Malazan Book of the Fallen: What to Expect and Where to Start

The Malazan Book of the Fallen is one of the richest and most detailed fantasy epics of the modern era. In this video, we cover where to start and what to expect when you take on this beast! Not sure whether tos tart with the prequels (either the Kharkanas Trilogy or the Path to Ascendancy Trilogy), or whether to start with the main series? What should you expect as a reader, because this is not a series for the faint of heart? We get into it all in this video!
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►►► MALAZAN BOOKS ◄◄◄
►Main Series◄
►Malazan Book of the Fallen amzn.to/36bNQKV
►Novels of the Malazan Empire amzn.to/2Yp0yDr
►Kharkanas Trilogy◄
►Forge of Darkness (Book 1) amzn.to/2LuMhQs
►Fall of Light (Book 2) amzn.to/2RsIB5j
►Walk in Shadow (Book 3) On Hold
►Path to Ascendancy◄
Dancer's Lament (Book 1) amzn.to/2OUTgUN
Deadhouse Landing (Book 2) amzn.to/3639vF8
Kellanved’s Reach (Book 3) amzn.to/2qrYwWw
The Jhistal (Book 4) amzn.to/3ciazZA
►Witness Trilogy◄
►The God is Not Willing (Book 1) amzn.to/2TeABW8
►TBD (Book 2) Unknown
►TBD (Book 3) Unknown
►The Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach (novellas)◄
►Blood Follows (2002) amzn.to/38eGRml
►The Healthy Dead (2004) amzn.to/38eGRml
►The Lees of Laughter's End (2007) amzn.to/38eGRml
►Crack'd Pot Trail (2009) amzn.to/2Lw5Jfu
►The Wurms of Blearmouth (2012) amzn.to/2PoBYOK
►The Fiends of Nightmaria (2016) amzn.to/2s0xmqe
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►►►MY SUGGESTED READING ORDER◄◄◄
►1. Gardens of the Moon
►2. Memories of Ice
►3. Deadhouse Gates
►4. House of Chains
►5. Midnight Tides
►6. The Bonehunters
►7. Reaper's Gale
►8. Toll the Hounds
►9. Dust of Dreams
►10. The Crippled God
►11. Night of Knives
►12. Return of the Crimson Guard
►13. Stonewielder
►14. Orb Sceptre Throne
►15. Blood and Bone
►16. Assail
►17. Forge of Darkness
►18. Fall of Light
►19. Walk in Shadow (Forthcoming)
►20. Dancer’s Lament
►21. Deadhouse Landing
►22. Kellanved's Reach
►23. The Jhistal (Forthcoming)
►24. The Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, Volume 1
►25. The Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, Volume 2
►26. The God is Not Willing (Forthcoming)
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►►►SERIES CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER◄◄◄
►1. Forge of Darkness
►2. Fall of Light
►3. Walk in Shadow
►4. Dancer’s Lament
►5. Deadhouse Landing
►6. Kellanved's Reach
►7. The Jhistal
►8. Midnight Tides
►9. Night of Knives
►10. Gardens of the Moon
►11. Deadhouse Gates
►12. Memories of Ice
►13. House of Chains
►14. The Bonehunters
►15. The Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, Volume 1
►16. Reaper's Gale
►17. Return of the Crimson Guard
►18. Toll the Hounds
►19. Dust of Dreams
►20. Stonewielder
►21. The Crippled God
►22. Orb Sceptre Throne
►23. Blood and Bone
►24. Assail
►25. The God is Not Willing
►26. The Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, Volume 2
#Malazan #MalazanBookOfTheFallen #IskarJarak

[@IskarJarak]

What do you guys think? Any critical errors or omissions??

[@bryson2662]

I think you should mention Karkanas isn't finished. Also I think it's tens or hundreds of thousands of years before the main series

[@IskarJarak]

Good call, you’re 100% right! Thanks for commenting!!

[@SeptimusTSS]

Ok so most people say malazan, with the a from "ass" (consistent), and imo that sounds the best. The author himself says malaazan, which sounds dumb but cant really debate with the author himself. but yeah I really think you should go for one of those instead of your own. It just kinda bugs me. Good video aside from that, keep at it

[@IskarJarak]

Roger that! Thanks for the heads up. I will definitely brush up on my pronunciation before the next video. Appreciate the feedback!!

[@paulgalvinauthor]

This was a terrific intro to the series. I couldn't have done it better.

[@H.Iversen]

Man, I love when people on KZbin act and talk like a regular human. So glad I found this channel. Greetings from Norway!

[@IskarJarak]

Hahaha, thanks and welcome! Appreciate it!!

[@TheInderTaker]

Completely agree! I hate how people think that chopping and editing every sentence in a video is necessary, because they assume everyone has ADHD

[@Jezza_One]

Exactly So many idiots think they must behave like deranged teenagers.

[@mezla_]

Malazan is a weird universe to jump into. It’s got this insane world that can envelope you and the satisfaction of reading through them and connecting the dots is unmatched IMO. It’s almost like reading a puzzle.

[@IskarJarak]

Puzzle is a great analogy!!! And I totally agree with you-thanks for watching!

[@ranvirdesai1843]

When you said, I don't have any friends to talk to about Malazan, I felt it, and hit the like. You've got a friend man. Nice work. Thanks. I'm reading Memories of Ice now, and really liked Deadhouse Gates. They're a tough read really, but time invested in them really pays off.

