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The Thousandfold Thought

(The Prince of Nothing #3)

R. Scott Bakker

3.93 · Rating details · 10,948 ratings · 380 reviews

All opposition to the man once derided as the Prince of Nothing has vanished or been vanquished. Their leaders slain, the heathen Fanim have fled in disarray. One final march will bring the Holy War to the fabled city of Shimeh. But so very much has changed. Anasurimbor Kellhus, the Warrior-Prophet, now leads the Men of the Tusk. The cuckolded sorcerer Achamian serves as h

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Published September 2nd 2008 by The Overlook Press (first published January 20th 2006)

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Apr 16, 2012 Gavin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This was a good finale to the Prince of Nothing series. I definitely consider this to be one of the best dark fantasy series I've read over the years. Bakker's fantasy world has plenty of depth and his story is engaging and full of twists and turns. It also helps that is is packed with memorable characters and that Bakker has an engaging writing style!

This final book focused on the conclusion of the Holy War story arc as well as Kellhus's confrontation with his father. Outside of that there was This was a good finale to the Prince of Nothing series. I definitely consider this to be one of the best dark fantasy series I've read over the years. Bakker's fantasy world has plenty of depth and his story is engaging and full of twists and turns. It also helps that is is packed with memorable characters and that Bakker has an engaging writing style!

This final book focused on the conclusion of the Holy War story arc as well as Kellhus's confrontation with his father. Outside of that there was plenty of other stuff going on to hold ones attention as the various factions kept up their plotting and intrigue while the Consult continued to make their own presence known to the wider world.

The story was good. There was plenty of action and intrigue and also a decent amount of interesting social commentary inserted into the story in a way that did not overwhelm it.

Kellhus's and his Dûnyain Logos philosophy have always been the most interesting bits of the story for me. It is a little nihilistic but I do love its acknowledgement of cultural indoctrination in particular.

Not that Prince of Nothing is a series without any flaws. It is a super dark world with very interesting, but quite evil, characters and some fairly dark content so if you are in the mood for a light read this is not the series to go with! That said, I never felt like this series go too bleak in tone and that is due to the way Bakker succeeded in mitigating the horror and darker moments of the story. It helped that he never sold any of the characters to the reader as people they should like or be rooting for and that his somewhat detached narration style kept things bearable.

The biggest flaws of this series for me was the misogyny that was ingrained in every level of the story and the overuse of certain tropes. Bakker claims the misogyny was a deliberate ploy on his part but I've got my doubts. If it was deliberate he was being way to subtle as this guy missed his point! I can see the cultural misogyny present in the worldbuilding as deliberate but I'm less inclined to give him a pass of the stuff we see in the story set up and in places where it has no reason to exist culturally. This series, and this book in particular, has always overdone the madness trope. Half the characters are insane! I've no problem with any of the characters story arcs individually but when you add them all together it makes the trope feel overused and comes off as a bit lazy.

Not that any of the flaws were things that overly damaged my enjoyment of this series. It was fantastic in a number of ways and very engaging from start to finish. I just feel like with a few tweaks this series could have joined my all time favourites list!

All in all I felt like this was a good conclusion to a memorable series. It wrapped out a number of ongoing story arcs but left plenty of openings to keep me interested in reading the sequel series.

Rating: 4.5 stars. I'll round down to 4 stars on my official GR's rating just to chop one star off a book in this series as a result of its few annoying flaws:) Though it is a bit harsh.

Audio Note: David DeVries did an excellent job with the audio. It is a pity he was not retained for the sequel series! ...more

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Mar 28, 2011 Terry rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: canadian, fantasy

This review applies to all three volumes of Bakker's 'The Prince of Nothing' series. First off, let me say that I'm really impressed with what Bakker achieved here. I'm reminded of something Guy Kay said when asked why he wrote The Fionavar Tapestry about wanting to prove that there was still life in the old tropes of high fantasy, as designed by Tolkien, and that new things could be done with them as opposed to mere slavish imitation. I think Bakker succeeded admirably in this (whereas Guy Kay' This review applies to all three volumes of Bakker's 'The Prince of Nothing' series. First off, let me say that I'm really impressed with what Bakker achieved here. I'm reminded of something Guy Kay said when asked why he wrote The Fionavar Tapestry about wanting to prove that there was still life in the old tropes of high fantasy, as designed by Tolkien, and that new things could be done with them as opposed to mere slavish imitation. I think Bakker succeeded admirably in this (whereas Guy Kay's actual creation of something really new, in Fionavar at least, is debatable).

From the explanation of the Elves' immortality, as well as a really interesting extrapolation of what that would mean for a contigent being, to the depiction of evil so utterly repulsive and frightening that it makes Melkor and Sauron look like Sunday school teachers this series really played with the traditional high fantasy motifs in ways I found very intriguing. Add to that a magic system based on principles from the epistomology of different schools of philosophy and a cast of characters whose flaws make them almost painfully real to the reader and you'd expect to get a smash hit on your hands. Except that doesn't really seem to have happened and I think I know why.

