Gardens of the Moon cover art

Gardens of the Moon

The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Book 1

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Gardens of the Moon

By: Steven Erikson
Narrated by: Ralph Lister
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About this listen

Random House presents the audiobook edition of Gardens Of The Moon: (Malazan Book Of The Fallen 1) by Steven Erikson, read by Ralph Lister.

Bled dry by interminable warfare, infighting and bloody confrontations with Lord Anomander Rake and his Tiste Andii, the vast, sprawling Malazan empire simmers with discontent.
Even its imperial legions yearn for some respite. For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his Bridgeburners and for Tattersail, sole surviving sorceress of the Second Legion, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities of Genabackis, still holds out - and Empress Lasseen's ambition knows no bounds.
However, it seems the empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister forces gather as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand...

Conceived and written on an epic scale, Gardens of the Moon is a breathtaking achievement - a novel in which grand design, a dark and complex mythology, wild and wayward magic and a host of enduring characters combine with thrilling, powerful storytelling to resounding effect. Acclaimed by writers, critics and readers alike, here is the opening chapter in what has been hailed a landmark of epic fantasy: the awesome 'The Malazan Book of the Fallen'.

©1999 Steven Erikson (P)2019 Penguin Audio
Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Magic

Critic Reviews

Erikson is an extrodinary writer...treat yourself to Gardens of the Moon (STEPHEN R. DONALDSON)
Complex, challenging...Erikson's strengths are his grown-up characters and his ability to create a world every bit as intricate and messy as our own (J.V. JONES)
There's nothing safe about fantasy like this: intriguing, complex, thought provoking, exceedingly well-written, and, for the intelligent reader, exhilaratingly satisfying (PAULA GURAN)
All stars
Most relevant  
I read four books in this series and each book I read I enjoyed more than the previous but as others have said there are a lot of characters and it can get confusing due to it being a complex story, a bit like Game of Thrones in that aspect. So after book four I decided to reread this book and the series makes far more sense and an easier read. Recommended to Fantasy lovers but it takes perseverance.

First time 3 stars second time 5

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2nd time listening, great story and performance from the narrator. Its a shame the narrator is changed later in the series, Ralph Lister suits the story perfectly in my opinion.

great listening

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Initially struggled with so many characters and chopping and changing parts/ prospectives of the story. Got better as it went on.

Struggle to start with. got better though

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I loved the original book and wasn't sure how such a massive and complex story would translate to audio but it was even better.
A great performance.

Great performance of a complex and brilliant story

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Great world and interesting characters. It is easy to become a little lost with all the information but if you take it like a play and go scene by scene you get more from the story.

The narration was wonderful and the voice acting was helpful compared to just reading the book. The distinct voices are perfect, Kruppe for example.

Give the book a shot and if you like it there are a ton more books to equally entertain and baffle you.

Treat it like a play and enjoy the story

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I have a long history with this book, I tried to read it a couple of times since 2002 but it was always very difficult to get into due to the complexity and depth of the story. However, once you understand each of the viewpoints and adapt to the language and lingo, then it's a very good book. Patience will be required in order to get into the groove, so to speak.

Very good but very hard to get into

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book was good enough to keep me listening. I haven't quite made a lasting connection to the series, but I'm getting there. The magic system wasn't explained very well, so not sure if there are other series in this universe before this series. Good character building, hoping these characters are in the next book.

intriguing enough for me to buy the next book

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If you like multiple storylines with complex characters, you’ll love this. Fast moving, it requires concentration and trust that the author will wrap the storylines together. Which he does. I enjoyed the challenge and will definitely jump straight into book 2.

Clever and complex

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This one is completely overwhelming from start to finish, but don’t let that stop you. Embrace it and go for the ride. It will be worth the struggle.

Worth the Struggle

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I have read this before so I was ok without the glossary. The preformance by Ralph lister was excellent. The voices were clear and i could tell characters apart.

Excellent preformance

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