Deadhouse Gates (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #2)

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Deadhouse Gates (Malazan)

4.24 of 5 stars 4.24 · rating details · 11,444 ratings · 484 reviews

In the Holy Desert Raraku, the seer Sha'ik and her followers prepare for the long-prophesied uprising named the Whirlwind. Enslaved in the Otataral mines, Felisin, youngest scion of the disgraced House of Paran, dreams of freedom and vows revenge, while the outlawed Brigdburners Fiddler and Kalam conspire to rid the world of Empress Laseen (although it seems the gods would...more

Paperback, 960 pages

Published October 1st 2001 by Bantam (first published 2000)

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Mar 17, 2013 Duffy Pratt rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, shared-world

In lots of fantasy, and in series in particular, I get frustrated with authors continually repeating their explanations and descriptions of certain things. For example, how many times does Robert Jordan remind the reader that an Aes Sedai has an ageless face? Goodkind's Sword of Truth series would probably be less than half of its current length if not for all the needless repetition.

No-one will ever accuse Erikson of having this failing? The main frustration I have in these first books is that...more In lots of fantasy, and in series in particular, I get frustrated with authors continually repeating their explanations and descriptions of certain things. For example, how many times does Robert Jordan remind the reader that an Aes Sedai has an ageless face? Goodkind's Sword of Truth series would probably be less than half of its current length if not for all the needless repetition.

No-one will ever accuse Erikson of having this failing? The main frustration I have in these first books is that there is never reminders of who someone is, or what some race is, etc... In this book, one of the main characters is Mappo. He is a Trell. What's a Trell? I still have no idea. It's possible that Erikson told me somewhere in the beginning. But he doesn't distinguish between what's important and what isn't as he is writing, so I didn't catch it, if he did say so. Mappo has a companion named Icarium, who is a Jhag. What's a Jhag? I still don't know. Again, its possible that its in the book, but its not brought out in a way that held my attention. Maybe this is my laziness, and maybe not. My sense, however, is that Erikson prefers to hide information from the reader, and sometimes it feels to me like he's hiding it simply for the sake of hiding it.

So why four stars? Mostly because the book unfolded in a way that was very satisfying. The ending is really great. There are more than a handful of characters that I liked following. And it does now feel like this is shaping up to be a really big story that may be worthwhile when completely told.

ON REREAD: Bumped to five stars. The structure of this book is much tighter than I realized on the first read. And I came to have genuine felling for several of the characters, making the various endings even more heartbreaking than they were on first read.

Looking at my early review, I now know what a Trell is, and what a Jhag is. Does it matter all that much for my appreciation? Hard to say. I think its more important to understand the relationship between Mappo and Icarium, and how touching that relationship is. If I had understood what it meant that Icarium is a Jhag, I might have gotten more the first time around from the stunning reveal in the Azath house at the end of this book.

I no longer think Erikson hides information for the sake of hiding it, or at least not solely for that reason. He's an archeologist, and he's trying to give some of the pleasures of archeology to his readers. But that means that the readers, like the archeologist, must often dig with teaspoons, and must also keep careful track of what they have already found. The job of making the connections is the reader's job, not Eriksons. This can be frustrating, and first go round, it definitely was. But the second time through, it was even more enjoyable. And I still have the sense that I would probably discover more on another reading.

And then for the great stuff: Erikson has a tremendous sense of humor, and its needed, because he also has one of the keenest gifts for tragedy. And this book delivers both on very grand scale. In the Gardens of the Moon there is a passage where a character asks a T'lann Imass what he is thinking about. "Futility." he answers. The questioner then asks if that is what other T'lann Imass think of. He says: "No, they mostly refrain from thinking at all." Why? the questioner asks. "Because it is futile."

This book takes the question of futility and lifts it up for study. The entire Chain of Dogs can be seen as either impossibly heroic, or impossibly futile. Perhaps both. And the same goes for Mappo's "guidance" of Icarium, and for Kalam's quest to assassinate Laseen. (less)

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Feb 04, 2013 Christopher H. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, canadian-authors-translators, fantasy-scifi, modern-literature, favorites, read-in-2011, malazan-book-of-the-fallen, favorite-rereads, read-in-2013

Deadhouse Gates is the second book in Steven Erikson’s brilliant and uber-epic ten-volume fantasy series, "The Malazan Book of the Fallen" (MBotF). I think this is now the third time I’ve read this book and it still remains one of my favorites. Deadhouse Gates is nothing short of a ‘nail-biter’ from the get-go and the pacing is utterly relentless. I have to say that Deadhouse Gates is an easier read than Erikson’s first book in the MBotF series, Gardens of the Moon, and much of that is because t...more

