The Darkness That Comes Before
How did I never hear of this book before? R. Scott Bakker’s first novel and the first in The Prince of Nothing series is, for lack of a better word, tremendous. I’m only about 100 pages in and already this is one of the finest fantasy novels I’ve ever read. I probably haven’t been this impressed in the first hundred pages of an epic fantasy novel since I read “A Game of Thrones.“
Bakker is quite possibly a better writer than Martin, though we’ll see if the story continues to be as engaging. So far it is haunting, dark, and even in the first hundred pages I feel utterly immersed in Bakker’s universe. I’ll have more when I’m finished.
E.D.,
Thanks for the tip.
Do you have any other suggestions for fans of George R.R. Martin’s work? I’m coming to end of a “Feast for Crows” – which I’ve put off reading for years – and I’m looking for something with a similar level of quality.Report
Well, certainly R Scott Bakker. He’s quite a lot different than Martin, but the writing is superb and it’s very epic, a very believable world. If you like Martin or Dune or any other book like that you’ll like The Darkness that Comes Before.
Others….hmmmm. I’m very picky. I don’t know of many other epic fantasies that were all that good. I hear Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy is very good.Report
the finest fantasy author i know of is john crowley. if you’ve never heard of him, look no further than “little, big”. it will take your breath away.Report
Thanks, Max. I’ll check him out.Report
What about those of us who *don’t* like Martin? Not to begrudge his fans anything, but I just don’t have the patience/attention span/something for massive, five-volume, 4000+-page epics. I read the first two of his Fire and Ice series, but I couldn’t stay focused enough to continue. What’s similar in both theme and quality, but maybe doesn’t require so much time commitment and patience?Report
That’s a shame. The third Martin book is by far the best…
But if you don’t like really long fantasy I’d recommend checking out Neil Gaiman or digging through some young adult stuff. I just finished Witch Week by Diana Wynne Jones and it was very good.Report
I’ve finished the first two books in Bakker’s trilogy and will start the third Any Day Now. I agree that he is much better than the (IMO) highly-overrated Martin.
That being said, the second book was largely a struggle for me to push through. All the characters seemed to change in ways that left them less interesting and more distasteful to me. I guess that’s better than not changing at all, but it didn’t make the book as compelling as the first. Also, the series felt like it “insisted upon itself,” to steal the inestimable Peter Griffin’s criticism of The Godfather.
However, I will still read the third and hope things get a little more palatable. There are still some plot threads that pique my curiosity. And the plot is mercifully free of the Quest For The Magic Whatsit, or the Quest To Defeat The Invincible Overlord.
As an alternate recommendation, I much preferred Joe Abercrombie’s The First Law trilogy. Better and more interesting characters, more entertaining writing, and with much-appreciated levity interspersed amongst the darkness.Report
Thanks Kevin. I’ve seen Ambercromie’s name come up before and I think I’ll check those out.Report