Premise
Note: – I won’t be posting the premise of this novel as it contains some major spoilers. I would also strongly suggest that you stay away from the premises/back covers of pretty much all of the ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ novels (apart from maybe the first one – ‘Gardens of the Moon’), as there are some major, major spoilers present in them. I’ve been spoiled by doing just that, and I don’t want first-time readers to tread that same path whatsoever.
Overview
Name – House of Chains [#4 of the ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ series]
Author – Steven Erikson
Genre – Epic Fantasy/High Fantasy/Action/Adventure/Military Fantasy
First Published – 2002, by Bantam Press
This Edition [featured image] – 2003, by Bantam Books (MMPB)
Cover Rating – 8/10 (pretty good!); illustration by Steve Stone
Chapters – 26 (divided into 4 sub-books, plus a Prologue and an Epilogue)
Pages – 1,009 (excluding other pages)
Introduction
The term ‘Malazan’ has grown in usage significantly over the past few years. Be it the vast scope of the series, the detailed and intricate world building, the almost infinite number of character POVs, or the “complex/confusing” nature of it all. You name it, and the series pretty much has it. Or, as many of the veterans might put it – everything an epic fantasy should be. And as it gradually continues to reach the global audience even further, here’s a quick introduction as to what it’s all about (so that you don’t miss out!) –
The ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ [MBOTF] is an epic/high fantasy series (completed) consisting of 10 novels, written by Canadian author Steven Erikson.
Gardens of the Moon [GOTM] is the first novel in the series, followed by Deadhouse Gates [DG], and Memories of Ice [MOI]. ‘House of Chains’ [HOC] is the fourth entry, and acts as a direct sequel to DG (and NOT to MOI. Sounds a bit, uh, different, eh? Don’t worry. You’ll get the hang of it eventually).
But MBOTF is not the end of the ‘Malazan Universe’, so as to speak.
Another series (completed) – ‘Novels of the Malazan Empire’ [NOTME] consisting of 6 novels is also part of the universe, written by another Canadian author (and Erikson’s “partner-in-crime”) Ian C. Esslemont. Together, these two series (MBOTF and NOTME) are labelled as the “core” series.
Apart from these, there are two prequel series – ‘The Kharkanas Trilogy’ (2 books out; 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 titled ‘The Witness Trilogy’ (only book 1 published so far) by Erikson.
And to top it all off, there are also a series of novellas called ‘The Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach’ by Erikson.
And breathe!
So, the ‘Malazan Universe’ is set upon a total of 5 series (of which, 2 are completed) and a set of novellas, making it one of the biggest fantasy series out there. And the best part about it? There’s much more to Witness…
Since the start of 2023, I was introduced to Malazan by various means – YouTube, online articles/websites, fan art, the r/Malazan subreddit, etc. to name the main ones. All these factors greatly piqued my interest in the series, and ultimately led me to start the journey myself without any further delay. Trust me when I say that I was beyond hyped to get going as soon as I could! The only thing that held me back from picking up GOTM initially was the length/complexity of the series as a whole, and especially GOTM itself, given that it’s the first novel. But as I found out eventually (and so will you in the latter part of this review), that quite a few things were blown out of proportion, and I’m very much glad that I ended up picking it right away!
For a more detailed look into my personal experience before starting the series, check out – The ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ by Steven Erikson – An introduction by a first-time reader.
Now, before starting the series, I would highly recommend the first-time readers to go through the ‘Preface’ written by Steven Erikson, present at the start of the first novel of the series – ‘Gardens of the Moon’. The complete preface itself is totally FREE to read here. And as to why you should read it in the first place, check out my views and opinions about the same as I try to break down the important bits – Preface to ‘Gardens of the Moon’ by Steven Erikson – A breakdown + why you should read it.
