the closest this novel came to capturing that "Chain of Dogs" feeling for me. Whiskeyjacks death left me with a little bit of a sour taste. It felt a little too contrived for me. You are telling me that for months he never had like 1 hour to spare to get his knee looked at? I'm not sure I buy that. Still, I was not expecting to lose what feels like such a major player this early in the series, I expected Dujek to bite it lol. (Though with the scene inside Moons Spawn at the end, I get the feeling like we may not have seen the last of Whiskeyjack). I could go on but I'm pushing the limits of a youtube comment lol. I took a break after MoI to catch up on some other series but I'm finally ready to continue with House of Chains. Hope to catch you on there side of that review! Thanks again for your videos, it's my comfort food. P.S. I think the reason Tayschrenn remained in disguise was because Onearms Host and the Bridgeburners knew him to be aligned with the Malazan Empire/Laseen, of which they were supposed to believe they were outlawed from.
Hi Pebble! I too have to wonder if I didn’t have unrealistic expectations of this book based on what others hinted at. It seems we had a similar reaction to MOI. Yes Erikson is so good at making us love new characters. Itkovian broke my heart. Gruntle and the wall of dead bodies - I forgot to mention it in the review but I could visualise it so well. A haunting image. Yes, I too thought Dujek was going to die, not Whiskeyjack. And please feel free to write as much as you want in the comments. I’m going to start House of Chains this weekend. I can’t wait. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and watch my videos. ❤
Be warned: spoilers for moi (just in case) If i remember correctly it was mentioned in this book that Rake, Brood (or was it osserc) and the Queen of Dreams were companions for a time but not real friends. Rather powerfull people that stayed together to make sure they are save from each other. And i think Brood and Rake kept Kallor around for the same reason. If the High King is left alone he would be a danger for everyone, he could not be killed bc the Elder Gods cursed him and imprisoning him within Dragnipur wasn’t an option.
On Kallor: while not being a god or ascendant, because of the curse that K'rull had put on him, power level wise, he is pretty much on par with Rake and Brood and any other god or ascendant. If you rewind back to the Prologue (I think it was in this book?), it's the story where he curses Nightchill, K'rull and Draconus. I can say and more, but I'm not sure if this was told in the MoI Prologue or in another book's Prologue. He is not just some tantrum throwing crazy grump. He is extremely dangerous and knowledgeable, although that curse that K'rull had put on him makes him even more of a wild card. Far from one of my favorite characters, but he's actually really complex as such. There's a lot more to sink your teeth in in this world and a lot more layers of the whole picture to unwrap. But as a stand alone book, MoI is my favorite one (followed closely by Midnight Tides). Brukhalian's last stand, Gruntle and Itkovian arcs here ("I am the Shield Anvil, and I am not yet done" sends chills down my spine every time) are perhaps my favorite in the entire series.
I recall that prologue. I think it might have been in book 2. There were some very moving moments in MoI. I love that quote by Itkovian as well. I’m interested to see more of Kallor but I still despise him. Thank you for sharing.
@@NerdyKathi to be fair, you won't be seeing a lot of Kallor. There will be an extended arc with him in Toll the Hounds (which is book 7, lol), but no actual conclusion to his story (as happens with a few characters between the books). You can observe these adventures in Esslemont's books though; for example, in Return of the Crimson Guard, a certain name you've met, that hides his identity, will interact with Kallor and believe me, the scene is extremely satisfying. He is not a "good" guy nor someone I particularly like, but when you dig deeper into the books and more layers of the whole story start to reveal in front of you, each character fits in like in a puzzle, and this makes the whole Malazan experience so fascinating. I'd actually recommend you to read Return of the Crimson Guard (chronologically after Reaper's Gale), because it deals with Laseen and you might get confused when in the later books she will be just barely mentioned. It's also like a breath of fresh air, because Esslemont's style is more lighter to read than the more heavier and philosophical Ericson style. It's a lot to read, I know. I am now on my second re-read (half through the last book atm), and I managed to pull all ten books plus the 3 essential to the story Esslemont books, for about year and a half. Lucky for me, I can read a lot at work. These books do require a lot of time, but the re-read is making them SO much better. 🍻
This is the book i stopped reading the series at. Dispte what everyone says, i guessed the ending of the series here. And felt no need to read though 7 more books to get to the obvious conclusion.
