Marie itibaren Núi Thành, Quảng Nam, वियतनाम itibaren Núi Thành, Quảng Nam, वियतनाम

The first volume in Steven Erikson's ten-volume Malazan Book of the Fallen series, Gardens of the Moon, introduces us to the Malazan Empire and the world it inhabits. Right away, the reader is thrown into the fray. There is no backstory, no long introduction to what turns out to be a very complex world with countless connections amongst characters, races, gods, and so on. At first, you will feel confused, lost, hopelessly behind, but do not fret. You're supposed to feel that way. Stick with it. You will slowly find your bearings and soon be rewarded with what, to me, is one of the best fantasy series ever written. Erikson's style is unique, and perfectly suited to the stories and characters. The chapters are headed by various excerpts taken from historical and philosophical texts from the Malazan world, informing the reader of its history and texture bit by bit. While this is a story with many characters, the main focus is on a Malazan Marine squad called the Bridgeburners. This tight-knit group was obviously influenced by Glen Cook's Black Company with names like Quick Ben, Whiskeyjack, Fiddler, Hedge, and Picker. This group receives orders to head to the city of Darujhistan, a free city coveted by the Malazan Empress. Once there they become entangled in the schemes of gods, governments, and humans alike. To try and sum up the story is futile, as it is too multifaceted and complex to do it justice here. Just know that it is as epic as The Wheel of Time, but as gritty as the Black Company. It contains much magic and battles of great scale. Its characters have depth and there is not a prophesied farmboy in the bunch, although there is a magic sword. So, if this disjointed and obscure review tells you anything, I hope the message is: Go buy this book! You won't regret it.