Steven Erikson Books in Order (Updated August 5, 2026)

Steven Erikson is the pen name of Canadian author Steve Rune Lundin, an archaeologist and anthropologist best known for the Malazan Book of the Fallen.

The Malazan setting was created by Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont. Both authors write in the same world, but this guide focuses on books written by Erikson. Esslemont’s novels are separate publications and are not required to complete Erikson’s ten-book main sequence.

Erikson also writes science fiction, literary fiction, speculative standalones, and shorter works outside Malazan. Those books have no continuity connection to the Malazan Empire.

Where Should You Begin?

Begin with Gardens of the Moon if you want the main Malazan story.

The novel begins in the middle of an active military campaign and does not explain every culture, god, magical system, or historical reference immediately. That lack of early explanation is intentional. Later books supply context while expanding the cast and geography.

Readers should continue directly to Deadhouse Gates, even though it moves to another continent and follows a partly different group of characters. The separate storylines gradually converge across the ten-book sequence.

A reader interested only in Erikson’s comic science fiction can begin separately with Willful Child. A reader looking for a standalone novel can begin with Rejoice, A Knife to the Heart or This River Awakens without reading Malazan.

The Four Malazan Routes

Erikson’s Malazan books fall into four principal branches.

The Main Sequence

The Malazan Book of the Fallen is a complete ten-novel series. It is the correct first route for almost every new reader.

The Ancient Past

The Kharkanas Trilogy takes place in the distant past and explores the Tiste, the Azathanai, and events remembered imperfectly in the main series. It remains unfinished.

The Later World

The Tales of Witness begins approximately a decade after The Crippled God. It contains major consequences from the completed main series and should be read afterward.

The Comic Side Stories

The Bauchelain and Korbal Broach novellas follow two necromancers and their long-suffering manservant. They share the Malazan world but are largely separate from its central conflict.

Malazan Book of the Fallen in Order

The Malazan Book of the Fallen consists of ten novels. Read them in publication order.

1. Gardens of the Moon (1999): The Malazan campaign on Genabackis draws soldiers, assassins, mages, gods, and ancient powers into the struggle for Pale and Darujhistan.
2. Deadhouse Gates (2000): Rebellion spreads across Seven Cities while the Chain of Dogs attempts to escort tens of thousands of refugees through hostile territory.
3. Memories of Ice (2001): The Malazans form an uneasy alliance with former enemies to oppose the Pannion Domin, while the larger purpose of the Crippled God becomes clearer.
4. House of Chains (2002): Karsa Orlong begins a violent journey beyond his Teblor homeland, while the Malazan Fourteenth Army prepares to confront the rebellion in Seven Cities.
5. Midnight Tides (2004): On the continent of Lether, the Sengar family and the merchant Tehol Beddict become caught in the collision between the Tiste Edur and the Letherii Empire.
6. The Bonehunters (2006): Tavore’s army survives a devastating siege and begins separating from imperial command as conflicts across Seven Cities and Malaz City converge.
7. Reaper’s Gale (2007): The Bonehunters arrive in Lether while the Edur occupation fractures, bringing previously separate continents and character groups into direct contact.
8. Toll the Hounds (2008): The story returns to Darujhistan, where grief, political tension, ancient rivalries, and converging supernatural forces build toward a decisive night.
9. Dust of Dreams (2009): Tavore leads the Bonehunters into the eastern Letherii wastelands as multiple armies, displaced peoples, and ancient threats move toward collision.
10. The Crippled God (2011): The final campaign brings the Bonehunters and their allies into a conflict that resolves the main questions surrounding Tavore, the Crippled God, and the purpose of the long march.

Why Publication Order Is Essential

The main series does not follow a single character or remain on one continent. Books two and five introduce major storylines that initially appear detached from the opening novel.

Those shifts are part of the structure. Erikson builds several narratives separately before combining them in later volumes.

A chronological rearrangement would expose characters and events without the framing intended for their first appearances. Publication order also preserves the gradual reinterpretation of empires, gods, historical legends, and earlier conflicts.

Can Gardens of the Moon Be Skipped?

No. Gardens of the Moon establishes the Bridgeburners, the Genabackis campaign, Darujhistan, several ascendants, and relationships that remain important throughout the series.

