“Sometimes, the only way to improve something is to destroy it, so it can be rebuilt better… Sometimes, to change the world, we must first b[image]
“Sometimes, the only way to improve something is to destroy it, so it can be rebuilt better… Sometimes, to change the world, we must first burn it down.”
"Arrrrrgh" oh the pain. Please don't for one second think that my pain has been caused by reading the final installment in Joe Abercrombie's scintillating Age of Madness series, the Wisdom of Crowds. If you're apprehensive about what ending is in store for our beloved characters then don't be. It's simply the fact that this book marks the end of our time within the world of the First Law. And that leaves a huge void in my life. A void that cannot be filled by beer, football or other inferior fantasy series.
Seriously, Joe Abercrombie is the reason I'm even reading fantasy. He writes this stuff better than I thought was possible. How does he do it? By making amazing characters the focus of the story and mixing pulsating action with lots of dark comedy and perfectly timed heartfelt moments. He really is the Tarantino of the fantasy genre.
"Wisdom is not a premium, madness is the fashion, the balance sheets are all torn up and the friends that were assets have become liabilities."
But if you're reading this review then you're probably up with all the things this fantastic series has to offer. So you just need to know if this book is any good. Yes it is... brilliant in fact. End of review...
... oh you want more.
The previous book, The Trouble with Peace, ended on the verge of The Great Change, and this one kicks off exactly where it left off with full on civil war and open rebellion. Yes, the oppressors have become the oppressed and finding out just how equal we all are when the chips are down. The Breakers and Burners have continued their determination to break the system and are now destroying the city and their places of work. The Age of Madness is now looking a very apt title for where this series is at.
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By now we all know this author's strengths and he's honed them to a fine art. As per usual, Abercrombie treats us to phenomenal characterisation with a keen insight on the human condition. Good people commit awful acts, and awful people become heroes. It's all a matter of perspective in Joe's books and everything depends on what side of the fence you're on or what end of a blade. It's great to spend time with these morally grey characters and you can't help but wonder if you sometimes see a bit of yourself reflected there. Hopefully not too much though!
Leo Dan Brock, left shattered at the end of the last book, is determined to become a new hero of this volatile age, while his wife Savine is suffering a complete character makeover as she switches her passion for profit to simple survival. Sticky Rikke faces a battle to hang on to the North with the craftiest Northman of them all Black Calder and my favourite character Orso is beginning to learn that being the King of the Union is not all its cracked up to be. The dynamics between them are absolutely fantastic as the plot constantly twists and turns making this one an absolute page turner. That's as far as I'm going though and I'll leave it up to yourself to find out which of the characters come out on top as they struggle to keep their heads above water. Suffice to say that Abercrombie works his magic by keeping us absolutely enthralled regardless of which POV is being used.
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And while we're on the subject of magic, the quality of writing is absolutely magnificent. Joe is punching write at the top of the fantasy genre and for pure readability it's up there with the very best. It's dark, it's violent and very humorous and the prose just draw you in, take tight hold of your eye balls and don't let go until the very end.
My only criticism is that one characters arc for me was a bit unrealistic and things changed a little bit to rapidly and without much adversity. I'd of like to have seen victory earned particularly when you consider what they were up against. I'll leave you to work out which one I'm talking about.
“They’re monsters,” Orso heard her whisper.
‘I almost wish they were,’ he muttered. ‘That would be easier. But they’re just people.’
‘They’re the worst people I ever saw.’
‘Of course they are. We hanged all the best ones.’
But that's a very small criticism amongst all the praise I have for this book and the series as a whole. It's been a huge part of my life for the last six months and I'm going to miss it. Far more than all those ex's that dumped me. But before I go you'll want to know if Joe landed the ending? Of course he bloody did and you'll be stoked to know he left plenty of threads open for a sequel. That's what I'm hoping for anyway. I can't cope without First Law in my life. Might mean I have to go out and get a girlfriend to fill my time. You've got to be realistic.
"In times of peace, the warlike man attacks himself."
