Bakker's work truly stands out as the finest new fiction I have come across in many years. The man is without a doubt a master of his craft. It is writing of such high caliber that enriches our lives and makes them more interesting. His work is like epic fantasy seen through the lens of philosophy, a modern-day equivalent of "Lord of the Rings" for the 21st century adult. The sorcery he描绘 is brought to life with an imagination and a gift for language that does justice to the subject matter.

UPDATE: On my second reading, it was even better. In part, this was because I wasn't hurried by the急切 need to know what would happen next. Instead, I was able to savor the depth of the story more fully this time around. It is truly a fantastic trilogy that keeps drawing the reader in and leaving them with a sense of wonder and satisfaction.

The first sub-series in R. Scott Bakker's epic has come to an end, and 'The Prince of Nothing' has instantly established itself as the best piece of fiction I can envision.

On a purely technical level, considering prose, structure, narration, character and theme progression, it is truly remarkable. Oh, and let's not forget worldbuilding, although the names might seem a bit hilarious at first.

(But in fact, if you delve into ancient history and the context from which they are drawn, the names make perfect sense.)

I have made my admiration for this man and his work clear in previous reviews of this series. To avoid redundancy, I'll try not to dwell too much on this aspect this time.

Instead, I want to return to something I mentioned in my review of the very first book in the series, 'The Darkness that Comes Before' (and perhaps the second one as well).

I stated that, in contrast to Malazan, which it is often compared to, 'Prince of Nothing' has a stronger focus and a more straightforward plot. The philosophy and themes are at the forefront, but they don't lead to a disconnection from the scene or feel like a deviation that disrupts the momentum and progress of a scene.

Well, I think I have to adjust that statement a bit for the third book.

In 'The Warrior Prophet', I already started to notice that it was becoming more philosophically rambling at times, but it still wasn't to the extent that it detracted from the scenes and the overarching plot(s). It could have been a middle-book thing, and since this one is rather short, it might just be the groundwork for the big finale that ties it all together.

And again, I have to admit that I was wrong.

This book is much heavier on philosophy than the previous two. However, it still doesn't take away much because of how beautifully it is written and connected to the characters and scenes. Once again, the technical level alone is enough to justify a high rating. It's that good.

But it was noticeable, especially since the big confrontations the series built up to turned out to be vehicles for more discussion of the themes that have driven the series so far.

This could have been expected, but I just thought I'd mention it to correct my earlier statement.

What all of this has led to is that some things, while fascinating to read, still went over my head a bit because I didn't read this book with the full focus it deserves. There is now a lot more thought and reflection needed to fully grasp this book and the series as a whole. I mean, what did I expect? In the end, this is the point in the story where Bakker gets his major points across and concludes them for the time being.

But even if I couldn't fully grasp every aspect of this first ending, I still admire it on a technical level. I understand what Bakker was doing here and I can't help but be in awe.

It's some really good stuff, but also some really dark stuff. Have you heard that this series is dark? Well, it doesn't get any better. The conclusions on philosophy, the individual, power, and morality addressed here are very, very grim and nihilistic.

Personally, I love this kind of stuff, and I don't think anyone would reach this point in the story without being okay with insanely dark themes and events. But still... It's part of the series and part of the author's reflections. And as I have heard, it only gets worse in the following series.

Which brings me to the point that this ending indeed feels temporary. The characters from book 1 have reached a status in the world that has led to significant change and now makes them capable of inflicting more of what they have become onto the world.

To get back to my comparison from the first review, you could consider this ending similar to how 'Dune' ends.

And in a similar way to that ending, you could stop here. But I won't, because what Frank Herbert wanted to tell wasn't fully told in that case, and what Bakker wants to tell isn't fully told here.

The main story of this trilogy might have reached its climax. However, this book has raised an abundance of questions rather than providing answers.

I'm truly glad that there are 4 more books available. But if I don't want to wait too long for the last 2 - 3 that haven't been released yet, I will have to slow down my reading pace.

If you have a penchant for reading a fantasy series that is on an epic scale, boasting a richly detailed and dense history, filled with morally grey characters, and a tense story that gives the impression of a ticking time bomb, ready to detonate at any moment into tragedy and despair, then The Second Apocalypse is the perfect choice for you.

Overall, I rate it 4 stars. It's a captivating series that keeps you on the edge of your seat, eager to discover what lies ahead. The complex world-building and well-developed characters make it a must-read for fantasy enthusiasts.

Despite the unanswered questions, it only adds to the allure and mystery of the series, leaving you hungry for more. I can't wait to see how the story unfolds in the upcoming books.

The experience of reading this book was not quite the same as the high I felt during the first book in the series.

However, I still found it enjoyable and engaging.

