If there’s one fantasy series built for deep dives, heated conversations, and big-brain theories, it’s R. Scott Bakker’s The Second Apocalypse. This is a world packed with philosophy, prophecy, and enough unsettling questions to keep any discussion thread buzzing. So for this group read from 2002 – 2003 with Daniel and Katerina we’re treated the series the way it begs to be explored—together, conversation-style.
Throughout this readalong, we’ll break down the wild worldbuilding, untangle the timeline, dig into character motivations, and talk through the themes Bakker threads into every chapter. Think of it like a book club that leans heavily into analysis, speculation, and the kind of back-and-forth you’d normally hear on a good podcast episode. Follow the links below to listen to the episodes in order as you read, or pick and choose the episodes that most interest you.
Whether you’re rereading or stepping into Earwa for the first time, pull up a chair. Let’s crack open these books, compare notes, and see what meaning—if any—we can wrestle out of Bakker’s beautiful, brutal masterpiece.
The Darkness That Comes Before
The Darkness That Comes Before Part I SPOILER Discussion
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11050811
The Darkness That Comes Before Part II SPOILER Discussion
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11089079
The Darkness That Comes Before Part III SPOILER Discussion
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11130207
The Darkness That Comes Before Part IV SPOILER Discussion
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11211544
The Darkness That Comes Before Discussion
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11252531
The Warrior Prophet
The Warrior Prophet by R. Scott Bakker Chapters 1-4 Discussion
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11292434
The Warrior Prophet by R. Scott Bakker Chapters 5-8 Discussion
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11334371
The Warrior Prophet by R. Scott Bakker Chapters 9 – 13 Discussion
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11375810
The Warrior Prophet by R. Scott Bakker Chapters 14 – 17 Discussion
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11416894
The Warrior Prophet by R. Scott Bakker Chapters 18 – 21 Discussion
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11460381
The Warrior Prophet by R. Scott Bakker Discussion
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11503357
The Thousandfold Thought
The Thousandfold Thought by R. Scott Bakker Chapters 1-4 Discussion
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11636912
The Thousandfold Thought by R. Scott Bakker Chapters 5-8 Discussion
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11682405
The Thousandfold Thought by R. Scott Bakker Chapters 9-13 Discussion
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11740745
The Thousandfold Thought by R. Scott Bakker Discussion
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11799079
The Judging Eye
The Judging Eye Chapters 1 – 4 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11875572
The Judging Eye Chapters 5 – 8 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11901469
The Judging Eye Chapters 9 – 12 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11944586
The Judging Eye Chapters 13 – 16 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/11982706
The White-Luck Warrior
The White-Luck Warrior Chapters 1-3 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/12034333
The White-Luck Warrior Chapters 4 – 6 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/12074192
The White-Luck Warrior Chapters 7 – 9 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/12127566
The White-Luck Warrior Chapters 10 – 12 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/12174092
The White-Luck Warrior Chapters 13 – 15 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/12222949
The Great Ordeal
The Great Ordeal Chapters 1 – 3 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/12397006
The Great Ordeal Chapters 4 – 7 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/12456980
The Great Ordeal Chapters 8 – 11 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/12505295
The Great Ordeal Chapters 12 – 13 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/12537040
The Great Ordeal Chapters 14 – 17 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/12605348
The Unholy Consult
The Unholy Consult Chapters 1 – 5 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/12692823
The Unholy Consult Chapters 6 – 10 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/12739150
The Unholy Consult Chapters 11 – 13 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/12794446
The Unholy Consult Chapters 14 – 16 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/12833521
The Unholy Consult Chapters 17 – 20 Discussion | The Aspect-Emperor Series
