The Heroes - REVIEW
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- Опубликовано: 22 июн 2020
- My review of Joe Abercrombie's The Heroes. Another first law entry you CANNOT miss out on.
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Coffee good.
Get The Book You MONSTERS: amzn.to/3fPfNgl
Is downing coffee before a review a good sign? lol
Cracknut Whirrun & Tunny really are a joy in this.
If not for Glokta Heroes to me would be his best book, then best served cold, though i think most would put it the other way around. Best Served Cold is a bit of a tangled mess (not in that it makes no sense, but it jumps alot in location and character) where Heroes in just so focused on what it is, that it shines. Red Country was his weakest, but still a good book i was not bored reading. Havent read A Little Hatred yet, its on my bookshelf for when my 13th WoT reread is done though.
@@timpeterjensen2364 Yeah, Best Served Cold is more "Tarantinesc" maybe?
"Armour is part of a state of mind in which you admit the possibility of being hit."
Gods, I love Whirrun.
... proceeds to get hit. Loved that battle though
This was an excelent line
His and Gorst’s fight was fantastic, reminded me of the Ganmark duel from Best Served Cold in terms of most memorable fights.
The delivery of "What the f**k" by Jolly-Yon (Steven Pacey) is arguably the best delivery of a single line I have ever heard 😂😂😂😂
“You get scared, ?”
A pause, that eye of his glinting as the sun peeped through the branches. “Used to. All the time.”
“What changed?”
“Got my eye burned out o’ my head.”
So much for calming small talk. “Reckon that could change your outlook.”
“Halves it.”
god, i love Shivers.
on second thought, i love all the north-men
THAT DIALOGUEEEEE
Shivers is the Best.
Lmao I remember this bit
Shivers appears in most of the standalones and a lot of the main series books. Let us just thank Joe Abercrombie for that
Calder: "Knives, and threats, and bribes, and war? What kind of a fucking wizard are you?"
Bayaz:
"The kind you obey."
Sums up the vibe of all Abercrombie books!
"I'm not your ****ing dog". Most brutally nihilistic ending that was a shocking surprise without being at all Deus ex machina which is a serious feat of writing.
Spoilers:
I just love how to the all encompassing puppet master that was just a ‘happy accident’ for him.
Can we please talk about the Chapter in which we get a POV shift every couple of pages? This Chapter is just incredible. To see the battle from different sides of the Battle and from different perspectives within one army. I was speechless
I loved that one too... Everybody just kept dying
It picked up the POV of the person who murdered the previous POV. It was insane especially when he does it again in day three with more main characters
Curnden Craw is probably one of my favorite characters. Ever.
his short story in sharp ends is one of my favourites
I cannot recommend the audiobooks for this book enough. The entire series, but especially this book. Steven Pacey absolutely nails the emotion and nuance of each and every character. Such a pleasure to listen to.
Truth.
So true. Pacey is to narration what Abercrombie is to fantasy.
I can not imagine those stories without Steven's narration, it's like watching a movie :X
Fun fact: "The Heroes" has been my favourite book since 2017 (when I first read it) and I didn't know it was part of a bigger story, and the thing I loved the most from it was how these characters had such an interesenting background that was never really shown (later I knew it was because that background was told on the previous novels). So I'm grateful "The Heroes" was the first Joe Abercrombie book I read.
Boy I bet you felt like the luckiest bastard alive once you found all the rest of the material!
Same here
Lol me too, I read it before any of the other books specifically because it was supposed to be a standalone. It will be very interesting to revisit it after reading the others.
Just goes to show the genius of Abercrombie’s writing, that even without knowing any of the background, you still thoroughly enjoyed and were able to follow the storyline.
What a feeling it must have been for you to read the others!
The "standalone" First Law books aren't really that standalone. I consider them as loose sequels to the first trilogy and they must be read in order of publication to understand the full story.
Yes!