As the conclusion of a trilogy, I had anticipated more definitive answers to the many questions that had been raised throughout the story.

It was a bit disappointing to not have all the loose ends tied up neatly.

Thankfully, there is a follow-up quartet on the horizon, and I am hopeful that it will provide the answers and closure that I am seeking.

I look forward to delving into the next installment and seeing how the story continues to unfold.

I believe that the author has the potential to deliver a truly satisfying conclusion to this epic tale.

Until then, I will continue to speculate and theorize about what might happen next.

Overall, while this book may not have reached the same heights as the first, it still holds great promise for the future of the series.

3.75

Well, that's it for "The Prince of Nothing" trilogy. I was really fond of the first book, so I endured the much inferior second one and then continued with this one. It's not as aggravating as the previous book (for one thing, the rape aspect has been toned down), but it still has a lot of the same issues.

It's simple to sum up all the trilogy's problems in one word, and that word is "Kellhus." This character is so terrible that he drains the enjoyment from the supporting cast. This was extremely true in "Warrior Prophet," and unfortunately, it's still the case here. Kellhus has this crazy superpower where he can read everyone like an open book and then precisely choose what to say to get them to do what he wants. In literary terms, he completely disrupts their character arcs. Characters with doubts, loyalties, and loved ones suddenly abandon everything to worship his greatness. He also has a high opinion of the gibberish he spouts as philosophical revelation, but that's a whole other problem.

Now, I'm not saying that such a character can't be written in an engaging way. Manipulation of others can make for exciting fiction. But Kellhus's method is just too convenient, too absolute, and not believable. Apparently, all he has to do is tell the truth to others and they worship him like a god. Sorry, but if a stranger came up to me and told the unblemished truth about my soul, I'd punch him in the teeth, even if a part of me recognized what he said. Our self-truths are never absolute and are wrapped up in layer upon layer of deception and complications. Absolute truth doesn't lead to love; on the contrary, it can cause hatred because it threatens the very foundation of our personality.

For this reason, I spent most of the book rooting for Ikurei Conphas instead, who is kind of a cross between King Joffrey and Julius Caesar. He's a self-centered jerk, but damn if he's going to let some messianic Mary Sue use his huge ego. You go, you magnificent asshole!

Still, despite all its flaws, there are glimpses of the greatness I expected after reading the first book. The final chapter is full of revelations and fury, and many characters regain some of their lost agency. Achamian, as always, was a pleasure to read, even if he had a tendency to wallow in self-pity a lot. The book feels more like a setup for the next trilogy, but at least the story of the Holy War came to a satisfying conclusion.

Oh, and by the way: Mr. Bakker, next time you write a book, search for the word "fairly" in your manuscript and get rid of every single one. There are twenty-seven instances of the word in the book - twenty-seven! - and they were all jarring, completely useless, and broke my immersion every time. It's not a style, it's a tic.

I normally never really dislike books, but this series takes the cake.

It's not about its writing or really its plot; I absolutely hate these characters.

First off, we have Kellhus. He's supposed to be inhuman in intellect and reading people. But after being hit over the head with every description that he's like no other man, so smart, so observant, I started to feel like "What the hell is the point of this story?" The plot comes down to a bloody and dramatic roadtrip where everyone just gushes over Kellhus. And I mean everyone. There is no one who doesn't like him. And the few that don't are promptly killed off.

Next, we have Serwe and Esmenet. Bakker cannot write females for shit. They are portrayed as tools for fucking, getting pregnant, and getting married to. Serwe's only defining trait is how good looking she is. She creates conflict between Kellhus and Cnaiur, gets pregnant, gives birth, and then is killed off. Esmenet has a personality at first, but then her role becomes just to create conflict between Achamian and Kellhus. And at the end of the third book, even though Achamian tells her Kellhus is not to be trusted, she still stays with him because she's pregnant.

Bakker also does a horrible job with writing men. The downfall of most of the male characters is because they're sex fiends. Cnaiur can't slit Kellhus' throat because of his urge to screw Serwe. Achamian cheats on Esmenet because Serwe is hot. If your plot is just full of sex scenes and all your females' main concern is getting raped, then you have a problem.

I seriously could go on, but I'll spare anyone reading this anymore agony. I picked up this series because of its good reviews, but now I'm putting it down wondering how anyone can read through this horrendous display of characterization.

Why I Read This:

I was completely captivated by Book 1 and 2 of this series. The stories and characters in those books had me on the edge of my seat, eagerly anticipating the conclusion of the trilogy. I simply couldn't wait to see how it all would end and what fate awaited the characters I had come to love and care about.

