Is Malazan as Challenging as People Say? My review of Gardens of the Moon

My review of Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson, the first novel in the Malazan Book of the Fallen

[sluper]

Do we really yet another Malaz-tuber? Of course we do. I've subscribed already. Only read the series once (a couple of years ago). Can't get it out of my head and have become addicted to Malazan content on YouTube, need that to keep the Malaz-related abstinence at bay until I can start a re-read (hopefully this year). Hands down the best fantasy I've ever read.

[nazimelmardi]

The challenge is: it’s 10 books. And man, everything connects. All. The author himself said: it is for at least 2 reads to get everything. But you are right!!! You have to listen! 👏👏 You started good. Stormlight is easy to this. And: no bad or good as “guys”.

[nyusings]

I started this series in 1st Jan 2023, after 15 months of contemplation. Halfway through gardens of moons I shut the book, wrote a hate review in Goodreads. Next day, I FELT SOME RANDOM DETERMINATION and started reading it again (with the help of tor rereads)
Now I'm already 100 pages into House of Chains (4th book ) . Never read such a terrific series .
I pitch this book to anyone who want to read a great series and die with that satisfaction.

[jonvalett]

You are so ready for this journey. I subscribed just to follow it. An absolutely great series. As someone else said, the Tor rereads are a great way to review and learn more. It's so easy to miss stuff. It's so complex, I feel like I should give it a reread, but it is so big.

[dubsackken]

I like that you covered skim reading and Malazan changing the way you read because I just started gardens of the moon and I feel the exact same way just couldn’t put it into words as nicely as you did, great video!

[francb]

Excellent review! I think you have the right approach to enjoy the series and get a lot out of it as it really rewards active and engaged reading.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts as you continue your journey :)

[bonniestevens]

I have read Gardens of the Moon twice, and it is one of my favorites of the series. I read the first one, then waited so long to start the second that I had to reread. I started Gardens of the Moon for the second time March 1 2022. I am currently getting ready to start book 10 The Crippled God, so I have been working on it for a year. I enjoyed your review and hope you continue the series.

[asymptoticspatula]

I started it recently and I’m around 30% in. I like it a lot so far and feel about the way you did, I think. Very good book and definitely more approachable than I feared.

[patriciacallico]

MY malazan for ever. desde argentina: lo mejor que he leido en mi vida.

[johnmichaelson]

The worst thing for me was that I'd finish one book & I'd be waiting for the next book. I'd be absolutely dying to find out what happened to certain storylines & characters but when the next book was published, it wouldn't even mention the storyline & the characters from the previous book. I can't remember which book it was but I was so pissed off with Erikson & his endless new characters & storylines. I simply didn't bother reading them for a few year's. I'd started with Scott Bakkers "The Prince of Nothing" series which is absolutely brilliant.

[vino]

I immediately subscribed when i watched gotm thumbnail of your video.

[nickcarlson]

I found that WoT teaches people to be skimmers ha! Great review and good luck for the rest of the series.

[noneofyourbusiness]

4:34 that one got me. Very true tho. xD

ps: 7:44 Caladan Brood is also a banger epic black metal band. Only one album, but definitely worth a listen ;)

[aaron-price]

I started Gardens of the Moon years ago, based on praise for it from Stephen R. Donaldson, my favorite author. And I'll admit, I only made it to chapter 2.
After watching this video (and after reading some books that I found pretty challenging but fascinating, e.g. Blindsight, by Peter Watts), I'm more likely to give it another go. Thanks!

[DL-xqbv]

Reading now...Book through Book 1 and 2 then I started to really like it.

[nathanernsting]

I too put off starting Gardens of the Moon until January this year for my first crack at the series— although I went the audiobook route and am still getting through it. Seemed like towards the end of 2023 I started hearing about Malazan from every direction on booktube. Now that I think about it maybe it was the YT algorithm sending me more and more Malazan videos. sounds like we’re on a similar fantasy journey!

[slidenaway]

Well done review and analysis!! You’re doing great. As a Malaztube addict who read the entire series for the first AND second times last year — I am excited to see you continue your Malazan journey and so I have subscribed!! Looking forward to your thoughts on DG 😄😄😄

[jackrandom]

I just finished it. Like ten minutes ago. It was good but murky at times. I had to use Tor's read along from time to time.

[graemew]

It’s not challenging. It’s grown up. You don’t get blatant exposition because that’s not how people act in ‘real life’. They don’t pause to tell you why they’re in a place, or how they came to be doing what they’re doing. But the information you require is there. It’s shown; you just have to pay attention .

Treat the first two books as introductions to the settings of Genabackis and Seven Cities, as well as to some of the early important characters. The third book is where the deeper plot lines start to become apparent, and actually provide an even deeper appreciation of what SE did with the first two books.

The Book of the Fallen is awesome.

[mjdaniel]

Not all that difficult, there can be a lot to take in, it is not traditional Fantasy, but it is a great read, I am reading it a 4th time