Half the World (Shattered Sea Book 2)

An excellent book. It continues the story of "Half a King", but instead of Yarvi, there is a new character taking the spotlight: Thorn. She's bascially the opposite of Yarvi. After all, Yarvi is a man, who was expected to be a warrior king but instead chose to be a minisiter of peace. Thorn is a woman, who is expected to be a traditional lady, but wants to be a warrior. The plot by itself isn't actually anything amazing. In fact (like many fantasy books), they spend a huge portion of time just travelling. And yet, Joe Abercrombie is such an amazing storyteller, that I loved every minute of it. If I had to criticize anything, I would say that it's too short! I wanted to read more!

The first book in this series was really good, I don't know how it went down hill.
The characters stopped getting interesting and it sort of becomes hard to follow.
The plot is also very slow to move, you just don't feel like you're bonding with any of the characters.

A very satisfying conclusion to Shattered Sea! The fight scenes were exciting, the love scenes appropriately awkward. Lol I look forward to other books from Abercrombie. I have found a new favorite author!

Let me preface this brief review with a little side-note. I love Abercrombie's work. I've read The Heroes 3 times, The Blade Itself series 4 times. I can't put this stuff down. Yet . . . while Half a King was a great, enthralling read, this one was . . . less so. As I hunkered down with my Kindle and a cup of coffee to begin an all-nighter, I was perplexed by the fact that I assumed that I'd missed a book. Thorn? Who the hell is that? Where's Yarvi? I actually found myself checking online to make sure this was, indeed, the next book in the series. Well, with that cleared up, I picked up where I'd left off and . . . lost interest. I finished it, but only half-heartedly. I managed to read Stephen King's Mr. Mercedes, Jim Butcher's Small Favor and two or three other books while plodding through this one.

Sorry, Joe. Not for me.

Even better of the 1st book, a non stop reading of mine. So far I've never assigned a 5 star (I reserve it to a book to be read twice in a row), but the 4star to this book it's without esitation. If you like a realistic adventure fantasy D. Gemmell style this is it,

The only reason why I have finished this book is that I was on a journey and I had nothing else to read. The characters are simply unintelligent. The plot is not believable. The motives of the characters are unclear. To put it simply, this is one of the worst books I have ever finished. There is a zero chance I am even picking the third book when it comes out. A shame, since Half a king was an enjoyable read.

Last year I had a bad run of YA fantasy. A really bad run. So bad that I was seriously considering giving up YA altogether, b/c I had clearly matured past the point to being able to enjoy it.

Pfft.

And it was Half the World's predecessor Half a King that kept me from making a brash decision I would inevitably come to regret.

I am pleased to tell you that Half the World (IM humble O) has surpassed it.

Meet Thorn.

Thorn is a girl who lives in a world where women are resolutely confined to more delicate pursuits than say . . . WAR.

As children, they may be temporarily indulged in their desire to train with the boys and their wooden practice swords, but the older they get, the more discouragement they encounter, and if they persist in the stubborn hope of being the first girl in memory to take the Warrior's Oath and fight for their King, then more extreme tactics are employed to set the wayward female on a more acceptable path.

For Thorn that means facing impossible odds in her final test as a student.

But it is made clear that even should she win, there will be no place for her among the men.

But Thorn doesn't win.

It sucks, dude.

Hissing-and-growling-and-throwing-heavy-objects sucks.

And the situation isn't improved by Thorn's own surliness and sense of entitlement.

Abercrombie does an excellent job of showcasing how obstinately difficult a 16 year old girl can be, without making you hate her (b/c self-involved 16 year old girl). Instead . . . you remember. You remember how convinced you were of your own infallibility, of how much more deserving you were of the thing that you wanted than that person over there. And then you remember how hard those lessons proved to be when you finally realized you were wrong.

B/c Thorn does learn. And it is hard.

I loved her, prickliness and recalcitrance included.

She winds up in disgrace that leads to swearing an oath to Father, yes, Father Yarvi, and Father Yarvi sees fit to have her trained by Skifr, a bizzare old woman from the far south.

