A Malazan Meditation - (Quirks & Features)

This is a continuation of my 'meditation' on Steven Erikson's opus: The Malazan Book of the Fallen, which I view as an exercise in attaining reader catharsis. If you haven't already, for some context, please read my prior posts - a Prologue that explains what this is all about, and Part 1 - Elements. If you have already, read on...

Warning: This post contains spoilers for various books in the series, but I have tried to stay away from revealing specifics. Some tropes used, and the social/ philosophical dilemmas explored will however be revealed. That said, I don't think I reveal anything that will necessarily spoil your experience of reading the books; if anything it might enhance your appreciation for some of the elements... but that's just what I think.

If you're completely anti-spoiler, please stay away!

A Malazan Meditation (Part 2: Quirks and Features)

Where I try and point out what makes this series ‘special’ or what literary devices within it expand upon the primary theme. To highlight how this series is set apart from other SFF literature, I propose to compare it where appropriate with the writings of JRR Tolkein (the grand-daddy of fantasy literature) which have served as templates for much fantasy fiction in the last sixty or so years.

I'll start with the low-hanging fruit, the easy 'structural' features and then move into heavy territory...

A Malazan Meditation - (Elements)

This is a continuation of my 'meditation' on Steven Erikson's opus: The Malazan Book of the Fallen, which I view as an exercise in attaining reader catharsis. If you haven't already, for some context, please read my prior post that explains what this is all about. If you have already, read on...

Warning: This post contains spoilers for various books in the series, but I have tried to stay away from revealing specifics. Broad plot structure, the various crises explored etc. will however be revealed. That said, I don't think I reveal anything that will necessarily spoil your experience of reading the books; if anything it might enhance your appreciation for some of the elements... but that's just what I think. If you're completely anti-spoiler, please stay away!

A Malazan Meditation (Part 1: Elements)

Where I describe some of the building blocks of the series...

A Malazan Meditation - (Prologue)

Once upon a time, there was a world...

How would you tell the story of Planet Earth? Is there a coherent story to tell?

Would you focus on the 150 million year reign of the dinosaurs, their rise and cataclysmic fall, or the roughly 10,000 year history of ‘civilized’ apes? Is it enough to depict the rise and fall of the Neanderthals – a "failed" branch of ‘humanity’ as broadly defined - who eventually lost to us Homo Sapiens? Should it be the tale of the triumph and attendant hubris of Humanity itself?

Will you project the end of us self-acclaimed "intelligent overlords" of the Earth – the only species in existence to (arguably) subjugate its environment – and laugh and cry at the colossal, idiotic waste and ephemeral achievement?

Well... must you choose?

On Pakistan

A. Hypothetical Scenario...

Imagine... a large country, of disparate ethnic populations and a brutal history of Imperialism, war, and fluctuating borders. Parts of it are tribal areas, ruled by tribal laws and councils of elders, and feature separatist/ insurgent sentiments. Large chunks are in the grip of seemingly insurmountable poverty and beholden to grassroots radical movements, increasingly restive and violent.

The military strutting proudly before a domestic audience, has little hard power or "projection" capability on the world stage - except for control over a nuclear arsenal which, although only marginally useful strategically and tactically useless does earn it bragging rights.

The right-wing political class openly advocates a philosophy based on the majority religion, projects a jingoistic national identity that glosses over any historic failures, and nurses a grudge against a neighbor.

Religious nuts and a sensationalist media have taken command of the public square and and often operate behind the political scene, commanding policy-makers if not the policies themselves. Resource and market hungry corporate actors use and enable shadowy such power-players. The trivial and banal rules the burgeoning airwaves at the cost of serious issues - a situation all too convenient for the empowered class engaged in essentially strip-mining the country of its natural resources and filling their own pockets.

A rising middle class is oriented to the West and largely out of touch with the rural and poorer population; income inequality is at horrifying levels and rising. Corruption is rife, and the subject of much public debate. In large parts there is a flight of the affluent class to greener pastures (mostly America and Europe).

Located in a volatile region, this nations territorial disputes abound and two neighbours were (at least until recently) in a state of civil war, one is in the grip of poverty and natural disasters, another is a "failed state" according to Foreign Policy magazine, and yet another is ruled by an uncompromising military junta...

Do you see it? Do you see this sad country?

That's India, not Pakistan, as you may have guessed already - from a biased point of view.

Hold that thought.

On SMS-speak (or whatever the kids are calling it these days)

Seriously, people. It isn't "tat" or "dat". It's THAT. See also, dis, dere, n, whr, u, c, fr, tk, cr, AARGH. Does typing one extra alphabet really give you Carpal Tunnel? I can understand (not like mind you, but understand) people using SMS-speak on a cellphone with a T9 keyboard; but if/ when you have a full QWERTY at your disposal, why not use it?

Also someone explain to me the value in changing "My" to "Ma". I was talking about this the other day with a friend of mine and we both thought it senseless because it doesn't actually save any keystrokes. in fact, on a full QWERTY keyboard the m and the y are closer together than the m and the a. So unless you are a Chicago gangster asking his crack gang to "go back to ma crib n hang" you really shouldn't be invoking your dear old ma.

While on a and m... no, sweetykins, sentences DO NOT begin with a fucking Am. You can't say "Am going here" when you mean "I'm going here". Phonetic equivalence be damned. We aren't speaking Spanish where you can officially shorten "Yo verbo" to just "Verbo" and everyone knows what you're saying.

It isn't cool to use SMS-speak. Really. It's more like irritatingly idiotic. It indicates a lack of patience, polish, and an all round retardedness that is a major turn-off.

So, u no... tk ur fking crp ls-whr /rant

Next time on Grumpy Old Troll - making paragraphs out of your indecipherable blocks of text in an email...