In a nutshell the books, and the world they present, are just so unambiguosuly dark that I think few readers have the stomach to follow Bakker where he wants to lead them. The most redeeming character of the series, the downtrodden wizard Drusus Achamian, is ultimately a loser who seems only to be a relative good-guy in that he's too feckless to be effectively out for himself. Anasûrimbor Kellhus, the character who would be the titular hero of the series as written by anyone else, is more akin to a natural force than a man and the utter vacuity of his moral centre is so frightening that it makes him both more and less human than any other character of the novel. Cnaiür urs Skiötha, another incredibly well-drawn and fascinating character, is also so driven by his broken nature that while what he is capable of is impressive, it certainly isn't anything the reader is likely to relate to. Bakker obviously has a point to make in his story about human nature, and even the nature of reality, but it certainly isn't a point that is likely to sit well with too many readers unless they like their world view leavened with a heaping portion of nihilism. One begins to wonder, as we learn more about this world and the sleeping great evil that is apparently looming on the horizon, why anyone would bother trying to save such an utterly flawed universe anyway. Despite all of this, though, the world as Bakker paints it is an incredibly vivid and interesting one. The hints of 'what has gone before' that are dropped in the story give real texture to this place and the mysteries still left unanswered are as tantalising as those for which we do receive some explanation. It is really fascinating to see how someone using similar tropes and building blocks to Tolkien could have built something so completely different, and yet still so compelling.

The story itself follows the rise of a great crusade between warring nations against the backdrop of the rise to power of an ancient force of evil which most of the world does not even believe in anymore. Behind and within this backdrop are woven the tales of the three main characters (Achaimian, Kellhus, and Cnaiur) as they each pursue their own goals and are inextricably led to one another. The climax of the series could be considered something of an anti-climax, for while each of the characters has, in some sense, found what they were seeking and begun upon a new path, the much larger movements of the story (both the crusade and the rise of sleeping evil) are left in media res for another series to pick up on. Bakker has now released two books in this continuation of the larger story, but many readers may find it frustrating that so much of what could be considered the overarching plot of the novels is left completely hanging by the end of volume three.

Overall I was torn by this series. One the one hand I think Bakker did a commendable job in building a world that did truly new things with the high fantasy genre and I was always fascinated by each new mystery he revealed; on the other hand I ended up feeling like I needed a shower after reading these books. The evil in it is presented so convincingly, and the very nature of the world he created is so bleak, that I just don't relish the thought of visiting the place again. Add to that the fact that the term "sympathetic character" doesn't seem to be in Bakker's vocabulary and you are left with a series that is definitely tailored to the tastes of the minority...but then again, maybe that's a good thing. ...more

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Jun 05, 2013 Mark rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

From the very first book, I suspected that I would reach a point where I could no longer stand the parts that I don't like about Bakker's writing style. I was surprised that I made it through two books, actually, with the second book being excellent in spite of its raging Kellhus-ness.

I plugged away at this third book over several weeks and I still only made it halfway through. I have abandoned the pursuit. I cannot take it any more. I cannot stand the pretentious philosophical stuff that permea ...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Mike rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, war, fantasy, epics

August 2021 update: Sometimes you just need to re-read an old favorite. Glad I did, it has been a while since I last dipped my toe into this series and I will likely finish all of them by the end of the year. The below review still holds up.

Observational aside: I will rarely reread books. Once I finish a book it is usually off to the next one, with few exceptions. In this case the sixth book in the series, The Great Ordeal, is coming out soon, a book I have waited nearly five years for, and I w ...more

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Jan 16, 2022 Doug rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

When Tolkien wrote his once-a-generation smash hit trilogy, a great part of his success can naturally be attributed to the man’s sheer creative willpower in spending nearly an entire lifetime creating a world with languages, traditions, and histories spanning as long (or longer) than our own world.

But Tolkien’s success was also due to his harnessing of millennia-Old myths that have prevailed even in the advent of the scientific and industrial revolutions. One thing that many fail to realize - a ...more

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Nov 24, 2018 Chris Gousopoulos rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I dont think I can express myself adequately after finishing The Thousandfold Thought. This book had one of the best and most satisfying end climaxes I have ever read. Its not easy to set such an ambitious story and manage to end it properly. The last chapters of this terrific trilogy were incredible. Homeric battles, revealing intellectual debates, dramatic events. All leading to a devastating and bitter finale that ended the first part of this apocalyptic tale leaving me numb and speechless. A ...more

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Jan 16, 2020 SAM rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: high-fantasy, 2020

I'm neither impressed or satisfied with the conclusion to this trilogy. Books 1 and 2 were full of plot, character depth and lots of philosophy and the dark ending to Book 2 set up the finale nicely. Or at least it should have. The Thousandfold Thought is a bit of a nothing book, which meanders along until finally the Holy War arrives at Shimeh with barely a hundred pages remaining. The long awaited meeting between Kellus and his father reminded me of Neo meeting the Architect in the Matrix; sev ...more

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Jun 13, 2013 Leah rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I normally never really dislike books but this series takes the cake. It's not about it's writing or really it's plot; I absolutely hate these characters.

First off we have Kellhus or should I say Gary Sue to match all of Gary Sues. I get it, he's suppose to be inhuman in intellect and reading people. I get it after being hit over the head after every description that he's like no other man, he's so smart, he's so observant. He has intellect and skill, he talk and he can fight. More toward the th I normally never really dislike books but this series takes the cake. It's not about it's writing or really it's plot; I absolutely hate these characters.

First off we have Kellhus or should I say Gary Sue to match all of Gary Sues. I get it, he's suppose to be inhuman in intellect and reading people. I get it after being hit over the head after every description that he's like no other man, he's so smart, he's so observant. He has intellect and skill, he talk and he can fight. More toward the third book I started to feel like "What the hell is the point of this story?" The plot comes down to a rather bloody and dramatic roadtrip where everyone just gushes over Kellhus. And I mean EVERYONE. There is absolutely NO ONE who doesn't like Kellhus. And the few that don't are promptly killed off, because, come on, Kellhus is just fantastic right? Xerius? Dead. Conphas? Dead. Cnaiur? Well he got sent off to die but then he came back but really....I'll get to this point later. And at the last page, Achamian finally takes the balls to stand up, for two lines. Too bad I won't read Aspect-Emperor because I'm sure it's just going to be an even longer pissing contest.

