The First Law Trilogy

A "pot-boiler" without serving a "satisfying meal". Very easy to put the book down and actually had to force myself back to it a few times. He tries to force a serious plot with light-hearted narrative that simply failed to entertain and felt like "work" at times. According to me it should not be classified as Adult Fantasy, this would be for young adults or teenagers at best where it not for the occasional swear word that felt oddly out of place at times. Could not be bothered to finish the trilogy after shelving the first book 2/3rd in. If you like a "serious" plot and story arcs that actually lead to something satisfying then this book (or trilogy) is not for you.

I'm sure there is a divided camp of readers who either liked or disliked the story resolution. I am in the second group of people. However, many aspects of the trilogy are worthwhile. The author does well to develop the characters and keep the mysterious parts of the world intriguing. I didn't quite visualize the cities and settings with the descriptions. I would have given the books 4 stars if I enjoyed the end where the various character lines intersect. However, I think the quality of the books is high enough for a fantasy fiction fan to take the plunge.

I've been weary of fantasy for many years after overdosing on pulp rubbish.
I'd like to sincerely thank Mr. Abercrombie for brining me back into the fold.

The First Law Trilogy is gritty, dark and brilliant. If you are overly squeamish or sensitive, this might not be for you.
Otherwise, stop wasting your time reading this review and go and buy the book.

The story itself is phenomenal and its great having all of the nooks in one digital package but the kindle edition needs some revision. The kindle edition doesn't contain real page numbers (only location numbers) and does not have chapter breaks or even book ending spots tracked so it becomes incredibly difficult to find specific scenes or even switch between the books easily. At the very least, they should've put markers to indicate where one book ends and the next begins in case you ever want to re read out of order. That doesn't mar the quality of these pry but it does make me wish I'd gone with the paper version instead.

Brilliant book; contains all the essentials for a great adventure read.

The Good: So engaging and the characters are multi-faceted
The Bad: It was so good that I wanted more background history!! Pace can dip a little when following certain character developments, still only minor
The Ugly: The end will twist your head off

Brilliant book; contains all the essentials for a great adventure read.

The Good: So engaging and the characters are multi-faceted
The Bad: It was so good that I wanted more background history!! Pace can dip a little when following certain character developments, still only minor
The Ugly: The end will twist your head off

Recommended for any Tolkien Trilogy fans. If you like the lighter read of Jordan, you may find this trilogy's multi-layered plots and characters challenging at times. But if you like to immerse in a world, like Middle Earth, then the world Abercrombie has created will be a refreshing, thoroughly enjoyable place to let your mind loose. And strongly recommend his stand alone "Best Served Cold" set in the same world, taking shortly after the ending point of the First Law trilogy, with many of the same characters and a few new, equally unique and equally thoroughly entertaining.

Shallow characters. Plot was neither convincing nor compelling. Didn't care what happened to anyone. Only wanted books to end. Would not recommend except as a bad practical joke. Writing was workmanlike. Author took a risk and lost by making the characters so cartoonish and one dimensional.

Mr. Abercrombie portrays characters and relates the gritty details of their travails better than 90% of the other fantasy writers out there, but frustratingly fails to develop a protagonist you can relate to or create a feeling of momentousness or epic importance, which left me sorely unsatisfied. If George R.R. Martin's style -- where you set up the board then periodically just knock over the pieces -- appeals to you, or if the mere gritty depiction of minutiae is enough for you, then you are likely to enjoy these books. However, if you expect your characters to develop and a sympathetic protagonist (ie, redeemable hero figure) to emerge, and you expect an existential payoff, like it all mattered somehow, then you'll just want to throw this e-book in the e-trash when you're finally done with it. :(

This is an amazingly well-crafted trilogy by a master story-teller.

Characterization was by far my favorite part of the book. Every character is thoroughly unique, utterly compelling and terribly flawed. Murderers, torturers, drunks, cowards, and betrayers people the pages. I loved them all, rooted for them, and was equally disappointed and horrified. The main characters are, by and large, trapped in lives they wish they could change. As a reader I kept hoping…hoping…hoping. Corruption abounds and it’s extremely difficult to tell the good guys from the bad guys, particularly by the end. All that said, I didn’t find the book depressing. There is plenty of humor, moments of nobility, friendship, and sacrifice.

