Genre: Fantasy
Overall Rating: Superior
Characterization Rating: Exceedingly Superior
Plot Rating: Superior
If This Book Were A Coffee: Most definitely a dark blend, black, no cream, no sugar
As fun as it is to tear insipid works into the pieces of its faults, I have no scathing words for this masterpiece. Much like Scott Lynch, Joe Abercrombie wastes not a single detail in crafting the first in what is clearly going to be an epic trilogy. Each sentence flows naturally without ostentation, proof that Abercrombie has picked not just a handful of words to convey his point, but the perfect words to do so. Furthermore, each character has a distinct voice, which is not just apparent through diction, but also through syntax. Simply glancing through the pages without truly reading the words, it is apparent which perspective Abercrombie is writing from. I will admit, when I opened to the first page, there was really nothing in particular that hooked my interest, no tried and true hallmark that would herald the magnificence of this piece. It just seemed to flow, like fine spun silk into a complex plot, each page adding another level of intrigue and arousing curiosity. Abercrombie’s subtlety in reeling in his readers is applause-worthy. And while ‘subtle’ is certainly not the word to describe any of his characters, the way he employs it makes it seem as if the characters are the ones writing the story completely devoid of any apparent higher power machinations, such as an author. One of my favorite aspects of this story is the questionable morality. No single person embodies good wholesomeness, which is delightfully refreshing. This is an excellent piece of literature, one worthy of the title.
My Favorite Character: Logen Ninefingers/The Bloody-Nine. He is positively delightful, in a bloody, sometimes sadistic kind of way. He has his adorable moments, especially when he comes to Adua and gawps at all the buildings. I spend a good portion of the story sympathizing with him; then he goes berserk in a fight, revealing a bloodthirsty duel personality, the Blood-Nine. Until that point in the story any reference made to The Bloody-Nine seems to be only a nickname, but no, the compassion found in Logen is most noticeably absent when The Bloody-Nine comes out to play. It strongly reminds me of Drizzt Do’Urden’s alternate personality The Hunter which takes control when he is desperate in the underdark in R.A. Salvatore’s Legend of Drizzt.
For Example: “Please…” Logan tripped, nearly fell. There was something clinging to his leg. A woman, sitting on the ground beside a wall. Her clothes were dirty, ragged, her face was pale, pinched with hunger. She had something in her arms. A bundle of rags. A child. “Please…” Nothing else. The people laughed and chattered and surged around them, just as if they weren’t there. “Please…”
“I don’t have anything,” he muttered. No more than five strides away a man in a tall hat sat at a table and chuckled with a friend as he tucked into a steaming plate of meat and vegetables. Logen blinked at the plate of food, at the starving woman.
VS
“The man screamed, and screamed behind his mask, and the Bloody-Nine laughed, and twisted the blade. Logen might have pitied them, but Logen was far away and the Bloody-Nine had no more pity in him this winter. Less even. He stabbed and cut, and cut, and smiled, and the screams bubbled and died, and he let the corpse drop to the cold stones. His fingers were slick with blood and he wiped it on his clothes, on his arms, on his face-just as it should be.”
Here’s the link to Joe Abercrombie’s bitchin’ page, which most interestingly announces that the First Law trilogy is becoming a graphic novel: http://www.joeabercrombie.com/
Overall Rating: Superior
Characterization Rating: Exceedingly Superior
Plot Rating: Superior
If This Book Were A Coffee: Most definitely a dark blend, black, no cream, no sugar
As fun as it is to tear insipid works into the pieces of its faults, I have no scathing words for this masterpiece. Much like Scott Lynch, Joe Abercrombie wastes not a single detail in crafting the first in what is clearly going to be an epic trilogy. Each sentence flows naturally without ostentation, proof that Abercrombie has picked not just a handful of words to convey his point, but the perfect words to do so. Furthermore, each character has a distinct voice, which is not just apparent through diction, but also through syntax. Simply glancing through the pages without truly reading the words, it is apparent which perspective Abercrombie is writing from. I will admit, when I opened to the first page, there was really nothing in particular that hooked my interest, no tried and true hallmark that would herald the magnificence of this piece. It just seemed to flow, like fine spun silk into a complex plot, each page adding another level of intrigue and arousing curiosity. Abercrombie’s subtlety in reeling in his readers is applause-worthy. And while ‘subtle’ is certainly not the word to describe any of his characters, the way he employs it makes it seem as if the characters are the ones writing the story completely devoid of any apparent higher power machinations, such as an author. One of my favorite aspects of this story is the questionable morality. No single person embodies good wholesomeness, which is delightfully refreshing. This is an excellent piece of literature, one worthy of the title.
My Favorite Character: Logen Ninefingers/The Bloody-Nine. He is positively delightful, in a bloody, sometimes sadistic kind of way. He has his adorable moments, especially when he comes to Adua and gawps at all the buildings. I spend a good portion of the story sympathizing with him; then he goes berserk in a fight, revealing a bloodthirsty duel personality, the Blood-Nine. Until that point in the story any reference made to The Bloody-Nine seems to be only a nickname, but no, the compassion found in Logen is most noticeably absent when The Bloody-Nine comes out to play. It strongly reminds me of Drizzt Do’Urden’s alternate personality The Hunter which takes control when he is desperate in the underdark in R.A. Salvatore’s Legend of Drizzt.
For Example: “Please…” Logan tripped, nearly fell. There was something clinging to his leg. A woman, sitting on the ground beside a wall. Her clothes were dirty, ragged, her face was pale, pinched with hunger. She had something in her arms. A bundle of rags. A child. “Please…” Nothing else. The people laughed and chattered and surged around them, just as if they weren’t there. “Please…”
“I don’t have anything,” he muttered. No more than five strides away a man in a tall hat sat at a table and chuckled with a friend as he tucked into a steaming plate of meat and vegetables. Logen blinked at the plate of food, at the starving woman.
VS
“The man screamed, and screamed behind his mask, and the Bloody-Nine laughed, and twisted the blade. Logen might have pitied them, but Logen was far away and the Bloody-Nine had no more pity in him this winter. Less even. He stabbed and cut, and cut, and smiled, and the screams bubbled and died, and he let the corpse drop to the cold stones. His fingers were slick with blood and he wiped it on his clothes, on his arms, on his face-just as it should be.”
Here’s the link to Joe Abercrombie’s bitchin’ page, which most interestingly announces that the First Law trilogy is becoming a graphic novel: http://www.joeabercrombie.com/
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