And believe me when I say that "bizarre" does not even begin to cover it.

But I loved her too.

Know who else I loved?

The hodgepodge of villainous-looking crew members that Rulf assembles for the voyage Father Yarvi is leading to seek allies for Thorlby against the High King and his oppressive dictates.

"Thorn wondered what mountain of corpses this lot might have heaped up between them, but she wasn't one to be easily intimidated. Especially when she had no choice."

Despite this initial impression, the men become family to both Thorn and Brand (don't worry, I'll get to him in a minute), and more and more my distinctly different first impression was reinforced:

[image: I Have a Dream less-than-savory types from TANGLED]

"She put on her bravest face, stepped up to the biggest man she could see and tapped him on the arm.
"I'm Thorn Bathu."
"I am Dosduvoi." She found herself staring sharply up at one of the biggest heads she ever saw, tiny features squeezed into the center of its doughy expanse, looming so high above her that at first she thought its owner must be standing on a box. "What bad luck brings you here, girl?" he asked, with a faintly tragic quiver to his voice.
She wished she had a different answer, but snapped out, "I'm sailing with you."
His face retreated into an even tinier portion of his head as he frowned."

[image of less-than-savory-type-as-mime from TANGLED]

"It was either bluster or look weak and Thorn reckoned that no choice at all, so she puffed herself up and snapped out, "How did you get the scar?"
"How did you get the scar?"
Thorn frowned. "What scar?"
"That's the face the gods gave you?" And with the faintest of smiles the Vansterman went back to coiling rope."

[gif of less-than-savory-type-with-tiny-unicorns from TANGLED]

I'm sure there are people out there that are absolutely horrified by the comparison, and make no mistake, this is a book written by Lord Grimdark himself, so there is nothing Disney about it, but . . . I can't help it, that's what I saw in my head. *shrugs awkwardly*

And I haven’t even gotten to Brand yet. *sighs* Suffice it to say that Brand is . . . experiencing the exact same types of things that Thorn is experiencing (b/c typical teenaged boy), but he is a softer, gentler example of adolescence, and he serves as both a wonderful foil for Thorn, and a secondary illustration of why it’s idiotic to try to shove people into gender-specific boxes.

Bottomline: It’s just really, really good. Half the World is a stellar followup to Half a King, making this is a series that should be on the bookshelves of anyone who loves fantasy. And with the next installment Half a War just a few short months from release . . . blah, blah, just read it. You’ll love it. *winks*

I was doing ok with this book. I wasn't swept away. It's basically a Darker And Grittier version of a book i read last year, Bracelet of Bones. Girl manages to earn her way onto a ship headed south, up a river, across a dangerous portage, and down another river to The Big City, earning the respect of the crew and learning a thing or two along the way. I could be more detailed, there are some really quite specific parallels, but i don't want to risk spoilers for those not warned off by my disappointment.

I was a bit annoyed from the start, as the back cover makes it seem like Thorn is the star, but she shares the spotlight entirely with Brand. They nearly alternate Point Of View by chapter. And even so, they're clearly just cameras to show us the wit, wisdom, and antics of characters from Half a King. Thorn is, in fact, pretty much a one-note character.

I loved Abercrombie's First Law trilogy. I thought Best Served Cold was good, but longer than it needed to be. I couldn't even read Heroes, it was too intense. Red Country is in my To Read pile. I thought Half a King was weak but readable, the good writing making up for the fact that it was a predictable trope-fest.

But this? Seriously? When knock-down-drag-out brawls in the marketplace are just background to a 'does he like me? do i even like him? I hope he likes me...' internal monologue?

No.

I'm done.

Others can read Half a War (the third in this planned trilogy). I'm out.