Yes! I would have lost so much appreciation for many of the characters if I read them before. Even Best Served Cold is needed to get the full impact of Gorsts issues in The Heroes.
I was baffled to hear that there's even an arguement on where to start the series. There's so much context you miss by reading the stand-alones first.
Definitely!
Idk I read the heroes before best served cold and that was really interesting cos I got to see future Shivers before diving deep into how past Shivers became future Shivers
Gorst is one of my favorite character in his series because of this book..all my life i struggled with a speech impediment and i found the juxtaposition between his inner monologues and the way he views his own verbal expression hugely relatable. in his own mind and in the ears of others he sounds gentle like Micheal Jackson(the simpsons episode with the fake MJ is an example..he even looked like i would imagine Gorst) but in his own ears he sounds like Mickey Mouse and he assumes that all anyone hears. I Empathize greatly with the struggle and non-desire to speak based on a skewed self-perception. to mutter out half sentences that are a stark contrast to the flowing and highly intelligent inner monologues. to see how it effects the respect hes given and how he dooms his own love interest through an inferiority complex in spite of there being actual mutual interest, also how he over compensates with showing might and recklessness.
Very good comment there, Jered. I too have a speech impediment from time to time but I had never thought of Gorst through this lens until now.
The Heroes is my favourite Abercrombie book at the moment. It's filled with so many amazing quotes.
Hell yes!! Favourite first law world novel!!!!
It's a great book, but I'd rank it below Best Served Cold and Last Argument of Kings.
You have to be reasonable...
"your August fucking Majesty" hahaha
@@willardtk2979 no. "Your August Fuck Hole"
The Heroes was actually my first Abercrombie book, one hell of a way to get into the series. As a huge Civil War nerd I could immediately tell that it was inspired by Gettysburg, the back and forth flow of combat, the storming of hills and flanking maneuvers, the final glorious charge at the end that gets torn to shreds. Was immediately hooked on the premise, and Abercrombie's writing won me over. Awesome book, imo.
After reading The Heroes is when I knew without a doubt Joe is my favorite author. His ability to pull you into a story and not let go is amazing. His character work is top notch. But I think it is important to start with The Blade Itself and read all the books in order, no reason to jump around bc all the books are very entertaining and worth the read
Yes, I love that I have read the books in order of publication, it seems the most satisfying and logical way to read the series. And never has a book gripped me from beginning to as this book has, it has a constant high from beginning to end.
My favorite thing about this book is how despite how much it is a "low" fantasy, with a lot of grit and barely any magic playing a part in the narrative, it's still so good at crafting these larger than life, living legend kind of characters, and shows them in a way that allows you to appreciate both the legend and the man behind it, without losing the gravitas of either. I understand you've read A Little Hatred, but coming to it after reading the standalones, and seeing Bremer Dan Gorst and Caul Shivers appearing in those stories is special in a way that few other books can ever manage to do properly.
The Heroes was my favorite before A Little Hatred was released. Bremer Dan Gorst is such an amazing character.
That's interesting. He wasn't the most interesting character in the original trilogy. Then again, there wasn't much of him at all.
@@flavoredwallpaper I like how Abercrombie takes these smaller characters from the trilogy and expands on them in the "World" books.
Saw the title. Excitement meter went from 0 to 100! Cannot wait for Daniel to read Red Country. Such a feat.
I. Am. Feeling. The. Same.
@Yossarian Lives Same here, although I love each of the three standalones for different reasons, as they are so different.
@Yossarian Lives 100% agree. Temple doesn't get enough love from First Law fans. He is a very grounded character with a very well written arc.
@Oranges Apples Too much Abercrombie for you...
It was my least favourite of the standalone books. But yeah, I loved Temple
I love the way the audiobooks reader does Gorsts voice
ducky36F Yeah,Stephen Pacey is probably my favourite audible narrator...he takes a great book and elevates it to awesome every time.
Pacey is pretty damn brilliant. My favorite narrator for sure.
