#book of the fallen

[noctisarcanae]

Very much enjoying this book by Martin McGreggor on theistic satanism, definitely a treat 🖤

#satan #satanism #devil #witchcraft #witch #demonolatry #lucifer #dark #paganism #demons #theistic satanism #book of the fallen #martin mcgreggor #witch books #demonolatress

[smokingchagga]

We humans do not understand compassion. In each moment of our lives, we betray it. Aye, we know of its worth, yet in knowing we then attach to it a value, we guard the giving of it, believing it must be earned. T’lan Imass. Compassion is priceless in the truest sense of the word. It must be given freely. In abundance.

- Memories of Ice, Steven Erikson

(This quote has been stuck in my head ever since I finished Memories of Ice a week ago. This series will actually kill me)

#malazan #memories of ice #book of the fallen #steven erikson

[litcityblues]

'Gardens of the Moon' --A Review

After finishing Rhythm of War last year, I decided that I wanted to take a Sanderbreak (Sandercation?) for a while and was looking around for a nice, meaty fantasy series to chomp into and decided that I would take the plunge and see what Malazan: Book of the Fallen was all about.

I know that might seem a little crazy to people: going from Sanderson to Erickson seems like going storm chasing for relaxation purposes, but I wanted to pace myself. I figured, one book a year, it'll be the series that takes me through my 40s and I'll wrap it up just in time to turn 50 and be done with it. Seemed like a good plan, so I grabbed Book One, Gardens of the Moon off Kindle and jumped right into it.

Instantly, I could see why people find this series so intimidating. It was hard to get into. The early parts of this book felt like I was reading someone's DND campaign, which, strangely enough, turned out to be kind of true. (Technically, it was a GURPS campaign.) But, I persevered and kept going and things started falling into place. Characters started being consistent-- I started to like them! Paran showed up! We met Tattersail! We were getting an idea of what was going on in this book with the Bridgeburners and their Sergeant, Whiskeyjack and then, just as I was finding a groove, the story switched to a totally different place and an all-new set of characters.

I cannot begin to tell you how frustrating I found that.

(All the Malazan fans reading this are now nodding their heads and saying things like 'Oooooh, buddy, just you wait- it gets better!')

After getting myself over that particular hump, then things really began to click. The characters started coming together. The mission becomes clear and by the time I got to the end of the book, I was staying up late just to finish it because I wanted to see what happens.

Gardens of the Moon opens in the 96th year of the Malazan Empire where 12-year-old Ganoes Paran watches as the Mouse Quarter of Malaz City is sacked. He wants to be a soldier when he grows up, though the veteran sergeant Whiskeyjack, watching on the ramparts with him, disapproves of that.

Flash forward seven years later and the Emperor has been overthrown and replaced by the chief of the assassins, the new Empress Laseen, whose rule is backed up by the Claw, the imperial assassins. They're several years into a series of wars launched by Malazan to conquer the continent of Genabackis.

The High Fist Dujek and the Malazan 2nd Army have been besieging the city of Pale, one of the two Free Cities left on the continent for several years. Pale is holding out thanks to an alliance with the powerful Anomander Rake, leader of the non-human Tiste Andii. Pale does a fierce battle and Rake takes his floating fortress, the Moon's Spawn, and withdraws south. The Empire did take severe losses, however, and some characters suspect that the Empire may be engineering the elimination of those who loyal to the former Emperor.

The last free city remaining is Darujhistan and that's where the characters start to converge. The surviving Bridgeburners and Whiskeyjack are to infiltrate the city and work with the assassin's guild to take down the leadership to make conquest easier for Malazan. Paran and Tattersail are heading toward the city because now gods and other magical forces appear to be converging on the city as well.

Everything comes to a head in Darujhistan. Rake allies with the real rulers of the City, a secret cabal of mages. The Empire and Adjunct Lorn release an ancient being, a Jaghut Tyrant in hopes of damaging Rake or injuring him enough to force him to withdraw. The Tyrant is defeated and Rake takes down a demon lord released inside the city.

The book ends with Dujek and Whiskeyjack leading the 2nd Army into rebellion against the Empress, the Seven Cities following in their wake. They want allies- not to fight the Empress, but to fight the Pannion Seer, a new empire advancing from the southeast and more dangerous than anything they can possibly imagine.

Overall: I love how everyone secrets in this book. I love how every single character is a shade of grey. Erickson leans far, far away from any fantasy notions of clear-cut heroes and villains here and it's so refreshing to read.

