Gates of the Abode of the Dead

Author's name: Stephen Erickson

The Gates of the Dead comes as the second novel in the epic fantasy series "Malazan: The Book of the Doomed," completing the path opened in The Gardens of the Moon, and taking the reader to wider and harsher horizons in a world ruled by wars, gods, and fate.

In the continent of the Seven Cities, where the sacred sands of the Ririku desert ignite with the omen of rebellion, the seer Shayik and her followers prepare for the "promised resurrection"—the whirlwind. A storm of madness and bloodshed will shake the foundations of the Malazanian Empire and plunge it into a relentless war, a war that will alter the destinies of nations and give birth to new legends.

At the heart of this turmoil stands Coltaine, the leader of the legendary march known as the "Chain of Dogs," a desperate survival journey across the wasteland to protect tens of thousands of hunted displaced people.

Elsewhere, the outcast noblewoman Felissen descends into the depths of slavery, enduring heartbreak and addiction to discover the cruelty of the world, while Kalam forges his path to the heart of imperial power. Between these worlds, Ikarium and Mapo tread a mysterious path where ancient secrets intersect with magical forces that have lost control of themselves.

In a world filled with brutal magic and mysterious intrigues, the fates of soldiers, sorcerers, and rebels intertwine in an epic of loyalty and betrayal, love and loss, and a merciless destiny.

(The Gates of the Dead) is a masterpiece of epic fantasy, cementing Steven Erickson’s place among the greatest, most skillful, and most profound creators of fantasy worlds, and offering an unforgettable experience of war, faith, and humanity in the face of adversity and devastation.