By the dead! Just when I think Joe Abercrombie couldn't get any better, he hits me wit[image]
"In times of peace, the warlike man attacks himself."
By the dead! Just when I think Joe Abercrombie couldn't get any better, he hits me with "The Trouble with Peace" and completely outdoes himself. After picking up his first novel, The Blade Itself, earlier in the year I went on a massive First Law rampage and have now read all ten of his books in the series. I've been blown away by pretty much all of them and thought I'd established my favourites. However, this one throws a serious spanner in the work as its definitely one of his best. Intense, engaging and with a subtle edge, this in no way suffered from second book syndrome. Abercrombie provides one hell of a story and expands on the opening book in the Age of Madness trilogy (A Little Hatred), to set up a fantastic finale in the upcoming final book.
If you're a Joe Abercrombie fan you know exactly what to expect. There's violence, betrayal and lots of fantastic dark humour. And if you're not a fan yet, then you shouldn't even be reading this review. You need to click on that First Law link above and start right at the beginning of the series with The Blade Itself. In my honest opinion you need to read the full set in order to get anywhere near the most out of this book. That's starting with the original First Law Trilogy. Then you can come back and leave me a little thank you when you're finished!
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The plot in this one is very heavy on the political intrigue, which I hugely enjoyed. The seeds were sown in the first book, where an increasingly industrialised society was becoming evermore fractious as the poor suffered at the hands of the elite. Well, in The Trouble with Peace things really start to gather momentum, as key figures align themselves and gather forces and outright war seems the only conclusion. The author uses his trademark of multiple POVs to expertly navigate the opposing sides and put the reader on a knife edge as we struggle to decide who to root for and never truly know how this one is going to work out.
"Say what you like. I never had a problem I couldn't solve with a big enough blade."
The writing is immense. Abercrombie's an absolute master of character driven narratives and just hits that sweet spot of description, where you're completely immersed in the story and never distracted. A massive aid to this is his amazing grasp of dialogue that is absolutely on the money. It's snarky, hilarious and so natural that you're completely drawn in by it and he tweaks it depending on the individual character, where you know exactly who's talking without having to be explicitly told. I can't think of anyone, who does this better than him.
One of my favourite things that the author does, is the battle scenes where he switches POVs rapidly, every two or three pages, to illustrate how frantic and unpredictable it is. It's one of his trademarks and if you're a fellow fan you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. So good! And while we're on the subject of battles, nobody gets the gritty level of violence and fear like the Lord of Grimdark does. Sorry John Gwynne, not even close for my money.
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Right, I really could prattle on all day but this is a First Law review so you know I can't sign off without talking about the characters. In my review of A Little Hatred, I praised the quality of writing but did say the characters weren't quite as good as those in the original trilogy. Well, Mr Grimdark addresses this issue like only he can by ramping up the character development as we see significant growth in each of the main characters. Star of the show for my money is King Orso, who was something of a self-deprecating libertine in the first book. He starts to show his resolve and intelligence as he plays the political game expertly while injecting a good amount of humour in the process. Rikke, the Dogman's daughter up north, has a total character transformation that is very well executed and with fantastic results. Even Savine dan Glokta grew on me a huge amount and we see a vulnerable side to her, as she deals with the traumatic events of the first novel. Honestly, whichever point of view is in play you're going to have great fun.
"I must confess I have always had some sympathy for villains. Heroism makes fine entertainment but sooner or later someone has to get things done."
Ok, I'm running out of breath like I'm scrapping for my life within the circle. If you read A Little Hatred and enjoyed it then this is a must read. And if you're a fan of First Law but haven't started the Age of Madness trilogy then what's wrong with you? Seriously? Get on it right now before the new book the Wisdom of Crowds is out 18th of September 2021 from all good bookstores.
Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie, say he makes me want to undress his books and make sweet love to them. I love them that bloody much.
I starte[image]
Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie, say he makes me want to undress his books and make sweet love to them. I love them that bloody much.
I started A Little Hatred, the first installment in the Age of Madness trilogy, with the attitude that more First Law can't be a bad thing. To say it absolutely blew my expectations out of the water would be a bit of an understatement. It was absolutely fantastic. And guess what? I'm going to tell you all about it. I'm good like that.
