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A review by syinhui
The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
I initially considered rating this book 3 or 3.5 stars, and I might have done so, but after much retrospection, I finally settled on 4 stars. I think that’s fair, or so I hope. Despite my distaste and disappointment with the treatment of women, I was completely captivated by the world’s lore, history, religions, and politics. Not to mention, Bakker’s prose is stunning. It’s descriptive and detailed without being too heavy or overwrought, rich and nuanced but sometimes simple. The occasional use of short sentences and one-word descriptions make it even more impactful. The dialogues are gripping, and the wry humor kept me turning the pages.
Most of all, I immensely enjoyed the political and religious intrigue at play in this world. I loved the battle of wits, the subtleties of power, and the dangerous politicking, especially the parts involving the emperor, Xerius and his nephew, Conphas. The introduction of various rival magic schools was also intriguing, though the mechanics of sorcery remain quite mysterious so far.
The majority of the key players are terrible people but nonetheless amazing characters. The dynamic and strange alliance between Kellhus and Cnaiür was incredibly interesting. A really great piece of writing, if I may say so. The plot is not hard to follow, not many Chekhov’s guns to be wary of, though the name-dumping can be overwhelming. It gets better once you’ve reached the 50% mark, by which time you’re more or less acquainted with the important names.
However, if I focus only on what I hate about this book, the rampant mysogynism that’s very hard to read, and men’s follies and misgivings being labeled as 'womanish' or 'whorish,' further emphasizing how degrading it is to be likened to a woman. In that respect, it’s straight-up 2-stars for me.
It’s awful and sad when authors deliberately choose to treat their female characters as walking orifices. Granted, the patriarchal system is responsible for their oppression and objectification, but women must have dreams too, motivations, and goals beyond everyday survival. Instead, they hate one another, obsess over men, and see themselves as weak and pathetic at every turn. While Esmenet and Serwë might have depth as characters, their stories are much less compelling. The constant sexual and physical abuse, combined with their inability to gain some sense of agency, seems voyeuristic and gratuitous.
I understand Bakker’s approach is different, but portraying women as mere victims doesn’t sit right with me. Because they could have been more. Erikson did right by it, and it’s not as if Malazan is any kinder to women, nor do they suffer lesser atrocities. So why?
That said, this is a brilliant dark fantasy book. I can see why it is notoriously suggested to fans of MBotF. I just don’t understand the need and choice for women taking the brunt of SA. If it were indiscriminate, I don’t think I would have complained as much, though it wouldn’t make reading it any less uncomfortable. This is my biggest problem, almost enough to rate it 2 or 3 stars, almost enough to overshadow all the strengths this book has. No matter how hard I try to wrap my head around the justifications for sexual violence, I can never completely agree. It’s more like, it sort of makes sense but I still think it’s BS. Thus, my rating dilemma and love-hate relationship with this book.
I’ve heard the later books take a much darker turn. Apparently, The Darkness That Comes Before stands on the lighter shade of dark by this series’ standards. I’m curious to know what happens next, more importantly, I’m keen to see how the female characters fare going forward. This could possibly make or break the whole series for me.
Most of all, I immensely enjoyed the political and religious intrigue at play in this world. I loved the battle of wits, the subtleties of power, and the dangerous politicking, especially the parts involving the emperor, Xerius and his nephew, Conphas. The introduction of various rival magic schools was also intriguing, though the mechanics of sorcery remain quite mysterious so far.
The majority of the key players are terrible people but nonetheless amazing characters. The dynamic and strange alliance between Kellhus and Cnaiür was incredibly interesting. A really great piece of writing, if I may say so. The plot is not hard to follow, not many Chekhov’s guns to be wary of, though the name-dumping can be overwhelming. It gets better once you’ve reached the 50% mark, by which time you’re more or less acquainted with the important names.
However, if I focus only on what I hate about this book, the rampant mysogynism that’s very hard to read, and men’s follies and misgivings being labeled as 'womanish' or 'whorish,' further emphasizing how degrading it is to be likened to a woman. In that respect, it’s straight-up 2-stars for me.
It’s awful and sad when authors deliberately choose to treat their female characters as walking orifices. Granted, the patriarchal system is responsible for their oppression and objectification, but women must have dreams too, motivations, and goals beyond everyday survival. Instead, they hate one another, obsess over men, and see themselves as weak and pathetic at every turn. While Esmenet and Serwë might have depth as characters, their stories are much less compelling. The constant sexual and physical abuse, combined with their inability to gain some sense of agency, seems voyeuristic and gratuitous.
I understand Bakker’s approach is different, but portraying women as mere victims doesn’t sit right with me. Because they could have been more. Erikson did right by it, and it’s not as if Malazan is any kinder to women, nor do they suffer lesser atrocities. So why?
That said, this is a brilliant dark fantasy book. I can see why it is notoriously suggested to fans of MBotF. I just don’t understand the need and choice for women taking the brunt of SA. If it were indiscriminate, I don’t think I would have complained as much, though it wouldn’t make reading it any less uncomfortable. This is my biggest problem, almost enough to rate it 2 or 3 stars, almost enough to overshadow all the strengths this book has. No matter how hard I try to wrap my head around the justifications for sexual violence, I can never completely agree. It’s more like, it sort of makes sense but I still think it’s BS. Thus, my rating dilemma and love-hate relationship with this book.
I’ve heard the later books take a much darker turn. Apparently, The Darkness That Comes Before stands on the lighter shade of dark by this series’ standards. I’m curious to know what happens next, more importantly, I’m keen to see how the female characters fare going forward. This could possibly make or break the whole series for me.