The Darkness That Comes Before: The Prince of Nothing, Book One

I have been waiting and waiting for this to finally come out in audiobook. And just in time for summer! Great writing - a bit overwrought, but in a good way - like a blend of MAR Barker and HP Lovecraft and Gene Wolfe.
I got these in book form on a lark when they came out and have gotten most of my family and friends to try it out. In that same spirit, I am writing a review so that someone out there will also give it a try and like it.
If you like Joe Abercrombie, Brent Weeks, or any of the new school reflective fantasy (as in fantasy more reflective of our real world - its what I call it anyway), I suggest you give it a try.

Lots of Characters and intricate language, do yourself a favor and find the printed book's character list and lexicon appendixes online somewhere as a companion to the audio version.

David DeVries voice drove me absolutely nuts when I listened for the first fifteen minutes. I gave it a chance because I thought it could shape up to be an excellent story.

I'm glad I gave it a shot because the story and narrator quickly evolved into something great. The story is interesting and mysterious and most of the characters are really well done. The first half of the book is a lot of world building and character introductions, while the last half really gets into the meat of the plot and builds the premise of what is to come.

Right after I hit submit on this review I will be purchasing book 2.

I believe that I would listen to the entire series again, yes. It is very deep and complex, and at some times even confusing. I pride myself as an attentive listener of audiobooks, I don't jsut put them on and then tune them out, and at times I had a little trouble following along. However, this is in no way a refutation of the book or the series. They are both wonderfully written and performed.

I'd have to say that I liked the depth of all the characters the best. Baker does an amazing job at characterization. Each and every one of them is complex, conflicted and unique.

While I didn't laugh out loud or cry while listening to The Darkness That Comes Gefore, I did have a strong reaction to the entire series. The main character, demands one from the reader. Love him or hate him, you will feel something towards him.

This is a fully realized world. Great conflicts. Original characters.

Dark dark magicians.

I drive long distances and tend to listen in long blocks. I could easily listen for 6+ hrs

A touchy feely exploration of world domination with lots of bloodshed. Mix in a bit of homosexuality and endless self-loathing, and you have almost written this book yourself. Still, even having said that, it somehow holds your interest...

The story has an expansive epic feel.

I found the secondary characters far more engaging than the main protagonist.

Nicely paced engaging audio reading. I did not find I was rewinding continually because I had lost the thread.

The strong religious, and moral absolutism of the characters meant that none of them appeared to develop much, as such I found my self rooting for unusual secondary characters. There is also a strong sense of homophobia in the cultures of characters which made me uncomfortable. This was not like the casual Game of thrones style sexism and homophobia, which in my opinion added to the believability of the environment, but seamed to be a moral statement by the author.

Altogether this is quite a good epic yarn about the people great and smalls, take and experience on events greater than all of them. If you are more into personal relationships with the characters development, rather than a more traditional Ragnarök style story of heroes and events, I would not recommend it. I am hoping book 2 and 3 offer more in that vain.

Maybe. When I really like a series, I'll listen multiple times to catch all the nuances. Once I hear the rest of the series, I'll know more.

Haven't decided yet.

dissapointed
I'm up to chapter five and i'm still trying to figure out the story. The reader moves so quickly from one section to the next that i lose track of who talking and where I am.Its wordy and convoluted, normally i like complex stories but i'm just lost on this one, i've stopped at chapter five.

THE BOOKED LIKE IT WOULD BE GOOD. I DIDNT LIKE THE WAY IT FLOWED AND STOPPED LISTENING TO IT.

The narrator speaks so fast you can't folow the book. I listened for a time at 1/2X just to try to follow the story, but I can't get through a book that way. I can't really rate the book, it might actually be good. I just really didn't like the narrator...