History YMMV / MalazanBookOfTheFallen

* CompleteMonster: Bidithal is [[EvilOldFolks an elderly member]] of the rebellious army the Whirlwind and its most powerful High Mage who gets away with his atrocities due to his power and high position. He has a disturbing taste for [[{{Lolicon}} little girls]] that he rapes and performs female circumcision on. In his darkest act, Bidithal captures the adopted daughter of the Whirlwind's leader, Felisin the Younger, and rapes her. He tells her he will "drink all the pleasure from your precious body, leaving naught but bitterness, naught but dead places within." Even the barbarian AntiHero Karsa Orlong finds Bidithal an utter blot on humanity as a whole and relishes a chance to force Bidithal to [[GroinAttack choke on]] [[KarmicDeath his pleasure]].

* BaseBreaker: Karsa Orlong. A Canon Sue, while ''also'' being a Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian {{Expy}} with vastly more power and fewer redeeming qualities. Oh, and he also rapes people repeatedly in his introduction story, while calling them 'children', though they're adults, due to the difference in size between his race and theirs. And yes, the effect of HotSkittyOnWailordAction is fairly graphically focused on. He himself considers his own actions the epitome of heroism and everyone not willing to follow in his footsteps a coward. As you might expect, this makes him ''slightly'' controversial. However, Karsa Orlong is intended to be a deconstruction of the BarbarianHero archetype and is not intended to be sympathetic (at least at first), as per WordOfGod [[http://www.steven-erikson.com/index.php/the-problem-of-karsa-orlong/]]. As for his tendency to rape people, this goes away as he undergoes CharacterDevelopment and his motivations become more nuanced and thoughtful, inasmuch as they can be with Karsa Orlong, and he switches from rape and murder to wanting to destroy civilization as a whole. Even fans of the character don't find him sympathetic when first introduced and some readers remain staunch haters of Karsa Orlong to the end.

** Torvald Nom, who only shows up briefly in ''House of Chains'', has gained a ''lot'' of popularity, spawning forum rants about how badass he is [[http://forum.malazanempire.com/topic/22008-plot-summary/page__view__findpost__p__871952]]. In ''Literature/TollTheHounds'', he becomes an AscendedExtra, with his own minor storyline.

* CrazyAwesome: Karsa Orlong, Iskaral Pust, Tehol & Bugg, Second Seguleh, Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, probably all sappers...
** [[spoiler: As we see in TheCrippledGod, after becoming Master of the Deck, Captain Ganoes isn't afraid to come to talk to a dangerous enemy commander, just to see what person she is, and piss her off just by talking... and he gets away with it!]]

** Torvald Nom, who only shows up briefly in ''House of Chains'', has gained a ''lot'' of popularity, spawning forum rants about how badass he is [[http://forum.malazanempire.com/topic/22008-plot-summary/page__view__findpost__p__871952]]. In ''Toll the Hounds'', he becomes an AscendedExtra, with his own minor storyline.

* TheScrappy: The Mhybe in ''Memories of Ice.'' Depending on who you ask, Karsa Orlong and/or Kruppe as well.
** Also, Nimander and Felisin.
* TearJerker: [[spoiler:Itkovian's death.]]
** [[spoiler:Coltaine's death on the crucifix.]]
* TooCoolToLive: [[spoiler:Itkovian.]]

** Basically anyone who mouths off to Karsa Orlong. The guy's a giant barbarian. What did you expect to happen?

* BaseBreaker: Karsa Orlong. A Canon Sue in a world of Canon Sues, while ''also'' being a Conan the Barbarian expy with vastly more power and fewer redeeming qualities. Oh, and he also rapes people repeatedly in his introduction story (while calling them 'children', though they're adults, due to the difference in size between his race and theirs. And yes, the effect of HotSkittyOnWailordAction is fairly graphically focused on.) And is generally treated as heroic, if brutal. As you might expect, he is ''slightly'' controversial.
** It is, however, worth noting that Orlong is intended to be a deconstruction of the BarbarianHero archetype and is not intended to be sympathetic (at least at first), as per WordOfGod. As for his tendency to rape people, this goes away as he undergoes CharacterDevelopment. Even fans of the character don't find him sympathetic when first introduced; it's only later in his character arc that he becomes likeable to his fans.

** Felisin Paran. Sure, she's abrasive and [[spoiler:ultimately leads a fanatical rebellion]], but [[spoiler:she was [[MadeASlave sold into slavery]] by her own sister (to protect her from the Malazan Empire's cull of the nobility, but Felisin seems to have regarded it as a FateWorseThanDeath), prostituted herself to protect herself and her friends as a result, lost several of those friends in her escape from the Otataral mines, became the mind slave of an insane goddess who wants to wipe out humanity, and is ultimately killed by the aforementioned sister, who ''never even realises that she was fighting Felisin'']]. Her whole life is basically one big TraumaCongaLine and ultimately [[spoiler:a particularly nasty case of ShootTheShaggyDog]].
** Rhulad Sengar. Yeah, he's technically an EvilOverlord and has done some inarguably bad things- but just ''look'' at the rest of this list. You've ''got'' to feel sorry for the poor guy. He needs a hug. And possibly, a therapist.

