My god what a ride! I am so happy i finally decided to jump in to Malazan! Started out it was confusing as most people say, but it truely is a book that rewards patience and slow reading. I think i had the hardest time following along in the early chapters of Darujhistan but it gets clearer and easier to follow as the story unfolds.

Few highlights for me!

The Deck of Dragons, when your first introduced to it by Tattersail it means very little to the reader, but my god dose it basically foreshadow the entire story and really makes it foreboding anytime after that when it makes a appearance. After i was done with the book i went back and re-read the part where Fiddler is playing cards with a deck and sure snough it foretold the rest of the book! You just dont know what it means at the time, but i really love that kind of layering in books.

Lorns story is so sad, she really did die in Pale. It felt like she was so close to turning and she had so many chances to do so, but she was stuck being the Adjunct and she could not get away from it.

Fiddler and Hedge remind me of myself when i get fireworks even so far as the "glazed" look they get at the thought of blowing something up. Cant wait to read more of them.

Toc the Younger ain't dead, thats a gimmie. Cant wait to see his return. Dont spoil it, but i know im right somehow!

Tattersails whole arc is great, i dont think i really understand what caused her to be reborn and am unclear on a lot of whats going on with that but i loved it anyways!

Kruppe! A man of false modesty indeed! I dont know if i fully understand his dream sequences but i loved his entire character and his whole carefree attitude. When he finally gets serious you know shit is going down.

Anomander Rake is my favorite Ascendant so far, when he enters the picture you can feel chess pieces moving on a imaginary board. Power draws power!

Theres so much more i could get into honestly its hard to keep it all straight, i look forward to seeing where Apsalar and Crokus go and how their story plays out, they really just start coming into their own at the end of the book. Also Whiskyjack and Dujek are great, like i said just too much to mention!

The Pannion Seer is only really hinted at but it seems like thats where the story is headed? I know the next book takes place on another continent but i imagine it will be atleast foreshadowed for the return to Genabakis.

Few things im not clear on and if i dont need to know right now thats fine, but would like a explantion if its possible.

The T'lan Imass backstory escaped me a bit. Correct me if im wrong here, they are a immortal undead race that was enslaved by the Jaghut Tyrant. Im unclear if their immortality came before or after their enslavement. Also the T'lan are the ones that wiped out the Jaghut because of what the Tyrant did? Some clarity here would be great.

As i said Kruppe's dream sequences kinda all went over my head. I think K'rul Was there and i know he was pulling strings in Darujistan at the Belfry the entire book but im not sure its ever explained why Kruppe is having these dreams or whats going on. Might have been tired when i read some of this too so it got glossed over a bit.

Who threatened Serrat to not touch Crokus? Im guessing that message came from K'rul? No idea on this one.

I dont think im supposed to know right now, but what in gods name is going on with Rallick and Vorcan at the end there? I caught the references to The Deadhouse Gates. Also High House Light is Evil or Corrupt somehow? Or was anyways.

Also, when Raest spears the goddess in the ground i take it that is the "Burn" Referenced in the years all throughout the book? Just a guess on my part, also not clear if she woke up or not but this is Obelisk, right?

Thats all i can think of right now! Really enjoyed it and cant wait to start Deadhouse Gates! My only real criticism is i wish Erikson had actual chapter names instead of just numbering them. I found it hard to go back and fine certian things i wanted to reference especially when i wrote this up. Guess i should just keep better notes.

Thanks for reading this, its by far the deepest dive i ever did on any book and i feel like a hundred pages in Eriksons work is like three hundred in anyone else's, there's just so much to keep track of but it really dose pay off in the end.