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da3m0nic's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, War, Cursing, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Grief, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Misogyny
Minor: Emotional abuse and Death of parent
elliotvanz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I haven't read the other books in this series, and I can't help but wonder how I might have interacted with this book if I had. As is it works reasonably well as a standalone so long as you don't mind spending the whole time feeling like you're not in on a joke, and being aware that some of the people you meet are probably a bigger deal, or recognizable, to readers familiar with the world.
This book feels more like a western (or a series of connected western stories) than it does a fantasy. Thankfully for me, that's what I signed up for, but someone going in looking for a fantasy epic is in for a surprise. There's no magic (at least that I noticed) - this is a western with swords and bows instead of guns (mostly). It hits many of the western story tropes: stolen children, mysterious strangers, wagons west, perilous natives, a broken down mining town, "this town's not big enough for the two of us," a heist, the last stand, and even a massacre. Which is where I get to why this was the most divisive book my book club has ever read.
This book is violent and filled with horrible people. I would argue the book tells you what it is right up front, so if you carry on and despite that, well, the book did warn you. Both implicitly and explicitly. When you get a scene where a dog's head ends up on a stick fairly early on that's a signpost for things to come. (Did you just decide to skip this book after reading that?) The language surrounding the people who are obviously stand-ins for the native peoples in the Cowboys versus Indians tropes is...not great. And the absolute gleeful slaughter that occurs later is disturbing. But I don't think that's entirely unintentional.
Abercrombie writes dark violent books that examine the failings of humanity, and how the mundane can be the monstrous. This book felt like an exploration of what makes someone a white hat versus a black hat, and how that assessment shifts depending on where you're standing. It's a deconstruction of western stories and the assumptions about the "good guys" featured is such tales. I found that compelling. A lot of people will simply find it nauseating. I would posit there's no wrong answer here. If you want to read a book exploring the monstrous side of the western genre, peopled with characters who are morally grey at best, this book might interest you. If you don't like reading about bad people doing bad things you're going to want to give this one a pass. Enjoyment of this book is very much going to boil down to a matter of taste.
This book feels more like a western (or a series of connected western stories) than it does a fantasy. Thankfully for me, that's what I signed up for, but someone going in looking for a fantasy epic is in for a surprise. There's no magic (at least that I noticed) - this is a western with swords and bows instead of guns (mostly). It hits many of the western story tropes: stolen children, mysterious strangers, wagons west, perilous natives, a broken down mining town, "this town's not big enough for the two of us," a heist, the last stand, and even a massacre. Which is where I get to why this was the most divisive book my book club has ever read.
This book is violent and filled with horrible people. I would argue the book tells you what it is right up front, so if you carry on and despite that, well, the book did warn you. Both implicitly and explicitly. When you get a scene where a dog's head ends up on a stick fairly early on that's a signpost for things to come. (Did you just decide to skip this book after reading that?) The language surrounding the people who are obviously stand-ins for the native peoples in the Cowboys versus Indians tropes is...not great. And the absolute gleeful slaughter that occurs later is disturbing. But I don't think that's entirely unintentional.
Abercrombie writes dark violent books that examine the failings of humanity, and how the mundane can be the monstrous. This book felt like an exploration of what makes someone a white hat versus a black hat, and how that assessment shifts depending on where you're standing. It's a deconstruction of western stories and the assumptions about the "good guys" featured is such tales. I found that compelling. A lot of people will simply find it nauseating. I would posit there's no wrong answer here. If you want to read a book exploring the monstrous side of the western genre, peopled with characters who are morally grey at best, this book might interest you. If you don't like reading about bad people doing bad things you're going to want to give this one a pass. Enjoyment of this book is very much going to boil down to a matter of taste.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Medical content, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Excrement, Grief, Rape, Sexual violence, and Torture
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