Confused on Memories of Ice.

[anthorn]

Just want someone to clarify this. Im almost finished Memories of Ice. I'm up to chapter twenty three and im confused about the stance on the Crippled God.

This is from a conversation with Dujec and Whiskeyjack.

The Malaz empire is well aware of this threat. Infact its long term plan is to combat the threat as they believe they can not rely on the younger Gods.

So. Empire is formed by the now named. "shadowthrone" to unite lands under one banner. main goal is to prepare the world for the Crippled one. Shadow throne goes insane and Surly-Laseen murders the emperor and his right hand man, so that she can rule. Of course she messes up with a few asassinations of the Old Guard.

So the jist of what i got from that conversation they had, was that the empire was making plans to combat the God as they 1. thought the Elder Gods were all dead. B. Didn't expect a whole lot of help from the other Gods. C. the Empire was formed to combat this threat? Or that combatting this threat was always a long term goal and uniting the lands is their way towards this goal.

Am i thinking right

 

[anthorn]

Also, am i right in thinking that the man who called the regenerated Toc the younger brother, is a now Alive Tool?


OKAY SCRATCH THIS ONE.

MEMO TO SELF. FINISH BOOK BEFORE POSTING AGAIN.

 

[biodroid]

Hehe, I gave up on the series as I went half way thru MOI and had no idea what was potting. Seems like he takes for granted that you will understand some things even though he has not mentioned them and then all of a sudden they are there.

 

[HoopyFrood]

I think sometimes you just have to accept that you're not going to understand everything in this epic series. Also, often, you don't understand some things until later in the series, in following books, when something will happen (sometimes only very small things) that suddenly clears things up. You just have to kind of roll with the series and let the revelations come as they will (and they do, and then it's WHOA).

 

[GOLLUM]

Good advice Hoopy. Hi by the way....

 

[biodroid]

Oh ok, maybe I will try it again sometime

 

[anthorn]

Dont get me wrong I loved the book. I've got all eight. (am waiting for the paperback of Dust of Dreams) and currently reading House of Chains. I don't expect things to be you know labelled so obvious, if i wanted a book like that i'd read Goodkind. But i also find it a bit jarring when you feel as though you've missed a page or something, when you really haven't.

 

[Memnoch]

Hehe, I gave up on the series as I went half way thru MOI and had no idea what was potting. Seems like he takes for granted that you will understand some things even though he has not mentioned them and then all of a sudden they are there.

The beauty of Eriksons books are for me, you have to really work at them to get the most out of them. You can't skip anything or have distractions around you to truely appreciate the craft in his writing.

They're books that relys on, I believe, a certain level of commitment and intelligence from the reader.

I usually have another "lighter" book/s on the go as I read them. I also believe the magic of the series is re-reading them.As a Hoops has said, you get alot of Eureka moments along the way which really adds to the books once you re-read them.

The series has become my favorite, by along way, pushing GRRM down the pecking order and I'm just savouring Toll at the moment.

I have so many questions regarding the books but I find the answers myself in rereads and the "Woah" moments in new material.

 

[biodroid]

Ok, when I finish Dune, 40 pages left, then I am going to start MOI again.

 

[Lofwyr]

i JUST finished MoI...in regards to the OP: I don't think the Empire was formed to combat the Crippled God. I think it was formed for all the typical reasons: ambition, culture and society...And i think initially Kellanved was a decent chap and solid emperor. But he went psychotic and started to go down a dark path, etc. etc. At this point Surly stepped in to satisfy her ambition and take over...

Somewhere along the line, the threat of the Crippled God became known and measures were taken to impede him. Plans were thrown into motion (such as knowing there would soon be a Master of the Deck, tracking his power, etc.). And the new command structures in the Empire were built to keep the true motives and actions of the Empire hidden. So it could effectively combat threats from Shadowthrone and others.

Hmm...in writing this, i kind of feel like I'm the one misinterpreting and that the Empire did indeed have plans to fight the Crippled God from the getgo...Damn You Erickson!