R. Scott Bakker's THE JUDGING EYE in Science Fiction and Fantasy News

R. Scott Bakker's The Judging Eye is given a lengthy review by Rob Bedford in Science Fiction and Fantasy News:" The Prince of Nothing trilogy established R. Scott Bakker as one of the young, pre-eminent voices in Fantasy fiction. What not many people knew when The Darkness that Comes Before hit bookshelves was just how large in scope Bakker’s vision would turn out to be. With the publication of The Judging Eye, Bakker begins The Aspect-Emperor, the second trilogy comprising the greater Second Apocalypse set of books and set 20 years later . . . The Judging Eye should satisfy Bakker’s growing legion of fans and the book should also help to lure more readers into his sway. It is a leaner, more precise novel than the three preceding novels, but no less thought-provoking and engaging. Once again, Bakker has reminded readers why he is in the upper echelon of 21st Century writers."

R. Scott Bakker's THE JUDGING EYE Tops Overlook Bestseller List

R. Scott Bakker's new novel The Judging Eye sits atop the Overlook Bestseller list for the third straight week! This long awaited new work is the first in a new triology, The Aspect-Emperor, and to the delight of many fans, picks up from The Prince of Nothing series. In a recent review in Strange Horizons, reviewer Peter Whitfield notes: "Back in 2003, when the world was young and we didn't have to worry about the economy and recycling and stuff, there came an author called R. Scott Bakker. The Darkness that Comes Before was quite hefty, and some of the character's names could give you a stroke if you tried to say them out loud, but other than that it was a bloody good read. It took the face of traditional epic fantasy and gave it a makeover. No longer did the reader have to suffer page after page of depthless D&D drivel. Now their fantasy came wrapped up in a nice little plastic bag called philosophy. Flawless world-building, striking events, and intelligent subject matter even led some fantasy purists to regard Bakker as one of the greatest living authors of the genre. Six years later and Bakker is still going, his latest book The Judging Eye forming the fourth instalment of the series he terms The Second Apocalypse. Interestingly enough, it is also the beginning of a new trilogy, following on from The Prince of Nothing. It aims to reintroduce (or introduce, depending on what you've read) the reader to the world of Eärwa, a place that Bakker himself claims "kicks some major ass." At the same time, it picks up on the events of previous books, twenty years later. As is tradition with his series, Bakker provides a short summary of "What has come before" at the end of the book. It's an accurate and extensive synopsis, but if you're new to the books it might be a good idea to just dive in and piece the bits together as you go."

R. Scott Bakker Talks to SciFi Wire About THE JUDGING EYE

R. Scott Bakker is profiled in SciFi Wire: "Fantasy author R. Scott Bakker says that his latest novel, The Judging Eye, is epic fantasy, but that it avoids many of the traps of the genre. "Long epic series notoriously suffer from the 'bushing effect,' where writers continue to multiply viewpoint characters and so transform initially clear narrative arcs into thickets of parallel action," Bakker said in an interview. At a certain point, Bakker realized that he had fallen into the same trap. "Even though my readers only spend a few hours with my main characters, I spend thousands of hours with them, which makes the temptation to 'freshen things up' with new viewpoints well nigh irresistible," he said. "Luckily I caught myself, scrapped everything and started afresh, this time faithfully sticking to my original cast."

The Judging Eye is part of an epic fantasy sequence, which began with The Prince of Nothing. It tells the story of Kellhus, who can manipulate men the way men can manipulate children, and his brutal and troubling rise to mastery over the Three Seas—all in the name of saving the world. "In The Judging Eye, his power is complete, and he at last embarks on his great military expedition to prevent the destruction of the world," Bakker said. The central protagonist is a broken-down sorcerer named Achamian, who used to be Kellhus' tutor but has since become his sworn enemy. "Achamian has spent years sifting through his dreams of the First Apocalypse, looking for clues to Kellhus' origins," Bakker said. "In The Judging Eye he enlists a company of Scalpers, half-mad men who make their living hunting Sranc in the northern wilds, to help him find the secret birthplace of the Aspect-Emperor."

R. Scott Bakker Introduces New Series with THE JUDGING EYE

Releasing to bookstores next month (on-sale date February 19) is the long awaited new novel - and first in a new trilogy -The Judging Eye: The Aspect Emperor, Book One.

"R. Scott Bakker burst onto the epic fantasy scene with his masterpiece trilogy, The Prince of Nothing, which remains to this day a landmark of the genre and, dare we say it, of contemporary literature too. The Judging Eye is the long-awaited continuation of the original series, dealing with the impending Second Apocalypse twenty years after the end of The Prince of Nothing trilogy…Full of absolutely brilliant vignettes…The Judging Eye is a must-read that will not only appeal to fans of R. Scott Bakker’s brilliant Prince of Nothing trilogy, but also new readers wanting to see what all the fuss is about.” – FantasyBookCritic

R. Scott Bakker is back with THE JUDGING EYE

Following the rousing success of his acclaimed Prince of Nothing trilogy, SciFi icon R. Scott Bakker returns to the awe-inspiring world of Eärwa with The Judging Eye in February 2009.

Set in the same universe, but twenty years after the end of The Thousandfold Thought, The Judging Eye delves even further into Bakker's richly imagined universe of myth, violence, and sorcery, marking the beginning of the long-awaited Aspect-Emperor trilogy. Bakker has once again written a fantasy novel that exceeds all expectations and rewards the reader with an experience unlike any to be had in the everyday of today’s literature.

Bakker's new novel has fans chomping at the bit for their own copies, and the internet is already abuzz with praise for this SciFi legend. Here's what some of the early reviewers have to say:

“This book marks a triumphant return for the most philosophical and literary epic fantasy writer around.” – The Wertzone

“It’s got everything that the preceding books had and a lot more.” – Graeme’s Fantasy Review

“The worldbuilding is once again head and shoulders above what is currently the norm in today's fantasy market. The evocative narrative is rich in details, and the Middle Eastern setting continues to be a joy to discover. The universe of Eärwa resounds with depth… It's R. Scott Bakker writing at the top of his game.” – Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist

“(Bakker) presents a literary and philosophical depth largely absent from the genre…shows maturity as an author and demonstrates why his name belongs among the best epic fantasy authors.” – Nethspace

“Extremely atmospheric.” – Kirkus

“Bakker’s lush language sometimes achieves poetry.” – Publishers Weekly