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A review by eesh25
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
4.0
This is going to be a tricky one to describe because I didn't read the synopsis beforehand, and I still haven't. I knew two things going in, that the series is grimdark and that Glokta is a great character but also awful. Both those things are true, but not much to go on.
The story is set in a world that's very divided. There's the Union, where a majority of the book is set. It's rife with political games and the nobles who play them. Noble blood seems more important than anything else, and corrupt isn't a strong enough word to describe those in positions of power. The North is equally unsafe but because of violence and the self-proclaimed king. There are other places, but these two are most prominently featured.
The reason I call the world divided is that the different parts don't seem so far away, yet they know little about each other. Though war is on its way to bridge some of the distance.
Now, a major reason why it's hard to explain the plot is that there isn't much of one. This book is an introduction more than anything. We see the state of the world, we understand some of the conflicts, and we get to know, I assume, most of the main characters. But there's no beginning-middle-end here. No real resolutions are found. And yeah, that's a bit of an issue, but the world and characters make up for it. Especially the characters.
Speaking of, let's start with Glokta.
Sand dan Glokta is an Inquisitor. He was a prisoner of war and suffered permanent injuries from two years of torture. Now he tortures other people for a living. But that's just the bare bones of who he is. He's awful but sympathetic, and he's self-aware but doesn't know his own motivations. Then there's the rage and pride and hate and vulnerability. There are so many layers to him. He's horrifying but occasionally likable. Fascinating, for sure.
Another person I found almost as interesting is Logen Ninefingers. Logen is a man with a dark and bloody past who's tired of fighting. He kinda reminds me of Dalinar from The Stormlight Archive, though a lot less dignified. I like Logen, and I want to learn more about him. There's a lot more to him than meets the eye.
Of the other characters, some I liked (Bayaz, Ardee), some I didn't (Jezal), and yet others I'm not sure about (Ferro, West). But they're all well-written, and they're the reason this book works. Yes, I like the world-building and the story, and there are some intriguing developments, but it's the characters who bring everything together and make you want to keep reading. That's why even though there isn't really a plot, I highly recommend checking this book out.
*****************************
The audiobook: Yeah, I'm reviewing it separately. It didn't fit anywhere in the review above.
The audio is really great. Not so good that you need to get it (that's how I feel about The Lies of Locke Lamora), but the narrator does a great job with every character. He's also consistent and captures the feel of the story. Not sure if I'll be sticking with the audio for the rest of the series, but if you're someone who likes audiobooks, this is definitely one you should try.
The story is set in a world that's very divided. There's the Union, where a majority of the book is set. It's rife with political games and the nobles who play them. Noble blood seems more important than anything else, and corrupt isn't a strong enough word to describe those in positions of power. The North is equally unsafe but because of violence and the self-proclaimed king. There are other places, but these two are most prominently featured.
The reason I call the world divided is that the different parts don't seem so far away, yet they know little about each other. Though war is on its way to bridge some of the distance.
Now, a major reason why it's hard to explain the plot is that there isn't much of one. This book is an introduction more than anything. We see the state of the world, we understand some of the conflicts, and we get to know, I assume, most of the main characters. But there's no beginning-middle-end here. No real resolutions are found. And yeah, that's a bit of an issue, but the world and characters make up for it. Especially the characters.
Speaking of, let's start with Glokta.
Sand dan Glokta is an Inquisitor. He was a prisoner of war and suffered permanent injuries from two years of torture. Now he tortures other people for a living. But that's just the bare bones of who he is. He's awful but sympathetic, and he's self-aware but doesn't know his own motivations. Then there's the rage and pride and hate and vulnerability. There are so many layers to him. He's horrifying but occasionally likable. Fascinating, for sure.
Another person I found almost as interesting is Logen Ninefingers. Logen is a man with a dark and bloody past who's tired of fighting. He kinda reminds me of Dalinar from The Stormlight Archive, though a lot less dignified. I like Logen, and I want to learn more about him. There's a lot more to him than meets the eye.
Of the other characters, some I liked (Bayaz, Ardee), some I didn't (Jezal), and yet others I'm not sure about (Ferro, West). But they're all well-written, and they're the reason this book works. Yes, I like the world-building and the story, and there are some intriguing developments, but it's the characters who bring everything together and make you want to keep reading. That's why even though there isn't really a plot, I highly recommend checking this book out.
*****************************
The audiobook: Yeah, I'm reviewing it separately. It didn't fit anywhere in the review above.
The audio is really great. Not so good that you need to get it (that's how I feel about The Lies of Locke Lamora), but the narrator does a great job with every character. He's also consistent and captures the feel of the story. Not sure if I'll be sticking with the audio for the rest of the series, but if you're someone who likes audiobooks, this is definitely one you should try.