Welcome to the club. I'm planning on a reread starting January. It'll be an entirely different experience knowing all the context we have after finishing the main 10.
Congrats, you did it!! Happy you loved it so much. A few random comments: -- if 4 months to read the whole series is "crazy or something", then what am I at 3.5 months the first time?? lol -- I get that feeling of being a little sad it's over. For me, that didn't hit till I finished ALL Malazan books, which (including a reread of MBotF) took about a year and a half... at that point I looked back and said, I've read only Malazan, basically, for the last year and a half. What now??? (I read and loved Stormlight next, I'm okay now lol) -- really good point about the length of time reading takes, as a form of art consumption, compared to others. That is unique to reading for sure, and helps make it super special -- I agree that you weren't paying attention if you finish this series and do NOT take away something you can apply to your daily life. That is one of the truly incredible features of this series (among many) -- I am actually a better person now than I was before reading this series. The theme of "compassion" is trite and overused, but oh well. Because the way that theme is presented, explored, and hammered home in this series has an impact you just can't get anywhere else. Not in the same way. And it definitely had a profound effect on me, as it did you and many other Malazan lovers. For that we say thank you Mr Erikson
What an accomplishment, congrats! I agree with basically everything you said. When I was reading it I didn't love every single page, but when I finished it all I could think of was how brilliant it all is combined. The hangover was definitely a real thing for me as well. I felt almost empty reading other stuff because it simply wasn't on the same level in terms of complexity and prose. For me it was pretty bad for about 3 months after finishing it. As others have mentioned Gene Wolfe and R. Scott Bakker are both writers that scratch a similar itch. I personally prefer Erikson's prose the most, but all three are absolutely on a different level. Just for fun, I would suggest reading the first several chapters (or the whole thing haha) of GotM again; you will be amazed at how different it is with knowledge.
I started reading the first few pages of GOTM and that was pretty mind blowing by itself. Those first few scenes are just an entirely different experience with all the context. Thanks for watching! I've been forcing myself to read another series this week. It's taking some getting used to... lol Both of those authors are now on my TBR.
I really feel that comment you made about still reading fantasy but needing to find something else like this. This series was so deep, thought provoking, engaging, and unconventional that it makes so much other fantasy less interesting to me now. In some ways that's a shame, but I feel like my eyes were opened to vaster potential within the genre, and I'm grateful for that. Glad you liked the ending as well - the fact that I didn't guess that direction even after related thematic work in earlier books seems to even more deeply underscore erikson's fundamental point. I'm being intentionally vague to protect people who haven't read it yet :)
There are plenty of spin-off series and stories written by Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont that can keep you reading in the Malazan universe. A quick search online and you’re off on another adventure in Malaz!
I've already bought all the Esslemont novels! I'm reading a couple other series for a change of pace currently, but I will definitely be reading the entire Malazan collection :)
This series ruins other fantasy novels. The only thing that scratches that itch (after you finish all the other books) is just to do a reread. The series actually gets better and better with each subsequent reread since you actually understand what is going on throughout.
Malazan is my favorite series of all time, and I'm currently on a are-read including the ICE books for the first time. And few things live up to it. But if you want a challenge, the closest I've come to Malazan is R. Scott Bakker's "Prince of nothing" series. It's bleak, heavy with themes, symbolism and philosophy. Some of the scariest creatures I've seen in fantasy (on par with Forkrul Assail in terms of creepyness). A very unique flavor, a very interesting setting with a rich history. And when it comes to writing battle scenes, no one I've come across does it better than him, including Erikson. There are a few major flaws that I couldn't really handle, so I quit after the first trilogy. But it has lingered in my mind, just as Malazan, and I have an urge to re-read it and continue on to the the 2nd trilogy once my never ending re-read of Malazan is done.
I just ordered all of the ICE books, going to hop right into those. Also I keep hearing about this series by R. Scott Bakker. I will definitely be checking that out.
Congratulations. I've been reading this series for almost a year and a half and I'm currently in the middle of Toll the Hounds. Realistically, it will take me 2 years to finish this series. I have changed so much as a person during the time I have spent reading this series. Malazan just feels like a part of my life now. When I finish it, I imagine it will feel like losing something. I eagerly await the day I get there. Finishing this series has become a legendary prospect in my life. The day I finish The Crippled God will be a special one.
