Welcome to the Malazan Reread 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 four of The Crippled God.
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.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
SCENE ONE
Blistig is haunted by the memory of Keneb, from during the battle. He thinks about how they should have routed, and about how now the dead look down at him and think poorly of him. He contemplates the Adjunct and his utter hatred of how she turned him into a capable soldier into something broken, someone who can’t command as Keneb did, someone who is Fist in an army working towards a cause he doesn’t understand or believe in.
SCENE TWO
Kindly has been made a Fist. He is approached by Faradan Sort and Skanarow, who both look unhappy. Faradan tells him his troops are close to mutiny because he has ordered a kit inspection, and he explains why he has done it.
SCENE THREE
Faradan Sort and Skanarow believe that maybe Kindly is taking the right approach. Faradan is planning on meeting her new troops—regulars, rather than marines. They broke during combat, although ordered to do so, and dropped their weapons and she is now concerned that it might have been habit forming. Faradan Sort also thinks about the fact that Skanarow is taking the death of Ruthan Gudd hard (although the reader now knows he isn’t dead).
SCENE FOUR
Banaschar can feel the Worm of Autumn stirring, coming up through the earth. He leaves his tent and looks around at the camp and feels that it is too civilised, considering what occurred and how many died only a few days back.
SCENE FIVE
Five Khundryl warriors (Berrach and his four sons) stand before Dead Hedge and ask to join the Bridgeburners. He asks why they haven’t joined the Bonehunters and is told that Fist Kindly refused them on the basis that they were savages and cowards. Hedge is rather incredulous at this, considering they were part of the Khundryl Burned Tears’ final charge. He allows them into the Bridgeburners. When they do the Khundryl salute Hedge tells them not to, that the Bridgeburners do not salute. As the five Khundryl depart, Bavedict remarks on the fact that they seem to have given the Bridgeburners—Hedge, Sweetlard and Rumjugs—a new focus.
SCENE SIX
Two newcomers—Gaunt-Eye and Rib—come into what is left of the marines and ask for the Tenth. Badan Gruk castigates them, but his words have no effect. He gestures to the remaining survivors of the squad requested and listens as Gaunt-Eye and Rib recruit what is left of the Tenth into the Eighteenth. Sinter returns and Badan Gruk feels grateful to leave the situation to her. She talks quietly with Gaunt-Eye, then comes over and tells him that Kisswhere is still mending with the Burned Tears. Badan asks what the Adjunct is going to do and Sinter says that at the moment, while she heals, the Fists seem to be in charge. Badan wants to go back for any remaining survivors, but Sinter says that they can’t. And then explains that they actually did pretty well, thanks to Ruthan Gudd, Quick Ben, Fiddler telling them to dig trenches, the assistance of the Khundryl and the Letherii. It could have been much worse. Badan Gruk finds it very hard to believe her. He wants to be able to fix it and she tells him to stop even trying, that they are marines and need to look to their leaders.
SCENE SEVEN
Ruffle reveals the secret to their achievements against the Short-Tails—they started fighting low and the lizards’ armour wouldn’t give at the waist.
SCENE EIGHT
Sinter tells Honey that Rim’s weapon arm had to be taken. Honey asks if they will be folded into another squad as well, and Sinter rues the fact that Gaunt-Eye has no tact. Honey begins laying blame for deaths at his feet as well, and Sinter tells her to quit, that they can’t be picking scabs about the battle.
SCENE NINE
Sergeant Urb collects the heavy Saltlick and then walks into the marine and heavy infantry encampment. He finds the remnants of the twenty-second squad and asks them to introduce themselves. He tells them they are now part of the thirteenth.
SCENE TEN
Hellian is… well, Hellian.
SCENE ELEVEN
Widdershins, Throatslitter, Deadsmell and Balm—the survivors of the 9th squad—discuss the fact that Fiddler has now been set in charge of them. They remember the acts of Lostara Yil, as she saved the life of the Adjunct. Deadsmell tells them that when the magic now comes to him it is flavoured by ice. They think it might well be Omtose Phellack and that the best way to test it is to try and heal the Adjunct, since it is Elder magic.
