So, Gardens of the Moon is done.
Cool.
I have to say, I really liked the book this time around. For some reason, it was different, and I can't really put my finger on why. Maybe I'm just a different reader now and that's the sum all end all reason for it.
Anyhow, I think I did figure out why I though the characterization was so poor the first I read it. Erikson DOES do characterization, but in this book we never really get motivation. So, for the most part, we don't know WHY people are doing what they are doing (besides following orders or other mundane things like that). Yes, he gets into the character's heads, but we're not there long enough to see it all. He could have explained it all, like most other authors tend to do, but instead he just drops us in and makes us figure it all out as we go. In this, we have to take it on faith that the author knows what he's doing.
He does.
Hoping for more good things from Malazan #2.
Thus, I'm currently reading Deadhouse Gates.