** [[spoiler:The Pannion Seer]], whose admittedly reprehensible actions are the result of being driven insane over hundreds of thousands of years due to actions of [[spoiler:the Crippled God and a K'Chain Che'Malle Matron, plus his own guilt over what he believes to be the death of his sister.]] When he's de-brainwashed he turns out to be a pretty nice fellow.
** [[spoiler:Kaminsod, the Crippled God himself, whose long imprisonment would probably have driven anyone mad. All he really wants is to get home. When he's freed he, like Pannion, turns out to be quite nice and actually assists the heroes in saving the world from the [[BiggerBad Otataral Dragon]], not to mention being [[NarratorAllAlong the narrator of the whole series]].]]
** Challice is [[spoiler:unfaithful to her husband - it's implied serially - but it's also made plain that this is because she's been cajoled by the strictures of her society and family pressures into a loveless ArrangedMarriage with a man who's a bit too much of a {{Jerkass}} for her to ever love. She clearly feels trapped by the norms of Darujhistan nobility and it's indicated that the main reason she cheats is because it's the only thing that makes her feel alive. She talks about her plans of escaping, but inwardly she suspects they will never happen. Ultimately, when Darjuhistan comes under siege by Hounds of Shadow, she is so overwhelmed by fear that she ends up killing herself, not aware that her husband has been killed in a duel - by her lover, no less, albeit for reasons of {{revenge}} that have little to do with her marriage]]. Whether she even counts as a {{jerkass}} depends on how sympathetic you are to [[spoiler:[[GoodAdulteryBadAdultery her adultery]]]], but her {{woobie}} status is pretty difficult to dispute.
** [[spoiler:Mayen abuses Feather Witch, and the abuse is heavily implied to be sexual in nature. However, Mayen herself is the victim of rape at the hands of Rhulad, who himself may very well be too insane to realise that what he's doing is wrong at first. He eventually comes to a HeelRealization and both makes Mayen stop her abuse of Feather Witch and frees Mayen of her forced betrothal to him, but by this point she has already crossed the DespairEventHorizon and after being chased by Letherii who apparently intend to rape her is ultimately DrivenToSuicide.]]
** [[spoiler:Feather Witch also qualifies; her abuse at the hands of Mayen qualifies her for the Woobie part, while her appalling treatment of Udinaas, who is hopelessly in love with her, qualifies for her the Jerkass part. It's subtly hinted at one point that her treatment of Udinaas may be due to her unwillingness to reciprocate his affections, but it's not firmly established one way or the other, even in her internal monologue.]]

* FandomRivalry: Some with ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', the other major GenreDeconstruction of HighFantasy. The authors themselves are on friendly terms, and have tried to discourage any thoughts of competition.

* IKnewIt: [[spoiler:Some fan speculation held that the final book would portray the Crippled God as a sympathetic victim, and end with his liberation and healing. This is exactly what happened.]]

* FandomBerserkButton: The ''Literature/MalazanBookOfTheFallen'' was written by Steven Erikson, not Steve Erickson, Stephen Erickson, or even Erik Stevenson. To add insult to injury, a good number of people who cannot be bothered to take a look at the cover are those who claim he cannot write worth a damn.

* FandomRivalry: Some with ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' the other major GenreDeconstruction of HighFantasy. The authors themselves are on friendly terms, and have tried to discourage any thoughts of competition.

** Torvald Nom, who only shows up briefly in ''House of Chains'', has gained a ''lot'' of popularity, spawning forum rants about how badass he is [[http://forum.malazanempire.com/topic/22008-plot-summary/page__view__findpost__p__871952]]. In ''Toll the Hounds'', be becomes an AscendedExtra, with his own minor storyline.

* CompleteMonster: Bidithal is [[EvilOldFolks an elderly member]] of the rebellious army the Whirlwind and its most powerful High Mage who gets away with his atrocities due to his power and high position. He has a disturbing taste for [[{{Lolicon}} little girls]] that he rapes and performs female circumcision on. In his darkest act, Bidithal captures the adopted daughter of the Whirlwind's leader, Felisin the Younger, and rapes her. He tells her he will "drink all the pleasure from your precious body, leaving naught but bitterness, naught but dead places within." Even the barbarian AntiHero Karsa Orlong finds Bidithal an utter blot on humanity as a whole and relishes a chance to force Bidithal to [[KarmicDeath choke on his pleasure]].

* OlderThanTheyThink: The series owes a considerable debt to ''TheBlackCompany.''

** It is, however, worth noting that Orlong is intended to be a deconstruction of the BarbarianHero archetype and is not intended to be sympathetic (at least at first), as per WordOfGod.

* CrazyAwesome: Karsa Orlong, Iskaral Pust, Tehol & Bugg, Second Seguleh, Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, probably all sapers...
** [[spoiler: As we see in TheCrippledGod, after becoming Master of the Deck, Captain Ganoes isn't afraid to come to talk to dangerous enemy commander, just to see what person she is, and piss her off just by talking... and he gets away with it!]]

