The Darkness That Comes Before

The Darkness That Comes Before - R. Scott Bakker Good debut novel by this author, following various individuals and factions as they set off for a remote corner of the world for their own ends.
Each chapter is told from the point of view of just one or two characters, which helps introduce people and places slowly, and doesn't overwhelm you all at once trying to keep track of them.
The mysterious Maithenet calls a Holy War on Shimeh.
The Nansur empire want their lands back, and use the Holy War as an excuse.
The Mandate sorcerors dream about the first war each night, and how a descendant of the old king wil return at the end of days...
and through all this, Anasurimbor Khellus comes from the unknown north, able to read men, called by his father in Shimeh.

Good interaction between the different groups as they all find themselves gravitating towards the Holy War.

The maps are really small and hard to read, I ended up finding them online to look at so I could work out where things were happening.