"When one man knowingly kills another, they call it murder! When society causes the deaths of thousands, they shrug and call it a fact of life."
First off, this is a follow on from the author's original First Law trilogy and in my opinion you at least need to read that first before starting this one. In fact, I highly recommend the three standalone novels and short story collection too, as that will give you the maximum enjoyment out of this experience.
It's an Abercrombie novel, so it's packed with violence, dark humour and memorable characters. We've got politics, power and brutal, bloody warfare in bucket loads. But it's noticeable, that as good as his writing always has been, it's becoming tighter and his ability to construct a plot even sharper. As sharp as a knife and you can never have too many knives.
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The Young Lion Vs the Great Wolf
A common criticism of his first novel, the Blade Itself, was that it lacked a clear narrative. With A Little Hatred we see a clear structure that moves despite being the first part of a three book series. Don't get me wrong, it leaves a lot of avenues open, like any good opening novel should. It's also very character driven. But there's a number of key events taking place that are moving the reader forward and keeping them engaged.
The story itself takes the themes and plotlines from the original and completely expands upon them while introducing a completely new set of characters. It's a volatile time for the Union as war rages in the north and internal struggles threaten to overspill and destroy the empire from within. The First Law world has entered a new era, as the author places the reader in the midst of an industrial revolution. It's refreshing to see in a fantasy setting and gives this book a feel of historical fiction, as oppose to classical fantasy. But that's Abercrombie for you, forever smashing those tropes that are heavily associated with the genre.
"My da used to say times of peace are when the wise prepare for violence."
The author uses this setting to explore a number of themes like the class divide and how the poor suffer at the hands of the rich. I'm not huge on things like this, I just love a good story. But it is something that Abercrombie has improved dramatically in as he develops as a writer. So if you enjoy all that literary stuff you're in for a treat.
I'm trying to cut these reviews down and failing miserably. But I can't go without talking about the characters. As we come to expect from an Abercrombie novel, A Little Hatred gives us a large cast, all of whom are memorable and some absolutely brilliant. We have Rikke, the daughter of...cough cough...I won't spoil that one for you. A northern girl with the power of the Long Eye giving her the ability to see into the future and past. Savine, a ruthless businesswoman who will do anything to get to the top. Leo dan Brock, a reckless warrior who prefers acts of valour over established tactics. Finally, my personal favourites Prince Orso, the vain but intelligent and highly entertaining heir to the throne and Gunnar back from the war but unable to leave it behind him as he struggles to contain the rage that bubbles within.
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Rikke has a close shave
Fans of Grimdark or fantasy in general. This is the book for you. Just remember to read those previous books first. You can thank me later. The new book and final installment of the trilogy is out 19th September 2021. Can't wait for that special delivery from Lord Grimdark. You can't have too much First Law!
"Bad men are a terrible curse, no doubt, right up until you're in bad trouble and there's one on your side. Then they're the best thing ever."...more
[image] For those of you who just can't get enough First Law, Joe Abercrombie brings us something a little bit different. A collection of short stories[image] For those of you who just can't get enough First Law, Joe Abercrombie brings us something a little bit different. A collection of short stories with some very sharp endings. But how did it measure up to the other entries in the series?
"He who prepares for peace, prepares for defeat"
First off, I'm a big fan of short stories. I find them a perfect change of pace when you've been reading one of those huge doorstop novels that you could literally knock someone out with. I'm an even bigger fan of Joe Abercrombie. The guy has single handedly got me back into reading fantasy literature. He's bloody fantastic! So I was very excited when I heard about Sharp Ends.
The stories themselves are in chronological order, except for the very last entry which is set before the Blade Itself. They feature a host of favourite characters from the series and two entirety new protagonists, in Shev and Javre. These two provide a running narrative throughout the collection as they appear in four or five of the stories and are both very entertaining. Particularly Javre, who comes across as a bit of a female Logen Ninefingers. Talk about my perfect woman!
