History Literature / MalazanBookOfTheFallen

* CentralTheme: Per WordOfGod, the decline and collapse of civilizations, which is at least [[BarbarianHero one character seeks to achieve]] in order to [[KnightTemplar save the world.]]

%%* ArcWords: Convergence.

* ArcWords: Convergence.

* EverybodyKnewAlready: Sgt. Strings[[hottip:*:Fiddler]] and Traveler[[hottip:*:Daseem Ultor, First Hero of the Malazan Empire]] don't seem to be fooling anyone who's even heard of them, pre-name change

* ''Walk in Light'' (TBA)
* ''Fall of Shadow'' (TBA)

''Malazan Book of the Fallen'' is an epic fantasy series by Canadian author Steven Erikson. The series is famous for its DoorStopper tendencies, for having LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters[[note]]the DramatisPersonae usually contains several hundred characters, and even then does not include numerous incidental ones[[/note]], its deliberate use of LostInMediasRes and for introducing an anthropological and geological perspective to the {{Fantasy}} genre. The series' main influence is ''Literature/BlackCompany'' by Creator/{{Glen Cook}}.

* TheNotSecret: Sgt. Strings[[hottip:*:Fiddler]] and Traveler[[hottip:*:Daseem Ultor, First Hero of the Malazan Empire]] don't seem to be fooling anyone who's even heard of them, pre-name change

[[folder:The Kharkanas Trilogy (prequels focusing on Kurald Galain)]]

* ''Literature/OrbSceptreThrone]'' (Jan 2012 UK; May 2012 USA)

* AndIMustScream: Lots of examples

* AscendedFanfic: The setting began as a homebrewed ''DungeonsAndDragons'' campaign
* ArmyOfTheDead: One appears in Toll the Hounds consisting of everyone who has ever died ever.
* ArtifactOfDoom: Rhulad Sengar's sword and Dragnipur
* AscendedExtra: Tavore, Torrent, squad of Fiddler, Nimander and his friends.
* AxCrazy: Smiles, Hairlock, [[spoiler:Rhulad]].
* BackFromTheDead: A lot. [[spoiler: Hedge, Brys, Toc the Younger, Duiker, Coltaine...]]
* BadassAbnormal: So, so many.
* BadassArmy: Up the wazoo, Bridgeburners and Bonehunters are two examples.

* BlackAndGrayMorality: Rarely, a straight-up villain will be thrown into the mix, such as the Pannion Domin in ''Literature/MemoriesOfIce''.
* BlackAndWhiteMorality: [[spoiler:Anomander Rake vs. Chaos]] in ''Toll the Hounds''
* BlessedWithSuck: Ganoes Paran, twice over.
* BloodKnight: Karsa really like a good fight.
* BornLucky: Corabb Bhilan Thenu'alas. He has nearly every form of cancer on the planet, yet will never sicken. Multiple Arrows fired into his back all strike the same spear shaft hanging on his back, tripping in battle results in impaling an enemy etc
* BreadEggsMilkSquick: Tusked Milk, an alcoholic drink made from orange rinds, honey and Tusked Seal sperm.

* BrokenBird: Again, Felisin Paran

* ButtMonkey: Toc the Younger and Tool.
* CelibateHero: [[spoiler:Shield Anvil Itkovian]]

# ''[[Literature/GardensOfTheMoon Gardens of the Moon]]'' (1999)
# ''Literature/DeadhouseGates'' (2000)
# ''[[Literature/MemoriesOfIce Memories of Ice]]'' (2001)
# ''[[Literature/HouseOfChains House of Chains]]'' (2002)
# ''Literature/MidnightTides'' (2004)
# ''Literature/TheBonehunters'' (2006)
# ''[[Literature/ReapersGale Reaper's Gale]]'' (2007)
# ''[[Literature/TollTheHounds Toll the Hounds]]'' (2008)
# ''Literature/DustOfDreams'' (2009)
# ''Literature/TheCrippledGod'' (2011)

# ''Forge of Darkness'' (2012)
# ''Walk in Light'' (TBA)
# ''Fall of Shadow'' (TBA)

* ''[[Literature/NightOfKnives Night of Knives]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Literature/ReturnOfTheCrimsonGuard Return of the Crimson Guard]]'' (2008)
* ''{{Literature/Stonewielder}}'' (2010)
* ''[[Literature/OrbSceptreThrone Orb, Sceptre, Throne]]'' (Jan 2012 UK; May 2012 USA)
* ''[[Literature/BloodAndBone Blood and Bone]]'' (Dec 2012 UK)

* TheAlliance: The forces arrayed against the Malazan Empire's invasion of Genabackis, and later against the Pannion Domin.
** In backstory, most of the Elder Gods and ascendants [[spoiler:and the Jaghut and T'lan Imass]] coming together to [[spoiler:chain the Crippled God]]
** There is one between Gothos and Kilmandaros to seal Scabandari.
** Also, the Tiste Andii and Edur, until the Edur betray them.

