The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, its subject states bled dry by warfare, purges, internecine strife and clashes with Anomander Rake, Lord of Moon's Spawn and the mysterious Tiste Andii. Even the imperial legions, long inured to bloodshed, yearn for respite. Yet the Empress' rule remains absolute, enforced by her dreaded Claw assassins.
Gardens Of The Moon
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Amazon Review
With a field as crowded as heroic fantasy, a reader is entitled to know what makes the latest blockbuster worth his or her attention: but Bantam books are throwing considerable marketing weight behind Steven Erikson, because they clearly believe he is the Next Big Thing. They may be right--he has the breadth and detail of imaginative vision, he is able to create a world that is both absorbing on a human level and full of magical sublimity, and, above all, he can write.
Gardens of the Moon concerns the military campaign by the Malazan Empire to capture the last remaining Free City on the Gernsbackian continent. War is waged with conventional soldiers as well as powerful magicians, and gods mix with mortals in a complex, but rewarding, series of narrative threads that come chiefly out of the school of Feist's Magician, although there is also something of the flavour of Gavriel Kay's celebrated Fionavar books. The moon of the title is a wonderfully grand conception, a sort of floating mountain that moves through the skies of the war-striken continent, and is the home of the 'Son of Darkness'. The various magical battles are splendidly written, and the characters are well realised. Rewardingly mellow and fiendishly readable. --Adam Roberts --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"Erikson is an extraordinary writer...my advice to anyone who might listen to me is: treat yourself to Gardens of the Moon." (STEPHEN R. DONALDSON)
"I stand slack-jawed in awe of The Malazan Book of the Fallen. This masterwork of the imagination may be the high watermark of epic fantasy." (GLEN COOK)
"A world that is both absorbing on a human level and full of magical sublimity...a wonderfully grand conception...splendidly written...fiendishly readable." (ADAM ROBERTS)
"Erikson's strengths are his grown up characters and his ability to create a world every bit as intricate and messy as our own." (J. V. JONES)
"Rare is the writer who so fluidly combines a sense of mythic power and depth of world, with fully realized characters and thrilling action, but Steven Erikson manages it spectacularly." (MICHAEL A STACKPOLE) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
"I stand slack-jawed in awe of The Malazan Book of the Fallen. This masterwork of the imagination may be the high watermark of epic fantasy." (GLEN COOK)
"A world that is both absorbing on a human level and full of magical sublimity...a wonderfully grand conception...splendidly written...fiendishly readable." (ADAM ROBERTS)
"Erikson's strengths are his grown up characters and his ability to create a world every bit as intricate and messy as our own." (J. V. JONES)
"Rare is the writer who so fluidly combines a sense of mythic power and depth of world, with fully realized characters and thrilling action, but Steven Erikson manages it spectacularly." (MICHAEL A STACKPOLE) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
58 of 60 people found the following review helpful
By Louise
Format:Kindle Edition
I read this book because I was going through books so fast, and wanted to find an epic fantasy series that would keep me occupied for a long time. The reviews on Amazon - both positive and negative - decided me.
A lot of people have said this book is confusing and hard to follow. I didn't find that, but you probably will if you try to read too fast. There are no wasted words, no lengthy explanations of "what has gone before." There's a vast history behind this story and its characters, but you are only told as much as you need to know right now, and what you are told is slipped in and can easily go unnoticed as the plot moves forward.
There are a lot of characters, and some are developed more thoroughly than others. There simply isn't space in 750 pages to show every character learning and growing.
The story moves forward at a good pace. In that sense, it reads more like a moderately paced thriller than an epic fantasy. But there's nothing thriller-like about the content. The world is filled with magic, and the gods move amongst mortals and interfere in their lives. If you prefer magic to be subtle, this book probably isn't for you, but if you're like me, you'll love the creativity in this world's unique system of magic.
Some people have complained that this book is a prologue to the rest of the series. It is. There are a lot of questions left unanswered. But that doesn't really matter. It's also a story in its own right - the tale of the Malazan Empire's attempts to take control of the last remaining free city on the continent of Genabackis. That story reaches its conclusion as all the threads come together in a dramatic climax.
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. I've used Amazon for years, but never been inspired to write a review before.
Have I found what I was looking for? Oh, yes. This epic fantasy series is going to keep me occupied and happy for a long time
A lot of people have said this book is confusing and hard to follow. I didn't find that, but you probably will if you try to read too fast. There are no wasted words, no lengthy explanations of "what has gone before." There's a vast history behind this story and its characters, but you are only told as much as you need to know right now, and what you are told is slipped in and can easily go unnoticed as the plot moves forward.
There are a lot of characters, and some are developed more thoroughly than others. There simply isn't space in 750 pages to show every character learning and growing.
The story moves forward at a good pace. In that sense, it reads more like a moderately paced thriller than an epic fantasy. But there's nothing thriller-like about the content. The world is filled with magic, and the gods move amongst mortals and interfere in their lives. If you prefer magic to be subtle, this book probably isn't for you, but if you're like me, you'll love the creativity in this world's unique system of magic.