I also love how he deals with trauma. Every character is broken and traumatized in their own way. They're living on a continent that's been consumed by war and death for at least seven years now. But and I'm not sure exactly how to word this- the trauma they've suffered is not the end all be all of the character, which stands in stark contrast to what you see in The Stormlight Archives and Wheel of Time.

(And yes, I know Rhythm of War takes excellent, awesome strides to acknowledge this problem with Kaladin and force him to examine his trauma, which is unusual for fantasy and so awesome to see- but it also puts him through yet another wringer. Again. Part of Rand's character arc in Wheel of Time does lead to 'Veins of Gold', but there's also an awful lot of trauma that defines the character before you get there-- so I acknowledge that it's not quite that clear cut, but Malazan handles trauma way differently.)

The writing in this is excellent and a lot of the moments that caught me by surprise in retrospect weren't exactly hidden- they were just subtle enough that if you blinked you might miss them. (For instance, the character of Sorry/Apsalar is possessed by a God- The Rope at the start of the book and freed by the end, but it took me a bit to put two and two together with that. Same way with the big reveal at the end of the book-- the big reveals are all right there if you know where to look, but they're just sprinkled in so gently that it's easy to miss them, which makes the subsequent reveal that much more impactful.

The magic system took some getting used to, but I also loved the approach there as well. It's just magic. People do it. You figure out the complexities and the rules of the system throughout the story.

Conclusion: You son of a bitch, I'm in! But, I'm going to pace myself with these books, right? One book a year, that was the plan. Nice and easy. Slow and steady wins the race. I don't want to burn on this series after all, but...

I've already snagged Deadhouse Gates off Kindle. My Grade: **** out of ****

#gardens of the moon #malazan #book of the fallen #steven erikson #book review

[sharaishvalda]

I'm really suprised by how casually gay Malazan can be. Especially for a series that started in 1999.

Like, I'm reading Memories or Ice right now and Stonny is just out here being a rude, sluty, bisexual icon.

Or in Deadhouse gates how Gesler and Stormy just casually talk about that time they had gay sex.

#malazan #book of the fallen #Gesler #Stormy #Stonny Menackis

[satanhastetanus]

"Our fates were never our own"

#caladan brood #echoes of battle #book of the fallen #Youtube

[sonic-emporium]

#Caladan Brood #Book of the Fallen #Music #Metal #Black Metal #Epic Black Metal #Atmospheric Black Metal #Fantasy Metal #Fantasy Lyrics #Fantasy #Malazan Book of the Fallen #Spotify

[mayhw]

Star map inspired by Ahsoka’s ending credits

#you all have no idea how much I love those Star Wars maps #the circles planets lines designs catch my eyes so easily #I have one pattern tattooed on my arm inspired by Jedi Fallen Order art book cover #so when I first saw Ahsoka’s ending I was over the moon #and with that music??? God I’m totally sold #my art #ahsoka #star wars #purrgil #loth wolf #star map

[somewhereincairparavel]

No thoughts.

Just thinking about how Reyna kept her distance from Jason because of Venus, fearing heartbreak, but ended up getting heartbroken anyway.

Just thinking about how Jason felt guilty about Reyna's feelings for him, thinking that he led her on, and felt truly sorry that he didn't love her back.

Just thinking about how bitter Reyna sounded when she said that Jason was no longer fully roman anymore.

Just thinking about how, upon seeing Thalia's eyes, the only thing Reyna can think of is Jason's startling blue stare.

Just thinking about how Jason could tell that Reyna was tired simply by noting how her shoulders move.

Just thinking about how Reyna rarely compliments anyone, but fondly calls Jason an "all American boy".

Just thinking about how Jason would never bet against Reyna under any circumstances, and knows if anyone is capable of completing dangerous missions, it's Reyna.

Just thinking about how Reyna daydreamt of her and Jason holding hands, walking in the garden.

Just thinking about how Reyna and Jason would geek over their shared interest of roman history.

Just thinking about how Jason HATES unkept promises, yet the only unkept promise he'd unintentionally made was that if he and Reyna would go visit Diocletian's sceptre, it would only be them visiting TOGETHER. Not seperately. The fates ruined his chance of keeping that promise.

Just thinking about how Reyna would've felt upon hearing that her once best friend, died tragically saving a god, and that she would never see him again.