As you probably guessed, this isn’t a sweet book with a happy ending. I would characterize the genre as dark, the narrative as gritty. My dear old mom would hate it; I loved it. The plot is exceptionally tight for a trilogy. No wandering tangents, not a scene too many or few, every paragraph engaging. At no point was I able to predict the outcome of the characters’ individual tales or the overall story. If you enjoy a page-turner where you haven’t a clue as to what’s coming, this trilogy won’t disappoint.

The book abounds with bloody action. Plenty of cleaving heads in two and severing body parts. The madness of close combat and the berserker loss of control are exceptionally well-written, as is the general grossness of stinky bodies and brown teeth. Dialog is distinctive to the character, word choices for descriptions are rich, not a cliché in the whole book.

Halfway through the trilogy my major concern was that I would soon finish it. And then what? Have to live my life without a great read in hand? I solved that by downloading another Abercrombie book, Best Served Cold. So far it’s just as entertaining…review to follow in a week.

I was immediately drawn into the world Abercrombie created and the characters that inhabit it. Obviously he wrote it for the sake of hearing the keyboard click. What is the point of reading fantasy if it doesn't offer a departure from reality? If I want a look at a world with no redeeming qualities I need only glance at the trailer park across the road. The ending sucks, pure and simple. If you are looking for escape from a world where the corrupt win out and the righteous fail miserably then this isn't the trilogy for you. The point of having a hero is so he can overcome seemingly impossible odds to win the day. Dark surprises are always interesting but not as an ending to such an ordeal The only way I will ever touch another Joe Abercrombie book is if it promises closure to the First Law story,

What a read! Loved the boxed set of this wonderful story. Case is well designed and its color scheme is just perfect!
The books, well....what can you compare this to? The plot is a medieval "Dr. Strangelove" meets Richard the 3rd. The characters are as motley a crew as ever were assembled, but the crown jewel of the group is 'Glotka' who has to be the nearest thing to the love child of Tyrion Lannister (Game of Thrones) and Edmund Blackadder. I found myself laughing like a loon as Glotka and his team of Torturers terrorised the inhabitants of several towns, all the while bemoaning the immorality of society - it has to be the blackest comedy written in years.
Highly, highly recommended.

I have to say these three books are simply amazing. The world the author presents to us within these three books is simply breathtakingly gritty, the way I imagine the dark ages were. The characters are some of the best I had the pleasure of fallowing along on their hard journey through blood, tears, loss, and hard fight to stay alive. I think these characters have some of the best inner thoughts and monologues I have ever read. The story is also equally stunning as the rest of the books parts. I have to say the ending of the third book is one of my favorites I have read in any book, it is immensely gratifying.

Fantastic series, especially if you don't mind a bit (as in a lot) of violence. Reminded me of Michael J. Sullivan's, The Riyria Chronicles, a bit in that the quality of writing and character development was superb. I'm looking forward to reading the next of Abercrombie's series. I would also encourage readers to listen to these books. I thought the narrator, Steven Pacey, did an outstanding job as well.

I'd just come out of a fat trilogy and felt lost about what to read next. You know, that empty feeling, kinda of like you feel when leaving friends behind. Standing there, watching them leave. Honestly, when I came across this set, I did not think I'd like it but I downloaded it anyway (love the Kindle). The characters were wonderful, the writing, so funny at times yet so dark throughout. Each character stands out, no one greater than the other. I was especially fond of Logen, Ferro, Glokta and also liked Ardee. The lot of them are blunt and sharp at the same time. The only let down for me was the ending. Trilogies should end a story, not leave one hanging for more. I mean, is it a trilogy or a series? I don't buy in to series.... my last was Wheel of Time and I'll never waste another decade of my life waiting for an author to respect his/her readers enough to end a damn story. If Mr. Abercrombie has any sense, he ought to finish this story before he moves on to another.

