Book · 1999
Gardens of the Moon
by Steven Erikson
An empire quietly marks its own soldiers for death, and the gods are already choosing sides before the Bridgeburners find out.
What does Reddit think of Gardens of the Moon?
Malazan Book of the Fallen is the most-mentioned entry in this dataset: 4972 mentions across seven years, with 3986 of them on r/Fantasy alone, dwarfing r/printSF (660) and r/suggestmeabook (325). The joke writes itself, and Reddit tells it constantly. One top comment (↑910) puts Malazan and Sanderson in 'the top 10 worst recommendations in the history of this sub,' not because they're bad books but because they get thrown at every newcomer regardless of fit. A second top comment (↑841) makes the newcomer warning explicit: don't hand a huge series like this to a friend new to the genre. When the discussion isn't about recommendation etiquette, it turns fond. One reader (↑653) still quotes lines from the books years later, and another (↑631) describes author Erikson's AMA presence as 'extremely genuine and nice.' The grimness gets its own callout too: one commenter (↑392) likes the setting but wouldn't want to live in it.
Community feedback & reader fit
Themes
- · doorstopper scale as both draw and warning label
- · not a newcomer's first fantasy series
- · grimdark worldbuilding
- · author-fan goodwill from Erikson's AMA presence
Common praise
- + r/Fantasy repeatedly credits the worldbuilding when it lands, with one comment (↑653) quoting a favorite line and calling the series great 'if it's done cleverly and in the context of the worldbuilding.'
- + Author engagement gets specific credit: one thread (↑631) says Erikson came across as 'extremely genuine and nice' and answered every fan question thoroughly during an AMA.
Common criticism
- − The most-upvoted comment about it (↑910) doesn't call it bad so much as a bad recommendation, ranking Malazan among 'the top 10 worst recommendations in the history of this sub' for newcomers.
- − A second top comment (↑841) makes the same point directly: don't hand Malazan to a friend new to the genre, because huge series like this scare people off.
- − One reader (↑392) says the setting is interesting but adds 'I wouldn't want to live in that world,' pointing to how grim it gets.
Who it's for
You need existing fantasy mileage for this one; it's not built as a first fantasy series, and r/Fantasy is explicit about that distinction (↑841). Come in prepared for a world that drops you in without a map: the reward is a setting people still quote lines from years later (↑653). Grimdark scale is the whole pitch, so if you want warmth over ambiguity, look elsewhere. Treat it as a series to grow into, not one to hand a friend as their first fantasy book.
Mentions over time
Top subreddits
Which Reddit comments matter for Gardens of the Moon?
Top-upvoted quotes across the subreddits where this book is mentioned. Click through to read the full thread.
“Three things in life are inevitable: death, taxes, and both Brandon Sanderson and Malazan being recommended on every single recommendation request posted here. Not necessarily the worst books, but the top 10 worst recommendations in the history of this sub would be made up entirely of those two be…
“Don't try to introduce your friends into the genre with huge series like *Malazan* or *The Wheel of Time* (as much as I love them). Similarly, don't get mad if someone chooses not to read a series after telling them that it doesn't really take off after several novels.
“Hood's hairy balls! I love it. (from Malazan) If it's done cleverly and in the context of the worldbuidling, I think it's great. If it's just a cheap knock off of our world, I'd rather not see it.
“Hey thank you for posting this! Boy was I nervous for this one. Idk if this is weird for me to say here, but Erikson struck me as extremely genuine and nice the entire conversation. He clearly cared about every question and answered them as thoroughly as anyone could ask. I know some people are tur…
“Nobody tell OP about the Malazan series, think they might have an aneurism.
“This is not exclusive for fantasy but there is nothing wrong with translations of foreign books. Am I supposed to not read Tolkien, Malazan, Wheel of Time or Sanderson books just because my english doesn't let me read them in language they were written in? F*** that.
“I'm currently reading Malazan and while the setting is pretty interesting, I wouldn't want to live in that world. The thing is that we mostly imagine ourselves in those worlds from the protagonist POVs or some other interesting character. If we extrapolate ourselves from this world, then we'd more …
“Have you heard about the Malazan Archive Chronicles of Ice and Fire?
Convinced? Pick up Gardens of the Moon
Readers also mention
All books like Gardens of the Moon →Books that share discussion threads with Gardens of the Moon — counted from the comments, not curated.
The Eye of the World
Robert Jordan
A farm boy's village burns in one night, and the Aes Sedai who saves him says the Dark One marked him before he could walk.
The Black Company
Glen Cook
A mercenary company's own physician keeps its journal through the Vietnam War on peyote, one contract and one dead wizard-lord at a time.
The Way of Kings
Brandon Sanderson
A suicidal bridge slave assigned to the war camp's deadliest crew starts hearing storms answer when he gives orders.
Assassin's Apprentice
Robin Hobb
A bastard prince trained as an assassin narrates sixteen books of loss, loyalty, and one very long grudge against fate.
The Lord of the Rings
J. R. R. Tolkien
A gardener, a burglar's heir, and seven others walk a piece of jewelry to a volcano because destroying it is the only way to stop a war.
A Game of Thrones
George R. R. Martin
A direwolf litter found beside a dead stag opens a decades-spanning war for the Iron Throne with no guaranteed survivors.
Gardens of the Moon — frequently asked
Is Malazan Book of the Fallen worth starting in 2026?+
Depends on your fantasy mileage. It's the single most-mentioned book in this dataset at 4972 mentions, almost all (3986) on r/Fantasy, where it's constantly recommended, but one top comment (↑910) ranks it among the sub's worst recommendations for newcomers precisely because it gets pushed on everyone regardless of fit.
Is Malazan Book of the Fallen a good first fantasy series to read?+
No, according to Reddit. A top comment (↑841) says explicitly: don't introduce friends to the genre with huge series like Malazan, because it can sour people on fantasy before they get anywhere. Save it for after you've built up genre patience elsewhere.
Why does Reddit joke about Malazan Book of the Fallen being over-recommended?+
Because it is. One comment (↑910) jokes that Malazan and Sanderson getting recommended on every single thread is as inevitable as death and taxes, and a separate one-liner (↑537) jokes that mentioning Malazan to an OP risks giving them 'an aneurism' from sheer volume, a running bit across the sub's 3986 r/Fantasy mentions.
What does Reddit say about the author of Malazan Book of the Fallen?+
Positive, specifically. One thread (↑631) recounts an Erikson AMA where he came across as 'extremely genuine and nice,' answering every question 'as thoroughly as anyone could ask,' goodwill that carries into how the series itself gets discussed.