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The stories involving these two are some of the standouts, the best one being "Two's Company," which sees the return of fan favourite Whirrun Cracknut from the Heroes. The chemistry between Javre and himself in this one is absolutely magic. So funny and literally had me laughing out loud. That's a LOL if you're down with the kids.
"But it is easy to speak of the past, impossible to go there. I am powerful in ways you can only dream, yet I am still a prisoner of what I have done"
There's also some other excellent additions, including a "Beautiful Bastard" where we see a young Sand Dan Glokta before his life altering torture and "Yesterday near a village called Barden" where we get reacquainted with Bremer dan Gorst. Who doesn't love a bit more Gorst? However, Abercrombie really does save the best till last in "Made a Monster" which gives us huge insight into the character of Logen from the POV of Bethod. That one is pretty mind-blowing and one every fan needs to read. You'll never see your favourite character the same way again. Brilliant stuff!
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The only one I didn't really like personally was "Freedom" which is a fictionalised account of the acts of Nicomo Cosca's in Red Country. I can see what Joe was going for here, but for me personally I didn't like what he did to Cosca's character at all in that novel. But all the other entries were enjoyable.
"In bloody days, swords were worth more than gods"
So how did this one measure up to the novels? For me personally, if I was ranking them this would have to go at the bottom. That doesn't mean it's a bad book. Any book by Abercrombie is better than most by other authors out there. His writing is on point as always. It flows tremendously with his crisp description, great wit and world famous character development. It's just not near as satisfying as one of his full novels.
So this is the first novel from Lord Grimdark that I haven't awarded full marks to. Room for improvement Joe! Must try harder. Still a solid four out of five and all fans should definitely give it a try....more
Surprise, surprise! Another Joe Abercrombie novel and another five star review. Would you ex[image]
"Live long enough...you see everything ruined."
Surprise, surprise! Another Joe Abercrombie novel and another five star review. Would you expect anything else from a loyal subject of Lord Grimdark? Not a chance. Red Country is the final book in his collection of three stand-alones that are connected to his magnificent, stupendous First Law trilogy. It certainly hits the target as one of his very best and does not let the reader down. Not if you're after dark, violent and bloody fantasy with one of the best set of characters you'll find in fiction that is.
With his standalone pieces Joe aimed to give us three different types of narrative within a fantasy setting. In Best Served Cold he gave us a Kill Bill style revenge tale and in the Heroes a war story. In Red Country he dons his Sergio Leone hat and gives a spaghetti western with blades instead of guns. Indeed he dedicates the book to Clint Eastwood and you know what? I'm dedicating this review to Clint to. I was brought up on his movies and he's one of my movie icons. I'm sure he'll be frilled when he reads this.
Say one thing about Joe Abercrombie, say he gives you great characters. Red Country is no exception, although it is not quite up to the insanely high standards of the previous novels. Don't get me wrong, there's outstanding character work on display here. But when you constantly set the bar at a ridiculously high level like Lord Grimdark does, it's just not possible to constantly keep raising it with every new piece of work.
[image] Shy South and Lamb
So what about the characters? We have Shy South (the good), a young farm girl with a dark past who's trying to live a good life caring for her young siblings. A returning fan favourite in Nicomo Cosca (the bad), who is leading his band of mercenaries to root out rebels wherever they may be. And finally Lamb (the ugly), a cowardly farm hand with a bloody and violent secret that will not stay hidden.
There's a load of other great characters thrown in and it really is a fantastic bunch despite the slight criticism I made earlier. In fact, if I was to say the one thing I love most about Red Country it's the character of Lamb and the story surrounding him. I don't want to spoil anything by saying too much, but I was so invested and engrossed in the mystery surrounding his character. Honestly, if you're a fan of First Law you'll be a huge fan of Lamb.
"She poured out a measure but Temple declined. 'Drink and I have had some long and painful conversations and found we simply can't agree.'
'Drink and I can't agree either.' She shrugged and tossed it down herself. 'But we keep on having the argument."
