I'm taking a break from The Dresden Files to read Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson. I forget who suggested this series to me (I think it was Howard von Darkmoor) but I thought it looked good so I picked up the first book. It is good.
But it is also a bit confusing. I normally suggest that writers should just get right into the story and worry about explaining things later. This is exactly what Erikson has done but I'm on page 147 and I still a bit in the dark about what's going on. There have been some explanations about the magic system and character backgrounds and there have been enough historical references for me to gather what's happening on the political front but I'm a bit lost on the overall arc of the story. There have been three or four times where I've sat back and wondered what that scene was all about. At first I thought it would clear itself up but that hasn't happened yet.
Don't get me wrong, it's still a good book with great characters and compelling writing. I'm just a little mystified.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
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First off, I am very thrilled you've taken me up on the recommendation. If you continue the series -- and I sure hope you will -- you will see how much Erikson grows as an author and how terrific this world and stories of his are.
Second, sadly GotM is the most confusing of his books. Sadly, because it is also first. But if you can make it through the difficult middle to 2/3rds, you're home. Not home free, because you will not believe how complex his books are from this point on, but they are much clearer, cleaner, crisper - I simply cannot gush enough about him or The Malazan Book of the Fallen.
If you're at all interested, Pat over at Pat's Fantasy Hotlist http://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com/, has done at least 2 interviews with Erikson over the last year that sheds some light on the man and the marathon story's background.
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