What is the Malazan series?

[Dragonblade]

Forgive me if this question was asked already, but I have been looking for a new fantasy series to read. I didn't want to wade through a 90 replies on the other Malazan thread so I thought I would start my own thread.

Can someone explain Malazan series? What is it like? What order should I read the books in? etc.

Just to tell you a little where I'm coming from, I like stories with epic larger-than-life heroes.

I love Robert Jordan, David Gemmell, and Raymond Feist. I'm not such a big Martin fan. And I don't care for Tad Williams.

I don't like whiny angsty protaganists (Terry Brooks), or protagonists consumed with petty emotions and ambitions (Martin). I like protagonists who know what the right thing to do is and do it. I like protagonists who kick ass and take names, and who are intelligent enough not to be defeated or blinded by their idealism or goodness.

 

[Dragonblade]

Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?

 

[Felonious Ntent]

I'd say stay away then.
This is a series where the heroes while inteligent are real.
They don't always do the right things. They don't do things just because they are right. This is a much darker and grittier read than Jordan or Fiest.

who are intelligent enough not to be defeated or blinded by their idealism or goodness.

This trait you'll find in Malazan however.

If you want to try it Gardens of the Moon is the first book. I would however sugest giving Glenn Cooke's the Black Company a try first. If youdon't like these books then the Malazan books definatly wouldn't be your cup of tea.

I don't like whiny angsty protaganists

This is most of Jordan's characters. Yet you list him as an author you like.

 

[Dakkareth]

Try it out, I'd say. You might be disappointed, but you also might find a revelation occuring to you .


The things that IMO distinguish Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen books are (in no particular order) the following:

- Grown up, intelligent and complex characters. No blank-slate farmboys, who eventually discover their great destiny, but believable persons with good reasons for being there, for being what they are, for doing what they do. They aren't 'good', because the world isn't good and often there's no 'right thing' to do. Still, they struggle. Friendship and companionship in the face of a twisted world, where senseless wars are being fought over nothing and humans have perfected evil, is one of the core themes in the Malazan books.

- Truly epic scope. Great wars for dominance, freedom for the fighters or the freedom of others. The gods interfering directly and indirectly, playing their own game and being beaten by the mortals they manipulate. An old menace humanity brought upon themselves still bound, but plotting the descent of the world into barbarism. Incredible tragedies. The gritty, realistic feel makes the events all the more worthy of song and remembrance.

- An amazing depth of history. The world is alive and has been for hundreds of millenia. Threads of action begun before humans lived have direct consequences for the events of the present and plots so convoluted the gods themselves don't grasp them are in motion. Every time you read the books, you find new connections and hints to events that seem at first unrelated. In truth everything is connected in a vast network of consequence and influence.


You should definitely start with the first book, Gardens of the Moon and follow the course of the books from there. While not entirely chronological and very good on their own, the latter books shine all the more, if you have read those coming before. Plus it furthers your understanding of all the neat little details you'd overlook otherwise. The thing you always have to consider is, that the books are narrated from the position of the characters and you can never be entirely sure, what is truth and what is Truth ...

Summarized again, it might clash with some of your preferences, depending on the interpretation (for example many protagonists are not larger-than-life *heroes*, but many possess great power and act according to their own concepts of what's importand and what's right). At other points it would be fully in-line with them (about the only 'whiny' character you'll find is a 14 year old girl send into slavery by her own sister and forced to sell out her body - who can blame her?). Again I say, try out the first book and make up you mind then

Of course I'm a big fan, so my opinion is biased.

 

[Dragonblade]

Believe me, I hate Jordan's whiny characters. And sometimes Perrin drives me nuts.

I like Jordan more for the epic high fantasy flavor, the complex plot, and Rand and Mat.

Despite my penchant for John Wayne-esque good guys, I do like complex and flawed characters. A lot of Gemmell's characters are flawed, yet still manage to kick ass and save the day in the end. Thats what I like.

I also like real character progression often into the realm of epic abilities. If book 1 follows a young apprentice wizard who fumbles his cantrips, I'd like him to be a god among men by the series end (like Pug or Rand).

 

[Dragonblade]

Based on Darraketh's description, I think I'll give the series a try.

And despite what it sounds like, I don't like superman characters. I do like human characters, but its cool when you see a character progress from the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Thats what I like.

 

[barsoomcore]

I'll be very interested to hear if you like them or not.

I pretty much HATE all the authors listed in your original post, and I LOVE Erikson, so it'd be kinda interesting if we both like Erikson.

These are the best, the craziest, the most ambitious fantasy novels I've read since Brust and Cook appeared on the scene in the mid-80's. Erikson's amazing.

I hope you enjoy them.

 

[Onos T'oolan]

Erikson's MBOTF is truly amazing and well worth the effort. I recommend it to everyone, because in the end what's their to lose?

BTW Dakkareth, you did an equally amazing job describing the series

 

[Pants]

Very good books, not the best I've read, but excellent nonetheless.

The Books go in the following order:
Gardens of the Moon
Deadhouse Gates
Memories of Ice (My personal favorite...)
House of Chains
Midnight Tides