Next on our list is actually 2 people, namely Serwe and Esmenet, namely: BAKKER CANNOT WRITE FEMALES FOR SHIT. I was abhorred by how he chose to portray females as tools for fucking, getting pregnant, and getting married to. Absolutely none of the female named characters (which makes a grand totally of 3 counting Xerius' mother) have no higher a role than to fuck and breed with. So let's start of with Serwe, shall we? Her only defining trait that is every mentioned is how gosh darn good looking she is. Seriously. That's all that ever comes up. When Cnaiur meets her: Hurr she's so pretty. Let me devote my whole life to making her my wife because she's pretty. When Esmenet meets her: Aww no wonder Kellhus likes her, she's pretty. I wish I could be like her. When Achamian promptly cheats on Esmenet: Omg, sorry Esmi but she was just so gosh darn hot, what to you expect me to do? And so her role is to create conflict between Kellhus and Cnaiur. Then she gets pregnant. Then she gives birth. Then Bakker kills her off. Fantastic. What a worthless character.
Well then how about Esmenet? She's actually got a personality, right? Bakker keeps describing how intelligent she is, and how much she wants to actually mean something in a world where women are second class citizens. Great! Well great for the first book! And then the 2nd half of the 2nd book it just plummeted. Oh what's that Akka, you died? Well I guess I'll just fling myself into the arms of the guy closest to me because women have to have a man in their life or else the just fall apart, am I right guys? Oh what? Akka isn't dead? So then Esmenet's role now becomes "Let's create conflict between Achamian and Kellhus for the next book and a half" and stays that way. And what drives up the wall despite all this blatant sexism is that at the end of the 3rd book, when everything's said and done and Achamian STRAIGHT UP TELLS HER that Kellhus is not to be trusted. SHE STILLS STAYS WITH HIM because why? OMG AKKA YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, I'M PREGNANT AND THUS I MUST STAY WITH THE MAN WHO IMPREGNATED ME BECAUSE THAT'S ALL I'M GOOD FOR IN LIFE. Are you kidding me?!

And before you feel I'm too biased because I'm female, let me just say, Bakker also does a horrible job with writing men. Seriously, the downfall of most of the male characters is because they're fucking SEX FIENDS. The only reason stopping Cnaiur from slitting Kellhus throat most times was unbearable urge to screw Serwe. He just couldn't take that Kellhus was getting some from her and not him. REALLY? Second example. Achamian cheats on the love of his life and probably skews their relationship because why? WELL SERWE WAS RIGHT THERE AND SHE WAS HOT SO YEAH.....Are you kidding me? Look I'm all for sex in books and have no qualms about it but if your plot is just riddled with sex scene after sex scene and all your females' main concern is getting raped in the next chapter (which both Serwe and Esmenet are, of fucking course.) THEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM.

I seriously could go on, this rant last all three books but I'll spare anyone reading this anymore agony. I picked up this series because of it's multitude of good reviews, but now I'm putting it down wondering how can anyone read through this horrendous display of characterization without one moment of "What the hell are these people even doing?" ...more

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Jan 18, 2009 D. Eric rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

What a disappointing ending to an otherwise promising trilogy. Bakker almost abandons the Holy War until the very end then wraps it up in a somewhat disjointed and confusing finale that lacks any depth of understanding. Instead, the reader is subjected to a cerebral cacophony of redundant "mumbo-jumbo" that really seems to beg the question of the story, especially the importance of Khellus' father. By the end of the story, it seems Bakker is more interested in setting up his next series rather t ...more

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Aug 16, 2018 Chris Berko rated it it was ok · review of another edition

What a tremendous letdown. This book seems like it was written by a five year old. Gone is the political intrigue and personal drama of the first one, gone is the coherency of the large scale battles and the flowing of the story as a whole. There were long periods where I was extremely bored but I pressed on hoping for something special because of how much I loved the first two and the trust I was developing in the author but C'mon man, that ending was about as anticlimactic as they come. 1800 p ...more

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Jan 20, 2016 Tammy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A strong conclusion to this epic series. I really enjoyed this book and i'm a huge fan of Bakker's writing style. The story itself was amazing, the plotlines and plot twists, the unexpected happening's here and there, and these very real characters.
I also just noticed just how many awesome minor characters there are in the series, characters that are not the center of attention but whose deeds have important impacts nonetheless. Some of these are Earl Athjeari (very resourceful in battle tactics ...more

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Aug 31, 2021 Pranav Prabhu rated it really liked it

“Ignorance was ever the iron of certainty, for it was as blind to itself as sleep. It was the absence of questions that made answers absolute—not knowledge!”

The first novel focused on the political machinations before the Holy War, while the second focused on the bulk of the Holy War itself. The Thousandfold Thought delves into the philosophical and metaphysical aspects of the world and its history. With compelling characters and stories, great battle scenes, and evocative writing, it was a great conclusion to the Prince of Nothing Trilogy, though the ending itself felt less like a decisive resolution and more like setting the stage for the main story in the subsequent quartet.

I found Achamian and Esmenet to be the most compelling characters in this book: they are flawed, human characters making difficult choices, grappling with their places in a changing world, navigating complicated situations, and dealing with a lot of internal conflict. Their journeys and how they intersect and influence each other were the plotlines I was the most invested in. Where they end up has me interested in how their arcs will progress in the subsequent series. Kelhus remains a fascinating but despicable figure; I found him more interesting here than in the previous book, getting some more of his PoVs and seeing how previous events have affected him and his plans.