* HellishHorse: Karsa's horse, Havok
** [[spoiler:Both of them]]
* HerHeartWillGoOn: [[spoiler: Seren Pedac]]
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Hedge, who detonated himself with attacking Kell Hunter]].
* HeterosexualLifePartners: Icarium and Mappo; Fiddler and Hedge, Quick Ben and Kalam, Gesler and Stormy; Tehol and Bugg, Karsa and Torvald... It seems to be a reccuring trope in this series.
** basically, at least one instance can be expected out of most any squad of Malazan Marines.
** Does Shadowthrone and Cotillion count?
* HiddenDepths: Bugg. Not only a ServileSnarker, but also [[spoiler:The Elder God Mael in disguise, hanging out with Tehol because "he hadn't so much fun for centuries"]].

* Jerkass: The Feather Witch, Clips.

* KaleidoscopeEyes: Anomander Rake

* KnifeNut: Smiles
* KnightTemplar: Most of the Tiste Liosan seem to be this way
** The T'lan Imass, too.
* KudzuPlot: Oh, boy...

* LightIsNotGood: The Tiste Liosan
* LipstickLesbian: Stonny Menackis
* LivingMemory
* LizardFolk: The K'Chain Che'Malle, and their short-tailed creation, the K'Chain Nah'ruk.
* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters (''Reaper's Gale'' has seventy-two named Malazan soldiers. ''Seventy-two.'' Steven Erikson tries to give them all distinctive personalities, and fails.)
** ''Dust of Dreams'' has 75
* LoveMartyr: Crokus/Cutter for Apsalar
* MadnessMantra: You see an issue with chronology? Start repeating: "The timeline is not importent, the timeline is not important..."

* MaskPower: Redmask, the Seguleh

* MasterSwordsman: The Seguleh apart, plenty abound. Brys Beddict, Anomander Rake, Kallor and Karsa Orlong just to name a few.
* MauveShirt: Mostly Malazan soldiers; it is possible that the Bridgeburners' burgundy uniforms are a LampshadeHanging on the whole RedShirt thing

* PlanetEris: The Malazan world may be the most insane ConstructedWorld in the history of fantasy.

* AnyoneCanDie: Most poignantly demonstrated at the end of ''Memories of Ice'' with the death of [[spoiler:Whiskeyjack]]. But see also DeathIsCheap, below. Another example is [[spoiler: Trull Sengar]] in ''Reaper's Gale''.

* BigBad: [[spoiler:The Crippled God.]] Although he is not introduced until ''Memories of Ice'' and plays next to no role in several books.
** Technically, he's mentioned in passing in books one and two- it's just not until ''Memories of Ice'' that the reader becomes aware of his central role.
** And in the final novel [[spoiler: his plans are hijacked by the Forkrul Assail, and he becomes the BigGood.]]

* ChekhovsGun: Most notably, Whiskeyjack's injured leg in ''Memories of Ice''

* TitleDrop: Most of the titles have a clear meaning InUniverse, but three of them--''Literature/MidnightTides'', ''Literature/ReapersGale'' and ''Literature/DustOfDreams''--are entirely metaphorical, and are mentioned only in the narration.

* {{Mytharc}}: The backstory covers literally hundreds of thousands of years, repeatedly

* TitleDrop: Happens at least once per book. Most of the titles have a clear meaning InUniverse, but three of them--''Literature/MidnightTides'', ''Literature/ReapersGale'' and ''Literature/DustOfDreams''--are entirely metaphorical, and are mentioned only in the narration.

* OracularUrchin: Kettle, Grub
* OurDemonsAreDifferent
* OurDragonsAreDifferent

* OurGiantsAreBigger: The Thelomen Toblaki.
* OurOrcsAreDifferent: The Jaghuts: with the exception of the Tyrants, they are actually peaceful in nature.
* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Kettle.
* OurZombiesAreDifferent: The T'lan Imass. Shurq Elalle is another example - she is cursed, and even after death by drowning her soul is still connected with body.

