Book Review – Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson

Premise

The brutal conclusion to the siege of Pale is anything but a triumph, for the Malazan Empire is sweeping the land, ready to plant their flag on foreign soil. But war is never easy, and the opposition have formed rather strong alliances, constantly keeping the Empire on its toes. When Laseen, the Empress, sets her eyes on the last Free City still standing on the continent of Genabackis, there are going to be big repercussions, and there is going to be chaos all around. But capturing Darujhistan, the city of all cities, is proving to be quite complicated for the Empire, for gods themselves have now entered the mortal realm to play their hand in this ever changing, twisted, and highly dangerous game… and the stakes are ever increasing.

Overview

Name – Gardens of the Moon [#1 of the ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ series]

Author – Steven Erikson

Genre – Epic Fantasy/High Fantasy/Action/Adventure (often also categorized under ‘Military Fantasy’)

First Published – 1 April, 1999 by Bantam

This Edition published [featured image] – 12 February, 2008 by Bantam (MMPB; Special Edition)

Cover Rating – 8/10 (pretty good!); cover art by Steve Stone

Chapters – 24 (divided into 7 sub-books; plus, a Prologue and an Epilogue)

Pages – 768 (all inclusive)

Review

NON-Spoiler section

Gardens of the Moon. For veterans of the Malazan fandom, this book is the start of the journey of a lifetime. The debut novel by Canadian author Steven Erikson marks the onset of the first chapter of the Malazan universe, and although widely considered by readers and critics alike as quite complex and a bit confusing, Gardens of the Moon is still regarded as a solid laying-of-the-foundation opening to what is considered to be one of the best series in the fantasy genre.

So, what is this Malazan universe? Well, ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ (completed; 10 books) is just one of the series set in the Malazan world, with Gardens of the Moon (GOTM) being the first entry of the same. Another series is that of ‘Novels of the Malazan Empire’ (completed; 6 books) by Ian C. Esslemont, another Canadian author and Erikson’s “partner-in-crime”. Together, these two series are labelled as the “core” series. Apart from these, there are two prequel series – ‘The Kharkanas Trilogy’ (book 3 still to be published) by Erikson and ‘Path to Ascendancy’ (4 books out; likely more to come in the future) by Esslemont. There is also a sequel series named ‘The Witness Trilogy’ (only book 1 published so far) by Erikson. To top it all off, there are also a series of novellas titled ‘The Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach’ by Erikson.

And breathe! What was that? Not enough you say? Well, speak for yourselves if you think that’s the case for one of the biggest fantasy series of all time when it comes to word count! And it’s not done yet!

Alright, since the start of 2023, I was very well introduced to the Malazan world by various means – YouTube, online articles and websites, fan art, the r/Malazan subreddit, etc. to name the main ones. All these aforementioned factors greatly piqued my interest in the series, and ultimately led me to start the journey for myself. For a more detailed look into my personal experience before starting the read, check out – The ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ by Steven Erikson – An introduction by a first-time reader.

Now, the edition that I bought was a special edition which had an introduction/preface by the author himself, and I was glad about reading that before getting into the actual plot. I would suggest that new readers should go through the preface before starting the series. Check out my views and opinions on the same, as I try to break down the best parts of the preface, and why one should read it – Preface to ‘Gardens of the Moon’ by Steven Erikson – A breakdown + why you should read it.

But before getting to the actual plot, there are a few things to mention. Firstly, there’s the ‘Dramatis Personae’… with all of its 92 characters (yes, you read that right; there’s no shortage of characters in this one!). Secondly, the maps, which are actually pretty awesome if you ask me (I absolutely love me some maps! An excellent job done by Neil Gower). And finally, at the end of the book, there’s the glossary (you better be ready to flip back and forth!). I personally went through all three of them before starting the plot, which actually helped me. You could also not go through them at all initially, and have a look them after finishing the book. But I would not suggest to skip any of them completely.

OK then. Strap your boots and take a deep breath… cuz we are about to embark on an adventure quite unlike any other…

The book opens with a chapter containing a series of major events that will ultimately set in motion the things to come. The next chapter is possibly the best second chapter you will ever read in fantasy (I’m being serious here). A battle which usually comes towards the end of a book, is thrown right at the very start!

Right then, what is happening exactly you ask? Well, if that’s the question you have, then worry not as you’re not alone. Steven Erikson quite literally throws the reader straight into the deep end of the plot, right at the very start of the book. But that’s the beauty, and the uniqueness of it.

