Problems with Joe Abercrombie.

[D-E-M-Emrys]

See, now I LOVED 'The Blade Itself', but struggled with 'Before They are Hanged' - the whole Glokta piece ran on too long, and by the end of Logen and the Party's journey I was all but hanging on by my fingers (no pun intended). And though 'Last Argument of Kings' tied the noose pretty damned quick, I have to say it was a short drop and a sudden stop...though maybe that's not a bad thing? It had me itching for more.

'Best Served Cold' gave me the feeling that it was the opening act for something greater yet to come, and though 'The Heroes' stood on its own two feet far sturdier than Monza's quest for revenge, I still had that feeling of something more to come...

I wonder whether Red Country will be the First Act of the main production, or is it another stage-setter?

 

[Dante DiBenedetto]

I have a feeling that once Joe is done with his four contracted standalones, we might have another Trilogy on our hands. That, or his fourth will be the climax.

 

[thaddeus6th]

I like the trilogy the best. Best Served Cold was still enjoyable, but I felt that there was no-one I liked all that much. Monza was too cold. Glokta's absolutely fantastic, and I have no problem rooting for a villain, but Monza just never engaged me. I did like Morveer, though, and Shivers was very well-written.

The Heroes was better than Best Served Cold but not quite as good as the trilogy, in my view. I'm really looking forward to Red Country (I'll be getting it at the end of the month).

 

[Grunkins]

I think each of Joe's books have gotten successively better: the prose, dialogue, characterization, story...etc. I've started Red Country, and that trend appears to be continuing. His prose is becoming one of his greatest strengths. I'd put him up near the top of the list of fantasy writers in prose now (with the king, Guy Gavriel Kay at the very top).

 

[Jarshen]

I think, as Grunkins says, that Joe is definately developing into a very fine writer and unlike many I really enjoyed BSC, some gripping scenes and nasty scenarios for the main characters. I'm liking Heroes too but find the hammering of the theme a little OTT, but again the writing is very strong.

 

[somnambulist]

Although I really enjoy his work, i can't help a nagging feeling that it's missing something. His characters are stylized to the extent they become caricatures - fantasy equivalents of the people in Pulp Fiction. It was more organic in the trilogy, but moving into the standalones it kinda fell away to reveal a plastic sheen.

People hail him as the new generation of fantasy, but i would give that description to people like China Mieville. Joe's stuff in comparison feels distinctly parasitic, a spoof version... On the release of Red Country, it was repeatedly insisted that it was not a pastiche, but on what basis? Because even if it was a fun read, that sums up what i got

 

[Jonathan C]

I have a feeling that once Joe is done with his four contracted standalones, we might have another Trilogy on our hands. That, or his fourth will be the climax.

There is no "fourth" standalone. Only Best Served Cold, The Heroes and Red Country. But there will indeed be a trilogy at some point in the future.

 

[thaddeus6th]

I think the trilogy's next, but it'll be some time off.

 

[Jonathan C]

Yes, he's taking a deserved break before starting that one.

 

[valkener]

Having recently read George RR Martin (AGOT), Patrick Rothfuss and more, I can say I enjoyed Joe the most.

There is something to his ill, sarcastic humor and him creating such unique and weird characters.

Think about Glokta (my hero), Ferro, Cosca, Friendly, etc -- so many broken, grey but amazingly refreshing characters. I find them to be pure genius in an ill-humored sense of way. They make purpose where others would just roll over and die, taking each day at a time and somehow producing something good somewhere.

I've actually started re-reading the books.

 

[Ice fyre]

So far I have enjoyed all of Joe Abercrombies books. The First Law trilogy was an amazing piece of work, Glokta was superb. A bitter and twisted man on the inside and out, but almost the most honest man in the trilogy.

My only problem that I can think of was the trilogy sagged a bit in the middle, the middle three chapters of book two were slow, that said it picked up quite quickly after that.

Best Served Cold was good, nicely paced, and very dark. Setting up lots of unpleasant possibilites. Hero's was....much darker....and again I can feel plot strands coming into place...a focusing for Byaz, the North revealed as his plaything, a test if you will to see if the Empire is the tool he needs against his nemesis in the south. I havent got to Red country yet, interested to see what he is going to set up with that.

I think this world has many secrets yet to come and I look forward to seeing what comes next!

 

[Leo de Hauteville]

I bought the First Law trilogy thanks to a recommendation from a friend and I'm enjoying it mightily. Haven't checked out any of his others, but I also have The Heroes to get through after these three

 

[Menion]

I bought the First Law trilogy thanks to a recommendation from a friend and I'm enjoying it mightily. Haven't checked out any of his others, but I also have The Heroes to get through after these three

Read Best Served Cold before Heroes if you plan on reading the whole series one after another.
A few important things that you'll miss between the trilogy and Heroes if you don't.