In a sense, Karsa is Erikson’s Beowulfian response to critics who complained that he couldn’t stick to one POV. “Oh yeah? Hold my mead!” I look forward to chatting with you soon about all this and more!
Cheers Philip! Very excited to chat! And yep, I actually think I would have loved for Erikson to write the entire book from Karsa's perspective. Maybe keeping one or two POVs, like L'oric and Onrack (which by the end was one of the most important)
Karsa the Overeducated! Witness!!! The character is a text book example for the discussion of AP and Philip Chase: making a difference between the narrative and the author. Karsa is a great character. No matter how brutal scenes he has. Great review. Pretty much my conclusion. Next up one of the fan favorites… Midnight Tides…
You have no business rooting for Karsa but you cannot take your eyes off him when he is on the page. Achievement unlocked - Ten Very Big Books interviewed the person who played Karsa in their game. This book is dedicated to him. Erickson didn't tell him what the children were either.
Loved your take on this book, and glad that you enjoyed it. It is at the bottom of many people's rankings. I personally love it, and there is nothing that I disliked in this book. I am not a big Karsa fan, but still loved how Erikson presented him at the start and how he develops. I loved the buddy duo of Trull and Onrack. A small warning, if you were put off by Fiddler's squad, the fourteenth army staff in general, and there being so many marines: well buckle up. There will be lots more of that in future books. Though hopefully you will come to love them by then. Midnight Tides may take a while to get interesting, but once it does, you will love it. Treat it as starting a new book in a new series, and you will be fine.
Just finished House of Chains last night and i have to say i absolutely loved this book. I agree with you, i think Memories is still my favorite as of now but House is still right underneath it. This book is about Leadership and what it means to be a leader, how it changes you, and how you change in order to be one. Erikson said it best in that, if you think people can change you'll absolutely love him but if you feel like people cant change you'll despise Karsa. I thoroughly enjoyed the single pov of Karsa in the first book.
@@storytoob Omg yes! Okay cool 😂😂 it's hard to keep track of who's who on there sometimes but awesome I hope we can finish Midnight Tides around the same time!
On the note of “mature but also fun,” I’m just finishing up Declsre by Tim Powers, which I’d say fits that bill. Also, it’s part spy novel, and so may run parallel to your love of crime fiction :)
My ranking of the first 4 would be Deadhouse Gates > House of Chains > Memories of Ice > Gardens of the Moon. Karsa is divisive, yet nowhere near as divisive as the likes of Felisin. Make of that what you will. Fair play to you continuing to try to dispell a lot of the gatekeeping and fearmongering surrounding the series, I've tried but I'm giving up 😂 Excited for you to get to Midnight Tides and Bonehunters, those are my favourites of the series. Seriously mate, you're getting impatient to restart my re-read!
Midnight tides is probrably the most entertaining in a way malazan book (at least imo) really excited when you are able to get to that as I feel there will be characters you will adore. Most people who DNF the series stop at HoC, so basically you enjoying the book is a very good sign for the rest of the series. Much love
The middle bits of the story dragged on for me, but the highs of Karsa and the climactic sequence solidified this as a favorite series for me. Love your thoughts on this and the entire run so far mate!
Malazan as you said is not "hard" imo it's mostly about you having to meet the author halfway, as there may be times you have to think on something, prehaps take real world examples than think on what the author is getting at etc. so it's "active reading" in the end. It's like an immersive sim game, the more you put in, the more you get out of it
Re: the clash of different cultures. You might enjoy The Dawn of Everything, by Graeber and Wengrow. It's non-fiction. It challenges the common notions we have of how societies developed, and casts doubt on the notion of a linear progression from hunter gatherers to agriculture to nations by using recent archeological discoveries and thinking critically about Enlightenment thought/debates.
@@storytoobThat book is the counterpoint to Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. If history and anthropology is your thing, you might want to read that one before DoE to see what Graeber and Wengrow are arguing against.
In a sense, Karsa is Erikson’s Beowulfian response to critics who complained that he couldn’t stick to one POV. “Oh yeah? Hold my mead!” I look forward to chatting with you soon about all this and more!
Cheers Philip! Very excited to chat!
And yep, I actually think I would have loved for Erikson to write the entire book from Karsa's perspective. Maybe keeping one or two POVs, like L'oric and Onrack (which by the end was one of the most important)
Get ready to sail into Letheras. Memories of Ice and Midnight Tides are my two favorites so far (currently in Dust of Dreams)
Love the analysis! I just finished Midnight Tides last week 😊
My ranking: 5,4/3,1,2
I knew you would love Karsa when I was watching your Memories of Ice video. These books are even better the second and third time around.
Niiice! Thanks!
With each passing book recontextualising previous entries, I already want to go back 😂
@@storytoob I am proud to say Erickson and I come from the same city.
Karsa the Overeducated! Witness!!!
The character is a text book example for the discussion of AP and Philip Chase: making a difference between the narrative and the author. Karsa is a great character. No matter how brutal scenes he has.
