Steven Erikson

This article is about the Canadian fantasy author. For the American surrealist novelist, see Steve Erickson.
Steven Erikson

September 2007
Born (1959-10-07) October 7, 1959
Toronto, Canada
Occupation Author
Nationality Canadian
Period Since 1991[1]
Genre Epic 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.[1]

His best-known work is the ten-volume fantasy series Malazan Book of the Fallen, which by 2012 had sold over 1,000,000 copies worldwide.[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 fantasy author Stephen Donaldson refers to Erikson as "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]

Biography

Steven Erikson was born in Toronto, Canada, and grew up in Winnipeg.[1] He subsequently lived in the UK with his wife and son, but has since returned to Winnipeg.[1] He is an anthropologist and archaeologist by training and is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop.[7] For his thesis at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, Erikson wrote a "story cycle" of short stories titled A Ruin of Feathers about an archaeologist in Central America. Subsequently, Erikson received a grant to finish the work which was published by TSAR, a small Canadian publishing house. For his next work Erikson co-won the Anvil Press International 3-Day Novel Contest for which he signed away the rights, a mistake he attributes to inexperience. Erikson's third book was also published by TSAR, and consisted of a novella and short stories titled Revolvo and other Canadian Tales. Later, upon moving to England, Erikson sold what he refers to as his "first real novel" to Hodder and Stoughton — This River Awakens — written when he still lived in Winnipeg. The first four books were published under Erikson's real name, and are currently out of print.[8] In addition to writing, Erikson paints using oil paints.[8]

Malazan Book of the Fallen series

Conception

The Malazan world was devised by Steven Erikson and Ian Cameron Esslemont, initially as a setting for a role-playing game.[9][10] Gardens of the Moon began as a movie script but evolved into a novel, which Erikson completed in 1991–92 but failed to sell.[11]

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 in flux. Men and women ascend to godhood; gods die or lose their powers.... It's a messy, complicated business, and there are no easy answers, or clear heroes.
—Andrew Leonard writing for Salon.com[12]

In the late 1990s, Transworld – a division of Random House – bought Gardens of the Moon and requested Erikson write additional books in the series.[13] 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.[13]

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][9] Erikson's style of writing includes complex plots with masses of characters. In addition, Erikson has been praised for his willingness to kill central characters when it enhances the plot.[1]

Reception

Word of mouth is very powerful in fantasy, and the net carries its own energy. It made a huge difference – people were picking [Gardens of the Moon] up from Amsterdam to the US.
— Steven Erikson[13]

Erikson's first novel of the Malazan Book of the Fallen series, Gardens of the Moon (1999), was well received. It was short-listed for a World Fantasy Award[14] It has also earned him the reputation as one of the best authors in the fantasy genre,[14] and was described as "An astounding début".[5] The novel was acclaimed for its "combination of originality and intelligent, strong and exciting storytelling".[14] The second book in the series, Deadhouse Gates (2000), was voted one of the ten best fantasy novels of 2000 by SF Site.[15]

During a 2008 question and answer session in Seattle, Washington, Erikson stated he had signed a deal to write two more trilogies and six novellas;[16] Erikson planned to use the novellas to continue the Bauchelain and Korbal Broach storyline[17] while one of the trilogies would be a prequel to the main series, detailing the history of Anomander Rake and Mother Dark.[16] He also said that he would write a trilogy on the Toblakai.

Bibliography

As Steven Erikson

Malazan Book of the Fallen series: Novels

Kharkanas Trilogy: Novels

Malazan Book of the Fallen series: Novellas

Chronologically The Lees of Laughter's End is set before The Healthy Dead.[20]

  • The Fiends of Nightmaria (2016)

Non-Malazan

Novellas
  • The Devil Delivered (2004)
    ISBN 1-904619-14-2
  • Revolvo (2008)
    ISBN 1-906301-73-5
  • The Devil Delivered and Other Tales (2012)
    ISBN 978-0-7653-3002-4
Novels
  • Willful Child (2014)
    ISBN 978-0-7653-7489-9

As Steven Lundin

Novels

  • This River Awakens (1998)
    ISBN 0-340-69637-0
  • Fishin' with Grandma Matchie (2004)
    ISBN 1-904619-13-4
  • When She's Gone[21] (2004)
    ISBN 1-894283-53-8

Short stories and novellas

  • A Ruin of Feathers (1991)
    ISBN 0-920661-23-8
  • Stolen Voices (1993)
    ISBN 1-895636-06-X
  • Revolvo & Other Canadian Tales (1998)
    ISBN 0-920661-58-0

See also

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Steven Erikson biography". Fantasy Book Review. Fantasybookreview.com. Retrieved August 10, 2009.
  2. ↑ Per the cover copy of the paperback edition of The Crippled God.
  3. ↑ Thompson, William (2004). "The SF Site Featured Review: Midnight Tides". The SF Site. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
  4. ↑ "House of Chains by Steven Erikson". Fantasy Book Review. Fantasybookreview.com. 2008. Retrieved August 10, 2009.
  5. 1 2 "Steven Erikson". Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Interview with Steven Erikson". SFFWorld.com. January 21, 2006. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  7. ↑ "Steven Erikson". Macmillan. 2008. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  8. 1 2 Vandermeer, Jeff (2008). "Steven Erikson: No Lies, No Holding Back". Clarkesworld Magazine. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
  9. 1 2 "On the spot at Bookspotcentral: Interview with Steven Erikson". bookspotcentral.com. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  10. ↑ Erikson Q & A – Part 6
  11. ↑ Gardens of the Moon review at Science Fiction Book Club
  12. ↑ Leonard, Andrew (June 21, 2004). "Archaeologist of lost worlds". Salon.com. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
  13. 1 2 3 Moss, Stephen (October 14, 1999). "Malazans and megabucks". The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
  14. 1 2 3 "Steven Erikson". booksattransworld. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  15. ↑ "Top ten books of 2000". SF Site.
  16. 1 2 "Erikson Q & A – Part 7". YouTube.
  17. ↑ "Steven Erikson interview". Fantasy Book Critic.
  18. ↑ http://forum.malazanempire.com/topic/23516-all-3-kharkanas-titles-revealed/
  19. ↑ Publishing news on Crack'd Pot Trail novella
  20. ↑ The Lees of Laughter's End review
  21. ↑ Official When She's Gone download page

References

External links

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