[@IskarJarak]

Aw, thanks mate! Glad you found me and appreciate it very much!! 🙏💪❤️

[@IskarJarak]

If you guys are dying to chat Malazan, check out our discord. It’s pretty active with Malazan discussion most days!

[@ranvirdesai1843]

@Yash Bridgeburners and Bridge4 are the groups where I belong ;)

[@malazisland300]

True that! I've managed to get one friend into Malazan but no one else I know really reads fantasy.

[@anangryscorpion5838]

Always glad to see more Malazan content on youtube, a series i feel doesn't always get the praise or readership it deserves. Keep on going with the channel! One more person talking about Malazan is one more person that might decide to read it. One of the most life changing works of fiction i have ever read and more people should give it a chance!

[@IskarJarak]

100% agree. So intimidating/under appreciated, but so amazing!! No idea what I’m doing, but interacting with others who love the series is a win in my book. Thanks for watching!!!

[@leude9984]

it has sold millions of copies so it has a big readership. Nothing compared to GoT or WoT but bigger than 99 percent of other fantasy series i think

[@IskarJarak]

That’s amazing! I’m hoping it becomes more top of mind when people think of good fantasy!

[@custarddavidson8104]

Seeing as everyone is locked inside for a while I decided to take the plunge. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@IskarJarak]

Perfect time to dive in. I’m just about done with the chapter by chapter reviews for GotM too, so hopefully that helps!! Thanks so much for letting me know and look forward to seeing how you like it!

[@custarddavidson8104]

Iskar Jarak update....I LOVED IT, I feel as a noob there’s so many scare stories saying how hard it is to follow, don’t get me wrong the overall scope is definitely still a mystery to me but it was nowhere near as bad as I imagined! I thought the rooftop chases in Darujistan were so so intense! Can’t wait for the next one! Keep up the great content the videos are extremely helpful.

[@IskarJarak]

Heck ya-that’s awesome! You finished that bad boy up quick!! Glad you gave it a shot and actually enjoyed it! ❤️ As long as you go in prepared for it to be a lot different than anything you’ve read before then it is quite enjoyable so don’t listen to the haters and just keep on trucking-it keeps getting better and better. Thanks for stopping back by with the update!! 🙏👌👍

[@malcolmdouglasmichaluk8263]

@@custarddavidson8104 did you like the second one?

[@crazyotto1338]

Malazan Book of the Fallen is absolutely one of my favorite series ever, along with the Wheel of Time. My only critique of Malazan is what you touched on; the long, arduous road we're taken on, over and over. It's emotionally tiring! But unlike A Song of Ice and Fire, it isn't nihilistic. In the end its a celebration of the human spirit, a celebration of resilience, and that we can overcome any trial. Brilliant, amazing, and ultimately uplifting work. One of the best ever.

[@indyman_123]

A massive THANK YOU for convincing me to start the epic journey!

[@b_g_c3281]

I've heard of the Malazan series for a few months now; most of what I've heard moderately intriguing. But *this--¬^ video* is the first one that's really made an impact: _wherein my curiosity has been _*_transformed_*_ into genuine craving!!_ It seems that the Malazan series just might be _THE_ fantasy series I've _ALWAYS_ yearned for!!! Thank you for this!!!

[@IskarJarak]

That’s awesome, I think it has a lot to offer and a nice change from anything else I’ve read! Hope you enjoy!!

[@judytaa]

I finished second volume today. I not gonna lie, it's difficult to read for me, but also I can't give up, I want more, and of course I will read it to the end 😃 it's so interesting! 😄 thanks for great video 😊

[@IskarJarak]

Maybe try my chapter by chapter videos if you want to make sure you have everything straight. You sound like you’re doing great and I’m glad you’re enjoying!!

[@judytaa]

@@IskarJarak thanks so much 😊 I will check your chapter by chapter videos 😃 for sure they will be helpful 😊 I love reading fantasy books and this series is great 😄

[@SuperVengeLock]

Love this! I'm halfway through The Crippled God and I don't have anyone to talk about it with so I'm delving into YT Malazan content. Wish I'd found this before I started, it's a great overview!

[@mikesbookreviews]

After much urging from my viewers, this is in my schedule starting January 2021. Excited, yet intimidated. I've been kicking the can down the road on this one since 2008.

[@IskarJarak]

That’s awesome! It’s a big commitment and it may take you a while to get into it, but it’s very rewarding if you can stick through till the end!!

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@IskarJarak Well, the last thing I'm going to do is start it and then stop. I've slow rolled Wheel of Time over the last year plus (starting book 10 in March) and swore I'd finish it before starting Malazan. It seemed the next logical step after WoT. Thanks for the intro!

[@IskarJarak]

Good luck, keep me posted! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@IskarJarak Of course! Us non-sponsored booktubers gotta stick together. Keep hustling and your channel will grow.

[@IskarJarak]

Haha will do, thank you sir!!

[@lars_rosenberg]

I was looking for Malazan content on youtube and I found your channel. I'm excited too see you've just started and I want to follow the journey from the beginning! Channels like yours are the reason KZbin is so cool, keep it up!

[@IskarJarak]

That’s awesome, thank you so much for checking out the video and leaving me a comment-lots more coming soon!

