Been waiting for this book for a while now. Since I live in Europe, it's gonna be a while before I get my hands on a paper copy, so I wondered if the ebook has been leaked anywhere?
Here's the blurb:
Praised by fans and critics worldwide, R. Scott Bakker has become one of the most celebrated voices in fantasy literature. With The Great Ordeal, Bakker presents the long-anticipated third volume of The Aspect-Emperor, a series that stands with the finest in the genre for its grandiose scope, rich detail, and thrilling story.
As Fanim war-drums beat just outside the city, the Empress Anasurimbor Esmenet searches frantically throughout the palace for her missing son Kelmomas. Meanwhile and many miles away, Esmenet’s husband’s Great Ordeal continues its epic march further north. But in light of dwindling supplies, the Aspect-Emperor’s decision to allow his men to consume the flesh of fallen Sranc could have consequences even He couldn’t have foreseen. And, deep in Ishuäl, the wizard Achamian grapples with his fear that his unspeakably long journey might be ending in emptiness, no closer to the truth than when he set out.
The Aspect-Emperor series follows Bakker’s Prince of Nothing saga, returning to the same world twenty years later. The Great Ordeal follows The Judging Eye and The White-Luck Warrior, and delivers the first half of the conclusion to this epic story. Returning to Bakker’s richly imagined universe of myth, violence, and sorcery, The Aspect-Emperor continues to set the bar for the fantasy genre, reaching new heights of intricacy and meaning.
Nathaniel Morgan
Has this been officially released in the States yet, or are there just advance copies floating around?
Ian Williams
Bakker worth getting into? I've heard more comparisons towards Dune than ASOIAF and I have the first two of the first trilogy and The Judging Eye.
Ethan Hall
It's absolutely worth getting into, if you like fantasy lit of the more "sophisticated" sort - there's a lot of philosophical themes, and a Bakker usually has a heavy focus on neuroscience and philosophy of the mind. It's not light reading, that's for sure.
It's not really like ASOIAF at all, a lot closer to the Dune books and especially to Tolkien's Silmarillion. It's in the same dark-and-edgy genre as ASOIAF (the torture-porn in these books is a lot more extreme than Martin's), but this is the only thing they have in common.
Oh, and make sure to read the first three in a row. The Judging Eye takes place after a time-skip of 20 years, and doesn't make sense unless you've read the whole first trilogy.
William Williams
It's Dune meets Tolkien
One of, if not the best fantasy series post 2000
Eli Evans
Anyone find the ebook yet?
Isaac Campbell
His prose is embarrassing, it's like he's a 16 year old trying to discuss Nietzsche.
William Collins
Bakker's prose is very unique, an acquired taste for sure. He does come off as a bit try-hard sometimes, especially when he's all repetitive with the philosophical arguments. I personally enjoy his writing style, but it's not for everyone.
(Bakker's prose is far superior to George RR Martin's, for example. He doesn't even attempt a prose style, it's all written like a high school essay and the characters all sound the same. I was actually disappointed with those books, since I'd just seen Game of Thrones and expected something much better.)
John Baker
Checked my usual places. Nothing.
Not even my local book depots had a copy.
Levi Jenkins
Amazon.org
Matthew Turner
Can't. Account got banned.
Mason Butler
The Great Ordeal sounds like I'm trying to guess what the book is from a synonymous title.
Jose Robinson
Because you keep buying and asking for a refund. You thieving third world shitposter.
Austin Morris
>there's a lot of philosophical themes, and a Bakker usually has a heavy focus on neuroscience and philosophy of the mind Can you expand on this? What are some of the philosophical themes, and what is Bakker's general philosophy of the mind?
Kevin Hill
Bakker is an eliminative materialist, and so is his philosophy of the mind. In other words: free will is an illusion, all beliefs are caused by brain processes, things like "mind" and "meaning" are not ontologically real, etc etc. It shows up all the time in his writing.
