Returning readers to the turbulent early history of what would become the Malazan Empire the second chapter in Ian C Esslemont's thrilling new epic fantasy sequence After the disappointments of Li Heng Dancer & Kellanved wash up on a small insignificant island named Malaz Immediately of course Kellanved plans to take it over To do so they join forces with a small band of Napans who have fled a civil war on their own home island The plan however soon goes awry as Kellanved develops a strange & dangerous fascination for a mysterious ancient structure found on the island The chaos in the region extends to the metaphysical planes also as a young priest of D'rek starts to question the rot at the heart of the worship of the god of decay & back in Li Heng Dassem now the proclaimed Sword of Hood finds himself being blamed for a plague which leads him to a crisis of faith
- & searching for answers During all this war with the neighbouring island of Nap threatens recruited allies wonder at Kellanved's sanity & powerful entities take more of an interest in the little mage from Dal Hon Dancer faces a hard choice should he give up on his partnership? Especially when the fellow's obsession with shadows & ancient artefacts brings the both of them alarmingly close to death & destruction After all who in his right mind would actually wish to enter an Elder mystery known to everyone as the ' Deadhouse'?