DLC Bookclub Special: Our 3rd Interview with Steven Erikson, author of House of Chains

[@rotabush]

I don’t always give a KZbin thumbs up, but when I do, it’s Erickson interviews + two Ns and one T.

[@ec_me]

Jeff and Lana, I can't even express my appreciation for your podcast, the attention you pay to these books, your appreciation for it's story and themes, and the joy that you both evidently feel. It's refreshing, I feel like y'all are not only the target readers but excellent ambassadors of this series and Erikson's writing to anyone who's curious. I am so beyond excited for your read of Midnight Tides, it was my favorite when I read it...there are new things in this book, new tones in what has been a great "song," not to get too Tanno Spiritwalker here lol, anyway no point in being cryptic. It's a great book hope y'all enjoy!

[@bryson2662]

Just want to say thank you again to Steve for always being so gracious with his time. Hope I can speak with him someday about Kharkanas

[@danielgwynne7266]

I can see a lot of talks being done with him about kharkanas when he publishes walk In shadow in the next couple of years

[@ginofication]

WTF? you got Erikson to join the podcast?? Message to Jeff and Lana from 'Future Me' (who is watching these podcasts after reading the books) - THANK YOU!!!

[@PLyttle221]

There’s also ones after Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice!

[@Yungshamgod]

I reflect on Felisin's chapters a lot. I never felt frustrated with her. Ever. She always made sense. DG's epilogue was terrifying. That was the first book scene I reread 4 times back to back to back to back. She was SCARRED - and then thrown into fuckery. I'll never understand Felisin dislikers. Rubs me the wrong way.

[@Latienie_]

Everyone brings their different life experiences into their reading, and so people read things different ways! For me, ya know, I haven't been thrown into a mine, but I have been through some traumatic experiences, and even so, I can't imagine ever treating folks showing kindness to me with such unkindness in return. As such, it was hard for me to find empathy for Felisin off the bat. I was rooting for her to break free of the shackles of bitterness she carried, but I didn't like her. But I think that the beauty of Felisin's story is being able to discover a closeness to her, to find things to love through the hard exterior to such a point that I could feel so deeply her loss. It's a journey! Sorry to hear that my personal experience rubbed you the wrong way.

[@Yungshamgod]

Erikson, We love your hypergeekness!

[@ChristopherStone]

I cannot believe I’ve been reading Malazan for years and subscribed to Jeff for years and only now am i stumbling upon this. I’m actually half way through Midnight Tides so I can’t wait to go back and recap with this series!

[@dookieshoe2905]

Now I know one thing I'll be listening to tonight at work. I was just thinking how awesome it would be to have George discuss each ASoIaF novel like this. It will never happen of course.

[@velcrocee7886]

Great channel and I love the convos with SE. This series drives me crazy but I love it. Have never read anything like it. Thanks for the book club.

[@liviathemalazanpotatonoob5014]

Regarding Night of Knives: you get a good glimpse of some characters you have already met this far and also extra info related to some parts of the 6th book. It's not a must-know type of info, but it adds extra flavour. I read it later, maybe between book 6 and 7, and I wish I had read it before book 6, frankly. However, it has a different style, and you might find it disruptive if you have gotten used to Erikson's writing. It is pretty short, the action takes place in one single night, and you might actually cover it in one episode. I will admit I wish you decide to read it :). Great interview, btw! Always a joy to listen to you guys!

[@DylanHarris25]

Just want to say I agree. I really enjoyed reading the ICE novels mixed in and hope they decide to give it a shot.

[@tightyellowshorts]

Great talk, as usual! My advice: stick with the main 10. Then Cam's books. Then combine when re-reading. Might be worth finding the episode of 10 Very Big Books where they talk with the person who origianlly role-played Karsa. He (Mark something) has some funny anecdotes about gaming with Steve.

[@moresoysauce5489]

Hey guys, Foul Focaccia here! Thank you so much for asking my question and Mr. Erikson for answering, I'm really fascinated that the stories were adapted from TTRPG so I just wanted to hear more about which characters actually were RP and which ones were developed specifically for the novels and how the RP characters were adapted and which were favorites, so it was wonderful to hear you talk about that I really enjoyed it, thank you 😊

[@Jabberwhorl_Cronstadt]

Foul Focaccia, Nefarias Bredd. I see what you did there 😂

[@danielgwynne7266]

There is a Wikipedia or fandom page (can’t remember which) that goes through dozens of characters showing which were from rp and it has references to different interviews erikson has talked about it and time stamps

[@moresoysauce5489]

@@danielgwynne7266 nice to know 😊 I haven't looked up anything about Malazan since I've started reading it to avoid spoilers and I'm not really on reddit but good to know thanks u

[@Yungshamgod]

Y'all are so blessed. So happy to watch this. Thank you Everyone! edit: Mr. Erikson has great sweater choice. Well done, fashionable gentleman!

