The Judging Eye is the first novel in the Aspect-Emperor tetralogy and the fourth in The Second Apocalypse series. It was published in 2009.[1]
Publisher’s Summary[]
Some twenty years have passed since the events narrated in The Prince of Nothing. Anasûrimbor Kellhus now rules all the Three Seas, the first true Aspect-Emperor in a thousand years. The masses worship him as a living god, though a few dare claim he's a walking demon. With Proyas and Saubon as his Exalt-Generals, he leads a holy war deep into the wastes of the Ancient North, intent on destroying Golgotterath and preventing the Second Apocalypse. His wife and consort Esmenet, meanwhile, remains in Momemn, where she struggles not only to rule his vast empire, but their murderous children as well. And Achamian, who lives as a Wizard in embittered exile, undertakes a mad quest to uncover the origins of the Dûnyain. But Achamian, of all people, should know that one must be very careful what one seeks…
Front matter[]
Dedication[]
To Ricky—friend and brother
Acknowledgements[]
Some books aim your questions wide and thin, while others, I’ve discovered, aim them narrow and deep. First and foremost, I need to thank my lovely wife, Sharron, who has become my conscience in all things. Need I list the other usual suspects?
Of course I do.
My brother, Bryan Bakker; my agent, Chris Lotts; my English language editors, Barbara Berson, Laura Shin, David Shoemaker, and Darren Nash; and my dear friends Roger Eichorn and Gary Wassner. With so many judging eyes, both shrewd and gifted, no writer could go wrong.
Maps[]
Plot Summary[]
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The following section contains significant plot details about The Judging Eye |
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| Table of contents | |
|---|---|
| Prologue | |
| Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 |
| Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 |
| Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 |
| Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 |
| Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 |
| Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 |
| Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 |
| Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 |
| Interlude | |
But who are you, man, to answer God thus? Will what is made say to him who made it—Why have you made me this way? Does the potter not have power over his clay, to make, from the same mass, one vessel for honour, and another for dishonour?
Romans, 9:20–21
Chapter 1[]
The Great Ordeal of Anasûrimbor Kellhus begins its march towards the north. On their way and first objective lies Sakarpus and its Chorae Hoard. Sakarpus falls before the indomitable sorcery of the Aspect-Emperor and King Varalt Harweel of Sakarpus dies engulfed by the flames. His only son, Varalt Sorweel, heir and revenge, is dragged by orders of his father through the streets to a safe place being pursued by the Aspect-Emperor himself. The Aspect-Emperor kills his protectors and embraces Varalt Sorweel and forgives him.
Chapter 2[]
The twenty-year exile of Achamian is interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Mimara, the daughter of his former wife Esmenet, (the now Empress of the Three Seas). Mimara is one of the Few, but also she can rarely see the morality of things, she has something called the Judging Eye. Mimara demands Achamian teach her sorcery, but the old Wizard refuses.
Chapter 3[]
The poem "Monius" by Nel-Saripal is presented and read by the famous mummer Sarpella at the court of Momemn. Rumors of Fanayal ab Kascamandri and his Coyauri renegades lurking near the River Sempis keep reaching the Palace. Anasûrimbor Theliopa discovers a Skin-Spy among the new Palace slaves, Kelmomas and Samarmas are taken by Empress Esmenet to the Allosium Forum where in front of crowds the inhuman is impaled.
Chapter 4[]
Achamian tells Mimara how his dream has transformed from the Apocalypse to the mundane life of Seswatha. Mimara calls Achamian "Prophet of the past". Thereafter in an attempt to win the tutelage of the sullen Wizard, she seduces him. Shortly thereafter in her shame and regret Mimara reveals to the wizard that the Great Ordeal has begun its March.