[@kaarellehtsalu]

I just started the Gardens of the Moon and I am 200 pages in and I already feel all the excitement (near anxiety at times - for example when the thief Crokus story began on the rooftops with the assassins). Really happy I found this and I think I need my personal ebook - right now using my fiancee's, but she wants to use it too and cant wait until I finish 18000 pages, haha. I am also happy to have found this channel - helps alot to dive in and actually understand the world of the book(s). Right at the start I fell in love with the writing and the depth all the characters have. Here I go!

[@Xepent]

wow! I just hit page 200 today. How far are you now? did you finish it? I felt the same way about the Crokus intro

[@kaarellehtsalu]

@@Xepent I am 3 books now. Have not had the time to continue to book 4 yet. But will do soon.

[@SurferKroky]

Dude I’m literally at that point right now 😅 Absolutely LOVING IT !

[@Xepent]

@@SurferKroky I've slowed down a lot. I'm halfway through book 2

[@hexenhammer7616]

Am I mistaken or is there something like a Malazan revival going on right now? More Malaz is always good, so of course I subbed and will be keeping up with your future content.

[@IskarJarak]

I definitely hope so. I had plans to start this channel for months and started recording about 3.5 weeks ago, and by the grace of the gods, Daniel Green posted a Malazan video like the day after I posted my first video. Will be great if we can get some people talking about it! A lot of people are scared to take it on, so we have to make sure everybody know how much it's worth it!! Thanks for jumping on board and leaving a comment!

[@IskarJarak]

That would be awesome!!!

[@IskarJarak]

😉 my old Clash of Clans name! 💪

[@IskarJarak]

Awesome thanks for the heads up!

[@trullsengar9382]

I feel like maybeore and more people are searching for a new big fantasy series to read after GoT ended. Maybe that's part of it

[@something00witty]

I'm so sad to be 3 years late to this discussion! Well, I can't wait to watch the rest of your videos as I read the related books. Part through through gardens of the moon now and really want to hear what you and others think!

[@IskarJarak]

Keep good my!!

[@timholland1764]

Just finished gardens of the Moon and just found your channel. Thanks for the great content. I downloaded book 2 under my Kindle and started it last night. Really looking forward to this one.

[@Felipe_Robles]

Great... you convinced me... as soon as I finish Oathbringer I’ll start with Book of the Fallen. Thanks.

[@IskarJarak]

Ahaha! Yasss! That’s awesome-can’t wait to hear what you think!

[@HeresJohnny55555]

I'm in the EXACT same position Felipe, I'm a few chapters into Oathbringer and already love it! I'm tempted to finish my one-off books (next Kushiels Dart book, 3rd The Poppy War book, etc.) So that once I start Malazan I can REALLY truck through... Unless its recommended to take breaks every few books! I hope you're enjoying it

[@sweetlard2113]

Hey Iskar, so thrilled to see some clearly passionate love for Malaz on youtube. I've been poking around, looking for over 2 years. I'm worried that too many are scared off by the in medias res plank of GotM, but I'm just not convinced it's not more an issue of comfort. When you read the Belgariad you feel comfortable, when you read Malazan you hydrate for them coming tears and sometimes that shit haunts you. Malazan is a real, masterful tragedy. If you want to smile, look backward to other fantasies; if you want smile while being ruined, look to Malazan.

[@IskarJarak]

Thank you so much!! I tend to agree-this series is dark and gritty. Not a lot of feel-good fantasy tropes... don’t get me wrong, I love a good WoT and a big fan of mist born and realm of the elderlings, and most others too, but Malazan is grown up fantasy on a whole other level. Thanks so much for watching and leaving a comment!!

[@mikesbookreviews]

139 days away...and I'm still scurred.

[@IskarJarak]

Piece of cake. You’ve had your expectations properly managed so you’ll be good to go!

[@pookypoo1169]

I'm terrified

[@3rdmillenniumfuture607]

Thanks for this. Just a thought. You mention the necessity to be prepared to be sad. This is very true and the moments that live with me the longest are mostly the saddest. I think that is in part a reflection of our time. We are, luckily, not close to death, either in terms of expected lifespan or actual experience of seeing a dead body. Our art reflects that. Death is an embarassment. It rarely happens to important characters and even when it does it is often not permanent. Bit part extras are mown down like corn but the excess is so OTT that even they don't count. Previous generations suffered more. Death for them was just a way of life. One way they dealt with that was through tradegy. It used to be a fundamental story line. Some of the greatest works of literature have been tradegies. Take Shakespeare Antony and Cleopatra, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, King Lear, Macbeth, Othello, Romeo and Juliet Or those of Ancient Greece The Illiad, The Odyessy, Antigone, Oedipus Rex Malazan is great for many reasons. I think that's due in great part to its embracing the history of story telling and reinstating tradegy at its heart.

[@monikan2309]

I have been slowly going through the books in the last two years. Have finally reached the bone hunters. Don't know why i never searched up series and find more content relating to it. I have absolutely no friends who liked fantasy as a genre (other than now, GOT🙄). As i result i have never talked about the series with anyone . So glad i found your channel! Hoping to finish the series by next year.

[@kaneabd1217]

I have just started malazan and only read till the city of pale roughly 150 pages and stopped for some reasons but I gonna start it in near future and you have got another friend for discussing malazan and much respect for going that far bro cheers have a good day

[@TheGummy22]

I'm currently about 20% of the way into Deadhouse Gates and super happy you are working on this channel. This is a series I am going to need to discuss a lot to get through I'm feeling after finishing Gardens of the Moon.