Thanks for watching! The end of Toll the Hounds is incredible. It does kind of feel like losing someone, but I feel good about the fact that I will be re-reading this series many times throughout my life I'm sure.
So glad you finished it. Really wish we could have gotten spoiler reviews from you regarding all the books after Midnight Tides. Ending this series is a journey, and once you finish it, nothing else will feel like it. It is so cathartic and emotionally satisfying. Will say more if you do a spoiler review. I am reading the last book, Assail, from NOTME. Just a warning, NOK is fine, but ROTCG is a slog and may be the worst book in the series, even though its ending is really epic. So be prepared for a struggle in that book. But after that its all smooth sailing. Esslemont improves in each book from there, and so far I loved Stonewielder, OST and Blood and Bone. Assail is the best one so far.
I would highly recommend R Scott Bakkers second apocalypse series as others have said down here. They are incredible and I may like them a bit more than MBotF. I hold them in the same regard for sure. Character writing is flawless and the prose and worldbuilding is among the greats. I think of Earwa at least weekly lol. Finished my second read of TSA about a year ago. The other series I would recommend would be book of the new sun by gene Wolfe. It’s sort of an opposite style to Malazan and the series is doing something quite different, but really rewards close reading and rereading. Extremely rich and textured prose. I just finished this series a few months ago.
Of course! I have a feeling TSA in particular will really click with you. It is portraying a very oppressive world though, less humor in it than Malazan for sure. That’s something to be aware of! It is overall very bleak and brutal. I think part of why reading other fantasy after MBotF can have such whiplash is the literary style of Erikson’s writing. That is definitely the major thing these recommendations have in common with it.
Welcome to the club. I'm planning on a reread starting January. It'll be an entirely different experience knowing all the context we have after finishing the main 10.
Congrats, you did it!! Happy you loved it so much. A few random comments:
-- if 4 months to read the whole series is "crazy or something", then what am I at 3.5 months the first time?? lol
-- I get that feeling of being a little sad it's over. For me, that didn't hit till I finished ALL Malazan books, which (including a reread of MBotF) took about a year and a half... at that point I looked back and said, I've read only Malazan, basically, for the last year and a half. What now??? (I read and loved Stormlight next, I'm okay now lol)
-- really good point about the length of time reading takes, as a form of art consumption, compared to others. That is unique to reading for sure, and helps make it super special
-- I agree that you weren't paying attention if you finish this series and do NOT take away something you can apply to your daily life. That is one of the truly incredible features of this series (among many) -- I am actually a better person now than I was before reading this series. The theme of "compassion" is trite and overused, but oh well. Because the way that theme is presented, explored, and hammered home in this series has an impact you just can't get anywhere else. Not in the same way. And it definitely had a profound effect on me, as it did you and many other Malazan lovers. For that we say thank you Mr Erikson
If you did it in 3.5 months that is insane hahaha but well done!
@@taylor-kenny "if"
yeah I'm totally lying lol
Here we go!
What an accomplishment, congrats! I agree with basically everything you said. When I was reading it I didn't love every single page, but when I finished it all I could think of was how brilliant it all is combined. The hangover was definitely a real thing for me as well. I felt almost empty reading other stuff because it simply wasn't on the same level in terms of complexity and prose. For me it was pretty bad for about 3 months after finishing it. As others have mentioned Gene Wolfe and R. Scott Bakker are both writers that scratch a similar itch. I personally prefer Erikson's prose the most, but all three are absolutely on a different level. Just for fun, I would suggest reading the first several chapters (or the whole thing haha) of GotM again; you will be amazed at how different it is with knowledge.
I started reading the first few pages of GOTM and that was pretty mind blowing by itself. Those first few scenes are just an entirely different experience with all the context.
Thanks for watching! I've been forcing myself to read another series this week. It's taking some getting used to... lol
Both of those authors are now on my TBR.
I really feel that comment you made about still reading fantasy but needing to find something else like this. This series was so deep, thought provoking, engaging, and unconventional that it makes so much other fantasy less interesting to me now. In some ways that's a shame, but I feel like my eyes were opened to vaster potential within the genre, and I'm grateful for that. Glad you liked the ending as well - the fact that I didn't guess that direction even after related thematic work in earlier books seems to even more deeply underscore erikson's fundamental point. I'm being intentionally vague to protect people who haven't read it yet :)
In retrospect, it does seem very obvious haha looking forward to doing a re-read with everything I now know.
