by Else
For the last 14 years, my answer to the question “What is your favourite fantasy series?” has been the same: Malazan Book of the Fallen, by Steven Erikson. But how could someone ever know this is my favourite book series of all time? Well, first of all, I tell everyone all the time. Second, I named my cat after one of the characters in the series. (Her name is Kilava, for anyone wondering.) And thirdly, I own the books in basically every format imaginable, even going so far as to splurge on some special editions. This is a series of truly epic proportions, with 10 books in the main series, but 26 books within the same world already released—soon to be 27 with the release of No Life Forsaken later this year.
Every few years, I decide I need to reread this particular book series. And this time, I am taking you along with me for the ride.
The first book in the series, Gardens of the Moon, felt like coming home again to me. On a first read of this series, it is a very common feeling to not know what in Hood’s name is going on. This is a feeling that will return in every book of the 10-book series. Steven Erikson is a master of throwing you into a story without any hand holding: you don’t get the world explained to you, you just have to Read On and Find Out. Contrary to many other fantasy series, Malazan Book of the Fallen doesn’t have any real main characters. There are quite a few characters per book, switching the points of view so you get a grasp of the scale of the world (or you despair because of the scale of the world, that is also a possibility).
On a reread, though, you realise how much information has already been given in the first couple of chapters. There is a wealth of stuff going on that you do not fully grasp until the end of the book or the end of the series, which makes this series infinitely rereadable. This book is about the journey, not the destination. Although the destination is pretty epic too, if you don’t mind me saying.
Gardens of the Moon throws you into the world of the Malazan Empire, a huge empire that is always expanding, trying to conquer new places. We meet a whole cast of characters, all with their own personalities, ambitions, reasons, and secrets. The Second Army has just finally taken Pale, a formerly independent city, but the siege was disastrous. Their eyes are now set on Darujhistan, a wealthy city with no standing army. But not everything is as it seems: treachery and opposition is high, Gods are involved, and overall it is just a Hooddamned mess.
I always try to warn all people I hype up about this series, that it is sometimes regarded as the most difficult Fantasy series to get into, because of the previously mentioned lack of hand holding, and the feeling of “What is going on?”, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it. Don’t be too intimidated. I was 17 when I first read it, so we can basically count it as Young Adult, right? I will forever continue to be a fangirl of these books. And if you do happen to read them, come by in our Amsterdam store to hype with me about this series!
