The summit of the Epic Fantasy pantheon is made up of the big names and titles that have been read and revered by millions of fans globally.
At the zenith of this broad summit nestles a name (and a franchise) that towers heads and shoulders above the rest. J.R.R. Tolkien is widely regarded as the father of modern Epic Fantasy. His legendary work set in Middle-Earth has spawned six awesome live-action adaptations, the first three of which won multiple academy awards.
But we are not here to tout Peter Jackson's brilliance, nor Amazon's willingness to dole out millions of dollars to film another, much-lengthier adaptation of Tolkien's works. No, we're here to speak about the heirs to Tolkien's throne.
Although the Lord of The Rings remains the undisputed genre champion, two other brilliant series were written after, mirroring some of, and even improving upon, the awesome themes that made such a darling of Tolkien's books in the hearts of millions around the globe.
Say hello to the Wheel of Time and the Malazan Book of the Fallen!
The former was written by two of Tolkien's ardent literary disciples. The late James Oliver Rigney Jr. (aka Robert Jordan) spent more than 15 years on his much-acclaimed fantasy series, even if he did not live long enough to see A Memory of Light hit the shelves in January 2013. That task was left to the writing prodigy Brandon Sanderson, who churned out the final three books in the series, albeit with the help of Harriet McDougal (Robert Jordan's widow) and Robert Jordan's extensive notes.
On the other hand, Lether, Genabackis, and Seven Cities began as the brainchild of Steven Erikson and Ian Cameron Esslemont, who based their GURPS roleplaying campaign on it. Steven Erikson wrote the Malazan Book of the Fallen between 1990 and 2011, and the series has since spun additional books set in the same world written by both Erikson and Esslemont. However, MBoTF remains the core series in the universe, with popularity to rival the best books in the genre.
At this point, you're probably wondering why I'm comparing The Wheel of Time with the Malazan Book of the Fallen. After all, they're different series with differing authors, themes, and styles.
I do this for the following reasons:
Now that we've clarified the basics let's get deep into the versus. Readers of Littafi, I present to you a pitting of two giants of the genre! Malazan against the Wheel of Time!
We'll examine these two magnificent series from the POVs of multiple literary constituents. I'll try not to include too many obvious spoilers, so even those that haven't read either series can still enjoy.
Read on!
Both series boast a plethora of equal-parts exciting, frustrating, and lovable characters. WoT has traditional white and black characters on opposite ends of the spectrum, battling one another figuratively and literally in the eternal battle of good versus evil. Even the antagonists are as thrilling as the MCs. In fact, the Wheel of Time has villains that make you root for them!
On the other hand, Malazan has its trademark grey characters, frustrating individuals like Karsa Orlong who straddle, no, lounge, in the domains where white and black meld into a murky, dusky hue.
There are several standout characters from Malazan, with The Son of Darkness standing out as the pick of the bunch. Fans of the Wheel of Time can argue all they want, but the top gun here remains Matrim Cauthon.
The rest of the ensemble does pretty well on both sides, so separating is hard. However, having read both series, my impartial take is that Wheel of Time's characters trumps Malazan's. It's hard to form any personal bond with the characters when the author is killing them by the droves in each book, happy to introduce new ones each time, only to repeat the cycle.
We grow with Aviendha, Mat, Rand, Egwene, Perrin, Elayne, and co. from start to finish. The story is told through their eyes. What's there not to love about them? Even if you hate them (like a certain braid-tugging missus), you can't argue that they're absolutely memorable!
Verdict: Wheel of Time wins
This is where it gets quite tricky. I want to be as transparent as possible here, so I'll begin by defining the term.
Lore is knowledge and information related to a particular subject, especially when this is not written down; the stories and traditions of a particular group of people
Oxford Learners Dictionary
It is impossible to speak of lore in Epic Fantasy without mentioning Middle-earth. There may have been more exciting, relatable fantasy works written since LoTR. However, LoTR continues to be the standard-bearer for other books in the genre as far as lore is concerned. In other words, LoTR's lore is the lore that all fantasy lore aspires to be.
An important marker of solid lore is an excellent backstory. In the genre, some backstories have grown so extensive as to warrant books of their own. We see this well-reflected in Malazan, where the writer literally drops his audience into the middle of an ongoing, fully-fleshed-out story in the Gardens of the Moon without a preamble. From the very off, it's clear that an awful lot has already happened, and readers will have to play catch up till the end of the series.
The Wheel of Time has a short prequel book that makes things easy for readers, a mini-spoiler if you prefer. However, some readers find the enduring mystery in Malazan's storytelling more appealing.
The stories in both series span thousands of years. Although less than five years pass between The Eye of the World and A Memory of Light, the story spans much longer.
In the Wheel of Time, the approach to lore is in intermittent reveals by knowledgeable characters and via the occasional use of flashback. The author tries to stay in the present as much as possible, only referring to historical fact when it becomes relevant in the scene. As such, much of what we know about the Wheel of Time's lore is not from the 14-book series itself but from affiliated sources.
