Inconsistencies

"I'm not going to sit here and say, "Oh, [the inconsistencies are] all deliberate"--no it's not. But given the conceit that this is a kind of historical compilation of events where there is at least a hint that there is an author behind all this, like in-world author as opposed to me, inaccuracies are just part of the package...I don't sweat that stuff."

―Steven Erikson on inconsistencies in the Malazan books

"I know there are a couple missteps...inconsistencies creep in, but well, we're doing our best. We've got lots of balls in the air."

―Ian C. Esslemont

A page to document inconsistencies, impossibilities, printing errors, and similar oddities within the Malazan books.

In Gardens of the Moon

• Although published in 1999, Gardens of the Moon was written in 1991–1992, eight years before the rest of the series and a large number of minor inconsistencies can be found between this volume and those following. Fans sometimes refer to these inconsistencies as "GotMisms".

• Calot being incinerated 'within an hour' of him and Tattersail getting dressed for the command meeting would not have been possible - the command meeting took place in the early morning hours and the army had not yet been mobilized. Later on, the troops were waiting before the battle as 'no wind stirred the midday air'.

• Calot tosses a handkerchief to Dujek Onearm. It then says the 'High Mage' snagged it. It clearly should read the High Fist as Dujek then proceeds to use it.

• The T'lan Imass are frequently referred to as just the "T'lan", something that does not occur in other books.

• Bellurdan notes that the T'lan Imass' "Eldering powers" generate a magical dead space around themselves that devours sorcery. This property of the T'lan Imass is not mentioned again after Gardens of the Moon.

• Gorlas Vidikas is twice referred to as a son of the powerful House Tholius in Gardens of the Moon. In later books, he is referred to as a member of House Vidikas.

• A poem called The Conspiracy appears in the epigraph of Chapter 13 and is attributed to Blind Gallan. The epigraph lists Gallan's birth as 1078, but Gallan later appears in the Kharkanas Trilogy, which seems to take place hundreds of thousands of years before Gardens of the Moon.

• The UK MMPB edition states that leaving 'Mallet's tenement' had been easy for Crokus Younghand and Apsalar. However, as the two had been holed up in Mammot's place it is most likely that Mallet's appearance in the following chapter caused a confusion between Mammot and Mallet - rather than 'Mallet' being a name for the tenement where Mammot resides.

• Whiskeyjack possesses some kind of K'Chain Che'Malle communication device (sometimes referred to as a "bone phone" by fans) that he says is one of several owned by the inner ring of Malazan military commanders. This device is never used or mentioned again.

• Orfantal speaks to Korlat and in her response is called 'dear sister', although Orfantal is described as male and named Korlat's brother for the rest of the series. Presumably this is a continuity mistake. This error was corrected in later editions.

In Deadhouse Gates

• During the pursuit of Kalam Mekhar, Lostara Yil is twice addressed as Captain by one of the other Red Blades however not long after, following the assassination of Sha'ik Elder, Tene Baralta addresses her repeatedly as Sergeant.
• While Icarium and Mappo Runt are exploring Tesem alone, the text mentions "Without another word the three began walking." This appears to be an error. There is no third person accompanying them.
• Bhok'arala are described as both having tails and being tailless.
• Fiddler's Gral horse is sometimes referred to as a gelding and at other times a mare.

In Memories of Ice

• Stonny Menackis was described as having both black and red hair.

In House of Chains

• For problems with the timing of Trull Sengar's Shorning see the Midnight Tides section of this page.
• Chapter 1 of House of Chains dates the start of Karsa Orlong's raid on Silver Lake as 1159 BS. But no more than a few weeks later after he is captured, his captors note the end of the Siege of Pale which actually occurred 4 years later in 1163 BS according to Gardens of the Moon.

In Midnight Tides

• The House of Chains Prologue showing Trull Sengar's Shorning lists the date as 1159 BS. But the events of Midnight Tides leading up to the shorning take place in 1161 BS, according to the dates listed in that book's Prologue and Chapter 1.

In Reaper's Gale

• The White Face Barghast are said to make land on the coast of the Awl'dan in the "last days of King Diskanar". This would put the timing of this event no later than 1162 when the king was overthrown by the Tiste Edur during the Seventh Closure. But Onos T'oolan did not join the White Face until 1164, the year of the Second Gathering and Pannion War.
• One of the Bonehunters shown invading Lether is the Heavy infantry soldier, Bowl. But Hellian observed Bowl being crushed to death during the Last Siege of Y'Ghatan in The Bonehunters.
• Onrack T'emlava's eyes are alternately described as green or dark brown.
• Corlo was repeatedly referred to as "Corlos" throughout the novel.
• During Stormy's attack on the Kenryll'ah demon princes, he was described as being flanked by two heavies, Shortnose and Saltlick, and Saltlick's arm was broken in the fight. But Saltlick belonged to Urb's squad, not Stormy's, and was fighting elsewhere. The text should have instead referred to either Flashwit or Mayfly, Stormy's actual heavies. But in Flashwit and Mayfly's later appearances in the book, neither is mentioned as having a broken arm.
• The sapper, Honey, is listed as part of the 4th squad in the Reaper's Gale Dramatis Personae. But in the book's text is identified as "the 10th's sapper".
• Neller and Strap Mull refer to Pravalak Rim as "their corporal" despite the fact that only Strap Mull belonged to Pravalak's 4th squad. The Reaper's Gale Dramatis Personae lists Neller as part of Primly's 10th squad.
• The heavy Lookback is listed as part of 4th squad and the heavy Drawfirst as part of 10th squad in the Reaper's Gale Dramatis Personae. But the text of the book refers to Lookback as the last remaining heavy in the 10th, suggesting their squads should be reversed.

