So, I was just listening to All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan one). I suddenly had this urge to re read the book of the Fallen series. Admittedly I still haven't read the whole series. I started reading it five years ago and only read till book five. Then some problems in real life happened and I never had the chance to go back to it. So I was thinking about doing it from the beginning. So, have anyone on this site read it before? If so then, what do you think about it? Do you like it, hate it? What about magic system of this series? How does it hold against other other book Franchises, like Dresden Files, Harry Potter, Stormlight Archives, The First Law?

Tell me your opinions.

 

I don't think any other book series has made me laugh so hard, or feel such heartbreak. This series is not perfect, in fact it has many flaws. But if there is one strength that Steven Erikson has, it is the ability to capture what it means to be human, and the emotions we evoke.

I've read the series once, and I'm at book 8 on the reread. The reread has been happening over the last two years. Might be another year or two before I finish. But every now and then, I'll get the urge to read, and subject myself to whatever emotional strings that Erikson wants to tug on.

I think it's well worth the time it takes, but general impressions tend to be either love it or hate it. So see where you get would be my advise.

 

I love those books. Even tough its been years since I last read it. I still remember it's epicness and humor. The badassness that is Anomander Rake. I don't remember it fully but I know Karsa Orlong(?) was also badass. There were lots funny moments from, that servent dude, I forgot his name. Also that wood company.

 

I read a few of the Malazan books a few years ago, but couldn't ever really get into them. I didn't like them very much. It really comes off like someone's D&D campaign remixed into novel form, which some people will be in to, but it was a chore for me to get through. That sort of thing comes with several built in issues, such as some elements of the world being underdeveloped in favor of others (with the impression that it was haphazardly made up on the spot or something like that), or that most of the character names felt like they were made in a random name generator. That might not seem like a big deal, but when you have a character doing all this heroic shit and your only lasting impression of a scene is how stupid the name is, it's a problem.

Honestly, it's just one of those series that I just simply put down midway through one of the books, and just never picked up again, without really noticing, or caring. This was several years before I got addicted to Critical Role, so perhaps my view on this kind of story will have changed

 

Well, people usually have love it or hate it relation with these books. There is so much going on in these books, that people usually got lost, and yes, names in these books are pretty funny and random. These are the kind of books that you like more on re read.

 

I’ve just read the first three books. I love them. I think I’ll finish the original 10 this year, but I firmly stand in the group of people who enjoy them. Whiskeyjack is absolutely one of those characters I crazily loved.

I actually like the magic system. The entire Gods on earth kind of thing going on there, humans ascending to become Gods and all that is just... I like it. I dunno why, but the way he writes about human nature, about heroes like Coltain just gets me somehow. About how we wish it were, really. That bit when crows swoop down in their thousands to carry off his soul gives me the chills.

 

Memories of Ice was the book. Ending of this book had me in tears. Also, prepare for Karsa Orlong.

 

Ah, you are in for a treat then! As OP says,prepare for Karsa fucking Orlong. One of the greatest characters ever.

 

@Anarchy they were based on a DnD campaign originally, although whether that was just the first book or so or whether it carried through the entire series I'm not sure.

I'm also slowly working my way through a reread of the original, main books, and a first read of most of the secondary books. As a whole, they're a strong contender for my favourite epic fantasy ever, just really well done.

 

I've never read any but the main series. How do you think the others compare? Honestly, it's not the world I'm in love with, as much as it's Erikson's portrayal of it. I can't help but feel that anyone else will just be a let down.

 

I've only read two so far, Night of Knives and Return of the Crimson Guard, and those a while ago - NoK I seem to recall not thinking much of, although it's not bad, but Crimson Guard was pretty good from what I recall.

 

Ian Cameron Esslemont, author of the secondary book series, also helped Erickson with original series. Also, yes, first book was written after Erickson and friends thought ‘let's write a book about table top RPG'. So the Gardens of the Moon was created. Malazan series is my favorite epic fantasy book series, alongside with the Stormlight Archives. Which also gonna be 10 books series. Weird coincidence.


Also, Iron Bars.

 

I think they were excellent, I doubt I'll even read them again though. Or maybe in a decade or two. The books are very heavy, and as much as I enjoyed them it was still hard to get through them. I read a lot, 50+ books a year, and it still took me a full year to get through the series because I had to take breaks, which isn't something that happens to me, ever that I can recall.