[@IskarJarak]

Heck ya, thanks for stopping by--I totally know how you feel. Hoping to get on to DG very soon so stay tuned!

[@MrKevmomoney]

I explain Malazan like a bunch of antique manuscripts that were found on an archeological dig. Makes sense since Steven Erickson was an archeologist. Some backstories are missing. Some of the story’s are told from unreliable narrators. Your pretty much thrown into a window of history without a prologue and have to figure out what is going on using other books in the series. Every time a new book comes out it’s like another historical treasure find.

[@IskarJarak]

Great way to look at it 💪

[@AthwalAmrit]

Loved it! I have often wondered how to enlighten others onto Malazan but without scaring them off, this video is perfect. Subscribed so that this community can nerd out here 😆

[@IskarJarak]

Haha, thanks! That’s awesome! It doesn’t always work. I just tried to rope a friend in on this re read and he was still a hard no 😂 thanks for subbing!

[@Sirchud68]

I’ve always had a hard time getting into the Esslemont books. It’s been about 10 years since I’ve read The Book of the Fallen. Thanks to these videos I think my next reread I’m going to give ICE another chance.

[@IskarJarak]

You should! I really enjoyed the ice stuff. Didn’t seem as epic at first, but he has some great characters and the plot really ties in with book of the fallen. Thanks for watching-let me know how you get on!

[@StingrayMk1]

Thank you. About to start this tonight 2022.08.01 . . . . Deep breath . . . .

[@sultanbaba1230]

i just started like 20 minutes ago with the first chalter of the first book. im not a native english speaker. i never had any significant problems with other series, maybe a word here and there that i had to look up. but this first chapter maaaaan was really difficult. so this seems even more daunting to me on top off the many characters to keep track of and the huuuge world and history. heeeeelp

[@IskarJarak]

Hang in there, it’s got a lot of words even native English don’t use all the time so just keep a dictionary handy and power through!!

[@Nxrth2001]

Fantastic introduction video, found you through Mike and Philip's channels

[@IskarJarak]

Awesome, welcome aboard!

[@Heathennation1976]

Man I have the first three books and I know it's a tough nut to crack so I've been listening to stuff like ur Channel to make up my mind and I will have to say that you love this series and you have made me want to start reading it so I have the first three books I always start with the first three if they're more cuz after the first three if I don't like those three I can stop, I just started Sons of Darkness and got like 80 pages left of The Empire Of Ashes when I'm done with these which I'm almost done, at least with one, I want to go into Gardens of the Moon reading only Gardens of the Moon so I got to finish Sons of Darkness first so I can put all my focus on Malzan love your content man have a good day

[@mephistoxarses8585]

Thank you for this video. I am currently on my second read through and this whole series should be labelled as a "Fantasy Masterwork"

[@IskarJarak]

It really should, thanks for watching!!

[@RazielKainus]

finally found a channel on Malazan and it is actually good :) not flashy as many other channels might be, but in terms of content, pretty good, keep the good work :)

[@IskarJarak]

Hey, thank you so much for the feedback and so glad you found me. Normally o respond to my comments a lot quicker, but you discovered me while I was on a week long vacation so I apologize for the delayed response! I do want to improve my channel to be as flashy as the good ones some day, so if you have any advice, I would love to hear it!!

[@farhad_s]

less than 2 days to go before the read along. Finally I can watch this! Looking forward to your input throughout the journey

[@IskarJarak]

Enjoy!!

[@JLchevz]

Thank you for the video! for some reason I woke up wanting to read Malazan lol, it's a big commitment but it seems like it's definitely worth it

[@IskarJarak]

Very big commitment with a very big payoff!

[@seamustheplatypus]

Best series out there. I am planning on reading it again soon !

[@IskarJarak]

I’m enjoying it even more on the reread than I did the first two times! So many layers!! Thanks for watching the vid!!

[@cup1966wow]

Malazan is without doubt my favourite series. I haven't read another series that is anything like it. Its also one of the few series that is genuinely funny at times, I find very few series actually get humour correct. Kruppe gets me in creases. But then it has really impactful moments. Amazing series, its a shame that the prequel trilogy is struggling though. I really liked it, was definitely a different writing style, which maybe why it didn't sell amazingly.

[@IskarJarak]

Totally! I was super bummed when he abandoned walk in shadow to do the Karsa books. I mean, I’m pumped for the Karsa books but I was also really enjoying the Kharkanas stuff. As you say, it was something different and I’m a sucker for fleshing out back stories so it was right up my alley!!

[@cup1966wow]

@@IskarJarak I hope he comes back to it at some point. The Karsa Trilogy will be quite interesting I think. I don't actually think we will see Karsas POV that much. He doesn't usually have that many POVs for the big characters, which I have always found better as you see the impact it is having in everyone. I really hope Games Paran has a big role. I loved his story arc, one of my favourite characters.

[@IskarJarak]

Same! You’d think Ganoes and Kruppe and Silverfox and a few others would have to at least have a cameo!!

[@crazy4cairns]

Thanks for the video Iskar. I'm on Deadhouse Gates and I'm really enjoying the ride. I will agree with you that it's hard to keep track of the geographic locations. The maps on kindle aren't easy to read so I occasionally check them out online to get my head around it.

