SFF Readalongs led by Kitty G discussion

Discussion of chapters 2 and 3 of the book ONLY, no spoilers for any other parts of the book please!

These warrens are still a little confusing. You can travel though them, use them to summon power? etc? The battle was pretty good. I seem to like tattersail and Whiskey Jack and the Bridgebunners. But i find the deck of dragon card reading stuff to be confusing, but i just go with it and keep pushing on.

Oh my...okay, lots going on here.
First of all, I really like the names in this book. Tattersail. Whiskeyjack. Quick Ben. Great names.

So...at the end of chapter 3 (view spoiler)[Hairlock is a puppet and Paran is dead? This is pretty crazy. Also, what's up with spinning coin both Tattersail and Paran hear? (hide spoiler)]

I agree the Deck of Dragons stuff is a bit confusing. And I suspect it is important, at least from a foreshadowing standpoint.

Also: I loved the line "He wondered if he should start measuring his life in minutes."

Really liking the book so far. It's a challenge to read, but it seems to be well worth the effort.

Throughout these two chapters, the character I gravitated to the most seemed to be Whiskeyjack. He just really reminds me of a couple of NCM's I used to know. As like with every poster before me, I find the Deck of Dragons extremely intriguing. The first thing I questioned was whether the deck itself was subject to sabotage. Can a God manipulate it to trick a reader into believing certain events are in motion and certain parties are at play when really nothing of the sort is happening?

As for Tayschrenn and his actions, I think think this topic should be a good one for the "Conspiracies Theories" header.

Okay wow, this section had a LOT going on and I was perhaps a little naive feeling very confident about having understood what I thought was the majority of Chap 1 and the Prologue, however at the end of Chapter 3 I once more feel that I'm understanding the essential parts and I'm sure the rest will slowly be revealed with time.

One thing that I was certainly in love with too and intrigued by was the Tarrot card thingies which seem really foreboding and interesting. I don's know exactly what the spinning coin relates to but I do have a feeling it's certainly significant as only Tattersail seems able to hear it? I think it's going to become very important and the fact that she could tell when there was a slight judder and jolt to the spin of the coin at an exciting and tense moment makes me wonder if it's a sort of symbol much like (and only read this if you have read Wheel of Time book 5 onwards) (view spoiler)[ the dice that Mat hears in his head when trouble is brewing or something like that happens. It's really reminding me of that, but maybe I'm on a totally different tangent there! (hide spoiler)]

Moving on, there certainly seems to be different Warrens and I get the feeling that some are a lot worse than others and connected deeper with the Chaos and Badness of this world. I think there was a moment where this was hinted at (although I can't remember where or by who just now) and I am super intrigued by what more we shall get to see of them and their uses in the future. It seems that Topper uses them to travel and I am guessing it's not too uncommon as lots of people know about them it seems even if not fully understanding them yet.

As for Param and his rather sudden death at the end of chap.3 I was really not sure how I felt about his character the whole way through. I thought he was going to be a major player in the story but of course that may no longer be the case and I want to see what results after his death and who becomes more involved in the overall story in his place. I suppose his death was talked about and hinted at a lot before it happened which is interesting, and I think Erikson does a good job of foreshadowing certain things, maybe I have severely underprepared for the vicious nature of the author and his ability (much like Martin) to kill off characters!

I'm really interested in the various plots that seem to be happening, first with Sorry, Cotillian and the other one (whose name begins with an A and I keep forgetting it!) and secondly with the Wiskeyjack Team (as I will call them for now). I am in agreement with Elizabeth that they seem a little silly pondering over the possible reasons people could want them dead when there are so many obvious ones surrounding them, but I do look forward to seeing how these plots may or may not overlap and what's really the motives for them.

Overall I think we got a fair way into the detail of the battle and horrors that this world has to offer in these chapters and I am looking forward to more (even though I have to concentrate a lot). I hope that I will be able to spot some more secrets in the next few chapters and we shall see what I have to say when I get there :D

Happy reading all and it's wonderful to see people discussing so actively :D

(Also I adore the awesome character names too! Tattersail and Whiskeyjack are fun and memorable for sure!)

@Warrens: There will be more information on them as we go along.

@Elizabeth: The Malazans (and thus the Bridgeburners) have a fierce loyality towards the empire. As Lasseen has not removed them in the first place I think they assumed that Lasseen wouldn't question that loyality in general.
So a threat might be from someone else, or -if it really is Lasseen- the question is why now, as the "old" reasons weren't enough during the last years to make that effort.

@Kaitlin: Yes, Erikson is a very viscious author. I personally think that Martin or Abercrombie are moderate compared to him.^^
Oh, and Ammanas is the second name you are looking for, just like the fruit, only with 2 ms.

So now we see the aftermath of the final battle of Pale. Tattersail oversees the results of the bloody engagement, and this battle will have lasting ramifications. This section, or the execution of it to be specific always bothered me a little. Erikson decides to show us the aftermath before the battle itself. It ultimately works in a strange sort of way. But I always got the impression that Erikson had a hard time deciding how to present the battle of Pale. I'm pretty sure there is no other moment in the series that is presented this way, the aftermath and then the moments leading up to it. I'm fine with it, but even on a reread it still feels weird.

