Steven Erikson is the pseudonym of Steve Rune Lundin, a Canadian novelist, who was educated and trained as both an archaeologist and anthropologist. His best-known work is the series, the Malazan Book of the Fallen.
In the vast dominion of Seven Cities, in the Holy Desert Raraku, the seer Sha’ik and her followers prepare for the long-prophesied uprising known as the Whirlwind. Unprecedented in size and savagery, this maelstrom of fanaticism and bloodlust will embroil the Malazan Empire in one of the bloodiest conflicts it has ever known, shaping destinies and giving birth to legends.
The story begins where the first book “Gardens of the Moon” ends, even if I honestly don’t remember anything about that book. Maybe that’s why I didn’t like it that much. The empire is collapsing, a prophesied rebellion is about to break loose on Seven Cities, and the empire is about to fall. At the head of the Empress’s forces is Coltaine, a Wickan of the Raven Clan. His task is to defend the people of Malazan settled in Seven Cities.
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 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.
About the book
I haven’t read a lot of Fantasy in the last few years, in fact maybe in my whole life, but I would like to start reading more. At home, I only have The Chronicles of Ice and Fire dated 2002 (the first time I read it) and frankly I don’t want to read it for the third time since I will have to read it again when the sixth book (maybe never) will be published; the Avalon saga, also already read but it didn’t thrill me that much; The Sword of Shannara of which I have only one book and the Malazan Book of the Fallen saga of which I have two. So for continuity I decided to reread Gardens of the Moon. Yes reread because I have already read it. And you may ask, why do you read it again if you have already read it? Because in the heat of finding a saga similar to The Chronicles of Ice and Fire, in 2010 I bought the first two books of the saga (and because as usual, there were discounts) and I immediately read the first one. But, and this is why I stopped reading fantasy, I didn’t like it at all. I was looking for something epic like Martin’s books, but alas I didn’t find it.
Deadhouse Gates