''Malazan Book of the Fallen'' is a series of [[DoorStopper long]] fantasy novels by Canadian author Steven Erikson. The series is famous for its DoorStopper tendencies, for having LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters[[note]]the DramatisPersonae usually contains several hundred characters, and even then does not include numerous incidental ones[[/note]], its deliberate use of LostInMediasRes and for introducing an anthropological and geological perspective to the {{Fantasy}} genre. The series' main influence is ''Literature/BlackCompany'' by Creator/{{Glen Cook}}.

* PurpleProse
* PutOnABus: [[spoiler:Silverfox, Ganoes Paran, Apsalar]], where are you?

* RandomEventsPlot: Can come across as this at times. WordOfGod says this intentional
* RapeAsDrama: [[spoiler:Seren Pedac]]

** The Religion of the Dying God

** RevengeBeforeReason: Again, [[spoiler: Dassem Ultor. He even starts fight with Rake, only because he killed Hood first]].
* RotatingArcs
* RuleOfCool: As of ''Memories of Ice,'' zombie velociraptors with swords for hands

** Lorn claims that she knew Toc the Elder, but also that he has been missing since the death of Emperor Kellanved, which took place when Lorn was at most twelve (going by the dates given), so it's unlikely that she actually could have.

** Orfantal changes genders from female to male between ''Gardens of the Moon'' and ''Memories of Ice''.
* ServileSnarker: Bugg, a servant of Tehol.
* ShootTheShaggyDog: [[spoiler:Definitely death of Trull Sengar. And the end of Grey Swords. And many more.]]
** Onrack [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this in ''Dust of Dreams''

* StupidNeutral: The Forkrul Assail are now functionally extinct, in no small part due to their randomly switching sides during the war between Jaghut and T'lam Imass to ensure balance
* {{Sword Fight}}s: Lots of them
* TakeThat: In ''The Crippled God'' (no spoiler) one character is having a smoke and idly wonders if there is any meaning to the habit. She recalls a scholar, no name given, who claimed it had to do with [[Creator/AynRand man's mastery of fire]] and such. She decides that the scholar was just trying really hard to justify her habit, and that tying the habit into philosophy was just really weird. The series features many similar examples; Steven Erikson has a decidedly snarky sense of humour at times.

* TheChewToy: Toc the Younger, oh, so much. [[spoiler:He lost his eye, was sucked into the magic black hole, thrown away half year later, KILLED, resurrected in a new body (which also hadn't one eye), KILLED AGAIN, resurrected as an undead, and forced to make his best friend his enemy.]] Let's face it, Steven Erikson propably hates him.
* TheMessiah: Trull Sengar. Is also the point of a Shield Anvil
** Itkovian: "You are in pain. I will embrace you now..."
* [[AWizardDidIt The Nascent Did It]]
* ThePowerOfFriendship: Is what allows the T'Lan Imass Tool and Onrack to start feeling emotions again. Is also what enables [[spoiler:Beak's]] HeroicSacrifice.
* TheUndead and DemBones
* ThirdPersonPerson: Kruppe

* ThoseTwoBadGuys: Bauchelain and Korbal Broach.
* ThoseTwoGuys: Scorch and Leff. Possibly Telorast and Curdle.
* TitleDrop:
---> '''Memories of mountain-high ice''' remained.
* TooDumbToLive: High Fist Pomqual. For Shadowthrone's sake Pomqual. [[spoiler:Fortunately he did not live past the first book he appeared.]]
* {{Turncoat}}
* {{Tykebomb}}: Apsalar and Rud Elalle
* TheUndead: The T'lan Imass.
* UnstoppableRage: Icarium
* ViewersAreGeniuses
* WarIsHell
* WeHardlyKnewYe: [[spoiler: Tattersail]]
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: Icarium, Sinn, Feather Witch, Hannan Mosag and lots of the followers of the Crippled God

** Non naturally immortal beings vulnerability is also subverted in several cases, such as [[spoiler:Onrack, a Tlan Imass, who doesn't find his immortality to be all that bad because "there's always something else to see"]]

* TheDogBitesBack: The war between the Imass and the Jaghut is a species-wide example.

** Let's not forget Spinnock Durav holding Kallor at bay for an entire night.

* BlackAndGrayMorality: The all conquering Malazan empire teaming up with the Rake and Calodin Brood against the cannibalistic Pannion Domin in ''Memories of Ice'

* ButchLesbian: Tavore Paran

* GreyAndGrayMorality: Malazans vs. Darujhistan in ''Gardens of the Moon'', Tiste Edur vs. Letherii in ''Midnight Tides'', Crippled God vs. everyone else.

