A review by cosmologicaldefect
Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie

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

3.75

The conclusion to the trilogy. Most mysteries are revealed. Grand action takes place. Overall I was disappointed how depressing the ending wound up being. Instead of a diverse array of character and plot outcomes, it felt like everything was smashed with a shoe to fit a "grimdark" ending. Abercrombie has a gift was inventing distinct characters, but each character in the main cast (with the exception of a certain wastrel) changes remarkably little over the series. They're more like D&D characters than people which is a shame because they're otherwise expertly crafted. There's a lot of buildup and promise of character development especially in the second book that kind of hits a brick wall in the final entry and retroactively makes the whole trilogy lesser. The series was still very enjoyable to read, but it definitely is missing some things that could have made it truly great.
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