Discussion of Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon, book one of The Malazan Book of the Fallen
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 17 окт 2024
- This is the first in a series of monthly videos on the ten books of The Malazan Book of the Fallen, hosted by Iskar Jarak, Andy Smith, Allen from The Library of Allenxandria, and Philip Chase. In addition, each month there will be a guest BookTuber, MalazTuber, or Malazan expert. For the Gardens of the Moon discussion, the guest is Mike from Mike's Book Reviews, who is hosting a Malazan read along on his channel.
Channels in this video:
@IskarJarak: / @iskarjarak
@TheLibraryofAllenxandria: / @thelibraryofallenxandria
@mikesbookreviews: / @mikesbookreviews
Erikson here. Just a quick note to thank you all for your genuine enthusiasm and generosity of spirit. Listening to you was very enjoyable. What more could a writer ask for than to see people discussing their work? These RUclips events are very much a new experience, changing the way writers engage and interact with their audience. Such a thing pretty much never existed before, beyond conversations at conventions or book signings. For writers of genre fiction (though I would argue with myself against even using the distinction, because I view Contemporary Literary Fiction as a genre, one that is in fact profoundly distant from the trunk of the literature tree, that trunk being Epic Fantasy in its purest form as found in Gilgamesh, the Iliad, etc), we've always been further removed from any ongoing dialogue or analysis, back when newspapers and 'serious' magazines like the New Yorker or Harper's published reviews, criticisms and literary analysis, but only for a fairly narrow range of what they held to be serious, grown-up literature, rather than 'popular,' genre stuff. Now, these days, such stalwart institutions have been more or less stepped around (though, being an old fart, I still dream of someone reviewing one of my books in Harper's or the New Yorker, which I also know will never, ever happen), making their gate-keeping increasingly irrelevant. In fact, the gate they guard is itself now obsolete, standing forlorn on an ill-kempt patch of ground beside the online freeway of discourse. Anyway, I hope you continue to enjoy the Malazan novels. Oh, and the proper pronunciation is 'Maw-luz-arn.' Just kidding.
I'm so glad you enjoyed our discussion, and in turn I thank you for writing such wonderful books for us to discuss! The point you make in between the parentheses is one of the main reasons I started my channel -- in fact, it's one of the main reasons I created and began teaching a Fantasy Novels course at my college (I just taught Gardens of the Moon for the first time last fall, by the way, and it was part of an "imperialism in fantasy" theme -- it went brilliantly). For most of human history, we, the storytelling animal, have been spinning tales of fantasy, and it seems to me that fantasy answers a call from somewhere deep within the human spirit. Let the gatekeepers keep their damn gate. The view beyond it is a bit dismal anyway. Perhaps they'll eventually catch on and join us where the real fun is happening. As for me, I'm happy to have found this vibrant community of book lovers on RUclips/BookTube/MalazTube -- there may not be a fire to sit around, but these are amazing people who watch videos and post comments and form friendships over books. Now, that's the real thing! Thanks so much again for your beautiful stories!
I’m excited to be able to have people to discuss these books with at all. Having such knowledgeable and genuinely fun people to discuss them with is a treat on a whole other level, and to be able to get feedback and explanations from you yourself is such a privilege and makes it all even more enjoyable. Thanks for your engagement with the community-it’s made it a lot more rich and fun!
@@IskarJarak I second that!
When I read Malazan, BookTube wasn't a thing, so there weren't many people to talk about it with. Most of my friends hadn't read it yet or started it but didn't like it. While I am not participating in Mike's read-along, I am really enjoying the conversations. My re-read will come before too terribly long. Oh, and I just watched a video where someone pronounced Malazan very close to 'maw-luz-arn.' It was VERY difficult to listen to. :D
A contemporary Gilgamesh or the Iliad is the new way i'm going to spruik this to my friend. Are there any other modern additions to this particular trunk of epic fantasy? I would love to find more.
Thank you so much for inviting me on, Philip. And again, sorry I derailed your topics so much. I had so many questions!
No derailment that I recall - all I remember are your awesome questions and insights! It’s a joy to talk books with you, my friend!
Are you still doing a wrap-up for GotM on your channel?
@@Rogue_VI I’m pretty sure Mike will be!
@@Rogue_VI Spoiler talk #2 tomorrow! Then I plan to have Iskar on to talk about the book at month's end.
@@mikesbookreviews My time sense is so wacky right now that I forget there are still 2 weeks left in the month. :)
I feel like Allen is the one most likely to accidentally spoil something because he gets so excited and can't contain himself.
Ha ha! So true!
@@ernstbrehm1135 My lips are sealed!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Kindly ask this is mentioned to Allen. Spoilers for a book we've read is one thing, but off-handed comments about the Azath houses and survival of certain characters throughout a series is a massive spoiler given the bottle neck moments so many of them will surely end up in. That said, I love the man's enthusiasm and everything you all are doing here.
