Deadhouse Gates (Malazan Book of the Fallen #2) by Steven Erikson

Say goodbye to any confusion you had with the first book, Gardens of Moon, as Deadhouse Gates answers all your questions and then some.

“Children are dying.” Lull nodded. “That’s a succinct summary of humankind, I’d say. Who needs tomes and volumes of history? Children are dying. The injustices of the world hide in those three words.”

Deadhouse Gates, the second book in the Malazan series, is a wild ride that takes readers on a journey filled with intense emotions, intricate plot twists, and epic battles. The world drifts to a different continent- Seven Cities, as the story begun in Gardens of the Moon continues here with Crokus, Fiddler, Kalam, and Apsalar sailing out to new adventures.

At the same time, the intricate politics of the Great Malazan Empire, established upon the usurpation and betrayals, is revealed. Laseen, the powerful Empress, is a lone ruler with deep-seated insecurity issues. To this effect, she takes steps to eliminate everyone who breathes and oozes even the slightest whiff of anti-imperialism. The insecurity runs to such an extent that she tries to eliminate one of her powerful High-Priests.

Meanwhile, Seven Cities is threatened by a rebellion under a religious notion, and when you speak of religion, you know that people unite irrespective of their diversity. The Malazan Empire must neutralize this rebellion and has been breeding its army inside the continent. But, there is always a chance of revolution inside the military itself if they do not have a mighty leader.

We are introduced here to the mighty Tavore Paran, who is regarded as the mother of the series (you’ll keep learning about it until the last book)

The pacing is spot on, with enough depth to keep you hooked from beginning to end. Say goodbye to any confusion you had with the first book, Gardens of Moon, as Deadhouse Gates answers all your questions and then some.

The relationships between key players, like Icarium and Mappo, Felisin, Bult, and High Fist, will leave you feeling all sorts of emotions and make the book’s first half an emotional rollercoaster. But hold tight because the book’s second half is where things get real with the epic journey of the Chain of Dogs.

The Chain of Dogs is about a war leader, unyielding in achieving his goal of leading his people, his ungrateful people, through the terrain of half a continent. This story arc is hailed to be one of the best-written military sequences ever.

In my humble opinion, this is one of the best fantasy journeys put to paper. The High Fist is a boss and a legend, but we can’t help but feel his story could have been explored even more.

Props to Steve Erikson for connecting all the dots without holding our hands and keeping the descriptions short and sweet, giving us just enough info to paint the picture without giving away all the secrets.

Trust me; the details are there; you just have to look for them. I’m hyped to dive into Memories of Ice, so if you’re into fantasy books and are looking for an adventure, this is the one for you.