Some people have complained that this book is a prologue to the rest of the series. It is. There are a lot of questions left unanswered. But that doesn't really matter. It's also a story in its own right - the tale of the Malazan Empire's attempts to take control of the last remaining free city on the continent of Genabackis. That story reaches its conclusion as all the threads come together in a dramatic climax.
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. I've used Amazon for years, but never been inspired to write a review before.
Have I found what I was looking for? Oh, yes. This epic fantasy series is going to keep me occupied and happy for a long time
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By Jason Mills
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Mass Market Paperback
The Malazan Empire seeks to conclude its long campaign to conquer the continent of Genabaris. At the front-line of this struggle we find a general close to rebelling, a legendary squad of sappers, a sprinkling of gods, a handful of warring mages, an ancient lord who flies his own moon around, a rag-bag gang of low-lifes, and a rich, gas-lit city where mandarins and alchemists prepare to meet the onslaught.
I was a little irked by Erikson's disdain for the genre convention of avoiding anachronistic language: too-contemporary words like 'migraine', 'paranoia' and even the dreaded 'okay' jar this reader's suspension of disbelief. Occasionally too his background in role-play gaming intrudes, as when he speaks of a demon being banished 'when enough damage has been inflicted'. But mostly his prose is crisp and effective. Here the Empress's Adjunct quizzes her ancient companion:
----------------------------
"Tell me, Tool, what dominates your thoughts?"
The Imass shrugged before replying. "I think of futility, Adjunct."
"Do all Imass think about futility?"
"No. Few think at all."
"Why is that?"
The Imass leaned his head to one side and regarded her. "Because, Adjunct, it is futile."
----------------------------
Is this then the first volume in a major work of fantasy? Undoubtedly. Is it well written, with economy of prose, bold imagination, well-delineated characters, concise yet colourful dialogue? Yes to all of this. Is it impressive in scale and scope, deftly detailing a complex world and history, telling all it needs to tell while hinting at much greater things? Is it elegantly structured, advancing steadily towards an exciting and action-packed climax, yet packed with incident and intrigue from the first page? Yes. Absolutely.
Odd then that I could hardly be bothered to pick it up: it took me months to get through. If this novel and I registered on a dating site, the algorithm would match us up immediately; but when we actually met there was no spark. I think a problem for me was that I couldn't see what the bouncing ball was following: no one character or cause carries the reader through this bewildering story; instead, we jump ceaselessly from faction to faction, place to place, in a drunkard's walk with no sense of destination. Whilst it's flattering that the author deems me capable of holding this intricate narrative balanced in my head, it often seemed like just one damned thing after another. Still, I entirely accept all the reasons to admire this work, and you may have a better time with it than I did. Just be prepared to work for your supper. :)
I was a little irked by Erikson's disdain for the genre convention of avoiding anachronistic language: too-contemporary words like 'migraine', 'paranoia' and even the dreaded 'okay' jar this reader's suspension of disbelief. Occasionally too his background in role-play gaming intrudes, as when he speaks of a demon being banished 'when enough damage has been inflicted'. But mostly his prose is crisp and effective. Here the Empress's Adjunct quizzes her ancient companion:
----------------------------
"Tell me, Tool, what dominates your thoughts?"
The Imass shrugged before replying. "I think of futility, Adjunct."
"Do all Imass think about futility?"
"No. Few think at all."
"Why is that?"
The Imass leaned his head to one side and regarded her. "Because, Adjunct, it is futile."
----------------------------
Is this then the first volume in a major work of fantasy? Undoubtedly. Is it well written, with economy of prose, bold imagination, well-delineated characters, concise yet colourful dialogue? Yes to all of this. Is it impressive in scale and scope, deftly detailing a complex world and history, telling all it needs to tell while hinting at much greater things? Is it elegantly structured, advancing steadily towards an exciting and action-packed climax, yet packed with incident and intrigue from the first page? Yes. Absolutely.
Odd then that I could hardly be bothered to pick it up: it took me months to get through. If this novel and I registered on a dating site, the algorithm would match us up immediately; but when we actually met there was no spark. I think a problem for me was that I couldn't see what the bouncing ball was following: no one character or cause carries the reader through this bewildering story; instead, we jump ceaselessly from faction to faction, place to place, in a drunkard's walk with no sense of destination. Whilst it's flattering that the author deems me capable of holding this intricate narrative balanced in my head, it often seemed like just one damned thing after another. Still, I entirely accept all the reasons to admire this work, and you may have a better time with it than I did. Just be prepared to work for your supper. :)
63 of 69 people found the following review helpful
By Katie
Format:Mass Market Paperback
When I bought this book, I was dreading having to look up stuff in the index at every page, or not being able to understand what was going on in one great long, 700 page battle. That was the impression I had got of the series from its critics. However, others, whilst admitting that it was complex, could not praise it enough. I thought I'd give it a try.
Well, I'm simply blown away. What an amazing start to what promises to be an enormous project that will be soon seen as one of the top fantasy series ever!
