Ian C. Esslemont

Ian Cameron Esslemont (born 1962) is a Canadian writer. He was trained and has worked as an archaeologist. He is best-known for his series Novels of the Malazan Empire, which is set in the same world as the Malazan Book of the Fallen epic fantasy series popularised by his friend and collaborator, Steven Erikson. Esslemont is the co-creator of the Malazan world.
Ian Cameron Esslemont was born in Winnipeg, Canada. He earned an archaeology degree from the University of Manitoba and met Erikson at an archeological dig at the site of Mud Portage, Ontario, Canada.Facebook post 29 December 2017
Later, Esslemont pursued a creative writing degree from the University of Victoria in British Columbia.ICE interview at Newsminer.com In 1989, he continued his creative writing study at the University of Alaska where he earned a Master's degree and met his wife.Conversation with Ian Cameron Esslemont - Ten Very Big Books - See 36:00 He has lived and worked in South-East Asia, including four years spent teaching English in Thailand and Japan.Conversation with Ian Cameron Esslemont - Ten Very Big Books - See 1:20 During breaks in his teaching jobs, he and his wife travelled extensively through the region, visiting Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, and Malaysia. 
Steven Erikson became a successful fantasy author with the Malazan Book of the Fallen and regularly recommended his publisher consider his friend's works in the same world. Esslemont was pursuing a Ph.D in Literature from the University of Minnesota when he was approached with a book deal for the Novels of the Malazan Empire.Interview with Malazan author Ian C. Esslemont - Philip Chase - See 20:00 He now lives in Alaska with his wife, novelist Gerri Brightwell, and their three sons.
==Works==
Esslemont and Erikson co-created the Malazan world in 1982 as a backdrop for role-playing games. In 1991 they collaborated on a feature film script set in the same world, entitled Gardens of the Moon. When the script did not sell, Erikson greatly expanded the story and turned it into a novel. The two writers agreed to both write books set in the same world. However, it took a further eight years before Gardens of the Moon was published by Bantam UK and Erikson agreed to write a further nine novels set in the same world. 
Life and work commitments delayed Esslemont's own entries to the series until 2004, when his first novel, Night of Knives, was published as a limited edition by PS Publishing (a mass-market release by Bantam UK followed in 2007). This book was a prequel to the main Malazan sequence. His second novel, Return of the Crimson Guard, takes place within the main Malazan sequence, shortly after the events of the sixth book, The Bonehunters. It was published by PS Publishing in May 2008 and by Bantam UK later that year. Both Night of Knives and Return of the Crimson Guard were bought by Tor for publication in the United States. His third novel, Stonewielder, was published by Bantam UK in 2010 and Tor in the US. Esslemont published three more novels by 2014 to complete the Novels of the Malazan Empire series.
In 2016, Esslemont began a new prequel series, called the Path to Ascendancy, detailing the origins of the Malazan Empire.
== Bibliography ==
===Novels of the Malazan Empire series===
*Night of Knives (2004)ISBN 9780765363497
*Return of the Crimson Guard (2008)ISBN 9780553818529
*Stonewielder (2010)ISBN 9780593064443
*Orb Sceptre Throne (2012)ISBN 9780593064504
*Blood and Bone (2012)ISBN 9780593064474
*Assail (2014)ISBN 9780593064481
===Path to Ascendancy series===
*Dancer's Lament (2016)ISBN 9780765379443
*Deadhouse Landing (2017)ISBN 9780593074343
*Kellanved's Reach (2019)ISBN 9780765379481
*Forge of the High Mage (2023)ISBN 9781787632554
===Non-Malazan===
*Writing Fantasy Heroes: Powerful Advice from the Pros (2013) - contributorISBN 9780982053683
*Violence in Epics Ancient and Fantastic: A Primer (February 2015) The New York Review of Science Fiction
== Trivia ==
*Esslemont and Erikson first collaborated as writing partners on a series of feature film screenplays. Their first was an "archaeology horror comedy" called Midnight's Son, whose two main characters were essentially analogues for the authors themselves. The plot involved an archaeological dig on an island of the east coast of Canada which turned up a Viking killing field. The script was purchased by a film producer, but never made. The second and third scripts were Magic realist comedies, one of which was optioned twice. The fourth script was Gardens of the Moon, which was inspired by their role-playing hobby and formed the basis for the eventual novel of the same name. Another script was Blackdog Blues, which covered Whiskeyjack and the Bridgeburners at Blackdog Swamp.Not A TSACast: Fireside Conversations with Steven Erikson Ep#3 podcast - See 1:11:00
