The Thousandfold Thought
A major disappointment; the epic grinds to a baffled conclusion which undermines the interest of the previous two novels. Having wondered for two enormous books what Kelhus’s father has been up to, we discover that it is… not much, because he screwed up; having wondered for two enormous books why the Cishaurim attacked the Scarlet Spires, setting in motion a substantial amount of the plot, we learn why and it is beyond stupid (so the Cishaurim on discovering a skin-spy immediately assume it was from the Scarlet Spires, do not negotiate or warn or investigate in any way, and immediately laugh a decapitation strike? If this were TvTropes, it’d be an entry on the Idiot Ball page. One almost wishes Bakker had Moenghus take responsibility, because at least then it would make some sense.) The conquests become lackluster after book 2.
The only redeeming aspect is that Paul becoming Padishah Emperor sets us up for Dune Messiah—sorry, I mean Kellhus becoming Aspect-Emperor sets us up for The Judging Eye, which has more intrinsic interest.