Another amazing sequel by Joe Abercrombie! Since this story wasn't told from the perspectives of Yarvi or the other characters, I wasn't sure where this story would go, so I just settled in for a journey. And what a journey it was, especially in an emotional sense. The story was told from the perspectives of fierce warrior-in-training, Thorn, and her unwanted companion and sweetheart-ed Brand. The two of them are forced into a ship as per Father Yarvi's instructions. From there, both Thorn and Brand grow into complex people and face challenges that test their wills and morals. It's so hard to choose which story I enjoyed the most, but Thorn had the biggest change. I honestly didn't like her very much at first, but by the end, I was rooting for her to survive a pulse-pounding fight. Brand also had fantastic development and I couldn't help but love him. While the first novel doesn't need to be read to enjoy HALF THE WORLD, there were plenty of references and familiar characters to please the fans. I honestly loved this book and have no complaints about it. A must have for all fantasy fans!

Rated 4.5 of 5

<span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>**WARNING -- THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!**</strong></span>

Joe Abercrombie is a terrific writer!

<em>Half the World</em> is Abercrombie's second book in his Shattered Sea series, and while you'll want to read the first book (<em>Half a King</em> [see review <a href="http://lookingforagoodbook.com/2015/06/05/half-a-king-joe-abercrombie/" target="_blank">here</a>]) you don't really have to in order to enjoy this book.

The first book followed Prince Yarvi on his journey and rise to power. In <em>Half the World</em>, Yarvi, now an established king, is still looking for ways other than fighting but is smart enough to know that he needs fighters. Training takes place for the young ones who hope someday to be offered a position with the king's guard. This story focuses primarily on the powerful Brand who should have no problem being with the guard, and the girl Thorn, who takes on three boys in a training exercise. The master of the exercise, Hunnan, clearly has a bias against girls training, even though Thorn is far and away the better fighter. So when Thorn accidentally kills one of the three, Hunnan declares her a murderer and her punishment is to be crushed to death by rocks.

But Brand is governed by a moral code to always try to do what is right and he reports that Thorn was given an unfair challenge and that the death was an accident. His actions save Thorn's life, but when Hunnan hands out assignments for those graduating from his training, Brand is left with nothing from the vindictive Hunnan.

While things seem bleak for both Thorn and Brand, they wind up together as mercenaries, working for Father Yarvi. Brand and Thorn both manage incredible feats of power and/or prowess and have songs created about them.

Thorn seems born to fight and becomes the Queen's "Chosen Shield" - a personal body-guard. Brand still looks for his place in the world. Someone who is always looking to do what's right does not make a good soldier.

Abercrombie writes action sequences as well as anyone writing today and this book has plenty of action. But he also writes about people who seem very real. After reading this,I feel as though I could count Brand and Thorn as friends - I know as much about them - and more importantly, CARE about them - as I do most friends. We want to see them succeed and we hold our breath when they are in trouble. And because we care about the characters, we are drawn in to the story.

As I wrote about Half a King, Abercrombie tends to know just how much to push his characters and still make them believable. We know why we are following this story ... these characters are remarkable, above-average, but still real.

But this story had a down-side for me. As real as it was, and as fantastic as Thorn is, Abercrombie has a choice to make: keep her a strong young woman who fights against the odds at every turn, or make her something special but still someone who falls into the 'girl' trap ... wishing she were pretty and good at 'women's work.' Near the end of the book Abercrombie chooses the latter path. After all she's done, after all she's become, she still takes a moment to bemoan the fact that her talents have meant she can't really be a good wife.

Really? You've just created an awesome kick-ass female character the likes that haven't been seen since Robert E. Howard/Marvel's Red Sonja ... someone who could get teen girls excited about reading sword and sorcery fantasy ... and you make sure to remind girls what they should desire to be? I get that we're talking/writing about a time/age when women were supposed to want or aspire to certain things, but this was a chance to rise above the pedantic and Abercrombie took the easy way out. It's the only time I've seen this from this writer (in my limited reading of his work) which is part of the reason it stuck out so much.

