So about this Steven Erikson...

[theburningman]

After hearing all of the recommendations about him, I was pleased to find Deadhouse Gates at a local used bookstore recently. It was unfortunate that I didn't check to see that it was the second book in the series, but I probably would have bought it anyway.

What I want to know is can I understand Deadhouse Gates without having read Gardens of the Moon? I was looking over the info for the first book on Amazon, and it made it sound like the stories are connected but not truly part one and two, sharing the same characters, events, etc. Is this the case? Could I safely begin reading this rather mammoth tome without reading the earlier volume first?

 

[drothgery]

Probably. I haven't read House of Chains yet, as I'm waiting for the mass market paperback, but it's my understand that the first four books have run pretty much as two parallel stories without too much connecting them. You'll be missing some background, but I'd go ahead and read it.

 

[CCamfield]

Well, there are some characters who appear in Deadhouse Gates who were in Gardens of the Moon, but the amount of new content is pretty high. I'd say go for it.

 

[Liminal Syzygy]

Is it possible... yes.

But even having read the first book I was a bit overwhelmed with the new places (it takes place on a different continent) all the new characters, etc. It just throws you in the deep end so to speak. The bit that I was able to track from the old book served as a sort of anchor to keep me oriented.

With that in mind, and just so you get the complete experience, I would probably recommend going back to GOTM first, even though Deadhouse Gates is by far the superior novel (IMHO).

 

[barsoomcore]

If at all possible, read them in publication order. These books are complicated to a degree that is orders of magnitude higher than most fantasy series, and Erikson gives you little support as he charges along.

Honestly, look for Gardens of the Moon and read it first. I think you'll be glad you did.

It's like this: imagine watching The Empire Strikes Back without having seen Han and Luke team up to destroy the Death Star. You'd kind of wonder why these people cared about each other, and you'd be much less worried about wether or not they'd arrive in time to help each other.

It's not that you won't understand what's happening (you won't, but reading the books in order doesn't really help -- reading them several times is the only cure for that), it's just that it won't be as powerful.

 

[Turlogh]

I just finished Deadhouse Gates and am about to start the third book. I would recommend reading all the books in order, this is a huge story.

 

[Liminal Syzygy]

It's not that you won't understand what's happening (you won't, but reading the books in order doesn't really help -- reading them several times is the only cure for that), it's just that it won't be as powerful.

He heh... How true. I rarely reread books, my philosophy being that I would rather try something new that I've never read before. But I may make an exception for GOTM and DHG.

Anybody ever wonder how Erikson keeps up the pace?