Steven Erikson

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This article is about the Canadian author of the Malazan Book of the Fallen. For the American surrealist novelist, see Steve Erickson.
Steven Erikson

September 2007
Born October 7, 1959 (1959-10-07) (age 49)
Toronto, Canada
Occupation Author
Nationality  Canadian
Writing period 1991-Present
Genres Fantasy, Science Fiction

Steven Erikson (born October 7, 1959) is the pseudonym of Steve Rune Lundin, a Canadian novelist, who was educated and trained as both an archaeologist and anthropologist.

His best-known work is the ongoing fantasy series Malazan Book of the Fallen, which by 2006 had sold over 250,000 copies.[1] It has also earned him the reputation as one of the best authors in the fantasy genre.[1][2] SF Site has called the series "the most significant work of epic fantasy since Donaldson’s Chronicles of Thomas Covenant,"[3] and Fantasy Book Review described it as "the best fantasy series of recent times."[4] Fellow acclaimed fantasy author Stephen Donaldson, called him "an extraordinary writer".[5] In an interview with sffworld.com, Erikson acknowledged that he originally doubted the series would become "mainstream", and was subsequently surprised at how successful the series has been.[6] He also noted how people "either hate the series or love it".[6]

Contents

[edit] Biography

Steven Erikson was born in Toronto, Canada, and grew up in Winnipeg. He subsequently lived in the UK with his wife and son, but has since returned to Winnipeg. He is an anthropologist and archaeologist by training and is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop.[7]

[edit] Malazan Book of the Fallen series

[edit] Conception

The Malazan world was devised by Steven Erikson and Ian Cameron Esslemont, initially as a setting for a role-playing game.[8] Gardens of the Moon began as a movie script but evolved into a novel, which Erikson completed in 1991-92 but failed to sell.

In the late 1990s, Transworld - a division of Random House - bought Gardens of the Moon and requested Erikson write additional books in the series.[9] Using the history of the Malazan world he created with Esslemont, Erikson plotted nine additional novels. After the publication of Gardens of the Moon, reviews spread via the internet, and Orion publications attempted to lure Erikson away from Transworld. However, Transworld retained an option on additional novels in the series and offered £675,000 for the remaining nine books of the series. [9]

As I pushed deeper into the series I found myself more and more willing to trust Erikson, to enjoy the process of unfolding clarity that reveals itself in each volume. I also began to realize that the ambiguity reflected a little reality in the fantasy. Gods are always messing with mortals in Erikson's work, but the mortals also, by their patterns of belief, create their own gods, their own greater powers. Everything is flux. Men and women ascend to godhood; gods die or lose their powers as the cultures that revered them decline; cultures that go sour generate their own evil. It's a messy, complicated business, and there are no easy answers, or clear heroes.
—Andrew Leonard writing for Salon.com [10]

[edit] Style

Erikson has stated explicitly that he enjoys playing with and overturning the conventions of fantasy, presenting characters that violate the stereotypes associated with their roles.[6] Erikson deliberately began the Malazan Book of the Fallen series mid-plot rather than beginning with a more conventional narrative.[6][8] Erikson's style of writing includes complex plots with masses of characters. He has been praised for his willingness to kill central characters when it enhances the plot.[citation needed]

[edit] Reception

Erikson's first novel of the Malazan Book of the Fallen series, Gardens of the Moon (1999), was critically acclaimed . It was short-listed for a World Fantasy Award[1], and was described as "An astounding début".[5] The novel was acclaimed for its "combination of originality and intelligent, strong and exciting storytelling".[1] The second book in the series, Deadhouse Gates (2000), was also praised, and voted one of the ten best fantasy novels of 2000.[citation needed]

Word of mouth is very powerful in fantasy, and the net carries its own energy. It made a huge difference - people were picking it up from Amsterdam to the US.
— Steven Erikson [9]

In a 2008, at a book reading and question and answer session in Seattle, WA, Erikson announced that he had signed a deal to write two more trilogies and six novellas. The first trilogy will feature Anomander Rake and Mother Dark as the main characters, and will be set earlier than the main series. All Erikson revealed about the second trilogy is that it incorporate a theme from the main series. The novellas will continue the Bauchelain and Korbal Broach storyline.[citation needed]

The next novel in the series is Dust of Dreams with a UK release date of August 17, 2009. [11]

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] As Steven Erikson

[edit] Malazan Book of the Fallen series

Novels
Novellas

(The list is arranged in the order in which the novellas were designed to be read. Not the order in which they were published.)

[edit] As Steven Lundin

[edit] Novels

  • Stolen Voices (1993)
  • This River Awakens (1998)
  • Fishin' with Grandma Matchie (2004)
  • 'When She's Gone (2004)

[edit] Short stories and novellas

  • A Ruin of Feathers (1991)
  • Revolvo & Other Canadian Tales (1998)

[edit] Non-Malazan

Novellas
  • The Devil Delivered (2005)
  • Revolvo (2008)

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d "Steven Erikson". booksattransworld. http://www.booksattransworld.co.uk/stevenerikson/home.htm. Retrieved on 11 July 2009. 
  2. ^ "Steven Erikson". http://www.twbooks.co.uk/authors/stevenerikson.html. Retrieved on 11 July 2009. 
  3. ^ Thompson, William (2004). "The SF Site Featured Review: Midnight Tides". The SF Site. http://www.sfsite.com/08b/mt182.htm. Retrieved on 2009-02-22. 
  4. ^ http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/Steven-Erikson/House-Of-Chains.html
  5. ^ a b "Steven Erikson". twobooks.com. September 20 2006. http://www.twbooks.co.uk/authors/stevenerikson1.html. Retrieved on 11 July 2009. 
  6. ^ a b c d "Interview with Steven Erikson". SFFWorld.com. Jan 21 2006. http://www.sffworld.com/interview/165p1.html. Retrieved on 11 July 2009. 
  7. ^ "Steven Erikson". Macmillan. 2008. http://us.macmillan.com/author/stevenerikson. Retrieved on 11 July 2009. 
  8. ^ a b "On the spot at Bookspotcentral: Interviw with Steven Erikson". bookspotcentral.com. http://www.bscreview.com/2008/06/on-the-spot-at-bookspotcentral-interview-steven-erikson. Retrieved on 11 July 2009. 
  9. ^ a b c Moss, Stephen (1999-10-14). "Malazans and megabucks". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/1999/oct/14/artsfeatures. Retrieved on 2009-02-22. 
  10. ^ Leonard, Andrew (2004-06-21). "Archaeologist of lost worlds". Salon.com. http://dir.salon.com/story/books/review/2004/06/21/erikson/. Retrieved on 2009-02-22. 
  11. ^ "Embargoed Titles". The Bookseller's Association. http://www.booksellers.org.uk/launchdates/embargo_title_list.asp. Retrieved on 11 July 2009. 

[edit] External links

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[edit] Interviews

v • d • e
A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen
Novels
By Steven Erikson

Gardens of the Moon (1999)  • Deadhouse Gates (2000)  • Memories of Ice (2001)  • House of Chains (2002)  • Midnight Tides (2004)  •
The Bonehunters (2006)  • Reaper's Gale (2007)  • Toll the Hounds (2008)  • Dust of Dreams (forthcoming)  • The Crippled God (forthcoming)

By Ian Cameron Esslemont

Night of Knives (2005)  • Return of the Crimson Guard (2008)  • Stonewielder (forthcoming)
Novellas
Races and groups
Magic
Characters


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