"The Thousandfold Thought" (The Prince of Nothing Trilogy, Book 3) by R. Scott Bakker

 

  

Author : R. Scott Bakker

Description : Bakker is a breath of fresh air in a genre where good authors are hard to come by. He doesn't drag things out. He is to the point and you know what is happening. He starts the third book so different from the norm, in that he doesn't spend the first 100 pages retelling everything as though you hadn't read the first two books. Best of all, he is a fantasy author who can actually finish his series in three books, rather than 10 or 12.

This his third book is amazing. Bakker writes with such grace that you want to keep reading late into the night, and the storyline is not predictable, it doesn't follow a scripted set of rules. The storyline follows a very succinct path, one that is complex and yet simple to follow. Bakker seems to have thought of everything, which leads to an altogether well rounded book. The last quarter of the book, particularly, is fast paced and well structured. We get to see the full might of the Scarlet Spires and the Cishaurim, a quick glance at the Saik, and of course of Achaimian and the Gnosis. This is perhaps something that sets apart Bakker from other fantasy authors. His "magic" is more real and powerful because he doesn't cheapen it by trying to explain it too much and, for the most part, doesn't use it too often (with the exception, of course, at the end, where it is inevitable). The battle at Shimeh is detailed and told amazingly, leaving over the feeling of a real battle, reminiscent of the crusades of course (Shimeh/Jerusalem, Swords/Christians vs. Scimitars/Muslims). Combine the sorcery with the battle and you have a finale to a book that is memorable.

Finally, all the storylines are wound up and completed, yet still Bakker was able to leave enough wiggle room to venture into a new series with the same world. Bakker, to me, has eclipsed Martin and Williams with this his final book of the trilogy. I would definitely recommend Bakker to everyone, no matter their genre preference. If you are looking for a great fantasy author, Bakker is your man.