*Erikson and Esslemont usually meet once a year at the International Conference on the Fantastic Arts in Orlando, Florida to coordinate details in their books. According to Erikson, the two authors "hang out by the pool, and get drunk, and talk about what we're working on. So we work through some stories there...Often I don't see [Esslemont's] manuscript until the book's been published."An Evening with Steven Erikson by Nerdaí Irish Nerds - See 36:30 Esslemont admits he does not read Erikson's books until they come out--"I have to have a physical object in my hand."Not A TSACast: Fireside Conversations with Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont Ep#4 podcast - See 23:45
*Both Esslemont and Erikson see the other as their audience when writing a book. Esslemont says he wants to make Erikson "go 'WHAT!!', but in a good way" when he reads one of Esslemont's books.Not A TSACast: Fireside Conversations with Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont Ep#4 podcast - See 23:20
*When pressed to name the book he most enjoyed writing, Esslemont points to Blood and Bone and then Assail. He calls them "sort of twins that sort of fit together, looking at the treatment of two different cultures."A Sojourn at our Humble Tavern for a conversation on the Novels with Ian C. Esslemont! - Smiley's Podcast - See 18:39 Steven Erikson says Blood and Bone is his favourite Malazan book by Esslemont.Reddit Ask Me Anything session July 2022 Esslemont says he has a "warm spot" for Gardens of the Moon by Erikson because so much of it came from their gaming and the screenplay they did together. He also cites Toll the Hounds as a favourite because "it sort of has everything in it, all of the different aspects of the world are together."A Sojourn at our Humble Tavern for a conversation on the Novels with Ian C. Esslemont! - Smiley's Podcast - See 1:14:20
*While writing the Malazan books, Esslemont also dabbles with a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel he hopes to publish one day.Not A TSACast: Fireside Conversations with Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont Ep#4 podcast - See 01:08:30 If he had his preference, he would one day publish it under a pseudonym.Not A TSACast: Fireside Conversations with Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont Ep#5 podcast - See 16:00
*Esslemont cites the Sword and Sorcery genre as being most influential on his writing. Some authors that were formative in his writing include Michael Moorcock, Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, Jack Vance, Karl Edward Wagner, Glen Cook, and Stephen Donaldson.Interview with Malazan author Ian C. Esslemont - Philip Chase - See 5:00 He says two of the books most important to inspiring the Malazan esthetic were Glen Cook's The Black Company and Tim Powers' The Drawing of the Dark.Conversation with Ian Cameron Esslemont - Ten Very Big Books - See 1:04:10
*Esslemont used to practice typing as a boy by retyping entire Robert E. Howard stories.Not A TSACast: Fireside Conversations with Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont Ep#4 podcast - See 14:30
*When his sons became interested in Tae Kwon Do, he took up the martial art alongside them, although he eventually transitioned to Iaido as he grew older because "it's not as hard on the joints." Esslemont took up the traditional samurai discipline because he was "more interested in the philosophical side of swordsmanship".Conversation with Ian Cameron Esslemont - Ten Very Big Books - See 2:35 
*Esslemont discovered role-playing games in high school and saw the games as a way to live out his voracious interest in fantasy fiction. At the University of Manitoba he joined a gaming club where he played with "a great gang of gamers...and it really took off". Eventually, he introduced Steven Erikson to the games with Esslemont serving as the primary gamemaster during the early adventures of Anomander Rake, Osserc, Lady Envy, and T'riss. Erikson took up more of the responsibility of running the games with the start of the Malazan campaign. Esslemont no longer plays, citing his career in writing and the difficulty of putting together a gaming group in Alaska.Conversation with Ian Cameron Esslemont - Ten Very Big Books - See 34:20
*Erikson says he and Esslemont "sat and...worked out a lot of the early ideas of the Malazan stuff" in a restaurant called Pagliacci's when they were students in Victoria. "We would go there for lunch and we would talk Malazan." "What's amazing about it is when you go into the restaurant everything you see is essentially unchanged from the early 80s, it has not changed its decor at all. It's like a time capsule."Conversation on Malazan with Steven Erikson and AP Canavan (aka A Critical Dragon) - Green Team of the Legendarium - See 6:25
== External links ==
* Ian Esslemont's official website
===Interviews===
====Print====
* Interview at The OF Blog - September 2005
* Interview Pat's Fantasy Hotlist part 1 - May 2006
* Interview Pat's Fantasy Hotlist part 2 - June 2006
* Interview SFFWorld - May 2007
*Interview at Nekoplz - May 2008
* Interview Pat's Fantasy Hotlist - October 2008
* Interview Clarkesworldmagazine - August 2009
* Interview at Tor.com Discussion with Ian Esslemont and Steven Erikson - October 2010