Its narrative approach differs somewhat from the later books, but skipping it creates more confusion rather than less.

Readers who struggle with the opening should continue through the Darujhistan sections before deciding whether the series suits them. Beginning with another volume is not a reliable solution because every later book assumes knowledge from earlier installments.

Do Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God Form One Ending?

Yes. Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God function as two parts of the final movement.

Several major arcs remain unresolved at the end of Dust of Dreams. Readers should have The Crippled God available and continue directly into it.

They are still published and numbered as books nine and ten, not as one divided novel.

The Kharkanas Trilogy in Order

The Kharkanas Trilogy is set far before the Malazan Empire. It explores the Tiste civil conflict, Mother Dark, Draconus, Anomander Rake, Hood, K’rul, and other figures whose histories appear in altered or incomplete form in the main series.

1. Forge of Darkness (2012): Tiste society begins breaking apart around Mother Dark’s court as political resentment, religious transformation, and personal rivalries move toward civil war.
2. Fall of Light (2016): The division between Dark and Light deepens while armies gather, alliances fail, and several ancient peoples move closer to the identities known in later Malazan history.
3. Walk in Shadow (Forthcoming): The planned final volume is expected to complete the Kharkanas story, but no confirmed publication date had been announced by August 5, 2026.

Should Kharkanas Be Read Before the Main Series?

No. Its events occur much earlier, but chronology is not the best guide here.

The trilogy assumes that readers recognize characters, myths, and claims made in the Malazan Book of the Fallen. Its effect often comes from showing that accepted history may be distorted, incomplete, or deliberately reshaped.

Read Forge of Darkness and Fall of Light after The Crippled God. This preserves the mysteries of the main series and makes the contrasts between history and memory easier to understand.

Is the Kharkanas Trilogy Complete?

No. Two books have been published.

Walk in Shadow remains the announced third volume. Until it is released, the ancient storyline is unfinished.

The Tales of Witness in Order

The Tales of Witness continues the Malazan world roughly ten years after the ending of the main series. Karsa Orlong’s influence is central, although the sequence does not simply resume his viewpoint from House of Chains.

The project was originally discussed as a trilogy but expanded to four books.

1. The God Is Not Willing (2021): A company of Malazan marines stationed near Silver Lake faces climate disaster, displaced Teblor, and the growing consequences of Karsa Orlong’s legacy.
2. No Life Forsaken (2025): Unrest rises again in Seven Cities as Malazan forces confront renewed rebellion, political weakness, and powers returning to a changed world.
3. Legacies of Betrayal (Forthcoming 2026): The third Tale of Witness continues the conflict developed in No Life Forsaken and is scheduled for October 2026, after this article’s update date.
4. Untitled fourth Tale of Witness (Forthcoming): A fourth volume is planned to complete the sequence, but its title and publication date remain unconfirmed.

When Should You Read The Tales of Witness?

Read the ten-book Malazan Book of the Fallen first.

The God Is Not Willing explains enough for readers to follow its immediate plot, but it reveals the condition of the Malazan world after The Crippled God. It also assumes familiarity with Karsa, the Teblor, imperial military culture, and the long-term cost of earlier campaigns.

Kharkanas is not strictly required before Witness. However, connections to ancient beings and older history may carry more weight for readers who have completed Forge of Darkness and Fall of Light.

Bauchelain and Korbal Broach Novellas in Publication Order

Bauchelain and Korbal Broach first appear in Memories of Ice. Their novellas combine dark fantasy, satire, horror, and grotesque comedy.

The novellas share a loose traveling chronology, but publication order is not the same as the characters’ internal timeline.

1. Blood Follows (2002): Emancipor Reese enters the service of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach while a series of murders brings fear to the city of Lamentable Moll.
2. The Healthy Dead (2004): The travelers arrive in Quaint, a city governed by enforced health, moral purity, and compulsory happiness, then destabilize its carefully controlled order.
3. The Lees of Laughter’s End (2007): Emancipor, Bauchelain, and Korbal take passage on a deeply unfortunate ship where supernatural danger joins the ordinary risks of sea travel.
4. Crack’d Pot Trail (2009): Artists and hunters crossing the Great Dry compete for survival while pursuing the necromancers, turning the journey into a satire of art, criticism, and ambition.
5. The Wurms of Blearmouth (2012): Bauchelain and Korbal reach Spendrugle, where a tyrant, his household, and several monstrous problems await disruption.
6. The Fiends of Nightmaria (2016): The necromancers become entangled with strange creatures, rival powers, and another community unable to survive their arrival unchanged.
7. Upon a Dark of Evil Overlords (2021): Bauchelain, Korbal, and Emancipor enter a city shaped by competing rulers and elaborate villainy, with each faction convinced it controls the situation.
8. Time’s Cursed Cartwheel (Forthcoming): Another novella has been announced, but its final publication date remains unconfirmed.

