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aklaux 's review for:
The Wisdom of Crowds
by Joe Abercrombie
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Wisdom of Crowds is the violent conclusion to The Age of Madness trilogy. As revolution boils over in the Union and across the Circle of the World, old systems are being torn down and new ideologies are clawing to take their place. In this blood-soaked chaos, familiar characters—Savine dan Glokta, Leo dan Brock, Rikke, and Orso among them—vie for power, survival, and meaning in a society that seems to be burning itself down to the foundations. The “wisdom” of the crowd, we quickly learn, often disguises its cruelty in slogans and chaos, and no one escapes unscathed.
A strong finish to the second leg of the First Law world, the book delivers everything that Joe Abercrombie fans have come to expect. It excels in all the ways its predecessors did: complex character arcs, razor-sharp dialogue, and morally gray black decisions where no one is ever truly right, or truly a hero. As always, every character feels purposeful and multidimensional. Trust is a rare commodity, and betrayal comes not just from enemies, but often from within.
Abercrombie continues to explore heavy and timely themes here: the corrupting influence of power, the intoxicating allure of populism, the myth of progress, and the impossibility of justice in a broken system. These themes don’t just sit beneath the surface....they drive the action and the tragedy alike.
That said, I rated this entry slightly lower than the previous two, not because it falters in quality, but because it bears the weight of concluding the trilogy’s sprawling narrative. Abercrombie’s endings are famously unsentimental, and while I respect how he consistently challenges readers who crave neat resolutions or happy endings, it still left me with a touch of bitterness. Not because the tone was grim (that’s to be expected), but because a few key plotlines felt unresolved or undercooked. After such careful buildup, some threads didn’t quite pay off in a way that felt meaningful or earned. It’s a small complaint in an otherwise gripping novel, but it left me ever so slightly unsatisfied.
Despite that, I really loved this second trilogy overall. It deepened the world, evolved the themes, and introduced a cast of characters who will stick with me for a long time. And while this book closes the chapter on this particular revolution, it also leaves the door tantalizingly open for a return to the First Law world, should Abercrombie choose to revisit it.
Until then, I’m eager to see where he goes next, especially with the recent release of The Devils, which promises a fresh direction from one of fantasy’s most consistently compelling voices.
A strong finish to the second leg of the First Law world, the book delivers everything that Joe Abercrombie fans have come to expect. It excels in all the ways its predecessors did: complex character arcs, razor-sharp dialogue, and morally gray black decisions where no one is ever truly right, or truly a hero. As always, every character feels purposeful and multidimensional. Trust is a rare commodity, and betrayal comes not just from enemies, but often from within.
Abercrombie continues to explore heavy and timely themes here: the corrupting influence of power, the intoxicating allure of populism, the myth of progress, and the impossibility of justice in a broken system. These themes don’t just sit beneath the surface....they drive the action and the tragedy alike.
That said, I rated this entry slightly lower than the previous two, not because it falters in quality, but because it bears the weight of concluding the trilogy’s sprawling narrative. Abercrombie’s endings are famously unsentimental, and while I respect how he consistently challenges readers who crave neat resolutions or happy endings, it still left me with a touch of bitterness. Not because the tone was grim (that’s to be expected), but because a few key plotlines felt unresolved or undercooked. After such careful buildup, some threads didn’t quite pay off in a way that felt meaningful or earned. It’s a small complaint in an otherwise gripping novel, but it left me ever so slightly unsatisfied.
Despite that, I really loved this second trilogy overall. It deepened the world, evolved the themes, and introduced a cast of characters who will stick with me for a long time. And while this book closes the chapter on this particular revolution, it also leaves the door tantalizingly open for a return to the First Law world, should Abercrombie choose to revisit it.
Until then, I’m eager to see where he goes next, especially with the recent release of The Devils, which promises a fresh direction from one of fantasy’s most consistently compelling voices.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Genocide, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, War