@@sweetlard2113 Thank you! That’s on me too, and I appreciate your input. We’ll be careful about spoilers in our future chats. Having been in a few of these discussions, I have to admit it’s hard to avoid spoilers, and sometimes I don’t realize it’s a spoiler until later. This can happen especially during enthusiastic moments, and Allen’s enthusiasm and joy are absolutely contagious! Thanks so much for watching!
@@ernstbrehm1135 BRUH you are just as bad!!!
This was so much fun! In retrospect, I probably did say too much about the Azath (whoops) but so much fun anyway!
It’s always fun to be in your company, my friend!
Not nearly enough to spoil anything - having bits of additional information will rarely if ever spoil the books 😉
@@robpaul7544 i agree!
Amazing-that was fun stuff! Thanks for letting me participate and chat with you great people!
A Malazan chat with Iskar Jarak? Sign me up any day, anytime!!!
Philip, this was an absolutely great video. Really enjoyed it.
It also rather eloquently illustrates an aspect of Erikson's writing that we overlook... The balancing of elements to appeal to a very broad audience.
You want battles and military fantasy? Done.
You want magic and fantastical imagination? Done.
You want buddy cop shenanigans? Done.
You want poignancy and emotionally resonant? Done.
Fun characters, humorous characters, noble characters, relatable characters, heroic characters, but above all, believable characters? Done.
And all done and balanced in one narrative that ensures there is enough of all for all.
That was a longwinded way of saying that I really enjoyed how each of you liked completely different aspects of the novel.
Fantastic conversation. I look forward to more of them.
Thanks, A.P.! I’m glad you enjoyed it, especially since you’re our guest for Dust of Dreams! That is, if you don’t mind! Please?
I would love to.
@@ACriticalDragon Awesome!
Mike n Philip in malazan discussion...
It's like dream come true
One of the funniest discussion videos I ever seen
Thanks so much, Anil! Glad you enjoyed- those guys are a lot of fun!
You and I both.
Hooray for seasoned BookTubers! No secret that I loved Gardens of the Moon, and it wasn't until after reading it that I heard so many say it's the weakest in the series or something "to push through.' Then I hear discussions like this, and I stop doubting myself. Great discussion!
I’m so glad the chat was useful to you, Johanna!
Excellent video guys, that hour flew by really quickly!
So glad you enjoyed it, Ruthan - yours is an endorsement I highly value!
I really appreciated Mike's questions, cause as someone (like me) who has only read Gardens of the Moon so far he was able to voice the sort of questions that I have about the series and what I just read that wouldn't have otherwise come up in a conversation between only people who know the series very well.
I second that! Having the person with the questions in a conversation enriches it greatly.
That was a fun Malazan discussion - next best thing to actual participation !
ps. Anomander Rake is my favourite character. Whilst others seek power and the status of becoming an Ascendant, he is prepared to sacrifice all for his people ( the Tiste Andii. )
So true, and that is the essence of what makes Rake so compelling to me. It’s a major thread of his character arc, even back in The Kharkanas Trilogy. So glad you enjoyed the chat!
Love Kruppe both for humour and the fact that he hides his power so so well....under a veil of procrastination and street magic....
I completely agree!
I love Kruppe as well. But then other than Tayschren, is there anyone I *truly* hate?
@@shawngillogly6873 Bidithal?
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy no. But after some thought, I said "Duh. Laseen." And no. I don't accept her excuses. And then the Councilman and Lady. But those are the 2 you're supposed to hate. So they don't count.
Don't know why Bidithil doesn't register on the hate scale for me. Maybe on reread #6. Lol Now, the character I'd most like to see a revenge plot against is introduced in Book 2. He and Rudolph from the Dresden Files are the 2 characters who most need a blood-reckoning in modern fantasy, methinks.
Edit...ok. admit I was wrong. Bidithil is loathsome too. He got buried because I meant GotM characters. Further in the series, MANY more. Including some other fans like...take Kallor, please.
@@shawngillogly6873 That is indeed a list of the loathsome! But if anyone can show me a side to a character I don’t expect, it’s Steven Erikson.
murillio is one of my favs too. cmon people, show murillio some love!!
Murillio is too charming not to love - just ask all the aristocratic ladies of Darujhistan!
Lots of love for Murillio here!
English is not my first language but when Erikson's narrative clicked in my brain, I was hooked! Theres something close to narrative poetry in some of the early pages, every paragraph seems to have been taken care of, carefully and artfully designed. Anyways, Im loving this series!
I’m so glad you’re loving Malazan, and I think your observation about Erikson’s prose is both accurate and eloquent. Cheers!
