DLC Bookclub - THE BONEHUNTERS - Chapters 23-24 + Epilogue - MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN

[@slidenaway]

Oh man Lana, Fiddler being the Shield Anvil of the Bridgeburners… that’s awesome. It’s not official in the text but I really like that idea

[@salomealhusami594]

1:16:00 - 1:18:00 You are right, Jeff. Grub was just telling Lostara that Tavore is gonna need someone by her side now that her lover and confidant is dead. That's it. There is no possession. And, no, I don't think T'amber was always possessed by the eres'al. I believe that the eres'al only did it when it was necessary for Tavore to have some info and for this last mad defense of Tavore because she is important. That's why the eres'al kissed her forehead at the end. Further evidence that she wasn't always possessed is when we see the eres'al with Bottle many times. I believe that T'amber was truly Tavore's lover and only confidant and that the eres'al had no one else who is that close to Tavore; that's why, sometimes, she needed to possess T'amber.

[@Here_Atticus]

Oh yeah, here we go!! For the non-spoiler question: I just want a deck of dragons. I don't even know how it would be possible, but I NEED one.

[@Whiskeyjack_]

I would 100% buy the Dramatis Personae shirt

[@eatingfrogs]

Malazan Lego? Now that I’ve had the thought I suddenly need Malazan Lego.

[@slidenaway]

I must say I was surprised you didn’t really comment on the last line of the novel (before the epilogue) being about Cotillion: “the god… alone… with his head in his hands.” (Paraphrasing) That moment always resonates with me, and just humanizes Cotillion further for me

[@bobbob-cd9yl]

I have found they read cotillion vastly different from how I did in a more comedic manner where I read his scenes as incredibly tragic

[@slidenaway]

@@bobbob-cd9yl yeah you’re right, it’s a trend 😔

[@Margo0000]

Yeah his defining characteristic seems to be his seriousness v Shadowthrone's "crazy". His book IS called Dancer's Lament ❤

[@FranzBinder20]

I always had problems with the humanizing of Cotillion in later books after him and Shadowthrone were having so much fun in sending their dogs into an innocent village in GotM. They were like genocidal maniacs back then.

[@slidenaway]

@@FranzBinder20 well, GotM is pretty well known for having… issues lol. There’s even a term for it - “GotM-ism.” I would just chalk this up to that

[@Tremain]

To me Kalam's fight through the city felt like straight up fantasy John Wick. The most badass assassin showing the rest of them why he was always the best.

[@liviathemalazanpotatonoob5014]

As a former cosplayer and prop maker, I decided to make myself Malazan things. 😂 There is a Bridgeburners emblem on Thingieverse that I made bigger and displayed it as a plaque or a fancy plate on a stand. Painting it was so much fun! I started working on a Malazan themed sword, which is right now on hold due to life, unfortunately. It was actually Mr Erikson's idea and he sketched it on his FB page some time ago. A hand holding a broken sword by the blade, some blood dripping and the swords pommel is the sigil of the Malazan empire, the clawed hand holding an orb. I even wrote to Mr Erikson and asked what kind of sword he had in mind and he gave me 2 options. I am so looking forward to building the sword (and making a few copies to give as presents) when I am allowed to handle more dangerous materials like resins and lots of dust!

[@EricMcLuen]

Yes, Laseen is Nappanese. So, Surly Smurf.

[@mpwoodru]

I always got the impression that the meteor that flew out of the sky and landed in Malaz harbor was Legana Breed. He was all wet from climbing out of the harbor. Could be wrong though. ☄️ 💀

[@slidenaway]

Oh wow what an ending, what a book!! Pretty much agree with all your reactions. Kalam and Apsalar fighting the Claw is incredible. Pearl was a jerk. Grub is creepy but helpful. The Eres’al is… well, still a mystery. Agreed on the deus ex machina issue. And of course Icarium unleashed, FINALLY… insanity. But getting to see Trull unleashed was a great bonus. And it’s really crazy that this book basically has 5 climaxes: 1) chapter 7 (duh) 2) Ganoes and the hounds and plague 3) jade statues and Heboric 4) Malaz city 5) first throne Steve will tell you this was 2 books crammed into one and I have no idea what specifically the 2 books are 😂 But anyway. Hoping you can chat with Steve as usual, and looking forward to it!! And then on to the next. Reaper’s Gale is amazing you’re gonna love it 😍

[@Ad4msI]

