As promised, more episodes!

The hope is that this reread — by rereaders, for rereaders — will carry us until Walk in Shadow comes out, or we lose access to the internet; whichever comes first.

Join Lee & Mora in this (very spoiler-filled) reread of Steven Erikson's magnum opus (you wouldn't catch me dead saying that; Kharkanas is Erikson's magnum opus, but I hope this catches the algorithm), the Malazan Book of the Fallen, through a rereaders' lens. We'll approach the book with the hindsight of ten books and then some, and try — and most likely fail — to confine the spoiler scope to just the ten books, but we can't make too many promises.

If that sounds exciting, join us - we're here for the long haul (our projected finishing date is somewhere in 2037).

---

Socials!

Shoot us an email with questions or the like: [email protected] you prefer YouTube? https://www.youtube.com/@smileyspodcast

Join the r/Malazan Discord: https://discord.gg/V8EwKkdzv9Want schedule updates? https://bsky.app/profile/smileyspod.b...Wanna buy us a drink? https://ko-fi.com/smileys

The end, at last. The book ends with a promise - there will be justice - and so it's only fitting that our podcast series on Kharkanas ends with a similar promise; there will be more episodes.

The marriage is done. The war is over. The storm has passed; elation. Sorcery burgeons upon the dawn of a new world, heralding a new era; let us see what they make of it.

Draconus has done all this before. The tapestry unravels, Rise Herat spirals, Mother Dark releases her - incredibly righteous - anger, the battle is lost, the standard is struck. Rise paints an invariably different picture of the battle compared to Henarald & Wreneck, and what are we to make of that?

There will be peace. And our socials in the description. Eventually.

The battle rages around us, ghosts are afoot, dragons very well might descend on the battlefield, sorcery is unleashed - and the climax of the battle, the various character moments, the last stands, are played out - in an oh so pointless manner - over the board of a wargame between a child who would be an adult & an adult who would be a child. Powerful stuff.

We march to war at the unveiling of sorcery. Things are coming to a head, ghosts waltz through the streets, the jigs are up on the betrayals, and yet, we view the world through the lens of a child. What are we to make of this? Find out with us.

A quick interlude in the betrayals & depression that abound the last episode, we have Prazek & Dathenar discuss & dissect poetry. And then more depression & betrayals, as you do. But the interlude was more than welcome!

In any case, we're but two chapters from the end - the excitement is palpable.

Please be a dear & pretend I've linked our socials here; we appreciate you more than we can express.

In what is possibly one of our longest episodes to date (the recording took damn near three hours!), we reach the beginning of the climax of Fall of Light. Betrayals abound, philosophy is uttered & mangled, sorcery manifests, love, ghosts, oh my!

I'd love to plug our socials here, but we've not used them in eons, so just imagine I've put them here.

The end draws near. Hood's war draws to a close, his Legions having gathered, and its interlopers (Korya & Arathan) shunned. Heartfelt goodbyes are exchanged. Portentous prophecies are uttered. Lasa Rook finally gets a good lay.

With the last episode before we dive headfirst to the culmination of the Tiste civil war, we wrap up the wonderful journey of Lasa Rook and company, and leave off Gethol (of all people) to lead the blind back to civilisation. Exciting times, no?

K'rul and Skillen discuss the wider lore of the Malazan universe (how convenient) while Ardata & the dragons torment Osserc. The captain of my heart steals the show (since he already stole my heart), and we get a bombshell reveal about the nature of the Tiste. Oh, and a hidden astronomy lesson within.

All told? A great chapter going into the ending.

Take note, viewers, of our extraordinary self-control in that we are only asking you to e-mail us: [email protected]

Would you prefer YouTube?

Want schedule updates? https://bsky.app/profile/smileyspod.bsky.social

Wanna buy us a drink? https://ko-fi.com/smileys

The Hust assemble for the coming ritual, consternation taking hold of the soldiers as the unknown sorcery of the Dog-Runners will soon be awakened. Listar arrives - absolved of his guilt & grief - with the Dog-Runner witches, Galar despairs in the face of Toras' drunken indifference, and not even Prazek & Dathenar seem inclined to lighten the mood. Portent hangs above the Tiste, as it does above us.

In all, joy abounds. Join us to see what is to become of the Hust Legion.

We assemble, face the enemy, give the orders, and send Smiley's an email just in case: [email protected]

Would you prefer YouTube?

Want schedule updates? https://twitter.com/podcast_smiley

Wanna buy us a drink? https://ko-fi.com/smileys