Yes, Steven Erikson (and Ian Cameron Esslemont, the co-creator of the world of the Malazan empire) have imagined a world far beyond anything that's ever been written about before. Yes, sometimes it can be hard to remember exactly which Ascendant Cotillion is (though perhaps if you're confused over that one, you've skipped a few pages!) but generally if there is a point when you think, "Hang on, who's Apsalar again?" there is a very useful list of characters at the start which helped me get a few things straight - but I never needed to do this with anything important. If there was something I was unsure about, it would be a minor God, whose name was mentioned in passing. Erikson writes so skillfully about this complex world that I had next to no difficulty remembering what was what.
The pace is fast throughout the book, helped by the style of the book. You see events from many different characters points of view, from both 'sides' (similar to George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire) and you come to care for the characters.
You do NOT get spoon fed the story and details of the world. You get dropped into the story, and you pick up stuff as you go along. The way the reader has to work some things out and wonder about others is deliberate, and I feel one of the book's strengths - instead of spending a few hundred pages introducing you to the world, there is a few pages of prologue, which give you some idea of the start of the Malazan Empire, and introduce you to some of the main characters - and then the pace immediately picks up, dragging you into the story straight away.
As you can see, I feel that this will be an astounding series, and I've heard that the sequel is even better that the first book (doesn't seem possible!)
If you want a nice, easy read, where you don't really have to think too much to understand whats happening, don't chose this book. But if you want an epic, original and unbelievably engrossing new series, what are you waiting for?
Well, I'm simply blown away. What an amazing start to what promises to be an enormous project that will be soon seen as one of the top fantasy series ever!
Yes, Steven Erikson (and Ian Cameron Esslemont, the co-creator of the world of the Malazan empire) have imagined a world far beyond anything that's ever been written about before. Yes, sometimes it can be hard to remember exactly which Ascendant Cotillion is (though perhaps if you're confused over that one, you've skipped a few pages!) but generally if there is a point when you think, "Hang on, who's Apsalar again?" there is a very useful list of characters at the start which helped me get a few things straight - but I never needed to do this with anything important. If there was something I was unsure about, it would be a minor God, whose name was mentioned in passing. Erikson writes so skillfully about this complex world that I had next to no difficulty remembering what was what.
The pace is fast throughout the book, helped by the style of the book. You see events from many different characters points of view, from both 'sides' (similar to George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire) and you come to care for the characters.
You do NOT get spoon fed the story and details of the world. You get dropped into the story, and you pick up stuff as you go along. The way the reader has to work some things out and wonder about others is deliberate, and I feel one of the book's strengths - instead of spending a few hundred pages introducing you to the world, there is a few pages of prologue, which give you some idea of the start of the Malazan Empire, and introduce you to some of the main characters - and then the pace immediately picks up, dragging you into the story straight away.
As you can see, I feel that this will be an astounding series, and I've heard that the sequel is even better that the first book (doesn't seem possible!)
If you want a nice, easy read, where you don't really have to think too much to understand whats happening, don't chose this book. But if you want an epic, original and unbelievably engrossing new series, what are you waiting for?
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
highly recommend
Great plot, fast paced and keeps you thinking the whole time. Superb writing style and character development considering how many we're involved!
Published 23 hours ago by carys
1.0 out of 5 stars
What the hell is going on!?!?
Soooo... er... yeah. I heard this was good so I bought it and well, although the author goes through a lengthy exposition of why he refuses 'dumb-down', I found myself completely... Read more
Published 4 days ago by Karl-Jason mawdsley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Can't put down
This highly original fantasy is both dark and fast moving. The characters are well described, the atmosphere brooding and the action gripping. Extremely well written.
Published 20 days ago by David
1.0 out of 5 stars
One long frustration without depth
The book starts of with the author explaining the difficulties of getting the book published making presumptuous claims that make it sound like anyone who does not like this book... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Fay
5.0 out of 5 stars
Riveting from first book to the last
I've read pretty much every well known fantasy series there is. Most now leave me cold as they can be a bit infantile. Read more
Published 1 month ago by early riser
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dark, gritty, epic, and ambitious opening to the series.
Very ambitious opening title. Gardens of the Moon is not an easy read. The Author does not spend long paragraphs describing his world or explaining magic systems. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jordan
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not for me
I had read all of the glowing reviews of this fantasy series and having enjoyed similar series - game of thones and joe Abercrombie - I thought I'd give this a whirl. Read more
Published 1 month ago by The Goat
5.0 out of 5 stars
confusing, unbalanced, rushed and truly brilliant.
This book is not for the faint hearted. I would not blame someone for giving up on this story a third of the way in. Read more
Published 1 month ago by John Bowler
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best fantasy read of my life.
This is a must for any fantasy fan, for any reader of excellently written books. Quite simply this is brilliantly written with believable characters you just cannot help to get... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Craydark
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very dark, but absolutely brilliant
Writer at the top of his craft. Leaves you with hundreds of questions. Stark contrast to the happy easy reading of Feist, Goodkind etc. Fantasy equivalent to Ian M Banks: genius
Published 2 months ago by M. J. Brindley
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