NEW CAGE MATCH

[GTarrant]

Damn. I've read some of the comments in the Perrin v Quick Ben match-up and some are not kind to RJ to say the least. I mean, damn.

 

I don't even see this level of venom in my time on the A Song of Ice and Fire forums. Is Jordan somehow Malazan's Goodkind or something? :O

 

I'm a longtime lurker of these boards, and a regular over at the MalazanEmpire.com forums. I just wanted to chime in and say that the comments about RJ (RIP) on the Suvudu match-up page are not, I can confidently say, representative of the Malazan fanbase at large. Or at least, the fanbase as it exists over at the forums. In fact, there was a lot of talk in the threads over there condemning the harsher comments, and a few of us sounded off against them.

 

Friendly rivalry is one thing, but poor taste and downright meanness are another. And Jordan is most certainly not Malazan's Goodkind - Goodkind is Malazan's Goodkind.

 

Cheers all.

 

Ahh that's good to know. I'm not anti-Malazan but not familiar with it; it is on my reading list, bumped up a bit since I read a bit on Quick Ben. What's the basic idea of the series though?

 

Woof, that's a tough question to answer. Keeping it as concise as possible to avoid hijacking the thread (and Terez can probably speak to this better than I can if she's still floating around)I'd start by saying it's fundamentally different from WoT. If WoT is the ubertrope of the genre (took Tolkien fantasy archetypes, injected an incredible amount of color into them and ran with them further than anyone could've imagined) then Malazan is the anti-trope. Nine out of ten times Erikson likes to take what you expect to happen in a fantasy novel and turn it on its head. Sometimes he overdoes it, honestly. And sometimes he doesn't do it effectively. But for the most part it makes for good, gritty fantasy and a reading experience that - once you get accustomed to the twists and turns in his style of plotting - is unlike any other.

 

It's also not structured or sequenced ANYTHING like WoT, and because of that, it's kind of hard to give a "basic" idea. Essentially, the expansionist Malazan Empire is gobbling up whole continents in a world that has loads of gods and Ascendants. The gods and Ascendants are aspected to (and usually rule over) realms called Warrens. The Warrens are also a source of power for mages and sorcerers. The first two books deal with two separate fronts of the Malazan Empire expansion territories, on two separate continents. The third book introduces a character called the Crippled God, initiating the primary story arc that runs through the remainder of the series (though of course, threads from the first two books fold into this as well.)

 

You asked.

[Elend]

^

 

Sounds good. Sounds very good. Pretty solid world concept, I like it.

 

So, how would you compare it to aSoIaF?

[GTarrant]

^

 

Sounds good. Sounds very good. Pretty solid world concept, I like it.

 

So, how would you compare it to aSoIaF?

 

Similar only in that they're both have that "gritty fantasy" thing going on that seems to just be flocking out of the wood work these days. Although Erikson as a rule focuses less on "nobles" and political maneuvering from their perspective, and more on common soldiers and the like. Erikson is also much less accessible than Martin, I think - his prose style, his plot twists, character developments. This can be both good and bad in that he's generally way less predictable, but it can sometimes lead to misunderstandings. Erikson also does a LOT of philosophical diatribes - some of them contain incredibly profound insights, to the point where you have to set the book down and breathe deep. Others make you want to skip ahead on the first read, though usually they're easier to appreciate the second time around.

 

All in all it's worth checking out. If you pick up the first book, my advice would be (1) be patient and have faith that Erikson knows exactly where he's taking the story and is weaving an intricate web, even if it feels like he isn't and (2) try not to think of things in terms of "Wait, who are the bad guys? Are these guys good?! AM I SUPPOSED TO LIKE THAT GUY?!" because nothing is clear-cut, and the world is grey, grey, grey.

[Elend]

Well I prefer greyness. Arya is probably my favorite character in fantasy today, despite being a sociopathic murdering child hell-bent on revenge for even minor slights against her.

 

Actually I think its probably because of that.

 

Okay, who wants Arya in the next cage match? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

 

ETA: Jon is picking up again y'all. Do we have any piece of fandom left to tap? Anything?

[Terez]

GTarrant - Who be you? I'm not exactly regular at Malazan lately (well, before Cage Match anyway) but I don't recognize that name.

[Elend]

Jon appears to be surging hard :S

 

It'll be a close one.

[GTarrant]

GTarrant - Who be you? I'm not exactly regular at Malazan lately (well, before Cage Match anyway) but I don't recognize that name.

