Thoughts in Process | The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

You know what they say: Curiosity killed the sranc. I’m glad you’ve started this crazy journey, Mike, and I think you even said “Achamian” correctly!

[@krispeysen54]

I actually heard Bakker say it as ak-I-mian in an interview. Which upsets me because I was saying it like Mike said it in my head.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Thank you for your positive bullying, my friend.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@mikesbookreviews Anytime, buddy! 😁

[@FallingPoets]

I picked this book up in the 9th grade - way back when it was first published. It was too much for me and I didn’t pick it back up until I was a senior in high school - and I was in love. So glad to see this series get its flowers from the public finally. ❤

[@misomiso8228]

Remember....read no spoilers or wiki! At book seven you will be a changed man.

[@SteveTalksBooks]

Try not to worry too much about names and locations, they will make more sense later in the series. What happens in the prologue plays out throughout the series. I've read the book three times and I still find stuff I missed. We're almost done with the series again with a reading group on our forum, if you have questions about the book we'd love it if you joined our little community. One cannot raise walls against what has been forgotten.

[@LG-jn5fx]

This is my second favourite series after Malazan and I highly recommend you finish the original trilogy. The pay off at the end of this trilogy is worth the effort and made my jaw drop... just do not expect much to be explained. I love Kelhus as a character and I always think of the Dunyain like medieval Bene Gesserit with epic powers of manipulation on a societal wide scale.

[@ataridc]

Shouldn't you want things to be explained to some extent?

[@mikesbookreviews]

Interesting. I was getting Bene Gesserit out of the Mandate. I was getting more of the Dúnedain from Lord of the Rings out of the Dûnyain. But perhaps that's just the similarity in name.

[@safinan8008]

Happy reading to you!!! 😊

[@mikesbookreviews]

Gracias!

[@EricMcLuen]

You will eventually figure out what names you can skip - much like the Biblical begats. I also heard somewhere he came up with the names because they looked cool. But he ocer did it on the symbols. I looked at the map a lot - wish it was in the beginning. But Bakker's prose is amazing and might be the only author who has brought my reading to a dead stop with a single sentence.

[@mikesbookreviews]

I saved a high res version of the map on my phone so I can zoom in. Realizing how far Kellhus thinks he is going to walk (Ishual to Shimeh) made me laugh.

[@EricMcLuen]

@mikesbookreviews Well, he does have three nooks.... Logen probably walked that far in half a book.

[@ozkantd]

The problem with "Don't worry about it, it'll make sense in time" is that it implies you will gain a deep understanding, whereas with something like warrens in malazan it's more like just "Don't worry about it" period, or maybe "Don't worry about it, what you know is enough" Warrens are very much a soft magic system, you're never going to get a breakdown of how they work. Funnily enough I don't think really any in-world mages know how they work. Mages using the warrens for magic in Malazan are more like cavemen that know they can make fire by striking 2 stones together but they have no idea how the physics of it all works.

[@ataridc]

From what I remember they're like short cut tunnels that travel through alternate realities. Is that right or is it much more complicated than that?

[@mikesbookreviews]

Oh I let Warrens go in like book 3 ha ha

[@storky1456]

*Cough Finish Malazan

[@mikesbookreviews]

no u

[@Chewbaccafruit]

I saw this at my library's used book sale, bet I grabbed it up real quick

[@slowlyred2082]

Ah, sweet Sejenus 🙌

[@mikesbookreviews]

Ha ha I knew you'd be happy! Good to see you, brother.

[@slowlyred2082]

@@mikesbookreviews good to be seen. 😉 Definitely take your time. Things will begin to click a lot more as you push forward. But not everything gets explained crystal clear. The ambiguous parts will stick with you though, I still think about this series Almost daily.

[@mikesbookreviews]

That's a hell of a sales pitch.

[@darrenwashburn4912]

Thanks for bringing so many great books to my attention. I recently discovered your channel after I started getting into reading books. I’m going through a difficult time in life right now and your videos/presentation style is very calming and makes me feel a bit better.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Welcome aboard! Really happy to have you here. And when things are glum if real life I find books to be the great escape I need.

[@cursedarmada88]

The journey begins! Very excited to hear your thoughts on the series!

[@mikesbookreviews]

Hey man! Just found your video deep dives yesterday. Great stuff!!

[@abnushagnasty805]

Well I love a challenge so I added it to my TBR. And if it’s complex like Malazan then I know I’m going to love it. Plus I love grimdark so it will be a win-win for me. Thanks Mike. 👍

[@mikesbookreviews]

I certainly think Malazan fans will enjoy this.

[@MichaelRSchultheiss]

*YES!* So glad you're reading it! Don't worry, you're doing the right thing by taking your time: there's a *very* great deal to take in. I think you'll see the Dune influences as well. Cheers!

[@mikesbookreviews]

I can kind of see it already, especially with the terminology thrown around like you're supposed to know what it is. Mandate feels kind of Bene Gesserit, too.

