Vast legions of gods, mages, humans, dragons and all manner of creatures play out the fate of the Malazan Empire in this first book in a major epic fantasy series The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations with the formidable Anomander Rake and his Tiste Andii, ancient and implacable sorcerers. Even the imperial … the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen’s rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw assassins.
For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his squad of Bridgeburners, and for Tattersail, surviving cadre mage of the Second Legion, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the many dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities of Genabackis, yet holds out. It is to this ancient citadel that Laseen turns her predatory gaze.
However, it would appear that the Empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister, shadowbound forces are gathering as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand…
Conceived and written on a panoramic scale, Gardens of the Moon is epic fantasy of the highest order–an enthralling adventure by an outstanding new voice.
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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Epic fantasy has no peer in other genres. There I said it. Nothing can match the complexity and deeply hewn detail of the worlds crafted by master artisans like Steven Erikson. I received a free e-book version of this book through Tor Publishing’s book club (and so could you); it’s always a treat to revisit the Bridgeburners as they tangle with forces they, and frequently the reader cannot comprehend. The Malazan Book of the Fallen is a (dead)household name in fantasy, so if you want to tackle the saga this is where you start. Be warned, Erikson doesn’t spoon-feed his readers – there’s a lot to learn, and he doesn’t stop the ride so you can acclimate.
Also, if you do start and have really hard time with it, this link goes to a pretty sweet comprehensive lexicon of the world of Malaz. Honestly, even if you don’t have a hard time, this is still wicked cool: http://imgur.com/gallery/M95FK. There’s even a link to the free ebook! So now you really have no excuse to not try it.
I’ll be honest, it took me close to a hundred pages to get into this epic fantasy but once I did, I was hooked for the rest of the 500-plus pages. It’s a complex book with more characters than you can shake a stick at but they’re not your run of the mill characters nor is the plot line predictable.
Steven Erikson is clearly a gifted and highly skilled storyteller.
The backstory on this novel is enormous, similar to Tolkien in its depth and grandeur. With such a backstory it is possible to weave grand arcs of conflict. Mr. Erikson does exactly that, weaving a tapestry of drama without seam or flaw, melding story arcs with verve and a magical ability to transport the reader to a strange and passionate world.
One caveat – you will need to persist to fully engage with the story, as there are many things early in the book that only become clear with the passage of time and the gaining of experience – much like life.
If you love epic fantasy – this book is a must read, an easy five stars.
Steven Erickson series Book of the Fallen is wonderful. Although the first book Gardens of the Moon is somewhat confusing it’s worth reading and moving to book two. Gardens of the Moon is like the first chapter of a book . It is the set up for the most Epic series
I feel in love with this series and Erikson’s world of Malazans. I highly recommend this to anyone, regardless of whether you are into Epic Fantasy or not. If you like fantasy at all, give this a read.
Great first novel to what is a fantastic series (Malazan book of the Fallen). Thoroughly enjoyed it.
This book (and series, really) seems to always be accompanied by reviews that deem it ‘difficult to get into, but if you stick with it the series gets better’. I guess I kind of see where that sentiment comes from…
Gardens of the Moon opens with a massive battle, where magic-wielding characters are fighting each other and attacking a city floating in the sky. That is quite the opening. I’d say most fantasy stories weave the magic elements into the plot over time or with a bit of an info dump beforehand. Not this time.
Then after the massive magic battle we spend much of the story with ‘smaller’ characters who are thieves, assassins, soldiers and royalty, with the occasional mage interjected. More of a ‘boots on the ground’ type of feel. But wait, there are also actual gods and demons that make their way into the picture as well.
There are some really interesting characters, my top 3 being Anomander Rake, Sorry and Harelock (I listened to the audio book so apologies if their spelling isn’t quite right.)
The plot is twisting, full of intrigue, murder, mayhem and a dispute between destiny vs free will.
It’s a great opening to what I hope is just as great a series.
Recommended!
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Erikson’s prose is fine, but his storytelling is boring. There were so many characters that none of them were well developed, so it made it hard to keep track of them or care about them. There’s a lot of magic used with no background about the methods or rules or anything. He was adding yet more characters even in the last chapter of the book, once I finally slogged my way there. I can’t believe there are nine more of these.
This is a good series. Not quite Game of thrones good but close and entertaining
Gardens of the Moon is an extraordinary read and a remarkable debut novel for author, Steven Erikson. This book is rich in detail, fast-paced, and bursting at the seams with memorable characters. I particularly liked Mr. Erikson’s naming conventions used to effectively distinguish notable figures like Whiskeyjack, Tattersail, Crokus, along with many others. This book has everything you could want from an epic fantasy adventure; wars, intrigue, gods, monsters, demons, mages, thieves, assassins, and sword wielding heroes. My head is still spinning. It will probably take me weeks to fully digest the story I just finished reading.
This first book in the Malazan series has a very steep learning curve but once you get a handle on the plot it does not disappoint. I found myself very intrigued by the characters and the complex plot of this book. A harder read and definitely geared toward adults but worthwhile if you love epic fantasy books.
This is a huge series of goat chokers. Loved every word. Some of the characters are humorous. Some are dead serious. There are definite tear-jerker moments. Absolutely fascinating world.
So I don’t normally use this format for book reviews, but I found that I was so conflicted about Garden of the Moon, that it was the only equitable way to do so. To sum it all up in a few short sentences would be impossible, simply due to the scope and complexity of the work. Overall I did enjoy this book, as it serves as a launching point into the rest of the massive Malazan Book of the Fallen series, but this beauty is not without its warts.
