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 Post subject: Steven Erikson
PostPosted: Mon May 27, 2002 10:41 am 
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Okay lets move onto, for my money, the most exciting new Fantasy writer for years. And I mean exciting.

Steven Erikson's Tales of The Malazan Book of the Fallen have garnered a huge rep over on the ASOIAF board. One of the boarders over there is a personal friend of Erikson and over the last 2 years these books have gained on popularity as more and more of us have started reading them, on the back of Orca's recommendation. Its a 10 book series, and we are now eagerly awaiting Book 4.

The cornerstone's of Erikson's work are Plot, Action and World-Building. His plot is very complicated. Indeed it isn't until half way through the first book before even the most diligent reader starts to get a grip on just what is going on. But once you do, you are immersed in a frenzy of activity that never lets up for the next 2 and a half books.

I say Frenzy, because that's the closest description I could think of. Erikson's Battle scenes are massive in scale, massive in bloodshed, and emotionally gut wrenching. He also liberally spices his action with uber-Killers left, right and centre. If you like your sword play - this is the place to come.

As for Word-Building. Erikson is an anthropologist and Archeologist. He brings all this knowledge to play in describing a World History that goes back 500,000 years. The level of complexity is staggering at times, but he's a master craftsman for certain.

Finally Erikson has received a lot of encouragement from Donaldson. Indeed Erikson has just released a novella set in the Malazan World, for which Donaldson wrote the Foreward.

If you enjoyed Illearth War, and want to read a series that contains in buckets all the best elements of that novel, I urge you to try Gardens of the Moon. "Some of the Scottish troops ran for five miles before they were killed. Others threw themselves into the sea. The number of dead is impossible to calculate, but there must have been several thousand. They included 5 Scottish Earls. The few prisoners who had been taken were put to death on Edward III's order, a final act of savagery for which there is no rational explanation. English casualties were light. Halidon Hill 19 July 1333Edward III Puts Scotland to the Sword, For a very Long Time.<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Steven Erikson
PostPosted: Mon May 27, 2002 10:44 pm 
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Funny you should mention Donaldson: when I first read your post, and I saw "plot, action, and world building" I thought you had written "word building" and I immediately thought, "Hey, that sounds like Donaldson!" I will check into this author, Steven Erikson. [Still reading "IT" and "Finding God in Tolkien" right now though.] Arise now, Riders of Théoden!Let horse be bridled, horn be sounded!Forth Eorlingas!<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Steven Erikson
PostPosted: Mon May 27, 2002 10:50 pm 
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King Theoden -

Getting my words and worlds mixed up there. As for IT, don't go there

Seriously though Erikson and Donaldson do have some similarities in style, and Donaldson has given Erikson much encouragement over the last few years. So for SRD fans I think its worth giving Erikson a go. "Some of the Scottish troops ran for five miles before they were killed. Others threw themselves into the sea. The number of dead is impossible to calculate, but there must have been several thousand. They included 5 Scottish Earls. The few prisoners who had been taken were put to death on Edward III's order, a final act of savagery for which there is no rational explanation. English casualties were light. Halidon Hill 19 July 1333Edward III Puts Scotland to the Sword, For a very Long Time.<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Steven Erikson
PostPosted: Sun Jun 09, 2002 1:20 pm 
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I think Steven Erikson is great! It's really nice to see someone not going where the hedge is lowest. No copied-from-Tolkien Elves or Dwarves here! The world and the magic system is diligently researched and complex and it shows. I particularly like how he handles the world with relatively common supercharged magic - a thing which I like in principle but which is hard to do satisfactorily in practice. And as a fantasy world that has not been created by gods in semi-recent past much like it is now, there is a real sense of history.

I have read the first two books and am waiting for Memories of Ice come out in paperback. I have a principle I get everything in mass market paperback. Patience saves money and wrists. <i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Steven Erikson
PostPosted: Mon Jun 10, 2002 4:43 pm 
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Nerdanel -

You could order via amazon.co.uk, if you can stand the package. Aure entuluva !<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Steven Erikson
PostPosted: Thu Jun 13, 2002 9:52 pm 
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Unfortunately I don't have a credit card. No matter. It should come pretty soon to the non-virtual bookstore I frequent. <i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Steven Erikson
PostPosted: Sat Jun 15, 2002 12:56 am 
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Nerdanel -

Does everyone on TORC lack a credit card.