Bauchelain and Korbal Broach Chronological Order

Readers who want the characters’ internal travel sequence can use the commonly accepted order below:

1. Blood Follows (2002): Emancipor first joins the two necromancers after events in Lamentable Moll destroy his previous employment.
2. The Lees of Laughter’s End (2007): The trio leaves by sea and discovers that their voyage offers no escape from supernatural catastrophe.
3. The Wurms of Blearmouth (2012): Their travels bring them to Spendrugle and its violent, unstable ruler.
4. The Healthy Dead (2004): Bauchelain and Korbal challenge a city whose devotion to health has become authoritarian control.
5. Crack’d Pot Trail (2009): Their pursuers cross a deadly wasteland while the necromancers remain the object of obsession.
6. The Fiends of Nightmaria (2016): The travelers encounter another collection of monsters, schemes, and local authorities.
7. Upon a Dark of Evil Overlords (2021): The trio enters a society crowded with self-declared masters of darkness.

The precise placement of every novella has not always been presented identically across editions and discussions. Publication order is therefore the most stable choice for first-time readers.

Bauchelain and Korbal Broach Collections

The collected editions reprint existing novellas. They are purchase options, not additional stories.

1. The Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach (2009): This collection contains Blood Follows, The Healthy Dead, and The Lees of Laughter’s End.
2. The Second Collected Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach (2018): This collection contains Crack’d Pot Trail, The Wurms of Blearmouth, and The Fiends of Nightmaria.

Upon a Dark of Evil Overlords is not included in either of those original collected volumes.

Readers can buy the individual novellas or the collections. Reading both formats would duplicate the same material.

Best Placement for the Bauchelain Novellas

Read Memories of Ice before beginning the novellas.

Their adventures are not necessary for the main Malazan plot, but the characters are introduced more effectively in the novel. Reading their independent tales first also changes the intended uncertainty surrounding their arrival in the main series.

After Memories of Ice, the novellas can be read between larger books or saved until after The Crippled God.

Status: Optional Malazan side stories.

Malazan Short Fiction

Erikson has written shorter fiction set in the Malazan world outside the principal novel sequences.

1. “Goats of Glory” (2010): A group of experienced fighters enters an abandoned settlement and discovers that confidence and reputation offer limited protection against what waits there.

This story is optional and does not alter the reading order of the main novels.

Availability may depend on the anthology or edition in which the story appears.

Steven Erikson’s Recommended Malazan Reading Order

A new reader who wants Erikson’s complete Malazan work can use the following sequence.

Phase One: Complete the Main Ten Books

1. Gardens of the Moon (1999): The campaign for Genabackis establishes the empire, military companies, gods, and ancient powers at the center of the series.
2. Deadhouse Gates (2000): Seven Cities rises in rebellion and the Chain of Dogs becomes one of the sequence’s defining military stories.
3. Memories of Ice (2001): Former enemies unite against the Pannion Domin while the role of the Crippled God moves closer to the foreground.
4. House of Chains (2002): Karsa’s journey and Tavore’s first campaign reshape the Seven Cities storyline.
5. Midnight Tides (2004): The Letherii and Tiste Edur conflict introduces the final major continent and a cast essential to later convergence.
6. The Bonehunters (2006): Tavore’s army survives Y’Ghatan and reaches a decisive break with the empire.
7. Reaper’s Gale (2007): The Malazan and Lether storylines meet as the Edur regime begins collapsing.
8. Toll the Hounds (2008): Darujhistan becomes the center of converging personal grief and ancient conflict.
9. Dust of Dreams (2009): Armies cross the wastelands toward the final campaign and several long-running threats emerge openly.
10. The Crippled God (2011): The Bonehunters complete their march and the main ten-book narrative reaches its conclusion.