The use of dialogue is also tremendous. I'm not sure if I said it before but it's very Tarantino-esque in what he does for the genre where the conversation and interactions become the focal point of the novel. It's so engaging and entertaining where you look forward to the banter between certain sets of characters. Certainly one of Abercrombie's strongest qualities.
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The plot, as with all the standalone novels, is very solid. When a band of villains burn Shy's farmhouse to the ground and kidnap her brother and sister, they prompt a rescue mission that see's her and Lamb journey into the wild west to try and get them back. Violence and mayhem stand in their way and the western backdrop lends itself fantastically to this style of narrative. Fans will eat up the world building that is included in this as we are introduced to brand new locations like the bandit town of Crease and the unchartered territory of Far Country.
"Battle is...not always glorious. A general must be a realist. Victory first you understand"
We also can't leave without talking about the action scenes, which are absolutely top draw. I can't think of anyone who writes them better than Abercrombie. They're so realistic and he brilliantly renders these in terms of the raw emotion and relentless violence. I literally can't get enough of them.
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My only criticism with Red Country is what the author does with Nicomo Cosca. One of my favourite characters from the series so far, Joe takes him from a hilarious, drunken legend to a bitter, old wretch of a villain. It was really sad to see and he certainly didn't hit anywhere near the highs that he soared to in Best Served Cold, where he absolutely stole the show.
" 'Scared is good' he said 'the dead are fearless and I don't want either of us joining them' "
That's it for now. I can't spend all day on Goodreads when there's more First Law to read. You got to be realistic. An easy five stars like all of Abercrombie's work. Next up his short story collection Sharp Ends. I do love a good short story. Thanks for reading. Peace!
There's a reason Joe Abercrombie is called Lord Grimdark. When it comes to writing fantasy he [image]
"Unhappy the land that is in need of heroes."
There's a reason Joe Abercrombie is called Lord Grimdark. When it comes to writing fantasy he just totally knocks it out the park with some of the best fiction in the genre. I wasn't even a fan of fantasy until I read his First Law series. Now I can't get enough. I get a warm, fuzzy feeling whenever I pick up one of his books. Did his fifth novel, "the Heroes," live up to expectations? What a ridiculous question. My answer...and then some!
So what's the book about? If you're expecting classic fantasy, with dashing heroes and dastardly villains you're going to be sorely disappointed. About as sore as someone on the receiving end of Black Dow's axe. The heroes in the book's title are a circle of Stonehenge style rocks, located on a hill. A hill that takes centre stage in a pitched battle between the Union and the good, old men in the North. It's set over three bloody days and is a premise that didn't immediately appeal to me, and I had my reservations on where this story was going. However, if you're having second thoughts about giving it a go, fear not. It turned out to be my favourite novel of Joey Ab's so far...and that's saying something. Did I mention I love his books?
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"It always catches people by surprise, the moment of their death, even when they should see it coming. They always think they're special, somehow expect a reprieve. But no one's special."
As we've come to expect with Abercrombie, the narrative is very much character driven. The book is absolutely loaded with fantastic characters. You've got great one's from his previous novels like Caul Shivers, Bremer dan Gorst, Bayaz and the aforementioned Black Dow. It's great to see them expanded upon and get their own turn in the spotlight. Plus there's a boatload of brand spanking new additions, including the brilliant Curden Craw and Whirrun Cracknut. As with any Abercrombie novel, they're the highlight and so compelling. Even the ones you're supposed to hate you can't help but love. They really are that good.
The writing on display is absolutely top draw. Joe writes with a style and flow that absolutely sucks you in and if anything, he's getting better. Doing this with a real sense of flair and craft, it's such a pleasure to read. The way he tweaks the style ever so slightly depending on which POV is being used and handles the dialogue is masterful and exhibits such a keen understanding of his character's psychology that I've rarely seen in other work. Each has their own unique way they see the world and it's immediately obvious from which perspective the story is coming from.
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"Some men are made for doing violence. Some are meant for planning it. Then there are a special few whose talent is for taking the credit."
