Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen

I wholeheartedly recommend Steven Erikson. He is one author that just may overtake George R R Martin as my favorite fantasy author. The worlds in which The Malazan Book of the Fallen takes places in is shrouded in mystery and awe. Erikson masterfully plays his hand, only offers readers small glimpses of the magic/sorcery order of rules in his fantasy world, so you don't ever know what to expect until another brilliant twist or development occurs. And battles are fought on many fronts, and throughout the book mysterious characters drop in and out. And what they're motives or ambitions, only time will tell. Where Gods, Adepts, Ascendents and their Houses cloud the paths of fate. Where soldiers and assassins ply their deadly trade. Pinnacle sword and sorcery for the intellectual. This series has too much to offer in appeal to Star Wars fans. AWESOME BALLS TO THE WALLS FANTASY OF THE HIGHEST ORDER!


The Malazan Book of the Fallen follows a multi-continent military campaign waged by the Malazan Empire against Genabackis and the Seven Cities and other foreign lands. In fact, each book will basically cover different arenas, introducing new faces and what have you etc. There are armies, soldiers (portrayed with grunt-like realism), cadres of mages (some of which are capable of awesome feats joined to all fronts), and other miscellaneous bodies. There are adepts, ascendents and their houses, and gods. Erikson is on par with George R R Martin. Equally dark and mature.

For American readers, Tor is releasing Erikson's epic at eight-nine month intervals. Alittle too slow for my tastes.

1. Gardens of the Moon (HC) 6/2004
2. The Deadhouse Gates (HC/TPB) 2/2005
3. Memories of Ice (HC/TPB) 11/2005

The series officially stands at five books of a planned ten book series that had begun in 1999. Those being of course...

1. Gardens of the Moon
2. The Deadhouse Gates
3. Memories of Ice
4. House of Chains
5. Midnight Tides
6. The Bonehunters (projected date of release March 2006, UK/Canada)

But Amazon.com sellers marketplace has bookstores stocking brand new imported titles of The Malazan Book of The Fallen series. Now Steven Erikson may not be for everyone, but IMO, Erikson and Martin are apples and oranges and represent the very best fantasy has to offer today. Two authors I endorse probably above all others.

 

Well I've decided to post up an excerpt of Deadhouse Gates from the prologue, why the second book rather than the first book, well neither prologue and first chapter had anything to go google over just some nice introductions. That material is doused later through-out the book. In the second book, being Erikson's world building is so diverse and well rounded. It begins, with some cultural "taboo" and religious fetishism. The descriptiveness is nice and fluent and I stopped the buck when I detected potential spoilers. Author Erikson worked for twenty years as an anthropologist and archaeologist. And his series has been compared often with George R R Martin, an author (GRRM) the whole world is talking about and by of the frequency they drop his name he has set the newest standards of modern fantasy literature.

And here is a nice blurb by author Stephen R Donaldson on the cover - "Steven Erikson afflicts me with awe."

 

I'll have more to say when I have more time to say it, but I just wanted to point out that there are also a series of novellas set in this world:

Blood Follows
The Healthy Dead

Both of which are being printed in the US by Night Shade Books; the first should be out very soon now.

Also, Ian Cameron Esslemont, Erikson's friend, has a Malazon novel coming soon called Night of Knives.

Erikson has also published several non-Malazan books.

 

No doubt its above average fantasy, but no way does it approach what Martin is doing with his series.

A good many people don't even get through Erikson's first book. And though the subsequent books get stronger, its a major failing in a series to have a subpar opener to a series.

But then again, if you value LOTS of magical events and bizarre races over plot coherency and characterization, then you may well prefer Erikson over Martin.

 

Here is an early May 2000 conversation with Steven Erikson > here. The rampant success his series is enjoying is a great cause for ovation and cheer. Plenty of wit and snappy humour too.

From one of the internet's best sources of information on SF/Fantasy literature, SF Site.

"LOTS of magical events and bizarre races" I hear where you are coming from. Steven Erikson's imagination rivals perhaps even surpasses that of Stephen R Donaldson and Dan Simmons. And there is plenty, I repeat, plenty of plot coherencey as events usually culminates in a closure or working towards a new startling twist or revelation, always progressing the tale of this world and its characters. But Erikson shrouds them in mystery or events occur with uncanny duality. Half the joy is witnessing Erikson fit the puzzle pieces together.

I feel its real sad if people are turned off from the initial book Gardens of the Moon, because the second half is a true barnburner. Very suspenseful. And Deadhouse Gates is incredible all the way through yet it has few rare lulling moments while Coltaine and his Chain of Dogs is rolling south down til Vathar Springs and the Dry March. But I promise those lulling moments are brief and miniscule compared to riveting drama and sights you'll see. The last act of DG had me crying. Literally.

And god, these books are full of memorable characters and events. And love the way Erikson fleshed out the villians and the darker grey characters. And the good guys are capable of making the most human mistakes, like what a certain Bridgeburner learns about himself and another ranking officer at the end of Deadhouse Gates. And Shadowthrone and The Rope and Anomander Rake are terrific characters. Most sympathic and some of things that came to light blew me away. Like Martin, he can make the good guys difficult to like and the bad guys difficult to hate.

