Mini Review: Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson

Gardens of the Moon – Steven Erikson (Published 1999)
Genre: Fantasy

Sub-genre: Epic, in the most epic sense

Completed: January 12 2011

It’s no secret that I love Epic Fantasy. Yet the idea of beginning a series of ten books is still very daunting. It doesn’t help that ten of Erikson’s volumes in The Malazan Book of the Fallen would swallow up twenty lesser tomes. However, what Erikson’s series has to recommend it is that it will actually be finished soon. Imagine that? A long running Fantasy epic actually reaching a conclusion.

I dived into Gardens of the Moon, fully realising that the end was nigh. I wanted to find out whether I should continue reading in the series. Since this is a mini review, the short answer is yes, I will. I had been forewarned that Erikson drops his readers into the world and bombards them with information. He has certainly crammed into this novel an incredible density of world building while delivering a compelling story with co0lourful, damaged characters.

This is not a novel for first time Fantasy readers. Erikson utilises many viewpoints and it is a challenge to work your way into the story, but as with any good challenge the reward is worth the effort. I give Gardens of the Moon 3.5 stars.