 

I be Cicero over on the Malazan forum. I was raging hard at Gethbox's vicious RJ jabs on Suvudu earlier so I decided to lurk my way over here and see if they'd gotten any mention. They had, and I was disgusted enough by them to come out of hiding and distance Malazafans at large from that kinda nastiness.

[Kal11]

Damn. I've read some of the comments in the Perrin v Quick Ben match-up and some are not kind to RJ to say the least. I mean, damn.

 

I don't even see this level of venom in my time on the A Song of Ice and Fire forums. Is Jordan somehow Malazan's Goodkind or something? :O

 

SMH. It is pathetic how tied up some people get in something like a fantasy series. To the point they feel the need to spew such venom because someone else doesn't share their tastes and fanboydom for a particular series. Some people need some real perspective on life.

[Elend]

Damn. I've read some of the comments in the Perrin v Quick Ben match-up and some are not kind to RJ to say the least. I mean, damn.

 

I don't even see this level of venom in my time on the A Song of Ice and Fire forums. Is Jordan somehow Malazan's Goodkind or something? :O

 

SMH. It is pathetic how tied up some people get in something like a fantasy series. To the point they feel the need to spew such venom because someone else doesn't share their tastes and fanboydom for a particular series. Some people need some real perspective on life.

 

Yeah it is, but at least it seems that he was smacked down pretty hard in the comments section and the Malazan forums are pretty annoyed about it too :D

 

And Vin is victorious!

[Vambram]

VIN IS VICTORIOUS OVER JON SNOW!!!

The vote count total at the end of the polling is:

Vin with 11,396 or 51.18% of the votes

Jon Snow with 10,870 or 48.82% of the votes.

Currently at this time, the vote counts for the right to face off against Vin for the championship are:

Quick Ben with 3,234 or 53.26% of the votes

Perrin with 2,838 or 46.74% of the votes.

[Suttree]

Vin v Quick Ben final! Make it happen folks...

[jwillis7]

Vin v Quick Ben final! Make it happen folks...

who are you and where do you think you are posting...haha

[Terez]

GTarrant - Who be you? I'm not exactly regular at Malazan lately (well, before Cage Match anyway) but I don't recognize that name.

I be Cicero over on the Malazan forum. I was raging hard at Gethbox's vicious RJ jabs on Suvudu earlier so I decided to lurk my way over here and see if they'd gotten any mention. They had, and I was disgusted enough by them to come out of hiding and distance Malazafans at large from that kinda nastiness.

Ah, cool. You know, at one point WoT really was equated with Goodkind at the Malazan forums, by a lot of folk (and those who disagreed were mostly silent as they weren't big enough fans to care to defend). I'd like to think I changed that. Now we have a whole forum dedicated to WoT/Brandon!

 

Vin v Quick Ben final! Make it happen folks...

who are you and where do you think you are posting...haha

lol. You know, not all of us are blindly voting for Perrin. I'm supporting QB, and so is Luckers, and so is Tamyrlin of Theoryland.

[Random Man]

 

Vin v Quick Ben final! Make it happen folks...

who are you and where do you think you are posting...haha

lol. You know, not all of us are blindly voting for Perrin. I'm supporting QB, and so is Luckers, and so is Tamyrlin of Theoryland.

 

Awww, come on, don't any of you possess enough of a sadistic tendency to put Brandon in a position where he feels compelled to write up a fight between Vin and Perrin, just to see what he would do? I know I do...

[Terez]

Well, Brandon said on his blog that he has 'no desire' to do that. I got the impression he'd rather sit out from here on out, because he doesn't want to write Vin vs Perrin, and because SE won't participate (and Brandon doesn't really know QB well enough to write him).

[Random Man]

Well, Brandon said on his blog that he has 'no desire' to do that. I got the impression he'd rather sit out from here on out, because he doesn't want to write Vin vs Perrin, and because SE won't participate (and Brandon doesn't really know QB well enough to write him).

Yeah, but if it were Vin vs. Perrin, Brandon would be in a position where he couldn't duck out. Like I said, if you're sadistic enough...

[Terez]

haha, I'm not. It would be a very uncomfortable position for him. Because Vin would win, of course. He shouldn't pretend otherwise....but some WoT fans might hold it against him.

[Lupy]

Perrin is only behind by 600 votes right now. On the one hand, I feel for Brandon, and on the other hand I want Perrin to win. Congratulations to Brandon for Vin's win, regardless of what happens now.

