Welcome to the Malazan Re-read of the Fallen! Every post will start off with a summary of events, followed by reaction and commentary by your hosts Bill and Amanda (with Amanda, new to the series, going first), and finally comments from Tor.com readers. In this article, we’ll cover Chapter 14 of Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson (MoI).
A fair warning before we get started: We’ll be discussing both novel and whole-series themes, narrative arcs that run across the entire series, and foreshadowing.
Note: The summary of events will be free of major spoilers and we’re going to try keeping the reader comments the same. A spoiler thread has been set up for outright Malazan spoiler discussion.
As Bill mentioned in the comments of last week’s post, we are now moving to two posts a week—look out for us on Wednesday and Friday!
Chapter Fourteen
OPENING
The opening gives a list of former role-holders in Fener’s Reve. The Last Mortal Sword was killed in the Chaining. The last Destriant was Ipshank of Korelri, who “vanished during the last flight of Manask.” Another is said to have been waiting to “claim” the title but was “cast out, ” his name “stricken from all records,” and the Fener’s Reve punishment doled out to him.
SCENE 1
Gruntle is sitting in a bar. Buke arrives and tells him Keruli’s drink was helpful in his quest regarding Korbal and has “done wonders.” He tells Gruntle he’s told the Camp’s elders and dissuaded them from going to the Prince. Buke says he’ll still need Gruntle’s help and Gruntle says Buke knows where to find him when the time comes. He informs Gruntle that Stonny has volunteered to the defense force. Gruntle says she’s throwing her life away and when Buke says they’ll all have to fight eventually Gruntle says to himself “that’s what you think.” Buke continues by saying the only option is to switch sides and when Gruntle says “meat is meat,” Buke is shocked and disgusted; Gruntle tells him to get out of his sight.
SCENE 2
Cafal and Hetan have been performing some sort of meditative rite for some time. Itkovian watches and thinks they are traveling among their spirits. He’s been tasked by Brukhalian to find a way through to see if they have a way out of Capustan, if there is a weakness in the city’s defenses or perhaps in the Pannion’s siege. Prince Jelarkan arrives and says he wants to know what the Grey Swords intend, what their “shaved knuckle in the hole” is, but tells Itkovian that Brukhalian won’t see him. He asks Itkovian why the T’lan Imass are not attack the Seer’s empire and thus force the siege to break. Itkovian tells the Prince the T’lan Imass have purposes unknown, including their mysterious Gathering which is going to take precedence over everything, and that they only destroyed the K’Chain Che’Malle because they might pose a threat to the Gathering. He also suspects that Kron is waiting for more T’lan Imass because they fear the Seer is a Jaghut. When the Prince asks why the Gathering is taking place here, Itkovian says because the Summoner is heading this way with an army commanded by Brood and Dujek, an army coming to attack the Pannion, though it will arrive too late for Capustan. The Prince is furious he hasn’t been told and when Itkovian says it doesn’t matter to the defense of the city, the Prince says he cares about the people not the city and suggests trying to punch a way out. Itkovian says they considered and rejected the idea as unworkable, and the Prince angrily says it is not their job to “do the prince’s thinking for him.” The Prince leaves and Itkovian notices that the Barghast have come out of their trance and that it had been a divination. As he watches, Cafal goes back into a trance. Itkovian “flirts” (badly) with Hetan, who sees through him: “you are clumsy. Yield to me and learn all my secrets, is that the task set before you?” Itkovian departs and Hetan is pleased at the game. As he walks away, Itkovian is tormented by his desire for Hetan, the “crumbling” of his vows. He feels Fener’s indifference and wonders if that is the real truth, that the gods “care nothing for the ascetic impositions on mortal behavior . . . perhaps they laugh at the chains we wrap around ourselves . . . or rage at us. Perhaps our denial of life’s celebration is our greatest insult to those we worship and serve.” Itkovian meets Karnadas and tells him he is beginning to doubt his vows. Karnadas says he is mistaken if thought his vows were to “appease Fener”—that his vows were a “dialogue with yourself, not with Fener,” and they will not be needed when “all that is encompassed by living ceases to threaten your faith.” Their discussion is interrupted by the beginning of the attack.
SCENE 3
Gruntle finds Buke and tells him there’s movement from the besieging army. Buke says Korbal is “rattled” by his inability to find victims and says children are watching the house and keeping an eye “on the sky,” the latter part not seeming to make much sense and when Gruntle calls him on it Buke obviously lies. They hear an attack begin and Buke tells Gruntle he should go help Stonny. Gruntle says she put herself in danger, but then “somehow” ends up heading that way and then decides he may as well help pull her out if he’s going that way. He comes across a company of Grey Swords led by a Capan woman who tells them they’re going to hold the gate for the sortie to return. The defenders return with an attack just behind them. Stonny arrives in a squad, bloody, wounded. She tells Gruntle “A Seerdomin found me . . . but the bastard left me alive. I hunted him down . . . it [begging] didn’t work for me, why should it have for him?” Gruntle realizes she was raped. He tells her he’ll take her to a clean room and guard her. He carries her away and thinks later he’ll kill thousands of the enemy in retaliation. As he walks off, he feels his muscles fill “with a strange unyielding strength” and the scene closes with saying there would be no words “to describe what he would become, what he would do.”
SCENE 4
Itkovian oversees the defense. He watches the Gidrath hold for a long time in the outer fortification, blocks of the city catch fire, etc., but the defenders hold. Karnadas tells him Brukhalian has been summoned to the Thrall’s main hall, where Hetan and Cafal have taken up residence. He heals Itkovian’s exhaustion than goes to tell Brukhalian that Itkovian has not found how the Barghast intend to save their founders’ remains. The assault continues.
SCENE 5
Karnadas arrives at the Masked Council just in time to see Keruli enter and demand the right to address the Council as Rath’K’rul, and to hear him say one of the Council will betray everyone.
SCENE 6
Gruntle tries to comfort Stonny. She tells him to go kill some Pannions. He tells her to take her time healing and leaves.