World building is something that this author doesn't get a hug amount of credit for. Although it's not on a Tolkien level it is really starting to come together, as it should do, not through constant info' dumps but excellent story telling. This is a cold, harsh brutal world that eats you up and spits you out. Particularly if you try to be a good person. It's reflective of the real world and draws on history to make it very realistic. It's right up my street and honestly I just can't get enough of it.
Is there any negatives with this book? Not really. I know certain people complain that there isn't a rock solid plot or well defined magic system. I absolutely loved the narrative and don't get turned on by the inclusion of a high magic system. This style of fantasy is exactly what I want, so you won't get much in terms of constructive criticism from yours truly.
Finally, I cannot go without talking about the battle scenes. My word is this book action packed. There's a lot of talk about who writes the best battle scenes. I'll settle it now. Joe Abercrombie...no question. These scenes are so realistic and detailed, leaving the reader in no doubt that battle is not pretty or romantic. It's nasty and bloody. The use of internal monologue is used brilliantly to provide the reader with the psychology and outright fear that permeates these events. I can't stress how well done it all is.
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"To work wood you need all manner of tools - chisels and saws, axes great and small, nails and hammers, awls and planes. To be a killer you just need two. A blade and the will."
So hopefully the first thing you'll be doing after finishing this review is pick up the Heroes. That reminds me, although this is a standalone novel it ties in heavily with the First Law world. So if you've never experienced Abercrombie before you really need to start with the Blade Itself. That one is the start of the original First Law trilogy and one of the best experiences going. After this book I am officially a loyal subject of Lord Grimdark and will read anything he puts out. Five books, five massive hits. Stop reading this and start reading Joe Abercrombie....more
"The dead can forgive. The dead can be forgiven. The rest of us have better things to do." (Monza Murcatto)
Best Served Cold is the first of[image]
"The dead can forgive. The dead can be forgiven. The rest of us have better things to do." (Monza Murcatto)
Best Served Cold is the first of three standalone novels that relate to Joe Abercrombie's original and truly awesome First Law trilogy. In this one we are introduced to the vastly successful mercenary Monza Murcatto, who is on top of the world. That's right before she is literally thrown off a cliff and left for dead. This leaves her thirsty for revenge against the seven men involved and so begins our plot.
The premise is pretty much a straight forward revenge tale in the mold of Tarantino's Kill Bill. It's fast paced, adrenaline fueled and action packed. The author rarely takes his foot off the gas and theirs plenty of nerve shredding scenes in this one to keep you entertained. There's an almost magical quality to the way Abercrombie writes that draws you in.
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"You were a hero round these parts. That's what they call you when you kill so many people the word murderer falls short."
The hallmark of a First Law story is great characters and Best Served Cold is no different. Although not quite on the level of the original trilogy we get some absolutely fantastic characters in this one as our protagonist Monza assembles a team to exact her plan of ruthless and bloody revenge. Much like One of Tarantino's movies the dialogue takes centre stage and conversations that take place between the characters are so engaging, gripping and down right hilarious. Although often dark and nihlistic, Best Served Cold has many comical moments, particularly involving scenes with Nicomo Cosca (easily one of Abercrombie's most entertaining characters).
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"My name is Nicomo Cosca, famed solider of fortune, and I am here for dinner."
I can't go without mentioning the world building that takes place. We are introduced to a new corner of the map as Monza's mission takes us on a journey through Styria. It's vibrant, colourful and brilliantly fleshed out with its inner workings and political turmoil and corruption. You're fully immersed and I was so impressed with the level of detail that went in to making such a captivating environment.
Finally, there's an ongoing message throughout the First Law stories that people who try to be a better person are chewed up and spat out. A brutal world demands brutal deeds. This is especially true in Best Served Cold and to one character in particular. That's all I'm saying. No spoilers here.
So all in all, an absolutely fantastic addition to the First Law world that I highly suggest you pick up. Although this could be read as a standalone, you're going to get far more out of it if you've read the first three books before hand. Treat yourself and start this fantastic journey right now. There's a new book coming out in September and if you like this as much as I did you can score a signed copy on Waterstones website in the UK. Peace...more
"I have learned all kinds of things from my many mistakes. The one thing I never learn is to stop making them."
