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100 Books in a Year: #63 The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

By Brian Prisco | Posted Under Book Reviews | Comments (31)

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Abercrombie?

Well, another excellent fantasy series begun. Curse you nerds. This one’s the first of the First Law Trilogy — the first law being “Don’t let them get wet.” It’s solid fantasy; much like the Kingkiller trilogy it feels like it has to be three books long. The story’s just that massive in scope. However, Abercrombie’s really excellent about knowing how to juggle characters. He keeps the story focused on three major threads: the Inquisitor Glokta — a former champion of the Union who was tortured by enemies and is now a crippled mess torturing suspects for the Inquisition; Jezal dan Luthar — a spoiled noble who’s set to become a fencing champion for the Union; and Logen Ninefingers — a Northern barbarian wandering the countryside after he and his cohorts are beset by savages. The rest of the characters are drawn into their wake as the story unfolds. Then each of these three end up crossing paths. It’s deftly done, even when a fourth character comes in the second half of the novel, and is also drawn into the story. It combines the magic of Wheel of Time with the savage politics of Song of Ice and Fire. It’s brutally violent, and the language is savage.

And that’s weird to me. Fantasy always felt like a safe area for me. You could expect some violence, and maybe some romance, but never any overt sexuality or foul language. Every other word in The First Law Trilogy is fuck or shit. It’s kind of strange to me. I don’t know. It assuredly improves the story here, and adds to the gritty flavor. But it’s strange to be reading this fantasy novel with knights and kings and hearing each other screaming about “fucking killing the fuck out of fuckers!” It’s fucking strange. I don’t know what other people’s thoughts are on this. Even in the Song of Ice and Fire, there are a few cocks, cunts, and fucks, but it’s veritably Tarantino up in this piece. However, the characters are so well developed, and the tone is so cruel and clever, it doesn’t make it a negative. It’s just something to get accustomed to. I always recommended fantasy books to ten and twelve year olds who were good readers, but not so much on this one.

However, you Pajiban nerdlingers who like fantasy should jump all over this. It’s brimming with war and scheming and unbelievable violence. Someone explodes from a magic spell. Into big dripping chunks. Yup. Get on that shit.

This review is part of the Cannonball Read series. Details are here and the growing number of participants and their blogs are here.









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Comments

Great choice Prisco, this is a good read and some of Abercrombie’s better work.

Posted by: Pookie at April 2, 2009 9:17 AM

Saw this in the library last weekend and didn't pick it up 'cause I had to focus on setting test papers. Guess who's returning THIS weekend!

I never read his work before, but I started reading the first chapter and had to force myself to return the book to the shelf before I completely lost touch.

But Prisco...WHY did you have to drag Jordan's sucktastic mess into this? Why man?

Otherwise, I will be jumping all over this! Thanks for the review, you confirmed my thoughts.

Posted by: Four Eyes at April 2, 2009 9:36 AM

Oooh i love Song of Ice and Fire - if G.R.R. Martin would only finish it...

I'll have to check this fucker out...

from the library

without swearing (my mother would KILL me).

Posted by: mswas at April 2, 2009 10:00 AM

Oooh, I have this at home in one of my many piles of books to be read.

I've read one other fantasy book that has some cursing in it, and it threw me at first with that one (The Lies of Locke Lamora--which I cannot recommend enough. I'm almost finished, but I can't quite bring myself to finish because I do not want it to end), but I got used to it, and it's not like I don't curse like a sailor personally, so I got over it.

Maybe I'll read this next. Thanks for the review, Prisco.

Posted by: lizzieborden at April 2, 2009 10:06 AM

The Lies of Locke Lamora. Have to remember that one. I don't recall ever seeing it in the bookstores here so I'll have to check the library on that one.

Thanks for the tip Lizzieborden!

Posted by: Four Eyes at April 2, 2009 10:14 AM

Wasn't RR Martin's next book coming out in April or May of this year?? Have I just been deluding myself?