SCENE 7
Itkovian sends out a sortie to destroy the siege engines. He is told lots of enemies have been killed at the North Gate, killed by an “impromptu militia” commanded by an unknown citizen (Gruntle), who has taken them off to kill more Pannions.
SCENE 8
After Keruli’s words, Karnadas immediately suspects Rath’ Fener. When Rath’Shadowthrone says K’rul’s age is “long past,” Keruli replies that K’rul has returned, which should relieve them as it is his blood that is being poisoned. He continues that the coming battle threatens even their gods and they should check with their gods if they doubt him, though they have little time. Rath’Queen of Dreams wonders if he is spreading divisiveness with the claim of betrayal, but he says the innocent will unite and the guilt most likely be handled by “his god,” Brukhalian leaves with Karnadas. Hetan asks Keruli if his god’s offer of aid was true and Keruli says yes, asking which of them will volunteer. She points to Cafal, who is seemingly asleep and Keruli warns everyone not to wake him, “if you value your lives.”
SCENE 9
Gruntle leads his motley company, helped by a Lestari sergeant. They relieve a siege of a building then are distracted momentarily by a glow coming from the Thrall. Gruntle then leads them to the West Gate, where defenders are retreating.
SCENE 10
Itkovian stresses over the failure of the West Gate to hold, but then is surprised when its defense suddenly stiffens. A messenger arrives and tells him the West Gate had fallen, all was slaughter and chaos when a foreigner (Gruntle) led a company in, commandeered folks, and shamed the Tular Camp into fighting by holding up the corpse of a child the Pannions had begun to eat. He then took the child’s tunic and fastened it into a standard and led them to relieve defenders and slaughter the enemy. The messenger left as they were about to attack through the West Gate, and he tells Itkovian the foreigner fought “like a boar.” Another messenger brings news the Tenescowri are on the move and will be there at dawn. Itkovian orders the citizen taken below into the tunnels. Karnadas tells Itkovian the glow from the Thrall is from Cafal, Hetan, and a new priest—the merchant rescued on the plains days ago. They then connect the “foreigner” to the merchant’s caravan guard.
SCENE 11
Gruntle kills the last of the opposing soldiers (for the moment). He realizes with a shock that it appears he’s lost none or almost none of his people. He tells them to grab the army from the dead enemy then they’ll withdraw.
SCENE 12
As they reenter Capustan, a Grey Swords officer tells Gruntle they’ve set up weaponsmiths to sharpen his “tusks” (his twin cutlasses). When she takes offense at how lightly he takes the reference, he tells her they’ll call them “tiger-claws” rather than tusks. A messenger (actually, Itkovian in disguise, come to meet this “foreigner” and take his measure) arrives from Itkovian and tells Gruntle about the citizens being brought to the tunnels and that there are stores there and defenses to hold for two or three weeks. The soldiers, he says, will fight house by house, street by street, and so Itkovian wants to know what section Gruntle would like and if he needs anything. Gruntle says he’ll take the North Gate area and use the tenement building where Stonny is to fall back to. As they finish, Gruntle’s lieutenant (the Lestari sgt. has been “field promoted”) tells Gruntle the weaponsmiths are ready to sharpen his “tiger-claws,” and Itkovian reacts strongly (though Gruntle doesn’t see).
SCENE 13
As Gruntle leaves, Itkovian thinks he is no boar but instead “a big, plains-hunting cat . . . The Tiger of Summer’s ghost walks in this man’s shadow. He realizes that Treach is ascending and wonders what it means for Fener, and thinks “Fener descending . . . on this our last day.” The Tenescowri begin to move toward the city.
SCENE 14
Buke makes his way to the necromancer’s estate. As he arrives, a Shadow priest is leaving, furious as being kicked out with “a boot to the backside” and though Buke says he should just let it be, the priest heads off muttering. Buke meets Bauchelain inside the gates amid 10 or so Urdomen corpses that Bauchelain says Korbal will “recruit.” He informs Buke the Tenescowri are coming and says Korbal can’t wait to examine Anaster, the First Child of the Dead Seed. Suddenly, the Urdomen corpses rise and Bauchelain tells Buke they will be guards and suggests where to deploy them. Reese rushes out and feels the chest of one of the corpses and is shocked there is no wound because, he says, Korbal has their hearts all sewn together on the kitchen table. Bauchelain says Korbal has been forced to “modify his habits” due to Reese and Buke’s interference, and now Korbal doesn’t need to leave the house for his “acquisition.” He adds that they should stop interfering and then warns Buke not to use Keruli’s “peculiar sorcery now residing within you . . . we dislike company when in our Soletaken form.” Bauchelain leaves and Reese asks what Keruli has done to Buke and he answers he can follow them now. He looks up to see two rooks on the rooftop and when they take off (heading for Anaster he believes), he veers himself into a sparrow hawk. Reese watches him follow thinking he can follow but is no match for the two’s sorcery.
SCENE 15
As Buke looks down on the Tenescowri, he thinks: “The Pannion Seer is a monster in truth. A tyranny of need . . . Defeat him? You’d have to kill every man, woman, and child on this world who are bowed to hunger . . . this is simply the heart. It will spread. It will infect every city . . . devour empires . . . We are all lost.” His thoughts are interrupted by sorcery as he sees the rooks attack Anaster, using magic and demons to deal with the Tenescowri. They are driven away by opposing magic and he watches them retreat, getting hammered as they do so. He races back to the estate, returns to human form, and order the undead guards to their positions. The rooks land in disarray and reform, their armor tattered and themselves showing blood and bruises. Buke asks what happened and Bauchelain says, “It seems we must needs refine our tactics.” Buke laughs and Bauchelain heads inside.
Amanda’s Reaction to Chapter Fourteen:
A little potted history of Fener’s representatives—and my interest is immediately piqued by this cutthroat from Unta, who wanted the position of Destriant but was cast out before he could claim it. Something I suspect we’ll need to keep in mind—or possibly someone we’ve already met, just not in this guise before?
