Night of Knives

Novels of the Malazan Empire, Book 1

By: Ian C. Esslemont

Narrated by: John Banks

Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

The small island of Malaz and its city gave the great empire its name, but now it is little more than a sleepy, backwater port. Tonight, however, things are different. Tonight the city is on edge, a hive of hurried, sometimes violent activity; its citizens bustle about, barring doors, shuttering windows, avoiding any stranger's stare. Because tonight there is to be a convergence, the once-in-a-generation appearance of a Shadow Moon - an occasion that threatens the good people of Malaz with demon hounds and other, darker things....

It was also prophesied that this night would witness the return of Emperor Kellanved, and there are those prepared to do anything to prevent this happening. As factions within the greater Empire draw up battle lines over the imperial throne, the Shadow Moon summons a far more ancient and potent presence for an all-out assault upon the island. Witnessing these cataclysmic events are Kiska, a young girl who yearns to flee the constraints of the city, and Temper, a grizzled, battle-weary veteran who seeks simply to escape his past. Each is to play a part in a conflict that will not only determine the fate of Malaz City, but also of the world beyond....

Drawing on events touched on in the prologue of Steven Erikson's landmark fantasy Gardens of the Moon, Night of Knives is a momentous chapter in the unfolding story of the extraordinarily imagined world of Malaz.

©2005 Ian Cameron Esslemont (P)2005 Random House Audiobooks, all rights reserved. Introduction © 2005 by Steven Erikson.

Entry point in the Malazan World

This book is a good entry point in the Malazan World, it has a horror vibe and 2 POV characters

Love the Malazan World

I read Steven Erikson’s world and I was so happy to know that Ian Esslemont would be writing of the that world too. I happily picked this book up only to realize it was 4th in the chronological order of Malazan Empire and I enjoyed it immensely and totally recommend it.

Not too bad

I’ve heard bad things about this book so after finishing the Book of the Fallen I came here with low expectations. I enjoyed it but it’s short and not on the same level as the main series

Good Story and a great start to the Malazan series

the Narrator did a wonderful job with characters. this is a great bridge between the Kellanved and Dancer Trilogy and the Malazan books.

Hard to keep track of what is going on.

I keep trying to listen to his books but they continue to make me not want to.

Worth the wait

This book was so worth the wait. As an avid listener of all things Malazan, I was thoroughly entranced through the whole story. To hear how seamlessly the story has been woven into the story I am so familiar with was a real treat. Can't wait to listen to book 2(starting in 5 minutes).

Aaggghhh

Ggguuuuhhhhh fuuuuhhhhh theghdhduuhhhhhhhfuuuuuuuhhhhh soooo goooooodddddddd xjnn djjjfb jdkdk wijwiwisj a. A. A. A. A. PLUS BOOK

awesome

excellent! performance was fantastic! the story though was incredible! Highly recommended! Beautiful and magical! thanks

Confusing

This is the second time ive listened to this book and ive gone half way through the second book for the second time as well and i have no idea what is going on. you get thrown in with no explanations. and there is no explanations throughout the books. your just hearing what is going on as if the author expects you to know who, what, why. the second book is even worse. you get thrown between so many people that you have NO clue what is going on. maybe later in the series everything comes together but i cant keep listening to books that make no sense.

Average story, but not up to Erickson's prose

I appreciate having more books within the Malazan universe and if I had only ever read Esslemont before I would have liked this more. Unfortunately few can match Steven Erickson's level of prose, so it's a little bit of a let down to get Malazan content at sub-Erickson prose.

The narrator did a decent job. Not the worst, not the best.

Overall I would give a cautious recommendation to any Malazan fans looking for more in the Malazan universe but would hesitate to recommend it if you are not already invested in the universe.