So, here’s the plot in brief –

The Malazan Empire is ever expanding, and is currently on hand to take over the continent of Genabackis. After taking control of the northern part and most of the Free Cities along with it, the Empire has only two cities left to takeover. One of them is Pale, while the other is Darujhistan.

Pale, after three years of siege, is finally captured after a bloody confrontation with the most powerful enemy of the Empire. But something is in the air (quite literally; a floating fortress of a mountain that is) … the feeling that all this was just the beginning to something far bigger.

As Laseen, the Empress, turns her eyes to the “jewel in the crown” of Genabackis – Darujhistan, things are about to take a turn… a massive turn. Mortals aren’t the only ones playing this wicked game as gods are making their way to enter the fray, “meddling” with the humans, and bringing about chaos everywhere (quite literally again!).

The Bridgeburners, an elite unit of the Malazan Army, led by Sergeant Whiskeyjack (how cool is that name though?) are right in the thick of things, seemingly being hunted by someone from the Empire itself. Captain Ganoes Paran, a noble-born, who wanted to be a soldier, a hero, is now questioning the motives of the Empire, and his life is about to take a turn for the worse… (or is it really?). Tattersail, a wizard in the Second Army, having fought and survived the siege of Pale, can see the oncoming dangers facing herself and everyone else involved, but there seems to be no way out. The gods have decided to enter the game, and the whole equation is about to change.

Darujhistan, on the other hand, is not bereft of problems of its own. There seems to be an assassin war going on, with no rooftop being safe. The decision makers, the politicians, are trying to figure out how to avoid the fate similar to that of Pale… but are they doing it for the city and its people, or for themselves? Crokus, a young thief, whose life was pretty normal up to this point, is about to become part of something much larger than he could have ever dreamt of. Rallick Nom, an expert assassin, has a much bigger role to play, and his life of a killer is about to take a sharp turn. Kruppe, a short, fat man who pretty much always thinks about his stomach more than anything else, is anything but a pawn in this game. And as they say, looks can be deceiving… very deceiving indeed.

The Phoenix Inn is the only place in Darujhistan where there is place for some respite it seems. For a big floating mountain with a very powerful Lord hovering above your heads is nothing to be celebrated. And even as the people prepare to welcome the turn of the year, there are sure to be fireworks in more ways than one as multiple forces are fast approaching the city… from all directions and all dimensions, both living and dead, mortal and immortal, human and non-humans alike are readying for a game… a game that is about to change the world as we know it.

What really impressed me the most?

• The plot was really impressive! I absolutely enjoyed it. The pages just kept turning, with me curious to know what was going to happen!
• The characters were just plain awesome (I think pretty much everyone is under my favorite characters’ list! Oh, and Kruppe has his own tier list completely, without any doubt).
• The lore and the world building were both well done in my opinion. It can get overwhelming, yes. But it’s impressive in the way it was put forth, that’s for sure.
• The prose was beautiful in many parts of the book.
• The quotes/dialogues were pretty good too!
• Some of the scenes and moments were just too good as well. The battle sequences were also very well depicted.
• The whole setting of Darujhistan was very well written, with a sense of mystery and magic about it all.
• The ending was very much satisfactory (albeit a “little” bit confusing), paving the way for the future books, and the plotline to carry on nicely.

What could have been better?

• Although the prose was beautiful, the writing was confusing in some ways at times, especially towards the end, and certain parts needed reading twice (even thrice) to get the full gist.
• The plot, the characters, and the lore being constantly thrown at the readers at every chapter can be a bit overwhelming at times.
• Some of the arcs could have been done a bit better in my opinion, and seemed a little underwhelming.

Now, usually, I would have a section titled “Standout quotes/dialogues” right about here. But trust me, the space is not enough for that! (the conversation between Tool and Lorn about futility comes to mind; and pretty much everything containing Kruppe too!). Same goes with the “awesome scenes/moments”, “the characters”, and “the lore” as well. I’ve personally tried doing it on a couple of occasions (compiling it in a recap form, trying to capture all the places, characters, the lore, and stuff like that), but have failed to say the least. Not recommended for a first-time reader in my honest opinion. Have learnt it the hard way, so as to speak. Better to just go with the flow, and enjoy the journey as a first-time reader, rather than taking notes and trying to figure everything out for yourselves.