But before we get started with the review, there are a few things which need to be mentioned –
Firstly, there’s the ‘Dramatis Personae’ (consisting of a lot of characters… a LOT). Present in all the four novels at the start, it lists out the characters who the reader will come across in their journey of the respective novels. Secondly, the maps. Again, present at the start of the novels, are actually pretty AWESOME if you ask me (I absolutely love me some good, well-drawn maps! An excellent job by Neil Gower). Not only superbly drawn, but the little intricate details are very well done too. And finally, at the end of the book, there’s the glossary (you better be ready to flip back and forth!), which is basically a quick rundown of the vast lore which the reader is about to be plunged into. All of these three are very much vital to the whole reading experience in my opinion. BUT… having said that, the ‘Dramatis Personae’ and the glossary do become a source of some major spoilers starting from ‘House of Chains’. Hence, I would suggest that you proceed with caution. The maps you need not worry about. So don’t forget to check them out.
Review
NO Spoilers
Note: – The MBOTF as a series, starting with HOC, gets to the point where pretty much anything and everything tends to be a spoiler of some sort. So, keeping that in mind (as I’ve myself fallen prey to some major spoilers by being “overenthusiastic” on a couple of occasions before even starting the series), I’ll NOT be mentioning anything from the plot as such, as I’ve done for the previous three novels. With that being said…
Before we get to HOC though, here’s a very quick rundown of my thoughts on the previous three novels –
To begin with, GOTM was a pretty good start to the series. And although it had its flaws, the novel was a very enjoyable read. It not only lays the foundation for the things to come (albeit in a “somewhat” confusing way), but also shows the massive amount of lore and world building slowly taking shape. I thoroughly enjoyed it! Although I’ll very much admit that it was confusing on several occasions, and the writing being a little difficult to pick up did not help the cause. But if you go in with mindset that not everything would be spoon-fed to you by the author, and that you’ll eventually start seeing the bigger picture, it will certainly turn out to be a very enjoyable first read.
Check out the review for GOTM – ‘Gardens of the Moon’ by Steven Erikson – Book Review.
DG, on the other hand, was not just any novel. It was an EXPERIENCE in itself. Much improved from its predecessor (especially writing wise), this novel stamps the authority as to why you, the reader (and the whole reading community in general) should take notice of the MBOTF as a series, and Erikson as an author. A truly UNREAL reading experience in every sense of the word. One of the best fantasy novels I’ve ever read. PERIOD. I was left quite literally speechless by the end. It was THAT good!
Check out the review for DG – ‘Deadhouse Gates’ by Steven Erikson – Book Review.
MOI was certainly on the same level as DG by all means… and that’s saying something! It was literally as good as DG, if not better. Action-packed, full of overflowing emotions, loads of tense, high-octane drama, etc. to name a few things. The last 150-200 pages were among the best, and the quickest that I’ve ever read in a novel. Again, like DG, it was just SO good!
Check out the review for MOI – ‘Memories of Ice’ by Steven Erikson – Book Review.
So then, did HOC keep up with its predecessors? Let’s find out, shall we, beginning with…
…the plot (not really) –
As mentioned before, HOC (4th novel) acts as a DIRECT SEQUEL to DG (2nd novel), and not to MOI (3rd novel). Let me try putting it in a better way –
GOTM (1st novel) takes place on a continent called Genabackis. And whilst it unfolds, there are certain events that are about to happen (like a rebellion in DG), or events that are simultaneously happening (like a holy war in MOI) that are mentioned as the plot for GOTM goes along. With me? Alright.
Now, DG takes place on a totally different continent (part of the same “world”) called Seven Cities, which is about to witness a rebellion (as mentioned in GOTM). Towards the end of GOTM, a few characters travel to Seven Cities and are a direct part of DG, whilst the others remain on Genabackis to handle a massive threat that is emerging… which ultimately takes us to what happens in MOI. Following so far? Good.
So… certain events in both DG and MOI are taking place pretty much simultaneously to each other, and even to HOC… but on different continents. GOTM and MOI on Genabackis. DG and HOC on Seven Cities. Hence, MOI acts as a direct sequel to GOTM, while HOC acts as a direct sequel to DG, following up directly after the events from their respective predecessor novels.