“If you can, dear friends, do not live through a siege.” Lesser writers than Erikson have managed to make sieges absolutely horrific—can’t wait to see what he does with it! And when I say “can’t wait” I mean I am dreading the terrible scenes….
I can’t help but imagine the dread and breathless terror of waiting for a siege to begin—the sieging army has been there for five days, creating a horrific atmosphere for those trapped (for those to whom Capustan is nothing—not a home, or a place they particularly want to be).
I adore all those tiny details that Erikson includes—such as the scampering mouse. It reminds me in many ways of the railway artist Terence Cuneo. In his later pieces of artwork he would include a tiny mouse hidden away, which encouraged closer analysis of his paintings—this little mouse in Erikson’s work is precisely the same.
There is fantastic commentary here on the two ways in which people face an almost certain death: “The sea and the rocks. The sea celebrates in the face of Hood as soon as he looms close. The rocks have stared the bastard in the eye for so long they’re past budging, much less celebrating.”
I’m really interested to find out what exactly Keruli’s concoction achieved for Buke—how it helped him to do his job better. Do we ever find out?
Gruntle is not back to his old self at all, is he? His statement that he would be willing to eat the flesh of humans just to stay alive is no doubt pragmatic, but I found it shocking [Bill: Perhaps purposely so.] and something that I wouldn’t have believed of Gruntle from the brief picture we were given of him before the battle with the K’Chain Che’Malle. His bitter and dark humour amuses me, but also leaves me greatly saddened. I preferred his sarcastic asides when they weren’t as dark. *sad*
The conversation between Itkovian and Prince Jelarkan is a useful tool to gain a decent understanding, if still required, of what is happening here with the T’lan Imass and the fact that they are unwilling to pursue the K’Chain Che’Malle beyond the point that those undead warriors threaten the Gathering. I admire the fact that Jelarkan thinks of the people within the city, and tries to come up with a solution for removing them from harm (with no thought to the size of the sacrifice it would entail). I also liked Itkovian’s quiet dignity as he allowed the Prince to realise for himself the reason behind Itkovian not revealing the information about Dujek and Brood being on their way before now. “On the surface,” the Shield Anvil said quietly, “all that I have told you seems of vital import. Yet, as I see you now comprehend, it is in truth all meaningless. Five weeks, Prince. Leave them to their vengeance, if you will, for that is all they might manage.”
In some ways, the budding romance (or sexual relations, at least) between Itkovian and Hetan reminds me a little of Phedre and Joscelin from the Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carey. (And, indeed, any other situation where a man of vows is faced by a rather earthy woman who is determined to have him!) For some reason, I’ve always appreciated these relationships, and the beating down of a man’s virtue. *evil*
Hmm, been trying to work out what this might be about:
“They’re keeping their eyes on the sky, too-” He stopped abruptly, and a strangely furtive look came into his eyes.
The man, Gruntle realized, had a secret. “On the sky? What for?”
“Uh, in case Korbal Broach tries the rooftops.”
In a city of widely spaced domes?
I was right. Erikson writes the horror of siege as though he’s experienced it—the claustrophobia, the madness generated by constant bombardment, the weakness of fearing death. In fact, I imagine that Erikson gained a lot of his inspiration for this writing from the way in which people have covered the trench warfare from World War 1 (which shares the nature of siege warfare in a lot of aspects).
Oh god. Poor, poor Stonny. That bastard. Shall we talk about rape in books? I hate reading about it, but do feel that rape can be included in novels in a successful fashion as long as the situation calls for it, or there is character growth/new direction leading from it. I dislike rape for the sake of it—and I particularly dislike the times when a woman is able to become strong only because she has been raped. Here, we’re dealing with warfare—tempers fired up, invaders taking their dues. Yes, I can see rape happening in this case. But I will be more interested to see Stonny’s reaction to it and growth from it. She was presented as being open about sex; I have a thought that this will change from now on. What I loved is Gruntle’s reaction to Stonny: for all his complaints about this not being his fight, he is immediately invested now because of his emotions for Stonny. He actively wants to carve people up to produce a manner of revenge for her. And who honestly wouldn’t have this immediate reaction?
But what is the danger?
There were no words for this. Nor, he would soon discover, were there words to describe what he would become, what he would do.
War can make monsters of us all.
One thing that strikes me as I read Itkovian’s view of the massing Pannion troops is that, behind all the shock troops and the Beklites etc, the Tenescowri wait… How horrifically disheartening this would be—even if you somehow managed, by a miracle, to throw back the rest of the Seer’s invaders, his reaving cannibals are still waiting. *shakes head* At this time, I think succumbing to madness would be the preferred option….
You know what else I think as I read about the siege of Capustan? That wonderful novel Legend by David Gemmell and the doomed siege of Dros Delnoch. In both situations, an ill-disciplined and numberless horde batters against the walls of a city that doesn’t expect to live—and, in both situations, the defenders manage to hold for the first day having proved to be an annoyance to the invaders.
Somehow it seems unfair for the Pannions to continue the siege throughout the hours of night. Of course, all is fair in love and war (so we’re told) but it is an extra horror for the defending Capustans to bear.
Hmm, the fact that Keruli has approached the Masked Council to take on the role of Rath’K’rul does sort of suggest that the Council reflects the gods that they purport to represent. This is also given weight when Keruli says, “You, unfortunately, have no choice. I look upon you all, and find the representation woefully inadequate.”
And the person on the Council who will betray the others? Reflecting the will of a god? Are there alliances being made between a god and the Crippled God, who ultimately controls the Pannions? Or could this be something to do with the Fener/Trake situation and the face that there will be two Gods of War if both remain active?
You know something? Unlike in most fantasy novels, I am unable to see a good ending for Capustan… Usually I assume that a last gasp rescue will save a besieged city, but here… I just can’t. The only possibility is the Barghast, but I don’t know which way they will go with the knowledge that their gods’ remains are in true danger.
Ahhh, the citizen? Must be Gruntle. Must be. I feel a real sense of justice being done with the Seerdomin being routed.
