Forge of Darkness
Now is the time to tell a tragic tale that sets the stage for all the tales yet to come... and all those already told.
It is the Age of Darkness and the ancient land called Kurald Galain - home of the Tiste Andii and ruled over by Mother Dark from her citadel in Kharkanas - is in a perilous state. For the commoners' great warrior hero, Vatha Urusander, is being championed by his followers to take Mother Dark's hand in marriage but her Consort, Lord Draconus, stands in the way of such ambition.
As the impending clash between these two rival powers sends fissures rippling across the realm and rumours of civil war flare and take hold amongst the people, so an ancient power emerges from seas once thought to be long dead. None can fathom its true purpose nor comprehend its potential. And caught in the middle of this seemingly inevitable conflagration are the First Sons of Darkness - Anomander, Andarist and Silchas Ruin of the Purake Hold - and they are about reshape the world...
Here begins Steven Erikson's epic tale of bitter family rivalries, of jealousies and betrayals, of wild magic and unfettered power... and of the forging of a sword.
Steven Erikson
Steven Erikson is a pseudonym of Steve Rune Lundin. He was born in Canada and recently returned there to live after spending several years in the UK. He is a qualified archaeologist and anthropologist and a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.
The Kharkanas Trilogy
The Kharkanas Trilogy takes place millennia before the events of the Malazan Book of the Fallen and introduces readers to Kurald Galain, the warren of Darkness. It is the epic story of a realm whose fate plays a crucial role in shaping the world of the Malazan Empire.
The Kharkanas Trilogy consists of two books, and the series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Main series Malazan World