Does that make things a bit clearer? I hope so!
Alright. So, what really surprised me the most about HOC was the beginning of the novel, the whole of ‘Book 1’ to be very honest. It’s not only written in a different manner/perspective to the previous three, but almost felt like a totally new story in itself! (at this point, I shouldn’t be surprised by Erikson… but it definitely caught me off-guard). The start was a bit slow, and took its time to get going. I wasn’t fully onboard the train myself, up until maybe 25% of ‘Book 1’, after which the story kicks off massively… and doesn’t quite let go.
We are introduced to Karsa Orlong (Erikson can come up with some really cool names, huh?). A ruthless warrior, a fearsome leader, and someone who is hell-bent on overcoming pretty much anything and everything that stands between him and his destination… even if it means bringing about total and utter destruction of entire cities, and the gods themselves. Guided by power and bloodlust, he is about to undertake a journey quite unlike any other… and all you can do is nothing but WITNESS…
Picking up after DG, the continent of Seven Cities has come alive. War, betrayal, deaths… REVENGE. Following the events of the rebellion, the ‘Chain of Dogs’, and Sha’ik’s rise as the leader of the Apocalypse, things are starting to pick up pace… and chaos is but moments away. Tavore, the adjunct to the Empress of the Malazan Empire, has personally taken command of the fourteenth army in a bid to put a stop to Sha’ik and her army of the Apocalypse. But the former’s soldiers are nothing but mere recruits, with only a few veterans to accompany them. While the latter’s camp is in turmoil, with allies seemingly looking less and less so with every passing day. Can Tavore lead an inexperienced army against the ruthless veterans and warriors of Sha’ik’s own? And can Sha’ik trust her allies, her own people, to stand by her side in order to defeat the Malazans and free the land from the Empire’s claws that are desperate to conquer it?
Several characters continue their path from DG, while a few others are newly introduced for the very first-time. As we go along, the reader slowly starts to get the “bigger picture” of the series as a whole (although I’m pretty sure that there’s a whole heap of stuff yet to unfold down the line).
What was really enjoyable about it?
- Firstly, the characters were just so well written (Erikson does it yet again!). Be it the big players (Karsa Orlong, Sha’ik, Onrack, Trull, Tavore, Gamet, Topper, Leoman, Heboric, Kalam, Fiddler, etc.), or the minor ones (Torvald Nom, Keeper, Greyfrog, etc.). You will totally fall in love with most of them, or end up hating some of them like no other! (don’t you dare remind me about a certain someone named Bidithal…).
- The whole plotline of Tavore and the fourteenth was super fun and exciting to read. To be very honest, the whole “military fantasy” aspect of the series so far has not only been enjoyable, thrilling, action-packed, full of drama, and outright witty at the same time, but has also impressed me very, very much. Be it the tabletop meetings of high ranking officers discussing tactics, or some small conversation between some group of soldiers around a campfire. Erikson has written it all so very well… and I can’t seem to get enough of it!
- Chapter 25 was INSANE! It was crazy good, with constant POV changes, action, thrill, suspense, and some damn good writing. Pretty much the culmination of what started off in HOC with the very prologue, adding multiple plotlines and characters, while leading up to the “convergence” finally happening towards the end. It was super, super fun to read. The pages just flew by on that one!
- The ending was pretty good. Not quite perfect for me, but still very much satisfactory and also a little bit emotional at the same time. I thought Gamet’s perspective was very well written.
- Some characters elevate the story just by their mere presence. One such in HOC for me was Kalam. His solo adventures in both DG and now in HOC were just amazing! I just couldn’t peel my eyes off the pages when he was in action. One of my favorite characters in the entire series so far.
What wasn’t quite as much impressive?