Looking for a good book? Joe Abercrombie's <em>Half the World</em> is is a tremendous adventure, with characters we believe in and a story full of action and power. This is a book and a writer you will want to read.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The author of this series has said that he doesn't like to think of it as being aimed at a YA audience, and that's fair enough since it's actually more mature than a lot of fiction that is supposedly aimed at the non-young-adult market. I refer to it as "Abercrombie Lite," because overall these books are shorter, have more straightforward plots, have less profanity, have less graphic violence, and have less graphic sex than Abercrombie's other books. Also, although the story is still quite gritty, the outlook is much less bleak, and there is a stronger sense of justice than books like The First Law trilogy. There are even some scenes where the interactions between the characters are (dare I say it) rather heartwarming. All this is to say that if you like Joe Abercrombie's earlier writing purely because it is dark, gritty, violent, and turns standard fantasy conventions on their heads, you may find the Shattered Sea series disappointing. On the other hand, if you like Abercrombie's style but were put off by the bleakness, profanity, or graphic violence of his earlier work, you may find this series to be just what you're looking for.

The story of "Half the World" picks up a few years after the events of "Half a King," and features the protagonist of the first novel (Yarvi) in an active but less point-of-view role, introducing two younger characters that alternately provide the point of view. I thought this installment of the trilogy more evenly incorporated humor than "Half a King" did, and also kept the characters more interesting across the whole course of the novel (in "Half a King" there were sections where I found Yarvi a bit annoying). The plot has a fair number of twists, although frankly I saw them all coming.

In general, much like "Half a King" (although "Half the World" is a bit better in execution and flows better as a novel), I would say "Half the World" is not Joe Abercrombie's best novel, but he is such a good writer that his second-tier works are much better than a lot of people's best efforts, and still well worth a read.

I really liked the first book of this trilogy, Half a King (Shattered Sea) and had expected the second book to continue Yarvi's story. So I was surprised that instead there is a new protagonist -- a teen girl named Thorn who wants to be a warrior. But, except for some clunky "does he like me, I really like him" romantic angst, I enjoyed this story.

Although there is a new main character, Yarvi and some of the other characters from the first book are present again. It may not be completely necessary to have read Half a King before reading this book, but I would recommend doing so to gain a better understanding of the world they live in (especially the political situation).

I love the world the author created for this series. It's like a Viking era story but the references to the "elf" technology seem to indicate that it really takes place centuries in the future.

I also generally like Thorn as a character. She's not defined by her looks or her ability to win the heart of a prince. She just wants to be a warrior like her father and she has to work hard to succeed. That's why the addition of the kind of lovelorn angst one would expect in generic YA romance hits such a bad note in the book. I thought perhaps it was just my adult perspective so I had my 14 year old niece read one of the most egregious passages. Her opinion was that some girls would like the romance but that she didn't think it was necessary.

Even though it rang a false note for me, I enjoyed the rest of the book enough to overlook the clunky romance parts but hope the author doesn't feel the need to put this in the final book of the trilogy.

This is a nice book, but far from great. The blurbs on the back cover promise a tremendous book. I think this approach, of billing one's book as better than it is, constitutes a mistake. It sets the author up to miss expectations.
That said, I enjoyed some elements of the book. The writing is good, the story has a few novel twists, and the action is depicted well. The characters are straight forward, but not one-dimentional. They are, one-and-a-half-dimensional, not that well distinguished from stock characters, but acceptable.
Shortcomings are the anticlmax of the story. There were several points where the book could have ended, maybe should have ended, which was off-putting. Also, the chapter breaks were oddly chosen. My main objection was the heavy reliance on the "hero's journey" or monomyth. As a writer myself, I have been told to use this formula, but I have rejected it as a crutch. Why rely on a formulaic plot? Is giving the reader what they want justification for so doing? I do not clam to know, but I honor inovation and originality over pattern-writing.
Still, this is a good book, just not a great one. I do recommend it, but advise the one not to read the back cover laurels beforehand.

I've been a fan of Mr. Abercrombie since I first read his debut novel The Blade Itself. There is a gritty, dark, no frills writing here. Characters suffer through a lot. Some will compare his writing to George R.R. Martin and while there are similarities, to me they are completely different styles.

Martin seeks to pad many of his scenes and characters with sometimes unnecessary descriptions, dialog, etc. Writing just to write more, doesn't always equate to a great read. On the other side Abercrombie, every line he writes, every minute detail matters. His prose reaches out of the page and dares you to put the book down. Just when you feel like you are coming to a natural stopping point he flips the script and does something else.

