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The Judging Eye by Scott Bakker


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[url="http://nethspace.blogspot.com/2008/12/judging-eye-by-r-scott-bakker.html"]I've read it.[/url]

[url="http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2008/11/judging-eye-by-r-scott-bakker.html"]So has Werthead[/url]

[url="http://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com/2008/11/judging-eye.html"]and Pat[/url]

[url="http://www.graemesfantasybookreview.com/2008/11/judging-eye-r-scott-bakker-overlook.html"]Graeme has too[/url]

So, let the discussin begin.
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I've read it as well.

Just a heads up though, Wert previously put his foot down on discussing spoilers when the book hasn't been released. That said, I've read the forum rules concerning spoiler material [all forum rules of late actually, but that's another matter] and fortunately there's nothing there whatsoever barring discussion of spoilers. As said in the rule, it's what the spoiler tags are for.

So... what's the topic of discussion?
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the book was released in the UK today which is why I opened a new thread up. Since the discussion is tagged a spoiler in the title, no spoiler tags are necessary in this thread.

As for topics of discussion - I don't have anything specific in mind. Let's just see where things go.
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Ok, I'll start it off. The mystery figure was that first approached the Skin Eaters?

'How did you find us?'

'We find everyone.'

The Captain nods... fade to black.

Any guesses?
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I'd considered that, both, and I can't see why it would be either. It has to be one though, or else a herald of a completely different agency, which is possible I suppose. There's just no way Kellhus' probability trance could've picked out Achamian's hooking up with the Skin Eaters in particular. Him getting a band of scalpoi as guides, perhaps, but a specific company? Dunno about that.
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Anyone got any ideas on that ancient Nonman who turned up at the end and TOTAL BATSHIT INSANITY erupted? Since it was obvious we were in Moria, I think Bakker was teasing us with what his equivalent of the balrog was going to be, but instead he hit us with a confusion metaphysical manifestation of the same idea (although still complete with chasing our heroes up a really tall stairway to the top of a mountain). He went into total Erikson-WTF? overload at that point. I think I need to reread the section because it was seriously weird.
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It was quite bizarre, and I reread it a few times. Can't figure it. I mean, so it was a topos. Ok. But this was very, [i]very[/i] different than the desert in PoN. An actual, intelligent manifestation that took possession of someone and...

My mind's melting just thinking about it, and what Mimara can do [and see] with a chorae.
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Well, the whole homage to Moria was completly awesome in my opinion - the best part of the book. The Inchoiri kick some major ass. I love how Bakker sort of says 'Tolkien gave you Moria - now I'm going to give Moria on acid [i]and [/i]steroids'

You and I have some different opinions on Erikson, but I agree that it a bit confusing with the manifestation of the ghost of an ancient king who become insanely mad. It was weird, but I do love how the book ends with the Cleric climbing out to join them in the end.
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A quick question, then I'm out of here until the book is released in the U.S. --

How far does the Great Ordeal progress in this book? And which POV storyline did y'all like the best?

EDIT: Also, the "new map" Wert mentioned on the other thread -- what area does it depict, or is it the old map with more details?
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[quote name='kuenjato' post='1643287' date='Jan 9 2009, 23.57']A quick question, then I'm out of here until the book is released in the U.S. --

How far does the Great Ordeal progress in this book? And which POV storyline did y'all like the best?[/quote]

On the map the Great Ordeal progresses past the city of Sakarpus to the plains beyond. I'm not sure where it's actually going next. Sauglish? Tryse? I'm pretty sure they're not going to the other inhabited city of the north, Atrithau, and are aiming to go east around the Sea of Neleost.

Anyway, I suspect they won't reach Golgotterath until Book 3 ;)

As for POV storyline, I probably liked Akka the best. Kelmomas' was the most fucked up. Sorweel's was really interesting as well.
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[quote name='Werthead' post='1643342' date='Jan 9 2009, 17.43']As for POV storyline, I probably liked Akka the best. Kelmomas' was the most fucked up. Sorweel's was really interesting as well.[/quote]

Agreed
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I found myself taking more of an interest in the smaller PoVs of those involved in the Cult of Yatwer. Having a religion/goddess for the downtrodden and having her send the White-Luck Warrior to them in order to overthrow the repression of Kellhus's rule is a rather nice touch. Go, proles, go!
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I found Sorweel to be a bit of a whiny bitch for my tastes to be honest. He was interesting for his insight into the Great Ordeal and the resistance aspects, and he probably had to be a fresh face to avoid entanglement in too many old characters from PoN which would have made it a mess, but the character himself was a bit close to the main irritation of the original trilogy, with everyone just crying about how awesome Kellhus is. Still, it was a minor qualm.

Akka is a legend. He was my favourite character in PoN and he's my favourite character in this - and he's quite a rare thing in fantasy, a sorcerer who's neither a bumbling fool nor an incredibly confident and cunning legend, just another bloke who happens to be incredibly powerful. And I love Bakker's descriptions of magic.


Anyway, Nonman at the end (and may I just put in that I knew Cleric would turn out to be awesome and he was), although I didn't get what exactly happened to cause the topos, there was that bit earlier in the book, where Akka was talking about the humans who lived with the Nonmen at the end provoking some kind of reaction that allowed them to justify their betrayal. I thought that was the site of it, and the Nonman ghostie the mad king in charge at the time.
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[quote name='polishgenius' post='1644897' date='Jan 11 2009, 22.03']I found Sorweel to be a bit of a whiny bitch for my tastes to be honest.[/quote]

He seems to be the major suspect for the White-Luck Warrior, so hopefully he'll grow up a bit in the next book.

Does anyone else think Cleric might be Mekeritrig? Akka says a few times that he should know the name Incariol, but he doesn't, which makes me think it's a pseudonym. At first I thought he couldn't be Mekeritrig, because Akka would recognise him from the Dreams, but then there's another point (at the statue of Cujara Cin'moi) where Mimara says that all Nonmen look exactly the same, and we know that Cleric is an extremely powerful sorcerer with a deep dark Mark.
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