SCENE TWELVE
Shortnose is alone and realises he doesn’t like it, so heads on over to Fiddler’s old squad’s camp and joins them.
SCENE THIRTEEN
Fiddler’s old squad, after some chatter, elect Corabb as their new corporal.
SCENE FOURTEEN
Cuttle thinks about the 4th squad and how the loss of Bottle has hurt them. He watches the rest of the squad and judges how each of them are doing now after the battle. He is not fooled at all by Shortnose, knows that this heavy is pleased to be with the company. Fiddler comes back to them and tells them that there are riders approaching for a parley.
SCENE FIFTEEN
Lostara Yil reveals to Henar Vygulf that her Shadow Dance was every Shadow Dance, that she was taken over by Cotillion and felt his rage, that she has been scoured clean and reborn.
SCENE SIXTEEN
Banaschar approaches Blistig at the command tent, and sees a man who has been forced out of the shadow of Keneb, someone who now must act on his own. He sees a lot of similarities between them—the only difference is that he doesn’t care what others think of him, while Blistig cares desperately.
SCENE SEVENTEEN
The 9th Squad ask Lostara Yil to bring Deadsmell before the Adjunct, that he might be able to heal her with Omtose Phellack.
SCENE EIGHTEEN
Deadsmell weeps because while he healed Tavore he saw inside her, saw the damage within.
SCENE NINETEEN
Tavore is healed, and asks the thoughts of Banaschar, who comments that no one should really be surprised that Hood had a way out. The Fists arrive and are shocked by the Adjunct restored to herself.
SCENE TWENTY
Those who have come to parley—Brys and Aranict, Abrastal and Spax, Krughava and Tanakalian, and Hanavat and Shelemasa—converge as they approach the Malazan encampment, and pause for introductions before continuing.
Amanda’s Reaction
Ahh, Blistig. Someone I really can’t make up my mind about. Someone in this first section who I feel sorry for and then feel angry about. His bitterness and anger about the Adjunct are positively choking him and I think that this might well become something very important as the novel goes on. I can’t stand that he blames so many others for his current problems, but I do empathise with the fact the he is very much a fish out of water right now. It must be hard for a soldier to have a legacy of soldiers like Duiker, Coltaine, Whiskeyjack forcing Blistig to think that he is not achieving anything. After all, those people were something very special—we can’t all be legends, and every army needs its foot soldier.
So, here we are starting to see the members of the Bonehunters who have survived, and we can start our grieving process for those who didn’t make it. Obviously Keneb is a massive blow. Nice to see Kindly and Pores are still on the scene, and Kindly is clearly stepping up into his new role (unlike Blistig) as he tries to get the troops to focus back on being soldiers, and drawing them together into a proper legion again.
What has brought the Worm of Autumn back into play? With events currently as they are, she will find much to enjoy: “She was the cruel measurer of time. She was the face of inevitable decay.”
It is good to see very different views on whether it is good for things to continue as normal. Kindly obviously believes that it is better for the soldiers to focus on their future, to pull themselves together and move on as quickly as possible, while Banaschar is appalled to see that people are moving on, and not taking the opportunity to think about what has happened.
I confess that I am confused at the fact Kindly would not admit these five Khundryl into the Bonehunters. They’ve proved themselves in battle, and, more importantly, they’ve got the spirit to go again—which, considering what they’ve been through, is demonstrating vast amounts of courage (or, I guess stupidity). I would have thought bolstering the troops’ numbers with ex-Khundryl would be a really good idea. Still, the Bonehunters’ loss is the Bridgeburners’ gain.
Love the “salute” that Hedge says is that of the Bridgeburners. And also love that these new recruits helps to bring Hedge and his cohorts back to themselves a little.
The section with Badan Gruk and the remaining marines is just all the feels. Barely three pages and that is some impact. I hardly know where to start, but I imagine his thoughts would be best when he thinks: “Hood knows, I’m sick of these faces here, sick of not seeing the ones missing, the ones I’ll never see again.”
I also felt myself tearing up at the reaction when the two newcomers approach: “…faces lifted, eyes went flat. No one wanted any damned interruptions to all this private misery.”
