Release 29 May Subjects Fantasy Fiction. Search for a digital library with this title Search by city, ZIP code, or library name Learn more about precise location detection. View more libraries The White-Luck Warrior. Copy and paste the code into your website. The Ordeal ends with a bloodied but still intact host approaching Golgotterath, and Sorweel and the Anasurimbors Serwa and Moenghus journeying to Ishterebinth, which has become an ally of the Consult in the two thousand years since the First Apocalypse.
The Slog ends with only Achamian and Mimara surviving to reach Ishual, only to find it a deserted ruin. In all this I've hardly mentioned the titular "white-luck warrior" because he remains an enigma. Some parts of the Momemn sections are told from his POV.
He exists both within and outside of the World and perceives everything that comes before and everything that comes after. In that sense, he's what the Dunyain aspire to be but his origins and motives remain unexplained I see a set up for an exploration of free will vs.
I have no idea where Bakker is going to end up with this series and so look forward to The Unholy Consult , which can't come out too soon for me. I swear that every page mentions - at some point - tears or crying or incipient crying.
View all 6 comments. Even for Scott Bakkers' high standards, this was an amazing book. Epic, Rewarding, Delicious. Mar 24, Rosanna rated it it was amazing Shelves: fantasy , read-aloud. The originality is back!! Only Bakker can get away with combining the extremely bizarre and grotesque, while remaining philosophical and intellectually stimulating. This book has it all: an evil, murderous child infatuated with his mother, sranc who couple with the dead in the most gruesome way imagi The originality is back!!
Bakker manages to combine high level action with graphic battle sequences, all the while showing the emotional strain and psyches of the people involved. This book is wonderfully written and full of interesting twists. She does not shed one tear for her brother-in-law; instead she puts on her mask and acts the roll of Empress. It will be interesting to see how the empire holds together without Maithanet helping to advise.
Oh, and what about Kelmomas. So loveable and innocent, not capable of harm? Well, maybe not. He has turned into a homicidal, evil genius who is hiding in the palace and living off his victims. Now that puts a strain on things. Achamian loves Esmenet. Achamian views Mimara as his child.
I still wonder how things will end. Ok and I have to mention Kellhus and the Men of the Ordeal. I believe Kellhus might have been created by the consult and the great twist will be he—master of all and great manipulator—was manipulated himself into thinking he was helping to defeat the consult.
It is fantastic. Bakker remains a master of fantasy. May 09, Czilla rated it it was amazing. Continuing on with, what is in my opinion, the best fictional series ever written, I have finished book five of the Second Apocalypse series and book two of the Aspect-Emperor trilogy. Whereas in those novels the overall plot can feel a bit claustrophobic being an appeal to these books overall , this novel carries us across several distinct areas and scenarios, all incredibly Continuing on with, what is in my opinion, the best fictional series ever written, I have finished book five of the Second Apocalypse series and book two of the Aspect-Emperor trilogy.
Whereas in those novels the overall plot can feel a bit claustrophobic being an appeal to these books overall , this novel carries us across several distinct areas and scenarios, all incredibly unique and terrifying.
Continuing with the harrowing journey of the Skin Eaters, we are introduced to "the Mop", a massive and ancient deadly forest. In addition to this we are re-introduced to expanding plot lines in Momemn with House Anasurimbor, as well as the Great Ordeal on the Istuyli Plains.
Beyond this the reader also gets introduced to ancient Kuniuri and the notorious Sauglish later on in the story. Overall 'The White Luck Warrior' feels like a much larger, cohesive and epic read.
This novel is filled with intricate plots and surprising twists and turns so I don't want to say too much, but what I can confidently say is that this is yet another masterpiece from the brilliant mind of Bakker. I almost do not want to read on for fear of finishing this series Feb 12, Phil rated it it was amazing. I read that this last aspect mostly so in the author's case is seen for some as an author who is overreaching, spreading to far into the complex breakdown of the human psyche, desires and passions but I tend to disagree.
