The Novels of the Malazan Empire are a series of epic fantasy books based in the same universe as the Malazan Book of the Fallen, often with overlapping characters, written by author Ian Cameron Esslemont. The series contains six books, starting with the small novel Night of Knives and progressively getting more complex. A number of the locations and storylines followed are alluded to in the Book of the Fallen but are not expanded upon, with the lands of Korel, Jacuruku, Assail and to an extent Quon Tali only explored in this series.
The Books
- Night of Knives (2004)
- Return of the Crimson Guard (2008)
- Stonewielder (2010)
- Orb Sceptre Throne (2012)
- Blood and Bone (2012)
- Assail (2014)
Short Introductions
The novels give background information to several events from the Book of the Fallen series as well as concluding some stories. A few of the groups mentioned in the main series, like the Crimson Guard, the Seguleh, and the Moranth are given a higher profile with the plotline for the Guard spanning several books for example.
- Night of Knives looks at the night the Empress Laseen took control of the Malazan Empire, with events on Malaz Island seen through the eyes of Temper, an old soldier who used to be part of Dassem Ultor's elite unit, and Kiska, a young girl who wishes to be a Claw.
- Return of the Crimson Guard follows the civil war on Quon Tali where some surviving members of the Old Guard attempt to depose Laseen. At the same time, the Crimson Guard, united for the first time in decades, attempts to take back Quon, invading during the war.
- Stonewielder involves a Malazan invasion of the Fist subcontinent and follows the Stormguard's protection of the Korelri during this period. Meanwhile, all is not as it seems regarding the continent's patron goddess, The Lady.
- Orb Sceptre Stone is based around the resurrection then fall of a Tyrant King of Darujhistan on Genabackis. It takes place in the aftermath of Toll the Hounds.
- Blood and Bone follows the Thaumaturg invasion of the Jungle of Himatan on Jacuruku. This occurs almost simultaneously to a large-scale raid - eventually turned invasion - on their own nation by the Adwami tribes, led by a mysterious Warleader. The Crimson Guard, with K'azz D'Avore, come to Jakal Viharn on request of Ardata where they later encounter the Disavowed, with Skinner, who are drawn into the Himatan by the request of the Crippled God, allying themselves with the Thaumaturgs.
- Assail, the final novel, occurs on the continent of the same name and follows the Crimson Guard once more as they search for their missing numbers. At the same time, characters from around the Malazan world converge on the continent and the storyline of the T'lan Imass, set up previously in Memories of Ice, is brought to a conclusion.