[@stjepanvaresevaccobets]

Little by little, all the threads of the story in the book will unravel like a ball of thread.

[@mikesbookreviews]

I think that's a good thing ha ha

[@stjepanvaresevaccobets]

@@mikesbookreviews Yes, but story in book are cool and dark.

[@stevenstewart782]

And the other thing that gets me about this book is yeah it's a great prolog then you jump into the story and it's totally different characters And you like wait I was really invested in what that guy was doing😄

[@mikesbookreviews]

No doubt. I'm on page 151 and still no Kellhus.

[@nicholasradel3899]

The Sranc are pure nightmare fuel. Have to read this series again, the Prince of Nothing trilogy is top tier fantasy imo

[@mikesbookreviews]

Yeah, like orcs cranked to 11 on the nightmare scale

[@IanPatton]

I'm 73. Please finish Black House before I die. LOLOL.

[@IanPatton]

@ChillCollins616 LOLOL

[@ataridc]

​@@IanPattonlolol

[@mikesbookreviews]

I finished it yesterday, Sai

[@MacScarfield]

“I am not one more animal. (…) I am a man. I stand apart from these things.” Bakker is definitely making Kellhus reference the words used about the Gom Jabbar Test in the Prologue there. Also definitely felt a John Le Carre Spy Story influence (more disillusioned conmen and indifferent bureaucracies than James Bond action) with Achamian: The Scarlet Spires seems to me as as much a reference to the sorcerer’s fortress from the Conan the Cimmerian of “The Scarlet Citadel”, as to the Soviet “Red Fortress” of Kremlin from a Cold War Spy Novel!

[@mikesbookreviews]

Ha ha Conan is what I got, too!

[@blacknbluecollarreader]

Yes, Yes, Yes. Definitely take your time on this one and I definitely read paragraphs over and over again in an attempt to grasp to the authors vision. You killed the pronunciation of Achamian and Anasûrimbor so your not doing too bad. lol.

[@mikesbookreviews]

You should have heard me try to say Anasurimbor Kellhus in my August TBR video. I actually laughed out loud.

[@lorn6294]

​@@mikesbookreviews'killed' meaning you pronounced them correctly (as 'killed' can be taken as two opposite meanings) 🙂

[@Red21Viper]

Do not worry. This is nothing like Malazan. You are in the introductions part. After that you will stay with these people and their tale. Its just some chapters. After that it will be focused and you will start syncing with it

[@mikesbookreviews]

I'm already in!

[@stillpraisingthesun1612]

I started reading this after i finished malazan based on some recommendations. I hope it will be good.

[@mikesbookreviews]

I hope so!

[@stevenstewart782]

I'm only about 2 chapters in but I'm enjoying it so far Yeah he's giving us Pretty big info dump But as far as his style of just naming things and expecting us to Know what they are I'm used to that From a lot of other Books I've ever read. So my plan is read a chapter a day and that should Get me By the end of august. Like you I tend to take my time with Dense Stories and yeah it's about an hour per chapter is accurate I'm doing that on several books right now.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Yeah, totally taking my time. I fear I'm getting obsessed already with digging up the lore of every new mentioned location/event.

[@stevenstewart782]

Finished it this morning.fully invested.I want to know what is up with The Consult

[@iWizard]

This is my second favorite modern fantasy series after SOIAF. Enjoy!

[@mikesbookreviews]

That is phenomenal praise.

[@Henry-jp3mc]

This trilogy was the most epic dark fantasy. I can just about follow the story its amazing. I'd say slightly easier than Malazan which I couldn't get to book 3.

[@nightmarishcompositions4536]

Did you read the four sequels?

[@IzzyZil20]

Malazan is peak

[@mikesbookreviews]

I had so much FOMO when the people that bounced from my Malazan read along picked this up and raved about it.

[@KalleVilenius]

Bakker has two smaller thriller books he wrote before this, Neuropath and Disciple of the Dog. They may be of interest to you.

[@mikesbookreviews]

All in due time

[@IzzyZil20]

I hear a lot of people compare this to Malazan, which I’m 3 books into and loving so I’m somewhat interested, but at the same time I hear it’s super bleak without any light and idk that just sounds like a miserable experience.

[@alexwallachian7720]

It's bleak as bleak and it's oh so glorious

[@IzzyZil20]

@@alexwallachian7720 that dosent sound like my thing, also good to see you from the discord lol

[@mikesbookreviews]

I can certainly already tell you need to be in a good place while reading. It pulls no punches.