* Night of Knives Q&A at Tor.com - December 2010
* Interview at Elitist Book Reviews - March 2011
* Ian C. Esslemont on Collaboration at the Tor/Forge's Blog - May 2011
* Interview Clarkesworldmagazine Discussion by authors, including Ian C. Esslemont on Epic Fantasy part 1 - July 2011
* Interview Clarkesworldmagazine Discussion by authors, including Ian C. Esslemont on Epic Fantasy part 2 - August 2011
* Interview at The Breathless Quills - June 2012
* Return of the Crimson Guard Q&A at Tor.com - April 2013
* Interview at Nerds of a Feather - May 2013
* Interview at The Book Plank - September 2014
* Orb Sceptre Throne Q&A at Tor.com - June 2015
* Profile at newsminer.com - October 2015
* Interview at The Critical Dragon - April 2016
* Interview at The Crippled Blog (scroll down for English version) - June 2016
* Interview at Tor.com - June 2016
* Interview at Fantasy Book Review - November 2017
====Video====
*Malazan chat with A.P. Canavan, advance reader for Steve Erikson and Ian Esslemont - Philip Chase - December 2020
*Chat with Ian C. Esslemont about Malazan - A Critical Dragon - March 2021
*Night of Knives discussion with Ian C. Esslemont and A.P. Canavan (spoiler free) - Philip Chase - March 2021
*Spoiler Talk: Night of Knives with Ian C. Esslemont and Philip Chase - A Critical Dragon - March 2021
*Chat with Ian C. Esslemont and Steven Erikson - A Critical Dragon - April 2021
*Spoiler Talk: Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian C. Esslemont - A Critical Dragon - May 2021
*Interview with Malazan author Ian C. Esslemont - Philip Chase - July 2021
*Mid-series Discussion: Novels of the Malazan Empire by Ian C. Esslemont - A Critical Dragon - July 2021
*Spoiler Chat: Orb Sceptre Throne with Ian C. Esslemont - A Critical Dragon - September 2021
*Spoiler Chat: Blood and Bone with Ian C. Esslemont - A Critical Dragon - February 2022
*Chatting with Ian C. Esslemont, Steven Erikson, and Dr. Philip Chase - No Ochre Involved - A Critical Dragon - February 2022
*Malazan Chat w/Author Ian C. Esslemont and Ten Very Big Books - March 2022
*Livestream Recording: Steven Erikson, Ian C. Esslemont, and Me (and a surprise guest) - A Critical Dragon - July 2022
*ITV Pop in Books - Steven Erikson & Ian C. Esslemont - Blue Neko TV - July 2022
*Malazan Authors Ian C. Esslemont & Steven Erikson talk about Writing, Prose, Style, and Technique - A Critical Dragon - July 2022
*Critical Conversations 12: Writing Workshops, the Gag Rule, and Signs to Look Out For - A Critical Dragon - September 2022
*Malazan Magic, Warrens, and the RPG Origins with Ian C. Esslemont - A Critical Dragon - December 2022
*Robert E Howard as Fantasy Noir with Ian C. Esslemont - A Critical Dragon - February 2023
*Forge of the High Mage, Ian C. Esslemont on his New Malazan Novel - Books with Banks - June 2023
*Chatting about 'Likable' Characters with Ian C. Esslemont - A Critical Dragon - July 2023
* Discussing Historical 'Accuracy' and Diversity in Fantasy Adaptation with Erikson & Esslemont - A Critical Dragon - August 2023
* Community Malazan Questions with Esslemont and Erikson - A Critical Dragon - August 2023
* Narrative Techniques and a Malazan Primer: Discussing Writing with Ian C. Esslemont - A Critical Dragon - October 2023
* Beyond the Table: E4 - Steven Erikson and Ian Esslemont - Iconic Production - December 2023
* Chatting with Malazan Author Ian C. Esslemont about the Impact of Games on Fantasy Fiction - A Critical Dragon - February 2024
====Audio/Podcast====
* Not A TSACast: Fireside Conversations with Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont Ep#4 podcast - July 2020
* Not A TSACast: Fireside Conversations with Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont Ep#5 podcast - August 2020
* Conversation with Ian Cameron Esslemont - Ten Very Big Books - March 2022
* A Sojourn at our Humble Tavern for a conversation on the Novels with Ian C. Esslemont! - Smiley's Podcast - January 2023
===The Tor re-read===
* Chapter summaries and analysis
===Public appearances===
* Guest at the 2015 World Fantasy Convention
* Attended International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts March 2018 (Orlando, Florida, US)Locus Online 2018 ICFA Report
* Guest at Les Imaginales 2022 19-22 May 2022 (Epinal, France)
* Guest at Librairie Legendarium	24 May 2022 (Arras, France)Editions Leha Facebook post 8 May 2022
* Guest at Librairie L'Imaginaute 27 May	2022 (Tours, France)
* Guest at Bordeaux Geekfest 2022 28-29 May 2022 (Bordeaux, France)
* Guest at Librairie Critic 1 June 2022 (Rennes,France)
* Guest at Festival Etonnants Voyageurs 2022 4-6 June 2022 (Saint-Malo, France)
* Guest at Librairie Le Nuage Vert 8 June 2022 (Paris, France)
* Guest at Librairie Actes Sud 14 June 2022 (Arles, France)
* Guest at Librairie L'Antre de Calliopée 15 June 2022 (Aix-en-Provence, France)
* Guest at Librairie Bédéciné 16 June 2022 (Toulouse, France)
* Guest at FNAC Montparnasse 18 June 2022 (Paris, France)
==Notes and references==
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