On the other hand, Malazan feels as much of a historical essay as it does a fantasy novel. And this, more than anything else, is why it wins in this segment.
Verdict: Malazan wins
The world of Malazan boasts a mysterious allure and a sense of lurking danger. From dusty Seven Cities to culture-rich Genabackis and sprawling Lether, the major continents of the world of Malazan each have a unique story to tell. Seven Cities, in particular, appears to be a particularly dangerous place, one I'd never pray to live in.
Genabackis, on the other hand, bustles with unique cultures. Everything about the continent, from the humanoid creatures of the Moranth hills to the riff-raff stalking the alleys of azure-lit Darujhistan, speak of exotic.
The world of the Wheel of Time is quite reminiscent of its LoTR equivalent, Middle-Earth. However, its wonder does not lie in the countryside, with ancient monoliths, mountains, and awe-inspiring landforms. Instead, its allure lies in the descriptions of the cities and their resident people. Ebou Dar, Cairhien, Tear, Falme, Tar Valon, and their ilk each have unique attributes that make them absolutely desirable locations and thrilling places to be.
Verdict: Wheel of Time wins
What is Epic Fantasy without awesome magic?
Some hardcore fans swear by Fantasy literature's many magic systems. For them, it's not enough to simply describe an unnatural event, such as how a wizard called down fire from the heavens. No. More detail is required, similar to scientific research's orderly, systematic nature.
The magics are clearly defined in the two mammoth series we're pitting against each other. Malazan has its warrens, the source of sorcerous magic. The warrens are aspected, affiliated with certain gods and races. There are two kinds of warrens:
The Warrens serve as gateways to other realms and as sources of magic, accessible to various races, mages, and adept priests. Whether it's Mockra, Telas, Tellann, or Omtose Phellack, there's a common theme with all the warrens- destruction. It appears that all the magics in the Malaz Empire and other continents are designed to be wielded with murderous intent. Of course, that goes well with the series' status as Military Fantasy.
Some would even go as far as calling Malazan GrimDark. I wouldn't mind subscribing to that take, given just how heavily magic rituals dominate sorcerous proceedings and invoking.
Then, Malazan puts some cherry on its magic cake by including its own divination system: The Deck of Dragons, and its Letherii counterpart, The Tiles.
It's all really awesome stuff!
In the Wheel of Time, the magic is also extensive and aspected. In the place of warrens, there is Saidar, Saidin, and the True Source. Not everyone can wield magic, save for the elite Aes Sedai sect. Here, the aspects are more pronounced, with certain Ajahs boasting proficiency in certain areas than others. This goes without speaking of the Waygates, ter'angreals, and sa'angreals.
Although the Wheel of Time's magic system is quite vast, it'd be unfair of me to place it besides that of Malazan in terms of sheer scope. Perhaps, when Brandon Sanderson is done writing the Stormlight Archive, Malazan will finally have a true competitor for magic systems. Until then, the winner here is clear.
Verdict: Malazan wins
Malazan's world and peoples are truly exciting. With each book, you can appreciate the nuances and finer points of various cultural elements across different lands and ethnicities. However, in the world of Malazan, the cultures are heavily based on the varying races. Of course, there are notable instances of cultural differences across cities and continents regarding dressing, mode of speech, and other aspects. However, the major contexts for cultural expression lie in the differences in the way of life between humans, Tiste, Jaghut, Imass, K'Chain Che'Malle, and the other races, rather than the differences between Gadrobi, Korelri, Letherii, Dal Honese, and the other human ethnicities.
Note that while there are interesting differences between human cultures, the contrast is more subtle than in the cross-racial context.
On the other hand, the Wheel of Time has fewer otherworldly creatures, with the sole exception being the Ogier, Trollocs, and Myrdraal. The series is packed with the richness of relatable human cultures split into myriad forms, similar to how it is in the real world. The effect is that it is much more immersive than Malazan's cultures.
You can almost gawk at the Domani women and laugh at the elitist politicking of the Cairhienin royalty (the image of a bald, well-powdered pate comes to mind). The sweltering port city of Ebou Dar is stuffy enough to make you swoon between the pages, while Tar Valon's majestic wonder is all too familiar, set against the backdrop of the Dragonmount.
Pitted against Malazan deep and diverse cultures, I'm almost tempted to call this a tie. Upon a sudden, I remember another unique culture, which I cannot discuss here for fear of revealing major spoilers.
Yes, you know who we're talking about... The Aiel!
At this point, what was initially posing as a tough call has abruptly become a no-brainer. Argue all you want...
Verdict: Wheel of Time wins
| Series | Score |
|---|---|
| The Malazan Book of the Fallen | 2 |
| The Wheel of Time | 3 |
There isn't much to say at this point. However, please note that these are my subjective views and not any set-in-stone facts. Nevertheless, you'll agree that they make sense, as I've tried to be as impartial as possible.
If you think I haven't been fair, please don't curse me or call down fire and brimstone. Instead, kindly share your thoughts in the comments. It won't take a while.