Why you should read it: the prose (you see what I did there?)
Steven Erikson is an incredible writer. His prose is excellent. His incredible use of language comes across as very poetic, which is rather surprising for such a grimdark work.
The “world” that he (and his co-creator Ian) has created a stunningly deep world. Yes, stunningly. It is rich with its many races, cultures, gods, and its magic system are pretty impressive. As you read it, you really feel like you are exploring a world that has indeed existed for thousands of years.
Erikson is very imaginative using many traditional fantasy ideas and concepts and twisting them into his own machinations. There are dragons, wizards, assassins, and demons all in their own Malazan style.
This book is just the launching point into a massive series of 10 books! That is not to mention the 6 other books that Ian Cameron Esslemont has written in the same world, which are apparently now considered as significant as the original Malazan series. There are also 5 novellas set in the world. All in all, if you enjoy Erikson’s work, then you have plenty of it to consume!
What you need to consider before you jump in: the cons.
Wow, this is the most difficult read I have ever had. The book is overwhelmingly complex because there is simply too much going on, and it does not ease you into it. At times there are so many names, it felt like I was reading the Messiah’s genealogy straight out of the Bible. Goodness, there are so many freakin’ storylines that are going on at the same time, that you can pretty much expect to be confused for at least the first half of the book. I have talked with many other readers, and they have all said the same thing about this book. If you are going to dive in, just understand that this confusion is inevitable and it is just a price you are going to have to pay. I honestly think that the author could have eased into these storylines better, but Mr. Erikson will not be holding anyone’s hands in these books.
Beyond the complexity issue, one of the larger complaints that you will see many readers echo is about the lack of diversity in the characterization throughout the book. You will undoubtedly find reviews that say the characters are too flat. I have to agree. It seems that far too many of the characters just seem…interchangeable. Yes some have tremendous and intriguing powers and talents, but their personalities are annoyingly alike. It seems that everyone in this book is angry, sullen, and either completely hopeless or convinced they can slay gods.
This I think is a major factor in the often lousy dialogue. Why do I criticize it that way? Well, it feels that the dialogue is not very dynamic. It feels as if every decision and bit of dialogue is already pre-determined. Debates and attempts at persuasion rarely happen because the characters just “know” that the other person won’t agree with them, or change their mind, etc. etc. This really makes certain bits of the dialogue just feel like cheap thriller. I can’t count how many times an important piece of information was withheld, simply because,” sharing it wouldn’t have mattered anyways.”
Overall, I think most of the characters are generally unlikeable too. Now this is probably just my opinion, but overall I think out of the dozens of characters you encounter in the whole story, I probably only actually liked maybe five? Tattersail, Kruppe, Ralick Nom, Quickben, and Annomander Rake. I honestly would have been fine if just about every other character in the book would have been disposed of, because I had no emotional attachment whatsoever. Honestly even out of those five, only Kruppe and Rake have really intrigued me. In contrast, those two characters are incredibly well done.
For such a detailed, deep book, there are some extremely contrived moments, shattering my suspension of disbelief. It really comes back to the lack of depth in the characters themselves. Examples of this are Peren’s love for Tattersail, which developed over what 1 page? Also his fierce loyalty and his desire to protect WhiskeyJack, at the cost of his own life? He doesn’t even know Whiskeyjack, come ‘on man! These DEEP relationships (mainly for Peren) are lame and unfortunately it cheapens what the author is trying to establish.
I also felt that the book had a great climax, but the overall ending was too abrupt, considering everything that we went through just to get to that point. It seemed like it was rushed and lacked resolution. However, there are 9 more books in the series, so this complaint may not be justified.
My last complaint is completely a personal issue that a lot of readers probably won’t face, but the book simply delves into occult things too much for my liking. While I have no problem with the various gods and the magic concepts that are used throughout, I didn’t care for how closely they resemble the actual occult. The “tarot” readings and the possessions seemed a little too real, if that makes any sense.
In Conclusion
While the cons do outnumber the prose (I did it again!), the book has tremendous depth and creativity throughout, and you can see that you have just embarked on a huuuuge journey. But if you want to enjoy what is to come, you must be prepared to push through a book that isn’t always fun to read. However, I do believe that it will be worth it in the end. Only time will tell.
The beginning of the best fantasy series of all time.
This is the beginning of my all time favorite series: The Malazan Book of the Fallen. Well worth the read and, if you are brave enough, the opening salvo of a 10 novel war on your imagination.
you have to hit the ground running. a challenge but sooo worth it
This series is intricate and long and rather complicated but oh man, it is worth it. It has two of my top 5 favorite protagonists: Karsa Orlong and Tehol Beddict. I’ve read the first 4 books twice and the rest once. I think I’d need a solid 3 or 4 reads of the series to truly follow every thread of every story arc, but I would love the adventure of it.
Took me a while to get into Gardens of the Moon because I’m not a huge military fantasy fan, but I was irrevocably drawn in once Erikson introduced the tarot-like Deck of Dragons. Darujhistan and the surrounding lands are fascinating settings, the characters are clever (hello Quick Ben and Kruppe), and nothing is handed to the reader. You’ll want to give it your full attention (this is why the sequel has sat unread in my bag for the last few months), but it’s fun, and sweeping, and original. Plus, it’s born of a game of D&D, so that’s neat.
Reading this book, you get a real sense of wonder and the incredible world Erikson created. Which is exactly what you want from an epic fantasy. You can really get lost in this one.