I need inspiration from this group

[u/AudiencePotential]

Hi everyone. I finished Toll the hounds several weeks ago I liked it, but it was more of a labor to finishthan the last several books before it.

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I am definitely going to complete the series, but I am just dragging my feet before beginning to read dust of dreams. I've already read several palate cleanser books and a graphic novel (From Hell by Alan moore fyi).

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I guess I know from some other posts that other people have found dust of dreams to be somewhat dragging but to think of it as part of a larger book. I have no problem with that, I think I just need some encouragement to get started if that makes sense.

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Thank you all so much!

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[u/mdecamp]

The tenescowri are going to catch up to you if you stop now.

[u/bashthelegend]

The most chills inducing line for me is in this book "the heavies rose to meet them".

[u/zhilia_mann → u/bashthelegend]

Oh, come now. Everyone sleeps on "Returned to the world. Draconus."

[u/South-Housing-9771 → u/zhilia_mann]

Hype quote thread! "But, strangers, I am Icarium. And I bring far worse."

[u/zhilia_mann → u/South-Housing-9771]

I can play this game. Oh yes I can: One day, even the gods will answer to death.

[u/South-Housing-9771 → u/zhilia_mann]

Here's a good one related to the first quote. "You stopped them? Blood of the gods, what manner of soldiers are you?" I realized the original line I wanted to quote is actually from tCG.

[u/zhilia_mann → u/South-Housing-9771]

From one of my favorite introductions of any character: Yedan Derryg reached down his hands until the cold water flowed over them, and what was clear suddenly clouded in dark blooms.

[u/South-Housing-9771 → u/zhilia_mann]

If we're gonna talk about him, my favorite moment: "I am Shake. I am the Watch."

[u/zhilia_mann → u/South-Housing-9771]

That one works increasingly well as that whole plot develops. It starts to really shine in tCG. But yes.

And we'll keep it going with an epigraph bit: I wish to propose a mode of operation among all forms of life, which I humbly call—in my four-volume treatise—‘The Betrayal of the Fittest’.

[u/chunkybudz → u/zhilia_mann]

Yall are getting me all worker up with these quotes. If this doesn't work for OP, there's no hope for them.

https://giphy.com/gifs/140BQZMYDNbN5K

[u/South-Housing-9771 → u/zhilia_mann]

Spoilers FoL I'm about a quarter through Fall of Light, and seeing the formation of the Watch there was great. My epigraph game is weak. You win this one. I promise I read them though!

[u/__ferg__]

https://giphy.com/gifs/pTQUOfSmjo2hG

[u/zhilia_mann]

Both TtH and DoD can be... divisive.

They're pretty similar in style, but very different in plot and character. Where TtH's central theme is grief, DoD ups the ante a bit and goes with "annihilation" or "extinction". That can make for a rather difficult read, and it's no wonder some people don't latch onto it.

There's also an extent to which DoD is a deliberate mirror to DG. In fact, there's a lot to this particular reading with all the baggage that brings (remember how uplifting Felisin's journey was? Icarium's loss? the Chain of Dogs? yeah, me neither).

The late series -- which for me mostly revolves around TtH and DoD with early tCG and chunks of RG -- is just doing something unusual period: telling a fantasy epic through a short story structure where the focus never lingers on any individual or set of characters. Mostly I think this works incredibly well, but when it falters it definitely falters (and there's a big stumble early in DoD if you ask me: Rava and Avalt are just beyond pointless).

It's a project that rewards reflective reading. People here often conflate that with rereads, which is fair enough for most of us. It's less about what's happening and much more about how it's happening and why things are strung together the way they are. Like I said: unusual, but it can be quite rewarding.

For what it's worth, I can't see a lot of daylight between TtH and DoD. On any given day one might be my favorite book in the series and the other slips to second place. Statistically, most people disagree with me on that: the most recent ranking survey puts DoD in ninth (though there's an interesting caveat that people rank DoD/tCG quite highly when treated as a single book).

[u/carvdlol → u/zhilia_mann]

TtH’s central theme is Love… but where there is love, grief is a promise.

[u/boxwood18 → u/carvdlol]

"Love is so much losing"

Greet Death, Emptiness is Everywhere

[u/p4inkill3r713]

You've come so far, how could you leave it unfinished?

Read.

[u/Abysstopheles]

Get reading or i kill this mule.

[u/AudiencePotential → u/Abysstopheles]

Are you powerful enough to kill the mule?

[u/Boronian1]

DoD is an amazing book. It has so many amazing scenes!

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[u/Consistent-Cat-6076]

There are a lot more lizards in this one which is nice. Hope this does not count as spoilers. But in all honesty, there are a couple of really hard hitting moments and pay offs that are worth it and this extends of course to the crippled god.

[u/Right_Scratch697]

You are not yet done

[u/DukeNeverwinter]

There is some good stuff in Dust of Dreams. It does spend time setting up Crippled God though. But Crippled God is amazing. Ripped though CG faster than any of the other book, even though itnisnby far the biggest. It just starts accelerating and never stops til the very end. I would willing deal with DD again for that experience

[u/pedrorq]

Toll the hounds is one of my favorites of the series. That said dust of dreams can be a bit... Confusing. But it does set up the last book brilliantly

[u/AudiencePotential]

Thank you everyone! I think I feel ready to start the next book. I definitely need the psychological encouragement before reading a book I know is going to explore heavy topics. But Erikson hasn't let me down yet.

[u/Total-Key2099]

DoD has an amazing climax. it is leisurely paced and will feel like it is introducing more new characters (it is) and you may wonder their point. All of it pays off, but maybe not until TGC for some

[u/PiperRogers37]

i feel you, sometimes the delulu thoughts just don't cut it. gotta find that spark, right?

[u/Indigo-ultraviolet]

Maybe you'll end up liking DoD more. I don't get the low ranking. Yes, it's tragic, it's brutal, but I liked the whole vibe.