Yeah, I have some of Erikson's standalone novels, he has two I believe unrelated to Malazan world. And two that are. Plus Esslemont of course has Night of Knives coming soon. I am going to order that and automatically consider it $45 well spent. Esslemont reportedly wrote one book for the series but sure it's lying in limbo for now.

I want hit people that give up on this series prematurely. Physically assault and batter them. Just kidding btw but you know what I mean. Yes, Garden of the Moon is a bit rough around the edges but it gets better as you read deeper into it. I struggled with Rallick Nom and Crokus Younghand personally and that was only briefly. I won't state my reasons only that Erikson had something mapped out and I don't want delve deeper and get spoilerish. But after finishing it, I think most would consider those flaws very small and insignificant to imagination and drama instituted into this series of books.

Steven Erikson has knocked George R R Martin down to second spot from my personal number one ranking favorite fantasy author. Sorry if this particular post sounds like a fanboy cheer but I am skating on thin ice per se.

 

A Feast for Crows (which is even bigger than A Storm of Swords) may very well change your favorite author hierarchy once again...

The word is that GRRM didn't exactly waste the five years working of AFFC... it is supposedly a barnburner, and takes the story up another notch.

Don't mistake me... I'm not calling S. Erikson a hack - he's just no GRRM.

 

I've read both, and I prefer Martin. Actually, I also prefer fellow Canadian R. Scott Bakker to Erikson.

For better or for worse, it's tough slogging to keep track of what's happening in the Malazan Book of the Fallen. I think that he would have been much better served if he had written it in a completely different way, using a style closer to that of a history textbook than a novel. Had he used the same sort of storytelling that Winston Churchill did in his history of the Second World War or the storytelling that Tolkien and Tolkien and Kay used in The Silmarillion, the book could have been mind-blowing. Instead, it?s confusing as hell.

 

Exactly, Raven. The "throw in everything but the kitchen sink" approach of Erikson's is not wholly successful. Yes, determined fantasy readers can get a grip on what's going on, but the casual reader (many more of these out there) will not persevere past the first book. I've seen this occur quite often in my travels across the net.

GRRM is simply more of a gifted storyteller.

Erikson's series could have been much better served if he narrowed his focus somewhat.

 

Erikson's series could have been much better served if he narrowed his focus somewhat.

Or just moved from being right over the shoulder of his characters to watching them at a remove in a pseudo-historical way.

 

GRRM's scope is more narrowed narrative telling events of Westeros and beyond through various character POVs, and building events all around them, the characters being the base or foundation. And a synthesis of real medievel Europe, it's history, and it's feudal society.

I have no difficulties dealing with the panoramic narrative in Erikson's books, and he always centers the novel on individuals in each conflict. There are continious neverending POV throughout each book in fact. Plus the books have a dramatis personae listing at the front along with maps, and glossary in the back. Help readers not lose themselves. (And as each book progresses the elements and figure become so darned familiar and confusion is nonfactor.) I referred to these tools frequently enough, but sometimes you don't want to know who a character is because Erikson has not identified their motives or what they are in particular. Then by all means avoid all these references because of the spoiler nature it can have.

Erikson is no hack by any means, I haven't encountered any fantasy writer with an imagination like his neither his insightfulness on war. No, I don't want Erikson to narrow his scope, afterall the title of the series is A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, and a title that serves the books as a histories montage of sorts only the reader is engaged on a complete intimate level with each tale and it's forbearing drama.

GRRM said A Feast for Crows is going to have more strong femme theme. As the female characters are going to have a stronger focus and role throughout. I know we're in for a slobberknocker of a novel but it remains to be seen if this one will dethrone Erikson.


I plan to read R Scott Bakker's series soon in the coming weeks or month. I hear a wide range of opinions of this author's work.

 

Well, Mastadge and other board members, early word from people that are reading Night of Knives, is it contains details of Dassem Ultor, First Sword of the Empire, under then Emperor Kellanved. And the First Sword's death.

Dassem Ultor of course was sworn to Hood and readers learnt alittle more about "whys" of his death in DG. And furthermore of course he ascended to being the Knight of High House Death, under it's King -- Hood.

No worries, this is all nonspoiler.

 

//OT//


Mr. Bakker himself participates at Three Seas Forum - R. Scott Bakker's The Prince of Nothing under the handle of Cu'jara Cinmoi.

And moderates his own forum here at sffworld.com!




But be careful of spoilers, particularly one thread that insinuates a blow to the gonads because it is discussing the greatest shocks and twists read in fantasy literature especially massive ones concerning ASoIaF. Just another heads up.

 

I quite like Mr. Bakker's work. I check in at his ThreeSeas forum from time to time. It was there that Bakker made it known that he thinks GRRM is "king" of the fantasy genre...

Sorry, StevenEriksonFan... I'm just not going to let you deceive the good folks of this board into thinking Erikson is better than GRRM.

 

I've just begun reading Bakker and like what I see so far, and I heard about him a couple of years back, breaking waves in the GRRM and Erikson circles. It's funny because, though folks are still hardcore GRRM fans, I've noticed splintering or migration of these fans to Bakker and Erikson, but nothing approaching an eternal departure or a diaspora for sure. Hobb and Donaldson are traditional favorites of course.