You really don't have to be overly learned to enjoy Bakker's work. Still, as I'm sure I'm not alone, I probably missed on some principle dissection and have to admit that the prose can get tiresome and wander mostly around suffering which could draw away its share of potential readers. Concerning The White-Luck Warrior, like its predecessors, I delightedly found an intricate work of thoughtful, lengthily descriptive and engaged epic Fantasy.
There are times while reading the book that I felt a hundred miles away from the common tropes like the prophetical farm boy looking for a special artefact to help him in fighting the evil wizard but the roots are still presents and, stripped off of Bakker's particular touch, it remains true in its foundations to the references of epic Fantasy.
The hero is turned out into several all-powerful or inspired human beings with a couple of dubious beacons at their head and the evil wizard is Mog-Phaurau, the No-God. Although, the humans themselves could be the greatest evil of all There is no new major point of view and in the end, it's basically and I know some may have grown tired of the term a bridging novel.
Many trilogies have them and this is not an exception. Still, the ending of the book is satisfying but I'll get to it later. The stotylines follow specifically Achamian and Mimara, Sorweel and co, Proyas and Kellhus, Kelmomas and Esmenet and finally a point of view of a point of view you have read correctly.
That one is the actual namesake of the book, the White Luck Warrior himself. Frankly, I'm quite perplexed as to the reason behind that choice for the name of the book. There are only three apparitions of the 'thing' and they could be considered as epigraphs. The principle of a being seeing himself living and acting while grasping all the possibilities these actions could take him to is unorthodox and complicated.
Still, we should see more of him in the following book and he could become more interesting or at least, a puzzling perspective or variable. Nov 02, Thomas Edmund rated it it was amazing. First of all - I rate Bakker's The Darkness that Comes before as one of my favourite trilogies of all time. And I have to say when Judging Eye came out I was most disillusioned. Where D.
B was populated with strong characters and forboding, The Aspect Emperor seems bogged down in the petty factitions that previously formed the background of Bakker's writing but wasn't the key focus.
White Luck Warrior does improve on the Judging Eye however. More of significance happens, each of the three stor First of all - I rate Bakker's The Darkness that Comes before as one of my favourite trilogies of all time. More of significance happens, each of the three story arcs makes a leap worthy of a stand alone novel, even if Bakker appears to be falling into the fantasy trap of dragging his epic into more and more books.
See, I was dissapointed when the first trilogy didn't really feature much on the second apocalypse - now that Aspect Emperor chugging along, I'm feeling the same dissapointment as it becomes apparent this trilogy is merely an interlude. The revelations seem only self important, the tension feels contrived and if I hadn't enjoyed D. B then I don't think I would have related to any of the characters at all. Of course much of this rant is due to high standards - White Luck Warrior is high powered fantasy, highly recommended and I still can't wait for the next one.
It's funny what a bit of time and experience will do for a reader. In many ways The White Luck Warrior reads the a better second half for The Judging Eye, which I liked for seeing where the characters went, but wanted more action than catching up after 20 years. White Luck delivers on the action part and has tonnes of action to satisfy any hard core fantasy fan. The twists are in my opinion even more powerful than GRR Martin's at times because the cast is less diluted with characters.
And as gritty as Martin's work is Bakker pulls far less punches and in my opinion disturbs on almost every level not sure if thats a compliment or not Weirdest thing - wasn't really much white luck warrior involved assuming I didn't miss a metaphor somewhere and the warrior isn't a new character.
Which exemplifies the best thing about this book in generating to many freaking questions one cannot wait to get them answered. Jan 11, Phrynne rated it it was amazing. Ths first half of this book was only 4 stars but the second half brought it home to a definite 5. Kellhus is one of the best book characters ever and I still have no idea whether he is our hero or the baddy! Consequently I do not know about any of the other characters either. Is the White Luck Warrior going to be a saviour or an assassin - or both?
Is Akka ever going to actually achieve anything? And what about that evil little boy sitting in a half empty palace eating dead bodies quickly while Ths first half of this book was only 4 stars but the second half brought it home to a definite 5. And what about that evil little boy sitting in a half empty palace eating dead bodies quickly while they are still warm. I guess he is definitely a baddy. Can't wait for the next book.