Overall, I give it four fingers (like Bloody Nine).. because of the ending. I'm off to read "Best Served Cold"... I hope it is no cliff hanger.

There's already so much praise for the trilogy here and still I can't help adding a few more words to it. The story is gripping, the characters are memorable. I was amazed at the author's meticulous character development as he introduced their story lines in all three books weaving their lives into one vast canvass... A breathtaking story! Mr. Abercrombie, I admire your talent. Some reviewers pointed out that some of the characters and events had been done before, but that's what life is about, isn't it - it's about "been there, done it", and the more exciting adventures we live, the better! Admittedly, this isn't the kind of book recommended for the tame of spirit.

I wished I could enjoy the third book as much as I had the first two - probably, it had something to do with the fact that the game was already in full swing, winding its way into denouement. And still, I felt I was one with the characters and I was dying to find out Logen Ninefingers' backstory. So reading the third book - relishing it - literally brought me back to my teenage days when I used to devour novels by Robert Stillmark and Raphael Sabatini.

Alex

Dark. Gritty. Witty. If you like your humor black, your characters mortal, your evil questionable, and your nobility... even more questionable, there's no one out there writing it as believably and as effectively as Joe Abercrombie. The cast of characters have realistic, believable lives, careers, foibles and flaws; no murder-hobos are to be found in this modern dark-epic. Extremely affecting and compelling.

OMG I was so delighted to discovere this brilliant emerging author with such a fresh perspective on writing. his portrayal of his main characters with all their flaws and strength will delight the reader.The comparison to George R R Martin is slim only in the concept of a parallel universe and the fragiity lf the heros. No dragons thank goodness .These books wil keep you rivetted and you do not have to be a fantady fan to enjoy these books. This author is breathe of fresh air (as was Georgd R R Martin those many years ago when I read the first of his amazing saga) His writing and storyline are excellent while the characters are believable. This author is worth following and I look forward to many more books from him

The other reviewers have done a great job highlighting why these books are great. I agree.

I struggled at various times in each book with stagnating plot. Each book was dynamic and entertaining (Before They Are Hanged was my favorite of the three) but each one also had SLOW parts. I'm not proud to say I skimmed a few paragraphs here and there.

My other critique is there are not a lot of female characters and, apart from Ardee in the last book only, they are very one dimensional...predictable, flat. As a woman, I find this disappointing. I would have liked to see more POV females with interesting, varied backgrounds.

This series is beautifully crafted to mirror the real life politics of our reality. You've got a man who's looking to cement his place in the world, and when he finally grasps it, with crown upon head, it is someone else pulling the strings. He finds he isn't really as important as he might think and is simply a puppet. This is the ultimate power behind the throne kind of story where there is no real end. The world is simple set into a particular way and leaves you wondering what's going to happen next. Luckily for you there are three great books within this world that follow this trilogy and a new book soon to be released called "Half A King."

If you don't like violence, suggestive language, torture and all kinds of unsavory characters for no purpose, then this is the book for you. You can sympathize with those who commit horrors and see the evil in the people who seem to be the good guys. Joe Abercrombie does a fabulous job of capturing the grey area of humanity, showing that no one is truly good or evil, but capable of being one or the other all both at once.

While I have read Abercrombie and have only seen Game of Thrones, it is clear to see that Abercombie as he stated was heavily influenced by the writings of George R.R. Martin when you read this series. I've yet to the first book in Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice, but so far I like Joe's pacing slightly more. These books for me were a page turner and the only books to date that I've read more than once.

I read a lot of fantasy books and this is one of the better ones. The narrative does falter at times and some plot points and character developments are unrealized.

My biggest gripe is that Abercrombie is obviously trying to create characters of ambiguous morality. Two in particular, Glokta and Bayaz, have dubious ethics yet an attempt is made to present them as tragic and/or flawed human beings. This pretty much fails as one (Bayaz) just comes off as evil and duplicitous and the other (Glokta) doesn't undergo any true change. There is also a rather dull and uninspired love story between Ardee and Luthar that was just painful and unnecessary.

