book data
305 ratings, 3.94 average rating, 51 reviews
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published
June 3rd 2004
(first published 2003)
by Overlook Hardcover
binding
Hardcover, 608 pages
isbn
1585675598
(isbn13: 9781585675593)
description
Many centuries ago, the world was nearly destroyed by the dark wizards of the Consult, and the High King's family was wiped out--or so it seemed. Then...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 476)
Read in January, 2008
After reading up on this series, I had really high hopes going into it - looking for something that would really revolutionize the fantasy genre. Boy, was I ever disappointed...and I mean really disappointed.
The book started off great, which lead me to believe that it was truly going to live up to the reviews I've read. Well, as soon as the introduction came to a close, this thing just began to droll on and on at such a tediously slow pace. This book just bored the hell out of me. ...more
The book started off great, which lead me to believe that it was truly going to live up to the reviews I've read. Well, as soon as the introduction came to a close, this thing just began to droll on and on at such a tediously slow pace. This book just bored the hell out of me. ...more
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Read in August, 2007
I can't decide how I feel about this book. Well-written, engaging characters, a fantasy world with enough differences from the norm that I felt like I was discovering something new and interesting. I picked it up from the shelf in the bookstore because the recommendation card said "Fans of George R.R. Martin and Guy Gavriel Kay will love it!", and I certainly see where they're coming from with that. This is the first book in a (complete! hooray!) trilogy, and I'm sufficiently engaged t...more
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The first in a massively epic fantasy series based strongly on the Crusades and rooted in philosophical discourse and concept. This book is about the size of Jordan's Wheel of Time or Goodkind's horrid Wizard's First Rule, but it's actually good. A little slow to really start moving, but the world is so originally constructed and richly detailed, and the writing is such a relief (not brilliant but certainly very good) that the starting speed can be forgiven. There are many "main" chara...more
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Read in August, 2007
This trilogy is really crazy interesting. My friends and I have a category of literature that I enjoy, basically calling it "Lit grad student masturbation" (e.g. Cloud Atlas, Infinte Jest). Although it's mainly used in the perjorative, it also describes incredibly accurately the writing style, very heady, involved, and vocab intense.
This is the first time I've encountered Philosophy grad student automanipulation, and it's enthralling, especially in the fantasy genre, where vari...more
This is the first time I've encountered Philosophy grad student automanipulation, and it's enthralling, especially in the fantasy genre, where vari...more
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Read in January, 2008
This was a disappointment. I generally like epic fantasy, but this author is convinced that having absolutely no exposition is perfectly okay when creating a world. It's not. If there are 8 different countries and nationalities, a few nobles, a few peasants, 12 different factions within each nationality, 5 different schools of magic, 3 different major religious beliefs, some humans, some not humans (maybe?) and all these things are named with the most un-familiar sounding tripe names you can ...more
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Read in October, 2007
Horrid writing...I was totally confused reading the first chapter. When I pick up a novel for the first time, please, for the love of Bob, start slowly, describe the main character and the setting. Trying to let the characters name and making vague references to a the Apocalypse is so vague as to be unhelpful. Not to mention, the prose was so hackneyed and trite that I had difficulty reading it.
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Read in November, 2008
The phrase "highly original" gets bandied about quite a bit on book jackets, especially in the genre market. This book actually earns it, while also being well written, to boot.
If I had to describe this in terms of authors, I'd probably mention Glen Cook for the refusal to take it easy on the reader, Guy Gavriel Kay for the historical feel, ...more
If I had to describe this in terms of authors, I'd probably mention Glen Cook for the refusal to take it easy on the reader, Guy Gavriel Kay for the historical feel, ...more
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Read in January, 2006
recommends it for:
Anyone
Amazing! I picked this book up at random based on it's cover art and couldn't put it down. The number one thing that I most appreciated about this book is that it is told by so many perspectives that right when you are starting to hate a character you fall in love with them. It got off to a fast start by assuming you have some knowledge of the world that isn't explained, which for some might be uncomfortable, but I thought it skipped a lot of the boring introduction that many large scale fantasy...more
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Read in July, 2008
recommends it for:
fantasy lovers, history nerds, religion dorks
I approached this book with some skepticism after reading some disheartening amazon reviews. But I was really surprised by how much the world drew me in. Much like George R. R. Martin, with whom the comparison is justified, Bakker gives us his world as it occurs to the characters, without any bunk exposition or textbook-style re-telling of events to get us caught up. Instead, we wonder, (what is the Tusk? how does magic work here? etc) seeing only a corner of the vast tapestry at a time. The...more
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Read in January, 2007
I have a weakness for fantasy. There: The truth is out.
This series started off incredibly strongly and I thought I'd hit the jackpot, with a fantasy series that was well-written, intelligent and original (which cannot be said for 99.5% of drivel that sells under this genre).
My excitement soon turned to dismay, however.
The tone of this series is very dark, and I'm assuming the author wanted to bring a mature voice, with actual grownup themes, to a genre that is typically childish and...more
This series started off incredibly strongly and I thought I'd hit the jackpot, with a fantasy series that was well-written, intelligent and original (which cannot be said for 99.5% of drivel that sells under this genre).
My excitement soon turned to dismay, however.
The tone of this series is very dark, and I'm assuming the author wanted to bring a mature voice, with actual grownup themes, to a genre that is typically childish and...more
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This is one of the most interesting and innovative fantasies I have read.
It is in the vein of many recent fantasies; dark, gritty, graphic sex and violence and well realeaised and detailed worlds.
The book is set around the start of a Holy War with plenty of intrigue and plotting. Magic plays a part in the book but it is used balanced and skillfully used not as a get out clause for characters.
