The Recurring Cast
Character guide · 13 books · 1999 to 2021

Steven Erikson

FantasyEpic and high fantasyGrimdark

Steven Erikson's ten-book Malazan Book of the Fallen is one of the largest epic fantasies ever written: armies, gods and ascendants across several continents, centred on the soldiers of the Malazan Empire.

Best estimate, compiled from series guides, publisher descriptions and reviews where available, and from memory otherwise. Book level only, not chapter level. Minor includes cameos and brief references. Each book carries a confidence rating in its tooltip. Malazan was created with Ian Cameron Esslemont; characters who appear in both men's books are linked. Kharkanas is a prequel set hundreds of thousands of years earlier.

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Who appears in which book

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LLeadMMajor·MinorHas a note
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Steven Erikson books in order

Each series in publication order, with its lead characters. Where the story runs in a different order, switch to Story order. Crossover books are marked and listed under their main series. Use My books to track what you have read.

Malazan Book of the Fallen

10 books · Set in the Malazan worldEpic and high fantasyGrimdark
  1. 1Gardens of the Moon1999CrossoverWith Ganoes ParanKalam Mekhar, Kruppe, Shadowthrone, Cotillion also appear in books by Ian Cameron EsslemontBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Deadhouse Gates2000CrossoverKalam Mekhar, Shadowthrone, Cotillion also appear in books by Ian Cameron EsslemontBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Memories of Ice2001CrossoverKruppe also appears in books by Ian Cameron EsslemontBuy on Amazon
  4. 4House of Chains2002CrossoverWith Karsa OrlongShadowthrone, Cotillion also appear in books by Ian Cameron EsslemontBuy on Amazon
  5. 5Midnight Tides2004With Tehol BeddictBuy on Amazon
  6. 6The Bonehunters2006CrossoverKalam Mekhar, Shadowthrone, Cotillion also appear in books by Ian Cameron EsslemontBuy on Amazon
  7. 7Reaper's Gale2007CrossoverKalam Mekhar, Shadowthrone also appear in books by Ian Cameron EsslemontBuy on Amazon
  8. 8Toll the Hounds2008CrossoverKruppe, Shadowthrone, Cotillion also appear in books by Ian Cameron EsslemontBuy on Amazon
  9. 9Dust of Dreams2009Buy on Amazon
  10. 10The Crippled God2011CrossoverShadowthrone, Cotillion also appear in books by Ian Cameron EsslemontBuy on Amazon

Kharkanas

2 books · Set in the Malazan worldEpic and high fantasy
  1. 1Forge of Darkness2012Buy on Amazon
  2. 2Fall of Light2016Buy on Amazon

Witness

1 book · Set in the Malazan worldEpic and high fantasyGrimdark
  1. 1The God Is Not Willing2021Buy on Amazon

Characters

15 recurring and key characters, with the book each one first appears in.

The Malazan Empire