These points come up because they distract from the true strength of the series: entertaining violence. Abercrombie may not be too great at character development or tragic heroes, but he is quite good at making battle scenes and, more importantly, moving the plot along. The same cannot be said about other fantasy authors of repute (looking at you R.R. Martin).

I would definitely buy this series. It is not overpriced and it moves at a good clip. Just remember, you are not buying it for its literary value but because it is entertaining.

In its category, one of the best series I've ever read! Full of humour - I kept laughing out loud while reading the book. Amazing characters. The whole trilogy hangs together, and in no place feels like it was artificially prolonged to sell more books. It is quite violent in parts, so not for the faint of heart. But even the violence is there to make the reader hate it. War is displayed like it is, I think.
But, don't read my lame review, go read the book!!!

The First Law series was a good read. It will be immediately familiar and comfortable to any regular fantasy reader, but Abercrombie does a good job of world building and creating a varied and interesting set of locations and cultures. Definitely worth the $18 for all three books in this set.

These are some bloody and ugly stories. Life is short and cruel and there is only a blurry line between the good guys and bad guys. That being said, these stories were a ton of fun and I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

It's strange take. I go from intensely curious and truly empathetic towards each character to discussed and filled with loathing for each. Still the story is epic. The hero's are flawed. I could not hardly put it down.

Look, giving this series one star is harsh but I don't think the author will cry himself to sleep I just want readers to consider that you MAY NOT LIKE ANYBODY in this series. These are not nice folks. I don't mean "brooding with a dark secret" I mean flat out unlikable. One of the main people is an inquisitionor who tortures and murders at the drop of a hat. Everybody betrays everybody! Smaug would run from these cut throats. I actually read the entire series and Best Served Cold. Now I need some Zoloft and something more upbeat...like The Grapes Of Wrath. You've been warned.

In a genre so often choked by blindly lawful good protagonists and unwaveringly serious language, Joe Abercrombie provides a breath of fresh air for both, providing both gritty, heavily-flawed characters and a hefty dash of humor. The characters were superbly done, both in their realism and their interactions with one another, and the dialogue strikes a perfect balance between the dramatic and the light-hearted. An absolutely delightful series to sate the appetite for the next Game of Thrones book. Abercrombie is no GRRM (who is, anyway?), but that should not discredit his work at all, nor his talent at writing. Other than Martin, Abercrombie is my second favorite fantasy author because of this series. I'd venture to say a lot of the hate comes from people's varying taste in fantasy--if you like it raw, real, and brutal, then this is a trilogy for you. It's certainly not for those who want a single, good-hearted protagonist who will triumph over evil, having been chosen by fate and ancient portents and wreathed in vast layers of plot armor. But how many times has that been done, anyway? Abercrombie offers an invigorating departure from that convention.

MILD SPOILERS:

The only reason I didn't give this series five stars is because of the ending. While the character arcs did get tied up, I will agree with the detractors in that the ending left me feeling a little empty inside, as opposed to the bittersweetness I expected to walk away with. None of the characters have particularly uplifting endings to their arcs--not that all of them should, of course, but it seemed to either be "welp, here we are" or "this character is boned." The endings were either not very dynamic or flat out depressing, and I did not get the sense that the world was forever altered or that much different than it was at the outset of the story. A little disappointing having come from such a rich world around such great characters.

That being said, however, the rest of the story and the characterization made the series a nonstop roller-coaster of excitement, cheers, and verbal hooting and hollering at the great sense of humor Abercrombie possess in his prose. Truly a welcomed break from the hyper-formal, black and white good vs evil nature of typical fantasy. Can't recommend it enough!

The other reviewers have done a great job highlighting why these books are great. I agree.

I struggled at various times in each book with stagnating plot. Each book was dynamic and entertaining (Before They Are Hanged was my favorite of the three) but each one also had SLOW parts. I'm not proud to say I skimmed a few paragraphs here and there.