This looks like FUN. I've been re-reading Melanie Rawn's Sunrunner series for lack of anything else in the house (I cannot seem to get through Blindness, and Hen's Teeth and Horse's Hooves only works in small batches), so I will definitely look into this.

Posted by: Stella at April 2, 2009 10:24 AM

Four Eyes, it's by Steven Lynch. I think. It might be Scott. The Lynch part is right, I'm pretty sure. There's one sequel so far, Red Seas Under Red Skies. I've heard it's just as awesome.

Posted by: lizzieborden at April 2, 2009 10:38 AM

Stella, Amazon currently lists A Dance With Dragons as scheduled for sept 29th.

The Abercrombie series is good as long as you don't need happy endings, he's got a new book, Best Served Cold, coming out thats set in the same world though so maybe he's just not done figuring out how to give his characters their comeuppance.

Posted by: bob-o at April 2, 2009 10:40 AM

Ugh. Dance of Dragons I think was supposed to come out in Great Britain in April or something, but we have to wait until Sept. But I'm not bitter. Noooo.

The Lies of Locke Lamora, The Blade Itself, and Four Eyes. I'll have to check them out.

Posted by: Captain Steve at April 2, 2009 10:44 AM

Oh, and the Locke Lamora series is Scott Lynch. Red Seas didn't do much for me, it was a little too Oceans 13 meets Pirates of the Caribbean. He plans 7 books in the series but book 3, The Republic of Thieves, has been postponed indefinitely

Posted by: bob-o at April 2, 2009 10:49 AM

I'm reading Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series right now, which is fantastic filler for the time between RR Martin books (which is averaging what, 3 years at this point?). The mythology is mind blowing, and the series is finished, so you don't have to wait for new release after new release wondering when things will actually be concluded. The only tough part about getting in Erikson's work is that he refuses to do any recaps or detailed background explanations prior to jumping into the story (even in book 1). You end up inundated in names, places and events that sometimes are not explained until 3 or more books later. Makes for a good puzzle...

Posted by: Nate at April 2, 2009 10:54 AM

Scott Lynch! Thanks bob-o and lizzieborden! This makes life a little easier.

The list of books I'm trying to get my hands on just keeps growing. The Martin series is one of them. I've only now started the series and I have book 2 waiting for me right now!

However, I'm preparing myself for disappointment with the bookstores here. At least they order the stuff for me if they don't have it. There's always a silver lining!

Posted by: Four Eyes at April 2, 2009 11:02 AM

I read this whole series and I have to agree with Prisco...definately worth it. I personally didn't have much trouble getting used to the cursing and the swearing, but I'm usually one of those types of people that start a book without any preconceptions, regardless of genre. Abercrombie does a nice job making this as realistic a series as you can get in a fantasy setting; meaning that people don't speak in fruity Elizabethan prose and people are not generally nice to each other and tend to have real reactions to real problems (I think he even touches on alcoholism and depression a bit).

Definately worth the read

Posted by: ASterisk at April 2, 2009 11:17 AM

I wouldn't believe the amazon date for Dance of Dragons. According to this post on his blog, it's not done yet.

Posted by: mswas at April 2, 2009 11:18 AM

Wait, Erikson finished his series? I knew the UK releases were way ahead of the US but I fully expected it to turn out like The Wheel of Time and go til Erikson dies and someone else finishes it off.

Posted by: bob-o at April 2, 2009 11:48 AM

Great series - Abercrombie gives you odd, sometimes disturbing characters that he stays true to.

Martin isn't close to being done with Dragons. Don't ask him when it's going to be done, either, evidently it makes him testy.

Erikson shares that universe with another writer, both produce canon books. I don't know if it's possible for him to address every thread he's developed (but I'm halfway through Toll the Hounds and it's excellent).

Posted by: ponch at April 2, 2009 12:11 PM

Ooops, retraction on my earlier statement. Still two books left in the main series for Erikson. Wishful thinking I suppose.