Excellent review! I don’t think I’ve ever thought about the parallel between Silverfox and Toc. This book has some powerful emotional punches with the Whiskey Jack and Itkovian storylines. There is no lack of incredible battle scenes in this series, and Capustan is one of them. While this book didn’t reach the emotional level that Deadhouse Gates did for you, I’m glad you deeply connected with this one!
Thank you Johanna. ❤️ I think if I allowed myself I could wallow in this one but I was wrung out after DG. There were some terrible and yet incredible scenes in Capustan in particular. The wall of bodies ...
Apart from the final book of this series, no other book has made me cry as much as Memories of Ice. It's one of the most profoundly impactful things I've ever read.
The Crippled God was mentioned briefly in Gardens of the Moon.
The mhybe was, according to Erikson, an exploration of severe post partum depression based on his wife's experience (I believe).
Toc and Tool are the best buddies ever.
Isn’t it strange how different books in the same series affect people differently. I’m curious why you found this one so moving.
The Mhybe it seemed to me, went beyond post partum depression and I loved Toc and Tool.
Great review! As far as reading order goes and if it makes a difference- I personally started with deadhouse gates. It was a coffee-stained, ripped up paperback I got from a used bookstore free-bin. This was years ago, I knew nothing about Malazan and only picked it up because the cover looked cool. At least for me, going from DH to gardens to MoI, I still didn't feel a connection with what I considered to be the 'gardens' characters. My father passed away while I was on MoI so my experience was certainly affected by that. I remember feeling absolutely nothing when whiskeyjack was cut down. Capustan was also my favorite part of the book. Itkovian's sacrifice and the magic gravemound outside Coral hit me really hard.
As far as the seguleh culture- Esslemont's Novels of the Malazan Empire goes HEAVILY into that. Pulling back the curtain did make them feel less special though.
Apparently some readers are Seven Cities fans others Genebackis. I'm also more invested in Seven Cities though I do love Whiskeyjack.
Mood and other things happening in our lives also affects our reading experience.
Itkovian ... I can understand his story line having such an impact on you.
I'm going to read Esslemont once I'm done with the series.
Yess!!! This made me so happy. As someone who is reading the series myself for the first time, I adore these videos. I think you're right to only do spoiler reviews moving forward. While Spoiler Free would attract a larger audience.. These books are so dense, it would be so hard to convey your thoughts with such restrictions. The Toc the Younger and Tool scenes towards the end definitely made me the most emotional haha another wonderful review Kathi and ps. love the ambient music
Thank you so much for the kind words. I’m so glad you are enjoying the videos.
I have to wonder if people would watch a spoiler free review on a book in the middle of a series, I know I don’t but you could be right. No matter, I much prefer to be able to talk freely about the books.
Mhybe is similar to Felisin in some ways -- difficult to read in the moment, and amazing in hindsight. I really appreciate how Erikson challenges the reader with characters that aren't sympathetic. In the moment, I'm aggravated. In hindsight, I can be self-reflective about my reaction as a reader and think about I can learn from that reaction to be more empathetic in real life.
@@stevec73 I love this perspective on difficult characters. You articulated it so well and I hope that I too can learn to be more empathetic.
Whiskey Jack's death gets to me more after each re-read. In the World According to Garp, Garp is a child of the dead seed. I can listen to people talk about Malazan for forever.
I’m going to miss Whiskeyjack. Oh my I forgot that about Garp. Can I say eww? 😂
I could talk about these books forever, so don’t encourage me. 🤣😂
Great review Nerdy Kathi. I appreciate that you do spoiler reviews when very few others do. I find them far more interesting.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it and I too enjoy spoiler reviews more than spoiler free ones.