Chapter 5[]
In Iothiah Psatma Nannaferi goes to the Temple of Ilchara, there in the catacombs and in front of a Council of the Cult of Mother Yatwer, she announces that the son of his Goddess is coming. The White-Luck Warrior. In Momemn, listening to his mother, his uncle Maithanet and his sister Theliopa talking in other room about the Cult of Yatwer and the problems it is causing in the Empire, Kelmomas convinces his twin brother Samarmas to dance on the railing of a balcony. Samarmas ends up slipping and falling on the spears of guards stationed below the balcony. Kelmomas wiped the olive oil off the railing and started bawling like a child of his age. Soon after, the Empress Esmenet wiped the body of her son Samarmas in a funeral parlor. And for the next nights Esmenet cuddled in her bed next to her other son Kelmomas, who pretended to cry, certain that he was the Empress' last remaining love.
Chapter 6[]
Achamian abandons Mimara in the tower and leaves for Marrow, a Scalpers' rendezvous point. There he meets the Company of the Skin Eaters, their Captain Lord Kosoter and the enigmatic Nonman Incariol. After managing to convince them with promises and lies about the Coffers and the treasures in the Library of Sauglish, Achamian succeeds in his task and thus obtains his escort.
Chapter 7[]
After securing the city, the Great Ordeal continues its march. Varalt Sorweel joins the army as a symbol of Sakarpus' commitment to the cause of the Aspect-Emperor. Varalt Sorweel joins the Company of Scions, composed of hostage Princes from all over the New Empire. Porsparian, a Shigeki slave is assigned to Sorweel.
Chapter 8[]
Mimara follows the Skin Eaters, when she is discovered and threatened by the Scalpers and their Captain, the Wizard has no choice but to let her accompany them as well, agreeing to teach her the Gnosis. Soon after, the entire Company realizes that the passes through the Osthwai Mountains are closed due to the spring weather. They have no choice but to venture through the dark Black Halls of Cil-Aujas.
Chapter 9[]
In Momemn Samarmas is buried in the Temple of Xothei. In Iothiah the White-Luck Warrior introduces himself to Psatma Nannaferi. In Momemn, the Empress Esmenet and the Shriah Maithanet receive the Matriarch of the Cult of Yatwer, Hanamem Sharacinth, there the Matriarch confirms to the Empress that the White-Luck has turned against the Aspect-Emperor. Unexpectedly they are interrupted by the Aspect-Emperor himself, Anasûrimbor Kellhus reprimanded the Matriarch and ordered her to fight against the sedition that was her own Cult. The Matriarch, totally compelled, accepts. In her private chambers, Kellhus consoles Esmenet for the death of Samarmas, she tells him that she cannot bear the weight of the responsibility of an Empire, but Anasûrimbor Kellhus endorses her his love and confidence in the task. In Iothiah, Psatma Nannaferi consummates a sexual rite with the White-Luck Warrior, in front of hundreds of Yatwer parishioners, and somehow she rejuvenated.
Chapter 10[]
Sorweel meets Zsoronga ut Nganka’kull. Thanteus Eskeles (Schoolman of the Mandate) is assigned as tutor to Varalt Sorweel.
Chapter 11[]
Following the winding escarpments and gorges through the Osthwai Mountains, the motley company of Scalpers arrives at Mount Aenaratiol. The old Nonman Mansion of Cil-Aujas lay beneath the mountain, they enter into the darkness.
Chapter 12[]
In Momemn Kelmomas eavesdrops on his father Kellhus comforting his mother. The voice in his head advises him not to approach his father, as he might see the truth of his soul. In the throne room Kelmomas sniffs on the floor the urine left by the Matriarch and somehow managed to follow the trail of the Matriarch, sneaking out of the Andiamine Heights through the rooftops with great agility he headed towards the Batrial Campus, there in the Guest Compound he murders the sentry and the Matriarch herself, Hanamem Sharacinth, in a brutal manner in her bedroom. In the same night Anasûrimbor Kellhus leaves Momemn before he has even seen his son Kelmomas and without having learned of the murder of the Matriarch. In the same night Empress Esmenet meets in the Guest Compound with the Shriah Maithanet, both know they have lost their means to control the Yatwerians, (they suspect the Skin-Spies), and now they knew they would be blamed for it. They decide to go on the offensive, they order the search for Psatma Nannaferi, the recruitment of undercover agents and preparations for a possible siege as well as anti-riot measures. General Caxes Anthirul is summoned along with an Arcong Column. News arrives from Sempis, Fanayal ab Kascamandri raids fortified cities along the river, with the help of a Cishaurim.