As I advance through this beautifully written book I'm starting to get the feeling the over stylization of Erikson's prose is the main reason people are put off, especially because most of us come to fantasy not to appreciate an elevated example of the literary artform but to evade. Its a mistake to approach malazan as one would approach a work done by Sanderson or any YA author, just my 2 cents. Cheers! @@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
@@jforozco12 I agree - Erikson’s prose is majestic and versatile. It’s the product of careful study and a brilliant mind. And it carries the weight of his complex story beautifully.
I've only read GOTM so far. My husband doesn't read novels(he's a manga guy) but he's always into my journey. He laughed at me the whole time I was reading this book because he'd check in and my explanations were more sound effect than actual words. He finally told he didn't understand anything about this book and I enthusiastically said, "me either and it's frigging awesome!"
Ha ha! I love it! Best wishes for the rest of your Malazan journey, Tabitha!
@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I've been kicking myself for putting this off for so long. My reading slump has been broken and I'm excited to see what else this vast world has to offer.
@@MoonStone_Empress It has more to offer than I can describe - and it can be a transformative journey. Best wishes!
Hi, Philip! I really enjoyed watching your discussion. You guys are like Malazan ninja turtles. You are Donatelo, Iskar is Leonardo, Mike is Raphael, and Allen is definitely Michelangelo :D
Greetings from Serbia!
Ha ha ha! That’s my first time being called a ninja turtle, and I’m immensely proud! Thanks so much for watching all the way from beautiful Serbia!
this is so awesome. just finished GotM and quarter of the way through Deadhouse and LOVING IT!
Top Tier content, great work!
Awesome! Best wishes for the read!
Fantastic! Love all the appreciation that Malazan is getting recently. Great chat guys.
Thanks for watching!
This was incredibly helpful. Thank you, gentlemen! I’m glad that I’m not the only one slightly annoyed by Kruppe. 🙊 I look forward to reading the rest of the series with Mike’s Warband and watching all of the Malazan content you gentlemen roll out. Thank you! 😊
I’m so glad this was helpful, and I hope you’ll love the read along!
It's been so cool seeing you and Mike put out so much Malazan content right now! I love this channel and the level of discussion here and I love the Malazan animations that Mikes channel showcases.
I just recently started reviewing the series on the Legendarium green team podcast. every time one of y'all puts out a new malazan vid someone inevitably shares it in our Discord in the Erikson channel. it's great to be diving into the Book of the Fallen on a parallel course to such awesome booktubers. 😊
Thank you, and that’s so cool to hear about the Discord! I’m truly grateful that people enjoy the discussions. Malazan is just so amazing to talk about. And yes, Mike’s intros are the best - they’re like movie trailers!
I love this. Even though I don’t plan on starting this series until 2022, I don’t mind the spoilers because I know I won’t remember most of them. What I will remember, though, is that booktubers that I trust are passionate about this series and are enjoying themselves reading it. That is what I will remember and that is what has helped me invest my time and money in all the series that I have in the past 12 months. Thank you for doing what you do guys.
Thank you! Those are kind and encouraging words, and I deeply appreciate it. Comments like yours keep us going!
I guess I am sort of conservative and I like my epic fantasy in a neat limited 3rd person. When I saw the first head-hopping just a few pages in I was like "aw god and I so wanted to like this". But Erikson made it work for me and the style actually grew on me! Anyways, I just wanted to to pick up on the mention of Rake never having his own perspective... Are you sure though? I think the short quiet reflective scene with K'rul towards the end was from his perspective... or am I not remembering it right?
@@irvojaros I’m so glad you ended up enjoying Gardens of the Moon! I’d have to read that scene again to give you an effective answer, but it’s possible. All the best for your Malazan journey!
Hi Philip and guests. Great video and awesome guests⚔🛡🗡🏹
Thanks! The guests are indeed awesome!
Great discussion. These always remind me of my college BA/MA English years. Gosh , I miss having people to chat with books with (in person). Envious.
BookTube often reminds me of the best parts of my BA and grad school too. People coming together for the love of books, but no research papers, exams, or grades!
Excellent chat. Three topics I wished you had covered: the Deck of Dragons; convergence (power draws power); and the scheme of the basic plot (freeing Raest to weaken Rake). The last one is difficult to untangle, because Rake himself ultimately has little to do with what happens to Raest, although the other soletaken dragons get weakened in the process. Also, if Raest was supposed to be the main obstacle, it makes me wonder about whether releasing Tayschrenn’s demon was integral to Laseen’s plan, or simply a back-up measure. I’ve read this book three times and I still am not sure I have unraveled it all.
All excellent topics! Yes, the last couple hundred pages are dizzying, and I’m sure quite a few new readers (and veterans!) would like to walk through them. Thanks, as always, for watching and commenting!