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Nov 02, 2007 John rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Deadhouse Gates is the second book in The Malazan Book of the Fallen series. As I neared the end of this novel, I had this realization: Steven Erikson understands epic fantasy in a unique and interesting way. To understand what I mean, let's consider a few issues. A big decision that any writer has to make involves the point-of-view character. It's important to have someone in this role who is actually going to be present at all important events, a convention which in the past has led to fiction...more Deadhouse Gates is the second book in The Malazan Book of the Fallen series. As I neared the end of this novel, I had this realization: Steven Erikson understands epic fantasy in a unique and interesting way. To understand what I mean, let's consider a few issues. A big decision that any writer has to make involves the point-of-view character. It's important to have someone in this role who is actually going to be present at all important events, a convention which in the past has led to fictional heroes who are virtually the center of the universe--other characters may exist and earn our interest, but everything really hangs on what so-and-so does. Right back to Frodo and the ring (yes, we get into what's going on at Minas Tirith, but we know it's all for naught if Frodo doesn't succeed) and even more so in the early successors (Thomas Covenant and a succession of Shannara brats, for instance). One way to get around this limitation, common in epic fantasy today, is shifting perspectives. This is great, allowing for a larger scope without unrealistic expectations on one character being present for everything and rather more multi-polar storytelling. Erikson (and I don't mean to imply that he's the only one doing this) goes one better--not only do we have a large cast of point-of-view characters, none of them really manages to assume paramount imortance. A question like "who's the main character" loses meaning in The Malazan Book of the Fallen series.

Because of this, when reading Deadhouse Gates, one might conclude that the story is basically independent of the first book in the series, Gardens of the Moon. We have some overlapping characters, but not that many or even really featured all that prominently. Probably, one could jump into the series here without having read the first book and not be all that lost. However, as the plot threads of this novel come together, it seems clear that Erikson is, in fact, weaving a truly epic tapestry in which everything interrelates, but on such a grand scale that we seem at first glance to be reading two almost-entirely-separate stories.

Certainly, a large number of our characters from the first novel are completely ignored and a host of others introduced, but it seems clear that this is all coming together in the form of an epic fantasy of what will end up being thousands and thousands of pages, covering at least two separate continents (this impression is only reinforced by peeking ahead at the dust jacket of the next novel in the series).

So, what do we have here? We have the tale of some renegade soldiers crossing a continent to attempt to assassinate an empress for the good of the empire; we have an uprising against the empire by a prophetess in vast desert; we have an imperial general fighting a desperate running battle for months to save imperial refugees from this uprising; we have a girl who has been betrayed by her sister in an imperial purge of the nobility, and said girl's fight for survival with her companions and her quest for vengeance against the sister who betrayed her. Beyond that are other smaller stories that weave in and out, and even some of these look tantalizingly like they could be developed at a later date (or simply add to the rich fabric of the world Erikson is weaving.

All in all, quite a good read and I look forward to continuing this series.(less)

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Apr 11, 2013 Hanne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-challenge, fantasy, colonel-hathi-march, shelf-a-ton-15

I’m not going to lie to you: this book was a bit of a struggle…
The main problem was that I just felt uncomfortable for two thirds of the book. So many new characters, so many storylines and objectives – I just couldn’t keep them all separate in my head. On occasion I felt like I would have to start all over again, and make cheat sheets and flowcharts along the way to document what was happening – which is not exactly how I do my reading.

I felt completely out of my league and I nearly gave up. Bu...more

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Jan 29, 2011 Jonathan Cullen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Members of Coltaine's immediate family

I have a massive confession to make: it took me more than two and a half years to read Deadhouse Gates. Let me explain.

It's summer 2008 and I have just finished Gardens of the Moon, Steven Erikson's first part in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. I'm riding a Darujhistan-gas high and could take on at least one Hound of Shadow, perhaps two if one of them is Blind. Then I run into a smörgåsbord of problems: Deadhouse begins with a whack of new characters, is a semi-unrelated story and my cop...more I have a massive confession to make: it took me more than two and a half years to read Deadhouse Gates. Let me explain.

It's summer 2008 and I have just finished Gardens of the Moon, Steven Erikson's first part in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. I'm riding a Darujhistan-gas high and could take on at least one Hound of Shadow, perhaps two if one of them is Blind. Then I run into a smörgåsbord of problems: Deadhouse begins with a whack of new characters, is a semi-unrelated story and my copy of the book falls apart. I liked the book but reading was becoming a chore. I was having less and less time to read and it seemed like I covered some Coltaine dessert battle for the tenth time before getting lost on why Mappo was holding Icarium's hand. Reading only a couple of pages a day did me in. I stopped around page 670 and put it in my nightstand, embarrassed at my failure. Fast forward to January 2011. I am fresh-faced and full of vigor once more. I pick up my desiccated copy of Deadhouse, now missing the map and the all important dramatis personae (who the hell is Korbolo Dom!?), and venture straight into the heart of Erikson's multi-layered brain. And I loved it.

The foregoing sad story will forever cast a cloud over my impression of the book, but to Erikson's credit, it's still a winner in my mind.

Relying here on the shattered fragments of my memory, the book opens months after the story in Gardens of the Moon, with the Empire eliminating many of its nobles and sending some to the mines of Otataral Island. A rebellion named the Whirlwind is led by Sha'ik from the Holy Desert of Raraku. Malazan forces, lead by a Wickan badass Coltaine, escort 50,000 refugees across the continent in a legendary feat which becomes known as the Chain of Dogs. One of my favourite characters, Kalam is off on his own mission...