But then Sinter does provide us with a more hopeful outlook. She gives the impression that Badan Gruk should really buck his ideas up, that it could have been far worse. I am finding it very interesting, that way that Erikson has presented so many different reactions and outlooks from the battle. Seeing all these different approaches by soldiers who survived the battle is showing the spectrum of human emotions. Some of them want to curl up and hide away. Some of them start thinking more about religion. Some of them seem to be shrugging it all off and are in major denial about what has happened. Some of them are realistic and just trying to cope with the fallout. It’s a great way of showing us, as well, who has made it through the battle.
So we saw Badan Gruk watch as the remains of heavy squads were put together—now we see it from the inside. Sergeant Urb’s dread at having to approach these soldiers, their resentment, and final acceptance. That last point where he stands and just looks at nothing is very powerful.
In the midst of all this heartbreak and sobering scenes and very quiet aftermath of the battle, there is something almost soothing about seeing Hellian acting in exactly the same way.
The 9th Squad are awesome to see—they seem so calm and, well, normal. Even in the face of two soldiers bringing them food and drink like an offering. It will be interesting to see Fiddler in charge of this lot. Comments from Widdershins about the warrens are illuminating—the normal warrens are sick (those that K’rul provides), so something is going on there; and the new warrens “ain’t nice at all.”
Poor Shortnose. I choked a little at the way he heals his bleeding stubs of fingers, but then I wanted to cry for him as he sat alone with the trophy bone of a Nah’ruk he killed.
I was delighted to hear about Lostara Yil being taken over by Cotillion—reading about his fury and rage shows his compassion and his desire to assist the Adjunct and the Bonehunters. This wasn’t THE fight they were meant for, so he helped to save Tavore.
I like seeing Tavore here again, although she is in a desperate state. There are a couple of things in her meeting with Deadsmell that I found very intriguing. The first is that she sympathizes with him over the loss of Hood’s warren. But then when Widdershins says: “It may be that Hood himself ain’t quite as dead as we all thought he was” she says “We thought that, did we?” And that suggests that Adjunct knows a lot more about this than everyone else.
In that meeting before the parley, I was so moved by Brys’ words about Gall and the Khundryl Burned Tears, that what the Letherii achieved could only be done thanks to their sacrifice and example. I just wish that Gall had heard it—it might not change anything, but then again it might give him back a little pride.
All the players are now in place; let the parley begin.
Amanda Rutter is the editor of Strange Chemistry books, sister imprint to Angry Robot.
What is the damage in Tavore that Deadsmell sees?
I believe the damage that Deadsmell sees in Tavore is how much of a burden she carries by herself.
I like the way Erikson puts the readers reunion with The Bonehunters so far into the book. It`s still the beginning, but it`s far enough to build up the tension of who`s left.
Also, everytime I see Blistig on the page I keep hoping that some one will punch him in the face, repeatedly.
The Deadsmell/Tavore scene is one of my favorites in the book. Heartbreaking.
I think perhaps the biggest loss of all though is Rim losing the name Pravalak for the rest of the book! Maybe it was his arm’s name? Either way, I am naming all my children Pravalak (Jr., the Third, etc.).
this is the type of chapter that i don’t think is often written in literature. i’m sure there are other notable examples of shell-shocked armies only days after experiencing mind-numbing horror, but nothing quite like this. i think about the way the WW1 novel ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ depicts the cycling between the horror of the front and the relative peace and calm of the rear lines, which was incredibly well done, and this chapter carries as much weight as that novel. considering the nine books that have led up to the aftermath of the nah’ruk, what’s a little trench warfare in comparison? in fact, with the nah’ruks use of projectile weapons, and the bonehunters in trenches, perhaps we see a bit of an echo with regards to the advent of advanced weaponry in warfare and the scramble to adapt.
blistigs thoughts on the bonehunters being ‘leaner’ gives a definite grim cant to the rest of the chapter, as we get reference after reference to what has been cut away. taken. the differing reactions of the characters in this context reveal far more of their personality and character, and its very powerful getting to know these people on yet another, deeper, level.
hope nobody missed lostara giving henar the knife she’d used to kill pearl.
when krughava is talking about how the perish should have stood in the bonehunters stead, and tanakalian lamenting the fact that he hasn’t embrace any souls yet… well, it sounds very ominous for the grey helms, to say the least.
fantastic way to end the chapter too though, spax explaining why the regular evertine soldiers came to the camp. reminding us what compassion is, and how important that is to our humanity. ending the chapter and section on it reinforces the importance of that message.
