Hardcover, 560 pages
English language
Published Dec. 24, 2007 by Subterranean.
The opening chapter in an epic fantasy masterpiece....Bled dry by interminable warfare, infighting and bloody confrontations with Lord Anomander Rake and his Tiste Andii, the vast, sprawling Malazan empire simmers with discontent.Even its imperial legions yearn for some respite. For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his Bridgeburners and for Tattersail, sole surviving sorceress of the Second Legion, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities of Genabackis, still holds out - and Empress Lasseen's ambition knows no bounds. However, it seems the empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister forces gather as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand... Conceived and written on an epic scale, Gardens of the Moon is a breathtaking achievement - a novel in which grand design, a dark and complex mythology, wild and wayward magic and a host of …
The opening chapter in an epic fantasy masterpiece....Bled dry by interminable warfare, infighting and bloody confrontations with Lord Anomander Rake and his Tiste Andii, the vast, sprawling Malazan empire simmers with discontent.Even its imperial legions yearn for some respite. For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his Bridgeburners and for Tattersail, sole surviving sorceress of the Second Legion, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities of Genabackis, still holds out - and Empress Lasseen's ambition knows no bounds. However, it seems the empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister forces gather as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand... Conceived and written on an epic scale, Gardens of the Moon is a breathtaking achievement - a novel in which grand design, a dark and complex mythology, wild and wayward magic and a host of enduring characters combine with thrilling, powerful storytelling to resounding effect. Acclaimed by writers, critics and readers alike, here is the opening chapter in what has been hailed a landmark of epic fantasy: the awesome 'The Malazan Book of the Fallen'.
(Does putting zero stars count as the worst score?)
This is sort of a review (and more) of the magic in the series. I wrote it after finishing the third book (Memories of Ice) because that's when a lot of my thoughts on it crystalized, but the review is only using stuff from this book.
a-blog-with.relevant-information.com/posts/unabstracted_magic/
Reads like book three of a litrpg series. Names, places, and concepts all pile on with no background or explanation. Lots of contradictions.
Superb epic fantasy.
I bought this since it was on sale, but had intended to read it for some time. I'm glad I did. I can't believe I've waited this long to read this.
While some books start with all the characters in one place and slowly build up to the full cast and the action, this is not one of those books. You start of right in the middle of the action and quickly start shifting view points. It can be a bit hard to follow what is going on or if events are relevant, but if you persevere you are rewarded. The various viewpoints and plots start tying up together and by the end everything is neatly in place. There are a few plots that get introduced and are not resolved, but it's clear that these will be address in the future books.
The magic seems well structured …
Superb epic fantasy.
I bought this since it was on sale, but had intended to read it for some time. I'm glad I did. I can't believe I've waited this long to read this.
While some books start with all the characters in one place and slowly build up to the full cast and the action, this is not one of those books. You start of right in the middle of the action and quickly start shifting view points. It can be a bit hard to follow what is going on or if events are relevant, but if you persevere you are rewarded. The various viewpoints and plots start tying up together and by the end everything is neatly in place. There are a few plots that get introduced and are not resolved, but it's clear that these will be address in the future books.
The magic seems well structured and defined, though the reader is not privy to the details. Unlike some books, there is no 'apprentice mage' character that learns (along with the reader) how magic works and such. Hence, I am not to sure of the limits, but can attest to the power of some of the characters.
The characters themselves are excellent. You want all of them to succeed, which is a problem since they each have their own goals that in many cases conflicts with those of others.
Overall, this is a great start to an epic fantasy series. I look forward to reading the following books and I am glad the 10-book series is officially complete.
