Now these ashes have grown cold, we open the old book. These oil stained pages recount the tales of the Fallen, a frayed empire, words without warmth. The hearth has ebbed, its gleam and life's sparks are but memories against dimming eyes - what cast my mind, what hue my thoughts as I open The Book of the Fallen and breathe deep the scent of history? Listen then, to these words carried on that breath. These tales are the tales of us all, again yet again. We are history relived and that is all, without end that is all.
Today's post is going to be a little bit big and it will be a bit special because it will be something like an iniciation to Malaz because is a series which can be a little difficult to get into. The series of this universe can be said that are my favourite of all the fantasy literature I have read so far, with the Malazan Book of the Fallen being mu top 1. The post is going to be clasify more or less like this:
-Introduction
-Series divided in novels
-Order of reading
Explanation of some especific terms and races.
Introduction
The Malazan world was originally created by Erikson and Esslemont in 1982 as a backdrop for a role-playing game using a modified version of the Dungeons & Dragons rule set. By 1986 the Malazan world had developed to a world approaching that found in the novels.
The series narrates a period of time in which we are told the adventures experienced by many and different characters in different continents of the world of Wu, as Lether or parts of the empire of Malaz. Unlike other fantasy series, which divide the main story into some volumes, Erikson and Esslemont write several books with their own story, and with several subplots, that are themselves parts or subplots of a greater story.
Series
We could divide Malaz in 4 series for the time being because there are some that are still unwritten, some are bigger that the others or are not complete yet, but despite this they will have their part. I have to say that I'm not going to talk about all the books because it will be too long, so I will make some post for each one of the books, except the novellas that will be all in the same post.
The Malazan Book of the Fallen is Written by Steven Erikson, it's composed by 10 novels. This series is not easy to read, so if you, readers of this blog, are looking for what I call a "beach book", I recommend that you do not begin to read it because Erikson has sometimes a difficult prose, which can make fall in love or cause terrible disgust to the reader because of the complexity of the plot and the enormous amount of characters that appear in the novels, and in the first book, Erikson kicks us out without explanation to an unknown world of which we know nothing. Because there is "few" people(really a lot indeed but I want to expand this series to more people) I'm going to make some sort of "guide" for help the people who don't know if they will like the series or don't understand it at the beginning.
The novels that compose this series are: "The Gardens of the Moon", "Deadhouse Gates", "Memories of Ice", "House of Chains", "Midnight Tides", "The Bonehunters", "The Reaper's Gale", "Toll the Hounds", "Dust of Dreams" and "The Crippled God".
Malaz, The Empire is the series written by Ian C. Esslemont, it is composed by 6 novels that are mainly about the Malazan Empire but that also complement and close the time period of the Book of the Fallen series. Some of the novel of this series take place at the same time as some of the first series.
The books that compose this series are: "The Night of the Knives", " The Return of the Crimson Guard", "Stonewielder", "Orb, Sceptre, Throne", "Blood and Bone" and "Assail".
The Kharkanas Trilogy is being written by Erikson and take place many years before the events of the main two series.
The books that compose this trilogy are: "Forge of Darkness", "Fall of Light" and "Walk in Shadows".
The series of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach is compose by several novelles that are written by Steven Erikson, they take place at the same time as the 2 first series.
The novellas that compose this series are: "Blood Follows", "The Healthy Dead", "The Lees of Laughter's End", "Crack'd Pot Trail" and " The Wurms of Blearmouth".
When Erikson finishes writing the Kharkanas Trilogy he plans to write the Toblakai Trilogy that takes place after the events of the Book of the Fallen and the Empire. Esslemont plans to write some novels about characters of the malazan empire in the time previous to the events in the main series.
Reading order.
The first is the basic, which is in order of publication, Erikson's novels first and then Esslemont's. This makes spoilers on The Novels of the Malazan Empire.
In chronological order of dates as they appear in novels.
