Is Darkness that Comes Before Hardcover Worthy?/R. Scott Bakker

[Glelas]

I rarely buy hardcover books. It is somewhat of a money issue but also I tend to enjoy reading paperback fantasy. There are some hardcovers I have and will buy. A Feast for Crows will be purchased Hardcover. Gardens of the Moon would have definitely been bought hardcover except I ordered the paperbacks from Amazon Canada months ago. I used to buy the WOT hardcovers when I was obsessed with the story. Needless to say I waited for Crossroads to come to Paperback and will wait for New Spring as well. So now I stare at The Darkness that Comes Before and I am tempted to purchase it hardcover and eventually get the whole series hardcover. Is it hardcover worthy? Does it or will it fall into the George RR Martin category of "most anticipated books" - at least for me?

[Shevchyk]

Bakker's Darkness That Comes Before is out in paperback.

[Nimea]

Bakker's Darkness That Comes Before is out in paperback.

Mass market paperback?

I don't know for sure, but I thought the mass market paperback is out in Canada, both in the US and UK it is hardcover (US) or trade paperback (UK) . . . ?

[saintjon]

Yes definitely it's worth hardcover. Someday I hope to have a hardcover copy signed by Bakker with his response to something I said on his forum about how sexy the penguin covers are (his response was that he caught himself staring at a TPB of The Warrior-Prophet and thinking this is what a stalker must feel like).

Anyways, I heard of one store in Canada that still has the first book in TPB, but mostly it's all paperback up here. I bet you could get one in paperback from amazon.ca, although IMO it's worth the best edition you can get it in.

[Shevchyk]

Mass market paperback?

I don't know for sure, but I thought the mass market paperback is out in Canada, both in the US and UK it is hardcover (US) or trade paperback (UK) . . . ?

I think it's in MM. I can go to a local Chapters/Indigo and double-check for you, but I seem to recall seeing it in MM.

[saintjon]

yeah my copy of The Darkness That Comes Before is a mmpb that I purchased from an Indigo in Toronto a couple months ago.

[Nimea]

I think it's in MM. I can go to a local Chapters/Indigo and double-check for you, but I seem to recall seeing it in MM.

That would be nice, since I can only find the editions I posted when doing a search on the various amazon sites (.com/.co.uk/.de/.ca). Thanks!

[Iskaral Pust]

It's not out in Mass market in the Uk yet, as far as I'm aware. I'd guess that probably applies to the rest of Europe as well.

[Rob B]

The Darkness that Comes Before was recently released in the United States in Hardcover by Overlook press. And with a resounding yes, it is worth the Hardcover purchase. It is one of the most, if not THE most impressive debut novels I've ever read.

Hell, my Sffworld.com review is blurbed on the back of it for Heavan's Sake!!! (a first)

[saintjon]

Are you blurbed on every edition Rob? That's awesome all the same. I want my copy back from my cousin for a second so I can check .

[Rob B]

AFAIK, only the US Edition published by Overlook Press. I reviewed the Canadian edition from Penguin and some time after my review of the book going live last year, Scott's book was published by Overlook.

Perhaps it is on the MMPB in Canada and the UK version, I don't know.

Here's the blurb that's on the book
“I jokingly hesitate to truly call this a work of fantasy considering how absolutely convincing this novel reads as a historical account... Bakker… clamps his hand over yours and simply does not let go… Amid the cluttered shelves of the Epic Fantasy genre, Bakker is a name that stands out amongst, not just the new writers in the crowd, but established and recognized names."
-sffworld.com

[saintjon]

Yeah I made sure and mentioned to him (as some other members here have as well) over at his forum that it was because of your promotion that I read the book.

I also read your review of the Warrior-Prophet when I was at the beginning of it (didn't need anyone to promote the book to me at that point however). Upon finishing I didn't feel beat over the head by Akka's struggle so much as Kellhus' infuriatingly effortless manipulations. The guy's a walking stranglehold on people's thoughts!

Oh man I'm derailing again, back to topic the Warrior-Prophet is worth the price of hardcover as well when you get around to it! haha alls well that ends well I guess.

[Larry]

Yes, it most certainly is worth a hardcover purchase. Like Rob, I also received a review copy from Penguin for the second and I agree totally with his sentiments (odd how we both posted reviews on our sites on June 20th). This is certainly an epic fantasy series worth reading.

In fact, Bakker himself is starting a contest to win a signed and personalized hardcover copy of TDTCB. I'll post details later. Sound cool?

[Rob B]

saintjon, thanks for the support! I didn't see Kellhus as efforts at manipulation infuriating, either.

Ald-post a link to your site/review.

[Larry]

Sure thing:

My wotmania review

And if you want to announce Scott's contest, here's the link to my portion of it.

Contest description

I think he's going to post something about it later on Three Seas.

Three Seas Forum


I just wasn't for sure if I should say much about it, not wanting to step on any toes by accident. But I do think it'd be something a lot of people here might be interested in doing.