Great review. Pretty much my conclusion. Next up one of the fan favorites… Midnight Tides…
Yesssss! Cheers Nazim! Looking forward to carrying on
You have no business rooting for Karsa but you cannot take your eyes off him when he is on the page.
Achievement unlocked - Ten Very Big Books interviewed the person who played Karsa in their game. This book is dedicated to him. Erickson didn't tell him what the children were either.
Ohhhh I hadn't heard about this!
That's so cool
Awesome job Carlos! You can bet I'm following along. Looking forward to talking with you soon!
Cheers Jarrod! Looking forward to it indeed!
Loved your take on this book, and glad that you enjoyed it. It is at the bottom of many people's rankings. I personally love it, and there is nothing that I disliked in this book.
I am not a big Karsa fan, but still loved how Erikson presented him at the start and how he develops. I loved the buddy duo of Trull and Onrack.
A small warning, if you were put off by Fiddler's squad, the fourteenth army staff in general, and there being so many marines: well buckle up. There will be lots more of that in future books. Though hopefully you will come to love them by then.
Midnight Tides may take a while to get interesting, but once it does, you will love it. Treat it as starting a new book in a new series, and you will be fine.
Just finished House of Chains last night and i have to say i absolutely loved this book. I agree with you, i think Memories is still my favorite as of now but House is still right underneath it. This book is about Leadership and what it means to be a leader, how it changes you, and how you change in order to be one. Erikson said it best in that, if you think people can change you'll absolutely love him but if you feel like people cant change you'll despise Karsa. I thoroughly enjoyed the single pov of Karsa in the first book.
Oh that's a great point! I hadn't thought of it that way, cheers Caleb!
I see you've also started Midnight Tides!
@@storytoob are we friends on Good reads? Haha 😂
I think so, you commented on me adding to my GR 🤣
@@storytoob Omg yes! Okay cool 😂😂 it's hard to keep track of who's who on there sometimes but awesome I hope we can finish Midnight Tides around the same time!
On the note of “mature but also fun,” I’m just finishing up Declsre by Tim Powers, which I’d say fits that bill. Also, it’s part spy novel, and so may run parallel to your love of crime fiction :)
Oh cheers! Brilliant I’ll make note of that
Seconded, it's a fantastic book. Last Call and The Anubis Gates are must reads as well.
Yea!!!!
My ranking of the first 4 would be Deadhouse Gates > House of Chains > Memories of Ice > Gardens of the Moon.
Karsa is divisive, yet nowhere near as divisive as the likes of Felisin. Make of that what you will.
Fair play to you continuing to try to dispell a lot of the gatekeeping and fearmongering surrounding the series, I've tried but I'm giving up 😂
Excited for you to get to Midnight Tides and Bonehunters, those are my favourites of the series. Seriously mate, you're getting impatient to restart my re-read!
Haha brilliant! I love seeing people's totally different rankings, really shows that the books have something for everyone!
@@storytoobtotally agree. Although I've yet to see anyone rank midnight tides outside of the top 3. It's just too good.
@@storytoobOr how rankings change as you read on, then completely change again on a reread.
Man I need to start this series!
Yes you do!
Midnight tides is probrably the most entertaining in a way malazan book (at least imo) really excited when you are able to get to that as I feel there will be characters you will adore.
Most people who DNF the series stop at HoC, so basically you enjoying the book is a very good sign for the rest of the series.
Much love
There is another hard dnf point at Reaper's Gale. Many people dnf during or after RG.
Good to know!
The middle bits of the story dragged on for me, but the highs of Karsa and the climactic sequence solidified this as a favorite series for me. Love your thoughts on this and the entire run so far mate!
Yeah man like I forgot to even mention the resolution of the Bidithal plotline... Had me fist pumping!
This is a great great book
Gosh I am 500 pages in Nd it just gets more and more enjoyable
Karsa part is so cool
Agreed!
Malazan as you said is not "hard" imo it's mostly about you having to meet the author halfway, as there may be times you have to think on something, prehaps take real world examples than think on what the author is getting at etc. so it's "active reading" in the end. It's like an immersive sim game, the more you put in, the more you get out of it
Exactly!
Re: the clash of different cultures.
You might enjoy The Dawn of Everything, by Graeber and Wengrow.
It's non-fiction. It challenges the common notions we have of how societies developed, and casts doubt on the notion of a linear progression from hunter gatherers to agriculture to nations by using recent archeological discoveries and thinking critically about Enlightenment thought/debates.
Oh brilliant! Thank you Steve! I'll look that up right now
@@storytoobThat book is the counterpoint to Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. If history and anthropology is your thing, you might want to read that one before DoE to see what Graeber and Wengrow are arguing against.
Memories of Ice dropped my jaw, House of Chains made me a fanatic
(Btw those Robin Hobb books on your shelf are really beautiful)
Yep, I'm there with ya!
The Hobb's are actually Yolanda's, my RUclips and life partner 😂❤️