My other critique is there are not a lot of female characters and, apart from Ardee in the last book only, they are very one dimensional...predictable, flat. As a woman, I find this disappointing. I would have liked to see more POV females with interesting, varied backgrounds.

This series is beautifully crafted to mirror the real life politics of our reality. You've got a man who's looking to cement his place in the world, and when he finally grasps it, with crown upon head, it is someone else pulling the strings. He finds he isn't really as important as he might think and is simply a puppet. This is the ultimate power behind the throne kind of story where there is no real end. The world is simple set into a particular way and leaves you wondering what's going to happen next. Luckily for you there are three great books within this world that follow this trilogy and a new book soon to be released called "Half A King."

If you don't like violence, suggestive language, torture and all kinds of unsavory characters for no purpose, then this is the book for you. You can sympathize with those who commit horrors and see the evil in the people who seem to be the good guys. Joe Abercrombie does a fabulous job of capturing the grey area of humanity, showing that no one is truly good or evil, but capable of being one or the other all both at once.

While I have read Abercrombie and have only seen Game of Thrones, it is clear to see that Abercombie as he stated was heavily influenced by the writings of George R.R. Martin when you read this series. I've yet to the first book in Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice, but so far I like Joe's pacing slightly more. These books for me were a page turner and the only books to date that I've read more than once.

I read a lot of fantasy books and this is one of the better ones. The narrative does falter at times and some plot points and character developments are unrealized.

My biggest gripe is that Abercrombie is obviously trying to create characters of ambiguous morality. Two in particular, Glokta and Bayaz, have dubious ethics yet an attempt is made to present them as tragic and/or flawed human beings. This pretty much fails as one (Bayaz) just comes off as evil and duplicitous and the other (Glokta) doesn't undergo any true change. There is also a rather dull and uninspired love story between Ardee and Luthar that was just painful and unnecessary.

These points come up because they distract from the true strength of the series: entertaining violence. Abercrombie may not be too great at character development or tragic heroes, but he is quite good at making battle scenes and, more importantly, moving the plot along. The same cannot be said about other fantasy authors of repute (looking at you R.R. Martin).

I would definitely buy this series. It is not overpriced and it moves at a good clip. Just remember, you are not buying it for its literary value but because it is entertaining.

In its category, one of the best series I've ever read! Full of humour - I kept laughing out loud while reading the book. Amazing characters. The whole trilogy hangs together, and in no place feels like it was artificially prolonged to sell more books. It is quite violent in parts, so not for the faint of heart. But even the violence is there to make the reader hate it. War is displayed like it is, I think.
But, don't read my lame review, go read the book!!!

The First Law series was a good read. It will be immediately familiar and comfortable to any regular fantasy reader, but Abercrombie does a good job of world building and creating a varied and interesting set of locations and cultures. Definitely worth the $18 for all three books in this set.

These are some bloody and ugly stories. Life is short and cruel and there is only a blurry line between the good guys and bad guys. That being said, these stories were a ton of fun and I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

It's strange take. I go from intensely curious and truly empathetic towards each character to discussed and filled with loathing for each. Still the story is epic. The hero's are flawed. I could not hardly put it down.

Look, giving this series one star is harsh but I don't think the author will cry himself to sleep I just want readers to consider that you MAY NOT LIKE ANYBODY in this series. These are not nice folks. I don't mean "brooding with a dark secret" I mean flat out unlikable. One of the main people is an inquisitionor who tortures and murders at the drop of a hat. Everybody betrays everybody! Smaug would run from these cut throats. I actually read the entire series and Best Served Cold. Now I need some Zoloft and something more upbeat...like The Grapes Of Wrath. You've been warned.