Bakker's "twist" is that the fantasy setting is a world where morality and meaning are real, where the Gods exist (and are evil), where the dead go to heaven or hell. The story's villain-protagonist is a figure of Darwinian nihilism and amoral materialism, so this conflict is a big theme.
There's lots of philosophy stuff in these books, sometimes a bit over-the-top. Also, lots of evo-psych and neuroscience in the first two books.
Cooper Morgan
This sounds like the most reddit-tier shit ever, fampai.
Levi Carter
There's waaay too much gay rape and misogyny for it to be Reddit-tier.
The Dunyain are eerily close to being Mahayna Buddhists.
Eli Peterson
The angry man on the plate sneered contemptuously as roasted meats and vegetables were placed upon his face.
"Duke Weidimar, this new china you have obtained is certainly... exotic" murmured General Voskan as gravy pooled on the man's brow, obscuring the generic rage smouldering in his eyes. "From farest Cathay did you say?"
"Indeed, and at great expense as you can imagine" he replied, pleased that the plates had been noticed, "only one of the latest acquisitions for my collection. I am expecting another shipment from my agents in the coming month that promises to be quite exquisite."
"Ah. Indeed. Money well spent I assume?" said the General as he eyed the plate like a sailor in a foreign port who had been beset by swarthy locals.
"Indeed. They say it includes a tourine featuring 'improbably muscled beasts'" said the duke as Duchess Katarina rolled her eyes and peas beaded on the man's cheeks like sweat.
The angry man glared frightfully as the palace staff began serving the third course.
Benjamin Rodriguez
I now wish the book was actually about a scowling man trapped in a dinner plate.
Jeremiah Taylor
>he Aspect-Emperor’s decision to allow his men to consume the flesh of fallen Sranc could have consequences even He couldn’t have foreseen. The absolute madman
Robert Murphy
>this new china >generic rage smouldering >angry man glared frightfully
This can't be real.
Aaron Rivera
>if you like fantasy lit of the more "sophisticated" sort
>Emperor Xerius . . . Can you feel it, my lovely, godlike son? ” She had been so beautiful then. It had been across her hand that he’d first come, and she’d taken his seed and bid him taste it. “ The future ,” she had said, “ tastes of salt . . . And it stings, Xerius, my lovely child . . . ” That warm laugh that had wrapped cold marble with comfort. “ Taste how it stings . . . ”
David Wright
>didn't include the part where he accidentally grabs her penis
YOU HAD ONE JOB
Noah Rodriguez
Way too much misogyny, rape, cuckoldry, and cuckold-rape for reddit's tastes.
Jayden Wood
>What cover you want Famalam? >Can I get a really dirty and oily T-zone inside a stargate? >Say no more!
Juan Jenkins
That's a flashback to the first time his mom molested him. Are you telling me she's eventually revealed as a tranny? That's hilarious.
Asher Foster
Is that... like... rape that simultaneously cuckolds someone, or raping a person you've previously cuckolded?
Nicholas Jackson
no its a skinchanger
Kayden Myers
What's the difference between a god and a ciphrang?
Liam Campbell
It's a fucking joke.
Thomas Gonzalez
Gods probably have more power while ciphrang are just dregs
Kayden Brooks
mobilisim has the ebook up if anyone is looking for it, although i hope you guys will actually buy a copy when you can, GRI approved books need to be supported.
Jayden Carter
Just purchased kindle version, hyped as hell
Luis Cruz
Bought the Kindle version yesterday, I'm about two-thirds through it.
Lol at the scene where Kellhus rapes his number-two, it totally came out of nowhere....after the psychological destruction of his victim, anal destruction follows.
Kellhus is a better antagonist than the alien baddies from the last books, but Bakker really needs to tone down the ass-rape here...there's other ways of showing he's a bad guy
Jackson Lee
"Repetitive with philosophical arguments"
It's a philosophy thing. They spell out each layer of a case or an argument and it comes off as repetitive.
It may just be an old habit. It's not the more enjoyable style to read.