Gardens of the Moon

The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Book 1

By: Steven Erikson

Narrated by: Ralph Lister

Length: 26 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Vast legions of gods, mages, humans, dragons and all manner of creatures play out the fate of the Malazan Empire in this first book in a major epic fantasy series

The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations with the formidable Anomander Rake and his Tiste Andii, ancient and implacable sorcerers. 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.

©1999 by Steven Erikson. (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Erikson is an extraordinary writer. My advice to anyone who might listen to me is, Treat yourself to Gardens of the Moon. And my entirely selfish advice to Steven Erikson is, write faster." --Stephen R. Donaldson

"I stand slack-jawed in awe of The Malazan Book of the Fallen. This masterwork of imagination may be the high water mark of epic fantasy. This marathon of ambition has a depth and breadth and sense of vast reaches of inimical time unlike anything else available today. The Black Company, Zelazny's Amber, Vance's Dying Earth, and other mighty drumbeats are but foreshadowings of this dark dragon's hoard." --Glen Cook

"A world that is both absorbing on a human level and full of magical sublimity...a wonderfully grand conception...splendidly written...fiendishly readable." --Adam Roberts

This book was incredible in every sense.

The depth in this book will be your mind. So much to uncover. I can't wait for more.

Hard to Catch Transitions

The narration made it very difficult to catch scene changes, making it very easy to get lost

it's good?

there's definitely some talent here, but there are incomprehensible parts. a total slog to get through.

Amazing characters and worldbuilding

I've heard these books are better the second time around, which makes sense as this book is clearly meant to set up the rest. I was hooked immediately and underwhelmed by the climax and end to the story. If you enjoy fantasy, these drawbacks shouldn't be enough to keep you from reading it. it is worth the journey, especially if you expect to continue on to the next book.

Glen Cook, then Tad Williams, was looking for more

It started with finishing all of Song of Fire and Ice...twice. was looking for another epic saga. The Black Company I devoured to its conclusion. I was sad when it was over. Moved on to Tad Williams. Devoured all of Östen Ard. Was sad to have to wait for the final novel. Found Malazan. Soooo happy. Book 1 grabbed me, getting started on Book 2 in about 3 minutes. Felt it warranted a review.

Very confused

I struggled to follow the story and characters I'm afraid which is a first for me in an audiobook

story was good up to the climax

Basically, solid start to a longer series. Too much introduced in the action climax.

Good Narrator. Good book.

Hello. In general I try never to speak with people, but I have been listening to Ralph Lister read this book and it’s damn good. You should buy it.

Son, you should know my recommendation is essentially a guarantee. Read this. NOW.

I won’t publicly endorse a product unless I use it exclusively and I really believe in it.
My only official recommendations are U.S. Army issued mustache trimmers, Morton’s salt, the C.R. Lawrence fine two inch axe style scraper oscillating knife blade, and now this book. You're welcome.

hard listen

It might just be me, but I found the reading putting me to sleep. I don't know if it the story helped but the reader's pace and tone put me to sleep more than once. This is not my first audiobook and I normally enjoy them. just frustrating when you have to go back and find where you fell asleep.

Too Many Characters; Not Enough Plot Development

The novel spends a great deal of time bouncing back and forth between a dizzying array of characters. The magic of this world is powerful, but often the book operates more often in Leo Tolstoy territory. While some stand out (Paren, Sorry, Tattersail, Lorn, Wiskeyjack, Rake, and Kruppe) most of the rest of the time you're trying to figure out who is who. This is particularly a problem in the climax. In Darujhistan, it seems like everyone is a thief or assassin or engaged in some nasty business of one kind or another, and keeping them all straight and who is entangled with whom is a difficult business. Perhaps more time could be spent developing the central plot, which is underwhelming in a way that I can't get into too deeply without spoilers.

The magic is extremely varied in scope. The characters often shift into alternate dimensions. There is a Greek god like pantheon that is constantly intervening with the main characters both on their behalf and in opposition. Even the gods appear afraid of other beings more powerful than themselves. This backdrop undermines the book somewhat as the balance necessary for the plot requires the author to sacrifice its believably.

Counterbalancing these flaws is the lack of triteness throughout most of the novel. The point of view shifts among all the characters constantly, so you get a pretty good idea of the motivations of each character regardless of whether they are "good guys" or "bad guys." The bad guys have doubts, and the good guys occasionally do bad things. Missing here too is the inevitable "chosen one" character (Paren is closest to this role, but there is a sense he could lose that role at any moment), the kindly father figure (not even sure who this would be), and the most Dark Lord-like character at first glance has, for much of the book, a much more complicated role that doesn't fall neatly into good guy or bad guy. Ultimately even here, the novel falters. The romances aren't all that interesting, and the novel does fall back on the trite in the end. It's a step up from the Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and the Eye of the World, but a step down from A Song of Ice and Fire.

Overall, I have mixed feelings about the book, which appears to be torn between fantasy's past and its future. I'm rooting for it's future mostly, and on that score the novel is too much a creature of fantasy's past to be completely satisfying.