Hey, I like this chapter alot (I remember the 18 month wait to read it and then three chapters to speed read to get to where we found out who made it).
Could someone connect the dots for me on what the Bonehunters (and we) know about Hood’s, um, status? (and how they/we know it?)
Thanks,
GOS
@6 GoS
well, deadsmell had a pretty close connection with hood, so his squad (balm, widdershins, throatslitter) have had better knowledge of it than others. but of course fid is an adept and probably knows but won’t talk, while dead hedge knows and has told some people, quick ben included if i remember dust of dreams correctly. there’s actually a scene in DoD right after every mage gets knocked out because draconus when hedge explains it all to quick. shouldn’t be too hard to find in the reread.
I believe Deadsmell, aside from being a Denul healer, is a necromancer with a long relationship with Hood (as told in DoD). Tavore’s knowledge and source(s) are both un-pindownable at the moment.
Edit: beaten to the punch!
In this chapter I enjoyed the contrast between Tavore and Banashar. Banashar was seen stumbling through the camp, outwardly beleagered by alcohol. But as we read his section we find out that he inwardly seems to be experiencing some sort of regeneration of his faith as the Worm awakens. Since he keeps his thoughts mostly to himself, the only conclusions the Bonehunters can draw about him are from his outward appearances and so everyone still thinks he’s washed up. Similar to Banashar, Tavore keeps her thoughts to herself. But after Tavore was outwardly healed by Deadsmell, the Bonehunters and parley members could draw the conclusion that she was well and fit to lead again, through-and-through. Well, Deadsmell’s recount of the damage Tavore is carrying inside shows the falacy of that judgement. So the chapter has a nice contrast which shows the effects of perception. It does seem as though Tavore and Ganoes are on the same page in this theme – they both realize benefits of keeping up appearances.
[Deleted by fleabus, off-topic blather irrelevant to the discussion.]
@@@@@ Coldar
That’s a really good point you make about contrasting how various people view the different characters like Tavore and Banaschar based on their own knowledge and perceptions which may or (more likely) may not be accurate. I think this is something that Erikson does very well, but may be difficult for some readers to get into. I have one friend who devours fantasy, but can’t get into MBofF no matter how much I recommend it because he dislikes the constantly jumping viewpoints. I think chapters like this and some of the later ones where you jump around into the heads of the various Bonehunters to see their unique take on their situation really show the value of this approach. The story is much to big to stick with just one or a few characters (despite how awesome many of them may be).
from the interior of Mesa Verde National Park–have we wi-fi’d everywhere?
Last post I talked about how tragic Mappo’s changes were, his fall but not just his fall but also his recognition of his fall. And though we never really as readers I’d say had a lot of love for Blistig, I find this scene in his POV also quite moving
. • His sense of a form of survivor’s guilt: “They stare. Coltaine. Duiker. The thousands beyond Aren’s wall. And now Keneb, there on his horse. Ruthan Gudd. Quick Ben. The dead await me. They wonder why I am not with them. I should be with them. They know I don’t belong here.”
An abiding fear, after having gone through so much, what more must he suffer through: “Now I live in terror. What will she do to us next? Y’Ghatan wasn’t enough. Malaz City wasn’t enough. Nor Lether either, never enough. Nah’ruk? Not enough.” This is hardly an abnormal response I’d say.
His recognition that he is not what he once was: “Once, he’d been a fine soldier. A decent commander . . . the hero who saved Aren from the Whirlwind . . . I was a good officer once. An honourable soldier.”
It would be easy to write him off as a coward, or as a bad guy, but he wasn’t, as he notes, always like this. And it isn’t simply fear, but also, after having fought and bled and ordered soldiers to their deaths for the Empire, to see “the empire’s rotted core. Mallick Rel, the betrayer of Aren’s legion, the murderer of Coltaine and Duiker and all the rest . . . whispering in the Empress’s ear . . . ” How could that not eat at one? And he does say he’d be willing to “die for a proper cause.”