- The start, especially ‘Book 1’, was a bit slow to get going (as mentioned earlier). I was finding it a little difficult to push through if I’m being honest. But once it does pick up, there was no looking back.
- There were several plotlines that just didn’t work for me personally (HOC’s being the most out of the four novels so far). Just to simply name them – Crokus + Apsalar; the whole Tiste Liosan angle; Mogora’s shenanigans; many parts of the Teblor gods where I just wasn’t feeling it at all; also some bits from the whole of Karsa’s journey were a bit “meh” too (and I enjoyed most of his parts!).
Now, usually I would have a section titled “standout quotes/dialogues” right about here for most of the reviews. But trust me, the space is not enough for that! And that’s true for all the four novels so far! Same goes with the “scenes/moments”, the “characters”, and the “lore” as well. Hence, you won’t find these sections here as it would turn out to be one long, long post (which, I don’t mind, but it would mean sacrificing my reading experience to do so. And I don’t want to do that whatsoever, especially when it comes to this series in particular).
Also, an important thing to note is that I’ve personally tried taking notes while I was going through GOTM (like trying to compile it in a recap form, to capture all the places, the characters, the lore, and stuff like that), but have failed to say the least, and hence, stopped trying and attempting it from DG onwards completely (and that turned out to be a great decision!). 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 out everything for yourselves. This is not the series for that sort of a thing, especially for the brand-new readers.
Alright, before moving on, I would like to address a couple of things that were being said about the series as a whole throughout the internet. And now having read the first four tales of the ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ myself, here’s what I honestly think –
- The series is complex and confusing – It is complex, and it is confusing… at times, yes. But I think this was blown way out of proportion. For an average reader like me, I found the first four novels very enjoyable, and that’s putting it lightly still! So, do not worry about understanding everything. Just pick up the series, read along, and go with the flow. Plus, if you find it a “little” complex/difficult to go along with, there’s quite a few very good guides/companions/resources present online which will help you through. Not to forget the awesome community on the r/Malazan sub as well, which will help/guide and motivate you in every step of the way, like it did for me!
- 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. Erikson has done an incredible job with this. Kudos to him. At the end of the books, you will either fall in love with pretty much every character, or hate some of them like no other!
- The writing is difficult to pick up – Agreed, again. But only some parts of it. The rest is very smooth sailing. The prose just flows along beautifully, to be very honest. You have to remember that GOTM was written way before it was originally published, that too for a script initially. DG has significantly improved on this very aspect. And it just gets better with MOI. So again, this one is quite blown out of proportion I feel.
In conclusion, I would say just pick up the books, read them, and then decide for yourselves. If I would have gone with some of the views of people online, I wouldn’t even have had a look at the series in the first place. But now, I’m very, very much glad that I have managed to read through the first four novels. Hence, I would strongly suggest that you give the series a try at the very least, then be the judge yourselves. After all, there’s nothing wrong in giving it a right go, is there? And I get that this series might not be for everyone, but you won’t know until and unless you personally give it a shot, eh? At the end of the day, it’s not rocket science!
Final thoughts
Overall, if I’m being totally honest, HOC was a 50-50 for me in terms of enjoyment. It had some awesome moments, but there were quite a few “dull” ones too. The whole setup right from the beginning, leading up to the ending was very well executed, must be said. But the flaws tend to arise from the fact that this was a kind of “setup novel”, so as to speak (as many people refer to it as). Did it live up to its predecessors? Not quite, no. While DG and MOI had very high standards, HOC for me didn’t reach that level. In fact, I would say it was similar to GOTM in more ways, especially with the building up of the story as a whole. But even then, I would prefer GOTM over HOC when it comes to enjoyment. And that’s all you need to know. It’s definitely not a bad novel. Not at all. But when the ceiling is that high, there’s going to arise a point where you have to put one closer to the floor, no?
Rating: – 7.8/10 (Pretty Good!)
“A step down from its predecessors, but nothing short of a brilliant read nonetheless.”