With that said, while the writing in this book is on par with his other stuff, there seems to be an odd pacing to the book where it slows down and almost become ordinary. Ordinary for some writers is ok, and maybe this is my own personal bias and how high I hold Abercrombie in my pantheon of writers, but I don't expect ordinary from him.

Make no mistake, this is still a quality novel and certainly a good read, I was just expecting a little more from this one and in the end it just didn't measure up to some of his earlier stuff in my opinion. Still a very worthwhile read though.

This book deserves a 5. While it's not the best of the Joe Abercrombie stable if compared to the general population its a top quality read.

I have had trouble with Joe's books lately, his unremitting gloomy theme and the uninspiring nature of his protagonists have really left me struggling. This books different. Not only does Joe pick two new protagonists to continue the Shattered Sea story but they aren't his usual crippled (in various ways) compliment. Its still Joe but its almost light hearted (for him). The storyline is perhaps a bit familiar, female struggling in a mans world, young man trying to find his place, but its well done. I really enjoyed the limitations placed on the girl in terms of her strength, i felt that added a significant amount of realism. One other review mentions that the protagonists are too talented. I don't think so. It would be a poor story following an average joe. These two are exceptional but within the realm of the possible.

My one gripe was the wildly naive romance. Its just a bit ott and a little out of character for the time and the maturity of the characters.

Overall this is a lighter, quicker, more fun Joe, but its still Joe so the fighting is well done and the world is complete, warts and all.

This wasn't bad by any means, but it was a disappointment after Half a King. "Half the World" is much more obviously a juvenile with simplified relationships, a veneer of cynicism, and relatively shallow characters.

Yarvi, the protaganist of the first book returns, but this time in an opaque supporting role as a sort of grey eminence, the story shifts to a new generation who are much more conventional teenagers, Thorn is tough girl who wants to fight as a warrior and Brand who is not so sure is her handsome and well meaning comrade and live interest. There is a sort of feminist touch as well but it felt weak and unconvincing and there were moments where the gender relations reminded me of Robert Jordan, and the comparison didn't really favor Abercrombie.

The world, some sort of post apocalyptic Scandinavia and now with the addition of Constantinople felt the furthest thing from fresh. The politics too familiar and truly uninspired. The world building is just not there this time.

But at the same time it is a fast read, and not bad at all. The action is exciting and the battle scenes are asgood as it gets. From a lesser writer I would be pretty happy, though not overawed, but I would probably prefer to read an adult book.

I was very excited for this book, so much so that I pre-ordered it and not-so patently waited for it to come out. I was not disappointed. This follow up to Half A King was a little bit of a surprise in the total shift in protagonist. I was expecting Yarvi to be a larger part of the story. This I thought was going to be a big disappointment, I had grown rather found of the deep cunning Yarvi. As it turns out the new characters are awesome and Yarvi is still around to root for. Thorn and Brand are the new kids in this book. Their stories intertwine in a variety of twist and turns. Thorn and her story are at the forefront. She is a brutal warrior in a brutal world. As with the first book the story telling is top notch, Characters are intriguing and you get invested. The world is a wonderfully brutal viking paradise, the way I like them. This book seems a little more gritty than the first book, and for me that is a plus. Overall a great offering by Mr. Abercrombie. I think a slight step above the first book. I am very excited for the next book Half A War, and I am very glad the wait is so short for it to come out.

If you read Half a King, you are familiar with Joe Amercrombie's alternate Viking-esque world. Now Minister Yarvi becomes more of a secondary character to the young warrior wannabes Thorn and Brand, but Yarvi is still well represented. I enjoyed Ambercrombie's use of these two new characters to enhance Yarvi's story line, giving the readers a different angle to absorb. The Bloody Nine is my favorite of JA's characters, but by the end of this novel, Thorn definitely climbs the ladder.