[@Teaslippers]

I'm about to take my first plunge into this epic. Thanks for the indepth introduction. 👍

[@IskarJarak]

That’s awesome! I’m sorry for the delayed response (I was on a short vacation this past week), but so glad you found me and are taking the plunge-I hope you really enjoy it!!

[@luise.suelves8270]

I saw the first video, instant like and subscription. But now after seeing this one, man, you are definitely good at communicating! I've read until Deadhouse Gate, had a break due to my studies, and now move to The Way of King by Sanderson. That is not gonna last too long, so I'll go back to follow your (and Steven's) reading order when Im done with it. Amazing job here! At least at first! Hope it keeps as good, or even improves!

[@IskarJarak]

Dude, thank you so much. I’m just a fan of the books and noticed a gaping hole for Malazan content, but if you’re done with DG, you’re just in time. I’m going to do dg over the next month or two and then move on to the next ones with some fun stuff mixed in between so stay tuned. Appreciate the comment!

[@victorpaleo]

Just discovered this channel. In Spain we are still waiting the final book in the main series which will be coming out this september. While I'm waiting I'n going to start with the Empire books. Great work and keep going!

[@IskarJarak]

Thank you so much! Glad you’re enjoying the content and hope you get to take a crack at that last book soon-it’s worth the wait!!

[@gasparmena]

Same here! Bought the 9 books in Barcelona last year... Reading the 3rd book now.

[@IskarJarak]

Hopefully that’s perfect timing to just dive right into tCG when it drops-thanks for watching!!

[@patricksp71]

Thanks for this, because I found the first book so confusing, but so interesting. I do audiobooks so this really helps.

[@IskarJarak]

Very cool, I’m glad it’s helping you find some enjoyment from the books!

[@TokyoBlue587]

I just started Gardens of the Moon! So I would definitely enjoy some more videos like this, to discuss this series.

[@IskarJarak]

Make sure you check out my playlists with the chapter by chapter videos for the first 3 books

[@DustyWight]

Thank you! This was great!

[@IskarJarak]

Glad it was helpful!!

[@TheYouie]

i appreciate this. im gonna continue reading --- currently at book 4.

[@IskarJarak]

Love your screen name! It’s getting good in book 4. Hope you enjoy the series-we have a bunch of other videos that you might like as well. I’m on book 2 for my reread!

[@akhansar]

Awesome vid! Mike's Book Reviews is starting a read along in 2021 and he put me on to this video. Great intro to a daunting series. Thank you so much.

[@IskarJarak]

Very cool, gonna* be a good year for Malazan!

[@Zoober0001]

Just bought the first book after watching your video

[@turtleanton6539]

Just started, but this video oozes quality.

[@IskarJarak]

Awesome, thanks so much for the feedback!!!

[@rames1974]

The wiki for this series is very well done for first time readers to use as a reference without giving away any major spoilers. If you're on your first read of this series and are confused on a race, place, or character, don't be scared to reference the wiki. Every page has a synopsis that will give you a little non spoiler background or explanation then it goes book by book and what happens during the series. So if you're on book 6 and want a refresher on what a character has done is past books you can go back without the danger of spoilers.

[@IskarJarak]

That’s a great point-brilliant resource!

[@tronnika2048]

Such a great explanation. I love this series specifically because of the pain, the heartbreak, and the real breakdown of the human situation. The further I get into the series, the more I appreciate Iskar’s commentary (and memes). Can’t wait for a continuation of the show recaps. In just a few weeks I’ll be able to join the spoiler crew! 🫶

[@TheInderTaker]

Great video, Bro!

[@IskarJarak]

Thank you!!

[@arpakyna]

You have Memories of Ice and Deadhouse gates swapped in the recommended reading order. It's not a big deal since the events on those books are simultaneous, but it is not the publication order, which is what the author recommends as the reading order.

[@IskarJarak]

Correct

[@IskarJarak]

That’s MY recommended order

[@Karma7711]

I've read some reviews on the series, and on the first book, and it looks like half of the people think this series is the greatest literature ever created and half absolutely despise it. Like they're actually offended by it. Not sure what to make of it all 🤔

[@IskarJarak]

Ignore them all and just dive in and decide for yourself lol!

[@dinocollins720]

thank you for this

[@newfieocean]

Yay a Malazan Channel!!

[@IskarJarak]

Woot woot! Thanks for watching!!

[@TeaInTheMorning-we2kh]

Starting with gardens of the moon. Very excited so far. I'm on like page 60 so far.

[@Azeann_2701]

Hey there, just discovered this channel ! I've only read the first three books in the core serie (reading it in French waiting for translation). After reading those books, I just have a brief overview of how big this world is so I'm gonna re-read from the beginning. And I was looking for a more dedicated channel for this serie so I've subscribed and wil spread the good words around me and try to convert people ! Thanks for the work and happy reading !

[@IskarJarak]

That's awesome, I'm glad you're enjoying them! Appreciate the feedback and the support as well. Cheers for that!!

[@Azeann_2701]

@@IskarJarak I was wondering about Ian Esselmont writing style? I've never read a book wrote by him. Is his style different than Erikson? Is it easier to read? To me Erikson has a very peculiar way to write and present things. And it's sometime making things harder to understand. Thanks in advance for answers.