This is awesome. Love seeing the Malazan content. I was instantly hooked by Gardens of the Moon and it is my favorite book, because that feeling of being introduced to such an amazing world was one of a kind.
I love Gardens of the Moon for that too. Reading it feels like getting immersed into the Malazan world, and rereading feels like coming home.
So glad I read the book and listened to it. I got so much more out of it that way. Loved it. In fact, I was going to try and stick to Mike's read along schedule but I HAD TO dive into Deadhouse Gates. (Sorry Mike. ) Thank you all for this video.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the chat! I have to say that these discussions are my favorite thing to do on BookTube, and so it’s good to hear that others enjoy watching.
Brilliant discussion. Malazan at its best makes me want to be a better reader. At its worst is that it's so good I struggle to read any other fantasy series.
I’m glad you enjoyed the discussion, Michael. Cheers!
This is one of my favorite book series, I gotta subscribe and listen
Awesome! Thanks so much for watching and subbing!
Perfect timing. I just finished my reread last night. What a fantastic epic story. Eric is a courageous author willing to kill major characters without epic climatic events or battles. Death is not always heralded with trumpets, but is rather brutal and shocking. Great discussion and thanks for representing us gray (Arctic blond) hairs.
Ha ha! Always proud to represent the oldsters on BookTube! Congratulations on finishing the reread - I loved it even more the second time.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I concur. My reread was a deeper experience.
I will return when I finish the book.... Looking forward to this. Some of my favorite booktubers in one place? Sign me up
Awesome! I hope you’ll enjoy the rest of the book and the discussion!
Lorn was one of the most interesting aspect of Gardens that I was disappointed that we didn’t get more of her.
As for the booby trapping the roads, this was the part where I had the hardest time suspending disbelief. That not a single one of them thought about the gas until the very end.
Yep! That’s one of those “oops” moments. Perhaps because Darujhistan is unusual in that respect, it didn’t factor into their plans. It did provide some dramatic tension!
Just finished reading the first book. I love listening to other peoples take on things ! Cant wait to get through the next few
My best wishes to you as you continue through Malazan!
Thanks for the hosting such wonderful discussions, Phillip! Between this planned series of group discussions and your one-on-one discussions with A.P., we're in for a lot of great Malazan content well into the future! I can''t wait! I look forward to following along as I read through the series, as I too am currently following Mike's read along schedule. Though, I see myself binging the series by the end of the year >_
I’m so glad you’re enjoying Malazan so far, and I’m grateful you also are liking the Malazan content. I feel like I could endlessly talk about these books, and it’s so much better to do so in discussions! Happy reading!
This channel is amazing!
Thanks so much!
I agree
@@SJ-GodofGnomes21 Too kind!
I'm loving this because it's everything I've wanted an epic fantasy story to be. This level of precision and artistry what I wanted from The Wheel of Time. I'm about Halfway through The Dragon Reborn and I'm about to DNF the whole series out of boredom and dislike of literally the entire cast. What I've read of Malazan (Book 1 and 2) has been an eye opening experience. I've been looking for this for years without knowing it. I went in knowing absolutely nothing but I just buckled up for the ride. I'm asking a few questions but I'm trusting the series to answer them in good time so I'm just in the moment, enjoying one of the best first time reads of my life
Awesome! I have great respect for WoT, but there’s simply nothing like Malazan, in my opinion. Erikson has the boldness and the talent to transform tropes into something that feels authentic to human experience to me. I’m on my reread of the series and can’t believe how immersed I am. I hope you’ll continue to enjoy the books!
Again a great discussion guys, loved it!
It's great that not only there's a lot more attention focussed on the Malazan books , a large percentage of it comes in the form of these talks and discussions.
So many perspectives, questions and answers. Just awesome 🤓
It’s a ton of fun to be involved in these discussions- it’s almost like being in grad school again, but more fun!
Awesome video! I’ve just read Gardens Of The Moon as part of Mike’s read along. The Bridgeburners remind me a bit of the crew in Full Metal Jacket - hot take!
Very cool comparison!
Fantastic discussion. I finished Gardens of the Moon last night, and have frustrations with the plotting/events/explanation style to be sure, but not enough to shelf the series. Hearing the writing style improves and things connect (in time) is giving me a lot of hope for keeping momentum up for this enormous, bewildering series.
Really enjoyed hearing things that were so confusing to me at the end (The Finnest, the Azath houses) being detailed. My favorite section was Paran breaking the Hounds’ chains within Rake’s sword.
I’m glad you found our discussion enjoyable and helpful, and I hope you get a lot out of the series!
I found Adjunct Lorn fascinating as a character. Currently on Deadhouse Gates.
Same here! I find her both interesting and tragic. I’m also starting Deadhouse Gates!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Starting Book 2 of Deadhouse Gates. It's so freakin' good.
