Saga of The Three Seas by R. Scott Baker

[Specterpoet]

I used to like The Lord of The Rings, Dune and--until George R. R. Martin became a sad parody of himself in the fifth book--The Song of Ice and Fire. I want fantasy and science fiction to draw me in, introduce me to new and unique worlds, and include all necessary philosophical bents to enhance the world and make it more realistic while fascinating me in real life.

Then I found The Prince of Nothing, the first book in R. Scott Baker's Prince of Nothing series. Actually my husband found it and gave it to me and commanded me to read it. This is probably the most underrated fantasy series I have ever encountered. The quality of writing is apparent from the first pages, and the world with sorcerers and politics and religions was painfully beautiful and engaging. There's Achamian, the Mandate Schoolman sorcerer who's out to find and uncover the mysterious, evil Consult at the risk of his reputation. There's Esmenet, the aging prostitute haunted by the loss of her daughter years ago. And then there's Kellhus...

It's not an easy read. I actually had to give up on reading it with my Kindle and get a hard copy because there was so much to keep track of. Characters, names, storylines. As the series progresses, I've heard that many people give up in the second or third book. It's understandable. None of the characters are entirely relatable, and there's no distinct "good" or "evil" presented. It's all a confusing blur.

The other day I finished the third book, the end of the first trilogy--The Thousandfold Thought. Now I get it. Now I know what's going on, and I am so glad I stayed with it! I just wish there were more people to discuss it with. No, Kellhus is not a Mary Sue. No, the story's not over.

The Saga of The Three Seas is set to be nine books long, a trilogy of trilogies. So far, five are out, and I'm digging into the fourth. It isn't an easy read, but if you can get through it.... I have to recommend it. Highly. Five thumbs.

Oh, and did I mention that there's a starship? An arc that fell from the sky years ago and crashed on the world, stranding its inhabitants as a new race? Yeah. Starships and sorcerers and awesomeness.