The Thousandfold Thought: The Prince of Nothing, Book Three (The Prince of Nothing, 3) Paperback – Illustrated, September 2, 2008

Bakker is a breath of fresh air in a genre where good authors are hard to come by. He doesn't drag things out. He is to the point and you know what is happening. He starts the third book so different from the norm, in that he doesn't spend the first 100 pages retelling everything as though you hadn't read the first two books. Best of all, he is a fantasy author who can actually finish his series in three books, rather than 10 or 12.This his third book is amazing. Bakker writes with such grace that you want to keep reading late into the night, and the storyline is not predictable, it doesn't follow a scripted set of rules. The storyline follows a very succinct path, one that is complex and yet simple to follow. Bakker seems to have thought of everything, which leads to an altogether well rounded book. The last quarter of the book, particularly, is fast paced and well structured. We get to see the full might of the Scarlet Spires and the Cishaurim, a quick glance at the Saik, and of course of Achaimian and the Gnosis. This is perhaps something that sets apart Bakker from other fantasy authors. His "magic" is more real and powerful because he doesn't cheapen it by trying to explain it too much and, for the most part, doesn't use it too often (with the exception, of course, at the end, where it is inevitable). The battle at Shimeh is detailed and told amazingly, leaving over the feeling of a real battle, reminiscent of the crusades of course (Shimeh/Jerusalem, Swords/Christians vs. Scimitars/Muslims). Combine the sorcery with the battle and you have a finale to a book that is memorable.Finally, all the storylines are wound up and completed, yet still Bakker was able to leave enough wiggle room to venture into a new series with the same world. Bakker, to me, has eclipsed Martin and Williams with this his final book of the trilogy. I would definitely recommend Bakker to everyone, no matter their genre preference. If you are looking for a great fantasy author, Bakker is your man.

This was well written and drenched in enough details that you truly could see the picture the author painted. The most amazing thing has been to watch the characters evolve through different influences and to see characters that you liked become characters you could hate.My favorite part in it all was the fact that it didn't end happily. The ending left me thinking, "Wow! That sucks!" and yet it fit the mold and really summed up how things had evolved.

I don't know if R. Scott Bakker is just brilliant or a top notch researcher. The philosophy, architecture, geography, psychology and much more that he sprinkles throughout his stories make his novels much more than typical fantasy books. These are not writings that one can just breeze through. Well, you can, but you will miss so much. There are passages that are just so thought provoking, that I sometimes have to set the book aside for a moment to contemplate what I've just read. The plots and sub-plots are skillfully woven throughout the stories, along with such well developed characters that you really care what happens to them.I highly recommend this trilogy. Without a doubt, the best I've ever read.

I just finished the series, and I must say that it leaves me unsatisfied. For those who haven't read George R.R. Martin or Steven Erikson, I would have to say that this review is not for you, as I will be referring to both series since they are the standards of fantasy literature.The series approaches the complexity of the George R.R. Martin's characters, dozens of complicated individuals, each with his or her own convictions and views of the world. Initially, one cannot tell who is right and who is wrong, as every person's view of the world has always been the right view. As I progress through the novels, the characters mature and evolve. However, unlike Martin's amazing character development, Bakker's is left half-baked. Kellhus. The all-knowing Kellhus is the asteroid that wipes out the evolution of Bakker's characters. It's so frustrating to see what could have been great multi-faceted characters like Proyas, Esmenet, Cnaur, and others obliterated into two-sided paper figures whose only conviction is to believe or not believe the greatness of Kellhus. Even more frustrating is most of the main characters: the great names, knights and thanes, serve no purpose but to die. Like clockwork, someone with a name must die in every battle. When one of George R.R. Martin's character die, it creates a shudder through the storyline - not only because it often so unexpected, but because one feels so much for the character, whether it's admiration or hate, of things left unaccomplished. Death leaves a hollow space in GRRM's world.The Prince of Nothing also bears great similarity with Erikson's Malazan series, particularly Coltaine's long march from Seven Cities. The desperation and hopelessness of that retreat is so palpable that it left the taste of gritty desert sand in my mouth. In some ways this novel is very similar, although Inrithi's armies are attacking, not retreating. The toll of the battle road is comparable in both books. However, while Erikson's story progresses smoothly, Bakker's journey suffer innumerable rest stops. Every chapter is inundated with, as another reviewer wrote, "unending explanations of the greatness of Kellhus". By the third book, I actually found myself skipping sections of "the greatness of Kellhus", something unthinkable in a GRRM or Erikson book lest you miss an important part integral to the plot. After reading "the greatness of Kellhus" dozens and dozens of times, I find that it is not necessary, there was nothing that was not already stated.Thus, I find Bakker's book somewhat combination of both GRRM and Erikson. It aspires to Martin's characterization and Erikson's plot progression, but falls short in both. However, since GRRM is taking decades between books, and Erikson's latest is not out yet, I recommend this series as a decent substitute to satisfy some of your cravings. Just be warned, it will not leave you hungering for more bread from Bakker's bakery. RG

You have no idea of how much I hate to have to write down this review...I liked the first book, loved the second installment and then embarked on this final novel with huge expectations. Unfortunately, The Thousandfold Thought marks an abrupt departure from the previous chapters both in scope and pacing.Firstly, whereas Prince of Nothing and The Warrior-Prophet covered, more or less, a two-year span, the conclusion takes place during the course of few months. We approach the culmination of the Holy War and it is not managed in the best way: I dragged myself in the first half of the novel witnessing very few events and, on top of everything, even less meaningful events. Then, in the second part, all is about a conclusion presented in a quick and unappealing manner.Secondly, the pacing: the worst part. The other books contained a lot of brooding and mulling over, but - at the same time - were able to maintain a good balance between descriptions, events, dialogues and the philosophical part. Here, the majority of the book is made up of descriptive and extremely long sections that made the reading experience terrible. Again, I am extremely disappointed at my own words but this is the truth. The last chapters, where the dots are connected, suffer from a confusing and swift alternation of POVs.At the end of The Thousandfold Thoughts there are still open topics, especially regarding The Consult, and this is the only reason why I am taking into consideration reading The Aspect-Emperor Trilogy in the near future. I haven't decided yet, though...The Prince of Nothing - if executed differently - could have been a great duology if spared of this last book, among my worst reads not only of 2024 but also of my entire experience as a reader.

A solid finale to the first trilogy in this series. The characters develop well, the plot has great progress and the battles are epic!

I don't think the author was even trying on this one. Probably just fulfilling the contract. The characters went flat, the descriptions were formulaic and boring. Such a plummet from what was a good first book.

Good book, wow. Great book. Thank you

The thousandfold thought concludes what has been build upon in the last two books. I really liked the conclusion, although I am dying to know more about the deep lore, the consult and its motivations, the inchoroi and so on. I am glad this series is continued in the aspect emperor series and I will read it next.This is as good as grimdark gets!