I just read the complete “Arc of Scythe” trilogy in the last week (slightly less than 1.000 pages ~ 1 volume of Malazan but written less densely) I had previously read the first 2 books but never got to the third.
Arc of Scythe’s premise is a Utopia with a benevolent AI in a post-mortal age on Earth.
Utopias never quite work out obviously…
Rereading the first two books was a bit difficult. Not all goes well all the time and seeing things coming is sometimes difficult for me. This is a shadow of the same reason I cannot go back to ASoIaF/Game of Thrones ever because I would have to start at the beginning and I can’t, I just can’t suffer through that again. For Arc of Scythe, I remembered just enough to make things stressful.
Still, highly recommended and there is a coherent end to the story that makes complete sense to me even if not all goes well for everyone.
Weirdly, rereading Malazan was very different for me than rereading most other books and I cannot quite put my finger on it why. Malazan has a lot of drama, people die, plans fail… but seeing things coming is more exciting, and on every reread I am noting more details, grokking more scenes, creating more excitement for what is going on… Rereading Gardens of the Moon I couldn’t wait for things to begin happening. There are so many scenes I can’t wait to get to. Scenes I definitely would reread again and again. Every single book as a tragic ending and yet… I love those endings. Why is that? Is Malazan missing or adding some secret ingredient?
While rereading ASoIaF I was always filled with dread at what was coming… there are a few scenes that I really wanted to get to of course but later books always set out to ruin those moments of peace or redemption…
I have always been someone who rereads books. Especially lengthy series. Usually, I do this after I took a break and want to read the newest volumes. I must have read the first 5 WoT books 4 or 5 times. By the time Stormlight Archive is done it’ll be similar. WoT and Stormlight Archive are other books where I don’t quite suffer as much when rereading.
On the one hand I feel like those twists and turns that I dreaded so much while rereading Arc of Scythe are a sign of a good plot. Raising the stakes making the reader care for what happens to the characters. But I won’t go back to reread this trilogy again.
Since last August or so when I started my reread of Malazan, I’ve been asking myself these questions: why do I reread this and why are there are series I just can’t go back to? Why is this one fine for me despite all the terrible stuff that happens? Why couldn’t I stomach Black Company when this series cites it as a primary inspiration?
Thinking of other series I have yet to finish reading, I wonder what would happen if I tried to reread The Expanse to get to the final volumes or if I am better of reading a synopsis off the books I’ve read.
Arc of Scythe and Malazan prompted all these thoughts. To me a sign that both are very good–albeit extremely different.