I bought this one because I’d read something about the author, Steven Erikson, that was intriguing. Here was a guy who plotted out 10 novels set in a world he co-created. That’s simply amazing.
So, the official stuff:
The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations with 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, their lone surviving mage, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the many dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities, yet holds out. It is to this ancient citadel that Laseen turns her predatory gaze.
However, the Empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister, shadowbound forces are gathering as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand…
I read a review comparing the series to George R.R. Martin’s ‘Song of Fire and Ice’, which is actually why I haven’t yet picked it up and cracked the cover – I don’t know that I have the time to devote to something that epic at the moment…
~P
