Title: Gardens of the Moon
Author: Steven Erikson
Pages: 666
Series: Malazan Book of the Fallen #1
Release: April 1, 1999

And so begins my journey into Malazan. Is it for me? We shall see… this first book was a mixed bag. I appreciated its scope and complexity, but sometimes felt lost with how many similar male characters there were to keep track of. The podcasts and reading guides were a tremendous help, but felt like homework at times.

I’ve read a lot of epic fantasy and this feels a cut above the rest. The fact that I’ve just scratched the surface of the Malazan world is very exciting. And if this is the low water mark for the series, I’m excited to see what’s to come.

★★★½