Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

48 reviews

midnightrose_reads's review

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Blade, Itself is the first book in the First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. There’s several main characters you meet in the story: Logen ‘Ninefingers’ a well known fighter from the North, San Dan Glokta an Inquisitor and torturer,  & Captain Jezal dan Luthar a would be fencing champion. Throw in the wizard Bayaz, First of the Magi and his less than competent assistant, and a woman named Ferro with a strange magical ability and you have a VERY colorful cast of characters!

This first book is incredibly character and world-building focused. Wildly funny at times as well. Can’t wait to continue on with the series!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Cursing, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Death, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Cannibalism, and Child abuse

cybergoths's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Death, Murder, Torture, and Violence

Minor: War, Domestic abuse, Slavery, and Racial slurs

ratat0sk42's review

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Anyone who like complex characters, gallows humour, and dark, gritty fantasy will love this book.

It has smooth and easy to read prose, and lots of style with a surprisingly funny edge to its narration. Every single character has depth and motivations that make you unsure if they're the good guy or the bad guy at any given moment.

One thing some people may take issue with us that the book doesn't really have much of a plot in the traditional sense, not much actually happens but I found the characters tso engrossing I didn't mind at all. 

Another thing of note is that the book is part of the First Law trilogy, which is less three stories that fit together than one big story cut into thirds, as such it doesn't really end, it just flows into the next book. If you read this book, you're in for the long haul. it's a damn good  though. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Death, Chronic illness, Violence, War, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Physical abuse, Murder, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Gore

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual content, Colonisation, Body horror, Blood, Xenophobia, Trafficking, and Cannibalism

Minor: Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Grief

arian_dragonelf's review

adventurous dark funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Death, Gore, Murder, Classism, Blood, Cursing, and Violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Child death

Minor: Physical abuse

strawberrypinch's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny lighthearted tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Misogyny, Fatphobia, Kidnapping, Torture, Suicide, Domestic abuse, and Cursing

Minor: Child death, Alcohol, Bullying, Classism, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Trafficking, Colonisation, Cursing, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, War, Xenophobia, Confinement, Death, Excrement, and Vomit

singalana's review

adventurous dark funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Death, Physical abuse, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Medical trauma, Xenophobia, Vomit, Dementia, Kidnapping, and War

Minor: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Excrement, Animal death, and Toxic relationship

farleighelse's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

very good. several different narrative perspectives.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Torture

saemiligr's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I knew a lot of people loved these books but I was taken aback when I was sucked into the story so quickly. I usually don't even go for these types of books, but this one I loved and am immediately picking up the next. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Death, Violence, Chronic illness, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief

phoenix1802's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Torture

marthadude's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I feel like I can't really review the book on its own merits since it's part of a trilogy, but it's an excellent start to a larger story. It's more character heavy than plot heavy, but the characters are really fascinating. I'm very eager to start on book two and to see where things go.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, War, Violence, Torture, Slavery, Sexism, Racism, Murder, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Death, Blood, Cursing, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Ableism, Vomit, Physical abuse, Excrement, Fatphobia, Animal death, Cannibalism, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Sexual content