Well written and action packed with Thorn's character and story line paying homage to the one of fantasy's original strong female warrior characters; Eowyn of the House of Eorl (LOTR Return of the King). Thorn, like Eowyn, struggles to find acceptance as a female warrior in a man's world and even follows a similar story arc. If you enjoyed Half a King, this is a must read.

I listened to Half the World on audio and didn't realize it was the second in the Shattered Sea series until I was into it. At first I thought Abercrombie was treating his characters rather lightly, especially Father Yarvi. Of course, when I realized that Yarvi was the protagonist of Book 1, which I had not read (or listened to), that he was not fully fleshed out, nor some of his close companions, made sense, because there characters were introduced and developed in Half a King. So, I relaxed and enjoyed the development of the two main characters of Book 2, Thorn and Brand. And theirs is a stirring adventure turned love story.

Abercrombie is a "deep-cunning" writer. Whenever you think you know what's coming next, expect to be surprised. Characters you expect to die, live, and vice versa. Fights you expect to be won are lost; and battles that must surely be lost are won. Some readers might find the plot twists annoying, but it's like sparring with a master who knows far more tricks than you, the pupil. When he shows the weak leg or drops the shield, expect a feint rather than an opening.

Well now. That was one helluva book!!!! After enjoying Half a King so much, I was curious to see how this one would hold up. And it was absolutely fantastic! The characters in this book were so great. Thorn is one of a kind and in all the best ways. She is a strong woman in every sense of the word and Abercrombie did a wonderful job with her character. As did he with Brand. And it was wonderful to see a different perspective on Yarvi, our main character from Half a King.

Abercrombie expanded this world seamlessly by showing it to us from a slightly different angle than book one. And that made the world and this book all the better for doing so.

I truly loved everything about this book from the characters to the world to the very words used. What a truly fantastic read.

This is a solid follow up to Half A King. I'd not recommend reading this as a stand alone since so much ground work was laid in the first book. Instead of focusing on Yarvi, this book centers on Thorn and Brand, two would-be warriors. Yarvi is ever present in this book as a matured and powerful minister. It was fun to see him grow into this role from the first book.

Abercrombie writes with a sure hand and I felt confident that this book would be fulfilling.There is quite a bit of"wagon training" in the first couple hundred pages;it is a huge buildup to the book's climax. The travel adventures did get a bit long for my taste although in the end I felt like I knew what the author was trying to build. For me one odd note: there are 2 female characters on the quest with very similar names; I spent half the book trying to distinguish them and making sure I knew who was who. I am not clear why their names needed to be quite so alike.

A very good follow up,definitely moved the story ahead; I look forward to what is to come!

As HALF THE WORLD began (bear with me a sec) I was utterly surprised by how bad it was. The sentences were awkward and ill-conceived... AND YET, MAGICALLY at the 11% point (I was reading this on a kindle) it changed. I was engrossed. I was very happy. This was turning into an okay story. I was invested and entertained by the characters.

But ultimately it's not a book I will thrusting upon any of my adult friends. The story remains fun to the end but it's definitely more YA and even MG than was warranted.

So... UNEVEN. That's the conclusion I came to. AND for young adults and some regular adults I suspect it's a great read but for me the YA cliches left me wishing that this had been a book written for Adults.

----------------
4-5 STARS for Young folk who like adventurous tales. UPDATED NOTE that the later books are different. More for older Teens. Mild Violence and mild 'Adult Situations' in the later books.

A guy-friendly read.

Begining a few years after "Half a King", the sequel picks up with the High King continuing his plot to undermine Gettland. Yarvi is dispatched on a mission to gain the support of other kingdoms to check the High King's power and hopefully diffuse the looming war. The world gets bigger and the plots thicker as he journey's beyond the Shattered Sea in the quest for allies.

In an interesting move the protagonist in this one is a brand new character, a girl named Thorn, while Yarvi is present only in a supporting role. Again we are treated to a coming of age story wrapped in a fun Viking adventure. Abercrombie's sharp wit is omnipresent and he keeps the story moving at speedy clip. I can't say this one was better than HaK, but it's a swashbucklingly fast read that I enjoyed a lot. I've tried some of Abercrombie's adult fare and found it far too dark. His YA material is really fun though. I'm eagerly awaiting the third book.