I'm not sure if Bakker was being meta but this book really feels like the oft quoted "slog of slogs". While "the judging eye" felt pacier than the previous books, this one seemed to reset the balance. Negatives aside though there are still some great moments. Cleric is one of the most tragic "elves" I've read about and the Quirri storyline feels like a fantasy versio I'm not sure if Bakker was being meta but this book really feels like the oft quoted "slog of slogs". Cleric is one of the most tragic "elves" I've read about and the Quirri storyline feels like a fantasy version of "Requiem for a dream".
What holds this series together for me though is the fact that I still don't have a clue whether the main character is good, evil, crazy or a mixture of the three. So while I'm disappointed in the pacing of this book I'm still in for the long haul, although it seems like Bakker has a lot to cover if the second act of the story is to have any meat. Jul 06, Joy rated it it was amazing Shelves: spec-fiction , series. This remindes me of the Dune books in some ways. Very complex plot, with much of the explanation of why and how hinted at rather than spelled out.
Intellectual concepts and not an easy read. Expect to take your time. The protagonist is still not clearly good or evil. Apr 10, Leona rated it it was amazing Shelves: grimdark , fantasy.
The White Luck Warrior answers some of the questions raised by The Judging Eye while raising new and deeper questions. The scalpers are horrible scum for sure, but Achamian is overall a good guy and he appears as damned as the band of cutthroats, which includes a child rapist. He is damned cause he is a sorcerer and sorcery is an abomination in the eyes of these wrathful gods. Kellhus may not be the good guy, but he is warring against the ultimate evil forces which are about to decimate the mankind.
Akka is also the sworn enemy of the Consult and spent a lifetime hunting their agents, his life was dedicated to prevent the Second Apocalypse and the summoning of the No-God by the Consult. Did he abandon this lifelong quest along with the School of Mandate? The rational thing would be to wait until Kellhus launches the offensive on Golgotterath and puts an end to the horrendous and vile Consult.
On the other hand, abhorrent and revolting as they are, the Consult is going to save the souls of everyone from damnation if they succeed with their plan. Which means horrible criminals, murderers and rapists will get away with their heinous crimes, but the good people damned cause of the stupid and petty whims of gods will also be saved.
Gods are not so much better than the Consult and its horrible No-God, it seems, and they are loath to dole out salvation even to those who deserve it for having good hearts. Like the awesome Cil-Aujas journey, the Mop reads more like Lovecraftian horror than epic fantasy, but it is still one hell of an epic fantasy. Like the Judging Eye, Cleric parts were awe-inspiring and a great delight to read. Nonmen are truly fascinating. Speaking of Mimara, her inner strength and resilience becomes even more impressive in this book.
The horrible band of cutthroats now see her as one of them and show her respect, which is no mean feat.
When shit hits the fan, she grabs her sword named Squirrel and hews the bad guys like no tomorrow! I am not a feminist per se or more like a classic style feminist, not the Tumblr 3rd wave kind but I see absolutely nothing wrong with Mimara from a feminist point of view, either. She is the strong female character who perseveres where big burly dudes die like flies, she has native intellect and peculiar strength of character.
Zsoronga is a great side character, with his snarky comments and attitude. There were some cool twists in that arc, and Sorweel truly grew on me in this book.
The Sranc hordes keep massing up before the advancing Great Ordeal army, and the enormous amount of dust they kick into the air while they move along the arid Istyuli Plains in their tens of thousands create a huge curtain of dust the people call the Shroud, it lingers in the air all day, blocking the horizon and the Sranc hordes, and it kept lingering in my head even after I put the book down, much like a Lovecraftian horror element.
All the skirmishes and epic battles, especially those involving the sorcerers and the witches were such a great show. Sorcery visuals would be amazing to see on the big screen, if the movie producers realize these books are the real deal and make them into movies in my lifetime.
Esmenet and Kelmomas threads in Momemn got legendary level epic with some neat plot twists. He is downright scary. I particularly liked the Esmenet parts, and felt sorry for her. She has some rather annoying aspects and weaknesses, but overall she is quite rich, realistic and does hell of a better job keeping the empire together than any of her critics could. The ending chapters were pure badassery featuring one of the most epic fights I have read in fantasy, Robin-Hobb tier emotional depth and the Silmarillion-esque aura which made me think of the journey of Beren and Finrod Felagund.
