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khaleesi_mother_of_dragons 's review for:
Before They Are Hanged
by Joe Abercrombie
4.75 Stars a.k.a As close to perfection as anything
To write a sequel which is at par with its predecessor is no mean feat . But to improve upon its every aspect !! It is simply extraordinary . [b:Before They Are Hanged|902715|Before They Are Hanged (The First Law, #2)|Joe Abercrombie|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1179318094s/902715.jpg|2116927] is truly an epitome of Grimdark fantasy which has achieved that .
"You don't pick your family , you take what you're given and the make the best of it . "
While [b:The Blade Itself|944073|The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)|Joe Abercrombie|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1284167912s/944073.jpg|929009] was almost entirely based around politics . This novel moves a bit slowly and has an epic journey at its core . And just as the last time [a:Joe Abercrombie|276660|Joe Abercrombie|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1421267339p2/276660.jpg] deliveres again , but better . Much better .
After the events of the first book , we follow our main characters on their different journeys . Sand Dan Glokta has been sent to Dagoska the uncover a conspiracy and protect Dagoska from Gurkish invasion . Logen Ninefingers , Jezal Dan Luthar and Ferro Maljinn accompany Bayaz in his journey to the other end of the world . And Captain Adam West moves north along with Dogman and the other Named Men to fight in the war against Bethod .
"A choice between killing and dying is no choice at all . You have to be realistic about these things ."
The pace of the plot might be slower in this installment but tight editing , interesting characters and the novel's Western feeling make up for it . Moreover , this book is more epic not in scale . Once again the main characters were the strongest part of the novel . Logen , Glokta , Jezal , Ferro . I loved their character development . Side characters like Vitari , Sult , Severard , Frost , Malacus were damn interesting too .
Abercrombie's action sequences need a special mention as there is something raw , almost feral , about it . Especially when The Bloody-Nine arrives . And he seems as a specialist in dark humor too . Lines like -
"Say one thing about Logen Ninefingers , say he is a lover ."
, made me laugh out loud .
"Fearlessness is a fool's boast , to my mind . The only men with no dear 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 ."
I haven't given this book whole 5 stars , because there was just something a bit more I was expecting from the ending . Otherwise this novel is breathtaking in every way possible . Hoping that the conclusion to this trilogy would just be this compelling .
To write a sequel which is at par with its predecessor is no mean feat . But to improve upon its every aspect !! It is simply extraordinary . [b:Before They Are Hanged|902715|Before They Are Hanged (The First Law, #2)|Joe Abercrombie|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1179318094s/902715.jpg|2116927] is truly an epitome of Grimdark fantasy which has achieved that .
"You don't pick your family , you take what you're given and the make the best of it . "
While [b:The Blade Itself|944073|The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)|Joe Abercrombie|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1284167912s/944073.jpg|929009] was almost entirely based around politics . This novel moves a bit slowly and has an epic journey at its core . And just as the last time [a:Joe Abercrombie|276660|Joe Abercrombie|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1421267339p2/276660.jpg] deliveres again , but better . Much better .
After the events of the first book , we follow our main characters on their different journeys . Sand Dan Glokta has been sent to Dagoska the uncover a conspiracy and protect Dagoska from Gurkish invasion . Logen Ninefingers , Jezal Dan Luthar and Ferro Maljinn accompany Bayaz in his journey to the other end of the world . And Captain Adam West moves north along with Dogman and the other Named Men to fight in the war against Bethod .
"A choice between killing and dying is no choice at all . You have to be realistic about these things ."
The pace of the plot might be slower in this installment but tight editing , interesting characters and the novel's Western feeling make up for it . Moreover , this book is more epic not in scale . Once again the main characters were the strongest part of the novel . Logen , Glokta , Jezal , Ferro . I loved their character development . Side characters like Vitari , Sult , Severard , Frost , Malacus were damn interesting too .
Abercrombie's action sequences need a special mention as there is something raw , almost feral , about it . Especially when The Bloody-Nine arrives . And he seems as a specialist in dark humor too . Lines like -
"Say one thing about Logen Ninefingers , say he is a lover ."
, made me laugh out loud .
"Fearlessness is a fool's boast , to my mind . The only men with no dear 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 ."
I haven't given this book whole 5 stars , because there was just something a bit more I was expecting from the ending . Otherwise this novel is breathtaking in every way possible . Hoping that the conclusion to this trilogy would just be this compelling .