Phase Two: Enter the Distant Past

11. Forge of Darkness (2012): The ancient Tiste world begins dividing around Mother Dark and the court at Kharkanas.
12. Fall of Light (2016): Civil war approaches as the divisions between Dark, Light, and rival peoples become irreversible.
13. Walk in Shadow (Forthcoming): The planned third novel will complete the Kharkanas Trilogy when published.

Phase Three: Return to the Later Malazan World

14. The God Is Not Willing (2021): A new generation faces Karsa’s legacy and the physical consequences of a changing climate.
15. No Life Forsaken (2025): Seven Cities again becomes unstable as old beliefs and new political failures threaten another conflict.
16. Legacies of Betrayal (Forthcoming 2026): The third Witness book continues the developing Seven Cities storyline.
17. Untitled fourth Tale of Witness (Forthcoming): The planned final book will complete the Witness sequence.

Phase Four: Add the Comic Novellas

18. Blood Follows (2002): Emancipor Reese begins his disastrous employment with two necromancers.
19. The Healthy Dead (2004): The trio disrupts a city built around compulsory wellbeing.
20. The Lees of Laughter’s End (2007): A sea voyage becomes another encounter with horror and misfortune.
21. Crack’d Pot Trail (2009): A desert pursuit turns into a dark examination of artists and their critics.
22. The Wurms of Blearmouth (2012): Spendrugle’s ruler discovers that Bauchelain and Korbal are difficult guests to control.
23. The Fiends of Nightmaria (2016): The necromancers enter another landscape crowded with monsters and failed schemes.
24. Upon a Dark of Evil Overlords (2021): Competing villains meet travelers whose presence makes every plan less stable.
25. Time’s Cursed Cartwheel (Forthcoming): The next announced novella remains without a confirmed release date.

The novella phase can be moved directly after Memories of Ice. Placing it last simply keeps the larger novel sequences uninterrupted.

Should Ian C. Esslemont’s Books Be Included?

Ian C. Esslemont co-created the Malazan world and writes major canonical novels within it. His books cover characters, regions, and events that Erikson’s sequence does not fully depict.

They are not Steven Erikson books, so they should not be inserted into an author-only numbered bibliography as though Erikson wrote them.

Readers seeking only the core narrative can complete the ten Malazan Book of the Fallen novels without alternating authors. Readers seeking the broadest possible account of the Malazan world should add Esslemont’s Novels of the Malazan Empire and Path to Ascendancy series.

Included or Optional?

Included for an Erikson reading order: The ten Malazan Book of the Fallen novels.

Optional but canonical to the shared setting: Ian C. Esslemont’s Malazan novels.

Best saved until later: Complicated combined chronologies that alternate between Erikson and Esslemont.

A combined publication-order read is more suitable for a reread than for a first encounter with the world.

Willful Child Books in Order

The Willful Child trilogy is comic science fiction. It parodies space exploration stories, heroic captains, artificial intelligence, alien contact, and familiar television science fiction conventions.

It is completely separate from Malazan.

1. Willful Child (2014): Captain Hadrian Sawback leads the starship Willful Child into reckless missions while his confidence repeatedly exceeds his judgment.
2. Willful Child: Wrath of Betty (2016): Sawback and his crew face Betty, a dangerous artificial intelligence whose power and personal grievances make her more than an ordinary returning enemy.
3. Willful Child: The Search for Spark (2018): The crew undertakes a chaotic search for a missing companion while the trilogy pushes its parody of cosmic threats and command decisions toward a conclusion.

Read the trilogy in publication order. Character relationships and recurring jokes build from the first book.

Continuity: Separate science fiction series.

Rejoice, A Knife to the Heart

1. Rejoice, A Knife to the Heart (2018): An alien intelligence intervenes in human civilization by preventing violence and environmental destruction, forcing societies to confront problems they can no longer solve through coercion.

The novel is a standalone first-contact story.

It does not share characters or continuity with Willful Child, Malazan, or Erikson’s literary fiction.

This River Awakens

1. This River Awakens (1998): Four boys in a small Canadian community encounter friendship, violence, secrecy, and the pressures of adulthood during a formative period in their lives.

