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missroseroseI didn't much like the first book, and after the second I was still reserving judgment. But having finished the third, I honestly can't deny it: this series won me over in the end.
I must tip my hat to Joe Abercrombie; like his wizard Bayaz, he plays a long game. Read alone, The Blade Itself
felt far too heavy in set-up and lacking in both action and human interest. But Before They Are Hanged
took the origin story and used it to develop a world and cast of characters both genuine and complex. And as for the third book
...well, the title also works as his rebuttal to his critics. For he truly shows himself a king of plot, character, and action, deftly weaving together disparate threads and bringing the series to a thundering conclusion that feels frankly Shakespearean in its inevitability.
I'm honestly not certain how to describe this story. I could list the well-worn themes it addresses: the desire for power, and the costs to one's humanity therein; the demoralization of getting everything you think you want, only to find it's not how you thought it would be; the wish of the lifelong warrior for peace, only to discover that "one more battle" quickly leads into yet another; the emptiness of revenge as a life's pursuit; the fact that life is unfair and people don't always get what they deserve. I could list its problems - repetitive narration, action sequences that (while remarkably well-written) tend to overstay their welcome, an almost self-indulgent obsession with the darker side of human nature. But really, what's worth talking about is the characters. Most of them come from fairly stock origins, but as they become fleshed out, their personalities and interactions become the driving force behind the story. And while the ending is far from predictable, in retrospect, you realize there's just no other way these people in this situation could have done things differently.
None of the cast are exactly what you'd call "likable" - this author very obviously believes in the "'good' and 'evil' are points of view rather than immutable concepts" philosophy. But as you learn about their histories and understand their motivations, you can't help but develop a sort of grudging respect, and even affection, for them. And while it sometimes seems that Abercrombie loves writing about human nastiness a little too much, there are also occasions when his characters show human compassion as well - each made all the more precious by the general horridness of their surroundings.
This is a dark, dark, dark series, with some viscerally nightmarish sequences of both battle and torture - in short, it's not for everyone. But, to the author's credit, he doesn't forget the lighter side of human interaction, and the healthy dollop of black humor as well as the aforementioned occasional moments of surprising humanity help level out the darkness, especially in books two and three. If you want lighthearted escapist reading, this isn't the story for you. If you want to see common fantasy tropes subverted and forced to grow up, however, or even if you just love a well-crafted story with unforgettable characters, I highly recommend this series. A
A separate note on the audiobook presentations: I generally far prefer text books to audiobooks, but Steven Pacey's dramatization is phenomenally good. You'd swear there's a whole cast of actors on the recording, and his wonderful voice work does wonders for helping to keep up with the large cast. If you think you'd like the series, take the extra time and seek out the recordings - you won't be disappointed. A++ with cherries on top
I must tip my hat to Joe Abercrombie; like his wizard Bayaz, he plays a long game. Read alone, The Blade Itself
felt far too heavy in set-up and lacking in both action and human interest. But Before They Are Hanged took the origin story and used it to develop a world and cast of characters both genuine and complex. And as for the third book...well, the title also works as his rebuttal to his critics. For he truly shows himself a king of plot, character, and action, deftly weaving together disparate threads and bringing the series to a thundering conclusion that feels frankly Shakespearean in its inevitability.I'm honestly not certain how to describe this story. I could list the well-worn themes it addresses: the desire for power, and the costs to one's humanity therein; the demoralization of getting everything you think you want, only to find it's not how you thought it would be; the wish of the lifelong warrior for peace, only to discover that "one more battle" quickly leads into yet another; the emptiness of revenge as a life's pursuit; the fact that life is unfair and people don't always get what they deserve. I could list its problems - repetitive narration, action sequences that (while remarkably well-written) tend to overstay their welcome, an almost self-indulgent obsession with the darker side of human nature. But really, what's worth talking about is the characters. Most of them come from fairly stock origins, but as they become fleshed out, their personalities and interactions become the driving force behind the story. And while the ending is far from predictable, in retrospect, you realize there's just no other way these people in this situation could have done things differently.
None of the cast are exactly what you'd call "likable" - this author very obviously believes in the "'good' and 'evil' are points of view rather than immutable concepts" philosophy. But as you learn about their histories and understand their motivations, you can't help but develop a sort of grudging respect, and even affection, for them. And while it sometimes seems that Abercrombie loves writing about human nastiness a little too much, there are also occasions when his characters show human compassion as well - each made all the more precious by the general horridness of their surroundings.
This is a dark, dark, dark series, with some viscerally nightmarish sequences of both battle and torture - in short, it's not for everyone. But, to the author's credit, he doesn't forget the lighter side of human interaction, and the healthy dollop of black humor as well as the aforementioned occasional moments of surprising humanity help level out the darkness, especially in books two and three. If you want lighthearted escapist reading, this isn't the story for you. If you want to see common fantasy tropes subverted and forced to grow up, however, or even if you just love a well-crafted story with unforgettable characters, I highly recommend this series. A
A separate note on the audiobook presentations: I generally far prefer text books to audiobooks, but Steven Pacey's dramatization is phenomenally good. You'd swear there's a whole cast of actors on the recording, and his wonderful voice work does wonders for helping to keep up with the large cast. If you think you'd like the series, take the extra time and seek out the recordings - you won't be disappointed. A++ with cherries on top
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no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 10:24 am (UTC)2. I will see if I can get a copy of the audio book.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 05:09 pm (UTC)2. I think you would especially like this story, so I'm very pleased you're interested. :) The audiobooks are available on Audible.com for remarkably cheap (like $14 each, compared with the more common $30 or $40 price tag for a long book), assuming your locational issues pose no difficulty. If so, I can possibly send along some mp3 CDs, although I'm not sure how long mail takes out there - did you ever get your Christmas card?
no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 10:16 pm (UTC)2. Downloading mp3s isn't a problem. And yes I did get the Christmas card, thank you! I am also proud to report that I am making progress on my own Christmas card mailing-out habits - this year I actually bought some! Things are looking up for next year; we'll see how it goes.
(I feel really guilty.)
no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 10:21 pm (UTC)It wasn't the downloading I was concerned about so much as the regional stuff - certain of Audible's licenses are only good for specific regions, so Abercrombie's stuff might not come up as available in your area. But if not, you can always route through a proxy server, or just plain find Other Completely Legitimate Methods. Not that I know anyone who might be able to send you torrent file trackers, or anything. *ahem*
no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 10:23 pm (UTC)If you've got torrent links I'd be happy to accept them. Assuming I have a torrent program thing... I should probably check on that.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 10:26 pm (UTC)The torrent links are actually via Demonoid, which is invite-only - do you have an account? If not I can just send you the files, or set you up with one if you promise to keep your share ratio up and not upload RIAA-tracked torrents. :)
no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 10:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 10:33 pm (UTC)Okay if I send it to your gmail address?
no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 10:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 10:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 10:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 10:33 pm (UTC)