Cnaiur's early chapters were harder to parse, with the obscured writing reflecting his fragmented mental state. I definitely preferred reading PoVs like Achamian and Esmenet, but the resolution to some of the politics from the first book with Conphas and Saubon, along with Cnaiur's unique perspective was engaging to read, especially as the book progressed. The obscurity and metaphorical nature of the writing in these parts did contribute to my liking it a bit less since I was invested more in the other sections anyway. Each of the major characters had some good payoff by the end and I am looking forward to continuing their journeys from the positions they ended up in.

“That hope is little more than the premonition of regret. This is the first lesson of history.”

My favourite parts of the book were those that delved into the lore and history of the First Apocalypse and explained the theories behind the metaphysics and sorcery in this world. Achamian's lectures on the different schools of sorcery and how they affect reality, as well as his visions of Golgotterath and the First Apocalypse in the distant past, were fascinating. It was great to learn more about the motivations and history of the Consult and to get information about other races like the Inchoroi. There were also some riveting conversations speculating on the nature of souls and existence, of the physical world and the Outside, discussing intriguing ideas and implications. There is a large, detailed glossary at the back of the book with a lot of interesting information about the history and origin of the races and kingdoms, especially with important events prior and leading up to the Apocalypse. While I wish some of it had been incorporated into the story itself more, it was still a great and necessary read.

The last few chapters were fantastic, with great payoff and momentous events and decisions. The storming of Shimeh, the final objective of the Holy War, was definitely all that it promised to be: swathes of clashing armies, explosively glorious sorcerous battles, tense confrontations, and great character moments and resolutions. The sweeping PoVs that Bakker uses to describe battles and the amazing prose are reminiscent of epic tales. The long-promised confrontation and conversation at the end were also great, with riveting dialogue and philosophy, though it was dense at times and confusing to understand all the layers and subtext clearly, which isn't an issue in this case since it gave the discussion more depth.

Considering this series as a whole, I enjoyed both The Warrior Prophet and The Thousandfold Thought equally, although they focused more on different aspects of the overall story. I'm definitely interested to see how the wider story of the Second Apocalypse will play out in The Aspect-Emperor quartet since this trilogy almost felt like a prologue for larger things to come. ...more

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Nov 08, 2008 Raja rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites, fantasy

The first book didn't sell me, but the latter two had me absolutely enthralled. This is a fantasy series that is unabashedly dark -- if you like authors who shy away from the harsh realities of violence, war, and the periods in human history that most fantasy series draw inspiration from, then stay far, far away. If you don't mind that stuff, or if, you find it helps draw you further into the world, I haven't encountered a better dark fantasy series in my lifetime. Glen Cook's Black Company is a ...more

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Apr 13, 2021 Sud666 rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

R. Scott Bakker's "Prince of Nothing" series concludes with this third book. While the overall story is superb, the events of the third book, especially near the final third, seemed to be a bit abrupt, if not rushed. I now see there is a series that comes after this (The Aspect Emperor series) and that helps to alleviate the mild disappointment with the ending.

Having prefaced why I deducted a star from this overwhelmingly excellent series, now let us get into the story. Anasûrimbor Kellhus has w R. Scott Bakker's "Prince of Nothing" series concludes with this third book. While the overall story is superb, the events of the third book, especially near the final third, seemed to be a bit abrupt, if not rushed. I now see there is a series that comes after this (The Aspect Emperor series) and that helps to alleviate the mild disappointment with the ending.

Having prefaced why I deducted a star from this overwhelmingly excellent series, now let us get into the story. Anasûrimbor Kellhus has worked his wiles and manipulated the hearts and minds of men (and women). Seen as the Warrior-Prophet, he leads the Armies of the Tusk towards their goal of Shimeh.
While Kellhus seeks power and his father, Anasûrimbor Moënghus, the other major players from the Schoolmen to the Consult, all make their moves. Yet, only a few even have a concept of what Kellhus really is. Perhaps the only one who understands the diabolic levels of Kellhus' manipulation is the Scylvendia warrior- Cainur.
As Kellhus gathers his powers and learns from Achiman, the events of the Holy War rage on. It is only near the end, you begin to slimpse what Kellhus has in mind for the entire world. Kellhus is a superb character- morally ambiguous, though people revere him as a Prophet. His plans and his schemes are far removed from the concerns of everyday people.

While the story will continue in the next series, this one does a very good job of giving us an idea as to why Kellhus started the Holy War, and we also get a great deal of revelation about Mathinet, the Consult and even the machinations of Moënghus.

While the ending is a bit rushed, the overall excellence of this series can not be overstated. At once a completely new vision of fantasy, but well steeped in the traditional characters and setting that make fantasy so popular. A different vision, with a Crusades-like story and a hefty shot of philosophy. Certainly one of the more original and different stories out there.

I certainly shall go hunt down the rest of this series, just to see how it all turns out in the end. ...more

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Dec 20, 2017 Twerking To Beethoven rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: new-wave-of-canadian-heavy-metal

This was a GRANDIOSE epilogue to an amazing saga. Don't expect me to properly review the book because I would end up spoiling the whole thing. Trust me on this one, it was bloody good, that's all.

Oi, Vlad, what do you think mate?

Exactly. ...more

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Aug 06, 2021 Thomas Stacey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The main story of this trilogy may have reached its climax, but this book raised so many more questions then it answered. I’m glad there’s 4 more books available, but will need to slow my roll if I don’t want to wait too long for the last 2-3 that haven’t been released yet.

