The Book in Brief
The Malazan Empire has spent years conquering the continent of Genabackis. After capturing Pale, the Empire turns toward Darujhistan, the final independent Free City in its path.
The surviving Bridgeburners are sent to infiltrate Darujhistan and prepare it for conquest. Captain Ganoes Paran is assigned to command them while secretly helping Adjunct Lorn investigate Sorry, a young soldier possessed by the god Cotillion. Meanwhile, Anomander Rake and Darujhistan's hidden mages prepare to defend the city.
Lorn's true plan is to release Raest, an ancient Jaghut Tyrant. She hopes the Tyrant will attack Rake and weaken both of them. Instead, the arrival of so many powers produces a convergence in which soldiers, gods, mages, assassins and ordinary citizens all influence the fate of Darujhistan.
> Spoiler warning: The following summary reveals the entire plot, > including the major deaths, betrayals and ending.
Prologue
Twelve-year-old Ganoes Paran watches unrest spreading through Malaz City's Mouse Quarter. He meets Whiskeyjack, who warns him against dreaming of military glory. The Empire is already changing: Emperor Kellanved's reign is ending, Surly is consolidating power, and members of the old imperial order are disappearing.
Book One: Pale
Chapter 1. Seven years later, a fishergirl and an old wax-witch named Rigga watch a Malazan regiment pass through Itko Kan. A soldier kills Rigga, but the witch uses her final moments to place part of herself inside the girl.
Shadowthrone and Cotillion unleash the Hounds of Shadow, massacring the regiment and nearby villagers. Cotillion possesses the fishergirl, who later joins the Malazan army under the name Sorry.
Lieutenant Ganoes Paran assists Adjunct Lorn in investigating the massacre. The evidence points toward sorcery, and Lorn arranges for Paran to follow Sorry's progress through the army.
Chapter 2. The Malazan army attacks Pale and the floating fortress of Moon's Spawn. Anomander Rake answers the Empire's High Mages with devastating sorcery. Calot, Nightchill and A'Karonys are killed, while Hairlock is cut in half.
Moon's Spawn withdraws and Pale falls, but the Malazans suffer enormous losses. Most of the Bridgeburners die when the tunnels beneath the city collapse. Quick Ben saves Hairlock by transferring his soul into a wooden puppet. The survivors suspect Tayschrenn deliberately allowed the Bridgeburners to be destroyed.
Chapter 3. Paran travels to Pale to assume command of Whiskeyjack's squad. Tattersail performs a reading of the Deck of Dragons and discovers that Oponn, the twin gods of chance, have entered the conflict.
The Bridgeburners become convinced that Sorry is an assassin and that the Empire is eliminating soldiers loyal to the old Emperor. Before Paran can meet his new squad properly, Sorry murders him.
Chapter 4. Paran reaches Hood's Gate, but Oponn intervenes and restores him to life. The Twins make his sword, Chance, an instrument of their influence.
The Bridgeburners bring Paran to Tattersail. Hairlock arrives while fleeing the Hounds of Shadow, and the Hound Gear attacks the house. Hairlock attempts to seize Gear's soul, but Paran intervenes and wounds the Hound with Chance.
Dujek privately warns Whiskeyjack that the mission to Darujhistan has been designed to destroy the remaining Bridgeburners. Whiskeyjack nevertheless accepts the mission, knowing that thousands of soldiers may support Dujek if he rebels.
Book Two: Darujhistan
Chapter 5. In Darujhistan, the thief Crokus Younghand robs Challice D'Arle's bedroom. On the rooftops, an assassin mistakes Crokus for an enemy and fires at him. A coin falls at precisely the right moment, causing Crokus to duck and avoid the bolt.
The coin belongs to Oponn, making Crokus the gods' unwitting Coin Bearer. He flees the assassins and returns to the Phoenix Inn, where Kruppe, Murillio, Rallick Nom and Coll regularly gather.
Chapter 6. Anomander Rake sends the Great Raven Crone to arrange an alliance with Baruk, an alchemist and member of Darujhistan's secret ruling Cabal. Rake later arrives personally and offers to protect the city from the Empire.
Rallick Nom is preparing revenge against Lady Simtal, who ruined Coll and stole his position. After hearing Oponn's coin, Rallick unexpectedly changes his plan and assassinates Councilman Lim instead.
Chapter 7. Kruppe meets the Elder God K'rul in a dream. K'rul warns that ancient powers are returning and that a dangerous awakening is approaching.
