The world is far more complex than it seems. This discovery hits Karsa Orlong, a young warrior from the barbarian Teblor tribe. Karsa grew up dreaming of becoming worthy of the deeds and exploits of his grandfather— and, of course, once he reaches the proper age, he sets out with his friends on a raid against the villages of the lowlanders, not realizing that this will be only the first step on a long path. A path that will shake the entire world.
In any case, in the coming years, the world will have plenty of shocks anyway. And now— in the Seven Cities, in the sacred desert of Raraku— the Army of the Apocalypse is waiting and gathering strength, led by the seer Sha’ik, once— the daughter of Malazan aristocrats. And now—the army of the Malazan Empire, made mostly of new recruits and led by Sha’ik’s sister—marches into the very heart of Raraku to put down the rebellion. Meanwhile, representatives of ancient peoples awaken; the balance of magical forces that govern the world shifts; the thrones of the divine Houses begin to tilt.
And the Broken God, a mysterious traveler from another universe, accepts the rules of this world and begins shaping his own House—the House of Chains.