If you fancy reading a fantasy series that’s epic in scale, with a richly detailed and dense history, with morally grey characters and a tense story that feels like a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any moment into trag ...more

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Jan 19, 2017 Redeagl rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This series is life changing.It ruined other books to me. I am lucky that I am easily pleased with books else there would have been a lot of negative ratings for every other book.

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Jan 20, 2022 John Scroggins rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

man what a book. again another 5-star book for me so that's 3 out of 3 from Bakker. I'm not sure I can adequately express how I feel about this series but I will try.. ill start with the prose. again beautiful writing and descriptions I don't think there were any repetitive or overused words or mannerisms that I noticed as with some books/series that has jarred me out of the story this was a very immersive book that like put me in the world and kept me there the whole time I was reading( mostly man what a book. again another 5-star book for me so that's 3 out of 3 from Bakker. I'm not sure I can adequately express how I feel about this series but I will try.. ill start with the prose. again beautiful writing and descriptions I don't think there were any repetitive or overused words or mannerisms that I noticed as with some books/series that has jarred me out of the story this was a very immersive book that like put me in the world and kept me there the whole time I was reading( mostly at night while the kids are sleeping) with brings me to the point of this is a very heavy series or dense series but not in a bad or boring way but in the best way possible like a really good steak that's cooked just right that you just want to take it slow and savor the experience of it. the only thing that comes close to this series is my all-time favorite series Malazan book of the fallen as in scope and worldbuilding and characters that I just loved and hated to see hurt and characters that I just wanted to kill myself!! Bakker made them feel so real and alive so human it was almost like reading a history of our world at times the background was so detailed. again the only comparison I can give is Malazan because nothing else compares iv heard that you will either love Bakker or hate it so I belive I'm I'm in the ill die on this hill!! group of readers as this is shaping up to come close to Malazan as my top favorite series. I'm very excited to continue with this series. p.s. the encyclopedia in the last 200 or so pages on my tablet is packed FULL of the myths and legends place names and their history is like the coolest thing ever I wish more authors could include this type at the end of the book as I'm sure its an optional read but man it is so good as we get pieces in the main text but its spread out in small parts so it never feels like an info dump and leaves a lot to the reader to put together so having the encyclopedia is almost like a short stay in its self as it adds so much to the main timeline I just love it and everything else about this series. ...more

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May 07, 2022 Zara rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: q1

4.5, rounded up. I’ll write my thoughts once I’ve fully digested this insane trilogy (and that ending).

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Jan 09, 2014 Michael Pang rated it liked it · review of another edition

Disappointing end to the trilogy. As a whole the trilogy is good and Bakker creates a wonderfully rich setting. The series was a bit of a roller coaster for me, the first book I gave 4 stars, the second book a 5 stars and regrettably, 3 stars here. The first 1/2 of the book abandoned the Holy War and it wasn't till the 2nd half did it return to it. I guess I just didn't find the character Kelhus compelling enough to warrant moving away from the events of the Holy War. I will say the 2nd half has ...more

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Oct 21, 2018 Ned Ludd rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Speechless. Utterly, incorrigibly fucking speechless! 5++

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Dec 06, 2008 Logan rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, 2009

Oh...this book. Not only did it take me forever to get through it, but it also left me entirely unsatisfied. About halfway through the book I decided it was only getting two stars (a fantastic final scene in which Achamian finds within him the strong, vicious man I always knew he could be made me consider giving it three, but it just doesn't deserve it).

Three books ago, I stumbled upon The Prince of Nothing and was immediately intrigued by its promise of wasted kingdoms, dark history, sorcery, l Oh...this book. Not only did it take me forever to get through it, but it also left me entirely unsatisfied. About halfway through the book I decided it was only getting two stars (a fantastic final scene in which Achamian finds within him the strong, vicious man I always knew he could be made me consider giving it three, but it just doesn't deserve it).

Three books ago, I stumbled upon The Prince of Nothing and was immediately intrigued by its promise of wasted kingdoms, dark history, sorcery, long-forgotten royalty, and the doom of a Second Apocalypse. I bought book one for those things; I kept reading for those things; and I am disappointed because I never received those things. Sure, the Second Apocalypse looms in the background, but it is not the driving force of the plot in this trilogy. What drives the plot here is the Holy War and Anasurimbor Kellhus's rise to the title of Warrior-Prophet and Aspect-Emperor.

This isn't necessarily bad (I can see the set-up for the second trilogy, Aspect-Emperor), but it becomes incredibly tedious when there is nothing to like about Kellhus. Believe me, I've tried to like him. I've never tried as hard to like a character as I've tried to like Kellhus. But I just can't. He's awful. And I don't mean to say that he's got an awful personality (he doesn't have one at all) or that he's awful because he does terrible things (which he does), what I'm saying is that he's awful as a character. I've read three books in which Kellhus plays a prominent role as the trilogy's namesake (Prince of Nothing), but I still know absolutely nothing about what motivates him. I don't understand what he is doing or why he is doing it, which makes it impossible to like him when does things such as use and manipulate the only character in this entire series worth liking: Achamian.

What really hurt this final book, though, is the ending. It jumped from place to place, person to person, and became little more than a jumble of confusing images and events. I'm still not quite sure what happened during the last moments of the Holy War, and my brain still hurts from some of the philosophical fluff that filled most of the pages dealing with Kellhus and his father. The ending, as a whole, was rushed and unsatisfying (except for that fantastic scene with Achamian I mentioned earlier). It really seemed like Bakker had already moved on to the next trilogy and suddenly realized he hadn't ended this one.