Turban Orr continues plotting to surrender Darujhistan to the Malazan Empire. Rallick and Murillio prepare to restore Coll by disgracing Lady Simtal. Baruk learns that Oponn has selected a Coin Bearer and orders Kruppe to protect him.
Book Three: The Mission
Chapter 8. The Bridgeburners cross Lake Azur disguised as fishermen. Whiskeyjack abandons the Empire's suicidal plan and decides to infiltrate Darujhistan on his own terms.
Quick Ben meets Hairlock inside Chaos. Hairlock has grown dangerously powerful and increasingly insane. Quick Ben realises that the puppet may soon become a greater threat than the enemies he was meant to investigate.
Chapter 9. Toc the Younger finds Lorn's escort under attack by Barghast warriors. The undead T'lan Imass Onos T'oolan, commonly called Tool, appears and saves Lorn.
In Pale, Paran cares for Tattersail while she recovers. Lorn and Tayschrenn discuss the Empire's plans, including an intended purge of Pale's nobility. Someone has burned the relevant records, preventing the massacre. Paran and Tattersail become lovers.
Chapter 10. Paran reveals that Lorn is travelling with a T'lan Imass and searching for something connected to the Jaghut. Tattersail leaves to warn the Bridgeburners.
Bellurdan intercepts her under Tayschrenn's orders. Tattersail tries to explain that Lorn intends to release a Jaghut Tyrant, but Bellurdan refuses to believe her. Their confrontation ends in a magical conflagration that apparently kills them both.
Unknown to the others, Tattersail's soul, Bellurdan's power and Nightchill's remains become part of a new child called Silverfox.
Book Four: Assassins
Chapter 11. Kruppe witnesses Silverfox's birth in a dream shared with K'rul and the ancient Imass Bonecaster Pran Chole.
The Bridgeburners disguise themselves as road workers and plant Moranth explosives beneath Darujhistan's major intersections. Sorry follows Kruppe to the Phoenix Inn and identifies him as a powerful Adept.
Crokus accidentally reveals Oponn's coin. Sorry recognises him as the Coin Bearer but finds herself unable to kill him, showing that Cotillion's control is beginning to weaken.
Chapter 12. Kruppe researches Moon's Spawn and learns that it may contain several dragons. Baruk and Crone discuss the Jaghut barrow in the Gadrobi Hills and realise that the Malazans may intend to open it.
Quick Ben enters Shadowkeep and bargains with Shadowthrone. He offers Hairlock to the Hounds in exchange for his own freedom from Shadow's vengeance. Shadowthrone recognises him as Ben Adaephon Delat, a former servant who escaped the Shadow cult.
Chapter 13. Kalam and Quick Ben attempt to contact Darujhistan's Assassins' Guild. They instead become caught in a rooftop war between the Guild and Rake's Tiste Andii assassins. Quick Ben releases a demon named Pearl to cover their escape, but Rake kills it with Dragnipur.
Sorry follows Crokus to the D'Arle estate, intending to kill him. Crokus returns Challice's stolen possessions and declares his affection for her. Sorry again hesitates, and Crokus escapes.
Book Five: The Gadrobi Hills
Chapter 14. Lorn and Tool locate Raest's barrow. Tool explains that Lorn's plan depends upon Raest fighting Rake, after which the survivor should be sufficiently weakened for the Empire to destroy.
Kruppe, Murillio, Coll and Crokus travel into the hills to investigate. Sorry secretly follows them. Paran and Toc pursue Lorn, finding Hairlock's trail marked by the bodies of Great Ravens.
Chapter 15. Hairlock attacks Paran and Toc, throwing Toc into an unknown Warren. Quick Ben informs Shadowthrone of Hairlock's location and then severs his control over the puppet. The Hounds arrive and tear Hairlock apart.
Lorn encounters Kruppe's group and attacks them, badly wounding Coll. Sorry prepares to kill Crokus but is interrupted by the violence.
Anomander Rake arrives and confronts the Hounds. His presence forces Shadow's servants to reconsider their part in the conflict.
Chapter 16. Lorn and Tool enter the barrow and free Raest. Tool begins questioning the purpose of his ancient vows and tells Lorn he intends to search for answers.
Cotillion abandons his possession of Sorry. The confused fishergirl no longer remembers who she is. Crokus finds her and gives her the name Apsalar, after the patron of thieves.
Paran encounters the Rhivi and the child Silverfox. Although he does not yet understand her identity, something about the child reminds him of Tattersail.