I've been a GRRM fan a long awhile, a personal fav since 1999. And I never ceased speaking about him in fantasy lit circles. Unabashedly proclaiming him the best. Well, ya know how us GRRM fans are like, we only have the best intentions. And others will toss Jordan, Goodkind, Feist, Eddings, etc back at me. But I am sorry IMO GRRM rocked the boat and rocked the fantasy world and most every fantasy lit discussion forum on the net largely agrees.

However, I am in absolute awe of Steven Erikson, he's like the best of Martin, Donaldson, Tolkien, Zelzany, and even Vance rolled into one. Alot of people are missing out on some of the best fantasy ever written just because the first half of GotM didn't appeal or that the book failed to live up to the hype, people are making a rather sad choice if they pass over this ultra talented and imaginative author. That first novel in some ways can be almost regarded as an introduction, a prelude, or even a warm-up. I am hesitant to use these catagorizations because in all fairness GotM is an awesome if not misunderstood and underrated novel. I loved the whole of Gotm and can understand people's struggles with the novel, personally I put it down twice (my GRRM luvin nose held high) and the third time was the charm. And in retrospect, there was alot of key things and fascinating tagents going on in GotM.

Yet once a reader finishes Deadhouse Gates, Memories of Ice, House of Chains, etc a la progressing through the books the level of storytelling, history, characterization, and worldbuilding can level both Tolkien and Martin IMO. Erikson proves he's lightyears ahead of the competition. I have to put these novels down frequently and walk it off before resuming again. Erikson beyond doubt exemplifies my favorite now, and I only implore other fantasy lovers to give this writer a shot. Just be sure to read GotM -AND- DG, it'll probably change your perspectives. Once I completed GotM, Erikson had me hooked, line and sinker. For others it would be DG I suppose.

 

I really liked Gardens alot!

Paran was my fav character and I am disappointed that he is not in Deadhouse Gates which I just bought.

 

Have you read Deadhouse Gates yet?



(What is the spoiler codes in this forum?)

 

Haven't read it yet and probably won't for a while yet as I am only on book 7 of The Wheel of Time and then I am Taking on Martain. After that though Deadhouse is my next target.

Spoilers: I don't see why you wouldn't be able to say anything because the books have been out now for a couple of years.

 

Cool, I hope ya don't delay too long 'fore tackling DG.

Anyways, I would rather prefer to speak about the books in spoiler code to protect and assure one's enjoyment of these novels. This is not Salvatore or Eddings or that ilk that you can discuss it forwards and backwards without error.

 

Is Paran and Whiskeyjack in any of the other Malzan books?

 

WhiskeyJack and Paran most certainly are, the books jump back and forth between *thus far* two continents and surrounding lands until the fifth book.

1. Gardens of the Moon ~ Genabackis

2. Deadhouse Gates ~ Seven Cities

3. Memories of Ice ~ Genabackis

4. House of Chains ~ Seven Cities

5. Midnight Tides ~ An entirely new continent, set many years before the events in the four previous books, and the story deals with the mysterious Tiste Edur (the Tiste Andii's grey skinned distant kin) amongst other interesting material.

You'll discover this series is most delightfully intricate and involving, yet never overwhelming.

 

That's very helpful. I've read Gardens of the moon and I enjoyed it a lot. For me his perspective provided no problem at all although it took a little time to understand what was going on the beginning. The glossary and the dramatis personae turned out to be very helpful.

Anyway, I'm planning to buy the rest of the published books as soon as possible.

 

The first book is hard to follow at the start because it throws you into the action without much explaination, but I didn't find any of the next four books hard to follow in the least.

I'd give a slight edge to Erikson over Martin too but its very close in my opinion.

Bakker is good but not quite on Erikson and Martin's level yet in my opinion.

 

This might be a spoiler so will scroll down:






















Is Tattersails new life touched apon. If I rememeber right weren't Paran and her in love then she sacrificed herself and became something more powerful right?

 

Thought you might say, Bakker, Raven, being Canadian! I'm on the verge of buying his book myself.

If Steven_Erikson_Fan thinks Mazalan is "Awesome Balls" reading, it has to be worth considering. I bought The Dark Mirror but won't read for it for some time. Together with Bone Doll Twin, they are your books that are considerably different in prose and scenario to the standard simplistic fair I see in shop shelves.

Amazon's cover for Gardens of the Moon is more of an ye catcher than the Aust one. But I don't like the names. Tattersail? Whiskeyjack? Lord of Moon Spawn? Why don't fanatsy books have decent exotic names that sound more, mmm, normal?

http://www.malazanempire.com/StevenErikson/Covers/Gardens_of_the_Moon/images/GoTM_LB_big]

 

Esslemont's Night of Knives arrived today! Oh joy!



The nics the Malazan forces are issued is explained with some depth later. The Lord of Moon Spawn is actually a title bearing distinction actually.





***SPOILER***

No you haven't seen the last of Tattersail by far and what happened and became of her will be explained in greater depth.

***SPOILER***