What's wrong with Erikson's prose?

I finally started reading "Gardens of the Moon".

Through the pallor of smoke ravens wheeled. Their calls raised a shrill chorus above the cries of wounded and dying soldiers. The stench of seared flesh hung unmoving in the haze.

On the third hill overlooking the fallen city of Pale, Tattersail stood alone. Scattered around the sorceress the curled remains of burnt armour — greaves, breastplates, helms and weapons — lay heaped in piles. An hour earlier there had been men and women wearing that armour, but of them there was no sign. The silence within those empty shells rang like a dirge in Tattersail's head.

For all the smells and sounds surrounding Tattersail, she found herself listening to a deeper silence. In some ways it came from the empty armour surrounding her, an absence that was in itself an accusation. But there was another source of the silence. The sorcery that had been unleashed here today had been enough to fray the fabric between the worlds. Whatever dwelt beyond, in the Warrens of Chaos, felt close enough to reach out and touch.

On the plain below, the bodies of Malazan soldiers covered the ground, a rumpled carpet of dead. Limbs jutted upward here and there, ravens perching on them like overlords. Soldiers who had survived the slaughter wandered in a daze among the bodies, seeking fallen comrades.

Just at page 60 as writing notes on the wiki is taking quite a bit of time. I probably read on forums and blogs more about Erikson and his series than all the words written in the first book. So I know well what to expect, the criticism and so on.

One aspect people complained about is the prose. I also found those critics often enough to believe that they are actually founded.

But I'm failing to understand what is that people don't like. I expected the writing to be more uneven and crude than what I found.

Re: What's wrong with Erikson's prose?

I personally don't find anything wrong with his prose. I did have to start over reading "Gardens" because I found I was reading it too fast. The book really required me to read slower and pay attention. I'm used to being able to read books quickly, but not in this case. I am glad I started over from the beginning because I've found the book to be one of the best I have read.

I have just started on "Deadhouse Gates".

Re: What's wrong with Erikson's prose?

I also see no issue here. Maybe it is as well the way I type, and sometimes speak?
I truly enjoy the Thomas Covenant series, also full of prose, and verbage that is beyond the norm..
The belief is that if the book is not "simple", then there is no pleasure...but for me the pleasure comes from those words, phrases...coming together to form the thought in my mind..
I could visualize what was written above...and based on that single passage alone, I plan to seek out this authors works.
Thank you

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