''Malazan Book of the Fallen'' is a series of [[DoorStopper long]] fantasy novels by Canadian author Steven Erikson. The series is famous for its DoorStopper tendencies, for having LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters[[note]]the DramatisPersonae usually contains several hundred characters, and even then does not include numerous incidental ones[[/note]], its deliberate use of LostInMediasRes and for introducing an anthropological and geological perspective to the {{Fantasy}} genre. The series' main influence is ''Literature/TheBlackCompany'' by Creator/{{Glen Cook}}.

''Malazan Book of the Fallen'' is a series of [[DoorStopper long]] fantasy novels by Canadian author Steven Erikson. The series is famous for its DoorStopper tendencies, for having LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters[[note]]the DramatisPersonae usually contains several hundred characters, and even then does not include numerous incidental ones[[/note]], its deliberate use of LostInMediasRes and for introducing an anthropological and geological perspective to the {{Fantasy}} genre.

# ''Gardens of the Moon'' (1999)
# ''Deadhouse Gates'' (2000)
# ''Memories of Ice'' (2001)
# ''House of Chains'' (2002)
# ''Midnight Tides'' (2004)
# ''The Bonehunters'' (2006)
# ''Reaper's Gale'' (2007)
# ''Toll the Hounds'' (2008)
# ''Dust of Dreams'' (2009)
# ''The Crippled God'' (2011)

* ''Night of Knives'' (2005)
* ''Return of the Crimson Guard'' (2008)
* ''Stonewielder'' (2010)
* ''Orb, Sceptre, Throne'' (Jan 2012 UK; May 2012 USA)
* ''Blood and Bone'' (Dec 2012 UK)

''The Malazan Book of the Fallen'' is a series of [[DoorStopper long]] fantasy novels by Canadian author Steven Erikson. The series is famous for its DoorStopper tendencies, for having LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters[[note]]the DramatisPersonae usually contains several hundred characters, and even then does not include numerous incidental ones[[/note]], its deliberate use of LostInMediasRes and for introducing an anthropological and geological perspective to the {{Fantasy}} genre.

The [[TheVerse universe]] in which the story takes place is a shared creation of Steven Erikson and Ian Cameron Esslemont. ''Malazan Book of the Fallen'' is the main sequence in the setting, and is the most significant work story-wise. The following books have been written in the setting:

* AbusivePrecursors: The Forkrul Assail.
* AcheyScars: Born by Toc the Younger (eye)
* ActionGirl: Apsalar. [[spoiler:She killed almost one houndred Claws in ten minutes.]]

Although only formed recently, the expansionist Malazan Empire is already rife with corruption and betrayal, as SpyMaster Surly has just assassinated Emperor Kellanved and his closest ally, the assassin Dancer, thus securing her own ascension as Empress Laseen. Years later, at Pale, the Emperor's closest allies--the Old Guard and the legendary company, the Bridgeburners--find themselves suddenly betrayed, and are decimated during the climactic battle with Pale's allies, the enigmatic Tiste Andii and their [[PhysicalGod Ascendant]] leader, Anomander Rake. Though the Malazan army manages to win the field, even damaging the Andii's floating fortress known as Moon's Spawn, morale is at an all-time low as nobody recognizes who to trust any more.

As the Empire sets its sights on the southern city of Darujhistan, Sergeant Whiskeyjack of the Bridgeburners reluctantly accepts his mission to infiltrate the city with his handful of surviving squads--a difficult mission as almost every enemy of the Malazan Empire as well as numerous gods seem to have acquired a sudden interest in the city. Attached to the company is the freshly graduated Captain Ganoes Paran, who is naïvely unaware of the Bridgeburners' antagonism towards poor officers.

At the other end of the Empire, Dryjhna the Apocalyptic, the Whirlwind Goddess, has chosen her prophet--Sha'ik--and the religiously mandated uprising known as the Whirlwind is quickly gathering adherents. Realizing that the Whirlwind is inevitable and that it will be unbelievably bloody, the undermanned Malazan loyalists prepare to evacuate as many civilians as possible.

And in the shadows, a broken god watches as vast and terrible plans aeons in the making are at last set in motion...