In Toll the Hounds

• Stonny Menackis' son, Harllo, is nearly six years old, meaning he was conceived almost seven years before the start of the book. But not nearly that amount of time seems to have passed since Memories of Ice, which took place in 1164 BS.
• Karsa Orlong's daughters, Delas Fana and Tonith Agra, were conceived shortly before his raid on Silver Lake in 1163 BS. This means they are only a year or so older than Harllo. Referred to as "still a year or more from their nights of passage to adulthood", they appear to be much older than seven or eight.
• In at least one edition of Toll the Hounds, Spinnock Durav refers to Whiskeyjack as "a man in his late forties" as opposed to "a man late in his years" in other editions.

In Dust of Dreams

• Tavore addressed Lostara, who is a Captain the rest of the time, as Lieutenant.

In The Crippled God

The Dramatis Personae in this book has a large number of spelling errors.

Errors in the main Dramatis Personae

• "THE SNAKE" is a misprint for "THE SHAKE".
• "Dathenar Gowl", is a probable misprint for the entry Dathenar Fandoris and the separate entry Prazek Goul (refer to Dathenar Gowl for discussion on this).
• "Silannah" is a misprint for Silanah.
• "Gallimada" is a misprint for Gillimada.
• "Nemanda" is a misprint for Nenanda.

Errors in Appendix:Dramatis Personae

• "Wimble Thrup" is a misprint for Himble Thrup.
• "Nemanda" is a misprint for Nenanda.
• "Silk Warchief-Spax" is a misprint for Gilk Warchief Spax.
• "Prazek Gowl" is a misprint for Prazek Goul.
• "Aimanan Hood" is a misprint for the entry Aimanan and the separate entry Hood.
• "THE SHAKE" heading needs to be inserted between the entries "Saddic", a Snake member, and "Yan Tovis", a Shake member, in the (A:DP).
• "THE HOST" entries Skintick, Desra and Nemanda [sic] should be deleted. The entries "Skintick", "Desra" and "Nenanda" are correctly found in "THE TISTE ANDII" section of the (A:DP) only.
• "Shadowthrone (Ammeanas)" is a misprint for "Shadowthrone (Ammanas)".

In Orb Sceptre Throne

• Difference between editions in Chapter 11. Topper asks Barathol if he is Kalam's relation/brother (depending on edition). See forum thread for a discussion on the topic.

In Assail

• During the defence of the Lost holding, Kyle remembers a previous instance in which Jethiss had summoned his sorcery. The example given was following Coots' death, an event for which Kyle was not present.

In Deadhouse Landing

• During a sea raid upon the Quon Tali city of Cawn by the privateer fleet out of Malaz City led by Mock aboard his man-o-war flagship, the Insufferable, the names of its two flanking men-o-war, the Intolerant and the Intemperate were — in one place only — mistakenly referred to as the Intolerable and the Insolent. Later, in the same sea-action, the two flanking men-o-war were called by their correct names. It was very unlikely that the Malazan fleet had two additional men-o-war never mentioned but this single time.
• Hawl has a considerably different story in this book than the history presented in House of Chains.

In Kellanved's Reach

• Orjin Samarr takes on the name Greymane for the first time. But in Dancer's Lament Greymane is already a well-known figure.
• In an apparently inadvertent error, the name — "Fingers" — appeared exactly once in KR. "Fingers" was used to seemingly refer to a major character in the book, who was consistently referred to by a completely different name — "Haraj" — throughout the rest of Kellanved's Reach. It is unclear if this mistake spoils a potential surprise reveal in a later book.

In Forge of the High Mage

• The Grisian man known as Gregar is revealed to be Blues of the Crimson Guard. Blues has previously been described as a blue-skinned Napan. His blue skin is not mentioned in this novel.

In Forge of Darkness

• The Jaghut, Varandas, appears to be male despite being female in previous appearances in Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God. Erikson admits that this is an error, but he has decided to incorporate it into the books.

In Fall of Light

• Sergeant Bered is mistakenly called Sergeant Bursa throughout the book.

In The God is Not Willing

• Stillwater encounters a Hound of Shadow she refers to as Pallid, but Pallid was a Hound of Light.

Notes and references

List of abbreviations • Paginations • How to reference an article