Book review: "The White-Luck Warrior" by R. Scott Bakker

Just finished "The White-Luck Warrior" by R. Scott Bakker. This is the only paper-book I bought since I acquired Amazon Kindle, because there is no e-book version available. Since I am from Croatia, I had to order Kindle from USA Amazon, and there are no e-book versions of books from The Second Apocalypse series available for USA market, although there is for UK market.. There is a trick for bypassing this: you just have to change your address to UK. But there is a change of Amazon finding out and blocking your account, so I didn't want to risk it.

I liked the first three books in the series ("The Darkness that Comes Before", "The Warrior-Prophet" and "The Thousandfold Thought"), although the second one was not as good as the first, and third one even less so. But "The Judging Eye", which started the second in-series trilogy, happening some 20 years after the first, was simply great: the best book in series so far. "The White-Luck Warrior" is also a good book, but not as high-strung as TJE. In fact, TWLW is a typical middle book in trilogy, so much that these two could be read as a single book. It continues the plots started before and it doesn't introduce any new moments. But it concludes some of the lines and prepares are for the finale of this trilogy: "The Unholy Consult"

There are three main plots, made obvious by separation in chapters. One is the journey of the Great Ordeal (combined armies of almost all humanity, gathered by the Aspect-Emperor, Kellhus Anasûrimbor) to the Golgoreath, the seat of the Consult, servants of the No-God and their enemy. This part is seen mostly from the eye of Sorweel, a young King of Skarpati, recently conquered by Kellhus. He finally starts to understand what his purpose is, even though he feels constantly under pressure and lure of Kellhus' supremacy. His POV is sometimes interrupted by short scenes from point of view of Nersei Proyas, which gives us the only insight of what Kellhus plans and does. But more often, it is interrupted by almost encyclopedic descriptions of the battles against Sranc and difficulties the Great Ordeal suffers. These parts are done very good, nicely depicting the overwhelming power of the Sranc Horde.

The second is is told exclusively from the perspective of Drusas Achamian and Mimara Anasûrimbor (well, except one or two very short exceptions). There is not much to say about this part - they are still traveling with the Skin Eaters. This plot-line was the most interesting part in TJE; here it changes to more metaphorical journey that a real one, something like the journey of Nimander and the Tiste Andii in "Toll the Hounds". I don't think that general audience will enjoy this part so much, because it is full of philosophy (a brutal one, though). This again changes toward end, when we will finally learn more about Cleric. Also, as in TJE, it will provide us with one really spectacular and epic ending.

And the third one is description of events in the Kellhus' Empire, now abandoned by him and ruled by Esmenet. This part contains most of events happening in this book and has the most POVs: Esmenet, Kelmomas, The White-Luck Warrior, and few new ones. Again, this part reminded me much about later Dune books.

We don't learn much about the setting in this book; except at the ending when we learn more about dragons, and vie them, about Inchoroi. It is curious how a lot of names sound like Tolkien's from "Lord of the Rings". And considering the underground travel in TJE, it feels almost like homage to it; even thought, one written in much grittier and brutal tone. The writing sometimes gets tough to read through, in Erikson-like way. Oh, there is very good and succinct reminder of events from previous books at the beginning.

Even though "The White-Luck Warrior" is not as exciting and novel book as "The Judging Eye", it is a necessary part of trilogy, with some interesting stuff going at the end, and generally good. And it prepares a good way for "The Unholy Consult", a book I expect to be spectacular.

Also, I am very interested what will happen in the next and final trilogy? Another 20-year jump? Does this not bode well for the Great Ordeal?

Book review: "The Judging Eye" by R. Scott Bakker

It feels like it had been a long time since I had a book that I couldn't leave out of my hands, but "The Judging Eye", first book in a new trilogy by R. Scott Bakker that continues its "The Second Apocalypse" series, was such book. I admit that I lowered my expectations since reading "The Thousandfold Thought" several months ago - the book was weaker than its prequels, although the ending and detailed glossary/history saved it. But after reading TJE, I think I can say that it was the best one in the series so far.

Events in this book happen some 20 years after the events in TTT. After seizing the Holy War, marrying Esmenet and being sanctified as the new Prophet, Anasûrimbor Kellhus has become a first Aspect-Emperor in thousand years. Under his rule, he united the whole Three Seas - mostly by conquest, using his skills, sword and sorcery - the so-called Unification-Wars. Now, he is its absolute ruler, son of God, whose world is divine law. And now, he is finally putting in motion the plan his father has predicted with his Thousandfold Thought: the Great Ordeal, the final fight against No-God and Consult. His wife and Empress Esmenet, his half-brother and Holy Shriah Manethiat, and myriad of their advisers, ministers and helpers will stay to rule in his name, while he will lead the united might of Man against Sranc and finally Golgotterath. With him are his old allies and loyal subjects from the First Holy Wars, his two oldest surviving sons and daughter, and all rulers of Three Seas. But will he be able to lead such a host, counter the Consult and remain the absolute ruler at the same time?