Quick comment as I’m a few minutes into the video - Erikson has told the story of how MoI was going to be book 2, and he started writing it, then lost the manuscript somehow. He was frustrated of course, and his reaction was to start writing DG instead. And that’s how we ended up with this structure of switching back and forth between the continents for the first 4 books.
And he’s since said he’s 100% sure that he made the right choice in the end. It’s hard to know if hindsight is 20/20 or whatever. And for my own opinion, it’s hard to judge because I can’t guess what the experience would be reading GotM then MoI, then DG then HoC. Maybe it would be better? Who knows, how can I guess???? So I’ll just trust Steve lol
I can give you the vague experience of what reading DG, GotM, then MoI was like because I accidentally picked up DG first. It's vague because it was over 10 years ago I first read them, but I remember having a good time with the books in that order and didn't have any issues starting the series with DG. I do know that I recall not liking MoI nearly as much as the other 2 books and it remained low on my tier list all the way through my readings
I actually read that after I had made the video. I try not to read anything before my reviews so I’m not influenced in my “raw” thoughts on it.
I’m now curious to see how I’m going to react to HoC which I’m intending to start this weekend.
That is interesting to know. Perhaps on a re-read I’ll do GOTM and MOI first before DG.
Don't worry about pronunciation, 95% of readers mispronounce "Malazan" anyway! As a non-native english speaker I do get upset when native english speakers pronounce stuff with actual english pronunciation, like "K'chain Che'malle" somehow becoming a bikechain. Nice review, I enjoy the unscripted and laid back style!
I had much the same reaction as you regarding the Mhybe on my first readthrough. A recent re-read gave me a much different experience. I'd say that what you describe is exactly the reaction the author wanted out of you. The point being, that a severely depressed person does not think rationally and can be grating to listen to but they deserve our understanding and compassion none the less.
I actually like how everyone has their own pronunciation for names in fantasy.
Thank you for the kind words. I agree that our mood when we read the books will affect how we respond to a character or story.
I just finished this book. I look forward to watching this
Awesome review!!! You definitely didn’t talk about everything and that’s OKAY - you talked about the stuff that impacted and affected you most. And that’s all you should ever do!!
I love this book more than you did but that’s okay, of course. It’s usually 2nd or 3rd in my ranking of the series. (Just answering your question of how we like the book 😊)
Some stray notes…
- on compassion: this quote from Itkovian is frequently cited and for good reason. It hit me deep the moment I read it and literally (along with the rest of this book and series) changed my outlook on the world. I still think about it all the time. “We humans do not understand compassion. In each moment of our lives, we betray it. Aye, we know of its worth, yet in knowing we then attach to it a value, we guard the giving of it, believing it must be earned, T’lan Imass. Compassion is priceless in the truest sense of the word. It must be given freely. In abundance.”
- on the relationship between mortals and gods: you’re spot on that there is strong interplay between them, and it’s definitely a main theme of the series. More to come and keep your eyes open for that!
- Itkovian: I also cried the most at his funeral scene, even more than his death and taking the pain of the T’lan Imass. Just such an emotional scene
- you didn’t mention the K’Chain Che’Malle so I’m just gonna say - undead dinosaurs with swords for arms???! HOLY COW that is some of the coolest fantasy shit you’ll EVER read !!!
Okay enough rambling. Thank you again for sharing your experience - see you after House of Chains!!
Thank you truly, for the kind words and support. I very much appreciate it.
First, I’m considering doing additional videos where I can talk about those things I omitted to mention in the reviews, like the crazy dinosaurs with swords for arms, the epilogue with Duiker, etc.
I can see why MOI would be a favourite. I feel I only briefly touched on some of the themes or plots but there was so much to cover in the video and it is already too long.
Itkovian is a character who I will not forget. I had a feeling how it was going to end and braced myself for it.
I recall that paragraph on compassion. These books definitely make you think about some profound issues, questions, which is why I’m loving them so much and trying to take my time in reading them.
I’m intending to start HOC this weekend. I can’t wait.
@@NerdyKathi you’re welcome and I’m glad you appreciate these books so much!! They’re not perfect and can be a little messy at times, but man… they have SO much good stuff, at the same time. If you make more videos I’ll watch but I’d also say don’t stress and follow your heart. Do what makes you happy!!
And have fun with with HoC 🙌 🙌
Amazing review Kathi! I absolutely love hearing about your Malazan journey and I agree with a lot of what you said.
I am still reading the series and Deadhouse Gates has not been topped for me yet...which is quite controversial because Memories of Ice seems to be the fan favourite.
Looking forward to future Malazan videos! Keep up the great work.
Thank you so much Farhad. ❤
I’m so glad you are enjoying the videos and yes it does seem more people like MOI but DG is still my favourite.
I have not read this, but will make an effort. Nice review!
Thank you. I would start at the beginning though.
Great review ❤ I loved this book. Still my number 1, even after reading all of Erikson's Malazan books. It had the right combination of humor and serious topics.
Thank you very much. I can understand why people love this book.
I get why you think Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice would have been better in reversed positions, but I disagree. I think it's good that Erikson makes us do those jumps, because this will not be the end of them, so it's best to be trained in them right from the gate. I think the shock would have been greater in Deadhouse Gates after we'd spent 2 whole books with the "same" set of characters than it is in the order as is
I do like the moving from one continent to another but it can take a bit of time to feel re-connected to the world and characters. I think you are right that it is better the way Erikson has set out the order of the books.
@@NerdyKathi Oh yeah, totally agree that it takes some time to adjust. But I think it gets better as the series goes on, you get more used to it (or I did, at least)
I felt similar about the continuity-overall enjoyed it still but I do believe it could have been furthered. That said I’m sure in the end we’ll realize just how deliberate it ends up being. I can’t wait to reread these puppies. It’s also wild that I just found this video 2 weeks later 🫨
I think we’ll grow accustomed to it with time. Hmm, YT does that sometimes, no idea why. Thanks for watching Chance.
Hello, again, Kathi!
I'm glad you enjoyed Memories of Ice. I mimic most of your sentiments in regards to this novel. People bigged it up to me as the one of the best entries in the series, and maybe it's a case of unrealistic expectations set by the hype and the profound effect that Deadhouse Gates left on me, but Memories of Ice didn't hit quite as hard. I still absolutely adored the novel, Deadhouse Gates just really spoke to me in a way I'm unsure if any other novel can replicate.
***SPOILERS****
Memories of Ice was a romp though. I loved getting to see such big players such as Anomander Rake, Whiskeyjack, Caladan Brood, and Silverfox interacting. One thing that Erikson does really well is introducing me to new characters who I quickly come to love just as much as characters that have been around since the beginning. Itkovian was such a treat, and his sacrifices throughout the novel were always so poignant. Gruntle and the Child's Standard was another highlight. Him becoming the mortal sword of Trake through his deeds during the Siege of Capustan was the closest this novel came to capturing that "Chain of Dogs" feeling for me.
Whiskeyjacks death left me with a little bit of a sour taste. It felt a little too contrived for me. You are telling me that for months he never had like 1 hour to spare to get his knee looked at? I'm not sure I buy that. Still, I was not expecting to lose what feels like such a major player this early in the series, I expected Dujek to bite it lol. (Though with the scene inside Moons Spawn at the end, I get the feeling like we may not have seen the last of Whiskeyjack).
I could go on but I'm pushing the limits of a youtube comment lol. I took a break after MoI to catch up on some other series but I'm finally ready to continue with House of Chains. Hope to catch you on there side of that review! Thanks again for your videos, it's my comfort food.
P.S. I think the reason Tayschrenn remained in disguise was because Onearms Host and the Bridgeburners knew him to be aligned with the Malazan Empire/Laseen, of which they were supposed to believe they were outlawed from.
Hi Pebble!
I too have to wonder if I didn’t have unrealistic expectations of this book based on what others hinted at. It seems we had a similar reaction to MOI.
Yes Erikson is so good at making us love new characters. Itkovian broke my heart.
Gruntle and the wall of dead bodies - I forgot to mention it in the review but I could visualise it so well. A haunting image.
Yes, I too thought Dujek was going to die, not Whiskeyjack. And please feel free to write as much as you want in the comments.
I’m going to start House of Chains this weekend. I can’t wait.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and watch my videos. ❤
Be warned: spoilers for moi (just in case)
If i remember correctly it was mentioned in this book that Rake, Brood (or was it osserc) and the Queen of Dreams were companions for a time but not real friends. Rather powerfull people that stayed together to make sure they are save from each other. And i think Brood and Rake kept Kallor around for the same reason.
If the High King is left alone he would be a danger for everyone, he could not be killed bc the Elder Gods cursed him and imprisoning him within Dragnipur wasn’t an option.
I recall that. That is a good explanation as to why Brood and Rake kept Kallor with them. Thank you!
On Kallor: while not being a god or ascendant, because of the curse that K'rull had put on him, power level wise, he is pretty much on par with Rake and Brood and any other god or ascendant. If you rewind back to the Prologue (I think it was in this book?), it's the story where he curses Nightchill, K'rull and Draconus. I can say and more, but I'm not sure if this was told in the MoI Prologue or in another book's Prologue. He is not just some tantrum throwing crazy grump. He is extremely dangerous and knowledgeable, although that curse that K'rull had put on him makes him even more of a wild card. Far from one of my favorite characters, but he's actually really complex as such.
There's a lot more to sink your teeth in in this world and a lot more layers of the whole picture to unwrap. But as a stand alone book, MoI is my favorite one (followed closely by Midnight Tides). Brukhalian's last stand, Gruntle and Itkovian arcs here ("I am the Shield Anvil, and I am not yet done" sends chills down my spine every time) are perhaps my favorite in the entire series.
I recall that prologue. I think it might have been in book 2.
There were some very moving moments in MoI. I love that quote by Itkovian as well. I’m interested to see more of Kallor but I still despise him.
Thank you for sharing.
@@NerdyKathi to be fair, you won't be seeing a lot of Kallor. There will be an extended arc with him in Toll the Hounds (which is book 7, lol), but no actual conclusion to his story (as happens with a few characters between the books). You can observe these adventures in Esslemont's books though; for example, in Return of the Crimson Guard, a certain name you've met, that hides his identity, will interact with Kallor and believe me, the scene is extremely satisfying. He is not a "good" guy nor someone I particularly like, but when you dig deeper into the books and more layers of the whole story start to reveal in front of you, each character fits in like in a puzzle, and this makes the whole Malazan experience so fascinating. I'd actually recommend you to read Return of the Crimson Guard (chronologically after Reaper's Gale), because it deals with Laseen and you might get confused when in the later books she will be just barely mentioned. It's also like a breath of fresh air, because Esslemont's style is more lighter to read than the more heavier and philosophical Ericson style.
It's a lot to read, I know. I am now on my second re-read (half through the last book atm), and I managed to pull all ten books plus the 3 essential to the story Esslemont books, for about year and a half. Lucky for me, I can read a lot at work. These books do require a lot of time, but the re-read is making them SO much better. 🍻
@parcaleste I'm not going to read this comment now as it refers to future books. I don't want to know anything about the books I haven't read yet.
I’ve been waiting for this 🤠
I hope you enjoyed it. 😊
This is the book i stopped reading the series at. Dispte what everyone says, i guessed the ending of the series here. And felt no need to read though 7 more books to get to the obvious conclusion.
Obviously you missed the entire point of the books. The ending is but one small part of a book series.
WHAT??????!!!!!! 😮😮😮😮
That's so SAD!