Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont initially devised the Malazan world as a backdrop for a table-top role-playing game.
[5] While there are many plotlines woven through the whole series, the main storyline focuses on a period in time where the Malazan Empire is facing resistance to their conquest of the world.
[12] Erikson wrote side stories centering on two necromancers and their manservant, characters he introduced in Memories of Ice, the third novel in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series.
[6] Erikson is a huge fan of the Star Trek series, especially the first iteration which he credits as being his gateway to science fiction in general.
While the novel is a spoof of science fiction in general, it is rife with oftentimes poignant social commentary.
[15] Erikson had aspirations of writing a First Contact science fiction novel which played with the typical conventions of alien encounters.
[6] In 2017, UK based publisher Gollancz acquired the rights to this book, titled Rejoice, A Knife to the Heart.
[17][18][16] The novel was released on October 16, 2018, and was received with critical acclaim, with science fiction author Robert Sawyer praising its concept and its execution.