There are times in my life where I have made serious mistakes.

Not loving Gardens of the Moon the first time I read it was one of those.

I first read Gardens of the Moon several years ago when working my way through the NPR top 100 sci-fi and fantasy list. My memories of reading it are somewhat indistinct, but I did not love it. For the life of me, I don’t remember why.

But this year I decided to read the complete Malazan series, and it had been long enough since my first reading of Gardens of the Moon that I figured I should read it again. I’m glad I did.

Inside, I find mystery, suspense, and beautiful writing. I find an epic fantasy that continues to hint at a world that is bigger and more awe-inspiring than the mere words on the page. I laugh at some of the characters and with others. I have to pay attention, because sometimes what is between the words is as important as the words themselves.

In short, this time, I fell in love with the book.