Gardens of the Moon

Gardens of the Moon is the first volume in a planned ten book cycle entitled 'The Malazan Book of the Fallen' written by Canadian author Steven Erikson. This series is experiencing incredible popularity at the moment, even though only the first two installments, Gardens of the Moon, and the recently released Deadhouse Gates are readily available in the United States (outside of online purchasing). Outside the U.S., and fans who purchased the series online have had the luxury of reading the first five installments, the 2 aforementioned novels, and Memories of Ice, 'House of Chains', 'Midnight Tides', and are anxiously awaiting Book 6 'The Bonehunters'. I plan on reviewing all the novels in the series, but because of the availability issue and partly due to the scope of the series each review will deal exclusively with the book being reviewed with no comments regarding future events that many who have advanced in the series (including me) know about. So with that said, I will continue with my thoughts on Gardens of the Moon.

Gardens of the Moon is epic both in its planned bulk and scope, and one doesn’t have to read too far into the novel to realize Erikson is not settling for offering a series intent on rehashing traditional ideas. Erikson is not settling for archetypical characters, nor completely linear storylines, as he creates a massive setting full of differing factions, races, and deities, and unlike the other few (too few) superior examples of epic fantasy available to us, he is not increasing the reality of his world at the cost of lessening the fantastic elements in his series. In my opinion, when reading Gardens of the Moon, the impressions I get are of an Epic Fantasy series, that is embracing Sword/Sorcery elements without feeling the need to to not take itself seriously because of their inclusion, a practice that contemoprary sword/sorcery practioners seem to feel is synoymous with the sub-genre. It's not pure sword/sorcery, in the classic sense like the legendary works of Fritz Leiber and Robert Howard, or Karl EdardWagner, and C.L. moore, and no, it's not as thoughtful as Michael Moorcock’s various early works, but yet one that not only offers existing scope, but still promises to offer so much more.

In Gardens of the Moon, Erikson introduces the reader into his setting during a time of war. The Malazan Empire, led by The Empress Laseen, who only seven years ago assassinated the Emperor and took power for herself is trying to increase her influence, and the events in this novel take place mostly in the backdrop of the Malazan attempt to take the city of Darujhistan. Caladan Brood, a legendary Warlord, and the Tiste Andii are contesting the Malazan army vigorously, allied with a deposed Prince and his elite mercenaries the Crimson Guard. There are several plotlines that intertwine that Erikson uses to depict the sequence of events in Gardens of the Moon and they require mention. One is the story of Ganoes Paran a noble, and soldier in the Malazan Empire who upon meeting Lorn, Adujunct of the Empress, and joining her staff starts down a path that will lead him to literally the gates of the afterlife, a pawn of a god, and turn him into a wielder of a god enchanted (or cursed) sword,and palce him in the middle of a battle of Ascendants between the Hounds of Shadow and the Tiste Andii Lord of Moon’s Spawn, The Son of Darkness, Andomander Rake. We will also follow Lorn, the Adjunct whose power is representative of the Empress herself, as she tracks down a girl she believes to be possessed by another Ascendant, of High House Shadow, while also traveling with an ancient T’Lan Imass to free to free a powerful Tyrant of another age. Lorn is a mage killer, her sword made of otataral, which negates all but Elder magic. We will also follow a legendary military company of the Malazan Empire, the Bridge Burners, led By Sgt Whiskey Jack, and includes former Imperial Claw assassin Kalam, a gifted mage Quick Ben, and a certain girl that that the Adjunct is looking to kill. The Bridgeburners, former shock troop of the old empire try to unravel the mystery of who, possibly on their own side is trying to eliminate them. Erikson also takes us into the city of Darujhistan, awaiting the expected Malazan storm, and introduces us to some of the great cities denizens like Kruppe, a being of underestimated power and influence, whose dreams are sometimes parley apce for Elder Gods, the cities high Chemist, Baruk who makes a pact with Moon’s Spawn and Andomander Rake against the Malazan threat. Meanwhile, Kruppe’s friends are hatching their own plan to put their friend back in his rightful place in the social hierarchy of the city, and one of them is the cause of a theme that becomes central in Gardens of the Moon, and that is “power draws power” as he unwittingly holds a coin, a coin of Oponn a Ascendant, and thus makes the city of Darujhistan the destination where various powers are converging. That’s just a brief summary, and if that doesn’t get at least tweak one’s interest, I’m not sure what fantasy will. Gardens of the Moon takes the best of Sword/Sorcery elements and introduces many factions - in fact factions within factions - different races, Ascendants meddling into mortal affairs, magical weapons, mage battles, guild wars, assassins, duels, demons, dragons, and weaves them with political intrigue, diverse characters, a massive history, giving the novel a epic scope and feel.