According to the order I would use while re-reading or recommending the series to friends and without spoilers between the series. It also contains the short novels and the trilogy set in Kharkanas.
-Introduction
-Series divided in novels
-Order of reading
Explanation of some especific terms and races.
Introduction
The Malazan world was originally created by Erikson and Esslemont in 1982 as a backdrop for a role-playing game using a modified version of the Dungeons & Dragons rule set. By 1986 the Malazan world had developed to a world approaching that found in the novels.
The series narrates a period of time in which we are told the adventures experienced by many and different characters in different continents of the world of Wu, as Lether or parts of the empire of Malaz. Unlike other fantasy series, which divide the main story into some volumes, Erikson and Esslemont write several books with their own story, and with several subplots, that are themselves parts or subplots of a greater story.
Series
We could divide Malaz in 4 series for the time being because there are some that are still unwritten, some are bigger that the others or are not complete yet, but despite this they will have their part. I have to say that I'm not going to talk about all the books because it will be too long, so I will make some post for each one of the books, except the novellas that will be all in the same post.
The Malazan Book of the Fallen is Written by Steven Erikson, it's composed by 10 novels. This series is not easy to read, so if you, readers of this blog, are looking for what I call a "beach book", I recommend that you do not begin to read it because Erikson has sometimes a difficult prose, which can make fall in love or cause terrible disgust to the reader because of the complexity of the plot and the enormous amount of characters that appear in the novels, and in the first book, Erikson kicks us out without explanation to an unknown world of which we know nothing. Because there is "few" people(really a lot indeed but I want to expand this series to more people) I'm going to make some sort of "guide" for help the people who don't know if they will like the series or don't understand it at the beginning.
The novels that compose this series are: "The Gardens of the Moon", "Deadhouse Gates", "Memories of Ice", "House of Chains", "Midnight Tides", "The Bonehunters", "The Reaper's Gale", "Toll the Hounds", "Dust of Dreams" and "The Crippled God".
Malaz, The Empire is the series written by Ian C. Esslemont, it is composed by 6 novels that are mainly about the Malazan Empire but that also complement and close the time period of the Book of the Fallen series. Some of the novel of this series take place at the same time as some of the first series.
The books that compose this series are: "The Night of the Knives", " The Return of the Crimson Guard", "Stonewielder", "Orb, Sceptre, Throne", "Blood and Bone" and "Assail".
The Kharkanas Trilogy is being written by Erikson and take place many years before the events of the main two series.
The books that compose this trilogy are: "Forge of Darkness", "Fall of Light" and "Walk in Shadows".
The series of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach is compose by several novelles that are written by Steven Erikson, they take place at the same time as the 2 first series.
The novellas that compose this series are: "Blood Follows", "The Healthy Dead", "The Lees of Laughter's End", "Crack'd Pot Trail" and " The Wurms of Blearmouth".
When Erikson finishes writing the Kharkanas Trilogy he plans to write the Toblakai Trilogy that takes place after the events of the Book of the Fallen and the Empire. Esslemont plans to write some novels about characters of the malazan empire in the time previous to the events in the main series.
Reading order.
The first is the basic, which is in order of publication, Erikson's novels first and then Esslemont's. This makes spoilers on The Novels of the Malazan Empire.
In chronological order of dates as they appear in novels.
- Night of Knives
- Midnight Tides
- The Gardens of the Moon
- Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice
- The House of Chains
- The Bonehunters
- The Return of the Crimson Guard
- Reaper's Gale
- Toll the Hounds and Dust of Dreams
- Stonewielder
- The Crippled God
- Blood and Bone
- Assail
According to the order I would use while re-reading or recommending the series to friends and without spoilers between the series. It also contains the short novels and the trilogy set in Kharkanas.