Looks as though Karnadas shares my view on the betrayal—and I am not as biased as he! But then I am being led by the hand by Mr Erikson to certain conclusions that might well turn out to be completely incorrect!
And what is going on here between Rath’K’rul (therefore K’rul) and Hetan? What offer is it? Please tell me if some crucial point we’ve already been told has already slipped my memory! For some reason, I’m finding all the little details and politics and new characters harder to keep in mind throughout this read of Memories of Ice than in the first two Erikson novels. And, hell! I know now what you chaps and chapesses meant when you implied to me that Gardens of the Moon was simplistic compared to what would follow!
Oh! Has K’rul offered protection to the Thrall through Cafal? Is that why the Thrall now glows? And is that why the Lestari sergeant suggests it might be ritual magic?
You know something? I’m just now wondering about Gruntle’s background—he states that he is not a soldier and has never wanted to be, but here he is taking natural command of the squad that he has gathered together from the remnants of Capustan defenders. Is this purely from his experience as a caravan leader?
Gruntle is UNBELIEVABLE! People? I loves him. He is tremendous. His efforts! And the fierce determination to bring people to his standard by showing them the *chokes* half-eaten body of a child! I can’t believe the harrowing nature of this chapter. I should be used to it by now, but Erikson always manages to bring further shocks.
What about this reference with regards to Gruntle? The fact that his twin cutlasses are like the tusks of Fener? This is now both K’rul and Fener who have tried to lay claim to this man, and, as yet, he remains godless. I suspect we’ll see a battle for the soul of this man.
We’re seeing the birth of a regiment here, surely? Gruntle’s sixty? Fighting beneath the Child’s Standard and creating legends of themselves already. I particularly loved this exchange between Gruntle and his sergeant:
“Don’t worry,” Gruntle replied, “they die easy.”
“We need to rest—we’re sliced to pieces, sir. I’m too old for a suicide stand.”
“Then what in Hood’s name are you doing in Capustan?”
Ooooh, what a telling conversation:
“Sharpeners. Good idea. Lieutenant, you think we all need to get our tusks sharpened?”
The Grey Swords officer spun around. “Sir, the reference is not to be taken lightly.”
He continued on. Over his shoulder, he said, “Fine, let’s call them tiger-claws, why don’t we?”
Is Gruntle aware of the Fener/Trake situation? Or was that just a really unfortunate choice of words? Is Gruntle in fact being claimed as Trake’s?
Is the betrayer Rath’Shadowthrone then? I say only because we see his second trying to visit the necromancers.
Buke has been given Soletaken abilities? Awesome! But I feel utter dread at Emanicipor Reese’s proclamation as Buke flies away to try and deal with Bauchelain and Korbal. Those necromancers have a… well, almost childlike curiosity about the nature of death and undead and demons, don’t they? Their desire to see the first child of the Dead Seed is suddenly all-consuming.
And Buke is used to give words to the terror I have been feeling for this whole chapter:
“The Pannion Seer is a monster in truth. A tyranny of need. And this will spread. Defeat him? You would have to kill every man, woman and child on this world who are bowed to hunger, everyone who faces starvation’s grisly grin. It has begun here, on Genabackis, but that is simply the heart. This tide will spread. It will infect every city, on every continent, it will devour empires and nations from within. I see you now, Seer. From this height. I understand what you are, and what you will become. We are lost. We are all truly lost.”
Bill’s Reaction to Chapter Fourteen:
The opening doesn’t give us much info, but it does introduce some names of characters that will play a large role in Esslemont’s books. It is impossible not to laugh or at least smile when one comes across the name Manask now. A character to look forward to. As for the last character, well… some of that should indeed sound familiar. A priest of Fener, one who was expelled from it, from Unta, a thief. And the key—suffered the “singular” (singularly horrific loss of limb) punishment of Fener’s Reve. Or, as we’ve seen in earlier books:
“How do you think he lost his hands?” Felisin asked innocently.
[Baudin] “He was a thief, once.”
“He was. But it was the excommunication that took them.”
The little underplay with the cat and mouse is a fun bit for a few reasons. On the one level, of course, there are several cat and mouse games going on: Buke and Korbal, Korbal and the populace, Septarch Kulpath and the city, maybe a few others. One can argue Gruntle and his “destiny.” It’s interesting that Gruntle “saves” the mouse, perhaps some foreshadowing? It also has some humor on a reread in terms of where Gruntle is going—after all, he does become a “cat.”
I did like the metaphor (though I think it goes on a bit long) of the two ways of facing Hood/death: the sea that celebrates as death approaches—the “live for today while we’ve got it” mentality, and the rocks that “have stared the bastard in the eye for so long…” And also note that when Buke arrives and calls Gruntle “predictable,” Gruntle calls himself a “rock”—which fits Buke’s line but clearly resonates with the metaphor.
Note too how Buke’s shapeshifting is hinted at by Buke’s “secretive smile” when he talks about the “wonders” Keruli’s drink performed—such “wonders” that the word gets repeated. Buke’s new ability (revealed at the end of this chapter) was certainly foreshadowed by the shape of the magic Keruli gave him (a little clay bird) and by his few slips (mentioning keeping an eye on the sky) to Gruntle. Far beyond it giving him the ability to follow the wizards, though, it’s so much more poignant in how it gives him freedom from gravity—gravity being the horror of his past, the guilt, the grief—all that has been weighing him down. And I don’t think for a second that such a gift was, as Buke thinks, “more than [Keruli] ever imagined.” I think Keruli (read K’rul) knew exactly what a gift he was giving—this is a god learning compassion, remember.
I wonder too at the choice of form—a sparrow hawk. So many options to choose amongst, I wonder if this is a bit of a nod, an homage to Ursula K. Le Guin and the main character in her Earthsea series, who goes by the name (and form at times) of Sparrowhawk.