@@irockmajorly yes easily my favorite
Pacey is the goat imo
The historical fiction author Bernard Cornwell has written stories involving intimate, medieval battles like the heroes. Books like Azincourt for example. Obvious its not fantasy, but its a good example.
Is he the author of the Last Kingdom?
@@samuelleask1132 Yup, same one! 😉👍
Love me some bernard cornwell,my favourite was probably his king Arthur trilogy starting with the winter king. I highly recommend it if you have not read it
The Heroes is my favourite book of ALL TIME
It is literally a boiled down, distilled version of what Joe is trying to do, and the themes about identity and purpose and their dangers is just.. a punch in the god damn face.
I think this is my favorite novel ever. Like The Killer Angels with fantasy. I loved the sequences where the point of view jumps from one character to another after an interaction between them, giving us both character's perspective of the interaction and their thoughts on each other. It is the first Joe Abercrombie book I read, and it got me hooked on his work.
I'm halfway through second book of first law and I have decided, First Law is my new top favorite book of all time. I love how Joe Abercrombie writes. So realistic! No flowery, lyrical shit yet, everything is so vivid.
His characters are so enjoyable, even the ones I was annoyed at at first. Love it! I can't say it enough! I'll certainly be reading all of Abercrombie's books before the end of the year
To me, The Heroes is the best of the standalones and probably the second best overall. I think I enjoyed Last Argument of Kings a little more.
Agreed
Agree
Agree too
This one is *so* good, my fave of the standalones.
My favorite First Law novel. Loved how Joe fleshed out so many side, often antagonistic, characters from earlier books (Calder and Gorst being the prime examples).
Black Dow also gave off this Fire Lord Ozai-ic presence which was chilling to experience and see how he’s developed since the climax of Last Argument of Kings.
10/10.
Also, did you notice that Whirrun invented the hamburger lol?
Pretty sure it's a sandwich 😉
Sinewmire ah youre right!
@@uhm3487 I like you comparison of Dow to Ozai, though he's more of a Zhao in my opinion 🙂
I'll admit, your thumbnail saying "War! War! War! War!" made me instantly sing it like the dwarves in Discworld sing "Gold! Gold! Gold! Gold!"
This and last arguments of kings are just the best first law books for me
This novel has some of THE BEST combat writing I’ve ever experienced. I felt completely drawn into the battle sequences especially.
Damn, this sounds really interesting. I should pick the first law series back up sometime.
you should
Imo the stand alones are better than the first trilogy
Do! They are so so fucking good!
Before I watch this I have one thing to say. The heroes is my all time favorite fantasy book.
Can’t believe no one mentions the bit where Red Hat does his Bloody Nine trick and it’s enough to make everyone run like billy-oh! Put shivers down my spine. Not even in the same country and still deciding the outcome of battles. The most feared man in the north. I kept thinking about that whenever stour nightfall was posing.
The Heroes is probably my 3rd favorite First Law book. 1st-Best Served Cold 2nd-Before They Are Hanged
At first I didn’t find The Heroes that interesting but by the end I LOVED it, so glad I read it before A Little Hatred
The Heroes was the first Abercrombie book I read, and I absolutely loved it. Read all of first law since and while I generally agree with you, it worked as an entry point for me
Loved this book, it had all of the realism and grit of a Bernard Cornwell novel but with Joe Abercrombies witty dialogue and brilliant characters. He actually writes at a decent pace and is only in his 40's too so hopefully we can look forward to lots more books in the world.
Also didn’t expect the shout out and it almost gave me a heart attack
so funny
Considering Murphy also just posted a video about the war in books, I'm guessing she's the one your colabing with
I had quite a few "Wait, what?" moments when I began reading this book, but I stuck with it and was vastly rewarded.
Joe Abercrombie is one of those authors where I get giddy when a new novel drops.