Not everyone in this army is a Fiddler or a Quick Ben or a stand-up heavy. Itis sad I think what has happened to this character across the series, but it also shows us a more realistic picture of how some do break, some do “lose order”, lose themselves, their faith, their trust, whatever it is that keeps them going. And some are simply overwhelmed, good up to a certain point but not past that point.
I like too how this leaves us with some questions and suspense. Is he in fact a threat to Tavore? If a soldier really thinks Keneb and Coltaine et. al want her dead, it’s easy to see that soldier making that attempt. Can he pull himself out of this? His hatred, his fear, his loss of faith, is as he says a “poison”–has it seeped in too far? Can he be redeemed? It’s an individual battle to capture our interest amidst the larger, more literal battles taking place or about to take place.
Always happy to spend a few lines with Kindly.
Well, we clearly have been aiming at a convergence. We’ve got merging armies, planned mergers, powerful folks heading for the same area, powerful folks already at that area, and so on. So now we can add one more to the cast list–“The Worm of Autumn was coming.” Why is Banaschar’s goddess on the move? Why coming closer, especially as doing so is a “drawn out endeavor”? What is the purpose and whose side, if any, is the Worm on? The Worm becoming involved at the end or near the end is intimated more bluntly later when Banaschar thinks to himself: “Holy Mother wants me here. I am her last priest. She has something in mind for me, yes she does.”
Love Hedge. And what might Bavedict be coming up with to build on The Drum?
I like how we see the aftermath of the battle not in quick and simple “chins up!” fashion. But we see the mix of despair and guilt and relief, as well as the more mundane aspects of having to reform what is left of a nearly decimated army, and how that reforming itself spawns ripples of emotions–bitterness, anger, resignation, even a sense of belonging. This grunt view of battles, the soldiers’ view on things, is one of the strongest, more unique features of this series
. It’s also neat how this “social organism” of the army somewhat parallels what we’ve seen in individuals who are “not what they have been”. As we wonder if Mappo or Blistig or others will “pull themselves together” after a beating down of some sort, we see this army in the process of doing just that. Though whether these survivors will be enough we don’t yet know . .. In nanny case, I love this sweeping eyes view of the post-trauma. It’s almost Shakespearean a la Henry’sl camp before agincourt, save post battle rather than pre-battle.
More references to Hood piling up, as Deadsmell explains that he is still bound to Hood, though the magic, when it comes to me, well, it’s cold as ice.” And then later, when Widdershins tells Tavore, “The God of Death is no more . . . But it may be that Hood himself ain’t quite as dead as we all thought he was.” So clearly, Hood will still be reckoned with as a player. I also like that little throwaway line by Tavore in response: “We thought that, did we?”, clearly implying she knew differently. What Tavore knows and how is a big question in this book.
Another lovely, hard-hitting moment when Balm, “eyes flat”, tells them their attempt to heal the Adjunct (and I like the slow, methodical way they worked their way to that realization) will wait for them to eat the gift of food they were brought: “We eat and drink here because we’re marines and we don’t kick dirt in the faces of fellow soldiers.”
Many references in this chapter and a bit earlier to the amazing feat of Lostara, and now we learn just what happened there at the Adjunct’s fall: “It was the Shadow Dance. It was every Shadow Dance . . . It wasn’t me. [It was] the Rope. Cotillion, the Patron God of Assassins . . . He took over . . . A furious god. I – I have never felt such rage.” So clearly Cotillion (and one would assume Shadowthrone) are keeping close, even intimate, watch on Tavore’s army (might that be one answer to the Tavore question?) And we also get not simply Cotillion’s fury, but those other aspects of him that Lostara says one shouldn’t expect: “Gods are not known for mercy. Or compassion. But no mortal could stand in that blaze and not come through either burned to ashes, or reborn.” Even second-hand, I love Cotillion.
