[Royce]

The plot really thickens in MOI. This is getting very fun and interesting.

[Wilshire]

MOI was my favorite from page 1, though HOC may have some interesting plot implications (too soon to really tell though).

[Royce]

Are you supposed to read the Ian Esslemont novels after the 10 Erikson books? I hear someone suggest reading them in-between the 1o books....

For example, you read "Night of Knives" after "Midnight Tides". Anyone here know the correct way of dealing with this? I just found out about this co- author.

[Aural]

Are you supposed to read the Ian Esslemont novels after the 10 Erikson books? I hear someone suggest reading them in-between the 1o books....

For example, you read "Night of Knives" after "Midnight Tides". Anyone here know the correct way of dealing with this? I just found out about this co- author.

http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2012/12/updated-malazan-reading-order-and-map.html

[Raizen]

I've been using this one, I'm reading Night of Knives after Gardens of the Moon.

http://forum.malazanempire.com/topic/27842-spoiler-free-read-order-thread/

[Wilshire]

I've been using this one, I'm reading Night of Knives after Gardens of the Moon.

http://forum.malazanempire.com/topic/27842-spoiler-free-read-order-thread/

This one seems very comprehensive, but I'm ignoring the non-Erickson books. I'd like to read something else before the next decade comes around

[Royce]

Yeah, I am with Wilshire on this. Just saw that it is 16 books so far, and that is a bit much to be honest.

[Kellais]

I want to add this : Erikson himself said that you can easily read his books before you dive into the Esslemont books. I myself think that reading them in the "right" order (aka in-world chronologically) is better...BUT...the styles of the two have some differences. So it might be indeed better to just stick to Erikson and finish his series first (which is, for most of the fans that always read the books right when they came out, the order in which we have read it ... we had no choices back then ^^ ).

Btw, I know Wert is a real big-shot in the blogger-scene...but to be honest he also has very strange ideas sometimes. I guess his "fame" went a bit to his head. So don't take what he says as gospel...he's not that good.

[Wilshire]

Wertzone

According to dialogue, Toll the Hounds takes place six years after Memories of Ice. According to every other piece of information in the whole series, this is flat-out impossible, and needs to be ignored. Orb Sceptre Throne retcons it to about two years after MoI. The presence of a child born after MoI who is five years old in TTH also has to be ignored.

thought that was hilarious.

So it might be indeed better to just stick to Erikson and finish his series first (which is, for most of the fans that always read the books right when they came out, the order in which we have read it ... we had no choices back then ^^ ).

I like the idea of reading it as it was produced. Something to be said about the way and order a series was written.

[Hirtius/Pansa]

Just started Gardens of the Moon and got about 50 pages in today.  I sort of concur with Francis on the affectation of the writing style.  But, I have the obdurate patience of a mountain so I will continue.  I'm also completely neurotic when it comes to fantasy genre stuff, so I'll probably read everything and anything in this damn saga.  *sigh*

[Royce]

Wow, I don`t think I have ever read an author who uses the ketchup effect like Erikson. He just pours gently the first 5-600 pages and then he fucking drowns you in the last 300 pages. Add to that an insane amount of viewpoints, almost like channel switching on TV.

Is it just me or does anyone else think that he may be leaning a bit too much on melancholy? It can be exhausting at times I think.

That being said, I will read on:)  (I just finished MOI by the way)

[Wilshire]

Yeah the last 400 of MoI .

Too melancholy? Compared to say... TSA? I don't really feel that at all. In the context of 'grimdark' stuff, Bakker is way down towards despair, and I'd put Abercrombie somewhere more towards melancholy ... and then Erickson kind of bounces between the two imo. Kind of leaning to a lighter atmosphere even than Abercrombie, then switching to much darker tone, and then back again.

[Royce]

Well, I don`t know. It has been a while since I read TSA but I do not seem to remember that sadness was the feeling I was most visited by. Despair, hopelessness, sure. But not melancholic sadness. I have not read Abercrombie by the way.

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The story of Itkovian was heart breaking to say the least. A fantastic character IMO. The stories of Tiste Andii and Tlan Ilmass/Jaghut are amongst the saddest stories I have read for a long time. I agree that he lifts you up pretty nicely here and there though. I loved the scene with Quick and Paran inside Moon Spawn at the end. "light of mystery"

[Wilshire]

Yeah certainly some tear jerking moments in MoI, true sadness, which I would agree is different that TSA.

[Royce]

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I have approximately one million questions, but I am pretty sure they will be answered by reading on:). I just wonder a bit about those two dragons at the end of DG. Is that supposed to be Korlat and her brother chasing Kallor? You know, when they just flew past Fiddler and company in the Azath house?