The prose in the book is of a very high standard (the frist battle scene is almost lyrical) ...more
It is in the vein of many recent fantasies; dark, gritty, graphic sex and violence and well realeaised and detailed worlds.
The book is set around the start of a Holy War with plenty of intrigue and plotting. Magic plays a part in the book but it is used balanced and skillfully used not as a get out clause for characters.
The prose in the book is of a very high standard (the frist battle scene is almost lyrical) ...more
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Read in May, 2008
I picked this book up based on the cover alone, so I started with a completely blank slate. I have to say this review is based on my having started the second book in the series already. Standing alone I would probably have given this book only 2 stars.
The Darkness That Comes Before starts off strong, but quickly becomes mired in it's own ambitions. Bakker envisions a Tolkien-esque world with many colorful settings and characters, each with a vast history that lays the foundations for the c...more
The Darkness That Comes Before starts off strong, but quickly becomes mired in it's own ambitions. Bakker envisions a Tolkien-esque world with many colorful settings and characters, each with a vast history that lays the foundations for the c...more
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This is a very interesting series, and I'll base my review on the complete series, as I assume you'd be interested in reading the whole story.
It breaks the mold of regular fantasy books, bringing a more dark and mature tone to it. One of the best descriptions I've read of it was "Dune meets Lord of the Rings", and I found it evocative of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon too.
The baseline for the story borrows heavily from Christian history and mythology, but it's not a ...more
It breaks the mold of regular fantasy books, bringing a more dark and mature tone to it. One of the best descriptions I've read of it was "Dune meets Lord of the Rings", and I found it evocative of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon too.
The baseline for the story borrows heavily from Christian history and mythology, but it's not a ...more
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Read in May, 2007
This review is for all three books of the series.
Books 1 and 2 are quite good. While there are a few too many characters and the names of people and places are utterly absurd to the point of distraction, the setup of the world and the story are well done. The main characters are fleshed out enough to force you to form opinions, and it is chock full of one or two line musings that are quite compelling.
Book 3 fails the series dramatically by having little substance and contrived plot dev...more
Books 1 and 2 are quite good. While there are a few too many characters and the names of people and places are utterly absurd to the point of distraction, the setup of the world and the story are well done. The main characters are fleshed out enough to force you to form opinions, and it is chock full of one or two line musings that are quite compelling.
Book 3 fails the series dramatically by having little substance and contrived plot dev...more
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Read in August, 2007
good: plot is entertaining (how can it not be, it's basically the Crusades with magic and crazy demon things added in) and moves quickly. is easy to read, prose is not particularly dense. imaginative world with believable cultures and social systems.
bad: pretentious. "main" character is an amoral prat beloning to an order of monks who seem to have drastically misinterpreted nietzsche. author tries to devise clever schemes for his characters but they are very simplistic. the "...more
bad: pretentious. "main" character is an amoral prat beloning to an order of monks who seem to have drastically misinterpreted nietzsche. author tries to devise clever schemes for his characters but they are very simplistic. the "...more
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Read in May, 2006
recommends it for:
fans of fantasy and/or the crusades
This is a book I've actually had the easiest time explaining to people without having to move into self mockery. Essentially the series is a re-imagining of the First Crusade set in a fantasy world. If you're familiar with the history of the first crusade then the major plot line will be very familiar to you, until the third book that is, where the fantasy side of things REALLY comes out to play.
The series has a lot of really interesting characters, especially the two main protagonists Kel...more
The series has a lot of really interesting characters, especially the two main protagonists Kel...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
This is quite possibly the best fantasy book I have read in a while. Compelling and real would be the best description. The characters are larger than life yet completely realized in a way that makes them seem truly human.
The basic story follows the journeys of 3 key characters whose travels intermingle with each other. You have Anasurimbor Kellus, a almost metahuman monk who has mastered the way of the Logos (sort of logic-magic) to become a master manipulator and warrior with precogni...more
The basic story follows the journeys of 3 key characters whose travels intermingle with each other. You have Anasurimbor Kellus, a almost metahuman monk who has mastered the way of the Logos (sort of logic-magic) to become a master manipulator and warrior with precogni...more
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Read in September, 2008
Admittedly, this is not my sort of book to begin with. I read it because it was recommended by enough people who's opinions I trusted and heralded as 'the next big thing' in fantasy literature, and my curiosity is piqued.
All that said, it was an interesting, well-written book - but it still isn't my thing. I suppose my reaction can be summed up in that I won't be reading the following books in the trilogy, but I was enthralled enough that I will be reading some in-depth summaries. Bakker did...more
All that said, it was an interesting, well-written book - but it still isn't my thing. I suppose my reaction can be summed up in that I won't be reading the following books in the trilogy, but I was enthralled enough that I will be reading some in-depth summaries. Bakker did...more
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While waiting for Fourth Cormack Novel to arrive from Amazon, I picked this back up. Am finally getting traction in this very densely detailed story, and even better, I have the next two in the series waiting.
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
philosophers
Didn't particularly enjoy reading this book, made it only through about 200 pages before decided it wasn't worth it. Prose is arrogant & sloggish. Before dooming it to my permanently unread pile, I Googled to make sure I wasn't just missing a great payout at the end of the book (still wouldnt' be worth it). Laughed when I found R.Scott Bakker is a philosophy student...figures! **
**Disclaimer: I have some wonderful friends who are philosophers, no offense intended. Yet you must admit ...more
**Disclaimer: I have some wonderful friends who are philosophers, no offense intended. Yet you must admit ...more
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