That image of Tattersail conversing with a half eviscerated Hairlock keeping himself alive via sorcery was so startling to me on my first read. The straightforward acceptance the two have about the situation just lends an idea to how brutal things are in this world. I mean, the guy has only half his body, with entrails spilling out. That's just insane.

What is kind of humorous to me in rereading this is how casually certain concepts and people are introduced. The undead T'lan Imass, are mentioned almost offhandedly in a single sentence. This is hilarious to me. Nothing is said about the Crimson Guard, what their deal is or anything, just that they exist. This is just crazy to experience on a re-read. I can't even remember how I reacted to this information my first time around.

Moon's Spawn however gets a pretty proper introduction. The giant floating rock fortress created such a great ominous feeling for me. Mysterious, brooding, threatening. The talk between the mages about Anomander Rake and Caladan Brood almost has me reeling. I didn't remember that so much was said so early about the both of them. That's incredible.

All I'll say about what occurred in the battle with the mages against Anomander Rake is worth speculation.

Several more abstract concepts are introduced across these two chapters. Ascendants, the exact nature of which will take time to clarify. And of course, the Deck of Dragons. Very tarot like in nature, the Deck is a very powerful tool, and not to be taken lightly. Whenever a reading occurs, it is always important to take note.

I love the bit where Paran meets Hedge and the others. Erikson has a way of building comraderie amongst certain characters that makes me just love them. And of course, moments after this Ganoes is killed by Cotillion, and yet in death Paran still hears the spinning of a coin.

Kyle wrote: "Throughout these two chapters, the character I gravitated to the most seemed to be Whiskeyjack. He just really reminds me of a couple of NCM's I used to know. As like with every poster before me, I..."

The Deck of Dragons is a very powerful and dangerous tool. Whenever there is a reading, there is an element of anxiety. Because gods do recognize this divination. And this can certainly have certain effects on the proceedings. The gods do notice.

Kaitlin wrote: "I don's know exactly what the spinning coin relates to but I do have a feeling it's certainly significant as only Tattersail seems able to hear it?"

The spinning coin relates to the influence of the god Oponn, the twin jesters of chance. Tattersail makes this connection during the Deck readings she makes.

Kaitlin wrote: "maybe I have severely underprepared for the vicious nature of the author and his ability (much like Martin) to kill off characters!"

Haha trust me, you are not prepared.

Evan wrote: Haha trust me, you are not prepared.

:D Indeed, but that adds to the excitement :D

Finding this very cinematic in scope and very much enjoying it! The pacing is great and I'm intrigued by the concept of Quorls. For as much depth that we have in world building going on here, the narrative seems very fluid.

Wow! These chapters brought a lot to the reader. With the introduction of new characters after a gruesome battle it just leads to more questions for me. Why is the high mage killing the other mages. Love this type of intrigue.

I can't forget about Paran, this man who wanted to be a soldier is now realizing he is lacking in some areas. He know he is being used, and doesn't care.

With the ending at chapter 3 was a like a "WHAT" moment to me.

Totally loving this book.

Who and what I am loving:

- Tattersail is awesome. She really is showing that she is an intelligent force to be reckoned with and my fav character so far.

- The Dragon Decks and the readings. Oponn, the twin jesters of chance really intrigues me because I always loved these type of gods in books. Very Loki in a way. With Tattersail and Taryschenal(probably misspelled that but oh well) both seeing Oponn, it makes me believe that all their fates are hung on a balance between heads/tails in a way.

- I took the coin with Paran in his final moments as pure chance because a lot of what happened to him was just pure chance and being in the right/wrong place at the right/wrong time. From meeting Laseen in the prologue to meeting Lorn at the coast village. A lot of things were so random for him to end up in the place he ended up at.

- I like the idea of the gods trying to take down the Empress. It has a very tower of babel type of feel to it. Malazan getting too big, the gods wanting to interfere so that they won't be threatened.

- Hahah, that scene with Tattersail and Hairlock reminded me so much of Ripley and Bishop at the end of Aliens because of Hairlock being torn in half.

One more thing, I love the look of this story. When I visualize this book in my head there are a lot of gothic black outfits, outrageous looking armors/weapons, and just ridiculous looking magics. Just an extreme brutal, harsh, and almost obscene look to everything. I love it.

Paul, I think you are on point about the darkness of the world. Just looking at the cover the only elements of brightness are the mood which is still moody and one light in the tower. Everything else has no sense of happiness or joy. In fact reading thus far I see games like cards to be a way for the characters to block out the horrific world in which they live.

I cannot believe Erikson killed off Paran. Characters is prologues don't usually die so soon, if at all. I was looking for Paran to rise above his shortcomings as a warrior and do something of worth. Instead we find he is indeed not ready for battle, not being able to defend himself against a child. Now I am at a loss as to where this story goes from here.

I am very intrigued by Sorry and the gods that are assisting her. She can obviously hold her own against a grown man, but how will she stand when she is faced with a battle hardened soldier?

As mentioned earlier I have no idea where the story goes from here. I read where Erikson didn't want to be a Tolkien clone, and right off it is apparent there is nothing formulaic about this series. I feel I cannot make any assumptions about how this story will take shape as Erikson is more than happy to burst my bubble and that makes this series refreshing. I can't wait to move on and see where this ride of a novel takes us next.