House of Chains [Spoilers]

[I'm Murrin]

Remind me--what point of Karsa's journey is 188 pages in?

[Fist and Faith]

He just got out of being chained for weeks, "feigning" madness. Just after he "summoned" the storm that killed all the Malazans on the ship.

[Fist and Faith]

Big spoiler......................










Was I supposed to have known that the Teblor gods were T'lan Imass??? Did I miss some clues?? I was entirely surprised.

But anyway, HOLY COW!!! Karsa with a T'lan Imass flint sword??? DAMN!!!!!

[lucimay]

everything connects eventually, grasshoppah!

[Fist and Faith]

Well, that's another book out of the way! Heh. And holy mother of God!



**SPOILERS**



The Bridgeburners ascended!!!! DAMN!!!!! And what does that mean?
"Damned if I know, Kalam. I've never heard of such a thing before. A whole company - there's no precedent for this, none at all."
Like the Bridgeburners weren't cool enough in the first place!!!


Tavore killing Felisin... Oh man, I hope she never finds out. And Felisin dies ignorant of her sister's true feelings and motivations. Damn, that's some tragic writing!


Karsa is, indeed, very cool. But I think everything comes a bit too easy for him. I never felt any fear for him. I knew he'd come out on top of any situation. And if he can battle two Hounds of Darkness - and kill both!!! - I guess there's nothing to stand in his way. I assume he'll run up against Icarium again some day, and maybe have a real battle on his hands.

[aliantha]

Karsa is, indeed, very cool. But I think everything comes a bit too easy for him. I never felt any fear for him. I knew he'd come out on top of any situation. And if he can battle two Hounds of Darkness - and kill both!!! - I guess there's nothing to stand in his way. I assume he'll run up against Icarium again some day, and maybe have a real battle on his hands.

Just keep reading, Fist. Just keep reading.

[lucimay]

oh man!!!!! speaking of Karsa!!! just finished Reaper's Gale!!!

[aliantha]

I love Karsa.

I'm rereading MoI now, and I can't help thinking about what different views we've had of the Thelomen/Toblaki/take-yer-pick, the freakin' giants anyhow. There's Karsa the Hero and his friends in the sword, and there's Ublala Pung the Comic Relief, and then there's Bellurdan the Mage (his Thelomen background totally got past me on my first read because I was so wrapped up with Nightchill and Tattersail -- and heck, maybe also because I didn't know what a Thelomen *was*...). Just interesting how different they are.

[Fist and Faith]

I very much want to reread these books, and have been thinking of when I'd be able to do so. Hell, I still have four books to go!! And we're planning an Earthsea discussion; then Fatal Revenant... I can't imagine how many things - like Bellurdan being a Thelomen! - I didn't pick up. Thanks for that one, a.

[Farm Ur-Ted]

Just started this sucker.... Damn, it's good! I swear, Erikson gets better and better.

[Farm Ur-Ted]

Quick question: I'm at the point in the story (about 188 pages in or so, like above) when Karsa and Knuckles are freed from the Malazan ship by the chain-storm. Did this storm appear in Deadhouse Gates? It sort of reminds me of the crazy storm in DG, when Felisin and co. were escaping from the Otatarol shore (or whatever it was called).

[I'm Murrin]

It does have some similarities, I think. The one in DG involved a figure up in the clouds with chains of magic lashing out from him, didn't it?

The problem with the connection would be the timeline, however, which--as becomes more obvious later in the book--doesn't match up.

[Farm Ur-Ted]

It does have some similarities, I think. The one in DG involved a figure up in the clouds with chains of magic lashing out from him, didn't it?

The problem with the connection would be the timeline, however, which--as becomes more obvious later in the book--doesn't match up.

Yeah, the one in DG has the crazy wizard blowing around in the clouds, but I don't remember if he was chained up or not. I'm also wondering about the wrecked ships that Karsa and Knuckles end up stranded in. I can't remember if there was something similar from DG or not.

You could be right about the timeline, I have no idea how this fits in with the overall timeline, although from what I've read, there are numerous continuity errors in the series (and supposedly many with timelines).

[aliantha]

I'm pretty sure it's meant to be the same storm.

I can't imagine how many things - like Bellurdan being a Thelomen! - I didn't pick up. Thanks for that one, a.

You're entirely welcome, Fisty. I didn't catch it myself 'til the second time through.

[Farm Ur-Ted]

I'm pretty sure it's meant to be the same storm.

Well, the ship that they end up on with the Tiste Edur was definitely the lost ship (can't remember the name) that was in DG, isn't it? I seem to recall a ship that was being paddled by headless dudes in DG (I can't possibly be making that up!).

[aliantha]

You're not making it up. It's definitely the same ship.

[Farm Ur-Ted]

Almost done, and all I can say right now is WHOA!

Spoiler

Karsa Orlong gives a mean hand-job.

[Farm Ur-Ted]

Awesome freaking book! Just finished it. My favorite scenes I can think of right now:

1. Gamet's last charge. That was great! I didn't realize he was dead, but it's good to know he's going to be getting a lot more action.

2. Lostara and Pearl doing it. I loved that scene, although I wish Steven weren't so parsimonious with the details. I mean, if you're going to describe every tendon that's ruptured as a guy gets his package ripped off, you might as well give us a happy ending. Which leads to....

3. Karsa de-balling Bidithal, and then feeding him raw oysters. That was sick! I loved it.

4. Kalam and Quick Ben taking care of Kamist Reloe and Korbolo Dom. That was awesome; I knew the acorn was going to be a key to the scene, but I totally forgot what it was for. Loved it when Kalam killed the three Talon inside the tent.

5. The 4 Tiste Lioasan deciding to set their sights on a different target at the end, after they got their asses blown off. It reminded me of those Xterra commercials where the group of guys are driving to a big wall in Moab, yelling "to the cliff! to the cliff!" Then they look at it and realize how big it is, and see a smaller rock in the distance, and are like "to the other rock! to the other rock!"

[Farm Ur-Ted]

And now a few questions. So, we find out at the end that the Raraku goddess is an Imass, and that she's all pissed off because some other Imass Ho stole her boyfriend from her, and then killed her entire family ( ). Now, the Imass Ho is clearly Syballe, right (one of the Seven)? So who was the ex-boyfriend? Was it Onrack (what I think), or was it one of the other Seven (like Urugal)? We know Onrack slept around (I think, although I didn't pay enough attention to his story), but I thought he knocked up Kilava (Tool's sister). He definitely painted her on the wall.

Also, were the Seven banished because they killed the Raraku goddess's family? Is that the story? I'm unclear on the whole thing.

Finally, Erikson always puts little hints into character names about their identities, like L'Oric is Osric's son, and Keruli is really K'rul. So what about Urugal? Is he actually a chick or something in disguise? Maybe his name should've been Imagal.

[I'm Murrin]

I think you should have paid more attention to Onrack's story.

Onrack had a wife, but fell in love with Kilava. When he painted her, she became immortal; she then murdered all of her own family--except for Onos Toolan--to sever herself from them and thus avoid the Ritual. On her way out after killnig them, she stopped to sleep with Onrack (their offspring apparently the source of the human race). Onrack's wife went mad with her anger and jealously about what happened with Kilava, and eventually became the Whirlwind goddess.

Syballe had nothing to do with it, and I'm not sure where you got that impression.