Many of you, like me, may be disoriented at the beginning of Deadhouse Gates. Our beloved city of Darujhistan is just another dot on that map somewhere in my nightstand. Many of the characters are doing their own thing somewhere else, and Erikson asks us to immerse ourselves the complex relationships between and motivations of new characters. It's not the same type of confusion that I relished at the beginning of Gardens - the Fog of War - it feels more like going to a new school and you don't know anyone except that kid you knew from down the street. I made friends and moved on. Get ready to follow multiple plot lines:

1) a young noble-born girl, a tattooed ex-priest of Fener, and a barbarian are sent into slavery in the Otataral mines;
2) the Imperial Historian accompanies Coltaine and his Chain of Dogs south from Hissar to Aren;
3) familiar characters Fiddler and Crokus attempt to return Apsalar to her father; and
4) Kalam embarks on a vengeful journey.

Deadhouse continues with the structure of multiple point of view characters and a general lack good versus evil. It's a messy mess, both with allegiances and on he battlefield. You root for groups that commit genocide and weep when killers get their due. There ain't much justice in this book, although it's doled out in massive spoonfuls regardless. I have to confess I was not a fan of the Mappo/Icarium plot thread but that was mostly during my Bogged Down Phase. The court has instructed me to give this opinion little weight.

I was generally pleased with Deadhouse and the last 200 pages flew. Erikson continues to demonstrate a high level of imagination and grit. Having read a sneak peak of the blurb on Memories of Ice, I'm very excited for the return of many of the characters I enjoyed in Gardens. Good stuff so far…still have like 8000 pages to go or something so we'll see.(less)

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Mar 17, 2013 Rob rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Rob by: Lee

Shelves: malazan-fallen

Executive Summary: Like Gardens of the Moon this book is a tough read. It is a lot more gruesome than it's predecessor however. This book is not for the feint of heart. While there are some lighter moments to interrupt the violence, this book has some truly disturbing scenes.

Full Review
I found the beginning of this book very frustrating. Just when I felt like I had a pretty good handle on things we shift not only location, but get almost entirely a new set of characters to learn.

If not for my...more

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Mar 21, 2013 David Sven rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, favourites

As with the first book in the series, Deadhouse Gates was a different, far superior experience as a reread. The first time round I just missed so much of the detail. There is a large amount of world building here, more so than the first book. Having finished the series I felt I was left with a pencil sketch of the final picture, and reading this again I was able to add depth and colour and a lot of clarity to questions that plagued me through the series. It’s almost impossible on an initial read...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Traci rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, favorites

Re-read 10/23/11
Is this as good as or better than than the first? I don't know how to answer that. Yes and yes. Is Gardens as good as or better than Deadhouse? Yes and yes. Only two books in (again) but this is shaping up to being my favorite above all other favorites. I love these books. This world. These characters. I missed favorites from the first book but I also enjoyed the returning characters who got more time, mostly Kalam and Fiddler. And I grew to love some new ones. Coltaine. Duiker....more

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Sep 18, 2008 Clay rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

After devouring Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon I, like an especially good child awaits Saint Nick on Christmas Eve, eagerly awaited the coming of his second Malazan Book of the Fallen novel Deadhouse Gates. I was not disappointed. It surpassed my expectations and permanently solidified my die-hard Erikson fan status. It delivered on all the promises subtly implied in it's predecessor Gardens of the Moon and went on to give so much more.

New characters to love - new characters to hate....more After devouring Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon I, like an especially good child awaits Saint Nick on Christmas Eve, eagerly awaited the coming of his second Malazan Book of the Fallen novel Deadhouse Gates. I was not disappointed. It surpassed my expectations and permanently solidified my die-hard Erikson fan status. It delivered on all the promises subtly implied in it's predecessor Gardens of the Moon and went on to give so much more.

New characters to love - new characters to hate. And love and hate them I did. Deadhouse Gates grabbed me on a much deeper emotional level than did it's predecessor. The conclusion of this fantastic yarn had me burning with rage at the paper-pushing bureaucrats (oh yes - the world of the Malazan Empire has paper-pushing bureaucrats too - and they're just as ingratiating as ours) who would sell out their best and brightest. Be prepared to hate some of these characters. You will.

One thing I am finding fascinating about Steven Erikson's writing is his pacing. He will introduce you to his characters in a sometimes comical, sometimes frightening, way and begin feeding you piece after piece of the plot but he is, by no means, stingy. He just keeps giving more and more and more while balancing it perfectly so that one final piece of vital knowledge, which you need to completely understand the whole shooting match, is perpetually out of reach. The intrigue this imparts is well worth being kept in the dark until it's promised, as-yet-to-occur, unveiling. And with every new revelation, you feel as though your understanding of this epic has been increased exponentially.