I actually tried to make this my entry to the first law world and read the first hundres pages. I enjoyed it but could tell i was missing a backdrop of history. I put it down, read the trilogy and picked it back up(i should have read best served cold too). Loved it so much more knowing the history Joe made to get us to this point. Feels very authentic to how a battle of this scope would occur. My favorite book from my favorite author.
I just started reading this last night. I decided to just open the book and all of a sudden 3 hours had passed.
Best kind of review. Short, intriguing.
The culmination of the "Abercrombie Masterpieces Trilogy", consisting of "Last Argument of kings", "Best Served Cold" and "The Heroes" of course. Best fantasy novels ever. The heroes is my favorite due mainly to the staggering amount of deep character moments (something you unfortunately haven't touched upon). SPOILERS: Gorst realizing he was always miserable, not just since that one event, Whirrun telling Craw that the sword is only a curse, Beck realizing he was made to be a wood choper and not a warrior and that it made him the luckiest character in the book, even Black Dow showing he is as human as the rest of us reminiscing about being a potter, and to top it all off - Craw getting excited about returning to his crew family even knowing how horrible war is, because that is his life and all he knows...
Seriously man, less than 10 for this great study of characters, war and the purpose we find in it all is just missing the entire point of this book... especially if you did get into it :(
At least I didn't feel dirty finishing this like I did with Best Served Cold.
Had an 8th grade student read Half a King and she was taken aback by the ending. But when I explained the purpose of it, she LOVED it, she was used to the Wayne's World Happy Ending to stories
Best Served Cold and The Heroes are some of the best fantasy books I've read. And it's just tragically unfair that they didn't win the David Gemmell Legend Award since nobody carries on in the spirit of David Gemmell better than Joe Abercrombie.
Does anyone else just look at Daniel's book collection in the background?
On that note, I would love to see a tour of his library at some point
Have waited ages for you to read it. My heart jumped when I saw this at my front screen. Yes yes yes!
*Oh, how I have waited for this moment Daniel*
This one is probably my favorite of all the First Law books! I’m not usually a big military fantasy guy but this book is just incredibly written. His character and dialogue work is always so gripping
Haven't read First Law yet but I need to very soon! This book sounds exactly like something I would love to read, great review.
The Heroes is my fav First Law Book. (Tho keep in mind I haven't read the newest books of the new trilogy yet.)
Kinda spoiler for the book so read with caution
I absolutely loved the chapter with the random soldiers where you are in pov of one soldier, see his death and are then in the pov of the one that killed the previous guy, see him die and so on. That kinda hit hard
I loved this book so much. What you did not mention, is the simple fact, that in this conflict, you as a reader are going to like and understand every single character. And you know, that soon, they will be at each other's throat. And you can not escape this fact ever. That made The Heroes the most epic and gutting book I have ever read. And of course because of Whirrun, who is kissed by the moon.
This book is soooo good. I love the standalone novels much more than the original trilogy because the way he framed these stories in different genres almost was brilliant. And seriously, who’s better than Abercrombie at character work?
Yeah, the standalones are such a neat thing that is rarely (if ever?) done in epic fantasy.
Yay!
I'm only half way through this book but to me this is so far my least favorite because I'm not a fan of any of the characters. The original trilogy and Best Served Cold had better characters to follow....this one, so far, is letting me down. It's still a very good book, but I'm finding more and more that I'm big on having good characters to follow and this one isn't giving me that.
I also don't really feel like these are standalones....to me these could easily be book 4(Best Served Cold) and book 5(The Heros) after the original trilogy. it's the same world and pretty much the same time and with "some" of the same characters being present.
PreppinShootinLivin They’re standalones in that they have story and character arcs that, while happening in the context of the original trilogy and having consequences on future stories in the world, are fairly complete in and of themselves, whereas the books within Abercrombie’s other First Law world trilogies are much more connected and can’t really be read individually.
next series i read is first law, sold
Oh you won't be disappointed!! Read them in publication order, it's awesome to watch how minor characters and stories expand in subsequent books.