@@TheBlueOwlX Deadhouse Gates was the book that made Erikson’s genius clear to me the first time I read it. Just amazing!
I really loved this. Hope to see these for the rest of the series!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Really enjoyed this chat.... Brightened up a pretty poor day...
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the chat. I hope the rest of the day somehow improves, though I know there’s just so much going on right now, especially for those healthcare workers on the front lines. My very best wishes to you!
Wow! Great discussion guys. I've joined Mike's warband and just finished Gardens of the Moon so this was like eavesdropping on a great book club discussion. I can understand how people can dislike Kruppe, but I found him to be a great character for subverting expectations because he has so much hidden power under his somewhat bumbling exterior. I've really enjoyed the series so far and like Mike said it's so different from anything else I've ever read. Great characters with a whole lot of nuance. One of my favorite little character touches was very early in the book with Paran; he was very concerned for the safety of the horse and I loved what that said to me about his character and how I saw it reflected in a lot of his later actions. Looking forward to the next book and the next discussion.
I’m so glad you enjoyed our discussion! If it came across as an enthusiastic conversation you might hear at a book club, that’s perfect- exactly what I was hoping. Thanks for watching!
Loved the discussion. Was there ever a discussion on deadhouse Gates? I would listen to you 4 all day. Can't wait for Mike to finish the series if he hasn't already.
Unfortunately, we did not follow up on this discussion, though it was a lot of fun. I have, however, discussed nearly all the Malazan books with A.P. Canavan, who is an advance reader for Erikson and Esslemont. Cheers!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy yes, I'm an avid fan of that series and was in sync with you guys through toll the hounds with where I was reading but couldn't wait to finish it after that due to the lapse in time between that one and dust of dreams. It's sure good to see that you two are getting back to the series though now and I can't wait to hear the discussions on the crippled God and maybe even the kharkanos series
@@monksean Cool! I’m starting The Crippled God in a few days, and then Assail. After that, I plan to keep up with any new Malazan book as soon as it’s published.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy enjoy your reread. Just finished it as a first read a few months ago and I already want to reread it
Mike is finally here!
He is indeed! We had our First Law chat a while back, but Mike is welcome anytime!
I love how wound up Allen gets. LOL.
Allen makes every discussion brighter - I love the guy!
I feel like I'm boring while on a video with Allen ha ha
@@mikesbookreviews Same here!
@@mikesbookreviews "Be funnier, your personality is boring!" haha!
Just finished this, great conversation. I've read through twice and still learned a few things. I'd say the only thing I'd like to hear more about are the meta narratives, breaking of fantasy tropes, Erikson's and Esselmont's archaeological and history background influencing races/cultures, and the general overall theme (without spoiling anything of course).
Thanks! A.P. Canavan and I discuss most of those things in our ongoing collaborative series on the Malazan books. The spoiler free videos are all on my channel, and, except for Gardens of the Moon, the spoiler filled videos are on his channel: A Critical Dragon. We've also chatted with Steven Erikson a couple times as well as Ian Esslemont, whose books we're reading as well.
From reading comments I feel like Allen is the Kruppe of this conversation. Hilarious to some annoying to others. Great chat!
Ha ha! The intended irony of your observation gave me a huge smile since Allen famously dislikes Kruppe - very nice!
So much fun. Iskar hits on the head - people are looking for the ring, frodo, sauron and where Mordor is to find out what the series will be about and get frustrated as they just aren't there.
Ten Books is great to listen to as they ask a lot of the same questions on their journey and their reactions when they kind of get the answers.
Allen is Bugg. Is that golden Christmas tree leaning ominously in the corner?
I'll take it. Bugg is best manservant.
@@TheLibraryofAllenxandria Better than Sam?
@@EricMcLuen like a million times
Ha ha! So glad you enjoyed the discussion! Bugg is awesome!!!
Amazing video, Philip. Loved seeing all of you talking so passionately about this absolutely great series. I’m doing Mike’s read along for the series and in it for the long haul. I’ll be eagerly waiting for the subsequent discussion of the rest of the series. :)
I’m so glad you enjoyed the chat! It’s going to be fun discussing the whole series.
Loving these chats! I'm following in Mike's readalong and this is really helping my memory and interest in the series in the breaks between books.
I’m glad the chats are helpful to you - this one was a lot of fun!
Best part of the book is Anomander’s sword prison...coolest nightmare scene with Paran, the hounds, the chains...gave me chills
Dragnipur is unlike any other weapon in fantasy, and it plays an interesting role in the series!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I’m excited to learn more about it. It’s so interesting.
Thank you so much gentlemen for doing this! You've cleared some stuff up and pointed out a few things I missed. Can't wait for the up coming episodes.