We don’t see a lot of the Prince in this siege, he’s somewhat of an abstract figure throughout, save for this scene where he comes off quite likable and someone we want to root for: a noble who doesn’t give a whit for his precious city—its buildings and treasures, but cares more for his people. And one who doesn’t want to simply be a figurehead, left out of discussions. He comes off as I say quite well in this back and forth, something I think is important for later.
Another thing I like about this conversation is that it is a conversation. I get so tired, as I think I’ve mentioned before, of books/TV shows/movies where so much of the plot hinges on characters not speaking to each other or where characters are simply implausible (and thus just props) because we never get conversations that we know they would have if they were real people (yeah, I’m talking to you on both counts Lost writers).
It’s sort of a funny line when Itkovian watches the Prince leave and in his regret thinks, “my desires are irrelevant,” when in just a moment his “desires” will come front and center.
The scene with Hetan is a nice bit of comic relief after the angry bitterness, and sense of doom that hangs over the conversation with the Prince. I’m pretty sure I would not have used the word “romance” though Amanda, to describe what goes on with Hetan.
Personally, I tend to agree with Itkovian’s take on how a god would view the “ascetics” of mortals—both the laughter part and the insulting part. “Course, it’s possible to see an opposite extreme perhaps, focusing too much on “life’s celebration,” but we’ll hold that thought for now. I like how the word “chains” manages to sneak its way into his ruminations. And in Karnadas’ correction of Itkovian’s belief—that the vows were somehow due to Fener and not himself. How many other acts, one has to wonder in this conversation, are ascribed to the gods when in fact they are born within people’s own hearts and minds? And what does it feel like for the gods when people do such things “in their name”? It’s not an abstract concept in these books.
I never have much to say about battle scenes as they mostly limit themselves to basic plot movement, so I won’t be digging much into that aspect. On other points in this section, though:
Stonny’s rape is obviously a horror, and stands in as well on an individual basis for the more abstract concept, but I think perhaps its most jarring textual moment isn’t when she recounts her killing of her rapist, or her being carried by Gruntle, but by that jarring contrast of imagery when Gruntle first sees her: “the soft white skin” of her breast contrasted by the “bruises left behind by someone’s hand” and “something slick and ropy hung skewered on the thin blade of the main gauche in her other hand, dripping brown sludge.”
Another powerful moment is the way Gruntle uses the child’s body to shame the defenders to come out from behind their walls and fight. It’s an interesting writerly decision to have that happen off-stage, so to speak, and be related to us secondhand rather than give it to us from Gruntle’s POV. I’m curious what people think of that. Personally, I wonder if Erikson worried about it seeming too obviously manipulative or schmaltzy or over-the-top if it took place in a more intimate fashion with the reader.
We’ve had some foreshadowing with regard to Gruntle, and we get more obviously, though very abstract, with the lines on how language wouldn’t be able to convey what he “would become.” We get a more direct jab in the right direction with his referring to his cutlasses as Tiger Claws, and then Itkovian puts it all into place for us. The whole thing taking over a few pages, is almost a microcosm of how Erikson works: a little info, a little more—usually vague—info, a little more, then finally a clear spelling out (not that everything gets spelled out, but a surprising amount does in fact, though we tend to focus on what does not). I don’t think, Amanda, that Gruntle is at all aware of the whole Fener/Trake deal, nor of what is really happening to him. And while he is being “claimed,” I’d say think about his personality and how well you think he’ll take to the idea of being “claimed.”
Gotta love the characterization in a name like “Marble the Malefic” Giggle.
I know people vary on their reactions to the necromancers, but I confess that it’s scenes like these, with Bauchelain’s smooth, urbane demeanor that I just respond so well to. Something about his self-assured arrogance that doesn’t come across as arrogance, or jerky arrogance at least. And then the surprisingly smooth way he handles defeat when they attack Anaster—the dry, understated “well, that didn’t work.” As well as how one expects him to react quite differently when Buke laughs at his defeat, but then he simply arches an eyebrow and sighs, then says “good day.”
Bill Capossere writes short stories and essays, plays ultimate frisbee, teaches as an adjunct English instructor at several local colleges, and writes SF/F reviews for fantasyliterature.com.
Amanda Rutter contributes reviews and a regular World Wide Wednesday post to fantasyliterature.com, as well as reviews for her own site floortoceilingbooks.com (covering more genres than just speculative), Vector Reviews and Hub magazine.
I’m excited to heard that you’re now moving to two posts a week! great recap of an incredibly intense chapter.
whoops,
On a quick spin, noted the early conversation has a typo–it should read
“How do you think he lost his hands?” Felisin asked innocently.
[Baudin] “He was a thief, once.”
“He was. But it was the excommunication that took them.”
@2. All fixed, Bill!
@Billcap:
How many other acts, one has to wonder in this conversation, are ascribed to the gods when in fact they are born within people’s own hearts and minds? And what does it feel like for the gods when people do such things “in their name”? It’s not an abstract concept in these books.
In my opinion, that would have to play a significant part in the decision of some ascendants, like Rake for example, to actively keep people from treating them like gods. It seems like Rake and those like him feel they have enough to answer for on their own account, let alone what people may do or have done “in their name”.
The aftereffects of the rape of Stonny are serving a few purposes here. We see that it spurs Gruntle out of his funk. It gives another black mark against the Panion forces (cannibals and rapists and …). The actual event is also off camera and immediately revenged by Stonny herself. As Amanda notes, it is all too plausible during the hoorors of an intaking.
We haven’t yet seen what effects it will have to the character Stonny.
@Bill–I’m with you on the reactions of the necromancers here as being the reason they are interesting. There isn’t the stereotypical frothing rage at being defeated or laughed at. With that arching of his eyebrow, Bauchelain reveals there is some complexity to the evilness of his character.
Yeah, I was never a big fan of B&KB, but I love Bauchelain in certain scenes. In this one, when he lets drop how he knows all about Buke & Reese’s interference, he’s all very genteel about it, which I loved. And then his response to Buke after their failed kidnapping of Anaster. And, of course, his upcoming confrontation with a certain fan favorite is a classic MoI scene.
I really need to pick up the B&KB omnibus one of these days.
