The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker

The world of Eärwa, which this saga takes place, is lavishly detailed and Bakker’s keen eye and hand hints at a world with immeasurable depth are emminently on display. While this is indeed an epic work, Bakker does not throw a thousand knives of plot and character at the reader. Again, this is not so much a criticism of Bakker or Erikson, but rather another jolt of praise in Bakker’s direction-Bakker gives the reader an Epic scope of events and illustrates the points of view of a handful of characters of these events in a personal, impressive manner. The epic feel of Bakker’s work, the granduer of the sweeping events grab the reader. Having read only the first two of Erikson’s equally sprawling Malazan epic, I can say where Erikson may have a slight edge in terms of the vastness of epic, Bakker has tempered that scope with an adeptness at not revealing his full hand. In comparing this impressive debut with other work in the genre, I’ll initially cite Steven Erikson, since he has praised the novel. Or rather, not so much a criticism but a nod towards Bakker, this novel reads like the work of an experienced veteran writer who has honed his skills over the course of many a novel. It is that it is being touted as a debut novel. Having said all of that, I do have one major criticism of The Darkness Comes Before.

Scott Bakker would seem to have all the right components for a successful debut novel. Blurbs from well-respected authors are always a good way to draw in that potential reader, and considering the glowing blurbs by both Steven Erikson and John Marco on his book, R. In so many ways, this novel truly is the author’s most important, it is the novel that will establish their voice and hopefully bring back readers. On the one hand, you tend to temper your judgment a bit knowing this is the author’s first novel, but on the other hand one hopes to be amply rewarded for taking the time and gamble in reading an author’s first novel. Opening the pages of an author’s first novel can be a daunting endeavor, or at least one mitigated with amounts of joyful anxiety and trepidation.

The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker