first book

[Jason_Taverner]

I do stuff like that all the time

 

[hedgeknight]

I just passed page 300 in Gardens of the Moon and I have to admit that I am hooked like a fish! Arrgh!

Personally, I love all of the back and forth POV's that Erikson does. But what I love the most are the helpful glossaries in the front (characters) and the back (people, places, and things!). Very, very helpful so far.

But...the map of the continent sucks! It needs to be bigger and better detailed. I love maps and refer to them frequently to help my mind grasp the setting of the story. And if I can't even find the places mentioned in the book...well, it becomes a little frustrating to say the least.

Anyway, I'm loving the book and hoping to finish by the end of the week or shortly thereafter.
-g-

 

[Rane Longfox]

Not all the places referred to in the book are on that continent, hedgeknight, which hopefully explains some of it. The prologue in Malaz City, and the attack on the cavalry contingent near the fishing village (with the wax witch) are both half a world away

Plus, Erikson tends to actually have proper maps, more or less - ie showing major cities, roads, natural phenomena, and doesn't add in random irrelevant places simply because they appear in the book *cough*Jordan*cough*

Enjoying the start of GotM is definately a very good sign though - thats what normally usually have issues with for being too confusing. I loved it personally, so you're a man of great taste

 

[hedgeknight]

Thanks Rane! GOTM is a lot of fun to read! I love the pace of the events and am eager to see what happens with Paran and Tattersail and the Bridgeburners and Lords of Shadow and many others too. I particularly am enjoying the way Erikson portrays the thieves and assassins as having a personality and compassion beyond their chosen "role" in life.
And the Warrens are a new form of magic (for me) - I like that and I like that magic is common yet mysterious and dangerous too. I don't have to understand it to enjoy it.
Great stuff!
-g-

 

[Werthead]

Behold:

Gardens of the Moon mostly takes place on the continent of Genabackis. Darujhistan and Pale are located there. Malaz City, Itko Kan and Unta are all on the continent of Quon Tali.

Deadhouse Gates, House of Chains and the first two-thirds of The Bonehunters take place in Seven Cities.

Memories of Ice, the opening quarter of House of Chains and the forthcoming eighth book, Toll the Hounds, take place on Genabackis as well.

Midnight Tides and the forthcoming seventh book, Reaper's Gale, take place on Lether.

Erikson has refused to divulge where the ninth and tenth books, Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God, take place. Assail and Korelri, although mentioned in Erikson's books, will apparently only be visited in Ian Cameron Esslemont's novels.

The above map is roughly accurate (confirmed by Erikson himself), but the outlines for Assail, Korelri, southern and eastern Lether, western Seven Cities and southern Genabackis are all pretty speculative. The relation of the continents to one another is pretty accurate, apparently.

 

[Rosemary]

After reading all of the Malazan Series up and including the last one...I know find it hard to get a good book which does not sound insipid.

 

[Somebloke]

Behold:

Gardens of the Moon mostly takes place on the continent of Genabackis. Darujhistan and Pale are located there. Malaz City, Itko Kan and Unta are all on the continent of Quon Tali.

Deadhouse Gates, House of Chains and the first two-thirds of The Bonehunters take place in Seven Cities.

Memories of Ice, the opening quarter of House of Chains and the forthcoming eighth book, Toll the Hounds, take place on Genabackis as well.

Midnight Tides and the forthcoming seventh book, Reaper's Gale, take place on Lether.

Erikson has refused to divulge where the ninth and tenth books, Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God, take place. Assail and Korelri, although mentioned in Erikson's books, will apparently only be visited in Ian Cameron Esslemont's novels.

The above map is roughly accurate (confirmed by Erikson himself), but the outlines for Assail, Korelri, southern and eastern Lether, western Seven Cities and southern Genabackis are all pretty speculative. The relation of the continents to one another is pretty accurate, apparently.

Do you have ANY IDEA how helpful that map is? I hated the way he would have the wrong maps for the regions he was writing about.

 

[Jason_Taverner]

After reading all of the Malazan Series up and including the last one...I know find it hard to get a good book which does not sound insipid.

I have the same problem, I am enjoying GRR Martin I've just started it, but other than that I struggling

 

[Karsa Orlong]

I read A Game of Thrones straight after Erikson and was disappointed, but then I enjoyed Bakker a great deal.

 

[Werthead]

I find Martin and Erikson complement each other very well. Erikson has tremendous breadth in the sheer number of factions, gods, nations, continents and characters he creates but Martin has far deeper characters, history and worldbuilding. Erikson is very high-magic, lots of explosions and w00t! moments, whilst Martin is low-magic, much more intense and character-based. If they ever got together to do a project (highly unlikely) it would be pretty special.

 

[Valko]

I find Martin and Erikson complement each other very well. Erikson has tremendous breadth in the sheer number of factions, gods, nations, continents and characters he creates but Martin has far deeper characters, history and worldbuilding. Erikson is very high-magic, lots of explosions and w00t! moments, whilst Martin is low-magic, much more intense and character-based. If they ever got together to do a project (highly unlikely) it would be pretty special.

I thought the same, however, ICE had a go at Martin's at ASOIAF in a recent interview. Which I thought was a bit rich coming from an author who has only had one book published.

 

[Rane Longfox]

Woah there cowboy, let's take a look at that, shall we?
The only time Martin is mentioned in the interview in question is here:

Who are your favourite authors within the fantasy genre?