Chapter 13[]
In Condia, Sorweel continues his apprenticeship with Eskeles of the Sheyic. Sorweel learns from Zsoronga that the Aspect-Emperor is like a father to men, who are children before him, such were the revelations of the exiled Wizard Drusas Achamian. The Emperor make them love. That night Posparian, the slave of Sorweel, secretly an adept of the Goddess Yatwer in a kind of ritual smears mud on the face of Sorweel and thus hides the truth (vengeance) in the soul of the Prince, water to "Hide in gaze!", Sorweel understands that the gods have not abandoned him and lets the slave wipe his face.
Chapter 14[]
The company of Scalpoi travels for days through the depths of the Mansion, listening to the sermons of Incariol. There a reluctant Mimara confesses to the Wizard that she can sometimes see the morality of things. Achamian replies that she possesses the Judging Eye, but refuses to tell her more. As they continue to advance through the crumbling halls the Sranc finally attack them, some possessing Chorae, they run.
Chapter 15[]
In Condia, in the next day at the Council of Potentates Anasûrimbor Kellhus do not see the truth of the soul of Sorweel. On the contrary, Impalpotas, a Lord of the Ordeal, is unmasked as a Skin-Spy and killed by the Aspect-Emperor. Sorweel, surprised at not having been discovered, returns to his tent and rebukes the slave, asking him what he had done. And to his surprise he discovers the slave calling him: "Yemarte… Yemarte’sus! (Blessed… Blessed you)".
Chapter 16[]
Completely outnumbered, the Scalpoi are forced to flee, moving deeper and deeper into the bowels of the Mansion. During the following fights Achamian is knocked unconscious and Mimara manages to kill a Sranc and seizes the Chorae of the inhuman. Aided largely by the Qûya sorcery of Incariol, the remnants of the once-great company manage to rest from the howling inhuman tide. Achamian and Mimara get their first taste of the Qirri. With the Judging Eye open Mimara observes a stranger sitting among the survivors. Then Incariol recognizes the specter as the one of Gin’yursis, the former Non-Man King of Cil-Aujas. The specter possesses Incariol, and realizing the danger they are all in, the survivors move deeper into the Mansion. Arriving at the Great Medial Screw, the dwindling company sees sunlight at the top of the stairs, all they have to do is ascend. The specter of Gin’yursis still follows them, seeing death approaching the Judging Eye of Mimara opens again, and raising her Chorae Mimara drives out the specter off Incariol and off the Mansion. And claim "I guard them! I hold the Gates!" The survivors manage to emerge, more broken than ever. They are on the north side of Aenaratiol, the Long Side stretching out before them. Lord Kosoter takes the first step there, but Soma turns around and soon the whole company realizes that Incariol, the Nonman Cleric now recovered, is following them.
Interlude[]
In Momemn, Kelmomas from a balcony rejoices at the sound of riots in the city, called by his mother he lies down next to her and tells her that his Uncle, the Holy Shriah Maithanet, is looking at her strangely. He tells her that he possesses more power… And so, the "unseen ruler" who does not sleep plants more seeds of discord.
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Here ends the section of Spoilers |
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Point of View Characters[]
Each chapter in the book is divided into sections of limited third person point of views of alternating characters. Some chapters include an omniscient third person point of view. The numbers in brackets indicate how many sections the character has in the novel.
- Anasûrimbor Kelmomas (5)
- Drusas Achamian (44)
- Esmenet (15)
- Mimara (31)
- Omniscient (8)
- Psatma Nannaferi (4)
- Scribe (1)
- Sranc (1)
- Traveller (1)
- Varalt Sorweel (22)
- White-Luck Warrior (1)
Cover gallery[]
