Take a photo of a barcode or cover
aklaux 's review for:
Before They Are Hanged
by Joe Abercrombie
4.5 stars
This might be one of those series that gets better and better with each book. I didn't dislike [b:The Blade Itself|944073|The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)|Joe Abercrombie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1284167912l/944073._SX50_SY75_.jpg|929009], but it certainly took me two read-throughs to really understand that it's 100% about the characters. Whereas in the first book we are introduced to a collection of characters that are all pretty equally hate-able, it's in this sequel that we really begin to see them develop into more dimensional human beings. Very slowly, each of them start to adjust their choices with the changing times. Do they develop into good characters with strong moral compasses? Absolutely not. Nonetheless, I was pleasantly surprised with each of them by the end of this book. Ninefingers, Glokta, and Ferro are still the show-stealers for me, but I must admit I'm even developing a teeny tiny soft spot for Jezal.
Additionally, it felt like the pace of [b:Before They Are Hanged|902715|Before They Are Hanged (The First Law, #2)|Joe Abercrombie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1179318094l/902715._SY75_.jpg|2116927] was slightly better. Maybe it's because several main characters spent the entire book together on a journey so we had plenty more character interactions. There was plenty of blood spilled both in skirmishes and full battles, which satiated my desire for more action. I'm not saying it should win any awards for pacing or plot development, but neither were those two elements so lacking as they were in [b:The Blade Itself|944073|The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)|Joe Abercrombie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1284167912l/944073._SX50_SY75_.jpg|929009].
I'm really beginning to find comfort in [a:Joe Abercrombie|276660|Joe Abercrombie|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1421267339p2/276660.jpg]'s writing style. He has a way of getting one over on the readers with these characters. At one moment you're convinced these are some of the worst characters ever to exist and the next you realize you feel for them without being able to exactly say why. It's not heroic. It's not preachy. It's very raw and human, so subtle you can hardly point to any one spot and say "this is where the character developed!" Abercrombie also just has a familiar sense of sadistic humor; I found myself laughing way more than I expected to in a grimdark series.
I'd also be remiss if I didn't rave about the audiobook narrator. If you haven't had a chance to listen to this series, Steven Pacey does a stellar job with the character voices and even shines a light on some of the subtle comedic timing of Abercrombie's writing that may be otherwise lost on the reader. It's most easily seen through Glokta's bits of internal consciousness, but even other scenes are always better when Pacey is able to speak them into existence. Personally, it's a series I will always prefer audiobook because I couldn't bring out half the brilliance these books have just through my mental narration.
This series is not for everyone. I can imagine many readers are either turned away from so little focus on plot or otherwise are turned off by the grim nature of these anti-heroes. But when you get it, you get it.
TL;DR
5.0 —One of the best I've ever read. Will be burned into my brain. Couldn't care less about weaknesses (if any). Would recommend to everyone and their mother.
▌4.5 —Loved this read. Will remember it fondly. Few weaknesses. Would recommend to anyone.
4.0 —Enjoyed this read. Will remember it fondly. Minor weaknesses. Would recommend to fans of the genre.
3.5 —Somewhat enjoyed this read. Might be memorable. Notable weaknesses. Would recommend to fans of the genre.
3.0 —Somewhat enjoyed this read. Not very memorable. Notable weaknesses. Would recommend to people who like similar books.
2.5 —Neutral or Underwhelming read. Not very memorable. Significant weaknesses. Would recommend to people who like similar books.
2.0 —Underwhelming or unenjoyable read. Not very memorable or memorable for the wrong reasons. Significant weaknesses. Might recommend to people who like similar books.
1.5 —Unenjoyable read. Not very memorable or memorable for bad reasons. Major weaknesses. Probably wouldn't recommend.
1.0 —I wish I never wasted minutes of my life on this trash. I would go out of my way to convince others not to read it.
This might be one of those series that gets better and better with each book. I didn't dislike [b:The Blade Itself|944073|The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)|Joe Abercrombie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1284167912l/944073._SX50_SY75_.jpg|929009], but it certainly took me two read-throughs to really understand that it's 100% about the characters. Whereas in the first book we are introduced to a collection of characters that are all pretty equally hate-able, it's in this sequel that we really begin to see them develop into more dimensional human beings. Very slowly, each of them start to adjust their choices with the changing times. Do they develop into good characters with strong moral compasses? Absolutely not. Nonetheless, I was pleasantly surprised with each of them by the end of this book. Ninefingers, Glokta, and Ferro are still the show-stealers for me, but I must admit I'm even developing a teeny tiny soft spot for Jezal.
Additionally, it felt like the pace of [b:Before They Are Hanged|902715|Before They Are Hanged (The First Law, #2)|Joe Abercrombie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1179318094l/902715._SY75_.jpg|2116927] was slightly better. Maybe it's because several main characters spent the entire book together on a journey so we had plenty more character interactions. There was plenty of blood spilled both in skirmishes and full battles, which satiated my desire for more action. I'm not saying it should win any awards for pacing or plot development, but neither were those two elements so lacking as they were in [b:The Blade Itself|944073|The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)|Joe Abercrombie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1284167912l/944073._SX50_SY75_.jpg|929009].
I'm really beginning to find comfort in [a:Joe Abercrombie|276660|Joe Abercrombie|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1421267339p2/276660.jpg]'s writing style. He has a way of getting one over on the readers with these characters. At one moment you're convinced these are some of the worst characters ever to exist and the next you realize you feel for them without being able to exactly say why. It's not heroic. It's not preachy. It's very raw and human, so subtle you can hardly point to any one spot and say "this is where the character developed!" Abercrombie also just has a familiar sense of sadistic humor; I found myself laughing way more than I expected to in a grimdark series.
I'd also be remiss if I didn't rave about the audiobook narrator. If you haven't had a chance to listen to this series, Steven Pacey does a stellar job with the character voices and even shines a light on some of the subtle comedic timing of Abercrombie's writing that may be otherwise lost on the reader. It's most easily seen through Glokta's bits of internal consciousness, but even other scenes are always better when Pacey is able to speak them into existence. Personally, it's a series I will always prefer audiobook because I couldn't bring out half the brilliance these books have just through my mental narration.
This series is not for everyone. I can imagine many readers are either turned away from so little focus on plot or otherwise are turned off by the grim nature of these anti-heroes. But when you get it, you get it.
TL;DR
5.0 —One of the best I've ever read. Will be burned into my brain. Couldn't care less about weaknesses (if any). Would recommend to everyone and their mother.
▌4.5 —Loved this read. Will remember it fondly. Few weaknesses. Would recommend to anyone.
4.0 —Enjoyed this read. Will remember it fondly. Minor weaknesses. Would recommend to fans of the genre.
3.5 —Somewhat enjoyed this read. Might be memorable. Notable weaknesses. Would recommend to fans of the genre.
3.0 —Somewhat enjoyed this read. Not very memorable. Notable weaknesses. Would recommend to people who like similar books.
2.5 —Neutral or Underwhelming read. Not very memorable. Significant weaknesses. Would recommend to people who like similar books.
2.0 —Underwhelming or unenjoyable read. Not very memorable or memorable for the wrong reasons. Significant weaknesses. Might recommend to people who like similar books.
1.5 —Unenjoyable read. Not very memorable or memorable for bad reasons. Major weaknesses. Probably wouldn't recommend.
1.0 —I wish I never wasted minutes of my life on this trash. I would go out of my way to convince others not to read it.