Mithfanion/Calibandar has the same problem. Aure entuluva !<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Steven Erikson
PostPosted: Mon Oct 28, 2002 12:12 am 
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I have read Memories of Ice!

What a great book. Erikson has done it again. Those books are supposed to be more or less self-contained, but they are so good that I'm feeling a strong urge to read House of Chains right now, based on the hints in the narrative, even though it isn't out yet.

I think the theocratic empire of Pannion Domin is up there with the Sunbane and Mordor on the list of memorably horrible geographical things created by dark lord characters. And there were the K'Chain Che'Malle, which had gotten a few brief mentions in earlier books. And shameless emotional manipulation by the author, which worked splendidly in many cases. It affected me so strongly, when [censored]... And of course there were some nice sly humor and clichés turned on their head as well as good plotting, characterization, and world-building we've come to expect. <i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Steven Erikson
PostPosted: Mon Oct 28, 2002 2:27 pm 
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Thanks Nerdanel! VERY cool assesment! Beren and I have been talking about Erikson--and if there is enuf enthusiasm on this topic--we're thinking or starting a Forum on him down the road... makes u wonder what [censored] is!
If the brain were so simple we could understand it, we would be so simple we couldn't.
Lyall Watson
<i>Edited by: danlo60 at: 10/28/02 1:48:58 pm
</i>


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 Post subject: Re: Steven Erikson
PostPosted: Mon Oct 28, 2002 3:53 pm 
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Crikey Nerdanel, one minute you can't get them, next we know you've read all three. That is how Erikson grabs you. Like Martin, once you are sucked in you just have to buy all the books. House of Chains is out December 3rd, I cannot wait !! Narika nBari nAdun yanakhim<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Steven Erikson
PostPosted: Mon Oct 28, 2002 7:07 pm 
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Actually I had read the first two last Christmas. I just had trouble getting the third one. It took me months! I guess other people kept buying all the copies while I wasn't looking. Probably also the bookstore was afraid to stock too much. <i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Steven Erikson
PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2003 6:46 am 
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House of Chains by Steven Erikson is now out in paperback. I'm reading it right now. <i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Steven Erikson
PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2003 6:14 pm 
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please let us know what you think! Good 2 see you around Nerdanel! And now Danlo looked in that direction, too. He remembered that snowy owls mate in the darkest part of deep winter, and so along with this beautiful white bird perched in a tree a hundred feet away, he turned to face the sea as he watched and waited.

Ahira, Ahira, he called out silently to the sky. Ahira, Ahira<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Steven Erikson
PostPosted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 3:46 pm 
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I have heard that this author's books will FINALLY be available in the Unites States next year (2004), by the way...I have heard so many good things about his work...I am looking forward to being able to give him a read... Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
****Tavern Wench of DOGMA, the Defenders of George Martin's Art****<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Steven Erikson
PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 4:37 pm 
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I have just finished House of Chains. Once again Steven Erikson has given us a splendid offering, although Memories of Ice remains my favorite in the series. House of Chains is mostly direct continuation to Deadhouse Gates, the second part in the series (the third part took place in a geographically distant place) but the book begins with a long stretch telling of a young and naive tribal warrior in search of glory. It is the past of a character who played a minor role in Deadhouse Gates but who becomes a major character in this book. Then we start switching between multiple viewpoints as the story turns to the impeding clash between the forces of Malazan Empire and the rebels of the Whirlwind on the Holy Desert Raraku.

The series is very complex and getting still more complicated. This volume continues to reveal new things of the world of the series as well as hints of new mysteries. One gets the feeling the world is both wide and deep. We get to meet Tiste Liosan, whom we have only heard mentioned before, a real live Forkrull Assail, and the deadly Deragoth, whom we did not know existed. We also learn more of the culture of T'lan Imass and many other things.

The book is very unpredictable. I was surprised many times. I love that. <i></i>


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