It's with a tinge of sadness[image]
"I have learned all kinds of things from my many mistakes. The one thing I never learn is to stop making them."
It's with a tinge of sadness that I start this review. I often hear people comment that they are sad when a story finishes and they have to leave a group of characters. Leaves me thinking "come on guys, it's only a book." Well after finishing Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy I finally get that. The characters in this one have been in my mind constantly over the last couple of months and will be for many more to come.
So do I think you should read the First Law trilogy? Don't insult me with that question. That's the easiest answer ever. If you can handle a storyline tinged with reality, a little grim in parts, violent and with lashings of dark humour then its a very easy yes. That's as far as you need to read on this one. If however you need more convincing, you came to the right place. I could rave about this series, like a resident of a Gurkish prison, all day.
"It always amazes me, how swiftly problems can be solved, when you start cutting things off people."
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First and foremost, this is the third part of a trilogy. If you didn't know that god help you. You really need to do some research. If you've got that, then what you need to know is this is the final part of an amazing trilogy where Abercrombie superbly brings together seemingly un-related plots into a cohesive and very satisfying finale. I've heard people complaining that this series lacks a bit on plot, well this book should address those issues for you as everything starts to become clear with some fantastic twists and turns.
Say one thing about Joe Abercrombie, say he doesn't write boring books. This one picks up right where the last one left off, keeping up the pace, action, violence and intrigue. We also get a few of those well needed quieter moments seeded in to slow that tempo when required and give the reader a much needed break.
But does this one improve on the first two books? Well, funny you should ask that. Yes it does. Within Last Argument of Kings is one of the best duels ever. The author writes violence with superb flavour and realism and delivers exactly what the reader is looking for. It's really like you're knee deep in all that blood and guts and I don't think I've ever been as tense wanting a set of characters to triumph.
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"Glokta would have liked to say something optimistic. But that rubbish comes from other mouths than mine. Younger, prettier mouths, with all their teeth, perhaps."
The character work in this one is also amazing. What's fantastic is that it's so realistically done. Everything is congruent and never, for one minute out of character. Logen Ninefingers has some of his best scenes in this one and Glokta is, well, Glokta. Still possibly my favourite character ever to appear on a written page. I also love the depth we get on all the secondary characters such as Ardee, Dogman and Black Dow.
The conclusion in this one is also very satisfying. There's a good amount of payoff, while still leaving a few strands open. Possibly for a sequel in the not too distant future. Please, please I've got my ninefingers crossed for that. Again, this is the author being reflective on reality. Things never finish up packaged off in a neat little box.
So to finish off before I ramble on for even longer in a drunken stupor. Drunk on how great this series is. The best instalment of a five star series. If fantasy is your thing an absolute must read and well, if fantasy isn't your thing it's still a must read. I'm really going to miss these characters. I'm getting so sentimental in my old age. A real tear jerker Abercrombie! Just read it sniff, sniff....more
"We should forgive our enemies, but not before they are hanged."
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That's it, it's decided. After finishing the explosive second instalment in"We should forgive our enemies, but not before they are hanged."
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That's it, it's decided. After finishing the explosive second instalment in the First Law trilogy, you can officially add me to the growing number of Joe Abercrombie fans. I had major reservations about reading fantasy, but loved the first book in the series (The Blade Itself). It was like Abercrombie was hard wired into my brain writing fantasy that completely meshed with what I love in a book. Great characters, superb writing and a dark but exciting plot mixed with well timed humour. If anything I enjoyed this one even more!
I'm going to start by assuming you've read the first book. If not, why the hell not? And why are you reading a review for the second book? Go stand in front of a mirror, take a long hard look at yourself and then go and read the Blade Itself. Now! Ok, so that just leaves us hardcore First Law fans. Lovely stuff. So what you want to know is why should you continue with this series and read this book?
