# The Kharkanas Trilogy by Steven Erikson



## Werthead (Sep 16, 2012)

_*The Kharkanas Trilogy Book 1: Forge of Darkness*_





> It  is more than a quarter of a million years before the time of the  Malazan Empire. In this ancient age, the Tiste race is divided between  noble families and bickering militias, trying to find their place in the  world following the devastating wars against the Forulkan and the  Jheleck. When the Tiste ruler, Mother Dark, takes the obscure Draconus  as lover and consort, the noble houses are incensed and the seeds are  sowed for civil war and religious conflict.
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> _Forge of Darkness_ is the first novel in *The Kharkanas Trilogy*, a prequel series to Steven Erikson's *Malazan Book of the Fallen*.  This trilogy will chart the splintering of the Tiste race into the  three sub-races seen in the main series book (the Andii, the Liosan and  the Edur) and explain much of the ancient backstory to the series. Some  characters from the main series - such as Anomander Rake, Silchas Ruin,  Hood and Gothos - appear here as much younger, far less experienced  figures. However, those hoping for _I, Anomander Rake_ will likely  feel disappointed. Rake is a central character in the events unfolding  and appears a few times, but much of the action takes place around new,  much less important characters. Also, while the story is set more than  300,000 years before _Gardens of the Moon_, this isn't the alpha-point of the entire *Malazan*  universe. Tiste society is many thousands of years old when the story  opens and Rake, Mother Dark, Ruin and Draconus are already important  characters with significant histories in place.
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