Also, I need to add that I am painfully intrigued by the events of the First Apocalypse, the appearance of the Inchoroi, the tragedy of the Nonmen, and the return of the No-God. My desire to know more is what kept me reading this far, but there's not much revealed on these subjects beyond the glossary. I'm tempted to read The Judging Eye in hopes of learning more about them and of finally getting to the Second Apocalypse, but I've lost faith in Bakker. I'm still just as uncertain as I was after The Darkness That Comes Before.

I'm a stubborn optimist when it comes to books—especially fantasy as deep and intricate as this—but I'm just so disappointed. There is such potential, but I don't think I can endure another few books of Kellhus, which is really a shame. The world and races and history Bakker creates in this series are some of the most intriguing I have ever come across, but it's a slow and challenging read that offers up very little reward for your time. ...more

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May 22, 2013 Bryan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Bakker's style has a number of strengths which I felt were brought to the fore with this, the last book in the first of three planned trilogies in the world of Earwa. Firstly, the Homeric large-scale battles were depicted quite well, as in The Warrior-Prophet (although toward the end, I was a little tired of the phrase "death came swirling down"). Secondly, Bakker's non-Kellhus characters kept developing in real and believable ways, even though I was a trifle surp I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Bakker's style has a number of strengths which I felt were brought to the fore with this, the last book in the first of three planned trilogies in the world of Earwa. Firstly, the Homeric large-scale battles were depicted quite well, as in The Warrior-Prophet (although toward the end, I was a little tired of the phrase "death came swirling down"). Secondly, Bakker's non-Kellhus characters kept developing in real and believable ways, even though I was a trifle surprised by the relative non-lethality of his approach toward his main characters (in this gritty style of fantasy I always sort of half-expect one of the main characters to bite it, and I thought for sure that Cnaiur would be the one, mostly 'cause he's bat-shit crazy). Lastly, Bakker's encyclopedic historical approach to world-building finally gets its chance to shine. The appendix was intensely large, and pretty interesting (it's rare that I'll actually spend the time to read an appendix in a fantasy novel, but I did with this one, and enjoyed it too!).

I also really enjoyed the depth he gave his magic system which, although not fully explained, was given enough detail to help the reader understand the differences between the various styles of magic. I think the magic needs some more fleshing-out, but maybe he does that in succeeding novels.

Achamian's dreams of Seswatha's life were once again a high point for me. I just find everything about the No-God and the First Apocalypse and Golgotterath so cool and foreboding that the dream sequences were some of my favourite parts of this book. I also liked Achamian's transition from sorceror to wizard.

I've read some reviews which complained about how badass Kellhus is...and he is badass. In fact, he's the MOST badass motherfucker there is (in these books, anyways). I just don't fully understand why this is a problem for so many people. Fiction is full of completely unbeatable dudes, from Conan to Tarzan, Kvothe to Rand al'Thor, Achilles to Beowulf. I think what Bakker is doing differently here is asking "What if the superhero...isn't truly a hero?" This take on the so-called "Marty-Stu" archetype is fresh and interesting to me, and I have the suspicion that what some people may not like about this is that it eliminates a certain measure of wish-fulfillment for them, in that they don't want to imagine themselves to be someone who is so selfish and completely devoid of conscience. Unfortunately though, a conscienceless character is quite a bit more realistic than a pure-hearted, noble paladin. I can imagine that this doesn't sit well with some people. ...more

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Oct 26, 2009 Michael rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: goodest-reads-2009, sf-fantasy

Alright, this was pretty badass. But it was only PRETTY badass. It could've been DIZ-AMN! Yet it was in fact just, OH, SNAP.

Book 1: 600 pages with some fairly dramatic moments, but mostly setting the chess pieces.

Book 2: 600 pages. Some very cool dramatic moments, a lot of suffering, some very startling discoveries. Still felt somewhat slow.

Book 3: 300 pages more of buildup. Then, 100 pages where everything goes crazy, and bodyparts fly all over the place, and with a flourish, it's over.

I gues ...more

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Oct 17, 2014 Leona rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, grimdark

The philosophical and intellectual aspects of this book are very impressive just like the first two books of the series. I really sympathized with Drusas Achamian, and while Kellhus dropped my jaw in the first two books, I couldn’t help but curse him in this one. The climax scene of Cnaüir was excellent just as I expected. Though the war scenes in Shimeh, especially those involving the sorcerers were unnecessarily long and even boring in a few places, but in general it is a great book.

Read my fu ...more

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May 05, 2017 Kostas rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: epic-high-fantasy, fantasy, grim-and-gritty

7/10

Coming to the third and final part of the The Prince of Nothing series, Bakker sets the bar once again very high, bringing a quite ambitious story that tries to pass much more that what it actually shows as, at the same time, his ideas continuously grow; but even though he partially manages to achieve that, the overall outcome leaves a very “bittersweet” feeling.

After a long march, passing through death and despair, the Holy War, now stronger than ever, is led by a living God; a God who will 7/10

Coming to the third and final part of the The Prince of Nothing series, Bakker sets the bar once again very high, bringing a quite ambitious story that tries to pass much more that what it actually shows as, at the same time, his ideas continuously grow; but even though he partially manages to achieve that, the overall outcome leaves a very “bittersweet” feeling.

