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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I don’t even know where to begin. Rarely does a second book surpass its predecessor, but this one blew me away! I gave the first book 4 stars, but this is definitely my favorite Joe Abercrombie book to date. Why? Let me count the ways:
Story-wise: The plot is finally taking shape, with our heroes established from the first book grouped into three POVs: those headed to the end of the world to fulfill a destiny, the group fighting the threat of Bethod’s army, and the conflict inside the city of Dagoska, following a murder investigation led by the “Broken” but brilliant man, Sand Dan Glokta. Abercrombie’s weaving of these stories keeps you on your toes, not knowing what will happen next.
Grim, dark, and gritty—this book packs it all! Characters shine in their own ways, and their origins are explored through campfire stories full of charming frowns, scowls, and scars. Logen Ninefingers remains my favorite, but Ferro really shone in this book. We also get more lore about the First Law, the Maker, and the Magi through Bayaz.
I love that this book reminds you that not everything or everyone gets a happy ending. Hearts, expectations, and jaws are broken, and Abercrombie does not shy away from it. Yet, the newfound family they’ve found in each other, no matter how dysfunctional, is heartwarming.
Reading this while listening to the audiobook narrated by Steven Pacey was a full experience. Pacey’s versatility brought life and justice to the story, making him an instant favorite voice actor of mine.
But the most memorable part was experiencing it with newfound friends. I felt so fulfilled and excited that I beat my usual reading pace, finishing it in just three days. Sharing this rollercoaster of emotions with others was cathartic and uplifting, reminding me why I love reading. I feel privileged to have found a new family in this community.
Overall, this is a solid 10/5 stars for me. I'll definitely re-read it, but for now, I can’t wait to move on to the next book!
Story-wise: The plot is finally taking shape, with our heroes established from the first book grouped into three POVs: those headed to the end of the world to fulfill a destiny, the group fighting the threat of Bethod’s army, and the conflict inside the city of Dagoska, following a murder investigation led by the “Broken” but brilliant man, Sand Dan Glokta. Abercrombie’s weaving of these stories keeps you on your toes, not knowing what will happen next.
Grim, dark, and gritty—this book packs it all! Characters shine in their own ways, and their origins are explored through campfire stories full of charming frowns, scowls, and scars. Logen Ninefingers remains my favorite, but Ferro really shone in this book. We also get more lore about the First Law, the Maker, and the Magi through Bayaz.
I love that this book reminds you that not everything or everyone gets a happy ending. Hearts, expectations, and jaws are broken, and Abercrombie does not shy away from it. Yet, the newfound family they’ve found in each other, no matter how dysfunctional, is heartwarming.
Reading this while listening to the audiobook narrated by Steven Pacey was a full experience. Pacey’s versatility brought life and justice to the story, making him an instant favorite voice actor of mine.
But the most memorable part was experiencing it with newfound friends. I felt so fulfilled and excited that I beat my usual reading pace, finishing it in just three days. Sharing this rollercoaster of emotions with others was cathartic and uplifting, reminding me why I love reading. I feel privileged to have found a new family in this community.
Overall, this is a solid 10/5 stars for me. I'll definitely re-read it, but for now, I can’t wait to move on to the next book!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Impossible for Abercrombie to write anything resembling something hopeful but damn, as bleak and awful the times these characters had were, it made for a fantastic reading experience because of the author's writing skill.
Also, West? Omg. That scene, you know which one, was SO satisfying!!!
Also, West? Omg. That scene, you know which one, was SO satisfying!!!
I was quite excited to go back to this universe, and so much happened here !
I really like the way characters evolve. It's is so refreshing to see characters show so much growth and self introspection. It seems silly to state, but it is actually one of my main gripe with most books - events happen but the characters stay pretty much the same - nuh huh, not here !
I have been very surprised with a lot here, which is also unusual (WTF West ??), and I have had a good time in general. I foresee a pretty big book for the last one as there's a lot to wrap up, and I cannot wait to dig into it !
I really like the way characters evolve. It's is so refreshing to see characters show so much growth and self introspection. It seems silly to state, but it is actually one of my main gripe with most books - events happen but the characters stay pretty much the same - nuh huh, not here !
I have been very surprised with a lot here, which is also unusual (WTF West ??), and I have had a good time in general. I foresee a pretty big book for the last one as there's a lot to wrap up, and I cannot wait to dig into it !
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As much as I want to finish the trilogy just to find out how the plotlines end, I can't get over how terrible the characters are. Their personalities change on a whim seemingly without any cause except the necessities of the plot and a forced attempt to create character arcs. It's hard to feel any connection to a character who lacks self-consistent internal motivations.