Make it to the third book. Just make it to the third book.

That’s what people told me when I thought about reading the Malazan series. Okay, fine, I made it through the first two and dived into the third.

While the first two were epic in scope and had a lot of really amazing scenes, I struggled so hard to follow it all. I know the advice is to just keep going and it’ll all eventually come together (sometimes on the second read through), but it just kept making me feel stupid. Every other page, I kept asking, “Who is this again?” or “Why is this so important?”

But… I soldiered on just to make it through the third book.

Then, being the smart person I am, started this book right as I began the school year, when everything was a mess and I could barely see straight for a month. Trying to figure out how to teach in a pandemic, while helping run a household with young children and adding a very difficult book that requires incredible focus… not the best combo.

However, as I slowly chipped away at the pages, I began to see why people kept saying to make it to the third. This is honestly the longest I’ve ever spent with a text (almost three months!), but I really get it now. I get why this series is so loved.

I get how it starts to come together. How the reader is finally rewarded.

It’s exactly the encouragement I need to continue the series, understanding the extreme amounts of focus required to get through each one.

It’s beautiful… haunting… there’s a lot going on… it doesn’t all make sense… but wow—does it ever come together.

Will I jump right to the next?

Not quite.

I need a palette cleanser. Then I’ll get back to it.