Get the audio books also!!! Steven Pacey is an audiobook narrating GAWD
I describe Abercrombie's work as Pessimistic Fantasy, rather than grim dark. GD has alot of negative baggage which I don't think really applies to Joe's work.
This book felt like Generation Kill, but swords, and I loved it.
Before even watching the review. I love this book so much. Because Joe Abercrombie was clearly intend on exploring how a book would turn out in such a small timespan, focused on a single battle over a couple days. It's such a successful experiment on his part. I'm itching to see if other authors are adapting this idea.
loving the frenetic energy Daniel!
Reading First Law in order and I’m now half way through Heroes. All the books so far have been more like movie scenes than literature. They are fast paced and the text is almost entirely devoted to what is happening and what is being said in that scene, the same experience you get in a movie. The Heroes is the first book that actually feels like a book. It’s slower, more descriptive and more atmospheric. The POV characters in this book are no where near the best in the series, but this book is the most immersive so far, even if it does sacrifice some of the ‘fun’ of the previous books to get there.
The Heroes is one my favorite Joe A. books, truly what I'd love to see more in fantasy but thats my favorite style
WH40K: I'm all about the Grimdark
Joe Ambercrombie: Hold my beer (reluctantly).
Found this in the British Heart Foundation for £2. Abercrombie is my one of my teacher's favourite authors. He always brings him up when he sees me reading WoT, LotR, SA, ASoIaF etc.
Seems promising. I'll read it over this week.
The Heroes is my favorite fantasy book of all time, though at least in First Law terms, Red Country follows very closely behind.
But the Heroes just has a way of immersing you in this environment of conflict. You see just how much of warfare is just sitting around, talking, waiting, and followed by moments of sheer terror. Casualties is likely my favorite battle chapter in the genre as well, how perspective travels from character to character as they fall. The scene with Beck and his small crew fighting in the house might be one of the most harrowing scenes the series has to offer.
But man, Whirrun of Bligh just had all my favorite moments in this book. He had such a fun personality and was endearing in his crack-nut tendencies. I think those cheese-traps might just take off.
SPOILERS! Bayaz brings such an element of menace to the story, his gaze falling all over this battle and from the context of previous books, you know he has nothing good in mind for what is to come and you can feel his fingers manipulating so much even without arcane means.
Finree was my second favorite character as it's the one spot where we get something of an outside perspective and it's her and Gorst and Beck where we get few really good takes on what Trauma does to people in warfare.
Tunney was fun and a nice way to break up the pacing, unfortunately while I enjoy all the POV characters in this, he and Craw I have the least to say about.
And last but not least, Shivers. Man what a journey this guy has been through and what a journey he still has. In some ways, I feel like the First Law series is a story about Shivers and his journey through it.
I can't wait to see Daniel's perspective on Red Country and I really can't wait for A Trouble with Peace to come out later this year.
Right now Im working on the third Stormlight book, but my next book of his I plan on reading is Before They are Hanged. So far it feels like grim dark Lord of the Rings in the best of ways. He definitely takes the lotr tropes and makes them something new and original.
Great review, thanks for sharing it. Becky's story and payoff was maybe my favourite.
I totally agree what you mean about the depth - it reminds me more of an account of Waterloo (which I'm sure is what Joe was going for) than say, Helm's Deep.
The Heroes is absolutely one of my very favorite Abercrombie books. Glad you liked it, Daniel.
Actually finished reading heroes last week. Great Abercrombie as usual.
I’m actually kind of surprised that no one has taken that title yet, it’s literally called “heroes” lmao.
But your review gives me hope that it’s not quite as generic as it’s name, I’ll be sure to check it out- after the other books of course
Heroes is the battlefield where it takes place. It is a stonehenge like structure.
Yeah the title is intentionally 'generic fantasy' sounding... but he's actually being sarcastic. His whole point is there are no heroes...
