I’m about 50 pages into the first book and I’m not liking it at all.
It’s not offensively bad or anything, I’m just not feeling it.
I love fantasy, but I prefer when it’s not entirely bleak and grim and icky. This is pretty damned bleak, grim, and icky so far. Does it stay in that vein the whole way through?
I finished the first book and started the second book (had to set it aside, but I plan to return to it at some point). The first book definitely stays bleak, grim, and icky all the way through, and so does the portion of the second book that I managed to get through.
What bothered me more is that Our Hero just seemed waaay too competent. Maybe he’ll get an ass-whupping at some point (I sure hope so).
So, is Kellhus the hero? 'Cause, I kinda hate him.
I think that’s the guy’s name–is he the one who’s the Descendant Of Ancient Kings ™ and is Destined To Fulfill An Ancient Prophecy ™ by Battling An Ancient Evil Long Thought Dead ™? If so, that’s him.
I’m reasonably sure that Bakker is a good enough writer that the character won’t really be set up as a hero in the traditional (read: bog-standard) sense. But to the extent that I’ve read so far, that character is being portrayed as having a Batman level of ubermenschosity. Which is really annoying, and I hate him too.
Bah.
Well, if you ever decide to finish the series and you end up thinking it was really worth it, despite that dude, let me know. I think I’m going to send it back to the library. Early. No fine. That’s almost a first. 
I had trouble getting into the first one too – a bit too much introspection from Kelhus – but when I met Achamian and then Cnaiur (you’ll love Cnaiur), I was hooked.
Halfway through the third book, everybody’s doing the introspection thing. The action just stops while they’re all working out their destinies – in their heads. I stopped reading and haven’t decided whether I’ll finish.
But the first two and a half books were pretty darn good.
I hate Kelhus too.
I’ve met Achamian, and he’s definitely an improvement over Kellhus!
But then there was this long argument between 3 people all using terms that I hadn’t been introduced to and I thought that it was taking more concentration than I was willing to give if I wasn’t going to get something with a glimmer of happiness in it, you know? I’ll work hard at a book if it feels like it’s going to be rewarding, but I think I need either easy but grim or (preferably) hard but with inklings of joy somewhere!
The series is largely all about philosophy. I at least somewhat enjoyed it, but in spite of all the philosophy, not because of it.
I’ve read the first 2 (hadn’t realized that the third one was out yet). I thought that it was ok, but all of the references to pedophilia really creeped me out.
Anyway, the series is quite grim. It is punctuated with brief happy moments that are quite cruelly taken away from the characters.
On preview: I nearly put down the book after reading the intro that went “we can define the soul as follows: that which preceeds everything” on the basis that I really didn’t want to read a bunch of pseudo-philosophical nonsense, but restrained that urge. I’m still not sure if I made the right decision.