This one made me literally weep. That is a rather intriguing POV character, and then there is Meppa, the last Cishaurim and his awesome power. I really liked Meppa, despite him being a Fanim heretic. Second Negotiant Malowebi is craven and can get annoying at times, but interesting nonetheless.
It is one of the best things that happened to the fantasy genre, and it is as addictive as ASOIAF but with a smaller cast of POV characters and a much more manageable number of plot threads.
This review is also posted on my blog The Aspect Emperor Quartet by R. Scott Bakker continues to be an outstanding work of fiction that is probably going to wind up being in my top 5 series of all time. When I say that I think it's important to say that I include Prince of Nothing in that as well because while I think Aspect Emperor has been more enjoyable it really couldn't exist without the foundation laid in Prince of Nothing.
Even though there is a I believe 30 year time skip in between the series it really feels like one comp The Aspect Emperor Quartet by R. Even though there is a I believe 30 year time skip in between the series it really feels like one complete work, The Second Apocalypse.
What makes this particular book so good though? The same things that make all of these books good. Bakker's writing. His prose is absolutely fantastic. He can write about characters in these novels devolving into madness or doing the most insane and dark and dastardly things and make it seem poetic. I think White Luck Warrior has maybe some of the most difficult to read parts so far of any of these books in that the writing gets very dense and metaphorical, but while you may be questioning whether something is literally happening or not it's always a joy to read.
If I do have one complaint though it's that Bakker sometimes will imply things instead of telling you, and it might go over your head unless you discuss the books with others or seek out discussion videos. If you're someone who likes that kind of storytelling though, but still like it to be a little more straight forward than Malazan this is going to be your jam. In addition to the writing I'm so invested in the plot and characters of these books, and how they have grown and changed and how things have just escalated since The Darkness That Comes Before.
There are some sequences in this book that absolutely blew me away as I was reading them Wraccu anyone? Also, while a lot of grimdark authors love to go down the road of less magic or magic disappearing from the world Bakker leans into magic, specifically combat magic, full bore. The magic users and battles in these books are absolutely insane. While it's still magic on the softer side with some explanations, but not too many hard and fast rules it is omnipresent and in heavy use.
I love the way magic is used in this world. I am sad I only have 2 more books left in these series before I'm done with Bakker's work. Reading these books as part of a one-a-month readalong is both great and frustrating. It's great because these books really benefit from discussion with other readers. It's frustrating because the desire to go ahead and immediately pick up the next one is almost impossible to fight off. I'm just hoping the final 2 books have the same level of quality as TJE and TWLW because if so it's going in my list of all time favorite series near the top.
Oct 24, Tamara rated it really liked it. Man, these just keep getting better and better. This is the second book of the second trilogy of the overarching Second Apocalypse story, the third and last? Imagine Aragorn going insane, and becoming a prophet with a mission to unite the whole world under an iron rule, in order to protect Man, these just keep getting better and better. Imagine Aragorn going insane, and becoming a prophet with a mission to unite the whole world under an iron rule, in order to protect it against an unspeakably perverted evil out to kill every single human being.
Having achieved this, the second trilogy - The Aspect Emperor - details the ordeal of actually going out to destroy said evil, and the results of trying to do so by any means necessary, while the newly founded empire is imploding due to the insanity of the imperial family and plotting of alien gods.
I admit these books aren't for everyone. They are grimdark in the very bleakest sense, there is nary the tiniest glimmer of hope found anywhere, and the characters are invariably flawed, making bad decisions and constantly suffering the consequenses. The setting is very dark, a real crapsack world where greed, bloodlust and lechery are the driving forces of most everyone.
Hierarchies of power are relentless, and a human life, least of all the lives of the millions of slaves, are worth next to nothing. Above all of this, the gods offer no solace or redemption, only eternal damnation, which incidentally is the driving force and motivation of the antagonists.
Bakker's language is quite dense, with plenty of references to names and places, in a manner that feels rather archaic partly it reads like the Bible, or like I compared it earlier, to the Silmarillion.