[johthohar]

As much as I love WoT, there is just no way I could bring myself to vote for Perrin. I'm pretty new to the Malazan books (only just started House of Chains) but they kick ass and that goes many times over for Quick Ben. Even if he was up against Rand I would be on the fence. While he is considerably more powerful than Quick, Rand's style of fighting with the OP is in your face brute force; shock and awe. Quick Ben is all about subtlety and manipulation. And he's a freaking genius to boot. Rand may have near-godlike power but QB outwits gods on a regular basis. So, QB vs. Perrin..... Sorry but the blacksmith turned reluctant warlord doesn't stand a chance here. Vote for Quick. Plus, how awesome would it be to see a write up of Quick Ben vs. Vin for the final. I know Brandon most likely won't do one of his own but hopefully they get somebody who's familiar with both stories to do a good one! Can't wait!

[Terez]

I'm planning on doing a contest for the best Vin vs QB write-up on my blog. I'll even do it if it's Vin vs Perrin. I just want to see a good write-up, dammit!

[Luckers]

I'm planning on doing a contest for the best Vin vs QB write-up on my blog. I'll even do it if it's Vin vs Perrin. I just want to see a good write-up, dammit!

 

Alright. Bear in mind it's 2:38am here, and I am drunk after a good night out.

 

**************

 

 

Quick Ben eyed the man warily. Golden eyes, by Hoods breath, and the Wolves that went with them. What that meant, he did not know--had the Twin Thrones cast their throw, or was this something else? D'ivers that held a man as their centre? Whatever it was it was something he did not like. A new player with a new play, and Quick Ben without a shaved knuckle.

 

Something subtle was needed. Meneas. The warren of thought unveiled... and recoiled. Quick Ben sensed nothing from this man, but his thoughts were inviolate, a strength of self born from... something... not a warren, not a hold, but something.

 

Without warning an arrow punched Quick Ben in the shoulder, spinning him. He fell, looking in the direction the arrow had come from even as black spots swarmed his eyes--if he fainted now he'd be as good as at Hood's door, and that would be... unfortunate. Not to mention unpleasant. An army was swarming the hill--the arrow had come from three hundred feet. An impossibility apparently made possible.

 

This figure, this man who looked a blacksmith, had an army at his back. And where were the Bridgeburners... the Bonehunters. Quick Ben danced alone even when he ran with others, but where we the others when he needed to... well... run?

 

Lightning struck in a hailstorm, and he was forced to unveil six of his warrens to survive. He sensed no warrens from the enemy, and this was no cedence, no spirit-work. The earth shuddered and longed to explode under foot--all in answer to this man. This blacksmith with his hammer.

 

Well time to stop playing his game. Quick Ben opened a Warren--death. Hood's realm was the nearest in this storm. The easiest. Besides, Hood owed him certain favours. Sliding through the warren, he jumped back out again, next to the Blacksmith. The man spun preternaturally fast, as if he'd heard the impossibly soft susurration of Quick Ben leaving Hood's warren. A hammer that shone like a warren itself spun at Quick Ben's head--and Hood caught it, in answer to the many debts he owed.

 

Quick Ben did not hesitate--he unveiled seven warrens and blasted the blacksmith from existence.

 

Unseen, in the corner, Shadowthrone, Lord of High House Shadow, who was also Hood, Lord of the Grave in other times, and other places, laughed.

 

"I have won again, Lews Therin".

[Elend]

...

 

Damn Terez. The all-WoT-all-the-time crowd are getting all kinds of annoyed at you, aren't they? :O

 

Maybe you can balefire them?

 

ETA: I should note I'd pick Mat over Quick Ben in this. Just 'cuz.

 

ETA2: Lol at ObscureTairyFan in the Suvudu comments. Mainly when one of the above started agreeing with him, not realizing the satire.

[Terez]

I know most of the people making those comments. I made some myself. :)

[Elend]

Awesome.

 

ETA: So, reading Lucker's write-up, I want to read Malazan even more now. /looks at stack of books I need to read for classes.

 

I'll get started eventually. Eventually.

 

Think that the folks on Malazan Empire or any other fansite would appreciate a "First Time Reading" thread?

[Terez]

Oh yeah, they'd love it. They cater to that sort of thing specifically, actually - they have a separate forum for each book so that you can post spoiler-free as you go and discuss anything pertaining to the books you have already read (and no further). They're very strict on enforcing that respect for noobs who are in the process of reading, partly because Malazan is far from a quick and easy read, and partly because it causes all sorts of noob questions to arise from the beginning.