Mass Market Paperback, 622 pages
English language
Published April 13, 2004 by Penguin Canada.
The Darkness That Comes Before is R. Scott Bakker's first novel, the beginning of a large-scale, swords and magic fantasy trilogy. It's a book with historical depth by an author as interested in exploring the philosophy of his world as its violent, conflicted politics. The novel begins a bit slowly as we're introduced to the characters and the world they live in. There's Kellhus, a warrior-monk from a city hidden away for 2000 years, and Achamian, a sorcerer and spy from the Mandate school, whose members all have recurring nightmares of an ancient war. There's an emperor who longs for godhood, a barbarian warlord, and assorted other schemers. And lingering in the background is something truly evil.
When a newly arisen leader declares Holy War, the story brings everyone together. From that moment, the narrative takes off, and Bakker's prose carries the story right along. There's a fair amount of …
The Darkness That Comes Before is R. Scott Bakker's first novel, the beginning of a large-scale, swords and magic fantasy trilogy. It's a book with historical depth by an author as interested in exploring the philosophy of his world as its violent, conflicted politics. The novel begins a bit slowly as we're introduced to the characters and the world they live in. There's Kellhus, a warrior-monk from a city hidden away for 2000 years, and Achamian, a sorcerer and spy from the Mandate school, whose members all have recurring nightmares of an ancient war. There's an emperor who longs for godhood, a barbarian warlord, and assorted other schemers. And lingering in the background is something truly evil.
When a newly arisen leader declares Holy War, the story brings everyone together. From that moment, the narrative takes off, and Bakker's prose carries the story right along. There's a fair amount of graphic violence, broken up by occasional flashes of humour. Bakker is working a combination that's currently also being explored by Steven Erikson and Sean McMullen: big fantasy worlds with long, deep histories, and characters who can think as well as act. It's a potent mix that elevates The Darkness That Comes Before well above most of its competition and bodes well for the rest of the series.
Proper epic fantasy, in a truly well developed world, as we follow the tale of three people who are instrumental in arranging a holy war; one sorcerer, one warrior and one who’s trained in being able to psychological manipulate people. Weaker when it comes women characters.
Well written, but little more than a really long introduction to the characters in the book.
I've learned to trust the man who hates openly, and to fear only those who hate in secret.
I really wanted to enjoy this book. I was excited to get in to a new fantasy series but I found it difficult to get in to the story. The worst parts of my "Malazan Book of the Fallen" series attempt (7 months in 2015 and I made it halfway through book 7) were found here. I don't mind being dropped in to the middle of the story and having the expectation to pick it up as I go, but I need something to keep me reading.
Learning about events that happened elsewhere or discussing a complicated history when characters are going between locations is a turn off. I don't need to be spoonfed the story but it could have had a smaller scope to make the story easier to pick up. …
I've learned to trust the man who hates openly, and to fear only those who hate in secret.
I really wanted to enjoy this book. I was excited to get in to a new fantasy series but I found it difficult to get in to the story. The worst parts of my "Malazan Book of the Fallen" series attempt (7 months in 2015 and I made it halfway through book 7) were found here. I don't mind being dropped in to the middle of the story and having the expectation to pick it up as I go, but I need something to keep me reading.
Learning about events that happened elsewhere or discussing a complicated history when characters are going between locations is a turn off. I don't need to be spoonfed the story but it could have had a smaller scope to make the story easier to pick up. I was willing to abandon the book several times but thought I should stick through it in the hope of some improvement, and that came in the form of a few characters.
Achamian wasn't enough to carry the story, but thankfully Cnaiür and Kellhus appeared and made their chapters the more enjoyable of the book. I'll stop the series here, even if the next story books have a higher rating it's probably not enough motivation for me to carry on with something I'm not fully committed too.
Sex scenes were hilarious and terrible (seriously, black seed?). The rest of the story is interesting and I'll read the next one.
Turned out way better than I expected, less Tolkien-rip-off and more proper fantasy. Will probably read the rest of the series.
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 books seemed to be bogged down with. Much to the surprise of everyone I am also a huge fan of the Game of thrones series. Just as the marketers assured me, lol.
It also comes as no surprise to me that Bakker is a philosophy student. He brings up some interesting ideas without overcrowding the …
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 books seemed to be bogged down with. Much to the surprise of everyone I am also a huge fan of the Game of thrones series. Just as the marketers assured me, lol.
It also comes as no surprise to me that Bakker is a philosophy student. He brings up some interesting ideas without overcrowding the story.
Anyway, I fell in love with this book and I consider it and the rest of the series to be in the top five all time fantasy books I have read. I would recommend this book to anyone and have on many occasions.