In the B&KB novellas you do see quite a bit more of this aspect. And more of the dry (twisted) humor.
This chapter is so chock full of action and details that will be important throughout this book and later books. I think Amanda might have already answered her question about “why look to the sky”, because B&KB have soletaken forms of crows and Buke is now able to turn into a hawk to follow them. And I believe a hawk form will allow him to out fly them if they should ever turn on him, and if he could escape their spells. As Amanda pointed out, Gruntle seems to have taken a darker view of life in this chapter and his light-hearted cynacism is greatly missed. I think SE is showing with this how hard the death Harllo, and Harllo’s sacrifice has been on Gruntle. Gruntle is growing harder in reaction to all the death and grief he is seeing. Not that being a caravan guard necessarily always exposes one to the best in people… but I think this is why we see this change.
So I just bought Stonewielder today… I’m currently reading DoD, haven’t gotten to tCG yet. Should I read Stonewielder after DoD before tCG or does it matter as far as spoilers, storyline, etc?
ksh1elds555:I don’t think it matters whether you read it before or after DoD. It mostly doesn’t matter if you read it after tCG. Just make sure you read it after RotCG.
I think there’s one line in The Crippled God that mentions the events of Stonewielder, but you’d probably miss it if you weren’t looking for it in any case.
In any case, one thing that jumps out at me in this chapter is the “rock/sea” metaphor that Gruntle makes early on. As far as I can recall, this is the first evidence of Erikson’s use of this particular conflict. The conflict between sea and shore, where different worlds meet and conflict, comes up as a recurring theme in the books, and can be seen in several different cultures across several different books. I have to admit though, I find it funny that Gruntle is the one to introduce the concept.
Wow, Z-Striker, i’ve never noticed that before. good catch lol. couldn’t say for sure if this is the very first time of the concept of the shore appearing, but i think you’re right.
And so it begins.
One of my absolute favourite sections in the whole of MBotF. It really is incredible writing, the way SE juggles all the different perspectives we get on the siege – Itkovian, Gruntle, the Thrall, B&KB…And when you think about it, a great deal of the siege actually takes place off-screen, relayed to us through messenger’s reports and the like, which, if anything, somehow draws you further into the reality of it.
I also think SE’s decision with how the siege should proceed is a great take on the normal spin of siege warfare, i.e. there is no protracted attackers battering the walls and gates, defenders raining fire from atop the walls – instead, the Pannion army almost immediately overruns the walls and gates, and the ‘siege’ fighting actually takes place inside the city itself. It serves to make the battle feel more personal, and horrific – no walls between the two sides.
You can see that SE had thought a great deal about how to construct this – his earlier detailed description of Capustan’s architecture, the dropped asides that the city, due to the nature of its unique construction, was particularly well-suited to street-by-street, block-by-block fighting.
Gruntle’s transformation is awesome, and, indeed, its development over the next few chapters is handled very well indeed.
The siege of Capustan is one of SE’s greatest moments, I believe. I know we haven’t got there yet, but the end of the siege, where a certain sparrowhawk flies over the city, and through its eyes are described the various dispositions and forces still left within the city, while all around them is devestation, is truly something that leaves you feeling emotionally drained. You, the reader, have survived this, but even those characters who’ve come through – you know – will never be the same again.
Since I personally have a soft spot for tigers, I’ve always really enjoyed Gruntle’s transformation.
Also I would say that in true Erikson style, Gruntle’s story is an enjoyable twist on the “reluctant hero” trope that is often a common theme in fantasy.
Just got Stonewielder.
Sorry I haven’t been posting much. Life, etc. I really like MoI and I love Gruntle’s transformation that begins in these chapters. I recall reading these chapters I had no idea what to think about the Itkovian and Grey Shields, but I grew to enjoy them as well.
Rob
FYI, I just created a Stonewielder spoiler thread over on the forums if anyone wants to talk about Stonewielder.
The siege of Capustan is one of the best pieces of fantasy warfare I ever read.
This part is awesome, and it will become even better. I have more to say, but will save that for later chapters.
(sorry for so blatantly putting a tab on this thread. ;-) )
Fiddler@17: I agree with the fantasticness of the fantasy warefare description.
I also agree that it is difficult to say very much at this point without touching too much on things to come.
Good luck to all with the new schedule of two posts a week. I wonder what will happen to the dynamics of the discussions here. Would we all just move on Fridays to talk on the new chapter’s page, or keep two seperate discussions every week? I guess time will tell.
Some random and unorganized commnets on this chapter:
“shaved knuckle in the hole” – this phrase seemed strange coming from the Prince of Capustan (supposedly quoting the soliders of the Grey Swords). I thought this was a Malazan army phrase. After all, it doesn’t seem that the Malazan army and the Grey Swords know much about each other, to the extent of having shared phrases. Is this experession used by every military body on this world?
On Stonny’s rape: What I liked about Erikson’s treatment of this scene is that the word “rape” is not mentioned even once (I think). Some readers will understand immediately what happened to Stonny, while others, alongside Gruntle himself, might take a while to figure out what is hinted at here.
On Gruntle: His transformation is truly amazing, but what really struck me in this chapter is his leadership skills and sheer power of personality. The most impressive scene for me is not his rousing one of the camps to fight using the body of a child, but something slightly more subtle: the tale of the Grey Sword messanger who found himself “absconded”. If I had to pick one word to describe the Grey Swords at this point it would be “disciplined”. It’s obvious that the messanger is quite shocked at finding himself following this foreigner caravan guard and ignoring his orders to report back to Itkovian, until “given leave” by Gruntle.
Agreed on Stonny, Amir. In my full re-read, I used that exact point as an excuse to take a cheap shot at , who sometimes read like he had a rape fetish.
It will be nice to get a second Malazan fix…but they will be shorter!
This is probably my favorite part of the whole series…the seige at capustan. Most of the comments I can make have already been said, but it makes for a truly intricate piece of writing…
Harai@@.-@
yes, I think you’re absolutely right on that, something we’ll get much more specific discussion of in the books later
Zeta–good catch on the sea-shore theme that, as you say, will come up much more as we go on. That’s often where the interesting things happen after all–the borderlands.
