Three soldiers named Kellhus, Achamian and Cnaiur join a host of crusaders in the Imperial Capital of Momenn and launch a war against their sworn enemies, the heathen Fanim, to liberate the Holy City Shimeh. The Darkness That Comes Before is the first book in R. Scott Bakker's Second-Apocalypse sequence. The story follows three main characters: Achamian, a middle-aged sorcerer from the Mandate School who is haunted by dreams of the tragic First Apocalypse that saw the No God Mog-Pharau summoned to the world of Earwa by his sworn servants, the Unholy Consult; Cnaiur, a Scylvendi warrior from the nomadic barbarian tribe who lives on the icy steppes north of the Nansur Empire; and Kellhus, a warrior-monk from an ascetic order called the Dunyain, who foresake their animal instincts to gain absolute enlightenment.
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The story takes place in the Three Seas region of the fantasy world of Earwa. Achamian is sent by his Mandate School of Sorcery to investigate a new religious leader in the City of Sumna named Maithanet. Maithanet is a rabble-rouser, and has sounded repeated calls for his religious followers, known as the Inrithi, to take up arms against the heathen Fanim and retake the Holy City of Shimeh. These events are loosely based on the historical First Crusade in medieval Europe.
The Nansur Emperor takes up Maithanet's call for war, and decides to test their military by eradicating their historical enemies the Scylvendi. The emperor's nephew, Conphas, leads the Nansur army into the Steppe, where he uses sorcery to commit genocide against the Scylvendi.
Cnaiur is one of the few Scylvendi warriors to survive the emperor's assault. He discovers a lone Kellhus outside of his village in the northern wilderness and decides to take the Dunyain monk captive. Cnaiur is particularly drawn to Kellhus, because Kellhus' father Moengus allegedly seduced Cnaiur's own father year ago, an act that led the latter's eventual suicide. Cnaiur quickly sees the power of persuasion that Kellhus seems to have over people, as Kellhus seduces Cnaiur's sex slave, Serwe, away from the Scylvendi's bed and into his own. Cnaiur alone seems to be immune to the Dunyain's charms. Kellhus, for his part, is only using Cnaiur to get from point A to point B. Long ago Kellhus' father left the Dunyain and joined the heathen School of Sorcery in Shimeh, the Cishaurim. The Dunyain leaders tasked Kellhus with finding his father and discovering his reason for desertion. Nobody leaves the Dunyain without an excellent reason.
Kellhus quickly realizes that the brimming crusade in Nansur is his best chance to reach Shimeh and search for Moengus. He directs the Scylvendi to the Nansur capital where they meet Achamian. Kellhus pretends to be a prince from the distant kingdom of Atrithau, a crime punishable by death. The lie gains him and Cnaiur access to the meeting of all the great Inrithi lords. As the most powerful Inrithi lords, including Conphas, squabble over who will lead the crusade, Kellhus swoops in to split the difference. He proposes Cnaiur to lead the Inrithi host, the great dismay of Conphas and the other imperials who hate all Scylvendi. With no better option, the council takes Kellhus' recommendation and elects Cnaiur as leader of the Inrithi host. And so the holy war begins.
Best part of story, including ending:
Earwa is a deep and fascinating fantasy location, darker and more barbaric than many of its close cousins. The plot of The Darkness That Comes Before can be a bit plodding, especially as Cnaiur and Kellhus journey across the Steppe towards the Nansur Empire, but it's the beginning of something grand.
Best scene in story:
Kellhus uses his almost supernatural powers of mental manipulation to undercut the all-powerful Nansur Empire and get Cnaiur installed as leader of the Inrithi host.
Opinion about the main character:
Kellhus' most interesting trait is the ambiguity of his motives. His Dunyain training has made him powerful, but is he using those powers for good or evil?
