Where Do The Malazan Novellas Fit In The Main Series Order?

I'm deep into the Malazan Book of the Fallen and worried about spoilers. Should I read Bauchelain and Korbal Broach after Memories of Ice or later?
2026-08-02 06:36:30
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7 Answers

EzraNash
EzraNash
Spoiler Watcher Office Worker
Honestly? Don't sweat it on a first read. The main ten books are a massive commitment. The novellas are a tangent, a funhouse mirror version of the world. I read them all in a batch after 'The Crippled God', and it was like attending a weird afterparty where all the minor, villainous side characters get to tell their own stories.

It was refreshing. Trying to integrate them mid-read feels like homework. Malazan is demanding enough as is. Give yourself permission to enjoy the sprawling epic first, then circle back for these darkly comic shorts. They're rewarding in a different way.
2026-08-03 06:33:49
6
HankHines
HankHines
Clear Answerer Police Officer
I've never read them. Are they essential? The main series is huge enough. Adding more feels like overkill. I'd rather re-read the Chain of Dogs arc than start a whole new sub-series, even if they are short.
2026-08-03 19:50:58
3
SamWeaver
SamWeaver
Sharp Observer Analyst
My reading group is doing Malazan. We just finished 'Gardens of the Moon'. Should we read a novella before moving to 'Deadhouse Gates'? Probably not. The tonal shift would be too jarring, and we haven't even met the key characters yet. The consensus was to wait until after book three.

It's a common approach. Get your footing in the world with the first three core books. Then, once you're comfortable with the density and have met the necromancer duo, consider the novellas as a optional, darkly humorous field trip. It's working well for us—we're treating them as a book club 'bonus book' every now and then.
2026-08-05 04:21:43
3
RobLopez
RobLopez
Active Reader Electrician
Honestly, I found them distracting. I tried reading 'Blood Follows' after 'Memories of Ice' as suggested, and it felt like switching from a sweeping historical drama to a low-budget horror comedy. The whiplash took me out of the world. I put it down and never went back to the novellas.

For me, Malazan is its grand tragedy and compassion. The novellas' mean-spirited humor, while clever, didn't resonate with what I loved about the series. So my advice is to sample one. If you love the tone, keep going. If it feels off, just skip them. You won't be missing crucial lore, just a particular flavor of joke.
2026-08-05 18:47:22
1
LeviBee
LeviBee
Plot Explainer Journalist
From a purely chronological standpoint, yes, they can be slotted in. 'Blood Follows' precedes the 'Memories of Ice' cameo. But reading them in strict chronology adds little. The joy is in the voice and the grotesque scenarios, not in seeing how they connect to the Chain of Dogs or the Siege of Pale.

I found them to be perfect commute reads—short, engrossing, and complete in one sitting. Trying to align them with the epic novels made my reading experience feel like a project. Once I let go of that and enjoyed them as their own thing, I appreciated their clever nastiness much more.
2026-08-08 00:27:23
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