Product Description

In the vast dominion of Seven Cities, in the holly desert of Raraku, the seer Sha'ik and her followers prepare for the long-prophesied uprising named the Whirlwind. Unprecedented in its size and savagery, this maelstrom of fanaticism and bloodlust will embroil the whole Malazan Empire.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3024 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 959 pages

Review
'Erikson is an extraordinary writer....treat yourself' Stephen R. Donaldson. 'A fantasy world as rich and detailed as you're likely to encounter....so engrossing you'll be hard-pressed to put it aside...an astounding debut' SF Site. 'Complex, challenging...Erikson's strengths are his grown-up characters and his ability to create a world every bit as intricate and messy as our own' J. V. Jones author of The Book Of Words trilogy.

From the Back Cover
A TALE OF THE MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN

In the vast dominion of Seven Cities, in the Holy Desert Raraku, the seer Sha'ik and her followers prepare for the long-prophesied uprising named the Whirlwind. Unprecedented in its size and savagery, this maelstrom of fanaticism and bloodlust will embroil the Malazan Empire in one of the bloodiest conflicts it has ever known, shaping destinies and giving birth to legends...

Embittered and enslaved, Felisin, youngest daughter of the disgraced House of Paran, dreams of escape from the horrors of the Otataral mines. However, freedom and revenge have their price: her soul. The outlawed Bridgeburners Fiddler and Kalam had vowed to rid the world of the Empress Laseen but it appears the gods have other plans. And Coltaine, the charismatic but untried commander of the Malaz 7th Army, will lead his war-weary troops in a last, valiant running battle to save the lives of thirty thousand refugees and, in so doing, secure an illustrious place in the Empire's chequered history. Then into this blighted land come two ancient wanderers, Mappo the Trell and his half-Jaghut companion Icarium, bearers of a devastating secret about to let slip its chains.

Set in a brilliantly realized world ravaged by dark, uncontrollable magic, this thrilling novel of war, intrigue and betrayal confirms Steven Erikson as a storyteller of breathtaking skill, imagination and originality - a new master of epic fantasy.

About the Author
Steven Erikson is Canadian by birth, he is a qualified archaeologist and anthropologist and a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop. He lives in Surrey.

Customer Reviews

Think of the Deadhouse Gates : Think on Death
Another epic escapade into the world of the Fallen.

This is no Tolkien vision of sweeping glades and smiling elder faces, this is a brooding, brutal and ultimately savage work of fantasy. Really, you can't help but love it.

The question that seems to lie at the heart of so many of the characters is: 'What is preferable, to fall so far that no remnants of your other self are left or to have died innocent, unfallen.'

Battles are fought, wars are waged, yet no distinction is made between the foes. Both are fighting for noble values, both are "good" and yet both have the capacity for evil. Something I've never come across in a fantasy novel before & depending upon your take on originality, a brilliant concept.

Even Better Than the First Book
The first book in this series, Gardens of the Moon, was a gloriously complex, action-packed romp of a novel, with a huge cast of entertaining, well-drawn characters and an absolute refusal to bown down to genre cliches or expectations. Book 2, Deadhouse Gates, continues many of these ideals in an admirable fashion. We're wrenched halfway around the world to the continent of Seven Cities, which is about to rise up against the Malazan Empire. A totally new cast is introduced, although a few minor players from Book 1 soon arrive to provide a bridge to the first book. There are three main plots developing in tandem: Felisin Paran's escape from slavery, General Coltaine's epic march across the continent and a plot to assassinate the Malazan Empress. The Coltaine storyline is the heart of the novel and is truly horrific at times, and the conclusion is truly gut-wrenching (the reader is as angry as the characters are at the heartless betrayal that ends the novel, and the poetic justice which rewards it is sweet). Deadhouse Gates is much darker and even more complex than the first book. It reads well as a stand-alone novel, though I recommend you read the first one as it's a slightly gentler introduction to the world. Book 2 is also clever in that many events take place simultaneously with Book 3, providing a link to that novel. Superb.

Slow at first, but worth reading all the way through
While the first book in this series is excellent, as is the third book, the second book isn't quite as good.

The first half of the book seems to predominantly focus on the character Felisin. It covers most of her journey from a noble birth to slavery, and escape. Unfortunately, this part of the story seems to drag on for quite a while, and may require some perseverance to get through. It is worth it, though.

The interesting parts of the book occur in the second half, where they focus more on the exploits of Coltaine and the march called the 'Chain of Dogs.' This makes the task of plodding through Felsin's part of the story worthwhile, and is the sort of writing you would expect after having read Gardens of the Moon.

Harder to read than the first book, but definitely worthwhile in the end.