The Darkness That Comes Before (The Prince of Nothing, Book 1) - Hardcover

R. Scott Bakker

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1585675598 ISBN 13: 9781585675593

Publisher: The Overlook Press, 2004

Synopsis

In a world scarred by an apocalyptic past, four people are swept up in the launch of an imminent crusade, during which they are ensnared by mysterious traveler Anasūrimbor Kellhus, whose magical, philosophical, and military talents have origins in a distant time. 20,000 first printing.

About this title

Review:

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 from the wild, uncharted north comes a mysterious and extraordinarily powerful philosopher-warrior, Anasurimbor Kellhus, descendant of the ancient High Kings. But the return of the king's bloodline is little cause for rejoicing. For Kellhus's appearance may signal the overthrow of empires, the destruction of the sorcerous schools, the return of the Consult demons--and the end of the world.

The Darkness that Comes Before is a strong, impressive, deeply imagined debut novel. However, this first book of an epic fantasy series is not accessible; it reads like a later volume of a complicated ongoing series. Author R. Scott Bakker has created a world that is very different from J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth, yet in depth of development comes closer than most high-fantasy worlds. In addition to providing five appendices, Bakker attempts to make his complex world clear to readers by filling the prologue and opening chapters with the names of characters, gods, cities, tribes, nations, religions, factions, and sorcerous schools. For many readers, this approach will have the opposite effect of clarity. It's like demonstrating snowflake structure with a blizzard. --Cynthia Ward

About the Author:

R. Scott Bakker is a student of literature, history, philosophy, and ancient languages. His previous books include the Prince of Nothing trilogy: The Darkness that Comes Before, The Warrior Prophet, and The Thousandfold Thought. The Aspect-Emperor series is a sequel series that includes The Judging Eye,The White-Luck Warrior, The Great Ordeal, and The Unholy Consult. He lives in London, Ontario.

About this edition

• Publisher: The Overlook Press
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 1585675598
• ISBN 13: 9781585675593
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 608