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A review by sgbrux
Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
5.0
“Bet it doesn’t rain much where you come from, eh?”
“Are you going to shut your fucking hole, or do I have to hurt you?”
Jezal cleared his throat, and quietly allowed his mount to drop back away from her. “Crazy bitch,” he whispered under his breath.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
Oh my god I enjoyed this book. Is it possible to have too much fun reading a book? Is it? I question what it says about me that I find such endless enjoyment in the misery of these characters. Especially Jezal. Boy oh boy did Jezal get served up a big slice of humble pie. But really, the whole damn pie, and I enjoyed every moment of it. A mace to the face—how's that for teaching a lesson? I'm still cackling about it.
You know what else has me cackling? His Royal Highness, Master War Tactician Himself, Prince Ladisla. There's an imbecile who truly deserved what he got—and I love that it was our Mad Dog, aka Furious, Colonel West who gave it to him. Nothing but pulpy dressing for the rocks, now is he? Idiot.
Where The Blade Itself spent its entirety introducing us to each character and their tics, laying the groundwork for conflicts of varying degrees of horrible with no clear main goal and irregular story pacing, Before They Are Hanged dumps you right into the thick of it, beginning with the Named Men, and throwing you into POV after POV as the problems presented in book one devolve into all-out mayhem and treachery here in the sequel. Some fight scenes almost stretched on a hair too long, but this book gripped me so tightly from the first page that it never let me go. That rarely happens to me in a 650-page book.
I enjoyed the hell out of so many scenes. BTAH had everything—guerrilla skirmishes, politics, torture, sex, bribery, mystery, humor, campfire kumbaya, frightening humanoid monsters, assassinations, an abandoned city (major Shadar Logoth vibes), a siege... everything.
Abercrombie continues to build upon his already stellar character writing with exceptional scenes of their respective growths, and downfalls in some cases. Dogman, West, Burr, Pike, Glokta, Logen, Jezal, Ferro, I am totally vested in all these people. I've loved Ferro since her opening scene in TBI. She is obscenely competent, but she isn't exactly impervious to harm. Self-reliant. Impatient. Brash. She's one of my favorites in this series.
I don't trust Bayaz or Quai as far as I can throw them, and I still pray that Longfoot will meet a dazzling end.
We don't get a glimpse of the notorious Bethod yet, but what little we have tasted of his battle antics and choice in allies has my anticipation of that showdown piqued. We also don't see any end in sight for the depth of corruption snaking through the Union, but at least Glokta is finally coming to terms with the precariousness of his position given his need to know the truth. Another favorite of mine.
I have Last Argument of Kings on audio, and I'm really looking forward to Steven Pacey leading me through it. I've only listened to the first chapter, but the man is so incredible that I wish I would've listened along during my read-throughs of the first two books. One of the best audiobook performances I've heard. His portrayal of Glokta is PERFECT.
Before They Are Hanged is 5 stars all day.
Favorite quotes:
“'The Great Leveller,' Dogman whispered to himself, since he was in a thoughtful frame of mind. That’s what the hillmen call him. Death, that is. He levels all differences. Named Men and nobodies, south or north. He catches everyone in the end, and he treats each man the same."
"Every man of them seems to think the purpose of this whole business is his personal aggrandisement. There aren’t three bigger heads in the whole Union. It’s a wonder we can fit them all in one room.”
“The failure of something great is never a simple matter, but where there is success and glory, there must also be failure and shame. Where there are both, jealousies must simmer. Envy and pride led by slow degrees to squabbles, then to feuds, then to wars. Two great wars that ended in terrible disasters. But disasters are not without their lessons...”
"God favors those who solve their own problems."
"'I would have thought your pain would give you empathy.'
'Empathy? What’s that?' Glokta winced as he rubbed at his aching leg. 'It’s a sad fact, but pain only makes you sorry for yourself.'”
"Laughing with a man was a good step forward. First comes the laughter, then the respect, then the trust."
“Fearlessness is a fool’s boast, to my mind. The only men with no fear in them are the dead, or the soon to be dead, maybe. Fear teaches you caution, and respect for your enemy, and to avoid sharp edges used in anger."
"Sometimes, when someone lives in danger for too long, the only time they feel alive is when death’s breathing on their shoulder."
"Those with the least always lose the most in war."
"As with so many things in life, heroic last stands are a great deal more appealing in concept than in reality."
"The heroes are the ones lucky enough to live through it."
"Few indeed are those who get a choice. We do as we are told. We stand or fall beside those who were born near to us, who look as we do, who speak the same words, and all the while we know as little of the reasons why as does the dust we return to."
"What did Stolicus write? ‘The recruiting sergeant sells dreams but delivers nightmares’?"
"The only thing worse than a city full of people is a city with no people at all."
"Strange how, as long as the hardship lasts, we can stand it. As soon as the crisis is over, the strength all leeches away in an instant."