[@IskarJarak]

I think it’s subjective. I found the esslemont stuff easier to read and still a lot of fun, but I’ve seen in the forums that not everyone agrees. More linear and hence easier to understand IMO.

[@omysadat]

Really good take, another interesting video. I would add to the main theme that is a story about compassion, all that pain and tragedy mixed with comedy is a way to emphasize the value of compassion imo and its beautifully interlaced. About the magic, the way I see it is that its worked tied to religion but in an evolutionary way from semi sentient beings and what they would consider holy to a more refined and even cynical way of working both the magic and the religion while separating it and giving more emphasis to the elements instead of the gods hundreds of thousands years later. In a way the magic systems reflect the status of each civilization represented in the series and there's a lot of them.

[@IskarJarak]

I agree 100%. Ithkovian is the perfect example of that compassion and there's always people trying to make light of these super intense situations. I love the humor of the books--not necessarily something you expect from something so dark and gritty, but it just works so well on both fronts. That's why it's my favorite! Thanks so much for the thoughtful comment!

[@fantasyreadings5955]

Hey man, I saw you had a listen to my Crippled God blurb reading and replied to the post on reddit. Thanks a lot, great channel by the way!

[@IskarJarak]

Thank you, that thing was awesome with the voice and the background! I meant to go comment on the video too-thanks for the reminder and for watching the video!

[@fantasyreadings5955]

@@IskarJarak No problem! I'd appreciate a comment on the video for sure.

[@GreeneZonee]

I just finished gardens of the moon and I have no clue what's going on lol that being said I could not stop reading! I was hooked! Starting the next book today!

[@IskarJarak]

I totally know how you feel. That’s kind of how I felt first time through! I have a chapter by chapter playlist for GotM that might help get things summarized, but I’m glad you’re enjoying it! I’m on DG myself right now! Thanks for watching and good luck. Pop by later and let me know how it’s going!!

[@GreeneZonee]

@@IskarJarak Subbed to the channel and have been watching all of your GOTM videos! They help a ton! Are you doing them for the rest of the books as well?

[@IskarJarak]

Wow, that's awesome--thank you very much! Yes, I'll definitely be doing the rest of the books. Should start the DG series very shortly, and then I will eventually cover all the books and the ICE, prequels, etc. We'll get there eventually LOL I'm just trying to mix in some other fun ones in between for those who aren't in the middle of reading or re-reading. I plan to do a few chapter by chapter summaries, then do a wildcard of either character deep dives, theories/speculation, a best bromances video, etc to keep it interesting and hopefully get more people into the books. Ready your warren--it's about to go down LOL

[@GreeneZonee]

@@IskarJarak very cool! Looking forward to it!

[@armchairgravy8224]

I started reading MBF and made it to book seven before I cried uncle. I'm trying to tackle it again, and am having a better time of it. Do not read more than three at a time before taking a break and doing some light reading. It is epic AF and I shamelessly steal characters and plotlines in my D&D campaign.

[@Honken55]

I used a lot of Malazan in my DnD,( Dragons and Demons) (swedish version of D&D sort of but its another setup realy)

[@Brooderful]

Great review, thanks! I finished GOTM when it first came out and I literally threw it in the bin as soon as I'd finished it (it was a great shot too!) I enjoyed it but it was too disjointed and confusing. I really want to start again but I think I need a plan. I may read it along with the TOR read through and go chapter by chapter trying to fully digest what's happening.

[@IskarJarak]

I totally get that vibe. I'm only now able to fully digest and appreciate all the nuance and subtlety on my 3rd pass through, not to mention have a good handle on all the different characters. Doing the TOR read through should help for sure. I also have a chapter by chapter recap/summary up for GotM. I try to do about 3-4 chapters per video, so that might help as well. Thanks so much for watching! Hope you get back into the series!

[@rodrigovillanueva5384]

New subscriber here! Great video, you made me want to read these books even more. I haven't read WoT either, and I don't know which to go for first.

[@IskarJarak]

Well WoT has the show coming out and it is a lot of fun, but I get a lot out of the Malazan books!

[@IskarJarak]

It’s a bit more grown up!!

[@rodrigovillanueva5384]

@@IskarJarak First I have to finish Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson, and so I'll be up to date with the Cosmere books. Then I'll have to decide. I already have The eye of the world waiting to be read before the tv show comes out.

[@JJJ111JJJ]

Nice introduction man, much appreciated. I read Gardens of the Moon a long time ago and liked it, but I never continued because the length and the sheer intricacy felt too intimidating. You've convinced me to give it a shot! Well, I'm actually re-reading all of Neal Stephenson's books right now, but after that I'll get started with Malazan.

[@IskarJarak]

That’s awesome, I look forward to seeing how you like it once you dive in!!

[@GamingDreamer]

I just joined the read a long for it, I'll try to read the first 3 at last

[@IskarJarak]

It’s the bomb!

[@bryson2662]

I'm here with you

[@IskarJarak]

That’s awesome, this is going to be fun!!

[@ranniely]

So interesting. I am definitely gonna read through it. I hope I'll find used books for a good price. But literally everyone says 'do not judge this series by the 1st book'. Makes me wonder even more.

