Bakker's The Prince of Nothing series

Post by **Madness** » Thu May 04, 2017 2:27 pm

Me too

!

Did you ever get around to reading the AMA, Avatar?

Post by **Madness** » Thu May 04, 2017 8:36 pm

The Wertzone's The Unholy Consult Review!

I'm a pretty big purist and I think it's spoiler free. Very well done!

Post by **Avatar** » Fri May 05, 2017 5:01 am

Nice review...makes me equal parts excited and uncertain...so...more books coming?

--A

Post by **Madness** » Fri May 05, 2017 2:14 pm

Since as far back as the original Three-Seas forum, contemporary of the first three releases, Bakker's maintained that he originally envisioned a trilogy. The first book in that "trilogy" became PON, a trilogy in and of itself, and around TWP's release he wrote that he thought TAE, the "second book," would become a duology, and the final, "The-Series-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named," would also be a duology - it was in fashion to riff off Harry Potter at the time, I think (He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named).

So yes, TUC bookends the second "book," TAE, in his original trilogy vision. I'm personally hoping that TSTSNBN becomes like five books or something

.

Post by **Madness** » Sun May 07, 2017 5:46 pm

Pat's Fantasy Hotlist has shared two more quotes from about half-way and two-thirds through the book. Minor spoilers regarding POV: Quote #2, Quote #3.

Also, Andy at Bakkerfans has received an ARC from Overlook.

Post by **Avatar** » Mon May 08, 2017 5:05 am

Funny how that works...on the one hand, yay, more books. On the other, boo, more waiting.

--A

Post by **Madness** » Mon May 08, 2017 1:55 pm

Lol - well, it'll give us a couple more years to talk about it

!

Post by **Zarathustra** » Mon May 08, 2017 6:55 pm

It's so funny how people can't stand negative comments. I think Bakker is amazing, but the dude is not above criticism.

Post by **Avatar** » Tue May 09, 2017 4:47 am

Agreed.

Madness wrote:Lol - well, it'll give us a couple more years to talk about it !

Another plus.

--A

Post by **Madness** » Tue May 09, 2017 2:05 pm

Zarathustra wrote:It's so funny how people can't stand negative comments. I think Bakker is amazing, but the dude is not above criticism.

You following Westeros or the comments on Pat's Fantasy Hotlist, Zarathustra

?

Avatar wrote:Agreed.

Madness wrote:Lol - well, it'll give us a couple more years to talk about it !
Another plus.

--A

Indeed! Exciting times!

Post by **Zarathustra** » Tue May 09, 2017 3:47 pm

I was reading the comments on Pat's.

Post by **Hiro** » Tue May 09, 2017 4:13 pm

Zarathustra wrote:It's so funny how people can't stand negative comments. I think Bakker is amazing, but the dude is not above criticism.

True, yet those comments on Pat's blog were not the most impressively insightful ever put down either.

Post by **Zarathustra** » Tue May 09, 2017 6:52 pm

... which is an example of a reasonable rebuttal, Hiro. True, the complaints were very not insightful. But neither is fanboy worship, or, "I don't go around to X sites and complain." Surely vague complaints are just as valid as inarticulate adulation.

Any author runs the risk of their "trademark" techniques turning into mere gimmicks. For Donaldson, it's hyper-emotional, introspective characterization that runs the risk of "navel gazing" and "whiny" charges. For Bakker, it's intellectual, philosophical prose that runs the risk of seeming over-written. He sets the bar extremely high for himself. If he misses the mark, then his technique no longer remains transparent, but instead becomes an awkwardly obvious attempt at sounding smarter than the narrative needs, purely for the sake of "depth."

I think this is what some readers are noting, and trying to say. Writing can be hard, not only for professionals but also Internet commentators.

Post by **Hiro** » Tue May 09, 2017 7:09 pm

Zarathustra wrote:... which is an example of a reasonable rebuttal, Hiro. True, the complaints were very not insightful. But neither is fanboy worship, or, "I don't go around to X sites and complain." Surely vague complaints are just as valid as inarticulate adulation.

Any author runs the risk of their "trademark" techniques turning into mere gimmicks. For Donaldson, it's hyper-emotional, introspective characterization that runs the risk of "navel gazing" and "whiny" charges. For Bakker, it's intellectual, philosophical prose that runs the risk of seeming over-written. He sets the bar extremely high for himself. If he misses the mark, then his technique no longer remains transparent, but instead becomes an awkwardly obvious attempt at sounding smarter than the narrative needs, purely for the sake of "depth."

I think this is what some readers are noting, and trying to say. Writing can be hard, not only for professionals but also Internet commentators.

Yes, writing is hard.

I guess the problem with excerpts is that it throws context out of the window. In that sense, unless one has some kind of an idea how the excerpt might fit in the whole, it's hard to judge.

Depending on the style as well.

Post by **Madness** » Wed May 10, 2017 2:20 pm

I'm with you, Zarathustra, though I'm thinking the four of us who partake in this thread are people who can have a calm conversation about it.

An aside, I recall that "David" (I think) character peddling the same type of comments as far back as TJE/WLW, perhaps even earlier, on the Hotlist.

Post by **Madness** » Tue May 16, 2017 2:11 pm

mrganondorf of bakkerfans social media has posted his TUC review!

Post by **Madness** » Wed May 17, 2017 6:46 pm

Great review by Pat's Fantasy Hotlist! 9/10! [May Contain Spoilers]

Post by **Madness** » Thu May 25, 2017 7:00 pm

SA giving away two copies of TUC!

Post by **Hiro** » Sun Jun 11, 2017 9:42 pm

Preview of the TUC chapter index, WHGB, chapter 1 and part of chapter 2:

https://www.kobo.com/nl/en/ebook/the-unholy-consult

Post by **Madness** » Mon Jun 12, 2017 1:39 pm

Haha, Hiro. Thanks. I was just coming by do due diligence.

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

Bakker's The Prince of Nothing series