Book Six: The City of Blue Fire
Chapter 17. Rallick learns that Turban Orr and Lady Simtal have placed a contract on Coll. He and Murillio continue with their plan to restore their friend.
Baruk confronts Rake about allowing Raest to be released. Rake explains that he will not betray Darujhistan, even though its struggle is not truly his own.
Paran finds the wounded Coll and begins helping him back toward the city.
Chapter 18. The Bridgeburners make one final attempt to contact the Assassins' Guild. If it fails, Whiskeyjack intends to detonate the mines.
Rallick confronts and kills Ocelot. The Otataral dust on Rallick's skin protects him from the assassin's sorcery and produces strange healing effects.
Paran brings the gravely wounded Coll through Darujhistan's gates and to the Phoenix Inn.
Chapter 19. Crokus and Apsalar leave the Phoenix Inn despite orders to remain hidden. Serrat attempts to kill Crokus, but agents of the Crimson Guard secretly protect him.
Paran reunites with the Bridgeburners. Whiskeyjack explains that Dujek intends to break with Laseen and oppose the expanding Pannion Domin.
Lorn leaves Tool at the barrow and carries Raest's Finnest---the repository of much of his power---into Darujhistan.
Book Seven: The Fête
Chapter 20. Preparations begin for Lady Simtal's fête. Kruppe arranges for Circle Breaker to retire safely, while Rake decides to attend because he senses that numerous powers are converging on the estate.
Lorn enters Darujhistan and resumes command of the Bridgeburners' mission. Whiskeyjack pretends to cooperate while Quick Ben remains hidden.
Raest awakens and begins travelling toward his Finnest. Silanah and four black dragons attack him outside the city.
Chapter 21. Lorn plants the Finnest in Lady Simtal's garden and begins hunting Crokus. The object starts growing into something none of the characters recognise.
At the fête, Kruppe reveals himself to Baruk as the Eel. Rallick provokes Turban Orr into a duel and kills him, removing Darujhistan's most powerful advocate for surrender.
Murillio confronts Lady Simtal with the return of Coll and the collapse of her power. He leaves her with a dagger, and she later takes her own life.
Chapter 22. Raest survives the dragons' attack and attempts to transfer his spirit into Mammot. The possessed scholar unleashes Jaghut sorcery at the fête.
Quick Ben opens seven Warrens against Mammot, while Hedge uses a Moranth munition to destroy the possessed body. Roots from the strange growth in the garden capture what remains of Raest.
Paran is transported into a supernatural struggle involving the Finnest. The growing structure proves to be a young Azath House, a living prison created to contain dangerous powers. Paran holds the Finnest long enough for the Azath to seize it.
Kalam offers Vorcan, leader of the Assassins' Guild, an imperial contract to kill Darujhistan's secret mages. She accepts, unaware that the Bridgeburners' loyalties are changing.
Chapter 23. Cotillion pulls Paran into Shadow and confronts him. Paran refuses to let Cotillion restore Apsalar's traumatic memories. He surrenders Chance, breaking Oponn's hold over him.
Lorn attacks Crokus but is intercepted by Blues of the Crimson Guard. After he wounds her, Meese and Irilta finish the job. Paran finds Lorn dying and remains with her during her final moments.
Before pursuing Crokus, Lorn releases a Galayn Demon Lord and orders it to kill Rake. Rake transforms into a dragon and attacks it above Darujhistan.
Vorcan begins assassinating members of the T'orrud Cabal. Baruk and Derudan realise that she is coming for them.
Chapter 24. Rake defeats the Galayn Lord and imprisons it within Dragnipur. Although wounded, he sends Crokus to warn Baruk.
Vorcan overwhelms Baruk, Derudan and their Tiste Andii protector. Crokus saves them by striking Vorcan with two bricks---an appropriately ordinary solution amid the surrounding magical catastrophe.
Dujek informs the Bridgeburners that they have been outlawed. He intends to ally with Caladan Brood against the Pannion Seer. Whiskeyjack becomes Dujek's second-in-command, while Paran assumes command of the Bridgeburners.
Rallick carries the injured Vorcan into the newly formed Azath House. Its doors close behind them, placing both outside the immediate conflict.
Epilogue
The Bridgeburners prepare to leave Darujhistan. Paran promises to find Silverfox after the war with the Pannion Seer, having finally realised that Tattersail still exists.
Kalam and Fiddler agree to escort Apsalar home to Itko Kan. Crokus joins them, partly because of his growing attachment to her.
As they cross Lake Azur, Crokus throws Oponn's coin into the water. For the first time since the gods selected him, his future belongs to him.