R. Scott Bakker

Book Two of The Prince of Nothing finds the Holy War continuing its inexorable march southward. But the suspicion begins to dawn that the real threat comes not from the infidel but from within ... Steering souls through the subtleties of word and expression, Kellhus strives to extend his dominion over the Men of the Tusk. The sorcerer Achamian and his lover, Esmenet, submit entirely, only to have their faith - and their love - tested in unimaginable ways. Meanwhile, the warrior Cnaiur falls ever deeper into madness. Convinced that Kellhus will betray their pact to murder his father, Cnaiur turns to the agents of the Second Apocalypse and strikes an infernal bargain. The Holy War stands on a knife edge. If all is not to be lost, the great powers of the world will have to choose between their most desperate desires and the end of the world. Between hatred and hope. Between Anasurimbor Kellhus and the Second Apocalypse ...

The Warrior Prophet

Michael Springer

In my review for The Darkness That Comes Before, I mentioned that the book was mostly spent setting the scene for the holy war that was about to begin. In The Warrior-Prophet, the war is very much underway. The book follows the progression of the army through all sorts of terrains and and all sorts of horrific setbacks. 

There's a LOT of violence. Bakker's method of writing the war scenes is reminiscent of The Illiad: he is clearly trying to capture all of the important events, such as the successes and deaths of the many (many) nobles and warriors on the field. So, he bounces from character to character, following many characters we've only heard about in passing before the war began. It is a very effective, and very fun, way of describing the combat. 

All of his main characters go through notable growth in this book, including the enigmatic and dangerous Kellhus. Looking back, it's amazing to see how far everyone, including the Holy War itself, has come since the end of book 1. This is all very epic, and well-written. And, it has some surprises in store for you. Especially the last three pages. I have no idea what to make of the last three pages. 

I have been vague about the storyline. Let me explain. No, there is no time. Let me sum up. A priest named Maithenet has developed a cult-like status, and has been getting people riled up about waging a holy war on the people to the north. Then, for their own reasons, numerous other forces get involved. These include Emperor Xerius and his brilliant, arrogant nephew, Conphas; the Scarlet Spires, a mysterious and cursed school of sorcerers; and the Mandate schoolmen, a spiritual sect that relives the first apocalypse every night in their dreams. 

Meanwhile, Anasurimbur Kellhus joins the war, pretending he is a prince from a distant land. In fact, he isn't a prince at all, and is simply using the holy war as a means to arrive "safely" at a distant holy land where he expects to find his father. The warrior Cnaiur is travelling with him, and is the only one who knows Kellhus's true nature: Kellhus is not a man, and has the capability to read people's thoughts and emotions to a degree way beyond any human's. He can remember everything he has ever learned. He isn't tempted by any vice or weakness. And, he isn't hindered by any morals or emotions: Kellhus is only interested in logic, and at getting what he ultimately wants. 

As the holy war moves, Kellhus convinces the army, slowly and subtly, that he is a true prophet, and his political power continually grows. Through the end of this book, Kellhus's power is still growing. 

This is a vast simplification. A lot is going on in this series. 

Although the intricacies of Bakker's world and the complexity of his characters make this series very rewarding, it also makes the books feel slow. The Prince of Nothing's pacing is similar to that of The Lord of the Rings, and for similar reasons. You get an immersion here that you rarely do in fantasy. The fantastic elements are always near, but they aren't overused. The character's endless, miserable trek across the desert feels miserable. And, because you're hearing a fairly complete story of a huge war, you hear details about many minor characters that you don't really care that much about. But, all of this adds to your sense of awe as a reader for the sheer size of this holy war. 

And, since you know it's the real reason you read fantasy in the first place, let me just tell you there are lots of scenes with startling badassery. You WILL go, "Damn, _______ is a pimp!" numerous times. Oh, yes, you will. 

If you are bothered by graphic sexual content or graphic violence, don't read it. If you have a habit of putting down books because they aren't full of fun fight scenes, skip it. (There's only a few fight scenes in the first 700 pages of the series.) But ultimately, I think this is a terrific series and I recommend it to anyone interested in gritty fantasy that doesn't go along with your expectations or the genre norms. This is a good one.

The Warrior Prophet

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