You can either consider this one very long one or two immediately continuous long ones: “There was too much compassion within him - he knew that, for he could feel the pain, the helplessness, the invitation to despair, and from that despair came the desire - the need - to disengage, to throw up his hands and simply walk away, turn his back on all that he saw, all that he knew. If he could do nothing, then, dammit, he would see nothing. What other choice was there?” - I wish I didn’t feel this so often The next bit I see as Erikson venting and then putting the brakes on himself but that may be putting the author in here too directly: “And so we weep for the fallen. We weep for those yet to fall, and in war the screams are loud and harsh and in peace the wail is so drawn-out we tell ourselves we hear nothing. And so this music is a lament, and I am doomed to hear its bittersweet notes for a lifetime. Show me a god that does not demand mortal suffering. Show me a god that celebrates diversity, a celebration that embraces even non-believers and is not threatened by them. Show me a god who understands the meaning of peace. In life, not in death. Show- ‘Stop,’ Gesler said in a grating voice. Blinking, Fiddler lowered the instrument. ‘What?’ ‘You cannot end with such anger, Fid. Please.’” When Fiddler fiddles, I cry.

[@slidenaway]

Ugh. As soon as you started talking about the Wickans I thought of today’s Haitians. And I just KNEW Jeff would bring it up. Because how can you not make the connection? Unfortunately, what makes this storyline so visceral ANY time you read it is that it’s evergreen. There is always hatred of this kind being perpetrated somewhere in the world and lately, it seems like somewhere just in the US. Don’t even need to go far. So yeah. Erikson just captures the ugliest side of human nature perfectly such that it always resonates and is always easy to recognize in the real world. Wish I had something positive to end on here but I don’t 😔

[@Margo0000]

Yeah, as I was rereading the Malaz City scenes, I was like - the US post election day???

[@salomealhusami594]

Yaaaaay! We have reached the end! I was afraid that you won't post a video this week! I spent the whole day refreshing your channel! I'm so happy that you DID post the video, and I'm so excited to see your reactions to the finale of this epic book! 😍 Love you and appreciate you both! ❤

[@MultiWar22]

FUCK, I love this ending so much. Fiddler's dirge is one my favourite moments from the whole series. The way his song echoes throughout the whole scene, then what Lana mentioned about the change in tone. AAAAH, SO GOOD!!!!

[@SouravUldyssian]

Loved your take on the final chapter. And I TOTALLY agree with Jeff that the Eresal taking out Icarium at the end did feel like a Deus ex Machina. Hell, the Eresal has been used a Deus ex Machina at multiple points in this book, and this is my only complaint for this book, as it ranks 2nd in my Malazan books ranking.

[@quinnloucks2869]

1000 views 92 likes-don’t forget to like the video. It helps them, folks.

[@Margo0000]

Love how excited you guys are about the merch ideas! Haha! A Deck of Dragons is a good one. I've seen Bridge Burner shirts somewhere. TVBB auctioned off having your portrait done as a Bridge Burner that looked pretty cool. I would also like maps. Always the maps!

[@patriciamorrison7671]

Little Jade hands!

[@bethgoldowitz4765]

That you can wear like gloves!

[@believer773]

What a ride, thanks for sharing your thoughts and your time guys

[@callinicobo5991]

Great discussion, as always. I think I need a Seguleh mask, and a moranth ammunition replica, and probably a 1:1 scale Dragnipur.

[@moresoysauce5489]

Missed opportunity by Jeff at 39:00 to say "maybe she just can't be LASEEN as the one..."

[@thecrawlingchaos4186]

This is the most excited Ive been for a video in a long time, such great chapters!

[@lumer1611]

I've finally catch up with your pace! Great content as always. Now its on to Reapers gale.

[@Plaeya01]

Woohoo love you guys ❤❤❤ so keen for Reaper's Gale! I myself finished the Crippled God this week and can't wait for all the episodes to come! Pretty much every book from here on out it's impossible to pick my favourite

[@jeffgraham3201]

Even Dust of Dreams?

[@Plaeya01]

@@jeffgraham3201 yes even that, although it's the slowest and all set up the time we spend with the characters in my opinion reveals some of the greatest aspects of humanity

[@EricMcLuen]

Did you go back and reread the prologue of GotM after?

[@TheWolfPack87]

I want a deck of dragons! And some displates of Erikson's actual maps.

[@Angzt]

I don't think you caught it at the time (DG), so let me quickly talk about Legana Breed and how he got out of the rent which was supposed to be a rather permanent torment for whoever entered. As we understand by the end of DG, such a rent holds one soul, exactly one. Right after the Imass leave the Silanda where Legana had entered the Rent, Truth notes that one Imass had taken a head with them, but doesn't name them. However, Truth further states that "His bear cloak hid it" [the head] with Legana being the only one in the scene mentioned to wear bear anything. So in typical Erikson fashion, it's not spelled out completely and very easy to miss. But putting the pieces together, it's clear that Legana actually used a beheaded Andii's soul to seal the rent, not his own. That's why he's back for his sword now.