- The Gardens of the Moon // Midnight Tides
- Night of Knives // Memories of Ice
- Deadhouse Gates
- Blood Follows (Short Story)
- Thee Lees of Laughter's End (Novel Short)
- The Wurms of Blearmouth (Short Story)
- Memories of Ice // Night of Knives
- The Healthy Death (Short Story)
- Crack'd Pot Trail (Short Story)
- The House of Chains
- Midnight Tides
- The Bonehunters
- Reaper's Gale
- The Return of the Crimson Guard
- Toll the Hounds
- Dust of Dreams
- Stonewielder
- Orb, Sceptre, Throne
- The Crippled God
- Blood and Bone
- Assail
- Forge of Darkness
- Fall of Light
- Walk in Shadow
The two last books of the list are not written yet so don't come here saying something like 'Hey Viajero I can't find these two books' well dude I have already said that.
Details to know in the first read
The magic is centered around the warrens, or the holds that are the source of power of the magicians.
Warrens are the realms from which mages, priests, shamans, and those species who may all use magic draw their power, while the warrens allow refined use of magic, the holds produce a purer and raw power. The warrens are divided into Elder warrens and "human" warrens, this is because the elder's are used by elder or founding races and the "human" Warren are used by humans. The warrens are:
ancestral warrens
Ahkrast Korvalain - Warren of the Assail Forkrul .
Chaos - Primordial Warrens.
Denaeth Rusen - Ancestral Warren of the seas, the Warren of Mael .
Kaschan - The Warren of the K'Chain Che'Malle, "Born of sounds beyond our hearing."
The magic is centered around the warrens, or the holds that are the source of power of the magicians.
Warrens are the realms from which mages, priests, shamans, and those species who may all use magic draw their power, while the warrens allow refined use of magic, the holds produce a purer and raw power. The warrens are divided into Elder warrens and "human" warrens, this is because the elder's are used by elder or founding races and the "human" Warren are used by humans. The warrens are:
ancestral warrens
Ahkrast Korvalain - Warren of the Assail Forkrul .
Chaos - Primordial Warrens.
Denaeth Rusen - Ancestral Warren of the seas, the Warren of Mael .
Kaschan - The Warren of the K'Chain Che'Malle, "Born of sounds beyond our hearing."
Kurald Galain - The Warren of the dark, Warren of the Andii Tiste .
Kurald Liosan / Kurald Thyrllan - Warren of Light, the Warren of Liosan Tiste .
Kurald Emurlahn - Warren of Shadow, Warren of the Edur Tiste
Omtose Phellack - Ice Warren, the Warren of Jaghut
Starvald Demelain - The Warren of Tiam, the First Warren, the Warren of the dragons.
Tellann - Fire Warren, the Warren of T'lan Imass.
Human Warren
Aral Gamelain - The Warren of the Demons.
Denul - The Warren of Healing.
D' riss - The Warren of the Rock.
Warren of Fener , bordering the Chaos itself.
Warren of Hood - The path of Death.
Imperial Warren.
Meanas - The Warren of Shadow and Illusion.
Mockra - The Warren of Mind.
Rashan - The Warren of Darkness.
Ruse - The Warren of the Sea
Serc - The Warren of Heaven.
Telas - The Warren of fire - Child of Tellan.
Tennes - The Warren of the Earth.
Thyr - The Warren of Light.
other
Barghast Warren, or Forgotten Warren.
Thelomen Toblakai Warren.
Ascendants
In the series Ascendants are usually mentioned, you may ask yourself 'What in the fucking hell are these guys?' or something like that. Ascendants are very powerfull individuals who have trascended death and with enough mortal followers can reach godhood. They are immortal but not invincible because they could be killed as mortals. They also can use magic even if they could not use it before the ascension.
Soletaken and D'ivers
Soletaken are a order of shape-shifters born from a ritual. The change into their soletaken form is called "Veer" and the change from the Soletaken form to the normal one is called "Sembling".
D'ivers are a order of shape-shifters superior to the Soletakens. D'ivers can veer into many entities at the same time so if a soletaken can veer into a wolf a D'iver can veer into many wolves.