Haven’t read it myself but a lot of malazan fans recommend the second apocalypse series beginning with the prince of nothing trilogy
Congratulations. I'm currently in Midnight Tides.
Thank you :) enjoy the ending of that one, it gets pretty crazy.
I got exams to prepare for so I am going to read TCG during christmas, congrats on finishing this long journey
Thank you!
There are plenty of spin-off series and stories written by Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont that can keep you reading in the Malazan universe. A quick search online and you’re off on another adventure in Malaz!
I've already bought all the Esslemont novels! I'm reading a couple other series for a change of pace currently, but I will definitely be reading the entire Malazan collection :)
This series ruins other fantasy novels. The only thing that scratches that itch (after you finish all the other books) is just to do a reread. The series actually gets better and better with each subsequent reread since you actually understand what is going on throughout.
I will 100% be doing a re-read.
Malazan is my favorite series of all time, and I'm currently on a are-read including the ICE books for the first time. And few things live up to it. But if you want a challenge, the closest I've come to Malazan is R. Scott Bakker's "Prince of nothing" series. It's bleak, heavy with themes, symbolism and philosophy. Some of the scariest creatures I've seen in fantasy (on par with Forkrul Assail in terms of creepyness). A very unique flavor, a very interesting setting with a rich history. And when it comes to writing battle scenes, no one I've come across does it better than him, including Erikson. There are a few major flaws that I couldn't really handle, so I quit after the first trilogy. But it has lingered in my mind, just as Malazan, and I have an urge to re-read it and continue on to the the 2nd trilogy once my never ending re-read of Malazan is done.
I just ordered all of the ICE books, going to hop right into those. Also I keep hearing about this series by R. Scott Bakker. I will definitely be checking that out.
Congratulations. I've been reading this series for almost a year and a half and I'm currently in the middle of Toll the Hounds. Realistically, it will take me 2 years to finish this series. I have changed so much as a person during the time I have spent reading this series. Malazan just feels like a part of my life now. When I finish it, I imagine it will feel like losing something. I eagerly await the day I get there. Finishing this series has become a legendary prospect in my life. The day I finish The Crippled God will be a special one.
Thanks for watching! The end of Toll the Hounds is incredible. It does kind of feel like losing someone, but I feel good about the fact that I will be re-reading this series many times throughout my life I'm sure.
I’m on the bone hunters, love this series!
Oh man the Bonehunters is definitely one of my favorite books in the series. Enjoy the journey!
So glad you finished it. Really wish we could have gotten spoiler reviews from you regarding all the books after Midnight Tides. Ending this series is a journey, and once you finish it, nothing else will feel like it. It is so cathartic and emotionally satisfying. Will say more if you do a spoiler review.
I am reading the last book, Assail, from NOTME. Just a warning, NOK is fine, but ROTCG is a slog and may be the worst book in the series, even though its ending is really epic. So be prepared for a struggle in that book. But after that its all smooth sailing. Esslemont improves in each book from there, and so far I loved Stonewielder, OST and Blood and Bone. Assail is the best one so far.
I would highly recommend R Scott Bakkers second apocalypse series as others have said down here. They are incredible and I may like them a bit more than MBotF. I hold them in the same regard for sure. Character writing is flawless and the prose and worldbuilding is among the greats. I think of Earwa at least weekly lol. Finished my second read of TSA about a year ago.
The other series I would recommend would be book of the new sun by gene Wolfe. It’s sort of an opposite style to Malazan and the series is doing something quite different, but really rewards close reading and rereading. Extremely rich and textured prose. I just finished this series a few months ago.
Thank you for the recs, these are now on my TBR!
Of course! I have a feeling TSA in particular will really click with you. It is portraying a very oppressive world though, less humor in it than Malazan for sure. That’s something to be aware of! It is overall very bleak and brutal.
I think part of why reading other fantasy after MBotF can have such whiplash is the literary style of Erikson’s writing. That is definitely the major thing these recommendations have in common with it.
Everyone says the prince of nothing by r Scott baker is similar to malazan. Tho it is darker or niahlistic apparently
Yeah I keep hearing about that one, I'll have to dig into it.