But charaters are Erikson's bread and butter and he deals them out in spades. Here are war weary comrades in arms who crack jokes in the face of certain death. Here are seeminly invulnerable ascendants who just can't keep their noses out of mankind's affairs. Here are plotters and schemers whom you'll love to hate (and hate to love) who wring from you some of the strongest emotions you can expect to derive from fantasy literature.

The plot in Deadhose Gates is somewhat self contained, however, references are made to previous events descibed in Gardens of the Moon and new references are made to events or characters yet to be written about in future installments. But don't be discouraged! This is one hell of a ride and for those who climb aboard and I can already see the payoff will be well worth the time invested.

I can't promise that Steven Erikson is for everyone. But for those who pick up the Malazan Book of the Fallen series only to find that you can't put it down, welcome home. This is a world where you will be spending a lot of your time from now on.(less)

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Apr 15, 2013 Terence rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sf-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. (Reread September 2009)

I must say that I'm enjoying rereading the Book of the Fallen. As with many a book that captures your attention, rereading it can bring out whole new levels of meaning and interpretation. Now, I'm not going to claim any great or groundbreaking philosophical weight for any of Erikson's work but he does attempt a certain "seriousness of purpose" (using Daniel Mendelsohn's criterion for good literature - see my review: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21...). He's not as po...more (Reread September 2009)

I must say that I'm enjoying rereading the Book of the Fallen. As with many a book that captures your attention, rereading it can bring out whole new levels of meaning and interpretation. Now, I'm not going to claim any great or groundbreaking philosophical weight for any of Erikson's work but he does attempt a certain "seriousness of purpose" (using Daniel Mendelsohn's criterion for good literature - see my review: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21...). He's not as polished or subtle as Ursula Le Guin, say, but his characters are believably complex and even the best of intentions can go horribly awry (in that last point, I have in mind Kilava's well meant attempt to save the Jaghut children in the Prologue to Memories of Ice).

In Deadhouse Gates, Erikson abandons most of the characters from Gardens to take us to the continent of Seven Cities and the Whirlwind's long awaited rebellion. From Gardens, we follow Kalam, Fiddler, Crokus & Apsalar as they attempt to return Apsalar to her home in Itko Kan. Kalam & Fiddler also have the ulterior motive of returning to the capital to assassinate Laseen, the Empress. In Seven Cities, Kalam is soon separated from his companions - he sets off alone to awaken the Whirlwind while Fiddler et al. find themselves caught up in Shadowthrone's plots and the fever dreams of Soletaken Ascendancy.

Two new plotlines are introduced: The first is the travails of Felisin, Ganoes Paran's youngest sister. The family has been disgraced by his betrayal and in another one of the Empire's periodic culls of the nobility, Tavore sacrifices her to appease the Empress (there's a complicated subterfuge going on, however, that Felisin (unfortunately) is unaware of until too late - the upshot is that Tavore is not quite the monster one might think). Felisin is sent to the Otataral mines on Seven Cities. Ironically, she winds up becoming the prophesied High Priestess of the Whirlwind, Sha'ik, eventually coming face to face with Tavore, the Empress' new Adjunct, in House of Chains.

The second is the Chain of Dogs - the crossing of the continent by the ravaged Seventh Army and their Wickan allies, herding 50,000 civilian refugees in the face of constant assault by the blood-mad armies of the Whirlwind. Erikson has a way of including a least one apocalyptic struggle in each book of the series and the Chain is this one's. It's also, for me, the best and most affecting because I like its narrator, Duiker, the Imperial Historian, so much, as well as Coltaine, the Army's new Fist (general), a Wickan chief who originally led those tribes' resistance to Imperial expansion on Quon Tali.(less)

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Jun 19, 2008 Joro rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Malazan fans, brick lovers :)

Shelves: fantasy

This one still suffers from the same flaws as the first book - 3/4 of it is definitely nothing I would consider a masterpiece in fantasy. I liked the end of the book - I guess most people who read it did - but the inability of Erikson to create descriptions and his awkward writing style ruins almost any pleasure I get from this series. This man definitely created an amazing world and premise to his story but he just can't write in a way to make you read "just another chapter". There is one thing...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Igor rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

After reading first book of the series, Gardens of the Moon I was left astonished and eagerly went for 2nd book to get some answers. Not that the first one didn't offer any explanations but it was shrouded with mystery and simply opened questions about the world that I really want to know more about.
Deadhouse Gates is great read, simple as that. It's a bit more simplistic then the first one but on the other hand it's a bit more complex since you start to get a feel about how huge the world is....more

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Jan 08, 2009 Susanne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sff

This was an excellent read but I found it much harder than Gardens of the Moon. I didn't think it was going to be possible to write an even more dense plot, but Erikson did, oh boy, did he ever. I won't even attempt a summary here. Just some points that stuck with me the most:

I still love the world-building very very much, especially the mythology.

Kalam is one of my favourite characters, and reading about his exploits was hugely enjoyable.

