The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie

[elvet]

Now that the 2nd book is out, there has been some buzz about this author. From reviews, I'm intrigued about the books. The only thing holding me back is the mention of torture. I'm not keen on descriptive violence, so I tend to skim past those passages. Is there enough of other positive aspects to overide te negative?

 

[Werthead]

A lot of the torture is offscreen. There's nothing really graphic at all in that area. There's a fair bit of swearing and he doesn't pull any punches in the battles, duels and that kind of thing though.

 

[anthorn]

i have a question.

When Logen and ferro were fighting the Inquisitors Logen went crazy and unleashed the BLOODY NINE. is that just another name for his battle rage or was he possessed? and was it something he surpresses. It reminded me of Wolverines beserker rage.

 

[Didelidi]

Mornin'!

I'm working on The Blade Itself right now,
and I find it...amazing!
I was retrieving my breath in the bookstore(it was Saturday, downtown...) and I found myself in the fantasy/sci-fi section, as usual^^
Checking out whatever's new, reading the backsides, drooling on a varitey of books I've got on my list for ages, aso.
The I found Before They Are Hanged and got interested.
Of course it wasn't just a single book, I've got this knack for finding books with more than one sequel*sigh*
So I found The Bakde Itself, hidden amongst a couple of Douglas Adams' and ran to the..comptoir(sorry, the English word just wouldn't come^^) and poor Eragon is now collecting a layer f dust...

So, as I was meaning to say, I'm thrilled by this book, which eventually will find it's place in the "special section" in my bookcase,
and happy to finally find someone else who has heard of/read it!^^

O'er'n out.

 

[williamjm]

i have a question.

When Logen and ferro were fighting the Inquisitors Logen went crazy and unleashed the BLOODY NINE. is that just another name for his battle rage or was he possessed? and was it something he surpresses. It reminded me of Wolverines beserker rage.

It doesn't really seem to be explained what happens when he turns into the Bloody Nine, but it does seem to be more than simple battle rage. It doesn't seem to be something he has much control over, so I don't think he actively suppresses it, although he certainly doesn't seem keen on it.

 

[Ljomi]

Possible Spoilers

I just finished reading The Blade Itself, possibly one of the best books I've read but then again, that's how my book taste is. I was ever so happy that there aren't dwarfs or elves in it.. seriously.

I'm thinking since Glokta is gone to Dagoska (?) he'll die in a heroic sort of fashion against the Gurkish since he half-mindedly wishes for it a couple of times. I'm hoping Jezal dies, I despise him with all my heart which is a credit to the storyteller. I'm most interested in Logen, in the last fight he seems to "change" into an alternative personality, so I'm thinking is it some sort of magic or is it all in his mind ? One has to ask himself.

All in all a great book, if you haven't read it, buy it.. and if you've read and don't have it, buy it .

 

[clodsahamp]

Hi,
the blades are arrived in Germany and also in my Booktray.
I Buy it thursday evening and finished it at friday evening.. Its a good Book..it reminds me a little bit at George Martin,s "visual Style" of writing. and i hope for the further parts of the Story, that you can pass the traps Mr. Martin is catched by..
anyway its damn good and i hope the time to the german release pass very fast..
cu
Clodsahamp

 

[williamjm]

I just finished reading The Blade Itself, possibly one of the best books I've read but then again, that's how my book taste is.

You'll be glad to know the general consensus is that the second book in the series is better and adds more depth to the story.

 

[vodkasoda]

This was definitely the best book I've read in a long, long time; I've since gone on and read the second volume, "Before They Are Hanged", and assume that most of you that have posted here have done the same, so you will know that it answers / addresses a lot of your questions ... for those of you yet to read it, do so, it is a top, top read ...

 

[lea27]

hi. i have just finished reading 'The Blade Itself'. loved it. i have read a lot of Gemmell and Joe's style reminds me a lot of his. I found Logen to be a kind of Waylander character. I found it refreshing that Joe has manged to come up with an original story within the fantasy genre, and interesting that there are characters that you neither love or hate but still care what happens to them.

I really wanted to read the second in the trilogy but im rubbish at remembering books in a couple of months so i think i will put of reading it for a few months so that it is closer to the release of the last book in March.

 

[Gio]

I've read both his books, good stuff. Second one's even better than the first. I'm not a big fan of Gloktra actually. He reminds me too much of Tyrion. Of course, that could be a good thing, but not in my case. I like Jezal and how he's changed. Logen's pretty badass.. It'll be interesting to find out what Sult's up to and that bank, how Bayaz is gonna save the world from certain doom and all that jazz..

(spoilers)
Although, contrary to what it says on the back, I don't think I ever got the feeling Gloktra was in danger. If he can stay alive long enough? Never looked like Sult was gonna kill him anyway.

 

[lea27]

For those that have read the Blade Itself can they remind me

spoiler: why Bayaz went into the Tower thing, whats the tower called and what did they come out with? ​

cant remember!

 

[lea27]

Can anyone answer my question above as its irritating me.

 

[anthorn]

They got out a box.

 

[lea27]

a box??

 

[Adasunshine]

It was called The House of the Maker and they pulled out

"a square box, simply made from dark metal, big enough to hold a man's head, maybe."

and the other item was

"A weapon perhaps, like an axe. A long shaft, made from tiny metal tubes, all twisted about each other like the stems of old vines. At one end there was a scored grip, at the other ther was a flat piece of metal, pierced with small holes, a long, thin hook curving out from it... One the grip one letter glinted, silver inthe dark metal. Logen recognised it from his sword. The mark of Kanedias. The work of the Master Maker."

xx

 

[Joe Abercrombie]

Oooooooh, how mysterious . . .

 

[Adasunshine]

Cheeky!

xx

 

[anthorn]

Questions SPOILERS.

Wayhay..

I have a Question for Joe. First off i enjoyed the books. I thought the blade itself earned 4.5 Stars while Before they are hanged earned 5.0 Stars.
I really liked the ending to the Bayaz quest in book 2. I did not expect that. At all. So i have a theory about book 3


SPOILERS IN ITALIC.


Are the Bayaz group going to back to there starting points at book one?
Whats up with Quay he had a complete personality change.

 

[Merlot]

I was given "The Blade Itself" and "Before They Were Hanged" last Monday. I've just finished them and am now waiting for next Spring. There is so much in the first two books that any normal author would have filled them out to make four!

Here's hoping that the next book is not the last - I am tired of finding a great storyteller with a gift of creating real characters only to find them all die or live happily ever after at the end of a third book.