Amir–good point on how the way the Grey Sword messenger’s role is a nice subtle way to show off the force of personality that Gruntle is becoming. And it’s all just beginning . . .
@17 & 18
*fantasy warfare*. Great expression, guys ! To me, one of the best ever written in the genre…together with the one we will experience in Bonehunters ;0)
What makes Capustan one my two favorite *events*, even though there will be more spectacular events in the cycle´s future ? It is visceral, on a very gutsy, human level. In other words, and nobody has mentioned it and possibly will, without spoilering too much: Just notice how this siege unfolds over the next few chapters, and for an instant ignore the harrowing events and take note of a very peculiar fact: Practically no magic happens to influence the outcome of the siege – just guts, fight, sweat and suffering. Nothing else. Just a viscerality you can relate to.
And for that viscerality to work…you need build-up. If there is one thing I noticed in this reread – it is absolutely magnificent how SE builds up to this siege in the earlier chapters…damn, it´s like a slow tidal surge…as we will see yet happening.
Brilliant, amazing stuff !
The first time I read the MBOTF there were parts like the siege of Capustan that I read too fast because I couldn’t wait to see the outcome of all the storylines. Second and third time around I read slowly, enjoying the way things develop much more. The siege of Capustan is one of those parts that really grew on me. The defenders are just awesome and I love all of them.
Very curious how the 2 posts a week will work out. Yes, I know I was only a reader of the comments until recently but I thoroughly enjoyed them.
An interesting thing about the Siege of Capustan though, one reason why I feel it is so effective is that we don’t really have a big investment in many of the characters yet. By that I mean everyone involved is more or less a new character for this book, we know flashes of each, but most are archetypes rather than fully fleshed out people. It means the ebb and flow of the battle can be viewed with more detachment, which is helped by the descriptions coming from messengers rather than first hand accounts.
Because of this, the city itself becomes a character, we feel it struggle back and forth around us, with the individuals shedding light on particular events. It is a big contrast to later battles, where many participants are named and familiar, so any losses become much much more personal.
As an aside, I love the fact the chapter quote comes from “Ubilast (the Legless)”. It implies the siege will be long and protracted, with all the horrors of running out of food. And then the reality turns out to be less a siege and more a flood swamping the city, the defenders like castles in the sands eroding away.
I expect with the posts on Wednesdays and Fridays that we’re going to see 2 threads active at the same time some more.
Which is not a bad thing :)
Faintly, came the brazen complaint of a mule.
@Amanda:
I agree with you about rape in books, but I think Erikson handles it well. Stonny doesn’t just shrug it off. Yes, she kills her rapists and some other Pannions for good measure, but once she’s ‘safe’ with Gruntle she crumbles. Though, while she bends. she isn’t broken and I love that she sends Gruntle off, while she takes care of herself. I like that there is balance there. But I wonder how this experience will change her in the long run.
What struck me in Gruntle’s scene in the bar, is the fact that Gruntle grants this small mercy to the mouse, by distracting the cat, but is brutal to Buke. Also the repetition of the distraction, first his hissing at the cat and later telling Buke he’ll need to have Bauchelain distracted if he’s to kill Broach, is that a foreshadowing of something that is to come?
well, in a way, a distraction is like a feint, and we’ve heard QB, and a character in CH.15 present their opinion that the whole war here is a feint, so maybe that?
That makes sense! And yay! I actually made a connection *proud* one day I’ll get the hang of reading Erikson *grin*
HEBORIC!
Such a great start. I went to check my notes on my first-read copy (since I use another for re-read) and I had indeed written “Heboric?” next to that excerpt at the start of the chapter ;) I think the link to Heboric is rather obvious, even if unexpected here. That’s the surprise since there will be soon scenes that link the two books.
From Bill:
The little underplay with the cat and mouse is a fun bit for a few reasons. On the one level, of course, there are several cat and mouse games going on: Buke and Korbal, Korbal and the populace, Septarch Kulpath and the city, maybe a few others. One can argue Gruntle and his “destiny.” It’s interesting that Gruntle “saves” the mouse, perhaps some foreshadowing? It also has some humor on a reread in terms of where Gruntle is going—after all, he does become a “cat.”
Yeah, at first when I read of that scene it seemed a kind of not essential description that is completely absent from Erikson’s work: incidental detail. If one sees incidental detail then it’s a good hint one’s missing something. I guess it needs to be interpreted. I think the main purpose is to show Gruntle’s frame of mind. He saves the mouse when usually it’s the cat to draw the most human sympathy, while the mouse gets the short stick (so a slight inversion). But here it’s also about a position of power. The cat is the master and controls the room (it’s even placed, dormant, high on a crossbeam). The cat is also easily distracted, the mouse is a momentary attention, and in the end it’s the cockroach that gets the Lord’s push. The cat reminds the attitude of a god, whose attention can focus on someone’s life, but for a moment. If you’re able to slip off at the right moment you may as well be safe.
It reminds WJ’s words to Paran in GotM Prologue:
The best life is the one the gods don’t notice. You want to live free, boy, live quietly.
Which obviously relates to Gruntle. He is exactly trying to dodge his “responsibility”. Try to find a way out of where he is intended to go. He is determined to move through contrary winds, only that those winds can’t really be opposed. They tug at him and he ends up forcefully going that way (in fact he goes to save Stonny).
One would wonder about free will at this point. But in this series it’s a rather complex and subtle concept. In a way we see that Gruntle just has no control over what he does, no matter what he decides he finds himself doing the exact opposite (and on a re-read one knows this has a reason). Yet I think about the Bakker’s darkness/gods coming “after” instead of “before”. What moves Gruntle isn’t an external will, but him being human. He goes to save Stonny because he can’t act opposite to what he is as a man.