@@M3rett0 Bah. It's Ultima all over again. Exodus is a computer and Pagan is an alternate dimension.
Its definitely not generic...
Steven Fry, and Robert Cormier both have books called "Heroes".
"Heroes Die" is good if anyone is sitting on an audible credit.
“Death is a board clerk, with too many orders to fill. There is no reckoning. No profound moment. It creeps up on us from behind, and snatches us away while we shit.“
I absolutely live First Law but I really want to learn more about Gurkhul and the lore of the demons and the eaters. I'm ready for some answers
The Heroes is my favorite of the independent novels between The First Law trilogies! It was EPIC!!
I actually read this one before I read any other Abercrombie books and really enjoyed it. Especially the way they mythologise one of the main characters from First Law - seeing the disconnect between the way he is written in The Heroes vs the reality of the main trilogy was awesome. Plus Wirrhun of Bligh is one of my favourite characters ever.
I loved this book. As he said in your interview the book was inspired from the war movie "Bridge Too Far" which is an awesome movie.
His attention to detail in the battle aspects reminded me of a Bernard Cornwell Sharpe novel. Cprl Tunney would be well at home in Sharpe's regiment.
I think Best Served Cold and The Heroes is essentially just book 4 and book 5 after the original trilogy. These both take place in the same world, and just shortly after the original trilogy and even have "some" of the same characters. These don't strike me as standalones at all really.
2:47 ''Im working on a video with another youtuber about battles in fantasy, but im not gonna disclose it cause its early stages''
Merphy 1 hour ago; releases a video about battles in fantasy.
Coincidence? I think not!
Actually it was 😂
Daniel chugging that coffee is a big mood
3:33 and this is where I started because it was the only 'First Law' I found at the time and looked like a good stand alone. Can't wait to re-read the series in a proper order.
This is a bloody brilliant review. TBR'd this, instantly!!!
Love The Heroes, it's my top 3 favorite books of all time
I haven't read The First Law yet (I plan to), but I've read Half a King and Half a World, and what struck me about Joe Abercrombie's writing was that, while it was very different from what I was used to seeing in fantasy as a genre, I was still drawn in, partially because of his character work and world-building (which are masterful) but I was also struck by how different the novels felt, even from other Grimdark authors. I felt like I was in an alien land, and it's hard to explain the feeling I had, but it reminded me of my first explorations into fantasy as a child, the wonder (and sometimes horror) of what I was reading, the immersion into a world where I didn't have familiar touchpoints that helped me make sense of things. I was completely thrown off-kilter from the get-go, and while that was disorienting at first, it grew on me until I just had to know where these characters would end up. It's been a long time since I've felt that compelled to keep reading, even though it made me deeply uncomfortable. I think it was that discomfort that kept me so interested, and curious, in what was going to happen next. Can't wait to read this one (after First Law, obviously). Great review.
After the grimdark anti-Belgariad of the trilogy, and the grimdark Count of Monte Christo, we have the grimdark Sharpe's Waterloo. And I loved it. Of course I like decent epic battles in my fantasy.
Next up, the Western gets the Abercrombie grimdark treatment. Not saying which book.
This was actually the first book i read from Abercrombie. I really loved it and would mention that this book gave me some serious laughs at some points (like the settlement of Jalenhorm troops described by Gorst on the first day of the battle)
I went into this book fairly unenthusiastic because I'm not usually a fan of battle scenes. But this book was so funny. Gorst and Caulder are both hilarious on their own and the way Abercrombie juxtaposes povs is great. Maybe not my favorite FL book, but i respect it alot
Thx for the Video...Will have to check this out...Glad you mentioned Black Company, which was on the back of my brain while listening to you. You should read the 2nd and 3rd books of that series when ya get the time. (The rest are optional in my opinion, but one wants to know what happens after). Stay safe. Gruß from Germany
The Heroes is my absolute favourite standalone - but Red Country is sooooo very close. What I loved about The Heroes is its critique of war itself. The futility of it and how it affects the lives of veterans.
