The Wurms of Blearmouth
A novella.
Tyranny comes in many guises, and tyrants will thrive in palaces and one room hovels, in back alleys and playgrounds. Tyrants abound on the
verges of civilization, where disorder frays the rule of civil conduct,
and all propriety surrenders to brutal imposition. Millions are made to
kneel and yet more millions die horrible deaths in a welter of suffering and misery.
But we'll leave all that behind as we plunge into escapist fantasy of
the most irrelevant kind, and in the ragged wake of the tale told in Lees of Laughter's End, our most civil adventurers, Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, along with
their suitably phlegmatic manservant, Emancipor Reese, make gentle
landing upon a peaceful beach, beneath a quaint village above the strand and lying at the foot of a majestic castle, and therein make
acquaintance with the soft-hearted and generous folk of Spendrugle,
which lies at the mouth of the Blear River and falls under the benign
rule of the Lord of Wurms in his lovely keep.
Make welcome, then, to Spendrugle's memorable residents, including the
man who should have stayed dead, the woman whose prayers should never
have been answered, the tax collector everyone ignores, the ex-husband
town militiaman who never married, the beachcomber who lives in his own
beard, and the now singular lizard cat who used to be plural, and the
girl who likes to pee in your lap. And of course, hovering over all, the denizen of the castle keep, Lord –
Ah, but there lies this tale, and so endeth this blurb, with one last observation: when tyrants collide, they have dinner.
And a good time is had by all.
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Steven Erikson
Steven Erikson's writing is an intricate tapestry of history, mythology, and human experience, woven into the fabric of his expansive fantasy worlds. Born in Canada and trained as an archaeologist and anthropologist, his background in these fields lends a rich texture to his novels. His stories are not just escapist adventures—they are philosophical explorations into the nature of conflict, morality, and the intricate societies that shape human lives.
Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen series stands as a towering achievement in epic fantasy. Its labyrinthine plots, vast world-building, and morally complex characters have garnered a loyal following, with each novel revealing new layers of depth. The series kicks off with Gardens of the Moon, a work that redefined the scope of fantasy with its mature themes and unflinching exploration of power, war, and the price of immortality. Recognized with critical acclaim and shortlisted for the World Fantasy Award, this series catapulted Erikson into the pantheon of modern fantasy giants.
Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach
Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach consists of 9 total books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Main series Malazan World