[@jayheywood9635]

awwww no dance steven would have loved it :

[@mikeiwo845]

Great discussion as always. It is always interesting hearing Steve's perspectives on the writing process. So well thought out and inciteful, so thanks for that. The question at the end, in regards to other collaborative works in a setting, Thieves' World was the first thing that jumped to mind, however they were certainly no where near as complex as Malazan. Was a nice "great minds think alike, fools seldom differ" moment for me when Steve mentioned it. :) Finally, my $0.02 would be stick with MBotF and save the Novels of the Malazan Empire for their own readthrough or incorporated into a reread (which is also mandatory). My reasoning would be that there is a significant tonal and stylistic shift between Cam and Steve and I personally find it difficult to meld them. The NotME provide some excellent world building information and great stories, but they are separate and distinct from MBotF and are really not relevant to the stories that Steve is telling. Keep up the great work Lana and Jeff, looking forward to Midnight Tides.

[@slidenaway]

Hi it’s me I’m the one who always says Jeff and Lana are the Malazan target audience 😂 And no worries on names, shoutout 😢received 🫡 KZbin display names are stupid and then there’s discord names (there I’m TheMisterValor but my server nickname is *currently* Sinister Sourdough. Any Nefarias Bredd-heads in the house??) I also got a little jolt when Steve said at the end “thank you for being my perfect audience” - I helped with that concept 😁 Anyway banger interview as always. Great questions great answers and just so much insight shared. Really loved Steve’s mention of elliptical writing and ringing the bell. And I already am very familiar with how he does that, but hearing him describe it that way… 😍 Steve did a great job of hinting at future stuff with no spoilers, I think he’s getting better at that lol. And I do NOT count saying the last 2 books are really one book as a spoiler, sheesh! We can talk about that 😂 Had never heard that Jorrick Sharplance (who I do know from Cam’s books) was gamed as the luckiest guy alive. That’s super cool Also super cool that Steve loved Cam’s versions of Ipshank and Manask so much. He’s right - they’re incredible. Never knew they were Steve’s characters to begin with!! Amazing that even seeing dozens of Steve interviews I can still learn something totally new Jeff and Lana enjoy your week off - very excited for MT starting in 2 weeks!! You’re gonna love it so much, promise

[@moresoysauce5489]

I'm Foul Focaccia!

[@slidenaway]

@@moresoysauce5489 oh you’re the one stealing my naming convention I see 😄 (kidding obviously, I don’t own it 😂)

[@liviathemalazanpotatonoob5014]

OMG, I love Nefarias Bredd! And now I love Sinister Sourdough AND Foul Focaccia @moresoysauce5489 (will this tag, I wonder?)! What a match made in ... the Tellan Warren! 😂😂

[@berserker8884]

I'm excited! Midnight Tides is a perfect novel and I can't wait to hear your thoughts!

[@liviathemalazanpotatonoob5014]

Yaaay, so excited for this!

[@Yungshamgod]

Has anyone ever asked Steve why he paints his room bright green ?

[@laughtrack1426]

Jeff and Lana are the perfect people I’d want to talk to after reading these books. I’m on chapter 23 of Midnight Tides, and I cannot wait for you Lana and Jeff to WITNESS Tehol and Bugg. I know you two will get a kick out of them. I’m waiting on baited breath for that first MT upload. Cheers

[@rammsund]

Can't wait to hear your thoughts on Midnight Tides, currently my favorite book alongside with Memories of Ice.

[@Plaeya01]

Interesting what he said about Midnight Tides writing itself, I'd love to understand writing more because Midnight Tides is 11/10

[@erikpaterson1404]

i'm thinking we'll only see a new book from Erikson once the sarah maas rage dies down?

[@mpwoodru]

Love all of these episodes and can't wait for MT! FWIW, I read publication order and regrettee having done so after a reread of MBOTF. I think the style change was too much for me, and it broke the continuity for me as well. I think I would have preferred reading each series separately. Being a fairly slow reader, with poor retention, it's much better to keep books in a series back to back for me 😂.

[@EricMcLuen]

So you gave up on getting him to dance? It is always fasinating to hear him discuss how fornsuch a sprawling series, how many characters/plot points take on a completely unexpected life of their own.

[@Yungshamgod]

fuck. I just realized that I am Pearl/

[@Tremain]

Don't worry Lana, after a few re-reads you start remembering all the little details. I don't think most people don't like the fourth book, it's just not as well liked as the others. I think the least favorite is usually Gardens of the Moon, but House of Chains is down in the ranking as well. It doesn't mean its bad, but even amongst master pieces some are bound to be more popular than others.

[@volsere]

I see a few people recommending reading the series seperately. Since you guys are literally Target Audience, I IMPLORE you to read Night of Knives after Midnight Tides. My best argument for why you should read NoK after MT is that you guys enjoy having extra information that the characters aren't privy to. Reading NoK will grant your read of The Bonehunters with so many more of those moments. It will give you concrete answers for certain historical events too, which characters in The Bonehunters aren't sure of. Love the podcast, House of Chains is one of my favourite books of the series.

[@DylanHarris25]

Great points and I hope they decide to check it out after Midnight Tides. I wish more people were open to this and that fans weren't so quick to tell everyone they should just read Book of the Fallen on its own before reading the Novels of the Malazan Empire. It may not be for everyone, but too many people are so quick to dismiss the idea and as you said Jeff and Lana are the perfect audience for doing the combined reading order.

[@eugenemurphy6037]

[@slidenaway]

First let’s gooooo