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

Bakker, R. Scott

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1585675598 ISBN 13: 9781585675593

Publisher: Overlook Pr, 2004

Synopsis

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...

About this title

Product Description:

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.

Review:

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 JRR 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 sorcery schools. For many readers, this approach will have the opposite effect of clarity. It's like demonstrating snowflake structure with a blizzard. --Cynthia Ward, Amazon.com

About this edition

• Publisher: Overlook Pr
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 1585675598
• ISBN 13: 9781585675593
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 589