Blood and Bone
In the western sky, the bright emerald banner of the Visitor descends like a portent of annihilation.
On the continent of Jacuruku, the Thaumaturgs have mounted another expedition to tame the wild jungle that is their neighbour. Yet this is no normal wilderness. Named Himatan, it is said to be both of the spirit realm and of the earth. It is also said that it is ruled over by a powerful entity some call the Queen of Witches and others the ancient goddess Ardata. Saeng has grown up knowing only life under the Thaumaturgs - but it is the voices of her country's forgotten past that speak to her. And when these magician rulers begin their invasion of Himatan, the voices strengthen - urging Saeng and her brother to undertake a desperate mission.
To the south, the desert tribes are united by the arrival of a foreign war leader, a veteran commander in battered mail. His men call him the Grey Ghost and he will lead these tribes on a raid like none that has gone before - deep into the heart of Thaumaturg lands.
And then the mercenary Crimson Guard are issued a contract against a renegade of their ranks. Skinner has returned to Jacuruku and is rumoured to want to reclaim a kingdom he once held. And who are the Guard to refuse the command of a god...
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Ian C. Esslemont
Ian C. Esslemont is a name that echoes through the halls of epic fantasy, often found alongside fellow author Steven Erikson as a co-creator of the vast, intricate world of the Malazan Book of the Fallen. But Esslemont’s journey began long before he joined forces with Erikson—his passion for storytelling and rich, complex worlds stretches back to his early years, when he first explored the realms of imagination.
Born in Canada, Esslemont’s deep love for fantasy literature was forged through his voracious reading and his fascination with history and mythology. His stories delve into the complexities of power, the murky ethics of war, and the human experience amidst chaos. This passion for storytelling eventually led him to co-create the Malazan Empire, a sprawling, multi-layered universe that became the foundation for his own novels. Esslemont's contribution to the Malazan saga is indispensable, as his books expand on the history and peoples of this monumental world, breathing new life into characters and landscapes first introduced in Erikson’s works.
The Malazan Empire
Ian C. Esslemont co-created the world of Malaz with his friend Steven Erikson, and Esslemont’s novels of the Malazan Empire are set in the same world as Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen.
The Malazan Empire consists of six books — considered a complete series. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Main series Malazan World