We’ve talked again and again about how Tavore is represented as such an enigma, seemingly aloof,unknowable. This post-healing scene with Deadsmell doesn’t give us really anything specific, but I still find it moving with regard to what it shows about her, what she carries. And also for how these hard-bitten soldiers respond. Deadsmell weeping, Balm not leaving his side, Widdershins and Throatslitter standing there “forming a kind of barrier facing outward.” A microcosm of the bond of the army.
So what “gifts” is Banaschar referring to when he tells Tavore to “think hard on where [they] come from”? And where is that? And why is Tavore impressed with this advice? Also, is her “disingenuous” comment to him re Hood’s survival an implication that he knew all along about Hood not being dead? Schemes within schemes within schemes?
time the see the stars . . .
@12 Bill, that is beautifully stated, “…it also shows us a more realistic picture of how some do break, some do “lose order”, lose themselves, their faith, their trust, whatever it is that keeps them going. And some are simply overwhelmed, good up to a certain point but not past that point.”
And while this is a good reflection of reality of our world, it does frustrate me a bit in books when characters fail to bridge this gap because they don’t communicate. In TCG, all Tavore needed to do to save Blistig’s soul was communicate to him. If she had just given him some specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, time-bound information, he could have had a goal and purpose to work towards. In my mind, this is a failure of leadership on her character’s part.
Totally off topic, I finally finished Blood and Bone tonight. What a terribly confusing and unsatisfactory book that one is. I hope that you guys include it in your ongoing reread reviews so that I can get some help understanding what it means.
Finally caught up with the reread (and just finished TCG)! Thank you, Amanda and Bill – your thoughts and those of the commenters have really enriched my reading of this series.
I love that Erikson spends the time to explore how the Bonehunters deal with the aftermath of the battle. We rarely see this explored in fantasy. And even more rare – someone gets to see into Tavore’s heart – unfortunately not us though…
A question – is this the first indication we have had that D’rek is entering the game?
This was a good chapter to catch up with the Bonehunters. We see in them an army stretched and almost broken. But, not quite. They are regrouping, reforming and reexamining there selves and their responsibilities.
A few wellings of tears as we meet back with Heddler and Yil and hear the tale of a god’s rage that stems from compassion.
Nicely done.
@14
It’s not the first intimation that D’rek is entering the game … that would be the rather explicit annihilation of her worshippers back in the Bonehunters, and the discussions between her and Tayschrenn suggesting that something deeper is behind the reason why.
However it is an interesting suggestion at this stage as to why Banaschar is still alive, apart from as a handy portable money generator for Tavore.
@13
I have an answer for you in the spoiler thread.
@16 Mayhem, that spoiler thread contribution is a terrific exegesis on the textual evidence for a reason why Tavore doesn’t communicate, and it provides excellent internal logic that I hadn’t previously seen. Thank you.
However, my view is that individuals are more likely to strive hard for a known goal, embraced by their entire team, than to strive against fate’s cruel betrayal. I believe that a good leader touches the motivations of his or her people better by describing the goals and the means to achieve them rather than allowing his or her people to struggle ignorantly in the hope that they can somehow survive.
Leadership is a curious thing. Some lead by example, some by motivation, some by force.
Some great Leaders, like say Shackleton, have a force of will, an indomitable presence that continuously broadcasts a feeling of We Will Succeed. And that drags everyone else up with them. They lead from the front, not necessarily strategically. Ganoes and Whiskeyjack are like this, they are powerful presences that bring their army with them.
Others might sit back slightly apart from the struggle – more like a great general, but where they know the strengths and weaknesses of their team and direct them to where they can be most effective – Montgomery would be a good example in our world. Caladan Brood is more like this – he knows exactly how all his forces will work and moves the pieces to that effect.
Another type is as you say above – they lead by optimism and inspiration, by encouragement and by making sure everyone knows the common goal and how that is to be attained. This type is fairly common in larger companies today, but is unusual in military traditions due to the innate secrecy of command.
Tavore on the other hand is a different kettle of fish.
She doesn’t inspire directly. She doesn’t hold back and move pieces around.
Rather what she does is simply refuse to change from her path. She knows where she is going. She knows how she will get there. And she forces everyone else to come with her to do it, not by words, but by deeds, by more or less by presenting each step as an inevitability.