Posted by: Nate at April 2, 2009 12:20 PM

Stella, I LOVE the Sunrunner series. I have probably read those books at least 6 times a piece. No easy task since the shortest one is about 500 pages. I first picked those up about 14 years ago (good lord I'm old!), and that remains my favorite series. I was just thinking about re-reading them again.

Sorry, I tend to nerd-out whenever anyone else mentions that series. Warning to newcomers: Don't get attached to any characters. She's worse than Rowling about killing off your favorites!

Posted by: Blakemas! at April 2, 2009 12:36 PM

So what's the first book in the Sunrunner series? Sounds intriguing.

Posted by: lizzieborden at April 2, 2009 1:28 PM

Damn. I've had this on the shelf for eight months now and have still only managed the first couple of chapters. I've been reading real trash instead lately.

Time to up my game, I guess...

Posted by: Spike at April 2, 2009 1:29 PM

Abercrombie is an awesome writer (after Steven Erikson). Inquisitor Glokta is an impressive character, and Abercrombie is so good at writing him that you will find yourself [impossibly] sympathizing with him.

OT, but if there's any Jordan fans left, the first third of the last book is slated for a November 3 release.

Posted by: ohgrl at April 2, 2009 4:23 PM

November 3rd for A Dance with Dragons?? ...siigh... I need to know if ________is dead! (don't want to spoil it for those who haven't read it that far or at all)

This book sounds like it'd be just my cup of tea. Thanks for the review!

Posted by: io at April 2, 2009 4:52 PM

G.R.R. Martin will never finish A Dance With Dragons. I keep telling myself this, over and over, as I obsessively check Amazon to see if there is an actual release date. It keeps getting pushed back. I need to tell myself this so that I don't virtually throttle his stupid neck.

Abercrombie's work is part of a new batch of fantasy that I think was heavily influenced by Martin's realism and Middle Ages setting. I absolutely love this series, Ninefingers is my favorite (!) and I'm soso glad you reviewed this book.

Posted by: rayliota at April 2, 2009 4:57 PM

io, Nov 3 for A Memory of Light, or rather, The Gathering Storm, part 1 of the final book.

Prisco, I agree with your WTF on the word "fuck." Kinda weird to hear an earth word in a fantasy setting. Better than saying "frak" or "frel" tho. Also so, so happy that you're the one reviewing the nerdlinger books that I love so much. Carry on!

Posted by: ohgrl at April 2, 2009 5:11 PM

Not sure how excited I can get about the Wheel of Time final volumes, what I've read from Brandon Sanderson has been decent but not incredible. Bound to be less disappointing than the movies will be though

Posted by: bob-o at April 2, 2009 5:25 PM

I'm glad I'm not the only one that liked the Sunrunner series - even though characters got offed left and right, I remember that was the first book I read that did that and it was SHOCKING to me. But I love some of the characters (Rohan, Sioned, Meath, Chay and Tobin, to be exact) and I thoroughly enjoy revisting that world every couple of years.

Posted by: Stella at April 2, 2009 5:28 PM

First book in the Sunrunner's series is The Dragon Prince.

Posted by: Stella at April 2, 2009 5:30 PM

I just want to mention the books being put out by R. Scott Bakker, there's a nod/tribute to Tolkein in his newest one, violent as all hell but awewsome.

I just got into the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher and I understand why they call it dresden crack.

Posted by: coltaine45 at April 2, 2009 5:59 PM

Thanks Stella!

And welcome to the club, coltaine45. Turn Coat is out on Tuesday.

Posted by: lizzieborden at April 2, 2009 6:09 PM

Wow.

I'm at the last 100 or so pages of White Night and Small Favor looks like it'll take a day or two.

Posted by: coltaine45 at April 2, 2009 6:47 PM

I ended up reading this whole series a while back. That I didn't notice the inordinate amount of cussing is probably a testament to my own foul mouth, but the books were still a really good read. I thought the characters were pretty surprising and it’s a nice departure from the typical fantasy novels I end up reading.

Posted by: Webb at April 2, 2009 8:41 PM