Although Kellhus is presented as the most important characters, we see very little of him. We have three main plots and five important POVs. First there is a completely new character, Sorweel. As son and successor of Harweel, the King of Sakarpus, land north of Three Seas that had not accepted Aspect-Emperor as their Savior and Suler. Unfortunately for it, Sakarpus is now in the way of the Great Ordeal on their journey. Kellhus and his armies easily defeat Sakarpi warriors and shatter the walls that once resisted even the No-God. To preserve peace and use this city as base station for their journey, Kellhus uses his words seduces Sorweel, the King's son, and makes him his ally, at least in name. He also charges his son Moënghus and Kayûtas to befriend him and make him ally in earnest. Now Sorweel must choose between the love and memory of father he respected or the people who he admires, but who killed his father and people! Through his POV we follow the Great Ordeal. This part of the book is very similar to the prequels: army on marches, fanatical soldiers, tactics and strategy, and so on. We are briefly introduced to Kellhus older sons, who I presume will have much larger role in these events, especially Moënghus, considering the question of his father.

The next subplot is told from the POVs of Esmenet, a well familiar character, and Kelmomas, her and Kellhus youngest son, twin brother of Samarmas. In the absence of her Holy Husband, the role and responsibility of ruling the whole Three Seas has fallen to Esmenet, once an illiterate whore from Sumna. Not all were willing to accept the rule of Kellhus, and now the ancient cult of Yatwer, a Goddess of the earth and fertility, popular around slaves and lower castes, has put itself as their enemy. It looks like the Goddess herself resent Kellhus his power and will try to pull him down. Esmenets charges would be easier had she the support and love of her family, but it turned out that Kellhus seed is to strong, so that those sons and daughter that survived are not normal. They received some blessing from their father, being unnaturally intelligent and observant, but they are also incapable of love and trust. Fortunately for Esmenet, it looks like the youngest two, twin brothers Kelmomas and Samarmas are exception to this rule. But little does she suspect that Kelmomas is a snake in their family, ruled by evil voice in his head and his own ambition. How much damage for them will he be able to do before he is discovered? I can't exactly pinpoint why, but this part of the story reminded me much on later Dune books. We have heroes who we once known as regular people, that are now regarded as Gods, we have inimical religious cult and we have precognitive kids. This was the weakest part of the book for me, but only relatively to other two.

My best part of the book was the story revolving around Achamian. Once friend, believer and teacher of Kellhus, he now turned to the old and bitter man obsessed with founding the Kellhus' origins and hiding from the Empire that couldn't care less about him. He turned off from the world and dedicated on finding clues about Dûnyain, Kellhus "tribe". He found the unexpected ally in the dreams for Seswatha, founder of his former order, whose life is a subject of dreams of every Mandate Schoolman. It looks that dreams Achamian dreams are unique and reveal previously unknown details of Seswathas life - like the location of map with location of Dûnyain's hiding-place. Then he gets found my Mimara, Esmenet's daughter from her whoring days, who escaped from her mother and foster-family, and now wants Achamian to teach her the Gnosis, ancient magic of North. And then he finds out the Great Ordeal is already on the way and that all his trials could end in vain. So he is forced to once again embark on a journey to Sranc-infested land to the long-lost Libraries of Sauglish. But to travel there he will need help of people who are accustomed to this harsh environment - a band called Skin Eater, member of Scalpers, hunters on Sranc-scalps.

I liked this part best for two reasons. First is because we learn much about this setting via character of Cleric, first Nonman character in series. I was very surprised when he was first introduced because I didn't expect someone like him this series. And later, the more time we spend with him, the less we knew about him. I love such mysterious character and would be ready to buy the sequel just to learn who he is! The second reason is because this sub-story is some kind of homage to Tolkien, whether intentional or not, or more specifically to Moria. When Achamian, Mimara and Skin Eather were first forced to travel to underground and lost city of ancient Nonmen because of the snowed pass in mountains, I immediately felt disdain and expected a failure. Instead, Bakker pulled this marvelously and made this part a culmination of this book. If you liked the travel through Moria in "The Fellowship of the Ring", I guarantee you will like this part, too.

The book is not fast paced, and some reader could find it hard to read or annoying. It has a lot of long descriptions, internal monolog, and full pages pass by without anything happening. Looks like Bakker took after Erikson in his later books. I liked this, but I understand that many will not.