Alright, so before picking up the book, there were some things which were said about it, and the series in general, throughout the internet. After having read it myself now, here’s what I think about the same –

• The series is complex and confusing – It is complex, and it is confusing. But I think this was blown way out of proportion. For an average reader like me, I found it very enjoyable and interesting. So, don’t worry about understanding everything. Just pick it up, read along, and go with the flow.
• There are too many characters – Agreed. But let me tell you one thing very honestly. You won’t feel that a character is similar to the other in any way. Not one. The author has done an incredible job with this. Kudos to him really. At the end of the book, you will fall in love with pretty much every character!
• The writing is difficult to pick up – Agreed, again. But only some parts of it. The rest is very smooth sailing. You have to remember that this was written way before it was originally published, that too for a script initially. Again, blown out of proportion this one.

Finally, I would say just pick up the book, read it, and then decide for yourselves. If I would have gone with some of the views of people online (not in a negative way), I wouldn’t even have had a look at the series in the first place. But now, I’m very much glad that I have managed to read through the first novel. Hence, I would strongly suggest you give it a try, then be the judge yourselves.

Final thoughts

Loved it! Honestly, I would suggest you just go for it. With components like thieves, assassins, wizards, monsters, armies, a ton of magic, some great battle sequences, some very powerful people not to be messed with, gods themselves, and the mortal humans in between, it has pretty much everything what the doctor ordered when it comes to epic fantasy. All this was right down my alley so as to say, and that’s what got me excited about the same. If it’s even remotely close to your liking, I would say (again) to just pick it up, and enjoy the ride! Definitely the start to something EPIC for sure!

Rating: – 9/10 (Enjoyed it to the fullest!)

“A fantastic introduction to the series, and although can prove to be a bit of a challenge at first, is very rewarding by the end. Fast-paced, action-packed, and funny at the right places, it combines pretty much all of the fantasy elements in a great way. With amazing characters and a rich lore, this opening chapter to the epic, high fantasy series is definitely one to experience for yourselves. I would surely recommend that you give it a shot!”

Major Spoilers ahead!

Note: – Before proceeding further, I would sincerely request you to first read the original work, even if it minutely matches your interest in the genre. I do not want to take away the experience of a first-time reader whatsoever (I’ve had some bitter experiences with spoilers with this very series, so). Once again, I request you to have a breather, stop right here if you haven’t read GOTM yet, and proceed to pick it up first before going ahead.

Having said that, if you have completed GOTM anytime in the past at least once… you have my respect! Here’s some of my views, opinions, and thoughts about some of the stuff… spoilers included, of course!

Characters, Places, and Moments from ‘Gardens of the Moon’

Thoughts on the characters

Favorites

Having close to 100 characters and then choosing your favorites could either be really easy or could be really tough. It’s the latter in this case. Like honestly… the characters are so well written! There weren’t any which I hated/disliked really. Anyways, here’s my top picks (in no particular order) –

• Kruppe – Not even debatable. I was honestly surprised by the fact that he himself being the Eel was revealed in the very first book! Mind you, I wasn’t shocked at all by the reveal itself, cuz one of the fan arts had spoiled this for me, and I was gutted at the time (in a way, after completing the read, I felt glad and relieved in a sense). But Kruppe’s character though… definitely very, very interesting! Hoping there’s a lot more to come!
• Anomander Rake – Talk about a cool name for starters! He is just too OP! Definitely lived up to the hype. I’d even say surpassed it in a way.
• Toc the Younger – Just loved the character in general (I’m hoping he’s not dead though; doesn’t seem like it, was just pulled into the warren and what not. But if that’s his last, I would be disappointed).
• Hairlock – Loved the dangerous, chaotic (literally) touch to him. But looks like he’s gone for good.
• Topper – A cool character, and definitely likable. Would love to see more from him for sure.
• Crone – She can’t be disliked, surely?
• Tool – No haters. I can almost guarantee. Loved him!
• Baruk – Loved the character really!
• Pretty much all of the Phoenix Inn regulars – Rallick Nom, Murrilo, Coll (who definitely knows more than he is letting on), Meese, Irilta, even Scurve and Sulty. This place was it! Loved the setting and the vibe around it.
• All the Bridgeburners – Was there any doubt? Whiskejack, Kalam, Quick Ben, Hedge, Mallet, Trotts, Fiddler – all awesome! Even Picker and Antsy seem very interesting characters!