I'll be starting Red Country soon.Can't wait !!! :)
The Heroes is Abercrombie's best book in my opinion.
My fav of his books, have a signed copy as my prize possession
@@jessieburgess8804 I'm very jealous.
Is red country also good?
For those interested in an excellent mix of historical inspired medieval combat and fantasy, I might suggest The Red Knight by Miles Cameron. As the first book of the Traitor Son series, it is a ton of fun and really utilizes Cameron's background as an author of historic fiction (Miles is a pseudonym, most of his other works are under his actual name Christian) who really can strike a balance between detailed tactical minutiae without sacrificing the pace of prose. In fact, I'd love to see Daniel tackle series at some point.
Heroes is my favourite Abercrombie novel in the First Law world. I love Curnden Craw and his crew. Whirrun of Bligh is probably one of my all-time favourite characters in fiction. I would actually love to read a book on his story, just awesome.
Just wait until Red Country, my fav Abercrombie book
I loved how concise and succint this book was. No frills, no padding. Just one long battle that was brilliant and thrilling from start to finish
I actually read the Heroes as a first Joe Abercrombie book, because I thought it was a pure standalone book. I really liked it, but after reading The First Law Trilogy and Best Served Cold and then rereading The Heroes I loved it so much more. I finally could understand all the little details and hints and what's more important I understood all the characters' work, motives and how they were shaped by the world they live in
Read The Heroes last week & loved it. It is a book that will stick with you. My favorite 1st Law so far. Abercrombie asks "What is a hero?"
Glen Cook, author of the Black Company books, is a navy vet
Might be considered blasphemous here but after my 2nd run through of both books I have to say I like The Heroes more than BSC. I guess I just fucking love war, the smell of it, the feel of it.... And all the pretty horses!
You're very close to me reading the First Law books. I finished a couple of weeks ago and you release this review. I mostly agree with you. I think the pacing being a bit odd made it a little harder for me to get into, but after the first third I was completely hooked. I think by the end I preferred to Best Served Cold. I'm so excited to read Red Country and finally A Little Hatred
Same! Just started red country yesterday... needless to say, it's amazing so far.
How can you not love the Heroes? It's the Epic Tale of how Cracknut Whirrun invented the Cheese-Trap! Oh... and a battle. A battle. But the Battle is really secondary to the Cheese-Trap.
Having the point of view character change from one death to the next in the heat of a battle.... so... damn... good. Also no need to debate.... you must read all of the books in order. First law does not have a stand alone book. You will almost certainly not be able to appreciate the characters if you don't. If you don't know Bremer dan Gorst prior to this... going backwards would change so much.
Sounds really interesting. I'm just finishing up Best Served Cold and I'll probably read Red Country next (since I own that one too). Waiting for this book to go on sale.
Got that first First Law book just sitting on my bookcase looking at me in disappointment that I've not picked it up yet!
I hope you have the opportunity to read/review Red Country sometime this year
Great review Daniel !
Should be noted that Abercrombie used the Battle of Gettysburg as a template for the book.
OT: Have we named the skull yet? I vote for Fluffy
You should try Bernard Cornwell. He's historical fiction not fantasy per se, but his battle scenes can't be beat. Give Agincourt a shot, it's a standalone look set in one of Western Civ's greatest battles.
Just started The Blade Itself. I've had all his books for a while but been worried incase Joe is as good as my favourite author David Gemmell. Some similar themes, good yet grey characters, gritty action. You should look David Gemmell up his Drenai series is great especially Legend where the last half is a siege battle.
Without David Gemmell there might not have been a Joe Abercrombie or John Gwynne both of whom have won the David Gemmell Fantasy Award and in interviews have both said David Gemmell is an inspiration so check David Gemmell out and John Gywnne too.