‘”Intelligent” is a term trotted out so often by publishers that it has become almost worthless – which is hard for the likes of Bakker, whose [The Darkness That Comes Before] truly is intelligent, and original, and all those other overused words.’
Guardian
‘The Darkness That Comes Before is a strikingly original work, the start of a series to watch’
SF Site
‘The publisher’s hype compares [The Darkness That Comes Before] to The Lord of the Rings or Frank Herbert’s Dune, and gratifyingly the hype is not misplaced . . . The characters are among the most memorable and well-portrayed I can think of in recent fantasy fiction . . . [A] frightfully impressive first novel.’
Ottakar’s (Outland)
‘Bakker has created a gourmet feast for hungry fantasy readers, exquisitely prepared, carefully seasoned, and served with pomp and ceremony… The Darkness That Comes Before is truly a satisfying experience.’
Kevin J. Anderson, bestselling author of Horizon Storms
‘Exquisitely intelligent and beautifully written, R. Scott Bakker’s first novel in The Prince of Nothing series inspires both confidence and anticipation–this is fantasy with muscle and brains, rife with intrigue and admirable depth of character, set in a world laden with history and detail. Take note, one and all, something remarkable has begun here.…’
Steven Erikson, Author of Gardens of the Moon
‘The Darkness That Comes Before is something special… A stunning first book, brilliant setting and characterisation, and if this was just a warm-up then the entire series is going to set a new standard for fantasy writers everywhere. Go read it now, as the publisher’s blurb proclaims – “Something remarkable has begun . . .”‘
The Alien Online
‘[R. Scott Bakker is a] class act like George R. R. Martin, or his fellow Canadians Steven Erikson and Guy Gavriel Kay. He gets right away from the ‘downtrodden youth becoming king’ aspect of epic fantasy in his very impressive first novel – The Darkness That Comes Before . . . But he also reminds us of the out-and-out strangeness that fantasy can engender, in a way no one has since Clark Ashton Smith. No clunky analogy of medieval Europe here. Odd, fascinating characters in a world full of trouble and sorcery.’
SFX (“10 Authors to Watch”)
‘Canadian author Bakker’s impressive, challenging debut, the first of a trilogy, should please those weary of formulaic epic fantasy. Bakker’s utterly foreign world, Eärwa, is as complex as that of Tolkien, to whom he is, arguably, a worthier successor than such established names as David Eddings and Stephen Donaldson.’
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
‘Highly recommended for fantasy collections.’
The Library Journal (starred review)
‘I jokingly hesitate to truly call this a work of fantasy considering how absolutely convincing this novel reads as a historical account . . . Bakker . . . clamps his hand over yours and simply does not let go . . . Amid the cluttered shelves of the Epic Fantasy genre, Bakker is a name that stands out amongst, not just the new writers in the crowd, but established and recognized names.’
sffworld.com
‘The Darkness That Comes Before . . . is a must-read . . . [Bakker’s] style is readable and entertaining. His characters are well-developed and enthralling. The action is exhilarating, including spellbinding fight sequences that are reminiscent of The Matrix . . . this novel is certainly an auspicious start.’
The Winnepeg Free Press
‘The Darkness That Comes Before… is a top-notch exemplar of the fantasy romance sub-genre . . .Throughout, Bakker not only reveals that he is an expert storyteller, but he touches on deep philosophic issues… He offers us a dark mirror of our strife-torn world, a mirror in which we think we see God when all the while we are only seeing ourselves.’
Books in Canada
‘Every so often the back cover copy gets it right, and in the case of R. Scott Bakker’s first novel, The Darkness That Comes Before, the statement that this young writer ‘is destined to become the next great fantasy writer of his generation’ is backed up by the huge and complex story begun in this novel . . . The Darkness That Comes Before is a fascinating, forceful debut.’
The Edmonton Journal
‘An impressive addition to the high-fantasy genre. The first novel in The Prince of Nothing trilogy deftly skirts the many and considerable pitfalls of the genre, gradually revealing itself as a smart compelling novel that will leave readers frustrated with the wait for the next volume.’
Quill and Quire
‘The Darkness That Comes Before introduces a vast and richly detailed world for lovers of good fantasy. Bakker’s imaginative creation is an impressive addition to the genre.’
John Marco, author of Eyes of God
‘Compelling . . . Keeps the pages turning. The final cinematic scene, of a vast landscape filled with enormous armies, nicely sets the stage for book three of this daringly unconventional series in the Tolkien mold.’
Publishers Weekly
‘[The Warrior Prophet] leaves most of the competition trailing’
Guardian
‘Few fantasies come more apocalyptic than R Scott Bakker’s Prince of Nothing sequence, with its clashing civilisations, squabbling gods and monstrous assassins. The Darkness That Comes Before established Scott Bakker as an important voice, but was followed almost immediately by book two, The Warrior Prophet, which replaced plot with philosophising. The Thousandfold Thought, the third and final novel in this sequence, is both shorter and better than the previous book.’
Guardian
‘The shattering climax to Canadian author Bakker’s magnificent fantasy saga . . . The Prince of Nothing trilogy is a work of unforgettable power.’
Publishers Weekly
‘The Thousandfold Thought concludes with a tour-de-force set piece in which Bakker cuts back and forth between the battle for Shimeh – which must count as among the greatest descriptions of sorcery in war ever recorded – and each of his main characters as they pursue their personal agendas in the midst of the general chaos, following paths that intersect and converge in a play of plot and subplot that is like the climactic movement of a symphony.’
Realms Of Fantasy