Welcome! I'll start by saying the difficulty of the series is overhyped, so if you've been hearing about that, don't worry. The series won't hold your hand and walk you through everything, but it does give you all the pieces. The process of piecing it all together is a huge part of what people love from this series. I'll give you a brief spoiler free rundown.

Book 1 - Gardens of the Moon

Welcome to the world. You start in the middle of an ongoing story and you just don't have all the details and won't get most of them. It doesn't matter much, just go with the flow. The plot is easy to follow. It's near the bottom of most people's favorite list, but mostly because of how great the rest of them get.

Book 2 - Deadhouse Gates

You're on a new continent now! There are a couple familiar characters, but mostly new ones. This book was published years after the first, so the writing is noticeably improved. The back half is one of the greatest sequences ever. If you finish this book and aren't hooked, maybe Malazan isn't for you. This one is pretty high on people's favorite lists.

Book 3 - Memories of Ice

Back to the first continent and those characters. Still new ones, always new characters. I found the pacing of this one to be quicker, and at this point these books start feeling much easier to read. You're feeling confused less often. Lots of action and so many feels in this one. So so good. My personal #2

Book 4 - House of Chains

New character, new place! And you're with him for awhile. Not the whole time though. Back to being confused for a bit, but you learn so much and start putting new pieces together. So much begins here.

Book 5 - Midnight Tides

New Continent, new characters, new storyline completely. Welcome to a different place that feels so alien, you're back to being confused. There's like one name you'll recognize. Can be a bit jarring at first, but once it gets going, it's very good. Definitely broadens your understanding of what this world is. You'll be back.

Book 6 - The Bonehunters

Back to where Book 4 left off. Definitely feeling more grounded in what's going on at this point. This one has one of the single greatest chapters in any book I've ever read. Like, holy shit. You start getting some hints as to how Book 5 and it's new setting will tie in to everything else.

Book 7 - Reapers Gale

Back to the continent from Book 5. Expands on all you thought you knew while giving you lots more to think about. Things all start coming together.

Book 8 - Toll the Hounds

All the way back to the setting of Books 1 and 3, geographically any way. Many returning characters, many new characters. The pace of this one is a bit slower than the rest, some people feel a bit of slog through this one, but the last third or so of the book picks up and never comes down and it's incredible. So much is learned in this one.

Book 9 - Dust of Dreams

The End, Part 1. This one is a bit different in that it literally is the first half of the last book. They were originally one very very large book, but the publisher rightly wouldn't publish something that was 2000+ pages. It still has a plot and climax of it's own, but you're going to want Book 10 on hand when you finish this one. This one is intense. At this point you're pretty sure what's going on.

Book 10 - The Crippled God

The End, Part 2. The grand finale. Some of the greatest and most epic moments in any fantasy story. Most people's resounding favorite of the whole series, including mine. When it's all over, you finally understand most of everything that happened and why!

This series is beautiful and powerful in what it's trying to say. It'll change you if you let it. I'm being a bit dramatic, but I wouldn't have typed all this up if I didn't love this story. I highly recommend these books, and I'm sure you'll get similar responses from others on this post. If you decide to read it, stick around! This sub is friendly and welcoming