I’m so glad we could be helpful! It was also a lot of fun to chat with those three. I wish you the best as you read Malazan!
Hi Philip, I was wondering what platform you used to video call each other?
I use Zoom. So far, it’s worked very well for me, but you need the fancier version to have long conversations. Best wishes!
I am agreed with Allen. Blackdog swamp is referenced throughout the series. can we get a book about that please?
A lot of fans would love to see that!
This was fun to watch. Just started deadhouse gates.
So glad you enjoyed it!
My favorite of the series!!!
@@kennethadderley6897 One of my favorites too!
My dudes your enthusiasm for the series wont stop cropping up as spoilers for me, who just wants book 1 discussion. Cant finish.
Sorry, and best wishes for the read!
Great discussion and great idea for a series, Philip! I am excited to watch the next ones as I go along with the series. I enjoyed gardens of the moon and got a lot out of this discussion! I am really looking forward to diving deeper into the series, I feel like I’m just skimming the surface atm 😂. Great job! Thanks, guys!! 👍
Thank you, and I’m so glad our discussion was useful to you! It’s a lot of fun to chat with fellow fans, and it usually produces some new insights. I hope you’ll continue to enjoy the series!
Great video. Helped clear some aspects of the book for me.
So glad this was helpful to you!
Very entertaining stuff! The time for Malazan certainly has arrived. (Almost halfway through Reaper's Gale, which is now really hitting its stride.)
It has indeed arrived! I'm glad to be in the midst of it too. Have fun with Reaper's Gale!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Thanks, Philip!
Great discussion guys can’t wait for Deadhouse Gates!
Thanks! It’ll be here before you know it!
Wooooo!!! So excited..... I’ve been waiting for this video.
Happy to oblige!
I hope you’ll enjoy it!
WHY IS ALLEN SO UNASSUMINGLY HILARIOUS
Ha ha! That’s the question of the century!
Thanks for this very entertaining video, guys! It was lovely to watch it! Allen was extremely fun, especially when talking about the Moranth munitions :) Keep up the good work! :)
Thanks so much! It was a fun discussion, and I’m looking forward to more of them over the course of this year. It’s a wonderful time for Malazan fans on RUclips, and it’s so wonderful to have readers like you being part of it!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy you are always SO KIND! Thank you very much, Philip :)
@@RoxanaMagdaD But it’s true that you viewers are the ones that give this meaning. I would have quit a long time ago without encouragement from all the generous people who watch videos because they’re passionate about books. And it’s a lot of fun!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy wonderfully said, Philip. I think it's a win-win, everyone benefits from this. Thanks for everything you do for us and for always being this kind, wonderful person. You have my deepest respect and admiration! :)
Been waiting for this video! appropriate the Malazan content :)
I hope you enjoy- it was fun to chat with those guys!
You only get to read it for the first time once, so cherish it.
So true! On the other hand, I’m loving it even more the second time.
Loved this discussion! I’m currently on my first reread of the series
I’m glad you enjoyed our chat! I’m on my first reread too, and it’s absolutely mind blowing!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I liked Gardens of the Moon the first time (I listened to the audiobooks), but I think it might be bumped up to a 5/5 read for me this time. Seeing all the foreshadowing (I forgot the Crippled God was mentioned in GoTM) has been super cool, and I mostly understand the epigraphs now.
@@full-timehuman Exactly the same for me - very cool!
Alan, love the Oceans Eleven type group feel of the Phoenix Inn crew and love Murrilio!
Oceans Eleven - nice comparison!
Also the sappers running away from the demon lord when they were trying to blow up the city and Kalam was trying to track them down made me laugh out loud
@@bparsons1987 There’s a ton of great humor in the series, a fact that is often overlooked, I think.
I’m not watching the entire video since I haven’t read it yet. But you all have definitely eased my anxiety and I feel encouraged to start with Garden of the Moons. Thanks for that :)
Btw, I’m new to your channel and saw that your a professor and that you teach a course about Fantasy literature? Is that by any chance an online course? I would totally sign up for that 😂
I’m so glad we could be helpful in encouraging you to start Gardens of the Moon! Malazan is an amazing series, and I hope you’ll enjoy it. My Fantasy Novels course has always been face to face, but I’m thinking about creating an online version. Happy reading!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy let me know if you ever add a virtual course. Nearly done with my MBA and need to find something new to study 😂 have a great weekend!
@@FineReads Will do!
The humor is one of my favorite things about the series! If you look at Kruppe, Iskaral, Tehol & Bug alone...
So true! There are so many things to praise about the series, but I think the humor is not praised enough.
Gotta love that simple manservant...
@@Velsero Such an unassuming old fellow!
Yay! Another Murillio fan!
Count me among them too!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Almost Dumas like in his tragedy.... Broke my heart.
Mappo also....