All in all, "The Judging Eye" was a very pleasant surprise where I expected a weaker book. With it, Bakker infused a new life in his series. All those who liked "The Darkness That Comes Before" should continue to here.

Book review: "The Thousandfold Thought" by R. Scott Bakker

This weekend I finished "The Thousandfold Thought", last book in first trilogy of "The Second Apocalypse" by R. Scott Bakker. As I wrote in in my posts about its prequels ("The Darkness That Comes Before" and "The Warrior Prophet"), I read them before in Croatian. This was the first book in this series that I haven't read prior, and judging by first two books, I had some big expectations for it.

I will presume that you have read both "The Darkness That Comes Before" (TDTCB from now on) and "The Warrior Prophet" (TWP), so beware of spoilers.

As was with TWP, story of TTT continues directly after its prequel. There is a long multiple POV abstract of previous books for those who don't remember everything that happened. Actually, I would advise everybody to read it, because it reveals some stuff that I didn't get or even notice while reading TDTCB and TWP. For example, I was wondering what was Kellhus getting from seducing Esmenet; well, except the tremendous influence on Achamian. I didn't understand why he allowed her to get pregnant with him. Abstract reveals that his main motive was using Esmenet's inborn intelligence to produce superior children in their union. Similar fine details are revealed.

Although what exactly happened at the end of TWP stays a bit murky, the effects of it are clear: Kellhus has acquired the possession over almost whole Holy War. There are only two sides still rebelling after him: Conphas, with all his legions, and Cnaiür. All other, even the Scarlet Spires, are now forced (whether they realize it or not) to listen the Warior-Prophet, the Voice of God. This means that for first time all this men and power, even somewhat weakened by prior conflicts, is focused by single will. And this will finally directs it to Shimeh.

Conphas decides not to yield to Kellhus, so he and his men get disarmed and sent back. Of course, Kellhus doesn't trust him even then and sends Cnaiür to keep him in check, at the same time removing the liability presented by Cnaiür. But he doesn't know that recent events brought once proud Scylvendy to the brink of madness, and that he was already seduced by the Consult, using the same weapon Kellhus used against him: Sërwe. Esmenet has risen from a simple whore to the Holy Consort and uses her unexpected intelligence to rule and organize newly found sect of the Warrior-Prophet. Achamian finally decides to reveal his final secret to Kellhus, the knowledge of Gnosis, powerful magic of old North. He also decides to finally reveal the existence of Kellhus (the Anasûrimbor) to his order, the Mandate. Consult either doesn't stand still, using his agents planted long ago, and planting some new ones...

The series continues with multi-POV/multi-plot structure started in previous books. But contrary to them, it has some problems with pacing and structure. It focuses on inner workings on characters for long stretches and then switches to advancing the plot on several pages, after which it returns to characters. Sometimes this style of writing works well. Guy Gavriel Kay is quite good with it and uses it all the time. Here it didn't work well. Advances were quite abrupt and shallow in explanations, so the reader is forced to grasp the implications on his own. I am not against this approach, but although I consider myself an advanced and fast-catching reader, I was left in dark for a lot of things. If book ended in such way, I would really have doubts about continuing this series. Thankfully, there are two things that saves it.

First is the ending. Even it is a bit too much fast-paced and not completely clear, it provides a satisfactory ending for this trilogy and prepares a glorious path for the next one. We have some really good action at the end, on several fronts. A plus is that it stays unpredictable till the last page. I also liked how things clicked perfectly; it is obvious that Bakker planned things. On the other hand, some things stay too unclear; I hope this was also intended.

Second thing, which surprised me when I first saw it, was Encyclopedic Glossary at the end. Book has around 600 pages; this glossary takes some 120 pages of it and it is comparable to the one at the end of "Lord of the Rings" (not THAT good, of course). We have not only simple names of people and places; there are stories and histories. All things and concepts that were only briefly mentioned during all three books here are (in some length) explained: First Apocalypse, Nonmen and Inchoroi, Tusk... It was a really enjoyment to read it and my understanding of the books is now much better; too bad that a lot of people will probably quit it before reaching this place. As a review from Amazon said: "Bakker asks his readers not only to enter his world, but to study it". What I consider a plus, some will regard as a flaw.

Other than these two things, I liked Esmenet's "court" plot. I like politics and espionage in books. It also shows a complexity of Bakker's characters: we have religious fanatics who are fanatic to the core, then those who believe but still retain their ambitions, and those who just pretend. I also liked explanations of magic, Gnosis and Psuke. Magical confrontations at the end were quite something.

So, to conclude: "The Thousandfold Thought" is a book weaker and harder to read than its prequels, but whose ending succeeds in pulling it above the standard. It also looks like a necessary part of great series, even though this remains to be seen. Only for those who like complex books and found first two books to their taste.