The Great Ordeal

Praised by fans and critics worldwide, R. Scott Bakker has become one of the most celebrated voices in fantasy literature. With The Great Ordeal, Bakker presents the long-anticipated third volume of The Aspect-Emperor, a series that stands with the finest in the genre for its grandiose scope, rich detail, and thrilling story. Ã As Fanim war-drums beat just outside the city, the Empress AnasÃ»rimbor Esmenet searches frantically throughout the palace for her missing son Kelmomas. Meanwhile and many miles away, Esmenetâs husbandâs Great Ordeal continues its epic march further north. But in light of dwindling supplies, the Aspect-Emperorâs decision to allow his men to consume the flesh of fallen Sranc could have consequences even He couldnât have foreseen. And, deep in IshuÃ¤l, the wizard Achamian grapples with his fear that his unspeakably long journey might be ending in emptiness, no closer to the truth than when he set out. Ã The Aspect-Emperor series follows Bakkerâs 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 Bakkerâs 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.