Sharp Ends: Stories from the World of the First Law

Brian G Turner

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Joe Abercrombie has announced that a short story anthology, set in the First Law world, will be published by Gollancz in April 2016:
http://www.joeabercrombie.com/2015/08/24/sharp-ends/

The stories are:

A Beautiful *******: The Union army may be full of bastards, but there’s only one big enough to think he can save the day single-handed when the Gurkish come calling: the incomparable Colonel Sand dan Glokta.

Made a Monster: After years of bloodshed, the idealistic chieftain Bethod is desperate to bring peace to the North. There’s only one obstacle left – his own lunatic champion.

Small Kindnesses: The hopes of Shevedieh, the best thief in Westport, to turn her back on crime, come crashing down when she finds a huge drunkard sleeping in her doorway. Doing the right thing always comes at a price…

The Fool Jobs: Curnden Craw has been sent with his dozen to recover a thing from beyond the Crinna. One small problem. No one seems to know what the thing is.

Skipping Town: Shevedieh and Javre, ill-matched adventurers, find themselves forced to flee yet another self-made disaster.

Hell: ‘I have seen hell, and it is a great city under siege.’ The fall of Dagoska through the eyes of a young acolyte.

Two’s Company: Javre, Lioness of Hoskopp, runs into Cracknut Whirrun on a bridge over a remote canyon. Can Shevedieh persuade either of these proud heroes to step aside?

Wrong Place, Wrong Time: Three not entirely innocent bystanders are sucked into the chaos of Monzcarro Murcatto’s vengeance.

Some Desperado: There is no honour among thieves when the outlaw Smoke finds herself being hunted down by her own comrades.

Yesterday, Near a Village Called Barden: Royal Observer Bremer dan Gorst reports to the king on another ugly little skirmish as summer dies in the North.

Three’s a Crowd: It’s a foolish man who steals from the best thief in Styria, and when Horald the Finger steals her lover, it’s time for Shevedieh to stop running and start fighting. For those who work in the shadows, though, few things are ever quite as they seem…

Freedom: Being an absolutely true account of the liberation of the town of Averstock from the grip of the incorrigible rebel menace by the famous Nicomo Cosca.

Tough Times all Over: All Carcolf wants is to take her package from here to there, but in the city of fogs and whispers, there are always a dozen other rogues with their own ideas.
 
That sounds interesting. I'm sure I will be picking it up when it's released. Thanks for the heads up
 
Joe posts the cover reveal for this:
Sharp Ends UK Cover | Joe Abercrombie

Sharp-Ends-FC-600x952.jpg
 
Abercrombie's cover types (the map types - normally beige but in this case blue) look absolutely brilliant.
 
You can read one of the stories online at Tor here:
Two’s Company

I have a review copy, but I have to admit I'm not enjoying it - it feels rushed, undisciplined, and too full of chatter. Then again, I've only been able to get through a few stories, as the formatting in the review copy is seriously bad.
 
Please do make up your own mind up, though. I struggle to enjoy a lot of fiction these days because I have my writing and editing hat on, but I normally do enjoy Abercrombie. It probably doesn't help that the review copy for Kindle is a protected PDF that has bodged up the formatting, making it harder to read.
 
I read a couple of these stories when they first appeared in anthologies and found them very entertaining even without having read any of the novels beforehand.
 
Thinking of going to the Manchester signing. I attended his previous Manchester signing and the one in Preston, enjoyed both
 
When I went to the Manchester signing he signed about 8 of my books. He doesn't mind, he's a top bloke. Perhaps take him a little gift if you want him to sign 9?.....
 

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