I’m about 100 pages in, and I’m just so totally lost. I hate that bewildered feeling that I have when starting a new fantasy series or sci-fi series where I don’t quite know the rules and continuity yet, and it seems like Erickson is intentionally creating that feeling and keeping it going. I really LOVE what I’ve read so far, though.
So please, SOMEONE tell me that it falls into place and I’ll understand what’s going on soon.
It falls into place and you’ll understand what’s going on.
Just not “soon”. Hell, I didn’t understand the title “Gardens of the Moon” till, I dunno, book 5 or 6.
Erickson has planned things out, but you have to be patient. Read the series through about book 4, then start over again and things will make a lot more sense.
Same thing happened to me. It’s unusual to be plopped down in the middle of things without any explanation. You keep reading, thinking it’ll come clear, but the book ends and you’re still asking questions.
I’ve read the first four books (Gardens and Deadhouse Gates twice) and I’m still a bit lost. But that’s okay. I’ve lived my own life for 62 years and parts of it still confuse me. 
I’ve only finished the first three so far and have been too busy to do books four and five, both of which I actually have sitting on a shelf.
Great books, and things are very difficult once you get started. By the time I hit the third book I was starting to figure things out…at which point he started explaining things right away which annoyed me because I was so proud I’d figured them out. The origin of the Imperial Warren, for example.
Keep in mind that these are sort of like Martin’s ASOIAF series. So, don’t get too attached to anyone, and don’t assume you know where the story is going.
Oh, and Kalam is the baddest mofo around. If they ever made a movie of this I’d hope that Samuel Jackson were to play him.
Now, if we could just get an explanation of where these people get their NAMES. Fiddler? I think I can figure that one out. But nobody else’s have any explanation that I can figure out. Tattersail? Never heard a mention of her and boats in the same sentence. Whiskeyjack? I’m not aware he’s an alcoholic! Grr…
-Joe
Oh, and here’s a previous thread on the books…
The FAQs and stuff that get pointed to in the thread were, IMO, totally useless. Book summaries that ended after three chapters, stuff like that.
Beware spoilers, but any really important ones are boxed.
-Joe
Triple post cuz I’m so fly…
If you go to that other thread, stop before you hit #34. It’s marked as a spoiler, but you really really don’t want to read that post. It’s not-boxed.
-Joe
I love this series.
Pretty sure at one point its mentioned that most recruits are given their new names by their sergeants during training.