[@Paromita_M]

I'm happy you were liking it but a bit surprised because bleakness/nihilism is kind of coded into the world of Second Apocalyse unlike the series which featured in your last top 10 video, even #1. I say it's a case by case basis, some ASOIAF readers will like it, others will bounce off. Same with the Zan comparisons (btw I read all 10 of the BOTF and still have no clue what Warrens are 🤣, not a worldbuilding enthusiast though). I've been searching for a series that genuinely captures the imagination of a wide array of readers like ASOIAF did. The only one I've found (and I actually prefer this author to GRRM, kind of like your brother, think you mentioned in your previous videos?) is Tad Williams. MS&T you already read, The Last King of Osten Ard is at par or better imo and Shadowmarch published during the early 2000s is also really good. Another suggestion would be The Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu, it does some of the things that ASOIAF does in a different setting and imo Liu ends the series well. Not sure if you will like it, the writing is quite functional, but Book 1 The Grace of Kings works as a standalone so wouldn't have to read on if it doesn't click. Happy reading! Following your thoughts on this series.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Well I do love Dune and can see the comparisons there. I can do really brutal grimdark if the characters make me want to follow their journey. If they're just psychopaths it is hard for me to follow.

[@Paromita_M]

@@mikesbookreviews Yep same, morally grey or even evil but with some purpose I can follow if not align with, but psychopath POVs are not for me. Dune parallel will become more apparent, but also I think Bakker goes a much darker way with that element. Looking forward to your thoughts as you read on. Spoilery thought on your #1 series below. Spoilers for ASOIAF One thing that Martin is so clever about his he doesn't put us in the psychopath POVs head but usually from their closest victims or competitors eg Joeffrey from Sansa's POV, Ramsay from Reek's, Euron from Asha's I think?

[@OrangeHand]

My issue with this series has always been being grimdark to the point of not caring about what happens to the characters, I'm like someone tell a joke or make something nice happen, but it was so unrelenting with its bleakness that I had to stop. It's great that other people enjoy it, but it's not for me.

[@neutral_narr]

I get it, but for me, the philosophy and ideas were compelling enough to finish it even though I found the story particularly bleak.

[@mikesbookreviews]

For me, characters dying/being hurt in a cruel and punishing world just comes with the territory. If I'm feeling some sort of way about it when it happens then the author is doing a great job at developing them. If I feel nothing, well...

[@jackrandom4893]

Is this series complete? Like the WHOLE story?

[@EricMcLuen]

The story is complete. However Bakker has allegedly been working or thinking about a follow up series. I am torn as it was a perfect ending but want more of the world

[@nightmarishcompositions4536]

It's complete with 7 novels. There is potential for a spinoff series but it can already be read as a complete story on its own.

[@krispeysen54]

It's not complete. The final series (trilogy?) is yet to be written.

[@alexwallachian7720]

​@krispeysen54 yes it is complete. There could be another trilogy added, but that doesn't mean the current one isn't complete.

[@krispeysen54]

@@alexwallachian7720 No, it's not. I've gotten into this before with other KZbinrs. He always said on multiple occasions that he planned for a third series.

[@edsheeran1243]

I've heard this series is a lot like malazan

[@EricMcLuen]

It's not other than the authors are Canadian.

[@mikesbookreviews]

I wouldn't say that. Yet. But I do think Malazan fans would like it.

[@paul.h.s]

I got through the first two books in the series and stopped there. I gave it a fair try but just didn't like it. It was forever ago so I forgot why tbh.

[@mikesbookreviews]

I can tell already it won't be a series for everyone.

[@ZachHyder]

Nice intro video!

[@mikesbookreviews]

Gracias!

[@Josheatsbooks]

Cnaiür urs Skiötha is ridiculous

[@mikesbookreviews]

Is that a name?! Holy Tolkien, man. I can't even read that much less pronounce it...

[@Josheatsbooks]

@mikesbookreviews Yeah man he's a bad ass. But there are definitely some Silmarillion-esque names in this shit

[@Red21Viper]

You mean ridiculously great?😛

[@chevalierdulys]

It's interesting that nothing much is known about the author. He wrote the books and vanished lol

[@mikesbookreviews]

Introverts gonna introvert.

[@locolima279]

Just call him Akka. Sounds just like caca minus the 1st C.

[@Isaiah_McIntosh]

But he pronounced achamian perfectly first try 😅

[@mikesbookreviews]

Funny you say caca since chapter 4 described how he takes shits so bad they are called his "morning apocalypse."

[@robmccoy5207]

Nobody should read A Song of Ice and Fire without referencing Wiki of Ice and Fire. Brandon Sanderson said that the learning curve for Malazan is like climbing up a brick wall with your fingernails.

[@Isaiah_McIntosh]

Given that the books were out well before the wiki......it's really not a problem just got to pay attention and take your time as needed.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Spoiler-free resources are certainly a great tool if one is feeling overwhelmed.

[@somatraseng]

I don't think this should have been recommended to you. I can't imagine you liking any of these characters

[@PsyKotyK]

Ya cant really see him ejoying this series

[@alexwallachian7720]

I mean Mike says he likes grimdark and this is peak grimdark. So if he doesn't like this maybe he should stay away from grimdark

[@mikesbookreviews]

So baffled by this. If I want to follow the characters journey and find them layered, I will like the series. Grimdark that don't work for me is just writing piece of shit characters that are psycho for no reason.

[@SteveTalksBooks]

@@mikesbookreviews Psycho's with a purpose