After a long march, passing through death and despair, the Holy War, now stronger than ever, is led by a living God; a God who will bring mankind against the ancient Shimeh and its gates, and in its unfulfilled vengeance.
At the heart of the Holy War, however, Kellhus prepares to face his father and his secrets - someone who is as powerful as himself and can even see through the “Thousandfold Thought”. But, as an ancient enemy will show its true face, what he will discover along the way will reveal to him something that can prove something much more dreadful than he’d expected - something that may well even bring him and to his own destruction.

On the other side, Achamian, hurt and betrayed by the one he loved most, will find himself in the most difficult time of his life as he will find himself against between his beloved Esmenet and his School; while Cnaiür, as he wants to take his revenge from Moënghus, Kellhus’s father, will get deeper into madness and the only thing that can stop him is death itself.

The Holy War is near its end, but the war that will bring the Second Apocalypse has just begun, and the return of the Ruiner-of-All is closer than ever.

From the beginning till its end, this series proves to be one of the most challenging, though quite provoking, and ambitious attempts that tries to overcome the usual standards of Epic Fantasy and, indeed, Bakker doesn’t fail to do so here too, in the last part of the series, bringing a story that creates so large expectations as, perhaps, no other has ever done before.

The book, however, even though it’s much smaller than the previous two books, fails to completely fulfill these expectations with Bakker bringing a more ... philosophical story than usual - although to tell the truth Bakker is not an ordinary author - and much to be desired in a final book of a series such as this one.
Nevertheless, even with this small misstep, his ideas remain strong enough with the last 100 pages or so showing his, very, unique talent - something that continues to impress; as also leaving at the end much promises for his next books.

All in all, the book is certainly much weaker than the previous two, but if we think of what Bakker has brought so far, we cannot but believe that he will be able to overcome this in the next ones and improve himself as an author even more.

Ελληνική κριτική:
(view spoiler)[Φτάνοντας στο τρίτο και τελευταίο μέρος της σειράς The Prince of Nothing, ο Bakker θέτει για άλλη μια φορά τον πήχη πολύ υψηλά, φέρνοντας μια αρκετά φιλόδοξη ιστορία που προσπαθεί να περάσει περισσότερα απ’ όσα πραγματικά δείχνει καθώς, ταυτόχρονα, οι ιδέες του μεγαλώνουν συνεχώς, αλλά παρ’ όλο που αυτό το καταφέρνει να το πετύχει εν μέρει, το συνολικό αποτέλεσμα αφήνει μια πολύ «γλυκόπικρη» αίσθηση.

Μετά από μια μεγάλη πορεία, περνώντας μέσα από θάνατο και απελπισία, ο Ιερός Πόλεμος, πλέον δυνατότερος όσο ποτέ, οδηγείται από έναν ζωντανό Θεό· έναν Θεό που θα φέρει την ανθρωπότητα ενάντια στην αρχαία Shimeh και τις πύλες, και της ανεκπλήρωτης εκδίκησή της.
Στην καρδιά του Ιερού Πολέμου, ωστόσο, ο Kellhus ετοιμάζεται για να αντιμετωπίσει τον πατέρα του και τα μυστικά του - κάποιον που είναι τόσο ισχυρός όσο ο ίδιος και μπορεί να δει ακόμα και μέσα από την «Χιλιαπλάσια Σκέψη». Όμως, καθώς ένας αρχαίος εχθρός θα δείξει το πραγματικό του πρόσωπο, αυτό που θα ανακαλύψει στην πορεία θα του αποκαλύψει κάτι που μπορεί να αποδειχθεί κάτι πιο τρομερό απ’ ότι περίμενε - κάτι που μπορεί να τον φέρει κάλλιστα ακόμα και στην ίδια του την καταστροφή.

Από την άλλη μεριά, ο Achamian, πληγωμένος και προδομένος από αυτήν που αγαπούσε πιο πολύ, θα βρεθεί στην πιο δύσκολη στιγμή της ζωής του καθώς θα βρεθεί αντιμέτωπος ανάμεσα στην αγαπημένη του Esmenet και την Σχολή του· ενώ ο Cnaiür, θέλοντας να πάρει την εκδίκησή του από τον Moënghus, τον πατέρα του Kellhus, θα βρεθεί ακόμα πιο βαθιά στην παραφροσύνη και το μόνο που μπορεί να τον σταματήσει είναι ο ίδιος ο θάνατος.

Ο Ιερός Πόλεμος κοντεύει να τελειώσει, όμως ο πόλεμος που θα φέρει την Δεύτερη Αποκάλυψη έχει μόλις αρχίσει και η επιστροφή του Καταστροφέα των Πάντων είναι πιο κοντά από ποτέ.

Από την αρχή μέχρι το τέλος της αυτή η σειρά αποδεικνύεται μια από πιο απαιτητικές, αν και αρκετά προκλητικές, και φιλόδοξες προσπάθειες προσπαθώντας να ξεπεράσει τα συνηθισμένα πρότυπα της Επικής Φαντασίας και, πράγματι, ο Bakker δεν αποτυγχάνει να το καταφέρει αυτό και εδώ επίσης, στο τελευταίο μέρος της σειράς, φέρνοντας μια ιστορία που δημιουργεί τόσο μεγάλες προσδοκίες όσο, ίσως, καμία άλλη δεν έχει ξανακάνει.

