Gardens of the Moon - Steven Erikson

Right this might take a while! This is the first book in a fantasy series currently spanning 8 books (plus 2 by another author) called "A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen". It's an extremely intricate tale and has spawned numerous message boards, forums and internet chat sites dedicated to discovering all about the world described within the books. The story in this first book introduces us to Sergeant Whiskeyjack and the Bridgeburners-a small group of elite soldiers who work for the Malazan Empire and its' Empress. The book opens with the army of the Empire attacking the city of Pale but the action (which barely takes a breath throughout the book) ...

Deadhouse Gates - Steven Erikson

Not one, but three maps; not the second part of a trilogy but of a ten part series, but a dramatis personae as well; ancient prophecies cropping up like phone calls; revelations divulged with rapid fire frequency...Deadhouse Gates is epic fantasy wearing cliches on its sleeve, and doesnt care who knows it. No postmodern take on the genre here, or an attempt to disguise itself as allegory or as metaphysical philosophy. This is near 700 pages of battles, magic, quests and monsters taking place in a densely described, meticulously realised other world. Which would be fine if it was done with a kind of style and gusto. It isnt. This is stolid stuff. A better than average prose ...