“Are you going to shut your fucking hole, or do I have to hurt you?”
Jezal cleared his throat, and quietly allowed his mount to drop back away from her. “Crazy bitch,” he whispered under his breath.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
Oh my god I enjoyed this book. Is it possible to have too much fun reading a book? Is it? I question what it says about me that I find such endless enjoyment in the misery of these characters. Especially Jezal. Boy oh boy did Jezal get served up a big slice of humble pie. But really, the whole damn pie, and I enjoyed every moment of it. A mace to the face—how's that for teaching a lesson? I'm still cackling about it.
You know what else has me cackling? His Royal Highness, Master War Tactician Himself, Prince Ladisla. There's an imbecile who truly deserved what he got—and I love that it was our Mad Dog, aka Furious, Colonel West who gave it to him. Nothing but pulpy dressing for the rocks, now is he? Idiot.
Where The Blade Itself spent its entirety introducing us to each character and their tics, laying the groundwork for conflicts of varying degrees of horrible with no clear main goal and irregular story pacing, Before They Are Hanged dumps you right into the thick of it, beginning with the Named Men, and throwing you into POV after POV as the problems presented in book one devolve into all-out mayhem and treachery here in the sequel. Some fight scenes almost stretched on a hair too long, but this book gripped me so tightly from the first page that it never let me go. That rarely happens to me in a 650-page book.
I enjoyed the hell out of so many scenes. BTAH had everything—guerrilla skirmishes, politics, torture, sex, bribery, mystery, humor, campfire kumbaya, frightening humanoid monsters, assassinations, an abandoned city (major Shadar Logoth vibes), a siege... everything.
Abercrombie continues to build upon his already stellar character writing with exceptional scenes of their respective growths, and downfalls in some cases. Dogman, West, Burr, Pike, Glokta, Logen, Jezal, Ferro, I am totally vested in all these people. I've loved Ferro since her opening scene in TBI. She is obscenely competent, but she isn't exactly impervious to harm. Self-reliant. Impatient. Brash. She's one of my favorites in this series.
I don't trust Bayaz or Quai as far as I can throw them, and I still pray that Longfoot will meet a dazzling end.
We don't get a glimpse of the notorious Bethod yet, but what little we have tasted of his battle antics and choice in allies has my anticipation of that showdown piqued. We also don't see any end in sight for the depth of corruption snaking through the Union, but at least Glokta is finally coming to terms with the precariousness of his position given his need to know the truth. Another favorite of mine.
I have Last Argument of Kings on audio, and I'm really looking forward to Steven Pacey leading me through it. I've only listened to the first chapter, but the man is so incredible that I wish I would've listened along during my read-throughs of the first two books. One of the best audiobook performances I've heard. His portrayal of Glokta is PERFECT.
Before They Are Hanged is 5 stars all day.
Favorite quotes:
“'The Great Leveller,' Dogman whispered to himself, since he was in a thoughtful frame of mind. That’s what the hillmen call him. Death, that is. He levels all differences. Named Men and nobodies, south or north. He catches everyone in the end, and he treats each man the same."
"Every man of them seems to think the purpose of this whole business is his personal aggrandisement. There aren’t three bigger heads in the whole Union. It’s a wonder we can fit them all in one room.”
“The failure of something great is never a simple matter, but where there is success and glory, there must also be failure and shame. Where there are both, jealousies must simmer. Envy and pride led by slow degrees to squabbles, then to feuds, then to wars. Two great wars that ended in terrible disasters. But disasters are not without their lessons...”
"God favors those who solve their own problems."
"'I would have thought your pain would give you empathy.'
'Empathy? What’s that?' Glokta winced as he rubbed at his aching leg. 'It’s a sad fact, but pain only makes you sorry for yourself.'”
"Laughing with a man was a good step forward. First comes the laughter, then the respect, then the trust."
“Fearlessness is a fool’s boast, to my mind. The only men with no fear in them are the dead, or the soon to be dead, maybe. Fear teaches you caution, and respect for your enemy, and to avoid sharp edges used in anger."
"Sometimes, when someone lives in danger for too long, the only time they feel alive is when death’s breathing on their shoulder."
"Those with the least always lose the most in war."
"As with so many things in life, heroic last stands are a great deal more appealing in concept than in reality."
"The heroes are the ones lucky enough to live through it."
"Few indeed are those who get a choice. We do as we are told. We stand or fall beside those who were born near to us, who look as we do, who speak the same words, and all the while we know as little of the reasons why as does the dust we return to."
"What did Stolicus write? ‘The recruiting sergeant sells dreams but delivers nightmares’?"
"The only thing worse than a city full of people is a city with no people at all."
"Strange how, as long as the hardship lasts, we can stand it. As soon as the crisis is over, the strength all leeches away in an instant."