Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson

The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting, and bloody confrontations. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen's rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw assassins.

For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his squad of Bridgeburners, and for Tattersail, surviving cadre mage of the Second Legion, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the many dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities of Genabackis, yet holds out. It is to this ancient citadel that Laseen turns her predatory gaze.

But it would appear that the Empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister, shadowbound forces are gathering as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand.... @goodreads 

OMG! Note: I will be ordering the rest of this series at the end of the month!

I loved this book soooo much!!



There are things I don't understand but I have some lovely Goodreads friends I can go to if I need answers.



Also, this is a series I will be able to read over and over and find new tidbits! And, I did understand the majority of it 😄

Ye gods! I was a nervous wreck at the end because I thought someone might meet their true death. < -- I think I got that from Tru Blood but I digress. Because in this book, not a lot of things stay truly dead! They come back or get taken over or some such thing. It's crazyyyyy! I love it 😄

There was so much going on in the book but I kept up with most of it! Yay! And I loved so many characters. Paran, Sorry, Tattersail, Lorn, Toc ... and not all of them are good or are they? I felt Sorry for Sorry, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time in the beginning.

Then someone I really liked, died by stupidity but they were brought back. I thought, yay, you idiot!

BUT!

I'm totally in love with Anomander Rake! I can't help myself and omg! I will except you his description and as he's supposed to be pitch black, the image I found online like that made him look like a prune!! I liked the million other images of him, one being from Tor.

Anomander Rake's skin was jet-black, befitting Gothos' descriptions, but his mane flowed silver. He stood close to seven feet tall. His features were sharp, as if cut from onyx, a slight upward tilt to the large vertical-pupiled eyes.

A two-handed sword was strapped to Rake's broad back, its silver dragonskull pommel and archaic crosshilt jutting from a wooden scabbard fully six and a half feet long. From the weapon bled power, staining the air like black ink in a pool of water.

And he's also something else!!! Omg! Im shutting up now!

This book is one of the best epics I have read yet. I had no idea! I kept watching soooo many of my Goodreads friends reading this series and I finally took the plunge! I could have started this long ago but I guess now was my time 😊

I recommend to all fantasy lovers!

Happy Reading!

Mel ❤️

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1299040057