The novel was originally published under Erikson’s legal name, Steve Lundin, and was later reissued under Steven Erikson.

It is literary fiction rather than epic fantasy. It has no connection to Malazan.

The Devil Delivered and Other Tales

1. The Devil Delivered and Other Tales (2012): This collection brings together three speculative novellas concerned with environmental collapse, grief, memory, technology, and humanity’s ability to avoid its own destructive patterns.

The collection includes The Devil Delivered, “Revolvo,” and “Fishin’ with Grandma Matchie.”

The Included Tales

1. The Devil Delivered (2004): In an environmentally damaged future, unusual psychic phenomena and a troubled landscape expose the consequences of ecological and political failure.
2. “Revolvo” (2008): Artists, academics, and cultural institutions become part of a satirical examination of ambition, pretension, and the systems that decide what art deserves attention.
3. “Fishin’ with Grandma Matchie” (2004): A child’s unusual experience with his grandmother moves between family memory, imagination, and speculative possibility.

The pieces are separate from one another and can be read in any order.

Early Steve Lundin Collections

Before the international publication of the Malazan novels, Erikson released literary work under the name Steve Lundin.

A Ruin of Feathers

1. A Ruin of Feathers (1991): This early collection presents literary stories shaped by place, strained relationships, memory, and characters living near moments of personal change.

Stolen Voices

1. Stolen Voices (1993): The collection continues Erikson’s early literary work with stories focused on human isolation, conflict, and the difficulty of fully understanding other lives.

Revolvo and Other Canadian Tales

1. Revolvo and Other Canadian Tales (1998): This collection gathers Canadian literary and satirical stories, including work concerned with art, community, identity, and social performance.

These books are separate from Malazan and may be more difficult to find than Erikson’s later publications.

The contents of early editions can overlap with pieces later reprinted elsewhere, so collectors should compare tables of contents before purchasing multiple collections.

Other Short Fiction and Small Press Work

Erikson has published individual stories and limited-edition pieces outside his major collections.

1. “When She’s Gone” (2004): A standalone literary story concerned with absence, personal connection, and the emotional meaning left behind when a relationship changes.
2. “The Last Vandals on Earth” (2024): A band of surviving Vandals prepares for violence in a historical fantasy story told with grim humor and an awareness of their approaching end.

These works do not connect to one another or to Malazan.

Because anthology and limited-edition publication details can vary, they are best treated as optional additions rather than required entries in the main bibliography.

Of the Apes

1. Of the Apes (Forthcoming): Erikson has announced this as a separate novel planned through Subterranean Press, but a firm publication date and final public description had not been confirmed by August 5, 2026.

The announced project is not a Malazan novel and is not part of the Willful Child series.

Until full publication details are available, it should remain listed as a forthcoming standalone rather than placed inside a series order.

Steven Erikson Novels in Publication Order

The following list covers Erikson’s principal novels and forthcoming novels. Novellas and collections are separated elsewhere to prevent shorter works from being mistaken for full series installments.

