Ian C. Esslemont Reading Order
3 series · 13 books · Born 1962
Ian C. Esslemont is a Canadian fantasy author and trained archaeologist whose work spans interconnected epic worlds. He is primarily known for the Malazan Empire series, which exists within the same universe as Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen, and for the Path to Ascendancy prequel trilogy that explores the origins of that shared setting. Across thirteen novels published between 2004 and 2023, Esslemont has established himself as a master of intricate worldbuilding and complex character arcs in large-scale fantasy narratives.
Anthologies Series
Complete2 books (2013–2015)
Start with Writing Fantasy Heroes and read in order.
Start this series with Writing Fantasy Heroes
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
Malazan Empire Series
Likely Complete7 books (2004–2023)
Start with Night of Knives, the first of 7 books in the Malazan Empire series.
Start this series with Night of Knives
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
Path to Ascendancy Series
Likely Complete4 books (2016–2023)
Start with Dancer's Lament, the first of 4 books in the Path to Ascendancy series.
Start this series with Dancer's Lament
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Ian C. Esslemont written?
- Ian C. Esslemont has written 13 books across 3 series. Their published works span from 2004 to 2023.
- What is the first book in each Ian C. Esslemont series?
- Here are the first books in Ian C. Esslemont's series: Anthologies: Writing Fantasy Heroes; Malazan Empire: Night of Knives; Path to Ascendancy: Dancer's Lament.
- What order should I read Ian C. Esslemont's books?
- We recommend reading Ian C. Esslemont's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Are Ian C. Esslemont's series complete?
- Ian C. Esslemont has 1 completed series.