Others

• Dujek – A very respectable character to say the least! Hoping he has a major role to play still.
• Tayschrenn – Definitely not someone you would like. But will be interesting to see what part he plays in the matter of things to come.
• Circle Breaker – Not a lengthy role as such, but a major one nonetheless. Would like to see more! Not to mention to actually get to know the character more as well.
• Caladan Brood – A cool name, yet again! Was disappointed at how much less of a role he had. Definitely seems very intimidating to say the least. Hoping to see a lot more.
• Tattersail – Seems like pretty much everyone loves her! The way her arc just took a turn was definitely surprising as well.
• Lorn – A pretty good character, but I was surprised that she was killed off at the end. Thought she would have a bigger role to play.
• Ganoes Paran – I mean he’s probably one of the main casts by what I could tell. And although I very much liked him, his overall development seemed a little rushed. From a normal, mortal human being to almost God-like (again, can’t really blame him, but it seemed a bit too much for me personally). Again, would love to see how he gets developed in the future.
• Crokus – Don’t get me wrong, I like the guy. But his character was a bit too immature at times (can’t really blame him though). Will be interesting to see how he develops.
• Raest – A little disappointed that there wasn’t more to him really.
• All of the Sixth Blade – Again, a pretty minor role, but would love to see more of them. Each of them seems cool (and pretty powerful as well!).
• Laseen – Would have loved to see more of her, especially her own POV (and of the Empire’s in general) on what and how things were going on throughout the whole novel with certain major events.

Thoughts on the places

• Pale – Although no too much of the plot takes place here, but it was still very well presented in my opinion.
• Darujhistan – Well, for me personally, I just can’t get enough of the city! Very, very well written and visualized by Erikson. And the majority of the plot taking place here was just cherry on top of the cake. The various plotlines going on, the numerous characters themselves, the politics of it all, and the city as a whole was just really exciting to read about. Not a single part that I can remember of was slow/dragging on at any point. Can’t wait to get back to the city and its people, especially with what’s going on around on the continent itself.
• Blackdog Forest – Was a bit of a letdown that only a small part of it was present. Hoping that there’s more to come from Caladan Brood, the Prince, and the Crimson Guard in the future.
• Itko Kan – Definitely an interesting place, of course highlighted due to the massacre at the start.
• Unta – Not much present at all. But would love to read about it in detail later on for sure.

Thoughts on some scenes/moments

• The Itko Kan Massacre; carnage; pretty much sets up what’s about to come.
• The Siege of Pale; speechless; so early in the book as well. Brutal to say the least. Humans just getting bodied… no match for anything more than just a “normal human”.
• The scene where the Bridgeburners have conversation with Tattersail at her quarters about Hairlock towards the start of the book; exciting, mysterious, and a kinda wholesome scene really; got to see the start of the bonding between the characters.
• The supper/dinner scene between Tattersail, Tayschrenn, Toc the Younger, Dujek, and Lorn. Very well written; long as well; just before that Lorn and Dujek had discussed about tactics and what not in detail; and here, there’s tension in the air between Lorn and Tattersail about the past with what happened in the Mouse Quarter at the very start – the Prologue; there’s also the discussion of why and what happened recently, and what’s next. Loved the scene.
• The duo of Quick Ben and Kalam on the rooftops of Darujhistan. Exciting and thrilling!
• All scenes including Kruppe were pretty much interesting to say the least! He is definitely somebody who has much more to offer than what meets the eye.
• The whole of Rhivi Plain scenes constantly switching between various plotlines going on at simultaneous times was fun and exciting to read.
• The fight between Raest and Silanah plus other dragons was a bit short for me, and could have been bit more epic in a way.
• The duel between Rallick Nom and Turban Orr pretty much got over under a minute. Again, could have had a bit more to it.
• Also, the last fight between Rake’s dragon form and the Demon Lord could have been a bit lengthier. But it was still pretty good.
• Scenes between Crokus and Sorry/Apsalar were kinda cute (just kinda).
• Finally, I’m still not completely sure what happened towards the end with the whole Finnest thing-the Paran and Tool vs Raest thing-plus Rallick Nom and the Azoth House stuff. The writing didn’t help as well, especially towards the second half of the book. But it was certainly a fun read nonetheless.

And well, that’s pretty much it! Honestly, I enjoyed the book… loved it rather. Of course, it wasn’t perfect, but it was still very, very good in my personal opinion. Can’t wait to continue and dive deeper into this wonderful, amazing, very much interesting, and equally intriguing world!