[@nanocasablanc2652]

Really great video, loved the info, you inspired me , im really gonna read this series😁🌞✨

[@IskarJarak]

Yay, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

[@lifesabeach2597]

One of my favorites, I like the Esslemont books too

[@IskarJarak]

I also really liked the ICE stuff! Thanks for watching and chopping it up with me in the comments!! ❤️

[@caspos1987]

I’m half way through house of chains, I love this series so much it’s dark af 😂

[@IskarJarak]

It really is. It’s like all your other fantasy books got the training wheels taken off!

[@lifesabeach2597]

Many things in the main series are explained in the middle, don't let that put you off reading it

[@IskarJarak]

Totally agree-we’re not supposed to know everything right off the bat!

[@chaz9808]

thanks for the video!

[@IskarJarak]

Thanks for watching, hope you get pumped up for the series!

[@PigeoN1776]

I fell off in the series after the karsa orlong introduction and him meeting the crippled God I think? It's been quite awhile, I'm glad I stumbled onto this channel I fully subbed liked and am stoked to dive back into book 1 and start getting into this series again it truly is amazing. WoT and Malazan are my two most fav fantasy series for sure.

[@IskarJarak]

So glad to have you here. I came to Malazan after WoT so im in the same boat and thing you’re going to really enjoy!!

[@Sumzja]

I loved Karsa Orlongs story, so much so that I was very disappointed when he wasn't featured so I could see his evolution

[@MrLiltiz]

on my 4th re-read.searched and researched, nothing comes close to the depth and scope of this series.

[@IskarJarak]

It’s a monster! So much good bits and pieces throughout. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!

[@Brazylizsek]

It isn't as confusing as everyone says. It has a lot of characters, places and so on, but Ericson writing skills are so superior compared to other fantasy authors you are not going to get confused.

[@DwylerA]

im 200ish pages into book 1 and i thought i understood the magic a little bit....then your flow chart thing showed up and i had to reevaluate

[@1917Albertso]

The bird that steals

[@sidve4140]

Nefarias Bredd likes this

[@IskarJarak]

That's the word on the street lol

[@peterrichards5969]

Thanks Iskar, its channels like yours that got me started on the series, and I hugely appreciate your enthusiasm and knowledge. I'm up to the last part of House of Chains and I'm struggling a bit. The first three books were wonderful, particularly book 2 and 3. I didn't find it that confusing. But now I'm confused. The numerous plot lines have just thickened to the point where I'm forgetting stuff, the different Tiste groups has really got my head spinning. Is this usual? The legendary MBotF confusion seems to be associated with earlier books, which I more or less sailed through. In your experience is an exponential increase in confusion normal at nearly the half-way point?

[@tragikk03]

I've just started GotM today.. what made you put Memories of Ice before Deadhouse Gates? Your video has made me even more excited and you're right I'm just shy of 100 pages in, and I'm HOOKED

[@IskarJarak]

It’s sooooo good, and they just keep getting better and better!

[@thehoundsofshadow362]

Finally, someone who gets it! This series is amazing and i highly recommend it to anybody who is ready for a challenge. It is long but worth it. I just subscribed and will be watching your videos!! I can't remember but isn't mentioning that Mammot is a mage in the T'orrud Cabal a spoiler lol? I've read all 21 books twice and can't fully remember if that was mentioned early on.

[@IskarJarak]

Thank you sooo much! It’s shown pretty early in GotM that Mammot works for Baruk. Appreciate the support!!

[@StefanDimitrovBG]

17 already done, 6 more to go

[@IskarJarak]

Woot woot-home stretch!! So fun!

[@samwinkless9163]

Hey, love your videos.. you got me into malazan, I am half way through GotM and watching this again to see where to go next.. you suggest reading memories of ice 2nd instead of gates?

[@nicholasrobertson629]

Subbed when I saw your name, alone.

[@IskarJarak]

Ha! 💪❤️🙏🙌

[@ashwinavadhani8243]

Glad I found your channel. Subbed. Just finished the wheel of time and first law. I was always a bit hesitant to start malazan as it has been noted to be confusing. Your words help me get started. Curious to know how it will measure up to wheel of time...which I liked alot. Liked your video on the siege of pale. Currently on book 1.

[@IskarJarak]

Awesome! It can feel like a lot at first, but just enjoy the ride and world building and you’ll figure everything out as you go along. I love wheel of time, and it got me going on a lot of other fantasy. This one is a fun step in the progression! Thanks for watching and good luck with GotM!!

[@bryanjturner21]

I noticed that you're missing Towers of Midnight on your shelf.

[@KairoK]

I want to see the synopsis he submitted to the publishers.

[@IskarJarak]

Haha, that would be epic! I'm going to ask him for that if I ever get the chance to speak with him!!

[@maikokirana]

Finally, KZbin channel dedicated to Malazan... of course I subscribed. I read BotF series last year, and am planning to reread ALL books in the series chronologically from Kharkanas onward. Ian C Esselmont's books would be a first time for me. One question, is his writing style very different with Steven Erikson?

[@IskarJarak]

It’s pretty different, but it’s still a lot of fun. There’s a decent amount of overlap so you’ll fall right into them. I really liked the path to ascendancy stuff! Thanks for watching!!

