Kevin's Watch

One of my least favourite unfortunately. Tehol and Bugg carry it for me, but the whole Feather Witch/Edur storyline doesn't do it for me.

--A

I guess we're just all different, Avatar, and that explains why we can have so many fascinating discussions.

I found the Edur storyline interesting because I wanted to find out the how Trull came to be chained to the wall, and although it wasn't spelled out in simple words, I think we can assume Rhulad and the rest of the Tiste Edur weren't particularly happy with him. (I was a short way into the book before I remember that HOC ended with Onrack patiently waiting for Trull to start telling his story, and that was what we were going on to in the next book.)

Feather Witch didn't interest me as a character, but she didn't bother me either because I was interested in what was going on with Udinaas.

I found the whole idea of the Indebted and rampant capitalism very interesting for the parallels it drew with our own capitalist culture, so everything that went on in Letheras, Udinaas' thoughts and the conversations between the slaves was fascinating. I also liked Brys a lot, although it was obvious where his story was going (except that I didn't expect the twist right at the end).

There were a few bits at the beginning that were maybe a bit heavy going, but once I got engaged with the characters, it moved along fine.

I'm glad to hear we'll be going back to that part of the world in the future because I have a lot of questions left unanswered.

Oh yeah. Reapers Gale basically finishes that story. Brings it into phase with the "present." I really didn't like the Udinaas stuff either...I lump it all together as Edur/Feather Witch.

I won't say anything else, because I don't remember which bits belong to MT and which to RG.

--A

Udinaas's storyline gets more interesting in later books. But by the time I got there, I'd kind of written him off, so was less interested in outcomes than I probably should have been.

Meh. He annoys me. Clip too.

--A

Got past the intro and now into the 2nd chapter have tried to advoid reading above messages until i get further in but when I do so Ill have a good old read of your above comments cle

Nice to see you around again Cleburne.

--A

Avatar wrote:Nice to see you around again Cleburne.

--A

Thanks Avatar nice to be missed

Cleburne wrote:Got past the intro and now into the 2nd chapter have tried to advoid reading above messages until i get further in but when I do so Ill have a good old read of your above comments cle

well just finished and it didnt take me long ,enjoyed it completely from cover to cover but wasnt happy with Brys outcome ,plur got confused with all the gods mentioned?

Bleh.

Which gods? (Bonehunters is much better.)

--A

I find there are two kinds of immersive books. Books that pick me up and carry me away in a headlong rush, and books I get lost and wander in. The first four books of Malazan were the former, Midnight Tides was the latter. The change of pace was abrupt and jarring at first, particularly since I picked MT up the same day as finishing HoC. But then I came to love this book in an entirely different way to the first four.

The previous books left me with vivid images seared into my head. The battlefield of dismembered corpses outside Pale, the house with bleeding walls in Capustan, crucified soldiers, kneeling T'lan Imass and memories falling like hail....
Midnight Tides left me with sensa, emotion, ambience. The growing dread and hopelessness of the Edur. The suppressed hilarity and genius behind Tehol and Bugg's banter. The intrigue and avarice of Lether. These things didn't sear like a brand, they seeped into me slowly, and I savoured them.

Avatar wrote:Meh. He annoys me. Clip too.

--A

umhm. me too.

Struggling with this one so far. Not helped by the fact that my copy of the book does this at page 96....



Much as I love a non-linear reading experience, when it is unintended by the author it tends to be less effective.

I did check page 449 to see if it was hiding pages 97-128, but alas this section of the story is missing altogether, or present in a universe to which I have not, most unfairly, been given access.

Funny thing is, as a sign of how confused I already was, it took me a 2-3 pages to notice the book had skipped 352 pages

Anyway, I'm reading something else now while book depository sends a more traditionally-linear replacement.

P.S. I did enjoy House of Chains a lot. And for me, Deadhouse Gates was better than Memories of Ice, though I understand that's an almost blasphemous admission.

Completely off-topic but relevant to your situation: Have you ever read If on a winter's night a traveller?

A long time ago but I remember enjoying it immensely.
And yes the perfect book to think of in this situation
If only Erikson had intended Midnight Tides to be read this way, I'm sure it would be just fine.

While I'm here, I'm embarrassed to admit it but I was actually happy to put this one down and read something else. I'm growing accustomed to waiting a couple of hundred pages to get into things but it's never seemed like a 'chore' before.

That's funny. My Bonehunters repeats pages 353-384. It gets to page 384, then jumps back and starts over again at 353.

Hmmm... I wonder if it's a UK vs US edition thing.
Is your repetitive Bonehunters the US version?
(My fawlty Tides is.)

Never had a problem here. MMPB UK editions of GotM-HoC, then UK TPBs for MT-RG, and UK hardbacks for the last ones. IIRC - not 100% sure what TtH was.

To take this tangent further offtopic, I always seem to find US paperbacks to be poorer quality than the equivalent UK books. Thinner, softer paper, and often the covers peel.

Yeah, although my UK editions of MT and RG both have broken spines and some loose pages now.

--A

Getting so much more from this book on the second read. This time round I understand where Kettle came from. The first time I was awash in names and warrens etc. and had no idea what I was reading about. I had in fact quite forgotten that Kettle's "origins" were given here. Also Udinaas's dreams are much more interesting now I know who all the characters are. Tehol and Bugg are wonderful.