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The story continues right where the first one left off. Not much has changed really apart from King Bethod is invading the north, Glokta has arrived in Dagoska to carry out mission impossible and stop the Gurkish taking control, and Logen and Jezal are on their quest to the end of the earth and back. Abercrombie continues to weave the plot at a fantastic pace with lashings of political intrigue, violence and dark humour.
“People love to see death. It reminds them that however mean, however low, however horrible their lives become… at least they have one.”
Fear not, that's as much as I'm giving you with the plot. Spoiler free zone here! What you really want to know is, is this one as good as the first? In my opinion it's better. We have epic battles, an exploration of the First Law world and some sumptuous character development. My previous review for the Blade Itself raved about the characters and it's even more so in this one. Trust me, there's not a character in this story that doesn't have some form of arc and if you can't bring yourself to like them more then you'll certainly have a better understanding. The immense difficulties they face in their respective missions brings spectacular development to each one of them, making them more clearly defined. And you thought Glokta couldn't get any better!
While we're on the subject special mention has to go to the character of Sand dan Glokta. He's such a pleasure to read. In one instance he can be cunning and ruthless and in the next he can be heartfelt and compassionate. But the author pens this in such a well thought out and realistic way it's utterly brilliant. But that's skating past a host of amazing characters that this novel has in abundance. Logen, Dogman, Ferro. They're all fantastic. Capital!
'"Where will you be going?" "Wherever the killing is".
One other thing that really stood out is the dialogue. The chapters constantly move between individual groups and characters and Abercrombie has a very distinct way of writing each POV. It's so good that you could easily work out who is the focus without explicitly being told. Each character has their own personality, sense of humour and way of speaking that makes the story so immersive. An impressive achievement.
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So what's there to say other than I gave the first in the series five stars. I like this one even more. So what do I award this one? Six stars? Five plus? Damn you Goodreads and your limited rating system. Easy five stars. You've got to be realistic about these things. Joe Abercrombie, truly the Lord of Grimdark....more
The TV series Game of Thrones opened me up to the possibility that fantasy, as a genre, is somet[image]
“The blade itself incites to deeds of violence”
The TV series Game of Thrones opened me up to the possibility that fantasy, as a genre, is something I can not only potentially enjoy but come to love. A dark and gritty world, filled with morally grey characters containing exceptional depth and realism as well as the fantastical is something that captured my imagination. With this in mind, I decided to scour the market for an alternative series along those lines. I decided on the First Law series by Joe Abercrombie, Lord Grimdark himself no less, as my first foray into dark fantasy. Were my expectations met? You better believe it.
The first book in the series, The Blade Itself, follows three main characters and each gets a chance to shine during the course of the novel. You have Logan Ninefingers (because he has nine fingers) a charismatic barbarian from the north, who has survived countless battles through a combination of skill, brutality and a fair bit of luck. Captain Jezal dan Luthar, a young and arrogant knight who gets by on the prestige of his family and reputation. Lastly, the star of the show in Sand dan Glotka, a crippled torturer working for the King’s inquisition who was the darling of the empire until he was captured in battle and mercilessly tortured for two straight years. There’s a lot of buzz about this character and it’s absolutely deserved. Quite potentially my favorite character in all of fiction.
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Honestly, I would struggle to come up with any negative aspects to this book, so I’ll just plow ahead with the many positives. Abercrombie’s writing is of a very high standard. It’s straight forward and brutal, but at times darkly humorous and has a really nice flow to it that just sucks you in. The character work? Wow! This is one of the best set of characters I’ve come across in my short reading career. The fact that he can create a set of morally questionable characters, that do some despicable things but that you absolutely come to love is a remarkable feat. Add to that the pure excitement and intrigue Abercrombie creates, and you can begin to understand why I love this book.
I’m going to wrap things up there as although I could talk about this book all day, I know no one is going to spend all day reading these reviews. Anyone still there? Great! The book is part of a full trilogy and includes a number of connected standalones and a follow on series. I will one hundred percent be continuing with them as I hear they get better and better. How Abercrombie does that I don’t know, as this one was amazing, but I’m excited to find out. An easy five stars, in fact make that ten stars! You heard that. All praise Lord Grimdark!...more
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