(I’ll continue later probably)
I liked a bit less the second half of the chapter. The beginning of the siege seems written very well. With plenty of visual descriptions that capture exactly not just the “look”, but the way the character relate to it personally. Every line is meaningful and to the point. For example it’s wonderful how Itkovian refuses to look back at the city until dusk. There’s this sense of dread but also blind hope (that doesn’t conflict with his pragmatic sense, though):
As darkness closed around him, he listened to the rocks pounding the East Watch redoubt, and turned for the first time in hours to view the city.
Entire blocks were aflame, the fires reaching into the night sky, lighting the underbelly of a turgid canopy of solid smoke.
I knew what I would see. Why then does it shock me? Drive the blood from my veins?
Suddenly weak, he leaned against the merlon behind him, one hand pressed against the rough stone.
These descriptions aren’t detached from the perspective and have emotions carved in. They are written the way they are felt, building at the same time plot and character.
There’s something in the style that is not absolutely perfect, and it is about Erikson’s indulgence in introspection. I feel the introspection appropriate, but sometimes it seems overwritten in some specific contexts. For example when characters voice the same thought through different descriptions of it, “dressing” and coloring it in various ways, finding metaphors. Especially in quick and shocking scenes this can appear as a too stressed contrast (an example I made is about Gruntle’s apparent death some chapters back).
Another example on a similar line is how Emancipor Reese describes what he just saw: “He’s sewn them together, a bloody, throbbing mass on the kitchen table!” That seems an adjective too far. From my point of view it would feel ok in prose, but it isn’t coming off as natural and plausible in dialogue (and same principles applies to the introspection, which is more “literary dressed” than how a mind would approach it naturally). It sounds fine if it belongs, say, to Bauchelain, who has a way to manipulate and focus on the language itself, but on other characters it feels out of place.
Anyway, about the siege it’s Erikson to define the rules. After DG one expects that something IS going to unexpectedly happen and change the natural course of events. And in a way this can run counter to the building of tension as the readers expects that the events will unfold unpredictably and very differently from how they were built up (and so the “hands off”, no personal investment attitude that is a risk). Constant surprises can become itself a repeating pattern. In fact certain elements still repeat it:
At long last, the siege had unsheathed its sharp iron. The waiting was over.
And they won’t hold those walls. Nor the gates. This will be over by dusk.
So again setting the horizon of possibilities that the reader learns to expect will be defied. But as I said in this instance Erikson prepares the way by also defining other stricter rules:
There would be no T’lan Imass, no T’lan Ay, to come to their rescue. And no relieving army to arrive with the last grain of the hourglass.
Capustan was on its own.
This somewhat resets back the balance. Because those sort of thoughts are of the kind that the reader learned to develop at this point. So defusing them makes the story return within the controlled and limited perspective of the characters. So the feeling that everything could truly happen. A true sense of danger.
Instead, as I said, I liked less the second half because it broke a bit that tension, and introduced again the fancier elements that can contrast with the most visceral ones. Gruntle becoming super-hero, and B&KB with Buke turning into birds to go take a look at Anaster. These scenes, coming after the dramatic beginning of the siege seen from the limited perspective, make an anti-climactic development. A difference of tones that clashes a bit because it breaks the rhythm in a moment that I don’t consider very appropriate. It’s almost a distraction. The transition doesn’t work so great from my point of view.
The other aspect is again about the wasteful use of ideas. The part where Itkovian starts to have doubts about his vows is one of the most fascinating of the book. It’s a complex and interesting theme, as well as character development. Yet this whole thing basically happens and is over in the span of one page. First Iktovian voices his doubts, then he goes to visit Karnadas who defuses and turns on its head the whole thing. An awesome piece of writing, but that feels like Erikson didn’t know how to better use that idea and give it space, and so only closed it in order to move on with the rest (the siege was pressing).
So it’s a chapter that from my perspective joins some of Erikson best writing with some of his flaws. And it is problematic because it’s here that the story moves toward its first climax.
Quoting Amanda:
Those necromancers have a… well, almost childlike curiosity about the nature of death and undead and demons, don’t they? Their desire to see the first child of the Dead Seed is suddenly all-consuming.
I was thinking about this as well and from my point of view they are again like Lady Envy in previous chapters.
They (in this case) THINK of being out of the frame. Making the rules instead of suffering them. That’s why they take a beating, they just didn’t expect it could happen. Marble the Malefic actually frames them rather well:
His face twisted. “I am second only to Rath’Shadowthrone himself! Do you not know me? Do they not know me? I am Marble! Also known as the Malefic! Feared among all the cowering citizens of Capustan! A sorcerer of powers unimagined! Yet they…” He sputtered with fury. “A boot to the backside, no less! I will have my revenge, this I swear!”
“Ill-advised, priest,” Buke said, not unkindly. “My employers – “
“Are arrogant scum!”
Childlike because they can also appear as clueless and strangers to the world. The lesson they take is one of modesty.
Wow, some of you people here make interpretations of some text written by Erikson somtimes, that just blow my hair back.
Yeah it’s nice writing we’re witnessing here. But I for myself wouln’t interpret so much into some of those lines compared to real life circumstances and happenings, how people evolve from certain happenings etc. etc. It ist a fantasy book after all, intended to make fun and to thrill when reading, to shock and of course to think about it too. But the serioussnes some of you folks tend to have by intepreting this, make it seem to me somtimes like reading a big work of philosophy, reading these books, rather then to be fun and entertaining. While I like a bit of philosophy in my books, too much of it can start to be disturbing to me. Taking a lot of the fun.
After all, the reason I read fantasybooks is to get lost in a story and world, full of awseomeness, great battles, emoitional moments. Not to excess and get lost in heavy philosophizing. But to everyone what he/she seeks, I guess.
So I guess, our dear Gruntle will become another one of those countless ascendants? Will he somehow be Treach reborn or his first representative in the Mortal-World or something like that? Probably so.
I’m wondering, what the Malazan army will find, when they make it to Capustan after all (If they make it). If they can come to the help of a few of the people there right now at least. I can not imagine myself that everyone and all would be dead by then. I just can’t.