The Darkness that Comes Before

R. Scott. Bakker's The Prince of Nothing Trilogy consists of three books: The Darkness that Comes Before, The Warrior Prophet, and The Thousandfold Thought.Technically, you'll only have to read the first of these, but much like The Lord of the Rings, it will leave you before a gaping precipice of unresolved story should you fail to continue.

Gritty fantasy with a science fiction bent (or gritty science fiction with a fantasy bent), it's been described by more than one critic as "philosophy-punk," illuminating the brutal ramifications of causality and the true understanding thereof amidst a backdrop of fallen empires, holy war, bitter betrayal, and above all else, the causal chain extending back into the darkness that came before. Rather than describe the plot, I bid you simply to read. When a man leaves another man to die past a river, you'll understand what these books are about.

The trilogy made the rounds through the Front Row Crew in increasingly wide circles, prompting deep and sometimes uncomfortable discussion. Each time a new few came to read it, a sea of debate would again unfold. It is quoted heavily and alluded to frequently, and obviously came highly recommended. It seemed an obvious book club choice.

These are some of the better works we've read. Masterworks in a young author's accelerating career, any fan of fantasy or science fiction would do themselves a disservice to avoid them. They are among my favorite books. Aside from the review, we also discuss it in a another episode of GeekNights.