The Mappo Trell and Icarium story-line and the history o...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Silvio Curtis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At the end of the previous book, the characters split up, with some staying on the continent of Genabackis and some returning to lands already under Malazan rule. This book follows the storylines in the Malazan Empire. The level of violence, already fairly high in Gardens of the Moon, escalates slightly (but not to the point of someone like Iain M. Banks) as the Empire threatens to disintegrate and all sides commit atrocities. The Seven Cities region is in full rebellion. In one storyline, the g...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Christina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: series, epic-fantasy, favorites

4.5*

Wow!! What a ride!! I can see why this series is one of Elitist Book Reviews' favourites!! Erikson is not in the slightest hesitant when it comes to killing off key characters. Which makes things more interesting, because you never know if the person is going to survive whatever debacle they've got themselves wrapped up in!

This book is action packed, & it reveals how massive the scope of this series really is. It moved me emotionally for these characters, even the red shirt characters &...more

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Aug 15, 2007 Collin rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who want to like Erikson but didn't dig Gardens of the Moon

Shelves: fantasysci-fi

If you ask most Steven Erikson fans, they'll probably list this book as one of the best, if not the best, volume of the Malazan series. It is definitely praise worthy but is also the beginning of a trend that may bother some readers. With this book, Erikson takes his story to another part of his vast world, introduces an entirely new cast of characters and tells a tale that only tangentially relates to the events in "Gardens of the Moon". As it happens, Erikson will do this a lot, so brace yours...more

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Dec 23, 2008 Lori (Hellian) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dark, grim and grisly yet with flashes of brilliant humanity. Had a love/hate reaction to the whole Chain of Dogs part, which encompasses 1/2 the book, just because I hate war, cruelty and violence. But couldn't put it down. Rushing right into the third of the series - then I'll need a break!

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Jun 08, 2008 Guy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction-and-fantasy, have-read-more-than-once

Ouch, my brain hurts. Trying to keep all of the characters and races and tribes and magical domains and creatures and places (and, and, and) in memory while reading is a challenge. But the effort is worthwhile... what a tapestry! This is truly grand-scale fantasy.

So, what is there to quibble about? Not much. About the only thing I'd note is that as of the end of this book I'm not yet convinced that the stated and/or revealed motivations of the various characters are sufficient to account for and...more

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May 13, 2013 Andrew Ak rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The second installment of Steve Erikson’s ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ reads similarly to the first: as framing for the rest of the series, kept interesting by Erikson’s densely imaginative and fully developed world, which we are thrown in to with zero explanation. And that world really is what keeps me interested in this series. Every place reeks of hundreds of thousands of years worth of ancient civilizations, sorcery, intrigue, and death. It can almost be overwhelming at times. I find myself...more
The second installment of Steve Erikson’s ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ reads similarly to the first: as framing for the rest of the series, kept interesting by Erikson’s densely imaginative and fully developed world, which we are thrown in to with zero explanation. And that world really is what keeps me interested in this series. Every place reeks of hundreds of thousands of years worth of ancient civilizations, sorcery, intrigue, and death. It can almost be overwhelming at times. I find myself checking the glossary at the end of the book more than I have for any other work of fiction.

The sense I get is that Erikson has an epic, as in a REAL epic to tell with this series, and in order to fully flesh it out he is constantly having his characters encounter these mythological demi-gods and abominations in order to keep our interest. It can come off as forced at times, but really all of that can be forgiven for both the sheer scope of the story as well as the creative and unconventional storytelling methods. While the subplots tend to follow the Odyssian ‘journey’ we often see in fantasy, Erikson sharply diverges from the Tolkein tradition which grants us the vision of a wide-eyed backwaters youngster whose amazement at the world mimics the readers’ own. Erikson plunges us in his world with seasoned, intelligent, bitter characters whom we are just as confused about as we are the rest of the story.

If I were to be critical, I would point out that it seems as though Erikson is much stronger in crafting fantastic anomalies than finding a way for us to connect with them in a meaningful way. There can be so much crazy shit going on at once that it loses what makes it special.

SPOILERS
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My overall impression is that I can tell the ENTIRE series is the payoff, while this book itself is just a building block. Still a good read. I recommend it. And I plan on reading the next book in the series.
(less)

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May 05, 2013 Diego González rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There's a lot to like in Steven Erikson's Malazan series. The writing is great, the characters are complicated, the world is vast, and the magic is interesting. There is a depth of history to the realm akin to Tolkien (though the concepts of different languages are largely unexplored), the intrigue and action has an "adult" flavor akin to Martin's Song of Fire and Ice, and the characters have an larger-than-life air akin to Howard's Conan books.

However, I find that the series does not draw me in...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Gabe Dybing rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay, something awesome has happened. I like high fantasy again.

Okay, let me clarify that: I like THIS high fantasy.

There might be many more worthy offerings. How to find them? I'm not sure. As I believe I mentioned in an earlier review, I read this just because of word of mouth - well, the first one in the series I read because of word of mouth. And now I'm reading on. Incidentally, it's because of word of mouth that I read George R.R. Martin, too.

Now that we're on the topic of Martin, allow me...more Okay, something awesome has happened. I like high fantasy again.

Okay, let me clarify that: I like THIS high fantasy.