My Impression:

Bakker is an incredibly brilliant writer. If I were to rate his books, the three that I have read would all deserve a perfect 5 stars. The Thousandfold Thought continues in the same vein as the first two books, with intense torment and a sense of edgeless doom. It brings several narrative arcs to their natural conclusions, but for me, there were more loose ends than I had expected. If there weren't another four books in this universe, I would have felt that the trilogy was incomplete. However, this small critique only makes me more determined to read The Judging Eye as soon as possible.

Achamian and Esmenet's storyline was particularly heart-wrenching. There were more epic battle scenes in this book than in the previous two, and we got deeper into the world of diabolical magic. Despite the many answers that were revealed, there are still mysteries that remain, keeping me hooked and eager for more.

Craft-Related Notes:

- For everything I love about Bakker's style, please refer to my previous reviews.

- The meeting of father and son seemed a bit rushed to me. It felt like a device used to dump a lot of information in an otherwise flawless composition. But considering the scale of this story, sometimes such sacrifices are necessary to move the plot forward.

Overall, this was a great conclusion to the series.

It was my least favorite among the three, but considering I adored the first two, the standard was set extremely high.

The Good:

Once more, the prose was simply gorgeous. The author's writing style is truly incredible. I envision it as Tolkien from a darker realm. It's beautiful, ancient, profound, and has a legendary feel. It's as if you're delving into some profound and hidden ancient mythology. However, the way he weaves it with the profane and vulgar is simply cool. I love it when authors can write beautifully about horrible and dark things, and this is the epitome of that.

Regarding the plot and characters, I was very satisfied with the ending of the trilogy. It was sad, disturbing yet fulfilling. The characters all had perfect endings. The long-awaited conversation that we've been anticipating for 3 books paid off handsomely. The lore we learned about the inchoroi and sorcery only made this vast world even cooler. We witnessed the most epic battle in all of fantasy, truly massive, chaotic, and heroic. The relationship dynamic between two characters was deep, complex, and emotional.

The Bad:

I didn't particularly like the pacing in this one. The first half of the book had me wondering how on earth this could be the final book of a trilogy, as it was progressing so slowly and not much was happening. I liked the story, but I was concerned considering we only had 200 pages left. Then, around page 200, it suddenly picked up at a dizzying pace, which was rather disorienting. The Warrior Prophet had such an incredibly good pacing, perhaps my expectations were just too high.

I felt that the main battle in this book was so huge that it became a bit confusing, but I think if I were to re-read it, it would make a lot more sense.

Finally, I know I said the ending was great, and it was, but that's partly because I'm aware that there's another 4-book series following this. If this were the end of the story, I probably would have been disappointed. There were numerous questions that remained unanswered, and I'm glad we still have four more books to explore all of that.

All in all, it's a wonderful book, and most people won't be disappointed with this final installment of The Prince Of Nothing. There were a few aspects that I liked significantly less than in the other books, but that's in comparison to two books that might be my absolute favorites in the genre. The trilogy as a whole is a 5/5. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, though. It's unrelentingly dark, filled with truly horrific violence and abuse, highly focused on philosophy, and gets quite dense. Although I personally believe it was all well-written, not everyone will share this view, and that's okay. It's a very niche series that won't be to everyone's taste, and I can see it being actually quite upsetting for some readers. For me, however, I loved it.

The only content warning I'd give for this book is sexual violence, but it's not nearly as bad as in the first two books. Here are some quotes I enjoyed:

"All our acts turn upon what we assume to be true, what we assume to know. The connection is so strong, so thoughtless, that when those things we need to be true are threatened, we try to make them true with our acts. We condemn the innocent to make them guilty. We raise the wicked to make them holy. Like the mother who continues nursing her dead babe, we act out our refusal... ...When we believe without ground or cause, conviction is all we possess, and acts of conviction become our only demonstration. Our beliefs become our God, and we make sacrifices to appease them."

"In this simple fact lay the tragic and catastrophic truth of the Nonmen. Mekeritrig had lived a hundred lifetimes-more! What would it be like, Achamian wondered, to have every redeeming memory-be it a lover's touch or a child's warm squeal-blotted out by the accumulation of anguish, terror, and hate? To understand the soul of a Nonman, the philosopher Gotagga had once written, one need only bare the back of an old and arrogant slave. Scars. Scars upon scars. This was what made them mad. All of them... ...I am an Erratic," Mekeritrig was saying. "I do that which I hate, I raise my heart to the lash, so that I might remember! Do you understand what this means? You are my children!"

If The Warrior Prophet was an aberration, then The Thousandfold Thought is the continuation of that hellish descent into oblivion.

It is truly astonishing to think that the same author who crafted the masterpiece A Darkness That Comes Before could pen these two putrid sequels.

The Warrior Prophet seemed to deviate from the brilliance of the first book, and The Thousandfold Thought only exacerbates that disappointment.