And that changes slightly towards the end, but I don’t want to discuss that yet.
I love the scene where Tavore is healed. It’s one of the few times we see her armor crack a bit, and the sight of it makes her seem so much more human.
@18
I think you’re underrating Tavore here. She doesn’t just use persistance and determination – there is a lot of Montgomery style shuffling of pieces going on. And she can inspire when she needs to. The tricky part with Tavore is that she plays everything extremely close the vest, so it’s nearly impossible to get a grip on her intentions until the very end of the series.
No idea is this thread is still active. I use it a ton to help me when I get lost in the books…just finished this chapter and I am so confused about what ‘bottles’ the soldiers from the connecting army brought with them to the Malazans. Space says “they are being human” what does that mean?!?!? What’s with the clawing gesture?!? I know it’s not plot important but I want to know.
I’m not sure if you’ll read this, but I just interpreted it as rubbing/clawing below his eyes in exasperation. I think the bottles were just spirits, and giving the soldiers company to grieve.. Like a wake.
@13 It’s worth noting that plenty of people’s problems with others irl is because we don’t communicate when we’ve got small problems that can be worked out. It’s only when they fester into something irreconcilable that we start trying, and by then it’s too late.
However, I have a very different opinion of Blistig: that he’s a coward who’s been promoted way past his level of competence. He talks about how he was a good soldier, running the garrison efficiently, everything just a requisition away…garrison posts in secure cities are the easiest positions to command. He’s out of his element the moment he’s pulled out of that role and given some real soldiering to do.
His one good command decision that we see in the series – the decision to hold the garrison in Aren rather than go off with Pormqual’s troops to get killed – was an excellent decision, but it’s also a decision between 2 sources of fear: defying a commander (mutiny tends to have rather harsh consequences; not sure on the Malazan army specifics) or going into a battle against a superior force. Of the two, I’d fear the battle more, especially given that it’s one-sided enough that everyone who’d be arguing his decision was cowardice and mutiny rather than a good commander seeing the bigger picture is going to die in that battle. (The fact that Pormqual subsequently disarmed his forces and turned them all over to be executed just makes that more certain.) So yeah, that decision might have been motivated by good foresight and sound (if basic) understanding of military doctrine (“don’t abandon the fortress to fight a superior enemy in the field” is so fundamental in medieval strategy that I’m not sure it was even worthy of mention in lessons on strategy), but given what we’ve seen of him since, I’d argue it was motivated by fear for his personal safety.
He then goes on to blame his commander for all the problems in the world. Being called on to actually perform military duties beyond sitting back in a fortress and keeping a garrison running? Tavore’s fault; certainly not the chronic mismanagement of Pormqual and his various lackeys in allowing the Whirlwind rebellion to get this far. (It’s not like there weren’t signs of it coming.) Mallick Rel the traitor is serving at the Empress’s side? Tavore’s fault. Because clearly she could foresee her decision to ship a prisoner off to be publicly executed in the capital would lead to him becoming the top advisor of the Empress. The army wound up getting attacked by dimension hopping dinosaurs with something disturbingly close to laser cannons just by happening to be in the spot they happened to pop into the same dimension? Definitely something a proper commander should be able to predict!
And consider what he’s saying about the Bonehunters as a whole, and the tone of it. Things like “they can’t rout properly,” “don’t they even know that a rout is every soldier for himself,” etc. With the right wording, that could be taken as admiring – expressing that any normal army would have been utterly defeated and scattered to the winds by the battle with the Nah’ruk, and that the Bonehunters are awe inspiring even in their defeat because they managed to conduct an orderly withdrawal under those conditions. But Blistig’s POV phrases things very deliberately to counter that. It’s not awe, it’s disgust.
Blistig’s an idiot and a coward who might have made a decent lieutenant at most. The thing I find most frustrating, though is that Tavore doesn’t seem to get that, and none of her subordinates or advisors seem to be willing to mention the issue either.
(Side note: I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with being a coward. I know I wouldn’t have the guts to serve in the Bonehunters. The difference is, I *know* I’m not up to it. Blistig blames everything on the people around him, and it’s *that* which I find unforgivable.)