Once a Stranger

Finished reading Reaper's Gale by Stephen Erikson (7th in the extremely epic, energetic and over-the-top Malazan Book of the Fallen series) this week end. Overall I'm pretty happy with it but with some criticisms/disappointment. Although I think a lot of what I didn't like was because it's really starting using plot threads from way back and I've never re-read those books and I only very vaguely remember who the characters/plot devices/setting info involved were.

( more about Reaper's Gale, with spoilers )

Finished reading Midnight Tide tonight. Very good book. Better than House of Chains, tighter, more interesting and coherent. Thought probably not as good as Memory of Ice and Deadhouse Gate. Of course one of the problem is as each volume of the Malazan Book of the Fallen includes battles, heroes, gore, gods, dreadful sorceries and strange monsters and critters, chaos and mayhem in an epic style, you start to; err, not be so much surprised by the main tale. That and Erikson definitly have several 'types' of characters he recycles. They are enjoyable nonetheless, and this book has great qualities. Excellent themes among other things, and a quite interesting commentary of... let's say, somme current problems. But of course Erikson's an anthropologist, commentary about the reality of imperialism and ethnocide were to be expected. I like his sense of nuance, very welcomed in such time as now, when more and more I feel like it is asked to you to take a side and never question it. He's good at showing every sides to the situation, and the inherent complexicities and ills of war. What I think I like most in all his book, is despite it is definitly epic in scope and mood, despite the many inclusions of gods, heroes and larger than life deeds, his tale centers around the humanity of his main characters, and the core salvation is always presented to be compassion. He writes epic because it's the kind of tales where in the middle of the chaos, the blood, the death and the hopelessness of it all, you can see this light of unexpected friendship, courage, decensy and dignity shining throught. Also, this is the book of the Fallen, and this is definitly becoming more clear.
As depressing as the book as at time (and trust me it was), there were lots of humour. Glen Cook's Black Compagny kind of humour (well those two serie have a lot in common), but as much as I appreciated Tehol and Buggs, I do wonder what exactly that part of the plot had to do with anything else as it had eventually little relevance with the ultimate resolution, a part from providing a link with the Kettle and Azath's storyline. Unless of course it bears fruits in one of the, what is it, 5 remaining books. We'll see. I did appreciate Udinaas a lot as well (he had lots of quotable thought thought i'm too lazy to go and find 'em), as well Brys and the Preda, Trull as well, the Acquitor at times, Kettle and the Crimson Brotherhood. As always, being a Tarot geek, I loved all the Deck of Dragon - sorry - Tiles of the Hold or however you call it tibits. I don't think Erikson's greatest strength is world designing and magic system - seen better - but he is good at designing a mythology and make us feel awe and mystery about it. The Prologue stands as a good exemple of it. It plain rocked.
Now I think I'll have to re-read the previous books *sighs* I lost sight of too many of the plot points. There's just too many of 'em.


Your element is Shadow: Indifferent, unusual,
gentle and a complete mystery. No one tends to
know quite what to think of you because you
camouflage your emotions so incredibly well,
almost as well as your thoughts. You are
unpredictable in that no one knows exactly what
your going to do or what your capable of and
you've made sure they never will. You are quite
the wallflower but deep down inside is a kind
and very intelligent person. You are capable of
love but unless you let some light into your
shadowed life you'll have a hard time with your
relationships. People are a mystery only
because they all seem too superficial, you
would rather be somewhere else, away from all
the noise perhaps putting your feelings into a
form of art, maybe writing your feelings into a
poem or journal, or perhaps painting a picture.
The shadows make you feel comfortable and you
don't like to step outside your comfort zone or
let anyone else in, the spotlight terrifies
you. You are truly a mystery.


.:-|What is your true element?|-:. -With Anime Pictures and detailed answers-
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and a happy birthday to Kraken