[@StarUnreal]

Re: Ranking the books I absolutely adore how The Bonehunters is FINALLY meeting between all these fan-favourite characters throughout the first four books. Erikson FINALLY getting back to all your favorites. Erikson FINALLY converging all these plots and characters into a single direction. And in the end it loses out in the rankings to Tehol and Bugg. Two characters completely irrelevant to everything in the first four books; that you can't even imagine exist until you meet them on the page in the 5th, unrelated, book. So many readers come into Midnight Tides apprehensive, because it's a totally new continent with totally new characters, and it manages to capture the hearts of nearly all of those people. Good characters triumph over familiar characters. Edit: This is also the point in the series where I stopped being able to rank the books. It's only going to get harder from this point on. It's also a fool's errand beyond this point, until you get to the very end and can take the long view back. Too much of what each of these books is doing for the narrative is still hidden. Not to say you shouldn't try, of course. It's good fun to watch!

[@dlasis]

Legana Breed, the one who gave Stormy his sword before sacrificing (wink) himself to mend the rent, called Stormy a Shield Anvil.

[@Theophoby]

And as always. Great stuff. I live through this. Like I'm.a first time reader. Thx

[@MultiWar22]

Ah yes, Quick "just an illusionist" Ben, squaring up to AN AWAKENED ICARIUM

[@Margo0000]

Lagana Breed, the T'lan Imass called Stormy Shield Anvil. I think Lagana Breed is whatever fell out of the sky and hit the bay last chapter.

[@Bobbitthehobbit]

Never made that connection, but I 100% think you are right

[@feral7523]

The whole Laseen, Mallick Rel, Tavore,Pearl meeting in Malaz and the hidden moves and treachery going on in back round is fleshed out makes sense in RotCG by Ice.

[@stevec73]

Merch I'd love is a nicely bound art book / encyclopedia -- scenes from the novels, collections of maps, etc

[@Tremain]

As far as collectibles go I would so love some action figures of all my favorite characters. No statues though, I like stuff i can fiddle with.

[@Tremain]

I think they roasted the T'lan Imass because she did not actually sacrifice herself, she took one of the severed tiste andii heads that were on the ship and sacrificed them instead.

[@andreamiller3578]

A nice figure of Anomander Raker, Moonspawn, The dragons, other characters, artwork, etc.

[@Jabberwhorl_Cronstadt]

Does anyone remember the old Scott McFarlane toys for Spawn? Hyper detailed, enormous, and 100% pure badassery? I want a line of those with Karsa, Icarium, Mappo, Kalam, etc. I'd clean out my kid's college fund in a second to grab those.

[@Jabberwhorl_Cronstadt]

LMAO I posted that before I bothered listening to your answers and it appears Jeff and I are on the same page!

[@bobbob-cd9yl]

Laseen effectively has NO POWER it was pointed out that mallik rell has surplanted the clow with a group called the black hand who serve him. So rell has taken control of the claw so no laseen cannot have him killed. More so rell is seen as a hero by the malazan empire. And as i have mentioned not conducting a genocide against the wikans would mean committing genocide to the whole empire. She is powerless

[@theriddler2277]

the eras'al died - yil is supposed to become tavores confidant.... the eras'al dying is strange as the creature lives outside the arrow of time but hey that is magic for you the eras'al then show up at drift avail and the reason she can touch icarium is because she poses no threat to him she is non aggressive - and she heals him...

[@bobbob-cd9yl]

I feel bad for laseen because she is initiating a genocide but if she did not do so she would also be committing genocide against the rest of the malazan empire

[@nojohns1748]

Yes! we have finally reached ,my favorite chapters of the entire S.E.R.I.E.S.

[@bobbob-cd9yl]

The other things… was world war 1

[@slidenaway]

@@bobbob-cd9yl lol no one is gonna know what this means. *I do* but I bet it goes over everyone else’s heads 😂

[@EricMcLuen]

Maybe on the third read I will pick that up.

[@darksaint0124]

Any real fight between Icarium and Karsa would see Karsa most likely dying. He isn't that strong and also still very young. Karsa doesn't even truly understand how strong other beings can get. Remember what Calm did to him.

[@Ad4msI]

Calm was a long time ago and if you want to look back to when he was weaker it’s just as legitimate to look forward to the Witness Trilogy when he is stronger, isn’t it?