Excerpt
StonewielderBOOK IThe SeaThe so-called Malazan 'empire' began as a thalassocracy. That is, rule by sea power. In the undignified scholarly scramble to identify and distil the empire's early stages this truly defining characteristic is usually overlooked. Yet the Malazan expansion was undeniably one of sea power and this was the key to its early successes. It was also the key to one of its early failures: the ill-conceived incursion into the archipelago and subcontinent known variously as Fist, Korel, or the Storm-cursed. For this archipelago was itself a supreme sea power, if non-expansionist. And in the end of course it was the sea that so definitively, and with such finality, put an end to all hostilities.Imperial Campaigns (The Korel Occupations) Volume II, Fist Imrygyn TallobantDRAMATIS PERSONAEOf the Malazan Expeditionary ForceGreymane / High Fist, Commander of Expeditionary ForceOrjin SamarrMalazan 17th Squad, 4th Company, 2nd Division, Fourth ArmyOthersOf the Malazan Sixth ArmyOn the StormwallIn the Kingdom of RoolOf the Jourilan Army of ReformOf the Crimson GuardBlues Fingers Lazar ShellThe Synod of StyggTotsin Jurth the Third Brother Carfin Sister Gosh Sister Esa Sister Nebras Brother JoolIn the Shadow RealmOf the Sea-FolkCopyright © 2010 by Ian Cameron Esslemont