The Warrior Prophet by R Scott Bakker

In R. Scott Bakker's The Warrior Prophet, a vast Holy War comprising multiple nations gathers to reclaim the sacred city of Shimeh from the Fanim. Amidst the geopolitical tension between the Nansur Empire and the religious host, a mysterious man named Anasûrimbor Kellhus begins to manipulate the leaders and the masses using his profound intellect and perceived prophetic status. He is accompanied by Cnaiür, a vengeful barbarian chieftain, and Drusas Achamian, a sorcerer of the Mandate who believes Kellhus may be the key to averting an ancient, apocalyptic threat known as the Second Apocalypse. As the army endures grueling sieges and desert crossings, Kellhus successfully subverts the crusade’s original purpose to serve his own enigmatic goals. Meanwhile, the Consult, an ancient cabal of skin-spies and abominations, works from the shadows to undermine the crusade and ensure the return of the No-God. The narrative explores themes of causality, the nature of belief, and the terrifying power of intellectual manipulation in a world of brutal warfare.