It is also partly very poetic. This is even more pronounced in this particular book - The White-Luck Warrior. There is often great beauty to be found in the tragic events that permeate the story. Bakker is a philosopher, which is noticeable for example in the different Schools of Magic, which are based on classic schools of philisophy. So, do not expect a light-hearted fantasy romp, featuring strong-jawed righteous heroes, or wizened wizards wearing pointy hats.
Said wizard is more likely bound to be a drunken, cowardly loser, driven by petty revenge, and bound to repeating the same stupid mistakes over and over again. Oh, and erect phalluses. There are lots of erect phalluses. Being the distinguising mark of the antagonist yes, really , there are plenty of erect phalluses, and heinous acts being performed by the bearers of them, mostly on dead or dying people. So, you've been warned.
But, all in all, this series have become perhaps my favorite "modern" fantasy series - in close competition with Joe Abercombie's books which, funnily I found very bleak when I first read them, but actually feature quite a bit of humor, and one or two glimpses of hope here and there - something that is entirely missing from Bakker's works. I am definitely looking forward to the next, and last, part of the trilogy.
Apr 20, Goran Zidar rated it did not like it. Let me preface this review by saying upfront that I really enjoyed the previous books by this author. The three books from the first series, and the first book of this series, are among my favourite books. I found the world building and the characterisation to be excellent and I was very much looking forward to reading this book.
With that behind me I am very disappointed in the result. For me the entire novel exists to get the characters from point A to point B in the largest number of words po Let me preface this review by saying upfront that I really enjoyed the previous books by this author.
For me the entire novel exists to get the characters from point A to point B in the largest number of words possible. In all of Nothing much happened. Sure there were battles, and political coups and plenty of deaths but in terms of the overall storyline it was pretty devoid of anything new or interesting. Kellhus appears only a handful of times and those are pretty brief. Achamian — who is one of my favourite characters — says very little and in fact is gagged for a large portion of the story.
Esmenet appears to have become a paranoid idiot and the Consult are almost entirely absent. If you can slog your way through to the end the slog of slogs there is a nice bit of action to end on. Plus the Non-man, Cleric, grows into an interesting character but this is scant reward for the or so pages before this finally happens.
Jan 02, Jason rated it it was amazing Shelves: fantasy. There is much to like and much to dislike in this series, much and more of it in this single volume.
WLW may be the best of both trilogies. The story flips back and forth between three main threads. Achamian and Mimara's remains my favorite, and the tragic Nonman Cleric featured heavily there. They face another epic danger from the ancient past, a part which stood toe-to-toe in quality with Achamian's final confrontation in the first trilogy. Esmenet's seat of power continues to sway in the heigh There is much to like and much to dislike in this series, much and more of it in this single volume.
Esmenet's seat of power continues to sway in the heights, a precarious position on every page. Her family is more dangerous than any outside force. Her sons continue to steal the show, and I enjoyed those parts featuring her youngest far more than I did her own.
We watch Kellhus' adventures through the eyes of Sorweel, the White-Luck Warrior himself, along with side bits in third-person. I find this character only slightly more interesting than Kellhus himself, who remains an empty ideal stripped bare of all mystery in the first trilogy. We've seen bits and pieces of this before. Sranc for orcs, Nonmen for dwarves and elves Fantasy regurgitated into a dark Middle-Eastern smorgasbord with a dose of philosophy, rancid with the basest behaviors of the basest of men.
And what does that say of me wanting to read the next one? Feb 04, Dean Wangerin rated it it was amazing. I can't tell you how much I loved this book. Like the first book The Judging Eye , this book totally blew me away. The writing style is a delight to read - it's elaborate, but without being overly detailed. The characters are fascinating, dark and intricate. Character conversations aren't fluff; each is important, and when they speak, it's worth listening to.
You get the feeling that the fantasy world they are in is real, full of an ocean of other history and mysteries, rather than a narrow pla I can't tell you how much I loved this book. Into this tumult walks the White-Luck Warrior, assassin and messiah both. In this ambitious volume, Bakker delves even further into his richly imagined universe of myth, violence, and sorcery.
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