Name: Deadhouse Gates
ISBN: 9780765310026

Deadhouse Gates

The second book in Steven Erikson's thrilling epic fantasy series chronicling the ill-fated Malazan Empire.Weakened by events in Darujhistan, the Malazan Empire teeters on the brink of anarchy. In the vast dominion of Seven Cities, in the Holy Desert Raraku, the seer Sha'ik gathers an army around her in preparation for the long-prophesied uprising named the Whirlwind. Unprecedented in its size and savagery, it will embroil in one of the bloodiest conflicts it has ever known: a maelstrom of fanaticism and bloodlust that will shape destinies and give birth to legends... In the Otataral mines, Felisin, youngest daughter of the disgraced House of Paran, dreams of revenge against the sister who sentenced her to a life of slavery. Escape leads her to raraku, where her soul will be reborn and her future made clear. The now-outlawed Bridgeburners, Fiddler and the assassin Kalam, have vowed to return the once god-possessed Apsalar to her homeland, and to confront and kill the Empress Laseen, but events will overtake them too. Meanwhile, Coltaine, the charismatic commander of the Malaz 7th Army, will lead his battered, war-weary troops in a last, valient running battle to save the lives of thirty thousand refugees and, in so doing, secure an illustrious place in the Empire's chequered history. And into this blighted land come two ancient wanderers, Mappo and his half-Jaghut companion Icarium, bearers of a devastating secret that threatens to break free of its chains...

What Hacker News says

calvinmorrisonOct 2024

Deadhouse Gates

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NoNotTheDuoDec 2023

Gardens of the Moon, Deadhouse Gates, Memories of Ice, House of Chains, Midnight Tides, The Bonehunters, Reaper's Gale, Toll the Hounds, Dust of Dreams, and The Crippled God - aka Malazan Book of the Fallen - all by Steven Erikson.

Talk about a renewed interest in reading. After getting through Gardens of the Moon, I realized that I didn't really know what was going on or why these characters were doing what they were doing. I found a readalong podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ten-very-big-books-a-m...), which really helped me put into context the storylines throughout the series.

It's the most epic fantasy series out there. The stories are based on GURPS games that Erikson and his gaming partner Ian Cameron Esslemont ran in the 1980s on archeological digs.

And there are an additional 16 novels, written both by Erikson and Esslemont, which continue to flesh out the universe.

I became completely enamored with the books. I couldn't put them down. It took me from about February through October to finish all 10. There's so much content, and they really shine on a readthrough.

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tarboreusDec 2023

I agree with this ordering.

Another series that I think benefits from a read in publication order is the Horatio Hornblower series. That means starting with the book Beat to Quarters.

I find it's often best to start with the book that made people like the series. When I recommend Stephen Erikson to people, I recommend starting with the second book, Deadhouse Gates, which is much more original, and you don't miss out on much. (Erikson never explains anything, so if you jump in, beleive me, the first book would not enlighten you.)

One exception is the Dresden Files series. It starts out with some weak book, but I can't recommend jumping to the first good book (the fourth) or the first sort-of-good book (the third). You have to slog through the whole thing or you'll miss out.

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throwaway5765May 2026

"He swam at my feet, Powerful arms in broad strokes Sweeping the sand. So I asked this man, What seas do you swim? And to this he answered, 'I have seen shells and the like On this desert floor, So I swim this land's memory Thus honouring its past,' Is the journey far, queried I. 'I cannot say,' he replied, 'For I shall drown long before I am done.'"

― Steven Erikson, Deadhouse Gates

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AllegedAlecMay 2020

Gardens of the moon is sort of required for Memories of Ice. A lot of the characters pivotal in Memories of Ice are introduced in the Gardens of the Moon.

If Malazan book of the fallen is for you, you'll know after reading book 2.

Although, in all honesty: I wouldn't start with Deadhouse Gates. Although it contains one of the best plotlines in the series, it also contains the worst character, and she drags stuff down a lot. Were it not for having read through the first book, I would've probably stopped because of her.

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ncphillipsApr 2015

In about 6 hours I am heading south to an all inclusive resort for a week. There's no internet, and not much for TV, so we plan on doing a lot of reading on the beach.

Does anyone have book suggestions?

So far I'm taking down Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erickson, Walden by Thoreau, and a book on the Philosophy of Language to mess with my brain.

Any kind of book will do, but bonus points for books that I can learn something from but aren't ridiculously difficult, are travel friendly, and I can probably find at a university library.

Let me know some of your favourites.

Thanks!

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