Excellent stuff, I lent his first three books to someone years ago and never got them back, gonna buy them again soon. I'll be interested to read your interpretation of it.

More Deadhouse Gates awesomeness:

@Aaron: Ah, now I know where you are in the book. You have all sorts of awesome still to come.

Scout wrote:

Finished the last of The Hunger Games books. Overall I quite enjoyed them and was surprised at how violent, bloody and bleak they are.

Yeah, me too. Still thought the first one was best, but good stuff overall.

Finished Blood's a Rover. It has many of the same problems as The Cold Six Thousand, being: too long, horrendous repetition of words & phrases, beat for beat paragraphs describing coons, faggots and whores that do not illuminate or entertain or provide much cover for a strange fetishistic element in Ellroy's writing, and a plot that while quite involved, and full of details could not rightly be considered challenging. Much of its self-professed heart, or empathy with Left wing outfits and minorities is disingenuous and my suspicion would be that it is simply a product of who Ellroy is currently sleeping with.

It is as its best when it leaves that tiresome language behind and focuses on crafting a compelling mystery, and it does this reasonably well, and it finishes quite strongly. I might be inclined to think that I prefer The Cold Six Thousand, because it wore its nature proudly and openly, and did not attempt to draw a line between racism - something the author is not comfortable with being seen as - and the killing of a whole heap of black people by white characters who take mostly great pleasure in it, while demeaning and dehumanizing their victims.

If Ellroy better understood these issues, the transition to a seemingly left wing philosophy by his characters might have some emotional impact. As it stands, it is as phony as his attempts at getting inside the head of the only black character he's ever given any time to - simply Ellroy's views, words, pattern of speech put in the mouth of someone who conveniently loathes the same things the author does in black rights groups and left wing organizations. He is not confronting the reality of those worlds, by stepping closer to them, but bringing them closer to him and making their views coincide with ones he already holds.

Faggots don't mind being sub-human, blacks know that a lot of blacks are dumb ugly fucks who are holding their race back by being criminals and all women are saviours or victims. If one's life experiences do not allow for genuine insight in fiction or non-fiction, there is no harm in just avoiding them - another reason why the token inclusion of minority characters in TV/Films which don't allow for them is self-defeating - and Ellroy just doesn't have a fucking clue. His detective fiction is the most important since Chandler, but this is sub-Oliver Stone in conspiratorial obsession, and de-rails its qualities through obscene and pointless detail - that only a similar conspiracy nut would get off on - and a genuine vicious, backwards world view.

igorgetmeabrain wrote:

My wife decided to build bookshelves by piling up bricks and adding wood as required.

That is stable, right? Held together by more than elbow grease and unsaid prayers?

Don't worry it's held together by the power of 'optimistic reckoning' apparently.  It's the guest bedroom library anyway, so if it falls down it's unlikely to hit anything (except perhaps a sleeping guest).

@Aaron

Start Memories of Ice!

I remember being a bit disappointed that so many of the characters from Gardens didn't feature in Deadhouse but I quickly forgot about that and was blown away by the end. Mappo and Icarium are two of my favourite characters and Coltaine's story is immense. I don't even want to admit how many times I nearly shed tears during the Malazan books.

Aaroncupboard wrote:

So Gardens of the Moon was a very good book, a great start to the series and very interesting. Deadhouse Gates, on the other hand, was just incredible. The characters, story, twists, battles and specifically the ending were amazing. There were so many fantastic moments and it engaged me throughout its many pages. I would definately say it was one of the best books I have ever read and I can't wait to carry on this series. In regards to best moments...

Did you say you were Kindling these? If so, how are you finding them in terms of accessing maps and stuff. And if not, do you think they'd suffer on Kindle?

Aaroncupboard wrote:

It is very tempting to crack on with Memories of Ice though...

Do it. The events happen simultaneously with those of Deadhouse, just back on Genabakis, and it rounds off a truly great opening to the series.

The fourth book has a very different setting and introduces an entirely new cast of characters, and would be a great place to have a break.

Yup, that's the best idea.

EvilRedEye wrote:

Aaroncupboard wrote:

So Gardens of the Moon was a very good book, a great start to the series and very interesting. Deadhouse Gates, on the other hand, was just incredible. The characters, story, twists, battles and specifically the ending were amazing. There were so many fantastic moments and it engaged me throughout its many pages. I would definately say it was one of the best books I have ever read and I can't wait to carry on this series. In regards to best moments...

Did you say you were Kindling these? If so, how are you finding them in terms of accessing maps and stuff. And if not, do you think they'd suffer on Kindle?

Yep I'm reading these on Kindle and so far it hasn't been a problem. The maps are nigh-on impossible to use as they are very small and difficult to get to when reading, however I have not struggled with the lack of the map. You can build a pretty good idea of the geography of the place without needing to check the map and it hasn't stopped me understanding or loving the book.
In terms of practicality, the kindle has been great. I read these mainly on the train so not having to lug around a massive book has been fantastic!

@The DJR: Fuck it, I may have to read them all. I started a bit of Percy Jackson last night and whilst I know it is a YA book, it was so bloody badly written. I'm gonna switch back to Memories of Ice and I'm going to try and make this an epic, ten-book run through.

What's that book which is all weirdly layed out with fold-out bits and other things that everyone but me has read that I can't remember the name of?

Just PhD reading of late. Getting into Fredric Jameson in more detail. His stuff on postmodernism from the 80s is particularly relevant still. What's most amazing is just how much this guy knows - philosophy, theory, politics, painting, literature, architecture, sociology - and not superficially either.

Thanks, I think that is the one; I meant to write "that book which is all weirdly layed out but which doesn't have fold-out bits".

JonB wrote:

Just PhD reading of late. Getting into Fredric Jameson in more detail. His stuff on postmodernism from the 80s is particularly relevant still. What's most amazing is just how much this guy knows - philosophy, theory, politics, painting, literature, architecture, sociology - and not superficially either.

Those people always make you wonder what you've been doing with your time, innit.

Well, I don't wonder that much I guess: I've been playing Dark Souls, but you know what I mean.

I've been slowly making my way through The God Debates, by John Shook. It's a very mixed bag. Some of it excellent and clear, other bits, in trying to lay out the arguments using formal logic. P1 P2 P3 then C etc. Tend to just either confuse things, or, on a couple of occasions misrepresent what people generally mean by the argument. And in general it's the supernaturalist/believer side that's coming out the worse for wear.

Shook is himslef an atheist, although one with a fair bit of beef with those who would call themselves New, but it's not a good look when I can see some unfairness in his characterisation of the supernaturalist arguments.

Anyhoo, as I say, some sections are better than others.

Still, next on the list is a book on the foundations of our morality from the wider animal kingdom, who's name eludes me right now. Looking forward to it.