[@SteveHartline]

Yes they are different. To date i havent been able to finish the 2nd and stopped there. YMMV

[@strawman6578]

I'm at my second attempt with this series (I stopped at book 6). This time I try the audiobooks, which are done well in my opinion. Still I feel like I'm losing interest again. I like gritty dystopian stories rich with history and complexity. I enjoy writing styles that don't take you by the hand but make you think for yourself. Still, for me the story of the Malazan Book of the Fallen lacks some form of redemption to keep me interested. The first book I find well balanced and thoroughly enjoyable but the farther into the series I get, the more it lacks something I can relate to amidst all the rape torture genocide misery and depression. It just gets boring for me.

[@IskarJarak]

I hear you, and that's a fair point. Definitely different than all the other books I've read. I highly recommend sticking through to the end of SE's run at least. Especially if you are into redemption. There's definitely a payoff and the last few books are actually just one large story all coming together, so you might enjoy how it all wraps up! Thanks for stopping by and joining the conversation!

[@omnitheus5442]

Keep reading. Book 7 is massively redemptive!

[@Skabanis]

I think this would be a easier series to get on Netflix or Amazon…it’s very historical with massive jump right in scenes

[@kylesykrebs]

21 f***ing books?! 18,000 pages??? 🤯😳

[@IskarJarak]

Haha, one page at a time-it’s worth it!!

[@Punktastic13]

Erikson and Esselmont are Shield Anvils.

[@IskarJarak]

Haha, that’s good. I agree. For the fallen god??

[@Punktastic13]

@@IskarJarak Possibly since they know so much about this particular series of events. How else would they know these stories so intimately? 😃

[@IskarJarak]

🤣😜👍

[@kaizacorp]

Just found your channel! Having just recently finished Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse Gates, I can't wait to watch all of your videos! One question, where does Crack'd Pot Trail go in the reading order?

[@IskarJarak]

Awesome thanks!! It’s part of the Bauchelain and Korbal stuff. Not exactly sure where it fits timeline wise.

[@Eliean77]

Oh, I'm sad that vid is more than a year old. I'm just in the middle of the Gardens of the Moon for the first time, and it would have been great to read it with others. But I definitely will follow your contents but a bit afraid of spoilers, so I read the 1st book first. I have a question, why do you recommend reading the Memories of Ice next instead of the Deadhouse Gates?

[@IskarJarak]

I changed my mind-stick with Deadhouse Gates!

[@IskarJarak]

Also, join our discord-lots of new recruits on GotM and you can select which books you want to discuss - everyone is good about spoilers. Link in description!

[@logansaxby7224]

I've tried reading this 3 times. I can never make it past the first book. I don't need to read fiction as a puzzle. Real life is confusing enough for me

[@IskarJarak]

Fair enough-it’s not for everyone!

[@logansaxby7224]

@@IskarJarak I'm sure it's great, I liked your video by the way.

[@andrewstrongman305]

A minor disagreement; magic is an inherent part of the world and is intrinsic to everything that occurs. The world itself depends on gods to the point that Burn's death would lead to extinction of all life. Then there are the giant Jade figures. If magic depends on K'rul, he could die but one theme of the series is that certain realities offer/demand an avatar.

[@IskarJarak]

True. And we do get t’ren towards the end which corroborates the idea that the azath do impose some structure to it. and there is elder magic that has noting to do with holds or houses or the warrens. Like the spirit magic Sormo taps into during dg. Or the ay we get 1st person perspective on in the MoI prologue which says he’s been around way before the humans and so has his magic presumably!

[@Gaverny]

Question about KZbin's JOIN feature, do they take a cut of that or do you get it all? Looking for the most effective way to support your channel... Great stuff 👍

[@IskarJarak]

Aw, that is so kind and generous of you. Both Patreon and YT take a cut. I think Patreon is a little smaller %, but any support is so appreciated that I would just do the one you’re most comfortable in. Make sure to join the discord when you do so I can give you your rank!

[@williamvanness2625]

Has anyone made a fan Deck of Dragons? Or would Erickson sue?

[@IskarJarak]

I bet someone has made one on Etsy, but not mass availability because they'll get sued. I'd love a set of wooden carved ones!

[@bangslamwham88]

I read the main series and the Novels of the Malazan Empire all the way through last year, and personally I don't consider it the masterpiece of modern literature everyone is making it out to be, just OK. I liked the ideas presented in the books more than I liked the books themselves.

[@IskarJarak]

Interesting. Without a literary background, I can’t rate it as a masterpiece of modern literature. I just thought it was a lot deeper and richer than most of the other fantasy that I’ve stumbled across. Definitely felt like it was a lot better than just ok, but also see that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!

[@bangslamwham88]

@@IskarJarak Masterpiece of modern literature is merely a figure of speech, based on the overwhelmingly enthusiastic praise the books get. On the other hand, the few who don't like the books are very negative about them. I find myself in the rare position of having a middle ground view.

[@IskarJarak]

Can’t hate on that. It’s not popular to not be fervent, but I appreciate it! They do gets lot better on a reread, but I think there’s different types of readers and these books are only a home run for some of them. Thanks again for the comment!

[@lux2625]

What are the things you didn't like about the book? I'm interested to know.

[@EZ1977]

I am about to finish the First Law series and wondering if I should pick Malazan back up. I read the first two and I liked the story and world and whatnot but found it very confusing. I'm tempted to start of over on gardens of the moon and reread the first two before going through the rest. Thoughts?

[@IskarJarak]

Sounds amazing to me! It’s the business!

[@paulinetaylor1682]

Is the wheel of time time consuming like Malazan book of the fallen?