World Famous Comics: Gardens of the Moon (The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Vol. 1)
Gardens of the Moon (The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Vol. 1)
By: Steven Erikson Publisher: Tor Fantasy Average Rating: Binding: Mass Market Paperback Label: Tor Fantasy Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 688 Publication Date: January 10, 2005 Release Date: December 28, 2004
The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen's rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw assassins.
For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his squad of Bridgeburners, and for Tattersail, surviving cadre mage of the Second Legion, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the many dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities of Genabackis, yet holds out. It is to this ancient citadel that Laseen turns her predatory gaze.
However, it would appear that the Empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister, shadowbound forces are gathering as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand . . .
Conceived and written on a panoramic scale, Gardens of the Moon is epic fantasy of the highest order--an enthralling adventure by an outstanding new voice.
Well-written incoherent babble Let me start out by saying that I will most likely read every book in this series because I'm such a fantasy fan and this series definitely has a lot to offer for people who enjoy the genre, but if you actually like a clear plot with a well-developed world and well-explained environments, keep moving. This one is not for you.
The first 100 pages kept me thinking wondering if I was really reading the first book in the series. It was a lot like the Black Company series for those of you familiar with Glen Cook, but it completely lacked any of the real "down-to-earth" characters for which Cook is famous.
The mages are all ridiculously powerful, live thousands of years, and use some crap called Warrens that don't make a bit of sense. The non-human races are relatively unexplained except for tangential descriptions that bear a semblance to other races developed by other authors or series, and several of them are either immortal or live for tens of thousands of years.
All in all, it's not a bad read as fantasy goes, but it leaves the reader having to fill a whole lot of stuff in on their own until the author deigns to fill in some of the blanks for us. Even after the first 500 pages of what is speculated to be a 10 book series, I'm not sure who the heck the "bad guys" actually are.
For those of you on the fence, think of Donaldson's Covenant series mixed with the styles of Cook, Salvatore, and Turtledove character development. As a writer, I'm impressed with the depth of the world and history, but as I reader, I'm left wanting a bit more explanation as to what the heck is going on.
murky puzzle and pieces missing I bought the first 2 of this series based on the exciting reviews. I must begin with I just don't get it. My guess is that the people who enjoyed this would be thrilled by a solid black jigsaw puzzle. And I respect that, but not for me. I read the entire first book hoping it would come together but there are just too many characters and vague subplots for me to care about. It is simply to vague, exhausting, and the only real tension is in figuring out who the newest character is.
It's complicated... ...but well worth the effort.
"Gardens of the Moon" has to be one of the most confusing books I have ever read. However, if a person gives the series a chance, they will be pleasantly surprised. It has quickly become my favorite series of all time. The characters are unique, funny, heart-breaking, cold, soft-hearted, kind, and every other adjective a person could think of. I am now on the sixth book in the series, and loving it just as much as I loved the first five. There is no end to the creative "monsters" Erikson has created, and not once reading this series did I find myself saying, "I know who he copied that from!" The man is truly gifted. Once you get through to book four, things magically start falling into place, and all of the work and concentration is well-rewarded. It is indeed a "hard" read, but it only takes getting used to. Don't give up, because it would be a sad loss for any true reader to miss such a vast, well-written, treasured story.
Not for me I can't get into this one. I've started it 3 times, and I never get more than halfway through before I get bored with it. I wish I could love the series as much as everyone else seems to, but it just falls flat for me. I know persistence can sometimes pay off (I took me 3 tries for both Lord of the Rings and Wheel of Time), but I don't think this one is going to make it for me.
a budding fantasy [no spoilers] "Gardens of the Moon" begins "The Malazan Book of the Fallen" saga covering many characters from differing perspectives during a war involving the gods. The exceptional storytelling effectively describes the rich world loaded with vast magic and divine intrigue. Yet the details can be overwhelming with concepts and words which are a hard to determine and vague magical sources called Warrens.
The two primary characters are Ganoes Paran, a young noble in the Malazan Empire military, and the young thief Crokus Youngblood and to a lesser extent at the beginning Tattersail, a sorceress for the Empress Laseen. They interact with several other characters, including gods, and those individuals have a significant impact on the war regardless of whether it is viewed as destiny or free will. There are too many magical items even though some are cleverly used. I felt Chapter 13 illustrated an excellent battle between an assassin and a mage.
A better comprehensive appendix would have been useful addressing racial characteristics, relating magical powers, and describing creatures along with catch phrases and terms.
I recommend this series to any fan of the fantasy genre.
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