1. This River Awakens (1998): Four boys growing up in rural Canada encounter violence, loyalty, and the unsettling transition toward adulthood.
2. Gardens of the Moon (1999): The Malazan campaign on Genabackis brings imperial soldiers into conflict with Darujhistan and several supernatural powers.
3. Deadhouse Gates (2000): Seven Cities rebels against the empire while Coltaine leads refugees across a continent at war.
4. Memories of Ice (2001): An alliance of former enemies opposes the Pannion Domin and uncovers a threat connected to the Crippled God.
5. House of Chains (2002): Karsa Orlong leaves his homeland as Tavore’s new army prepares to end the Seven Cities rebellion.
6. Midnight Tides (2004): The Letherii Empire and the Tiste Edur approach war through the divided stories of two powerful families.
7. The Bonehunters (2006): Tavore’s army survives a brutal campaign and begins following a path no longer controlled by the empire.
8. Reaper’s Gale (2007): Malazan forces enter Lether as its imperial and Edur systems begin collapsing from within.
9. Toll the Hounds (2008): Darujhistan becomes the meeting point for grief, revenge, political maneuvering, and ancient confrontation.
10. Dust of Dreams (2009): Armies and refugees cross eastern Lether toward a war whose purpose remains hidden from most participants.
11. The Crippled God (2011): Tavore’s campaign reaches its true objective and concludes the ten-book Malazan Book of the Fallen.
12. Forge of Darkness (2012): The ancient Tiste world begins descending toward religious division and civil war.
13. Willful Child (2014): An overconfident starship captain turns interstellar exploration into a sequence of comic disasters.
14. Fall of Light (2016): Kharkanas moves closer to open war as ideological and supernatural divisions harden.
15. Willful Child: Wrath of Betty (2016): Captain Sawback confronts a powerful artificial intelligence with a personal reason to pursue him.
16. Rejoice, A Knife to the Heart (2018): Alien intervention removes humanity’s ability to commit large-scale violence and forces a global social reckoning.
17. Willful Child: The Search for Spark (2018): Sawback’s crew searches for a missing companion through another unstable interstellar adventure.
18. The God Is Not Willing (2021): Malazan marines and Teblor communities face Karsa Orlong’s legacy in a landscape threatened by environmental disaster.
19. No Life Forsaken (2025): Renewed unrest in Seven Cities challenges Malazan authority and revives conflicts that the empire never fully resolved.
20. Legacies of Betrayal (Forthcoming 2026): The third Witness novel continues the aftermath and expanding conflict of No Life Forsaken.
21. Walk in Shadow (Forthcoming): The final Kharkanas novel is intended to complete the ancient Tiste storyline.
22. Untitled fourth Tale of Witness (Forthcoming): The planned final Witness volume will follow Legacies of Betrayal.
23. Of the Apes (Forthcoming): This announced standalone sits outside Erikson’s established series, with final release details still pending.

Is There a Complete Chronological Malazan Order?

Only approximately.

Kharkanas occurs in the distant past. The Malazan Book of the Fallen forms the central era. Witness takes place after the main sequence.

The broad chronology is therefore:

1. The Kharkanas Trilogy
2. The Malazan Book of the Fallen
3. The Tales of Witness

That is not the recommended first reading order.

Beginning with Kharkanas replaces mystery with ancient context, even though that context is deliberately subjective and contested. It also asks readers to begin with an unfinished trilogy before reaching the completed core narrative.

For a reread, chronological grouping can reveal thematic connections. For a first read, publication order preserves the intended uncertainty.

A Shorter Malazan Reading Plan

Readers who want the essential route without every side story should follow this order:

1. Gardens of the Moon (1999): The Malazan Empire’s campaign and the struggle over Darujhistan open the core story.
2. Deadhouse Gates (2000): The Chain of Dogs establishes the cost of imperial war and widens the series beyond Genabackis.
3. Memories of Ice (2001): The campaign against the Pannion Domin connects military events to the larger supernatural conflict.
4. House of Chains (2002): Karsa and Tavore become central to the next phase of the series.
5. Midnight Tides (2004): Lether and the Tiste Edur supply the final large storyline needed for later convergence.
6. The Bonehunters (2006): Tavore’s army takes shape as a distinct force with an uncertain purpose.
7. Reaper’s Gale (2007): The Seven Cities and Lether narratives finally meet.
8. Toll the Hounds (2008): Darujhistan and several ancient character arcs reach a major turning point.
9. Dust of Dreams (2009): The last campaign begins but does not conclude.
10. The Crippled God (2011): The central Malazan sequence ends.
11. The God Is Not Willing (2021): The later world reveals what Karsa’s legacy means to people living in his shadow.
12. No Life Forsaken (2025): The Witness sequence moves into Seven Cities and a new period of instability.
13. Legacies of Betrayal (Forthcoming 2026): The third Witness installment continues the current post-series storyline.

Kharkanas and the Bauchelain novellas can then be added according to interest.

Latest Steven Erikson Book

As of August 5, 2026, Erikson’s latest published novel is No Life Forsaken, the second book in the Tales of Witness.

It was first published in the United Kingdom in October 2025, with dates varying by territory and format.

The next scheduled novel is Legacies of Betrayal, the third Tale of Witness. Its United Kingdom publication is scheduled for October 1, 2026, with the United States edition scheduled for October 6, 2026.

Because those dates fall after this article’s update date, Legacies of Betrayal remains forthcoming.

Walk in Shadow is still planned as the final Kharkanas book, but no confirmed release date has been announced.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Steven Erikson book should I read first?

