Deadhouse Gates

Malazan Book of the Fallen, Book 2

By: Steven Erikson

Narrated by: Ralph Lister

Length: 34 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

In the vast dominion of Seven Cities, in the Holy Desert Raraku, the seer Sha’ik and her followers prepare for the long-prophesied uprising known as the Whirlwind. Unprecedented in size and savagery, this maelstrom of fanaticism and bloodlust will embroil the Malazan Empire in one of the bloodiest conflicts it has ever known, shaping destinies and giving birth to legends.....

Set in a brilliantly realized world ravaged by dark, uncontrollable magic, this thrilling novel of war, intrigue, and betrayal confirms Steven Erikson as a storyteller of breathtaking skill, imagination, and originality - a new master of epic fantasy.

©2006 Steven Erikson (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Give me the evocation of a rich, complex, and yet ultimately unknowable other world, with a compelling suggestion of intricate history and mythology and lore. Give me mystery amid the grand narrative. Give me a world in which every sea hides a crumbled Atlantis, every ruin has a tale to tell, every mattock blade is a silent legacy of struggles unknown. Give me, in other words, the fantasy work of Steven Erikson." (Andrew Leonard, Salon)

what an amazing tail

beautifully complicated, extreme detailed world building and real rugged and torn characters fill the pages of this literary piece of art.

complex and worth it

pay attention the story is worth the effort, multiple characters and arcs separating and coming together again.

Good start to the series

The book was below average, but as I continue to read the series I respect the book for what it was. In general the plot of this book doesn't seem to drive the story in anyway other than perhaps the introduction of many of our main characters. Many of my friends suggest reading a sysnopis of this book, and that is all you need to know.

Another incredible story from Steven Erickson.

Everything great about gardens of the moon and then some. I can’t recommend it strongly enough!

Very good book but kinda hard to follow

Kinda hard to follow with all the jumping from one pov to another and a lot going on. But once you get a hang on the characters its very good.

Excellent Book, NOT great character representation

the Malazan Book of the Fallen is by far the best ever epic fantasy series. However, the performer did not do well i.itating Felisin's personality and tone of voice in particular, as well as other female characters. The usual mispronunciations were also present. Finally, it is confusing to hear this book out loud when no distinction is made to indicate to the listener that what us bring said is a chapter introduction quote, or that character POV has changed. Had I not read these books many times I would be confused.

Can't wait for the rest of them!

These books really are fantastic!

The beginning of Deadhouse Gates might confuse people following the series. It starts with the Culling in Malazan during the Season of Rot. The story then switches to, among other things, the Rising of the Whirlwind in the Raraku desert, the incarnation of the Sha'ik, the Malaz 7th Army in Seven Cities, and best of all, the meanderings of Icarium and Mappo.

There's more Icarium and Mappo banter! Eeeehehee!

... ...

It's an intricate epic fantasy, and although it will be kind of sort of possible to pickup at Deadhouse Gates (Book 2) without reading Gardens of the Moon (Book 1), you will miss some important plot points which will give the storyline more depth. I would not recommend jumping around in this series. To appreciate it, it's really best to stick to the sequence. Erikson cross references some of his major plot twists from book to book, sometimes, but if he recapped every small plot progression or significant back story between each book, by Crippled God, we would have to flip to chapter twenty three before we were ready to move on with the story. There really is a lot going on, and it's so inter-woven. You may not pick up on everything the first listen through, but again, the story gets so crazy, and Erikson's writing style is so incredibly lyrical, it's still a fun read, and worth listening too, again.

Listening to the audible version breaks everything down into more easily understandable portions, but don't be intimidated if something zips by you. There's even a Malazan Wiki set up to help. This book really has everything, shape changers, solid battle scenes, sun-dried ears, power struggles, senile old erudites, conflicting cultural taboos, pit quarries, resentful convicts, weird drugs, sea monsters, sand.

I can't wait for Midnight Tides! I really hope they keep these coming.

I recommend this series to everyone

All the characters feel like real people. None of them feel black and white, good vs evil.

Deadhouse Gates goes full circle....

The tail as the first tells so many stories simultaneously! Keeps you wanting more of each character! I can't wait to start the next chapter in this Epic Tale!

whoah!

This book is one heck of a rollercoaster, in a good way. There are only a handful of characters from book one that carry over but the new ones will grow on you very fast.