Last Argument of Kings

by Joe Abercrombie
670 pgs  (First Law series #3)

Last Argument of Kings concludes Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy. And although he has, and still is writing books that take place in the world of the First Law, the story arc he began with The Blade Itself has ended.

The Union is in a precarious position. The King is dead, along with both of his male heirs, and with no clear succession plan in place, and with an approaching war with the Empire of Gurkhul looming, the ultimate fate of the Union is unsure.

For years, Bayaz, the ancient First of the Magi, has been preparing for this exact moment, and has been laying the groundwork for a plan that will put a man on the throne whom he will have full control over. For years he's been grooming Jezal, the arrogant young swordsman, who turns out to be the bastard son of the old King, and as such, is the closest thing to a rightful heir alive.

Meanwhile, Logen Ninefingers, the barbarian warrior, has returned to the North to settle a score with King Bethod, and Glokta, the torturer, finds himself in Agriont in the middle of the Gurkish invasion.

Last Argument of Kings is a rewarding conclusion to Abercrombie's series. It's full of bloody battles and ruthless scenes of torture at Glokta's hands. But even better than those aspects of the story, is the extent of the political machinations rewardingly revealed by Abercrombie by the end.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Before They are Hanged

by Joe Abercrombie
570 pgs  (First Law series #2)

Before They are Hanged is the second book int Joe Abercrombie's "First Law" trilogy, which began with The Blade Itself, and concludes with The Last Argument of Kings (although there are a few other standalone books and short stories, which also take place in The World of the First Law). The book successfully accomplishes what the middle book in any trilogy is supposed to do, and does it as well as any.

The Union is involved in a war on two fronts. To the north, the ruthless Northmen have invaded the province of Angland, where Colonel West has allied himself with Logen Ninefingers' former band of cutthroat warriors. To the south, Superior Glokta, the crippled torturer must try to rally forces and prepare them against the imminent invasion by the Gurkish Empire.

Meanwhile, Jezal dan Luthar, accompanied by Bayaz the Magician, Ninefingers, and others are on a quest to find The Seed, an ancient magical relic from The Other Side, which enables whoever possesses it to access the immense power from The Other Side.

There's a lot going on in this book, let alone the entire series, and at time it can get a little confusing, as the story skips back and forth from the three different locations. But it is worth it. Abercrombie has created a world that rivals Middle-earth and Westeros in their magnitude and complexity. His characters are fantastic and memorable, and there's enough action to maintain the attention of someone with ADD.

I waited a couple of years before reading book II. i don't plan to wait as long before reading book III.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

The Blade Itself

by Joe Abercrombie
609 pgs  (First Law series #1)

Most of what I had heard about Joe Abercrombie’s First Law series compared it to George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, a series I decided to stop reading until Martin either finishes it or dies, since it’s a coin toss which will take place first. The comparison between the two is hard to avoid. They’re both character-driven epic fantasy series, which focus on anti-heroes and a motley assortment of fascinating characters. They both rely heavily on political machinations and shun the stereotypical elements of the genre. The Blade Itself does an excellent job of setting the stage for the series.

Logen Ninefingers is a famed and ruthless warrior from the North, nicknamed the “Bloody-Nine,” ever since losing a finger in battle. He’s now trying to leave that life behind, but continually finds himself dragged back into it. Sand dan Glokta is a crippled torturer for the Union. Once a young swordsman himself, he was captured and tortured for years by the Union’s enemies, barely able to move himself, he now uses the same methods of torture used on him to extract information from those who oppose the Union. Jezal dan Luthar is a cocky young nobleman reluctantly being trained to compete in his nation’s greatest sword tournament. And there’s Bayaz, the first of the Magi. A pudgy, balding wizard who is the subject of legends, but whom no one believes to be who he claims.

I mentioned the comparison to Game of Thrones, and while there are definitely similarities between the two, there are as many, if not more, differences. Abercrombie’s characters all seem to have redeeming qualities, which show themselves periodically and suggest that at their core, they’re relatively good. Abercrombie’s story contains an underlying sense of humor. There’s not the same sense of dread and foreboding, which GOT has, and which gives you a sense that ultimately, things will not end well for anyone. The final difference worth pointing out? Abercrombie’s story is done. Since he finished the trilogy, he’s written some stand-alone books and some short stories, which all take place in the world of the First Law, but the story arc of the series itself is complete. Ultimately Abercrombie’s story is one which stands firmly on its own footing and is one of the better ones in the genre.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