Just thinking about how Jason dies with the guilt of not properly reconciling with his old friend.

Just thinking about how Reyna lives with the guilt of keeping her distance from him because of that wretched warning Venus gave her. Maybe if she had not, would they have been together? Would they have atleast remained best friends? Would they have not grown apart?

Just thinking about how Reyna looked like she'd been crying for hours during Jason's funeral.

Just thinking about how they both knew their friendship would never be the same again but refused to confront that bitter reality, so they ran away from it.

Just thinking about how they never even shared one last hug together.

Just thinking about how in the end, both of them most likely only had bittersweet memories of eachother, and that neither of them got to say their final goodbyes.

No thoughts, just the tragic end of Jason Grace and Reyna Avila Ramirez's friendship

#This is NOT a romantic ship post btw. Just putting that in there. So I don't give you the wrong idea. #I just adored their fallen friendship #they deserve a whole book on their friendship #they deserved atleast one convo together #why rick #day 2 of uncle rick owing me tissue boxes #jason grace #reyna avila ramirez arellano #pjo #pjo fandom #pjo hoo #percy jackson #pjo series #annabeth chase #reyna ramirez arellano #the heroes of olympus #frank zhang #leo valdez #hazel levesque #piper mclean #nico di angelo #pjo hoo toa #pjo toa

[rainingriversofyou]

Azriel - A Court Of Thorns And Roses

Recreation of “Fallen Angel” by Roberto Ferri

Artist: moonrosesxart 🖤 [original art below]

Fallen Angel, 2011 - Roberto Ferri

#moonrosesxart #roberto ferri #fallen angel #azriel #azriel spymaster #azriel shadowsinger #pro azriel #illyrian #book art #sarah j maas #a court of thorns and roses #acotar #sjm fanart #fanart #bookish art #sjm #sjmaas #sjm universe #sjm books #acotar art #acotar fanart #fantasy art #dark angel #angel of death

[aroaessidhe]

some aspec books coming out in 2024. netgalley, I am in your walls

#well not quite all of these are on NG. but the ones that are are not available in my country 😡 #shall i reblog this and add specific details #dear wendy #don't let the forest in #fallen thorns #so let them burn #the loudest silence #asking for a friend #moth to a flame #the final curse of ophelia cray #asexual books #aroace books

[forel-in-the-river]

loved them 10 years ago, nothing has changed...

The headcanon is that Fallen Leaves cannot enter the water. And then the moment of revelation. Perhaps Hollyleaf is now learning his sad backstory.

#warriors cats #warrior #hollyleaf #fallen leafs #they...they are so precious and tragic and tender #I read these books 10 years ago #if this all conflicts with the canon #then I simply will not reread #wc

[imissthembutitwasntadisaster]

I love being bad at fallen london so much I have NO money I have NO prospects I have the WORST ship I am still being beaten up for illegal books on a regular basis every day I go and hang out with spies for random paperwork. I spend a lot of time drowing and eating soup. Life could be dream.

#fallen london #cannot stress enough how often I am beaten up for illegal books

[brbarou]

adofn dump...i just really love this book ok

#a day of fallen night #adofn #the roots of chaos #art #fanart #tunuva melim #esbar du apaya uq-nãra #siyu du tunuva uq-nãra #canthe (adofn) #wulfert glenn #samantha shannon #books

[questwithambition]

Every Sunday I have breakfast in bed and read for at least an hour, and it’s something I look forward to every week

#would 100% recommend #along with a “no alarm Sunday #questwithambition #studyblr #studyspo #books #bookblr #food #cosy #reading #bookworm #Babel #rf kuang #a day of fallen night #samantha shannon #(which I still haven’t finished because I’m saving the rest of it for post hand in so I can actually have the energy to #deal with the emotions and all that)

[sharaishvalda]

I need to hurry up and finish Malazan or my tbr is never gonna end

#malazan #book of the fallen #tbr pile #why must this series be so long

[kienava]

you’ve got to be careful reading fantasy books that are also romances because when the horny scenes arrive they’ll say shit like “i had a dream you were still a godsinger, and i was your shrine” and “i may not be your queen, but i am yours, and you will find that i can be very generous”

#samantha shannon i owe you my life. and i would also like to invite you to swordfight me in the denny's parking lot #the priory of the orange tree #a day of fallen night #a day of fallen night spoilers #anyway kuposa nikeya are you free on friday night when i am free #books