Is there no more Karsa?

Lately the "Malazan Book of the Fallen" series is often on my mind.

(source)

First reason is "Malazan Reread of the Fallen" on Tor.com. I've been expecting in for a while and now that it's here, it's even better than I expected. In my opinion, main reason of its popularity (the reread, not the series) is because Amanda, one of rereaders, is actually reading it for the first time. It's very, very funny (and little mean) to watch her stumble and try to foresee what's coming next. This is impossible, of course. It reminds me on my own experience when I started reading MBoF. For the record, I actually read the second book, "Deadhouse Gates" before "Gardens of the Moon". Also, it feels very good to be reminded how these books are good.

Second reason is that blurb of "The Crippled God" I found here. I think I will like the last book very much!

Anyway, I was thinking about these books (while showering) and how I can't wait to find out what happened after "Dust of Dreams" when I realized that there was no mention of Karsa for long time. Not just him, Kruppe and the rest. Since "Toll the Hounds", if I'm correct. And blurb mentions only characters and plots from "Dust of Dreams". So, what if Karsa has actually done his parts in these books? Maybe Erikson plans to write a new series, featuring Karsa and later events? I think he said he doesn't plan to stop writing books in these setting after finishing this sequence, but I can't find where I read this. From one side, I would like this series to continue, or its successor to start. On the other side, I'm afraid that it would be bad compared to the original.

In any case, these are just my speculations. We will see in few years was I right.

Fantasy in SF or vice versa (some spoilers)

Due to some quirk ways mind works, I found myself thinking about "Utawarerumono" and "Scrapped Princess" in the morning. It was soon after I woke, while going to work. I didn't drive, so my mind had leisure of wandering.

Both this anime start with one of classic fantasy premises: in "Utawarerumono" we have a man with amnesia and extremely capable, while in "Scrapped Princess" we have a cursed princess traveling with magician and fighter. In next few or more episodes, the "feeling of fantasy" is even more established. And then, later in series, we found out that both are actually post-apocalyptic worlds, where most people forgot about science and lived as in medieval times. Then we are introduced to "bad side", people who still have access to advanced technology and use it to rule and maintain status quo. If I remember correctly (I think that "Utawarerumono" was my third anime, after "Dragon Ball" and "Naruto"), in both this anime, antagonists had in some way justified reasons for their actions and weren't actually bad as they looked. Basically, they are SF anime that first lead viewers that they are fantasy.

As of my impressions, I liked "Utawarerumono" better then "Scrapped Princess". It had better animation (except for that awful CGI in battles) and plot was a big surprise for me; while "Scrapped Princess" had generic characters and lousy colors.

The reason why I wrote this, was because of next. Almost every day when I come to work, if circumstances allow it (and usually do), I drink coffee and check some sites. Among them is Tor.com and there I found this post by Jo Walton, where he addressed disguising SF as fantasy, only in books.

Today I will receive "Dust of Dreams" by Steven Erikson, which I will write about next.