@@SJ-GodofGnomes21 Perhaps he’s a nod to Dumas - I’d love to ask Erikson about that!
Ganoes a prick? The man was absolute badass in this book. Spoilers ahead:
Killing a Hound of Shadow? "Must've been my lucky day".
Entering the throne room on horseback? "Waddup empress?"
Meeting a random dude on some hills? Literally leading to the most bro moment in the whole book.
Getting inside Dragnipur? Summons a god, almost suffocates him and gets away with it like a madman.
Spending five minutes with a hot chick? Easy bed time.
What a guy!
Great talk guys!
Well said about Ganoes Paran! That equine entrance to the throne room is fantastic. So glad you enjoyed the video!
He's one of my favorites.
I thought so at first. But the whole statement was I thought his arc this book was the best one.
@@mikesbookreviews I see. Glad you enjoyed in in the end, Mike! I think in general he has one of the greatest arcs in the whole series. But I guess that's RAFO.
In the middle of the second book now. The only thing I have looked up on the Google machine is the world map of the setting. The maps in the books are not the easiest to discern. Other than that, I'm reading these books for the first time and reading them back to back to back (repeat many more times).
I’ve consulted that map many times myself. My best to you for the read!
Awesome video. Maybe just a tad too much info given out about stuff like the azath being places to travel to and from, and some more info revealed in later books, but over all was great to listen to
Thanks! We’re going to be a bit more careful in future videos about those things. One person’s helpful information is another’s spoiler, so it’s best to err on the side of caution. Glad you enjoyed otherwise!
1:04:23 did you read Crippled god? Also, this little clip from Reaper's Gale: 'it is not common that... that I attend to arrivals in person"
'My name is Beak.'
We’ve all read it except for Mike - he’s in for quite a ride over the next two years!
When I got to that Sorry reveal at the end.... It definitely creeped me out. It's very rare that a Fantasy work does that to me
Malazan is full of surprises!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy can't wait for the deadhouse discussion too. This read-along is just too good. Can't have imagined things like this happening a decade back🔥
@@johanjoseph4802 It’s a good time for fantasy on BookTube!
@36:00 that Kruppe part was hilarious hahaha
Allen’s Iskaral Pust imitation is also worth watching!
Really good discussion guys. But way too many ads. Not sure if you we aware of that.
Sorry about those ads! I can only turn them completely on or off, and RUclips decides how many to put in there. I wish I could fine tune it. But I’m glad you enjoyed the discussion otherwise!
What! I loved Kruppe!
Same here! I think Allen only pretends to be a Kruppe hater. It’s worth hearing his imitation!
So i just finished the book and i am currently loving these discutions. rEgarding the Warrens, i got the impression that Elder Warrens were not more powerfull becasue they where older but because they where used by more powerfull races, similar to how an Elder God is not exactly a more powerfull than a current god.
That’s a great insight into Warrens, FM! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the discussions so far, and I hope they’ll help you to get even more from the books. Cheers!
Seriously, is it normal to be this confused??? 😳😳 chapter 7 and still....wth is happening????
I LOVE his writing style and that’s my favorite thing so far but the story is so confusing 😢
Seriously would it benefit for me to start over or continue? I’m listening to an audio book but I also purchased and ebook...should I also get a physical copy and keep referring to a glossary? I love immersive reading and this seems like a story I could really get into 🙏
Confusion is normal, I think. At least I can say I was confused the first time I read Gardens of the Moon. I also don’t think I could grasp everything in this particular series while listening to an audiobook. I have zero experience with audiobooks, but I suspect I’d miss too much of Erikson’s writing if I tried his stories on audiobooks. On my second read, this series has been the most immersive reading experience of my life. Best wishes!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy thank you, not all is lost then, I’m back to reading 📖😊
@@YaFeya13 Awesome!!!
I finally read GotM and get to watch all of this now 😄
I hope you’ll enjoy our antics!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy it was so much fun! And it was really nice having Mike there to ask all of my newbie questions for me 😂 I look forward to watching your other videos as I go through the series!
@@KFoxtheGreat I’m glad to hear it! Mike did a great job with his questions.
I wish there was 50% less ads in these longer videos
I do too! All I can do is turn them off or on. RUclips decides how many to put.
yeah I'm about ten minutes in and skipped like three already.
this is almost unwatchable
@@raswartz Philip, Mike and Allen are in my top5 book tubers. So I can deal lol it’s just irksome.
Tip: Skip to the end of the video then press replay
Allen either loves or hates characters he's a funny dude! I've not seen any of his videos before. Will have check them out.
He’s the most fun BookTuber I know!
I'm with Alan.... Deadhouse Gates was the big sell for me... Loved GoTM though
I’m in that boat too. Chain of dogs just blew me away!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy even just thinking about it gets me
@@SJ-GodofGnomes21 Likewise!