Races
There are a number of human races, humanoid and non-humanoid in the world of Malaz , these are: Aptorians, Artorallahns, Azalans, Azathanai, Barghast, Eleint, Eres, Faraed, Fenn, Fent, Frokrul Assail, Human(Rhivi, Daru, Genabarii, Gadrobi, Korhivi, Seguleh, Dal Honese, Faraed, Gris, Nerek, Meckros, Napan, Nathii, Seti,Wickan and Seven Cities native), Imass, Jaghut, Jhag, Jheck, Jheleck, K'Chain Che'Malle, K 'Chain Nah'ruk, Kenryll'ah, Morantians, Shake, Sirinth, Stormriders , T'rolbarahl , Thel Akai , Thelomen Toblakai, Tiste Andii, Tiste Edur, Tiste Liosan, T'lan Imass and Trell.
Kurald Liosan / Kurald Thyrllan - Warren of Light, the Warren of Liosan Tiste .
Kurald Emurlahn - Warren of Shadow, Warren of the Edur Tiste
Omtose Phellack - Ice Warren, the Warren of Jaghut
Starvald Demelain - The Warren of Tiam, the First Warren, the Warren of the dragons.
Tellann - Fire Warren, the Warren of T'lan Imass.
Human Warren
Aral Gamelain - The Warren of the Demons.
Denul - The Warren of Healing.
D' riss - The Warren of the Rock.
Warren of Fener , bordering the Chaos itself.
Warren of Hood - The path of Death.
Imperial Warren.
Meanas - The Warren of Shadow and Illusion.
Mockra - The Warren of Mind.
Rashan - The Warren of Darkness.
Ruse - The Warren of the Sea
Serc - The Warren of Heaven.
Telas - The Warren of fire - Child of Tellan.
Tennes - The Warren of the Earth.
Thyr - The Warren of Light.
other
Barghast Warren, or Forgotten Warren.
Thelomen Toblakai Warren.
Ascendants
In the series Ascendants are usually mentioned, you may ask yourself 'What in the fucking hell are these guys?' or something like that. Ascendants are very powerfull individuals who have trascended death and with enough mortal followers can reach godhood. They are immortal but not invincible because they could be killed as mortals. They also can use magic even if they could not use it before the ascension.
Soletaken and D'ivers
Soletaken are a order of shape-shifters born from a ritual. The change into their soletaken form is called "Veer" and the change from the Soletaken form to the normal one is called "Sembling".
D'ivers are a order of shape-shifters superior to the Soletakens. D'ivers can veer into many entities at the same time so if a soletaken can veer into a wolf a D'iver can veer into many wolves.
Races
There are a number of human races, humanoid and non-humanoid in the world of Malaz , these are: Aptorians, Artorallahns, Azalans, Azathanai, Barghast, Eleint, Eres, Faraed, Fenn, Fent, Frokrul Assail, Human(Rhivi, Daru, Genabarii, Gadrobi, Korhivi, Seguleh, Dal Honese, Faraed, Gris, Nerek, Meckros, Napan, Nathii, Seti,Wickan and Seven Cities native), Imass, Jaghut, Jhag, Jheck, Jheleck, K'Chain Che'Malle, K 'Chain Nah'ruk, Kenryll'ah, Morantians, Shake, Sirinth, Stormriders , T'rolbarahl , Thel Akai , Thelomen Toblakai, Tiste Andii, Tiste Edur, Tiste Liosan, T'lan Imass and Trell.
For a conclusion I will write a list of my top malazan novels:
- Toll the Hounds
- Orb, Sceptre, Throne
- Memories of Ice
- The House of Chains
- The Bonehunters
- Deadhouse Gates
- The Crippled God
- The Return of the Crimson Guard
- The Gardens of the Moon
- Midnight Tides
- Assail
- Stonewielder
- Blood and Bone
- Dust of Dreams
- Reaper's Gale
- Night of Knives
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