Although only formed recently, the expansionist Malazan Empire is already rife with corruption and betrayal, as SpyMaster Surly has just assassinated Emperor Kellanved and his closest ally, the assassin Dancer, thus securing her own ascension as Empress Laseen. Years later, at Pale, the Emperor's closest allies--the Old Guard and the legendary company known as the Bridgeburners--find themselves suddenly betrayed, and are decimated during the climactic battle with Pale's allies, the enigmatic Tiste Andii and their Ascendant leader, Anomander Rake. Though the Malazan army manages to win the field, even damaging the Andii's floating fortress known as [[DeathStar Moon's Spawn]], morale is at an all-time low as nobody recognizes who to trust any more.

As the Empire sets its sights on the southern city of Darujhistan, Sergeant Whiskeyjack of the Bridgeburners reluctantly accepts his mission to infiltrate the city with his handful of surviving squads--a difficult mission as almost every enemy of the Malazan Empire seems to have acquired a sudden interest in the city. Attached to the company is the freshly graduated Captain Ganoes Paran, who is naïvely unaware of the Bridgeburners' antagonism towards poor officers. Complicating matters further are the numerous gods, old and new, who seem to take considerable interest in the events in Darujhistan.

At the other end of the Empire, fanatics are stirring up religious sentiments on the conquered subcontinent of the Seven Cities. Dryjhna the Apocalyptic, the Whirlwind Goddess, has chosen her prophet--Sha'ik--and the religiously mandated uprising known as the Whirlwind is quickly gathering adherents. Realizing that the Whirlwind is inevitable that it will be unbelievably bloody, the undermanned Malazan loyalists prepare to evacuate as many civilians as possible.

Although only formed recently, the expansionist Malazan Empire is already rife with corruption and betrayal, as SpyMaster Surly has just assassinated Emperor Kellanved and his closest ally, the assassin Dancer, thus securing her own ascension as Empress Laseen. Years later, at Pale, the Emperor's closest allies--the Old Guard and the legendary company known as the Bridgeburners--find themselves suddenly betrayed, and are decimated during the climactic battle with Pale's allies, the enigmatic Tiste Andii and their Ascendant leader, Anomander Rake. Though the Malazan army manages to win the field, even damaging the Andii's floating fortress known as [[Literature/DeathStar Moon's Spawn]], morale is at an all-time low as nobody recognizes who to trust any more.

Although only formed recently, the expansionist Malazan Empire is already rife with corruption and betrayal, as SpyMaster Surly has just assassinated Emperor Kellanved and his closest ally, the assassin Dancer, thus securing her own ascension as Empress Laseen. Years later, at Pale, the Emperor's closest allies--the Old Guard and the legendary company known as the Bridgeburners--find themselves suddenly betrayed, and are decimated during the climactic battle with Pale's allies, the enigmatic Tiste Andii and their Ascendant leader, Anomander Rake. Though the Malazan army manages to win the field, even damaging the Andii's floating fortress known as [[DeathStar Moon's Spawn]], morale is at an all-time low as nobody recognizes who to trust any more.

[[caption-width-right:272:Anomander Rake, from the ''Gardens of the Moon'' collectors edition.]]'''''The Malazan Book of the Fallen''''' is a series of [[DoorStopper long]] fantasy novels by Canadian author Steven Erikson. It is known for having [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters loads and loads and]] [[RunningGag loads and loads and loads]] [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters of characters]]. ''Dust Of Dreams'' has ''two hundred and forty-four'' characters listed, and that doesn't include the ones that are only mentioned in passing. The [[TheVerse universe]] in which the story takes place is a shared creation of Steven Erikson and Ian Cameron Esslemont.
!!!Ten of ten planned books have been published as of February 2011:

!!!In addition to the ''Book of the Fallen'', the main sequence written by Erikson, there are also a number of side stories:
* Steven Erikson: ''Blood Follows'' (2002)
* Steven Erikson: ''The Healthy Dead'' (2004)
* Steven Erikson: ''The Lees of Laughter's End'' (2007)
* Steven Erikson: ''Crack'd Pot Trail'' (2010)
* Steven Erikson: ''The Wurms of Blearmouth'' (2012)
* Ian Cameron Esslemont: ''Night of Knives'' (2005)
* Ian Cameron Esslemont: ''Return of the Crimson Guard'' (2008)
* Ian Cameron Esslemont: ''Stonewielder'' (2010)
* Ian Cameron Esslemont: ''Orb, Sceptre, Throne'' (Jan 2012 UK; May 2012 USA)
* Ian Cameron Esslemont: ''Blood and Bone'' (Dec 2012 UK)

!!!The Kharkanas Trilogy (prequels focusing on Kurald Galain):

Now has a [[Characters/TheMalazanBookOfTheFallen Character Sheet]].