The Great Ordeal

With The Great Ordeal, R. Scott Bakker presents the penultimate volume of The Aspect-Emperor, a series that stands with the finest in the genre for its grandiose scope, rich detail, and thrilling story. As the Fanim war-drums echo ominously outside the city walls, Empress Anasurimbor Esmenet is consumed by a frantic search for her missing son, Kelmomas. Meanwhile, her husband’s Great Ordeal marches relentlessly northward, facing dwindling supplies and the harrowing decision to consume the flesh of fallen Sranc—a choice with unforeseen consequences. Far to the north, the wizard Achamian grapples with the fear that his long and arduous journey may end in futility, no closer to the truth he seeks. As the epic saga unfolds, Bakker’s richly imagined universe of violence, sorcery, and philosophical depth reaches new heights, setting a new standard for the fantasy genre. The Aspect-Emperor series follows Bakker’s Prince of Nothing saga, returning to the same world twenty years later. The Great Ordeal follows The Judging Eye and The White-Luck Warrior, and delivers the first half of the conclusion to this epic story. Returning to Bakker’s richly imagined universe of myth, violence, and sorcery, The Aspect-Emperor continues to set the bar for the fantasy genre, reaching new heights of intricacy and meaning.