One would have expected the author to build on the success and promise of A Darkness That Comes Before, but instead, we are presented with a pair of works that lack the depth, complexity, and engaging narrative of the original.

It is a pity that such great potential was squandered, and one can only hope that the author will find a way to recapture the magic that made the first book so captivating.

Until then, readers will have to look elsewhere for the kind of literary excellence that they once thought this author was capable of delivering.

The ending was quite good, but this fellow really struggles when it comes to writing battles.

It's always just a matter of "x occurred, and then y occurred, and then z occurred."

For someone who includes Erikson on his list of those who inspired him, the battles in his work are worlds apart from what one might expect.

It seems that he fails to capture the intensity, the strategic nuances, and the chaos that typically characterize a thrilling battle scene.

One can't help but wonder if he truly understands the art of描绘 a battle in a way that would engage and excite the reader.

Perhaps he needs to study more examples of great battle writing or find a way to infuse his own unique style and creativity into these crucial moments of his stories.

Until then, the battles in his works will continue to fall short of the mark.

2 Stars

After the remarkable brilliance of the first two books in this series, one would have expected this installment to be an absolute knockout. However, even after a second careful read, it is impossible to overlook just how disappointingly boring this particular book is in comparison.

Despite the presence of some truly exceptional battles that should have added excitement and drama, I found myself struggling to speed read through it for the second time. It was a real chore to get through the pages.

Nevertheless, I am still determined to move on to the next trilogy as Bakker is undeniably an exceptional author. I have faith that perhaps with a fresh perspective and as the story continues to unfold, I will once again come to love this complex and intricate world that he has created. There is still hope that this book was just a minor blip in an otherwise great series.

I look forward to seeing what the next installment has in store and whether it will be able to recapture the magic and excitement that was present in the earlier books.

Many authors throughout the history of Science Fiction and Fantasy (SFF), especially in the past half century, have ventured to create sagas, those epic narratives that span across numerous volumes of books.

Undoubtedly, there are many mythologies that have withstood the test of a century or more and have preceded The Second Apocalypse. However, few can rival the extraordinary talent, training, and ambition of its author, R. Scott Bakker.

Spoilers for The Darkness That Comes Before (TDTCB) and The Warrior-Prophet (TWP) follow:

The Thousandfold Thought (TTT) commences with a victorious Holy War. The Inrithi have triumphed over the Fanim Padirajah in battle outside the city of Caraskand. Now, nothing stands in the way of their march on the Latter Prophet’s Holy Shimeh, which has become the lair of the heathen Fanim Sorcerer-Priests, the blind Cishaurim. The rift between the Inrithi Orthodox and the Inrithi Zaudunyani has reached its zenith, and with the discovery of face-changing creatures infiltrating the Inrithi factions, they turn to the only person who can expose the spies in their midst.

TTT concludes the story of the characters introduced in TDTCB while simultaneously laying the groundwork for the conflict of the subsequent tetralogy and the second act in Bakker’s The Second Apocalypse. Unlike the previous volumes, Bakker presents a unified narrative in TTT, simply titled The Final March. As the surviving characters come to terms with how far they have traveled and contemplate Shimeh, the city they have been tirelessly approaching, they face their own dilemmas. Kellhus, having manipulated the Holy War’s leaders and soldiers into believing he is the second coming of Inri Sejenus, focuses his vast intellect on Shimeh and the possibility of finally meeting his father. Achamian, although bitter about Kellhus’ lies and deceptions, realizes he is the only hope against the ancient enemies of his School and continues to teach and protect him. Conphas, who unwittingly sided with the creature Sarcellus and the Inrithi Orthodox against Kellhus, remains bitter and oblivious to the revelations that have shattered his world. Esmenet, believing Achamian dead, has become Kellhus’ second wife and, as Prophet-Consort, must help shape Kellhus’ new order as a powerful woman rising above the bigotries of men. And Cnaiur, with Serwe killed by the Inrithi during their persecution of Kellhus, struggles with the realization that Kellhus no longer requires him to kill his father, all while descending deeper into the madness that has haunted him throughout his life.

As Shimeh beckons, those who reach her walls must decide for themselves if she is worth the thousands of lives lost in the attempt to reclaim her and if their cause remains righteous and holy when the reasons for that cause have changed.

Bakker's writing is dark, expansive, and profound, and his characters are deep, brooding souls, as one might expect in a world as savage as theirs. Yet, there is still hope in the face of unyielding evil and in the characters who strive, fight, and endure, despite the overwhelming odds stacked against them.

Few authors offer the opportunity to embark on such a fantastical journey as R. Scott Bakker. While he remains one of contemporary fantasy's most under-read and divisive authors, it is well worth engaging with his work and forming your own opinions.

Experience it for yourself.