Page Burners: Night of Knives by Ian C. Esslemont. - Prologue & Chapters 1, 2

About this episode

The episode discusses the prologue and first two chapters of 'Night of Knives' by Ian C. Esslemont, exploring themes, characters, and writing style.

We’re back in the world of Malazan—this time stepping into new territory with Night of Knives by Ian C. Esslemont. In this episode, the crew begins their first-ever discussion of Esslemont’s work, breaking down the prologue and first two chapters of this gothic, atmospheric entry into the Malazan universe. While we planned to go further, there’s already plenty to unpack—from eerie tone-setting to early character impressions and the shifting political landscape of Malaz City. We dig into: First impressions of Esslemont’s writing style and how it compares to Steven Erikson The edict against sorcery and what it reveals about Surly/Laseen’s rule Whether Night of Knives is a good entry point—or a risky detour—for Malazan readers The book’s dense, gothic atmosphere and how it shapes the reading experience Early thoughts on key characters like Temper and Kiska Why longtime fans might (or might not) want to explore the Novels of the Malazan Empire We also tackle a big question: Why read Esslemont at all? If you’re deep into Malazan or just curious about expanding your understanding of the world, this episode lays out the case. Whether you’re rereading alongside us or diving into…

People in this episode

Host: Steve

Topics covered

• Malazan universe
• Ian C. Esslemont
• gothic atmosphere
• character analysis
• political landscape
• writing style comparison
• entry point for readers

Keywords

• Night of Knives
• Ian C. Esslemont
• Malazan
• gothic atmosphere
• character impressions
• political landscape
• sorcery
• reading experience

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Night of Knives, Malazan Empire, Malazan

More episodes of Page Chewing

• Panel Chewing Pick of the Week #134 | Absolute Green Arrow Arrives & Lone Wolf and Cub Gets Deeper · June 9, 2026 · 47 min
• Weekly Update: Malazan, The Second Apocalypse, and Getting Back on Track · June 8, 2026 · 20 min
• Page Burners: The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson - Chapters 3, 4 · June 6, 2026 · 2h 2m
• Panel Chewing #133: The Odyssey, Hyde Street, and Lone Wolf and Cub Vol 2 · June 2, 2026 · 43 min
• Panel Chewing #132: Comic Reviews, Lone Wolf & Cub Begins + Pick of the Week · May 26, 2026 · 58 min
• Page Burners: The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson - Prologue, Chapters 1 & 2 · May 23, 2026 · 1h 58m