There might be many more worthy offerings. How to find them? I'm not sure. As I believe I mentioned in an earlier review, I read this just because of word of mouth - well, the first one in the series I read because of word of mouth. And now I'm reading on. Incidentally, it's because of word of mouth that I read George R.R. Martin, too.

Now that we're on the topic of Martin, allow me to say something: I understand that there's some kind of controversy between Martin adherents vs. Erikson. Yes, it is kind of a strange argument, the argument revolving around some tension between which writer is "better." Now of course there are few rational avenues for settling this.

But allow me to say that, in my impression, Martin's narrative has "got away from him." And though I understand that his world is "rough" and there are "real consequences," there don't seem to be enough. If Martin really is going to punish his characters, he should kill them already, let them die. Instead, by the end of Dance with Dragons, we have a comical cast of disfigured "heroes" hobbling around from one wandering conflict to another.

Not so, so far, with Erikson. His world is brutal, and his characters take damage, but they also have magical means of healing. Which is a relief. I would hate to read another epic in which our heroes slowly erode away, just refusing to die. What's more, I would hate to start another epic that is unlikely to end, which I'm afraid to predict is precisely what is going to happen with Martin.

Not so with Erikson. It's a ten volume series. And it's a lot. But it's DONE. And if every book is as good as the first two I've read, then I believe that I have found myself in a new golden age of high fantasy reading.

It may be that our best writers have been influenced by all my favorite things and so now are in the perfect position to entertain ME. These books are simply cool, and it may be because Erikson, at the height of his narrative powers, has absorbed so many of the cultural productions that I love so much. I'm eager to see where his epic goes next.(less)

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Mar 30, 2013 Illusode rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In short, better and more coherent than the first book. Not because I knew all the characters and places already, because that is definitely never the case with the Malazan series. No, each book seems to introduce a gazillion new characters and cities and affiliations whose importance and continuance are unclear. Good luck with that!

NOT TO SPOIL ANYTHING... but this book has all the feels. By the end, I was a dreadful mess of tears at the ultimate tragedy of it all. The realization that anybody...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Brewergnome rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of epic fantasy

Wow. Excellent book. Not light.

One of the most unpredictable books I've read in a long time, which is rare for me. Compelling characters you want to love (and hate), and one of the few books successful in not really having a singular protagonist or side you're rooting for. It's rare to find a book where you want multiple characters from multiple sides to "win."

Be aware, however, that it's... descriptive of a very bitter war. There's some dark stuff in here. And Erikson is more than happy to kill...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Rja88 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-read

I am writing this review about 1 year after I read the book.

About a month after I finished the first book, I started reading this one. As I said in my review of GOTM, English is not my native language and I sometimes struggled with the text. This series is a heavy read, and I felt like reading something lighter. Therefor I did not finish the book.
About 2 or 3 months later, I picked the book up again. This time I was ready for a heavy read.
In comparison to the first book, I find this one lacking...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Lucinda rated it 5 of 5 stars

The epic saga continues with even more intensity, drama and thrilling action & suspense that will leave you breathless

Another tale of the Malazan book of the fallen by masterful writer Steven Erikson, comes the second book within a series that has captured my imagination. Deadhouse gates cannot fail to capture your attention with its spectacular, vibrant & bold cover that is so striking and so mystical that you feel compelled to open the pages and glimpse inside…Met with widespread inte...more The epic saga continues with even more intensity, drama and thrilling action & suspense that will leave you breathless

Another tale of the Malazan book of the fallen by masterful writer Steven Erikson, comes the second book within a series that has captured my imagination. Deadhouse gates cannot fail to capture your attention with its spectacular, vibrant & bold cover that is so striking and so mystical that you feel compelled to open the pages and glimpse inside…Met with widespread international acclaim this spectacular original fantasy creation is something to admire and which is totally remarkable and astonishing; I guarantee you will have not encountered anything similar. This author is extraordinary whose fresh, new and exciting style is so distinctive that brings complex plot and detailed narrative to life. Vivid, atmospheric and rich his world-building is second to none with an inner suggestion to an intricate history, lore and mythology which lies beneath the surface. Truly epic and astonishing scope his books are just breathtaking, spellbinding and magical which have you lost for hours and that certainly had me captivated under their spell. Thrilling action and fantastic sword & sorcery the realistic battle scenes and drama spring to life from the page, as the words jump out at you with such unmistakable energy. Absorbing and totally gripping this story maintains its momentum throughout, hence you will never find yourself bored or becoming weary with endless pages of description – as Erikson has got the balance between action & description just right!

