Book 2 of the Malazan Book of the Fallen
Rating: 4 out of 5
Welcome back to the world of the Malazan Empire. This time the story takes place away from the original setting of the Steven Erikson’s first book, Gardens of the Moon, to another continent where the Seven Cities are living under the rule of the Malazan empress, Laseen. And now, trouble is brewing.In the Holy Desert Raraku, the followers of the seer, Sha’ik greet the coming of the Whirlwind – the prophesized uprising against the Malazan Empire that will engulf the whole Seven Cities – with bloodshed and massacres and plunge the whole continent into turmoil. It will be the one of the bloodiest wars the empire has ever been involved in and will shape its destiny and give birth to epics and legends.
In the middle of this maelstrom and what will be the backbone of the book is the Malazan 7th Army and the Wickans commanded by the Fist Coltaine. Caught in the middle of a continent in flames, this formerly ragtag excuse of an army whipped into shape by the newly arrived general finds itself escorting tens of thousands of Malazan refugees on the long and distant road to safety, an ordeal that would be beset by months and months of grueling hardship and loss, faced with thirst and hunger, and constant attacks from the rebel army, compounded by the distrust between the civilians and the military. It is an epic story that is gripping, captivating and exhilarating, while at the same time, tragic and heart-wrenching. Steven Erikson paints for the reader a proud and, at times, heroic picture of the Malazan soldier facing incredible odds doing an impossible task. For military history buffs, this thread of the story would probably evoke images of Mao’s Long March, or Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow, or the March to the Sea by Xenophon. Deadhouse Gates is first and foremost, a war story.
But as with the first book, Deadhouse Gates is not just one tale but several threads of tales. Fresh from Gardens of the Moon, the assassin Kalam and the sapper Fiddler, of the outlawed Bridgeburners accompany the once-possessed girl, formerly named Sorry, now Apsalar and her companion Crokus of Darujistan, hoping to help them find their way back to Apsalar’s home and father. But all is not as it seems as Kalam and Fiddler have another secret, darker and more dangerous mission while being caught up in the events of the Whirlwind. There is the Trell called Mappo and the half-Jhagut Icarium, in search for their fate and hiding a terrible secret.
It is also the story of Felisin Paran, the sister of Ganoes Paran, Bridgeburner captain from Gardens of the Moon. She and her family are swept by the ramifications of the Bridgeburners going outlaw. As the empress decides to punish Ganoes Paran’s family, Felisin’s older sister Tavore betrays her kin by facilitating their arrest to prove her loyalty and become the Empress’ new Adjunct. Felisin finds herself in a slavery mine with Heboric, a priest with no hands and the thug Baudin. Together their plot to escape would lead them to a path nobody ever expected and into the heart of the Whirlwind.
Just like in the first book, Erikson weaves these different story threads into a vast epic that would culminate into a surging climax which would glue the reader into the pages. The story is vast in scope and full of wonderful twists and turns as the current history of the Malazan Empire unfold before the reader’s eyes. It is a story of legendary figures, noble soldiers, fickle gods, ruthless armies, devious plots and heart-breaking friendships. Steven Erikson, just like in Gardens of the Moon never lets up. In fact, having gone through this before, the author refines his style and improves his writing.
Still, there is room for more improvement. There are times when the reader could get confused because Erikson doesn’t take the time to explain things. Maybe, with all the happenings he has to take note in this vast story, he forgets to explain some of the concepts he puts into it. With the enormous ensemble of characters, it would be a stretch to expect the characters to grow and evolve, although there are a few exceptions where one would really feel for a character. Examples of characters remaining stale (and in this case, even take a few steps back in terms of growth) are the Crokus and Apsalar, who in Gardens of the Moon were growing and somewhat evolving (and even compelling) characters, yet in Deadhouse Gates find themselves almost being observers in the background by the last part of the book.
Yet again, taken as a whole, Deadhouse Gates is a wonderful story. Steven Erikson is truly one of the gems of contemporary fantasy and among the authors reshaping the genre. He invites you to return to the world of the Malazan Empire, albeit on a different continent this time (reading the first story isn’t a must but is preferable). He will take the reader in a rollercoaster ride with a story of war, loyalty and friendship and if they are able to slog it out like the Malazan 7th Army through the immense weave of this amazing plot, through the battles, the bliss of triumph and the tragedy of loss, they will find in their hands a gem of an epic.