Το βιβλίο, ωστόσο, παρ’ όλο ότι είναι αρκετά μικρότερο από τα προηγούμενα δύο βιβλία, δεν καταφέρνει να εκπληρώσει εντελώς αυτές τις προσδοκίες με τον Bakker να φέρνει μια πιο… φιλοσοφική ιστορία απ’ ότι συνήθως - αν και για να πούμε την αλήθεια ο Bakker δεν είναι ένας συνηθισμένος συγγραφέας - που αφήνει πολλές ανεκπλήρωτες επιθυμίες σε ένα τελευταίο βιβλίο σαν μια τέτοιας σειράς.
Παρ’ όλα αυτά, ακόμα και με αυτό το μικρό ατόπημα, οι ιδέες του παραμένουν αρκετά δυνατές με τις τελευταίες 100 σελίδες περίπου να δείχνουν το, πολύ, ιδιαίτερο ταλέντο του - κάτι που συνεχίζει να εντυπωσιάζει, όπως επίσης και αφήνοντας στο τέλος και πολλές υποσχέσεις για τα επόμενα βιβλία του.

Όλα για όλα, το βιβλίο αποδεικνύεται σίγουρα αρκετά πιο αδύναμο από τα προηγούμενα δύο αλλά, αν σκεφτούμε αυτά που έχει φέρει μέχρι στιγμής ο Bakker, δεν μπορούμε παρά πιστέψουμε ότι θα μπορέσει να το ξεπεράσει αυτό στην συνέχεια και να βελτιωθεί σαν συγγραφέας ακόμα περισσότερο. (hide spoiler)] ...more

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Oct 07, 2013 Daniel Roy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, sf

Ah well, so much for "The Prince of Nothing" trilogy. I loved the first book so much that I suffered through the vastly inferior second, then still forged on with this one. It's not as frustrating as the previous book (for one, the rape has been toned down), but it perpetuates a lot of the same problems.

It's easy to capture all the trilogy's problems in one word, and that word is "Kellhus." This character is so bad, he sucks the fun out of the supporting cast. This was painfully true in Warrior Ah well, so much for "The Prince of Nothing" trilogy. I loved the first book so much that I suffered through the vastly inferior second, then still forged on with this one. It's not as frustrating as the previous book (for one, the rape has been toned down), but it perpetuates a lot of the same problems.

It's easy to capture all the trilogy's problems in one word, and that word is "Kellhus." This character is so bad, he sucks the fun out of the supporting cast. This was painfully true in Warrior Prophet, and it's unfortunately still the case here. Kellhus has this insane superpower where he can read everyone like an open book, and can then choose what to say very precisely and get them to do what he wants. In literary terms, he shits all over their character arcs. Characters with doubts, allegiances, loved ones, suddenly abandon everything to worship his greatness. He also has a high opinion of the gibberish he spews as philosophical revelation, but that's another problem altogether.

Now, I'm not saying such a character is impossible to write in a compelling manner. Manipulation of others can make for gripping fiction. But Kellhus's method is just too convenient, too absolute, and not believable. Apparently, all he has to do is speak the truth to others and they worship him like a god. Sorry, but if a stranger came up to me and spoke the unblemished truth of my soul, I'd punch him in the teeth, even if a part of me acknowledged what he said. Our self-truths are never absolute, and they are wrapped up in layers upon layers of deception and complications. Absolute truth doesn't beget love; on the contrary, it can provoke hatred because it threatens the very edifice of our personality.

For this reason, I spent most of the book cheering instead for Ikurei Conphas, who's something of a cross between King Joffrey and Julius Caesar. He's a self-absorbed prick, but damn if he's gonna let some messianic Mary Sue wield his almighty ego. You go, you magnificent asshole!

Still, for all its faults, there are glimpses of the greatness I anticipated after reading the first book. The final chapter is full of revelation and fury, and many characters regain part of their lost agency. Achamian, as always, was a pleasure to read, even if he had a tendency to wallow in self-pity a lot. The book feels more like a setup for the next trilogy, but at least the story of the Holy War came to a satisfying conclusion.

Oh, and by the way: Mr. Bakker, next time you write a book, search for the word "fairly" in your manuscript, and ditch every single one. There are twenty-seven instances of the word in the book--twenty seven!--and they were all jarring and perfectly useless and broke my immersion every single time. It's not a style, it's a tic. ...more

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Aug 10, 2009 Jason rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: reread, e-books, read-2015

2 Stars

After the brilliance of the first two books, this one should have been a knock out. Even after a second read, I could not get over how boring this one was in comparison. Even with some exceptional battles, I had a tough time speed reading this for a second time. I will still move on to the next trilogy as Bakker is an exceptional author. Hopefully I will come back to loving this complex world.

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Oct 15, 2012 Seán rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Immense and exhausting - this is a series that requires plenty of work from the reader, but offers plenty of reward in the form of a rich world delivered with the depth (and sometimes to its detriment, the dryness) of a historical record. Grimdark doesn't come close to how utterly bleak and miserable this series can get - and I mean that as a compliment. ...more

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Nov 05, 2014 Lee rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: epic-fantasy

I feel like I have finished reading the bible. That was huge. I need time to put my thoughts together on this.

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Goodreads Librari...: Wrong cover and/or missing alternate cover edition for The Thousandfold Thought	3	9	Jul 18, 2021 04:44AM
Fantasy Book Club...: * THOUSANDFOLD THOUGHT - Finished Reading *SPOILERS*	3	64	Feb 09, 2015 11:11AM
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About R. Scott Bakker

R. Scott Bakker

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Richard Scott Bakker, who writes as R. Scott Bakker and as Scott Bakker, is a novelist whose work is dominated by a large series informally known as the The Second Apocalypse which Bakker began developing whilst as college in the 1980s.

The series was originally planned to be a trilogy, with the first two books entitled The Prince of Nothing and The Aspect-Emperor. However, when Bakker began writin ...more