I was emotionally drawn in. Awesome book!
Dear Philip Chase how can I get in contact with you? I have something to ask you that is better away from all these fantasy fans?:P
Hi! You can reach me on Twitter at philipchase90
I love Kruppe. He is like the Scarlet Pimpernel. All veterans of D&D have played a version of him at some point 😊.
Excellent comparison!
Kruppe appreciates that sentiment! Some people do not appreciate his rotund self, alas Kruppe is exhilarated by your enthusiasm.
@@jakebishop7822 Ha ha ha! Kruppe loves this!
I think Kruppe appeals more on a re-read. I remember being slightly irritated by him the first time I read GotM. He is actually the only reliable narrator in GotM - if you can fathom his use of language. All the other characters, even powerful entities like Rake, Baruk, Ammanas etc don't have a full grasp of all the threads in play.
@@djsuth7727 That’s a very cool insight about Kruppe’s language!
I really wanna watch. Doe this contsin series spoilers? Im only on book 9
We avoided spoilers at the beginning, and then we got into loads of spoilers for Gardens of the Moon. We tried to avoid spoilers for the series, but what some might consider minor spoilers for the series slipped out - I think two minor spoilers that I recall. I hope that helps!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Helps a lot.
Thank you!
44:00 Talking about "chaos" - when I read this I thought to myself this is like Naked Lunch, which Burroughs wrote by literally cutting up his manuscript and rearranging it randomly and pasting it back together.
That’s actually a very cool comparison!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Here's my question. When I first read this, I thought it was a run-of-the-mill in medias res / flashback narrative device. Now, I'm wondering, is this something more like Slaughterhouse Five or Twin Peaks, where time itself has become "unstuck"? In other words, Erikson is presenting the events in a "linear" way, the problem is that the events themselves occurred out of order, i.e. the characters themselves would have seen Hairlock cut in two before the battle started, etc.
Or am I overthinking that? It seems like the Warrens can influence time as well as space, so why couldn't "chaos" in the warrens cause a glitch in the way time flows around huge magical events?
@@raswartz That is the essence of A.P. Canavan’s suggestion, so you’re definitely not overthinking it. In fact, since A.P. first mentioned it, I’ve found it a compelling interpretation. Chaos has reordered events. Very cool!
@@raswartz this just absolutely destroyed me.
Kruppe is my favorite3!
I’m a Kruppe fan too!
Was there a Deathhouse one of these chats?
Yes, the Deadhouse Gates chat was on Allen’s channel, The Library of Allenxandria. That’s the last one of these chats, though. I’ve been continuing my chats with A.P. Canavan on the series, however, and we’ve recently finished The Bonehunters.
lineup is fuckin STACKED
Those dudes are the best!
One question- can I jump from Gardens of the Moon to the dust of dream and crippled god ?
I would say definitely not - you won’t know a lot of what’s going on if you attempt that, plus you’d miss a ton of cool stuff.
Mike, holding us back c'mon! Haha
Ha ha! He’s pulling some new readers ahead too, so it all works out!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy oh ya, definitely. I reluctantly didn't join the BIG read along. But it sounds and looks fun. Maybe in the future I'll be able to hop on a read along with y'all.
I was under the impression that Circle Breaker was actually Fiddler lmao
There are so many connections in the series that we’re tempted to find them where they don’t exist. It’s always good to be on alert with Malazan, though!
"Four grandpas of Booktube today" lol
For the record, not one of us is an actual grandfather yet! 😁
I feel so stupid now. I grew up reading KJV Bible and your explanation of divers just hit me upside the head. I should have known!! But I'm listening and not reading and I was just thinking in terms of diving in and yeah .... divers makes much more sense. Thanks.
All these little things! I’ve had plenty of those moments- this particular one hit me when I realized the word “diverse” is related.
Well Allen, as long as you like Nihilism and Existentialism you'll love Erikson.
I think a re read starting with Deadhouse Gates is in order... Since I have read GoTM twice and listened to it once even though the narrator was a poor choice...
Sounds like a great plan! Never a bad time for a Malazan reread!
Man I hope we get to see lorn somehow again. Just finished GOTM an hour or so again.
I found Lorn to be an interesting and tragic figure. In fact, I made a video focusing on her, my “Morality in Malazan” video, because I find her arc in Gardens of the Moon so provocative.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I'll be watching that one in 2 or so hours. Gotta watch the spoiler discussions with you and AP on GOTM and the one one with iskar, Mike and Allen.
I really want to reread already. I went into the book with my literary criticism goggles on but by the aftermath of pail I was so enraptured in the characters and plot. Gotta try a deeper reread........9 books till then.
@@Isaiah_McIntosh Sounds like a great plan -- have fun with all those videos, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on them!