For fantasy and related work I’d currently add Iain M. Banks (love his stuff), Philip K. Dick, Neal Stephenson, old Gene Wolfe (the Urth series), China Miéville, and William Gibson. I would add here that I am familiar with G. R. R. Martin’s Swords series, but I do not count it anywhere near a favourite as I find his clinging to the clichés of medieval chivalry tiresome.

Now, this is not "having a go", this is stating his opinion, and considering Martin and Erikson are considered the two best in modern fantasy at the moment, it's fair to comment on it.
Besides, it's a fair comment. I can't stand medieval fantasy, personally, it's far too generic. I only enjoy Martin because he mixes it up with more far-eastern stuff (Dany's storyline).

And does the fact he's only had one book published mean he isn't allowed an opinion? We may as well all quit talking about books then, because the vast majority of us aren't ever going to get anything published. Let's leave all opinion-stating to Mercedes Lackey, shall we?

Despite this, it made him the villain of choice on the Westeros board for several months - most of the members there can't stand any suggestion that Martin might not be anything but absolutely awesome (Not all of the members though, I hasten to add)

 

[Valko]

'I find his clinging to the clichés of medieval chivalry tiresome'
Maybe it's his opinion but he's still having a go at Martin.
If I had read the interview before I had requested NOK for christmas, I wouldn't have bothered with him.
£17 for a paperback from an author I don't share the same opinion with is a waste.

 

[Green]

I do agree that the comment comes over to me as having a go. Having said that, the guy is entitled to his opinion. So you're both right

ICE shows promise as a Malazan author, I think, but he is far from the levels of Erikson. Understandable, but nevertheless. I found NoK to be worth the money I paid (can't remember what it was, but something like £35 signed hb), but it wasn't a fantastic book. Perhaps more for the Malazan-obsessed than the casual reader.

As to the comment and whether I'd have bought the book after reading the comment - hell yeah I love it when authors and the like are prepared to say what they actually think, instead of tip-toeing around each other. I've never read aSoIaF, so I don't even know if the comment was justified or not... I just like that he's willing to say it.

@Valko - there are surely many opinions of your favourite authors' that you don't agree with. Is that really the be all, end all? If one of them had a pop at Martin, would you avoid their overpriced niche market output (and NoK definitely falls into the niche market category imo)? I'm not trying to flame here, just asking.

PS - I am coming round to the idea that Bakker excels Erikson, but I'm going to do a re-read of PoN in a couple of weeks, so I'll leave my final judgement til then

 

[Valko]

ICE doesn't actually say if he's read Martin's books, just that he's familiar with his 'swords series'. Has Martin written another medieval series that I'm unaware of? Or does ICE mean aSoFaI?

@Green - Bakker is the next author on my list, after I get through the rest of the Erikson books

 

[Green]

Fair enough, if the guy hasn't even read the books, he has no right to comment on them. He can comment on the whole atmosphere surrounding the books, but his views on the books/writing would hold no weight with me.

Valko, I hope you enjoy the PoN - I think it's great. If at all possible, try and get the original hardback versions of the books (you can possibly still get these through Amazon USA and Canada, if you can be arsed). The hardbacks are beautiful.

 

[Karsa Orlong]

'I find his clinging to the clichés of medieval chivalry tiresome'
Maybe it's his opinion but he's still having a go at Martin.
If I had read the interview before I had requested NOK for christmas, I wouldn't have bothered with him.
£17 for a paperback from an author I don't share the same opinion with is a waste.

I had the completely opposite reaction, as Martin for the most part (thusfar) doesn't do too much for me and the clichés, both medieval and otherwise, are a large part of why. I don't agree with "Martin has far deeper characters, history and worldbuilding" either, except in a very superficial sense. I don't have the time to elaborate now, but will do so if asked to at a later time.

 

[Valko]

I had the completely opposite reaction, as Martin for the most part (thusfar) doesn't do too much for me and the clichés, both medieval and otherwise, are a large part of why. I don't agree with "Martin has far deeper characters, history and worldbuilding" either, except in a very superficial sense. I don't have the time to elaborate now, but will do so if asked to at a later time.

No offence Karsa but I'm not about to read one of your books. The fact that you don't like Martin's work just means that we have a difference of opinion. I am however, about to read NoK and that ICE has made these comments, leads me to believe I wont like his work, because I've done exactly what he did to Martin, Pre-judged him. Thus wasting someone's money.

 

[Rane Longfox]

Firstly, let's clear this up - ICE has read aSoIaF.
So Valko, if you disagree with an author on something, you're not going to read their books? That must narrow the field somewhat... it's a damn waste, if thats the case, because there are a huge number of excellent authors out there who are complete nutcases, and hold views most people couldn't credit, but it doesn't mean their books aren't just as enjoyable.

Then again, if you judge authors on what they say, not what they write, maybe the content is unimportant. Personally, I judge authors on the books they write, not the interviews they do.

 

[Valko]

OK, if he's read it, why did he not call the series by it's proper name? That's like Martin calling Erikson's books, The Warren series. Downright rude.

So you're saying I like Martin because the content of his books is unimportant? Same goes for Erikson or Tolkien?

I haven't seen Erikson use the same language about Martin's books. When ICE has written a few more books, then perhaps he can pass judgement on other authors writing styles.