Start with Gardens of the Moon.

It is the first Malazan Book of the Fallen novel and the intended opening to Erikson’s main fantasy sequence.

Is Malazan Book of the Fallen complete?

Yes. The central ten-book series is complete.

It begins with Gardens of the Moon and ends with The Crippled God.

Are all Malazan books written by Steven Erikson?

No. Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont co-created the setting, and both write canonical books within it.

The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Kharkanas, Witness, and the Bauchelain and Korbal Broach novellas are Erikson’s series. Esslemont writes his own Malazan sequences.

Do I need Ian C. Esslemont’s novels to understand Erikson’s ten books?

No. Erikson’s main ten-book sequence can be read and completed on its own.

Esslemont’s novels expand the world and cover important events elsewhere, but they are additional reading rather than mandatory interruptions.

Should I alternate Erikson and Esslemont?

Not on a first reading.

Alternating publication dates can provide a broader view, but it interrupts the internal momentum of Erikson’s ten-book structure. Finish the Malazan Book of the Fallen first, then explore combined orders.

Why does Deadhouse Gates follow different characters?

Erikson builds the series across continents and armies rather than following one fixed group.

The events and characters in Deadhouse Gates become essential to later books, even though the change initially feels like a new beginning.

Can I skip Midnight Tides?

No. It introduces Lether, the Tiste Edur, Trull Sengar’s background, Rhulad, Tehol, Bugg, and several conflicts required for Reaper’s Gale and the final books.

Skipping it removes an entire branch of the convergence.

Should Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God be read together?

Yes. They form the two-part ending of the main sequence.

Dust of Dreams is not designed to resolve all of its storylines independently.

Is the Kharkanas Trilogy finished?

No. Forge of Darkness and Fall of Light have been published.

Walk in Shadow remains forthcoming.

Can I begin with Forge of Darkness because it happens first?

It is possible, but not recommended.

The book gains much of its meaning from the reader’s knowledge of later myths, characters, and historical claims introduced in the Malazan Book of the Fallen.

Is The God Is Not Willing a Karsa Orlong novel?

It is part of a sequel sequence centered on Karsa’s legacy, but Karsa is not simply presented as the conventional main viewpoint of the first book.

The story focuses heavily on people affected by his actions, reputation, and absence.

How many Tales of Witness books will there be?

Four books are planned.

The God Is Not Willing and No Life Forsaken are published, Legacies of Betrayal is scheduled for October 2026, and the fourth book remains untitled.

Is Legacies of Betrayal already published?

No, not as of August 5, 2026.

Its scheduled publication dates are October 1, 2026, in the United Kingdom and October 6, 2026, in the United States.

When should I read the Bauchelain and Korbal Broach stories?

Read Memories of Ice first.

After that, the novellas can be added at any convenient point because their plots remain outside the central ten-book conflict.

Are the Bauchelain collections new books?

They are collected editions of previously published novellas.

Buying both a collection and its individual components will duplicate the same stories.

Is Willful Child connected to Malazan?

No. Willful Child is a separate comic science fiction trilogy.

It has no shared characters, world, or chronology with Malazan.

Is Rejoice, A Knife to the Heart part of a series?

No. It is a standalone science fiction novel about alien intervention in human civilization.

What name was This River Awakens originally published under?

It was originally published under Steve Lundin, Erikson’s legal name.

Later editions use the Steven Erikson name.

What is Steven Erikson’s next book?

The next scheduled novel is Legacies of Betrayal, the third Tale of Witness, due in October 2026.

Walk in Shadow, the fourth Witness book, Time’s Cursed Cartwheel, and Of the Apes are also forthcoming projects, but their publication dates were not confirmed by August 5, 2026.

Conclusion

The clearest Steven Erikson reading order begins with Gardens of the Moon and continues through all ten Malazan Book of the Fallen novels without rearranging them.

After The Crippled God, choose between the ancient past in Forge of Darkness, the later world in The God Is Not Willing, or the comic side route beginning with Blood Follows. Kharkanas is unfinished, while the Tales of Witness is an ongoing four-book continuation.

Erikson’s Willful Child trilogy, Rejoice, A Knife to the Heart, This River Awakens, and his other literary or speculative works belong to separate continuities. They can be read at any time without affecting the Malazan order.