The Warrior Prophet

This book will force its way into your head and refuse to leave. I finished it a few days ago, and some of the more memorable words/phrases -- "Thousandfold Thought," "Golgotterath," "secret of battle" -- kept coming into my mind, forcing me to think about the events. The characters, though not always likeable, definitely resonate (I'll have trouble forgetting Kellhus, Achamian, Cnaiur, or any of the others.) The fantastic elements are unique, the world-building is on par with anything else I've read, and there's even some humor worked into the text (dark humor, as the subject matter demands, but humor nonetheless.) One warning: reading these books have killed my taste for lower quality fantasy. This is good stuff!

I have to admit that much of R. Scott Bakker's first novel, "The Darkness That Comes Before," left me wondering just what the hell was going on. Bakker created an original new world, Earwe, with a long, tortured history, and dropped you smack-dab in the middle of it without much of an explanation . . . and you were generally left to fend for yourself as you learned about the religious strife plaguing the countries, the political intrigues, the spying of the various sorcerers' Schools, and romantic sub-plots. In the hands of a lesser writer, "The Darkness That Comes Before" would have been an annoyance rather than a great read, but Bakker brings the goods. A poetic style combines with the patience to only gradually reveal key details to make "The Darkness That Comes Before" a truly enjoyable journey through an original, if completely foreign, land. In "The Warrior Prophet," Bakker hits a new high mark, as the various plots and agendas of the vast cast of characters are much clearer. The Holy War, which is essentially a medieval Crusade on steroids, is marching south towards its goal of the city of Shimeh. Being an amalgamation of forces and followers from various nations, the Holy War is plagued by in-fighting, and there is almost as much bloodshed within the Holy War as there is directed towards their hated foes. While the nobles still lead their respective armies, it is undeniable that Anasurimbor Kellhus (the titular "Prince of Nothing") is growing in influence and is gradually becoming the de facto leader of the expedition. Kellhus, who may be even more of a demi-god in this second novel than he was in the first, continues to pursue his own agenda by seemingly coopting the agenda of the Holy War. While his precise motives for tracking down his father aren't always clear, he moves with an undeniable purpose, foiling assassination attempts while winning over the hearts and minds of those around him, even occasionally the hearts of those who hate him, or those who have sworn themselves to another. In the midst of the Holy War, an alien race strides in the guise of men, known only by Kellhus and the mighty sorcerer Drusas Achamian . . . which of course marks both Kellhus and Drusas for death. This is inconvenient for both, as there is already a long line of people who want both Kellhus and Drusas to depart this world, as painfully as possible. The good news is that now that the Holy War is marching, there are numerous opportunities for Bakker to demonstrate that he can play with the "big boys" when it comes to depicting the horrors of the battlefield (Bernard Cornwell and Cormac McCarthy come to mind as you read Bakker's works, as does Manda Scott). From the clash of armies to Kellhus' inhuman battle gifts to Drusas unleashing his sorcerer's rage, "The Warrior Prophet" is rife with blood and triumph. "The Warrior Prophet" can be a difficult book at times, as literally hundreds of thousands of people are killed during the Holy W

This book continues the lovingly detailed world building of The Darkness That Comes Before and adds a sense of horrible necessity. With everything from the linguistic family trees to the interplay of Gnosis and Logos the author he creates a real place that still manages to be utterly fantastic.In this volume, more than in almost any book I've read we get to see inside the heads of people who are greater and more intelligent than the author or the reader. This is a very neat trick. As I alluded to earlier, the world is very well constructed. There is a real sense of history as well as merely place. There is religion, not just theistic special effects. We see transformation, and it is often awful and wonderful - in that it creates awe and wonder.

"Warning: This novel contains violence, nudity, and coarse language. Parental discretion is advised. " While this cautionary statement applies perfectly to The Warrior Prophet, it belies the breadth, the depth, and the beauty of the tale. There are scenes of brutally graphic violence. There are also episodes of explicit sexual encounters. And there are occasions where characters utter coarse language. However, none of these episodes is in any way gratuitous. Every event in this epic unfailingly serves to further character development, move the plot forward, and/or enhance the versimiltude of time and place. There is also great beauty to be found in The Warrior Prophet. The language flows with a poetic sensibility. Moments of glory and trancendance are achieved, however ephemeral their substance. And the fantastic is rendered so skillfully that one scarcely remembers if there ever was a boundary between our own reality and this world of Bakker's creation.The third book in The Prince of Nothing series cannot come soon enough for this reader.

All I can say is that you must read it. I rarely write reviews, but when I do, it's for something particularly good or something particularly bad. This isn't good. It's amazing.