This tale continues in the Holy Desert with Raraku (the seer sha’ik) who is preparing for the long-awaited uprising named the whirlwind. Meanwhile enslaved in the mines Felisin (youngest scion of the disgraced house of paran) dreams of that longed freedom and also bitter revenge, which is eating away at their inner core bit by painful bit… Whilst the outlaws Fiddler and Kalam plan to rid the world of the Empress Laseen, two ancient warriors who bear a devastating secret emerge out of the shadows. Finally the Mazalan 7th army now weary is led in a valiant running battle to save the lives of thirty-thousand refugees. This thrilling chapter in the epic story of the Malazan Empire, war and betrayal, intrigue and magic collide, thus shaping dynasties and giving birth to legends…

The depth of this world is staggering to comprehend and I am so impressed by this author, whose series is amazing and which I shall certainly be reading time and time again. The mixture of well-defined and individualistic, memorable characters within an absorbing and fast-paced narrative keeps you hooked to the page for hours on end so that you find yourself unable to put this down. If you love the fantasy genre then this author is one to put at the top of your list and who never fails to amaze me with each new installment within this lengthy and spectacular saga. Complete with some beautifully detailed maps at the front of the book and a stunning cover, these are books to collect and treasure.

I just cannot fault Steven Erikson’s series nor his writing, hence why the Malazan book of the fallen series is at the top of my must-read list for the fantasy genre (specifically epic fantasy)!!

(less)

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Nov 19, 2012 Onefinemess rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was just as bizarrely addicting/engrossing/consuming/headaching as its predecessor.

I must have grown used to the alien style of dialogue, because I only notice that I’m really confused when I think about it.

More crazy shit happens here. Some of it related to the previous book. Some of it tying into the next book (I think). Suspicions are confirmed (identities of 2 gods. Ascendents. Whatever?). Bizillions of people die horribly.

I still don’t get what it means that butterflies. And they...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Klytia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Con, La dimora fantasma, la cosa migliora e di molto. Sarà che molti dei personaggi sono già noti e i nuovi introdotti sono meglio approfonditi.
Mappo e Icarium, sono personaggi estremamente misteriosi, con un passato dal quale non possono affrancarsi e degli scopi che talvolta trapelano dai loro discorsi. Secondo me avranno molto da dimostrare andando avanti con la vicenda.
Felisin la detesto cordialmente, mentre il personaggio di Heboric diventa sempre più interessante con il proseguo della na...more Con, La dimora fantasma, la cosa migliora e di molto. Sarà che molti dei personaggi sono già noti e i nuovi introdotti sono meglio approfonditi.
Mappo e Icarium, sono personaggi estremamente misteriosi, con un passato dal quale non possono affrancarsi e degli scopi che talvolta trapelano dai loro discorsi. Secondo me avranno molto da dimostrare andando avanti con la vicenda.
Felisin la detesto cordialmente, mentre il personaggio di Heboric diventa sempre più interessante con il proseguo della narrazione: il suo dio ha ancora molto da dire e da fare.
La storia più interessante rimane comunque quella di Crokus, Apsalar, Fiddler e Kalam: è tramite loro si scopre chi sono realmente due ascendenti molto particolari e andando avanti vengono anche forniti degli indizi su come si può ascendere, senza però svelare il mistero.

La storia è poi molto più cupa e drammatica rispetto al primo volume. Con una maestria rara Erikson è in grado di raccontare battaglie epiche ed eroiche e allo stesso tempo gli orrori e i drammi della guerra che sempre vanno a colpire i più deboli.
Le scene in cui il sovrannaturale e la magia la fanno da padroni sono coinvolgenti ed evocative.
Ma anche questo romanzo mi ha lasciato una perplessità sempre legata ai personaggi i quali sembrano tutti tesi verso un grande scopo, vengono fatti passare attraverso numerose traversie, e quando sembrano averlo raggiunto, quando ci si aspetta la grande rivelazione, ecco che la questione si risolve in modo quasi banale.
SPOILER Qualche esempio
- Felisin, il cui unico scopo è quello di vendicarsi della sorella, accetta di diventare Sheik, la sacerdotessa dell’apocalisse. Come Sheik sembra che debba piombare su Aren e fare un disastro e invece niente.
- Di Mappo e Icarium verso la fine scopriamo le loro origini e i loro ruoli: il guardiano di un folle distruttore. Arrivati alla dimora degli Azath ci si aspetterebbe un finale sorprendente per queste due creature ormai diventate amiche e invece: Icarium perde conoscenza per risvegliarsi più tardi come se nulla fosse accaduto e con Mappo che si ritrova a riprendere il suo ruolo di guardiano.
- Infine Kalam, Fiddler, Crokus e Apsalar: tutti quanti inviati di Ben Lo Svelto a cercare la casa degli Azath che si trova a Sette Città attraverso la quale raggiungere la Dimora Fantasma in centro alla città di Malaz. Il primo, raggiunta Malaz per altre vie, si trova davanti all’imperatrice, o a un suo fantoccio, la quale gli fornisce una spiegazione, che francamente non si regge in piedi, e cambia idea.
Gli altri attraversano una serie di avventure pericolose, entrano nella casa degli Azath e…si trovano davanti ad Ammanas che, come il mago di Oz, soddisfa i loro desideri, con un certo senso dell’ironia.
Apparentemente sembrerebbe molto rumore per nulla.
FINE SPOILER