Detractors of Gardens of the Moon are not completely without merit. At times the narrative quality is a bit stretched and the pacing of the novel is a bit uneven. At some points some elements seem rather contrived, for example one sequence of events of during the novel takes place during a meeting where Lorn, meets a mage Tattersail (another major player), and a past conflict is introduced to us that during the events of this novel seem invented just to add intrigue to a dinner meeting. In regards to Lorn, a character that I do like many times her narrative was undesirable to me in regards to her inner turmoil and coming to grips with it, these instances just seemed painstakingly slow in my reading, and slowed the plot down. It is also true that Gardens of the Moon puts the reader into the middle of an ongoing war, and explains all the nuances of the world on the fly, which is a most common detraction from what I like to call map users, I simply think this argument is absurd, I think we are bright enough to be able to jump into a novel and appreciate it without having the first two chapters dedicated to mapping out a world, and telling us every relevant aspect of individuals/political factions/races at the onset, and just enjoy learning as we go, furthermore, for those that do have trouble with this, Erikson supplies a map, and a list of the main players and their allegiances in the novel. This is a planned ten-book cycle, there is time for explanations. I just think there is a growing amount of readers in the genre that get offended when a novel that not only uses, but relishes in high magic use, mage battles, demons, a massive deity system, starts getting large appeal. I am aware of this because at times I have been accused of the same thoughts however, the difference is I don’t have a disdain for high magic, sword/sorcery, heavy use of battles, secondary world novels, I have a disdain for poorly written, unimaginative, sophomoric work that coincidently tends to be found quite commonly in the Sword/Sorcery and Epic sections of fantasy. Gardens of the Moon simply doesn’t fall into that category, and in my opinion offer a highly entertaining, and growing introduction into a series. No, Erikson is not George R..R. Martin, nor in my opinion is 'The Malazan Book of the Fallen' is as tightly written, either in plot, or quality of prose, nor is its narrative nearly so engaging as Martin’s epic magnum opus 'A Song of Ice and Fire'. It’s also true that Erikson's work won’t be compared in significance to China Mieville or Jeff Vandermeer, however in my opinion these facts (at least I think so) should not make us less inclined to appreciate what is in my mind the most enjoyable series that isn't ashamed of using sword/sorcery elements, I have read in quite a long time.

What I especially liked was the amount of factions and tensions between them. I enjoyed the obvious tension between ascendant's Caladan and Rake, I enjoyed Kruppe’s travels in his dreams, I liked the mixture of the major world events occurring, with the small personal plot lines Erikson gives equal precedence concerning Coll and his comrades, and also his use of Circuit Breaker, and taking the time to give such a character a gratifying end in the novel. I especially enjoyed the deities and their interactions with mortals and each other. Rake proves to be a fun character to read about regardless of what function he is involved in whether standing of with other Ascendants, talking with Elder gods, or single handedly fighting the Malazan army. Make no mistake, Erikson rips off Moorcock's Elric - but it works.

I will give readers one tidbit, if you attempted to read Gardens of the Moon and it failed to deliver, I recommend picking up Deadhouse Gates as many of the narrative issues are improved, and it proves to be a more fluid reading experience in my opinion. The plot of Deadhouse Gates does not pick up immediately after Gardens of the Moon, and probably would prove more palatable for some to begin with and than come back to Gardens of the Moon. Regardless when its read, my final grade for Steven Erikson’s Gardens of the Moon is an 8, perhaps inflated by a half point, but simply in gratitude for offering a recent Epic fantasy with Sword/Sorcery elements that doesn’t completely strive to demean an adult's intelligence.

An excellent beginning.

Jay
The Bodhisattva

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