SFF Readalongs led by Kitty G discussion

This is for discussion of Chapter 11 of Memories of Ice. Please ensure you do NOT post spoilers for any other part of the book! Thank you!

Finally, we are back to Paran and his Bridgeburners. Paran is my 2nd favourite character, I think particularly because he reminds me a bit of Kaladin. This BB bunch also provides a much needed dose of humour - I really loved Corporal Picker's sarcasm.

I don't know why but I just can't get myself to enjoy the Barghast's storyline as yet.

Paran's storyline was certainly intriguing and the whole situation with Trotts, Quick Ben, Mallet and the Barghast spirits was pretty engrossing. I didn't anticipate how involved in everything Quick Ben would be come but he's truly a crazy character, always in some sort of trap, deal or magical conundrum but every time he weasels his way out! I do find his story and his sections to be highly interesting and I never have any idea how they're going to play out, but this scene where he made a deal with the spirits I did really like a lot.

I'm enjoying seeing Paran's story and I wonder what exactly is happening to him as it does seem to be changing him and making him constantly in pain (never a good sign). I think there's certainly a lot which we will come to learn from whatever happens with him and what changes come as a result.

Overall so far this book is still interesting me and even the overall battle between the Malazans and their allies arming up to face the Pannion Domin is pretty interesting too. I wonder what will happen and who will 'win' but I'm more interested in the gradual gathering of the forces and alliances.

We also learned that the Moranth are kin to the Barghast and that the true Gods of the Barghast are trapped within Capustan but waiting to be freed very soon.

We had the scene before (maybe in the chapter before I didn't comment at the time) where we saw the big meeting between Itkovian and the White Faced Barghast's, Cafal and Hetan and they uncover an ancient load of canal boats with corpses and bones of their ancestors which shows them more of their past.
I really wasn't expecting a load of boats to just suddenly be dug up from the floor but I must say it was visually very cool and I could imagine it well which was awesome!

Not sure how much further I'll be getting tonight with this book. But I am enjoying it for sure!

TS wrote: "Finally, we are back to Paran and his Bridgeburners. Paran is my 2nd favourite character, I think particularly because he reminds me a bit of Kaladin. This BB bunch also provides a much needed do..."

Alright TS. You go:
1 Rake (for swooning reasons)
2 Paran
... then?
3 Whiskeyjack
4 Gruntle
5 Quick Ben

Michael wrote: "TS wrote: "Finally, we are back to Paran and his Bridgeburners. Paran is my 2nd favourite character, I think particularly because he reminds me a bit of Kaladin. This BB bunch also provides a muc..."

Hehehe, I like how you perceived my crush on Rake. It's not just swooning btw, he does seem to have something there which is deep. I always like how a character is viewed to be all powerful, cold and threatening, and then you see the moments of.. humanity if you can call it.. during those scenes we've seen Rake with Baruk, Brood and especially Whiskeyjack.

I find it pretty hard to rank the rest after Paran. Whiskeyjack, Toc the Younger, Quick Ben, yes Gruntle is growing on me, and how can one not enjoy a character like Kruppe! I like a LOT of the characters in this series, especially those from the Malazan side. Erikson fleshes out his characters really well and they are believable in the way they think and behave.

Kaitlin wrote: "Paran's storyline was certainly intriguing and the whole situation with Trotts, Quick Ben, Mallet and the Barghast spirits was pretty engrossing. I didn't anticipate how involved in everything Quic..."

I know what you mean about the discovery of the canal of boats. I was expecting perhaps a tomb or two so that was an interesting visual. And quite ominous too since we've read about a seafaring race who killed the entire village of Callows in an earlier chapter. Is it all connected?

TS wrote: "Michael wrote: "TS wrote: "Finally, we are back to Paran and his Bridgeburners. Paran is my 2nd favourite character, I think particularly because he reminds me a bit of Kaladin. This BB bunch als..."

I like Rake a lot too. And how could I have forgotten about Kruppe! Brave and honorable Kruppe.