I colpi di scena comunque non mancano, così come le vere rivelazioni che però vengono inserite all’interno di eventi tutto sommato normali mortificando un po’ il senso di stupore che dovrebbero creare. La sensazione che si trae alla fine è che Erikson stia ancora posizionando i suoi personaggi come dei pedoni sulla scacchiera e che le vere mosse avverranno fra un po’.
D’altra parte dovendo chiudere la decalogia nel 2010 lo spazio e il tempo per arrivare alle grandi rivelazioni non manca.
(less)

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Oct 03, 2012 Chris Giauque rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'd give this 3 1/2 stars if that were an option, because I liked this slightly more than I did the first one. This is mostly because a big chunk of the characters were carried over from book one, and so the notorious lack of background and characterization was less glaring. I had already figured these characters out, more or less, so not being told anything about them was less irritating. Although, come to think of it, we do find out lots of interesting things about many characters.

This book mo...more I'd give this 3 1/2 stars if that were an option, because I liked this slightly more than I did the first one. This is mostly because a big chunk of the characters were carried over from book one, and so the notorious lack of background and characterization was less glaring. I had already figured these characters out, more or less, so not being told anything about them was less irritating. Although, come to think of it, we do find out lots of interesting things about many characters.

This book moves the action away from all the stuff that happened in the first book to a whole other continent. If the series were a video game, this book was the "desert" level. It's all dry and deserty and sandstormy and nomady. People are always thirsty and short on food and water. There's a rebellion against the Malazan Empire that springs up and serves more or less just to give a reason for people to do horrible things to one another for a thousand pages (on my ebook reader).

That was probably my biggest beef with this book. It was unrelentingly grim. The first book mixed in a little levity and humor here and there. Not much, but some. Not this one. One of the major plot lines involves a Malazan army trying to protect a huge group of refugees and cross the desert waste to a city where they might find safety, all while being stalked and randomly attacked by a rebel army that follows them the whole way. This means that the author can whip up a nice dramatic battle scene with lots of surprises and gory deaths any time he feels like it - quite a handy plot device. It also means that I could rarely figure out why the same two armies were fighting each other yet again - didn't they just do this? Anyway, this plot line didn't involve any happy smiley at all. Every page was an attempt to make these people even more miserable than the last page, and without giving too much away, the end of that plot line wasn't the most cheerful moment of my life.

The other plots were a little more engaging and interesting, though generally still quite grim and nasty. As in the previous book, the ending kind of left me wondering what the whole point of all that was. There are hints of a much larger over-arching plot arc, and I really hope it's worth it. We do learn a tad more back story of the world in this book, and that was good.

I still can't decide how much I like these books. They're taking me a long long time to get through, though that's my baby daughter's fault as much as anything else, and I find myself keeping a close eye on how much I've read vs how much more I have to go. But I don't hate them. I think I'd be more forgiving if it wasn't a ten book series - it's hard not to feel that I've bitten off more than I want to chew. If I'm going to read that many pages, I want to really WANT to read them.

Still, I'm going to read book three, after spending some time in more light-hearted novels.(less)

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Sep 29, 2012 Robbie Hall rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-2012

Having just finished this book, I'm REALLY tempted to give it 5 stars. Of course, this is because the ending of one the many storylines is one of the most devastating things I've ever read. Honestly, SCREW YOU PORMQUAL. Yeah I don't know why this book is called Deadhouse Gates, it really should be called The Chain of Dogs, which is the epic cross-continent journey of an army protecting fifty-thousand refugees, and which has a whole host of amazing characters.

So the characterization has improved...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Tripp added it · review of another edition

Shelves: omniscient

Though he uses some cliches common to fantasy--characters often "dog-trot" across plains and plazas, for example, and his epigraphs, drawn from fictional works--Erickson's strengths, arising from his background in anthropology and archaeology, carry the day again, as does the moral complexity of his world and his willingness to linger over small moments as his grand narrative sweeps along.

In this novel, he keeps the following story lines moving along:

One group, sentenced by Imperial Adjunct Tavo...more

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The Malazan Fallen: * DG - Finished!	46	64	3 hours, 24 min ago
If you loved malazan book of the fallen whats the next best fantasy series	16	56	May 16, 2013 10:12pm
The Malazan Fallen: DG - Chapter Fourteen - NO SPOILERS	39	46	May 11, 2013 02:26am
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About Steven Erikson

Steven Erikson is the pseudonym of Steve Rune Lundin, a Canadian novelist, who was educated and trained as both an archaeologist and anthropologist. His best-known work is the on-going series, the Malazan Book of the Fallen.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/steven...

More about Steven Erikson...

Books by Steven Erikson

Gardens of the Moon (The Malazan Book of the Fallen, #1)

Memories of Ice (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #3)

House of Chains (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #4)

Midnight Tides (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #5)

The Bonehunters (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #6)

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Quotes from Deadhouse Gates

“Children are dying."
Lull nodded. "That's a succinct summary of humankind, I'd say. Who needs tomes and volumes of history? Children are dying. The injustices of the world hide in those three words.” — 97 people liked it

“The lesson of history is that no one learns.” — 40 people liked it

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