* TheScrappy: The Mhbye in ''Memories of Ice.'' Depending on who you ask, Karsa Orlong and/or Kruppe as well.

** Sums up everyone's behavior around Kallor. First they let the psycho into their army, then they mock and belittle him. Brilliant move, people.
** Sorry/Apsalar. Multiple people have pointed out to her that [[spoiler: abandoning Cutter wasn't a great idea. Anyone who's moderately perceptive can spot either of their broken hearts immediately]].

** Felisin Paran. Sure, she's abrasive and [[spoiler:ultimately leads a fanatical rebellion]], but [[spoiler:she was [[MadeASlave sold into slavery]] by her own sister (to protect her from the Malazan Empire's cull of the nobility, but Felisin seems to have regarded it as a FateWorseThanDeath), prostituted herself to protect herself and her friends as a result, lost several of those friends in her escape from the Otataral mines, became the mind slave of an insane goddess who wants to wipe out humanity, and is ultimately killed by the aforementioned sister, who ''never even realises that she was fighting Felisin''. Her whole life is basically one big TraumaCongaLine and ultimately a particularly nasty case of ShootTheShaggyDog.]]

** [[spoiler:Challice is unfaithful to her husband - it's implied serially - but it's also made plain that this is because she's been cajoled by the strictures of her society and family pressures into a loveless ArrangedMarriage with a man who's a bit too much of a {{Jerkass}} for her to ever love. She clearly feels trapped by the norms of Darujhistan nobility and it's indicated that the main reason she cheats is because it's the only thing that makes her feel alive. She talks about her plans of escaping, but inwardly she suspects they will never happen. Ultimately, when Darjuhistan comes under siege by Hounds of Shadow, she is so overwhelmed by fear that she ends up killing herself, not aware that her husband has been killed in a duel - by her lover, no less, albeit for reasons of {{revenge}} that have little to do with her marriage. Whether she even counts as a {{jerkass}} depends on [[GoodAdulteryBadAdultery how sympathetic you are to her adultery]], but her {{woobie}} status is pretty difficult to dispute.]]

** Felisin Paran.

** [[spoiler:Challice is unfaithful to her husband - it's implied serially - but it's also made plain that this is because she's been cajoled by the strictures of her society into a loveless ArrangedMarriage with a man who's a bit too much of a {{Jerkass}} for her to ever love. She clearly feels trapped by the strictures of her society and it's indicated that the main reason she cheats is because it's the only thing that makes her feel alive. She talks about her plans of escaping, but inwardly she suspects they will never happen. Ultimately, when Darjuhistan comes under siege by Hounds of Shadow she is so overwhelmed by fear that she ends up killing herself, not aware that her husband has been killed in a duel - by her lover, no less, albeit for reasons of {{revenge}} that have little to do with her marriage. Whether she even counts as a {{jerkass}} depends on [[GoodAdulteryBadAdultery how sympathetic you are to her adultery]], but her {{woobie}} status is pretty difficult to dispute.]]

* BaseBreaker: Karsa Orlong. A CanonSue in a world of Canon Sues, while ''also'' being a Conan the Barbarian expy with vastly more power and fewer redeeming qualities. Oh, and he also rapes people repeatedly in his introduction story (while calling them 'children', though they're adults, due to the difference in size between his race and theirs. And yes, the effect of HotSkittyOnWailordAction is fairly graphically focused on.) And is generally treated as heroic, if brutal. As you might expect, he is ''slightly'' controversial.

* CultClassic: Opinions abound that it will never reach mainstream success circa ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' because the depth and complexity that makes it great is alienating to casual readers, and cannot be translated to other mediums.

* CanonSue: Every third character is said to be this.

* CultClassic: Opinions abound that it will never reach mainstream success circa ASongOfIceAndFire because the depth and complexity that makes it great is alienating to casual readers, and cannot be translated to other mediums.

* GodModeSue: How some fans see Karsa.

* TearJerker: [[spoiler:Itkovian's death]].

* TooCoolToLive: [[spoiler:Itkovian]].

** Sorry/Apsalar. Multiple people have pointed out to her that [[spoiler: abandoning Cutter wasn't a great idea. Anyone who's moderately perceptive can spot either of their broken hearts immediately.]]

* BaseBreaker: Karsa Orlong. A CanonSue in a world of Canon Sues, while ''also'' being a Conan the Barbarian expy with vastly more power and fewer redeeming qualities. Oh, and he also rapes people repeatedly in his introduction story (while calling them 'children', though they're adults, due to the difference in size between his race and theirs. And yes, the effect of HotSkittyOnWailord action is fairly graphically focused on.) And is generally treated as heroic, if brutal. As you might expect, he is ''slightly'' controversial.

* BaseBreaker: Karsa Orlong. A CanonSue in a world of Canon Sues, while ''also'' being a Conan the Barbarian expy with vastly more power and fewer redeeming qualities. Oh, and he also rapes people repeatedly in his introduction story. And is generally treated as heroic, if brutal. As you might expect, he is ''slightly'' controversial.

* BaseBreaker: Karsa Orlong.