“Malazan Book of the Fallen” is a 10 book high fantasy series by Steven Erikson.

The stories in that series take place in a world originally created by Steven Erikson and his friend Ian Cameron Esslemont for a campaign in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. Ian Cameron Esslemont also writes books in that world and Steven Erikson has already written more than the 10 books in the “Malazan Book of the Fallen”. Currently there are 26 books.

As I’m writing this I’m reading the third book — “Memories of Ice” — and the 33% I’ve already read is as good as “Gardens of the Moon” and “Deadhouse Gates”.

The scope of the books is huge. There is no gentle introduction like in many other epic fantasy series. There is no sole protagonist who slowly grows into their role. “Gardens of the Moon” starts in the middle of action.

The Malazan Empire strives to expand as much as possible. Campaigns are underway to subdue still independent regions and nations. The old Emperor was betrayed and killed by one of his own people who’s now taken on the role of Empress. Some people oppose her and want to get rid of her. And the empress wants to get rid of some people she suspects of opposing her.

And then there is magic of all sorts, magical creatures, gods and ascendants, who are not yet gods but nearly. There are also flashbacks to some older histories tens of thousands of years before the main timeline.

From the last two paragraphs you might get the impression that it’s all really weird and chaotic. And indeed it is weird and chaotic to some extent, but Erikson succeeds to spin yarns that are really compelling. There are no boring parts. There’s always something happening and always something new.

Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with all the intricate relationships and plot lines. Sometimes someone from three chapters ago reappears and then I struggle to remember what they did back then, but the stories keep being interesting and engaging.

I wonder if the two authors really can keep up the outstanding storytelling for the books already there and the ones planned to appear in the future. They don’t seem to have problems with writer’s block or whatever keeps Patrick Rothfuss and George R. R. Martin from finishing the next books in their series.