In a genre so often choked by blindly lawful good protagonists and unwaveringly serious language, Joe Abercrombie provides a breath of fresh air for both, providing both gritty, heavily-flawed characters and a hefty dash of humor. The characters were superbly done, both in their realism and their interactions with one another, and the dialogue strikes a perfect balance between the dramatic and the light-hearted. An absolutely delightful series to sate the appetite for the next Game of Thrones book. Abercrombie is no GRRM (who is, anyway?), but that should not discredit his work at all, nor his talent at writing. Other than Martin, Abercrombie is my second favorite fantasy author because of this series. I'd venture to say a lot of the hate comes from people's varying taste in fantasy--if you like it raw, real, and brutal, then this is a trilogy for you. It's certainly not for those who want a single, good-hearted protagonist who will triumph over evil, having been chosen by fate and ancient portents and wreathed in vast layers of plot armor. But how many times has that been done, anyway? Abercrombie offers an invigorating departure from that convention.

MILD SPOILERS:

The only reason I didn't give this series five stars is because of the ending. While the character arcs did get tied up, I will agree with the detractors in that the ending left me feeling a little empty inside, as opposed to the bittersweetness I expected to walk away with. None of the characters have particularly uplifting endings to their arcs--not that all of them should, of course, but it seemed to either be "welp, here we are" or "this character is boned." The endings were either not very dynamic or flat out depressing, and I did not get the sense that the world was forever altered or that much different than it was at the outset of the story. A little disappointing having come from such a rich world around such great characters.

That being said, however, the rest of the story and the characterization made the series a nonstop roller-coaster of excitement, cheers, and verbal hooting and hollering at the great sense of humor Abercrombie possess in his prose. Truly a welcomed break from the hyper-formal, black and white good vs evil nature of typical fantasy. Can't recommend it enough!

I read this series on the recommendation of a friend. it did not let me down, it's set in an alternate historical setting like GOT and the writing keeps your attention. Lots of action, interesting characters, some magic and intrigue! Personally I would have liked a bit more magic but that is just me.

A boxed set makes sense as this is one complete story that requires you to commit to all three. It is NOT one of those series where it is a continuing saga and each book goes on to new adventures. Plot doesn't really kick in until Book 2.

Decent but not great. The books start off slow and only about 50-80 pages into The Blade Itself did I really begin to get absorbed by it. Once I did, though, I was pretty hooked. The bitter disappointment is that the series ends in a pretty awful manner. There is basically no resolution or closure to the series and it leaves you feeling downright cheated. It really made me feel like the author is just going to milk these characters with spin-offs and comics and whatever else,

SPOILERS:

A couple of characters show some real growth but for the most part they don't change at all and you are just left with a sense of why did I just read through all this? Key 'plot twists' are executed very poorly as well, coming to a close so quickly that you barely have time to process what happened and having little to no significance to the overall plot anyway.

Nothing to say!
Want dark fantasy of the best kind??
Want an epic story with heroes, villains, chaos of war and magic??
Read this book!! READ IT NOW!!!
But... Warning : Spoiler ahead!!!!
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Where's the ending?? :O So many things undone and unsaid!!
So many sad and broken characters, and so many issues not solved...
This is an non-ending, I need more!! MUCH more!! NOW!!

i read these before I started watching or reading anything Game of Thrones related and I enjoyed them well enough. They're actually fairly good. Somewhat gruesome but engrossing with vivid imagery and a dense background. The author does a good job with the intertwining story lines and foreshadowing. But it was still a little blah. Then I started to read Game of Thrones and the themes are awfully similar: a tale of the struggle for a throne, several different plot lines, and storytelling from the characters point of view. These books are good, but George R. R. Martin just does it better. Still worth reading but if you are huge GOT fan, don't bother

Found these books hard to put down--all of them! the characters are rich and can be sad and funny and thoughtful all at the same time. Mr Abercrombie tells a hell of a story. I loved it! The next trilogy too!

While I'm sure the books are as good as they would be if I bought each individually, the price doesn't make sense! Why would I pay $3.35 more for them all together? Please the store, there needs to be a change here.

I was at the library browsing and just happened across the first book and started reading. OMG!!! These have become my favorite books of all time! The way he writes and in the fantasy genre, which is my love, that he writes in........ Oh you had me at hello! Would recommend to anyone who loves more Epic Fantasy types of books.