The Blade Itself

I just finished the First Law Trilogy by first time British writer Joe Abercrombie. It's amazing to me that a debut writer can create something that fully deserves to be mentioned along with giants like George Martin, Simon Green, Moorcock and Tolkien. Best trilogy I've read in years.

The trilogy is in a fantasy setting in a world not dissimilar to our own. But that's where similarities to other writers stop. Abercrombie is one of the most shockingly original writers today. As one reviewer wrote "You could compare him to Dickens but Dickens was never this entertaining". Another reviewer talks about the "Scorsese like characters", which is also completely valid. There are characters who make Joe Pesci's Tommy look like a pussycat.

Abercrombie's interest is in real characters, not washed out worlds or magic systems. The closest comparison I can think to what George Martin has done in his "Song of Fire and Ice" series but frankly Abercrombie's writing flows better and is much better edited. And no one writes better action or battle scenes.

The first book of the Trilogy, "The Blade Itself" introduces most of the main characters. It takes place at a time when the world's oldest empire, the Union, is under attack by enemies from North and South and is rotting from the inside from corruption.

There is Inquisitor Glotka, a loyal servant of the Union who seeks to ferret out dissent or treachery and has few scruples at how he does this. Glotka himself was tortured years ago in a war. Glotka used to be quite the dashing hero and now looks so bad he makes children run and hide.

There is Colonel West, a Union Army officer, who is lowborn and has to deal with the contempt of noble officers who hate taking orders from him.

There is Captain Jezal, another officer who is West's friend but is more interested in West's sister. Jezal is totally lazy and only has his position because of noble birth.

There is Bayaz, a friendly but quick tempered old wizard (or con man) who claims to be the wizard who helped establish the Union centuries ago. Bayaz never seems to tell anyone the full story.

Finally there is Logen Ninefingers, a wild barbarian leader from the north who's famously killed more men than the plague. Having fallen out with his king, Logen and his merry band of killers head south to offer service to the Union. Like William Munny in "Unforgiven" Logen has done horrible things in the past and spends a lot of time denying them, playing them down or saying he's not like that any more. On the other hand you DON'T want to make him angry...

The book is full of sarcastic asides, black humor and irony.
Abercrombie is a master of misdirection. This is NOT a trilogy where things are nicely sewn up, the good guys all win or people behave in ways that don't make sense. People all behave in their own interest, just like real life.

If you are at all interested in fantasy or even just good stories, I strongly recommend starting the first book, "The Blade Itself". Truly incredible writer.

http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Itself-First-Law-Book/dp/159102594X