If Malazan Was As Confusing As People Claim

A lot of people exaggerate just how complex #malazan is. This is an interpretation of their claims.

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[apoordaoist]

Literally just started Malazan and it's true that it was confusing at first because you don't know anything, but the key is taking in everything as it comes and when you are rereading then you can put it in a greater context.

[couragethecheems]

Fantasy introductions in a nutshell.

Some fantasies: Let me introduce you first to our protagonist/s, the world he/she lives in, the antagonist he/she has yet to face, and a plot device that started the problem the protagonist must fix with his/her dashing team/army/group of interest.

Malazan: Wake the f**k up, samurai. We got a city to burn.

[lacedmilk]

"You haven't EARNED being hit by a Malazan book!"
Hilarious! 😂

[thomasbrook]

For me, the complete absence of overt exposition gives the story a conviction and feeling of weight that I've never found anywhere else. It's high fantasy in many ways - mad wizard shit flying all over - and yet it feels so incredibly real and believable because Erikson treats it as such. He's telling the story as if to someone FROM the story, to whom the events wouldn't need explaining, and so in losing exposition, you gain believability, and a true sense of discovery.

[ChristopherStone]

Malazan is the only book series I continue to feel compelled to read despite being incredibly confused with each new volume. Just when I was out, Memories of Ice brought in intelligent undead raptors with swords for arms and pulled me back in.

[TheFlamelancer]

Ah yes, Malazan: the nerd credential exam. The trial of worldbuilding, the crucible of character development.

[danthemanwithaplan]

Malazan is absolutely on my TBR, and I fully expect to feel like the non-murdering you when I read it. I'm excited to have no idea what's going on. That's what made me love Dune when I first read it.

[mikeymegamega]

Due to a total misunderstanding of how book 1 is subdivided into 4 chapter groups of sub 'books' - My reading order so far is Book 1, 5, 3, 6, 2, 4, 7 - no wonder it was so jarring and stuff was happening out of NOWHERE.

[karriturvanen]

Had Gardens of the Moon gathering dust on my top shelf. Started reading it immediately after watching this and got addicted, hard. Had to get my hands on the next 2 books so I won't run out of Malazan to read. The world building, the scale of it, especially the storytelling and the prose. All of it advanced and expertly crafted. You don't usually get this combination of the right ingredients inside the same novel. Splendid.

[Pandemia]

I love this about Malazan. I like how it only gives you small pieces of the puzzle, it feels like we're in the same position as most of the characters and we're figuring out the plot with them! Malazan is such a unique reading experience, I've really learned to love it personally.

[heretic]

My first three adult fantasy series I've ever read were The Witcher, then A Song of Ice and Fire and then Malazan Book of the Fallen. It's like going from junior high school to getting PhD. degree in 4 years.

[IskarJarak]

We still love you! Its good to see that it only improves as it ages on you! You should definitely do some Malazan collabs! The high fist, Ruthan Badd, would be an incredible first guest! Erikson loves his work and so does everybody else!

[mjdaniel]

I think what throws people is that you get about as much information as most of the characters do, which is nothing, this is not your traditional Fantasy and I love it, what a ride

[colburn]

But that's basically how it starts 🤣 But really, it's not that it's confusing, it's that it makes it very well known to you up front that there is a lot going on you just simply don't know or can't understand and it doesn't try to catch you up. You can follow A story pretty easily, but it doesn't try to help you understand EVERYTHING.

[joxclever]

Weird. I literally just started it for the first time. I quite like being bamboozled by it. I think people say "confusing" when they mean something more like disarming. The text itself is incredibly readable. I notice that there are linking threads between each pov, so you really feel oriented. Like, the theme of one pov will be echoed in the next, or maybe a character from one will be discussed by other characters in the next. It's very comfortable to read actually. Having answers isn't everything.

[stevenmortelmans]

I just started Malazan this summer and I'm at Midnight Tides right now. I really liked that you're just thrown into the fray and get to unlock the puzzles further through the story. Also it's so well-written with complex characters, developments and history of the world. Kruppe is definitely one of my favourite characters so far.

[willvideosgood]

This is exactly how I feel reading the first book and it terrifies me... but I also love it. Keep up the excellent work!

[theFrozeman]

Love the series, but there were definitely at least two times where I started a book, got about a chapter or two in, and then closed it to check the cover and list of the author's books to confirm that I had in fact grabbed a Malazan book, and that it was actually the next in the series. Having three or four books that start out in what appears to be completely new setting with completely new characters and absolutely no obvious links to anything in the series so far definitely had my head spinning a bit.

[samwinkless]

On the 3rd book at the moment and loving it. When started the series it was a struggle but when it clicks you just seem to follow without anymore issues

[ciaranrobinson]

Spent the whole time reading the first book complaining to my girlfriend about how i didn't know what was happening until she got annoyed and asked me to tell her what was so confusing
And then as i was explaining the story i Literally had a ooooh wait i do get it moment looking at her baffled face realising i wasn't actually that confused
Was weird but enjoyable