A tale of conspiracy, holy war, empire-building and intrigue set in the most vividly imagined fantasy world since Tolkien's Middle Earth. This is an extraordinarily impressive debut novel - Id rank it above. And one cannot raise walls against what has been forgotten.Ī startlingly original and assured epic fantasy debut. Bakker has been working at the Second Apocalypse universe since the 80s, and I believe it. After two thousand years, the No-God is returning. In a world scarred by an apocalyptic past, four people are swept up in the launch of an imminent crusade, during which they are ensnared by mysterious. Behind the politics, beneath the religious fervour, a dark and ancient evil is reawakening. And into this world steps a man like no other, seeking to bind all - man and woman, emperor and slave - to his own mysterious ends.īut the fate of men - even great men - means little when the world itself may soon be torn asunder. An exiled barbarian chieftain seeks vengeance against the man who disgraced him.

The spiritual leader of the Thousand Temples seeks a Holy War to cleanse the land of the infidel. A military genius plots to conquer the known world for his Emperor but dreams of the throne for himself. Part Dante's 'Inferno' and part Conrad's 'Heart Of Darkness', this is fantasy literature like you've never read before.' - BlogcriticsĪ score of centuries has passed since the First Apocalypse and the thoughts of men have turned, inevitably, to more worldly concerns.Ī veteran sorcerer and spy seeks news of an ancient enemy. 'A journey unlike any other you have experienced.

Canadian author Bakkers impressive, challenging debut, the. Bakker makes no concessions to his readers, plunging directly into the story with only the briefest of explanations for the many unfamiliar details of his setting. THE DARKNESS THAT COMES BEFORE: The Prince of Nothing Book One. 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 Darkness That Comes Before features an extremely complex cultural background, a multitude of characters, and a plethora of exotic names, places, terms and concepts.

The darkness that comes