Fantasy author Joe Abercrombie's name has been popping up whenever I've searched for new books to read. I finally decided to check his stuff out: his First Law trilogy is available here in libraries as Finnish translations. I've already read the first two novels.
The trilogy is not in a hurry to tell what its overarching story is going to be about. There is no prologue or hints what is to come unlike in some huge epic fantasy series even though the leisurely pacing and the surprisingly numerous different viewpoints in the novels would fit one. The Finnish translations (by Satu Hlinovsky) of the first two books are just 500 pages each so they're not too massive either.
The Blade Itself has a fast-paced, action heavy beginning however: short, even one word sentences. It reminded me of how The Expanse series pulls you in with Leviathan Wakes. I wondered if the simple sentence structures were going to be an ongoing thing for the first viewpoint character, Logen Ninefingers, due to him being a Northman and thus simple or something. But it's just the start; he starts forming longer thoughts later on.
One praise quote on the back of the book compared Abercrombie's prose to Quentin Tarantino's films. I don't know if such a cross-media comparison is apt but the storytelling is similarly compelling -- and there is brutal violence. The characters are able to withstand heavy punishment when needed although they don't get away with it without scars. Logen for instance bears the marks of many campaigns.
Logen is a Named Man, which is essentially someone famous (in the North) for his deeds. He has a whole posse of Named Men under his leadership in fact but he thinks them having been killed when the Shanka, a bestial humanoid race -- or Flatheads like Logen calls them -- attack the band's camp at the beginning. Funnily enough Logen's crew survived and believe The Bloody-Nine himself is dead.
Logen is able to converse with spirits who inform him that Bayaz, the First of the Magi, wants to meet him. Bayaz is a key character to the story (though not a viewpoint one) because from him the other characters and the reader learns about the world's history and the contradictory First Law the trilogy is named after. Bayaz is, I assume, centuries old and it's unfortunate that anyone disbelieving that doesn't ask the man himself how that can be because I would have liked to learn that. It's magic obviously but it would be cool to know if it's automatic or if it requires active effort.
Bayaz sets on a quest to save the world from the current tidings of war that seem to have roots in ancient history (of which he has firsthand experience). Bayaz gathers an ill-fitting group to support him that in addition to Logen consists of Bayaz's apprentice Malacus Quai, guide Brother Longfoot, fierce former slave Ferro Maljinn, and lastly Captain Jezal dan Luthar whose inclusion I found questionable. Even as an extra swordhand he's of limited use due to his complete lack of experience on the field.
However, Jezal does provide an interesting viewpoint because his view of himself is the opposite of what others see in him, particularly in the first book in which he thinks rather highly of himself. In the second novel, when traveling with people far above his accomplishments, he gets to have considerable character growth. His officer's rank in the King's Own is also simply from having a highborn background.
Unlike Jezal, another viewpoint soldier Major Collem West is common born and had to work for his rank. He alongside the freelancer Named Men give a closeup view to the actual war Bethod-led Northmen start waging against the Union.
But by far the most intriguing point of view is Inquisitor Sand dan Glokta. He as well was an officer of the King's Own and an excellent swordsman but was captured and tortured for years by the Gurkish in the south. When freed back to the Union, he joined the King's Inquisition, to go from tortured to a torturer. However, Glokta doesn't find pleasure nor satisfaction in his job (which he does well). He often even wonders why's even doing it (but then continues on anyway).
Abercrombie keeps reminding the reader that Glotka is in constant pain, either from having to go up stairs, from any sudden movement, or from being able to eat only liquid food. I think his tortured physical being makes him sort of an antihero-- without it Glotka would be far less justified. I guess. He's certainly quite unique. I also like how Glotka often leaves additional things unsaid but voices them in his head (written in italics).
Before They Are Hanged left the story in... not quite a cliffhanger but certainly with a lot of uncertainty what will happen next. I'm eager to get to the trilogy finisher, Last Argument of Kings, but I currently have two and a half bricks to get through before that can happen.
Also, why is there no map in the books? That should be a requirement for high fantasy novels.
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