Why you SHOULD read Malazan Book of the Fallen (Spoiler Free!)

I'll continue to push through all of the books, but wanted to make another video for those readers who might be on the fence about diving into the series or who are shopping around for their next fantasy series to start after finishing some of the more popular epics out there. Hope you enjoy!

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►►► CONNECT WITH ISKAR JARAK ◄◄◄

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►►► SUPPORT ISKAR JARAK ◄◄◄

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►►► MALAZAN BOOKS ◄◄◄

►Main Series◄

►Kharkanas Trilogy◄
►Walk in Shadow (Book 3) On Hold

►Path to Ascendancy◄

►Witness Trilogy◄
►TBD (Book 2) Unknown
►TBD (Book 3) Unknown

►The Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach (novellas)◄

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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

[sweetlard]

You nailed the better points for digging in and giving Malazan the love it deserves. In particular, Erickson explores the moral and ethical realities involved in being a human being. It's a complex series BECAUSE really sitting down and considering how to explore and reconcile wildly opposing moral/ethical frameworks of thought and behavior is a godammned hard thing to do, so hard I honestly couldn't imagine and am lucky someone else could.

I spoke with Erickson when he was on tour for Forge of Darkness, and he was clear about how during his anthropology studies that almost being murdered by firing squad in (I think it was Nicaragua) was a massively influential, morally complex experience that is explored in these books in idea.

Love the vidoes, Iskar.

[mrimthebeast]

On page 1060 of Dust of Dreams right now. I was not prepared for this series. 10/10

[arunkrishnan]

Thanks to you, I started Gardens of the moon and is on the 3rd chapter. I saw at least a 100 reviews showing that the book was not much commitment worth the time, but your channel has made me do the impossible and I am sure I would finish the entire series. keep up the good work, I hope many would find this channel and inspire to have the adventure of a lifetime.

[zestpeet]

Cool video! I'm relatively new to fantasy. Read Lord of the Rings and Hobbit as a teen, the first GoT book and am almost done with the First Law trilogy. Just bought all of the Malazan books :) I'm excited--seems challenging and a long deep dive into another reality.

[TheCarygephart]

I have just started reading Garden of the Moon. I have been so intimidated about starting this series and was so glad to find your channel. I feel like I needed a conversation partner and really love your down to earth way of talking about Malazan. It makes me feel like I am there in the room with you and we are just nerding out. Keep up the good work.

[liviathemalazanpotatonoob]

I still think this is the best video to give to somebody who might be interested in MBotF, or someone you might want to convince. Watched this again and sending it to a friend who asked me "about those interesting books you are reading" :D Thanks for being here for this community!

[PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Excellent video! This is a great introduction to the series, which is perhaps the most sophisticated fantasy I know. Definitely not typical fantasy! I read the ten books of The Malazan Book of the Fallen and loved them, though I admit to feeling challenged by their complexity. The characters (which are awesome and brilliantly sketched) seemed so small against the vastness of the story, unlike most fantasy, which tends to focus on a set of characters and make them feel more important than the events around them. The whole perspective is different in Erikson's writing, which seems to emphasize a person's (and even a god's!) relative anonymity in the grand scheme of things. I intend to do a reread of the series in the near future, and right now I'm prepping for that by reading Forge of Darkness from the Kharkanas Trilogy, which I'm loving so far. I'm also going to include the Esslemont books the next time around to fill in some gaps. Once I get a better grip on the Malazan world, I think this series is going to go deep into my top ten favorites. I'm glad to have found your channel -- liked and subbed!

[jonnasmith]

I started the Malazan Book of the Fallen series almost a year ago now. I’m between Toll the Hounds and Dust of Dreams. I wanted to finish the series in a year, but it looks like I will need a mental break before taking on the last two. Toll the Hounds shook me on a personal level.

[malazisland]

Another great one, Iskar! We need to spread the message far and wide about this once in a lifetime masterpiece of a series!

[samwinkless]

Been searching for a book series to start reading, you have just convinced me to get the Malazan series, thanks, I just ordered the 1st book off amazon now.

[galvatron]

When you get to see Surly fight in the return of the crimson guard that was a great character point. Upto then it was all talk and reference. But they make a point to say she is so badass she is above using weapons even fighting a fully armoured crimson guard its no bother to her fists.

[Luca-wmer]

"ridiciulous. *changes cameraangle* - in a good way"
loved it.

[RedFuryBooks]

New sub here - I found your channel through Philip Chase. I'm gearing myself up to have the courage to start this series and checking out some of your content! Thanks for the video!

[IVIisery]

I'm doing the Malazan read along with Mikes Book Review and even more excited after seeing this video. Good vibes man.

[SurferKroky]

Less than 200 pages into gardens of the moon after years of putting it off, had them sitting on the shelves . No idea why I waited so long. It’s like absolutely nothing else I have ever read. Eriksons style is utterly intriguing, mysterious and page turning. His prose is deep and at times poetic and thought provoking. If this is the weakest book of the series then I’m beyond excited to read the series. I can’t begin to imagine what is ahead of me

[JasonTodd]

As usual, I read through the entire 10 books in a few months, taking it as I went alomg. It was quite a journey. Doing a re-read though as shown me just how quality the first 4 books are. Actually knowing the characters and having background knowledge is it were really shows how detailed the author goes and how utterly realistic it is. Feel a like a very real world and I'm just in book 2 of the re-read

[pratikmandal]

Don't know why I am watching this, I already bought the first three books. Great video, hyped even more to read through this massive series.

[JLchevz]

Excellent, I enjoyed this video and I can see your passion for Malazan. Me, I think I'm just scared of the big commitment lol, but I do want to read it. Whatever I'll finish my TBR and start Malazan

[nemoonbekend]

Excellent review/video. Fully on point and I appreciate your obvious enthusiasm for this TRULY epic series (lots of pretenders being published overusing that word for marketing. Writing umpteen books doesn't make your story epic). Looks like some good comments below as well. Very refreshing.

[RyCon]

I used to not want a huge fan base for Malazan for fear of insincere "posers", I don't know what I exactly I thought perhaps I liked no one knew about it and it was mine alone. After having been into it for a few years now, I really like what your doing. I got one cousin into it and that's it! Every time we see each other it's all we talk about. I want other people to nerd out with too!! Other than lurking in the sub reddit. It's also nice to have a new channel on this platform to look forward to again. Great work, Thanks again!