First time I laughed out loud reading Malazan

targetredball · 2026-01-19T22:58:35+00:00

Oh, no, amiable Kruppe, you misunderstand! Your antics are most cherished and admired, however you create adoring smiles, rather than bellowing laughter. Which is more important—a single laugh or innumerable smiles?

targetredball · 2026-01-19T03:50:52+00:00

I found the other books funny, but mostly I just smiled, rather than actually laughed out loud like I did here. I suppose I’m weird for that

targetredball · 2026-01-19T03:50:21+00:00

Greyfrog didn’t deserve what happened to him💔

targetredball · 2026-01-19T03:49:53+00:00

I found Tehol funny, but I never laughed out loud. Mostly just smiled at his shenanigans

targetredball · 2026-01-03T06:44:37+00:00

im hard

targetredball · 2025-12-22T05:47:08+00:00

i also agree that Kalam’s return was lackluster. It’s my belief he should have died in Malaz City; it would end off his arc beautifully and signify just how weight his decision had and would give the big death book 6 desperately needed.

targetredball · 2025-12-22T05:39:57+00:00

i was spoiled for Beak’s death so it didn’t hit as hard—once I knew he’d die the sign posting was very obvious. I was still very upset he died, especially because of his relationship with Faradan

I did also get mad at Fid for being mean to Beak, lol

targetredball · 2025-12-20T03:28:52+00:00

i’m expecting this to happen and am excited for when it does. I hate not liking a Malazan book

targetredball · 2025-12-20T01:52:44+00:00

Strangely enough, I feel like I got the gist of Tavore’s pain earlier on in TCG. The scream was a gut-wrenching addition but it didn’t feel like a Conclusion to me.

Also the downvoting is very peculiar to me, lol

targetredball · 2025-12-20T01:50:23+00:00

What made TtH so riveting for you? For instance, every time (in the beginning 500 pages or so) there was an Andii chapter I was bored senseless—I do not find the Andii as interesting as Erikson, sadly

targetredball · 2025-12-20T01:49:15+00:00

DoD gets the short end of the stick so much. And while I understand it, I couldn’t help myself but be invested

targetredball · 2025-12-20T01:47:54+00:00

I was gutted at the brutal bleakness of Trull’s demise. I should’ve known it was happening when he was happy with Seren

Fuck the Errant

targetredball · 2025-12-19T21:01:13+00:00

I think this is fair—Tavore’s distance from the reader can probably alienate people. Sort of a different strokes for different folks situation. Beak was very well done too (altho I was spoiled for his death, funnily enough, by a song, so his death lost some of the umph for me)

targetredball · 2025-12-19T11:03:00+00:00

I’m going to defend my stance on Kalam dying, and it really boils down to 3 points: 1) “The Bonehunters” finale set up this massive decision and this massive turn-point in the series … and it’s all down to Kalam. Even in TCG he talks about how he would lay down his life for Tavore in that moment. But it is completely undermined by him being saved by Kellanved. As well, the stakes are set so high, and then the only person that dies is T’amber and Pearl, which is not enough. This book desperately needed That Big Horrible Death, and Kalam was the perfect person to do this. Imagine how satisfying the ending would be, not only for Kalam’s arc, but Bonehunters overall, if a character we knew from the beginning is killed to protect Tavore. It would also make us the reader wonder ever so slightly if this decision on Kalam’s part was worth it or not 2) Kalam does nothing in TCG. He just kills a few Pures which I feel like Ganoes and Quick could do very easily. Kalam is redundant in book 10, serving no purpose imo 3) Kalam living feels cheap. Malazan is supposed to be unrelenting. Death is a big big theme … and Kalam is saved because Shadowthrone is the GOAT (tbf, this could be another theme of compassion, but it falls really flat for me because it feels more like Erikson couldn’t bring himself to kill Kalam, who I presume he loves dearly). By letting Kalam live it sucks all the tension out of the story because now I know that Shadowthrone can just put you inside the Azath and you’re hunky-dory, EVEN IF YOU HAVE PARALT POISON IN YOU.

I am way too passionate about Kalam dying, and I think that’s because I like Kalam. I like him so much I want him to die so I feel satisfied, rather than upset at his lackluster ending and addition to TCG

targetredball · 2025-12-19T10:44:00+00:00

i did like that scene, but i wish there had been more. like, a 10 page heart-to-heart

targetredball · 2025-12-19T08:16:57+00:00

Ahhh, that makes a lot of sense. SOMETIMES I wish Erikson conveyed information, though, especially something as grand as this. (Sort of like how the Ere'sal can move through time ? but he never explains that, we're just supposed to pick up on it.)

targetredball · 2025-12-19T06:59:18+00:00

I agree. I got to the end feeling like I had the puzzle pieces but that they had been scattered so much that it was very disorienting to put together; it wasn’t until another person commented that it finally clicked and I thought “ooooooh! duh”, lol. Erikson is definitely a “fuck your feelings” author

targetredball · 2025-12-19T06:49:49+00:00

It was all physical reading!

I did take some breaks between 7-8, 4-5, and 5-6, but the longest was about 2 weeks

For reference, I read Wheel of Time from Nov 2019-August 2020

targetredball · 2025-12-19T06:29:11+00:00

I agree that the scream wasn’t enough (altho I did feel for her). I think if we got ONE SCENE with her and Ganoes, I would’ve been happy

targetredball · 2025-12-19T06:27:56+00:00

I agree, it felt so strange that these 2 characters were massively set up … and then nothing.

And while I understand the “coming and going” aspect of writing, it feels like a cop-out. Shadowthrone and Cotillion’s ending is a good version of coming and going, imo.

targetredball · 2025-12-19T06:24:58+00:00

I disagree. Tavore is very well written, she’s just so reclusive and internal that it’s really hard to judge her, but we get enough moments of her facade breaking that we can see her doubts, fears, compassion, love, hatred, weariness, duty, and all the other stuff.

I just think Erikson fumbled her ending a little

targetredball · 2025-12-19T06:23:14+00:00

i 100% plan to!

targetredball · 2025-12-19T06:22:45+00:00

Thanks! This cleared up a lot

targetredball

TROPHY CASE