As with the first book in this series, this is a fun and light version of Joe Abercrombie's stories - which is to say, it will still be too violent for some. The first is a fairly narrow look through one character's eyes - this one expands out significantly. Despite that, I found myself a little bit bored by it. The world is not that deep, the depths of the characters are fairly predictable, and it is again a sort of coming of age story. Basically, young adult fiction with bonus gore. And a little bit of a morals story in the background.

The story was enjoyable enough. But I can't imagine rereading it.

Everything I wrote in my review of the first book in Joe Abercrombie's "Shattered Sea" series applies to this book, "Half the World:" plenty of "blood, guts, death, dismemberment, torment, meanness, etc. in this book, but it's been tempered by a slightly rosy suggestion of cleverness and maybe (just maybe) a hint of decency. Abercrombie's writing is very good and the world, plot, and characters are all very well done." If anything, this book is even better. So, I'm pleased to rate it at an Excellent 5 stars out of 5. If you liked the first one, definitely get this one.

The novels in Joe Abercrombie's "Shattered Sea" series are:

1. Half a King (Shattered Sea Book 1)
2. Half the World (Shattered Sea Book 2)
3. Half a War (Shattered Sea Book 3)

I haven't had a chance to read Half a King shattered sea, the first novel in this series. I will though because I want to read the back story on the key characters. Even without it, Half The World stands on its own as a great read. I just love Thorn, just so full of grit, guts and determination. She is a hell of a female hero. I loved the fight scenes, even the practice ones. I liked how the Brand situation simmered without taking up a lot of the story. The fight where she takes a dagger through the face, she is just insanely determined soul. My favorite part comes in the last fight scene between Thorn and Gorm, fantastic descriptive show down with a shock ending. Many of the characters have their individual wants and needs that are so interesting that a different book could be written from their point of view. Enjoyed Half The World tremendously.

The first volume deals with Prince Yarvi and his new position as priest. The second installment brigs forth the story of another character Thorn Bathu - a girl-warrior who manages amazing feats of bravery during the long voyage the new high priest and his motley crew engages in in order to secure alliances to save his land and his mother. Thorn Bathu has a complicated and endearing development and the love story between her and Brand (their tentative, twisted, prickly, love-hate-dance) is the highlight of this book. Didn't like it so much as the previous one though.

This second book in the Shattered Sea series doesn't hit quite the same notes as the first book but is still entertaining. While introducing a new character in Thorn, there are many familiar faces from the first book and the sense of lowered stakes as a result. The plot revolves around a voyage to obtain allies for an upcoming war. Abercrombie is great at writing action scenes and its no surprise that there are several along the journey. Just as predictable is the sitcom-ish romance centered around a series of miscommunications. It's kludgey foil to the ease in which Thorn otherwise overcomes the other obstacles in her way. Overall, it's still a fun read and it does build up the larger story but the reliance on formula and the reduced stakes of being a middle book are detractions.

More what I expect from Abercrombie than the first book, main characters were more compelling. Pretty dark and gritty for young fiction. I can't say I was all that crazy about the first book's main characters so it didn't bother be when they took backstage in this one. I wasn't crazy about the reader of the audible version. Most of his dialect ranges between Scotty from Star Trek and Scotty from Star Trek. I realize Thorn is a tough, gruff, tomboy, but to give her the voice of Lennie from Mice and Men with Scottish accent was very odd. I can usually tell when a female character is talking, not in this read.

The second book didn't hold a candle to the first. I don't like that Yarvi who successfully carried the first book was not the protagonist. Thorn was wearisome at times as was Brand. The book was ok but nowhere near as entertaining as book 1 and nowhere near as atrocious as book 3 was. The series was in a steady decline after book 1 which was quite good.

If you read Half a King, you are familiar with Joe Amercrombie's alternate Viking-esque world. Now Minister Yarvi becomes more of a secondary character to the young warrior wannabes Thorn and Brand, but Yarvi is still well represented. I enjoyed Ambercrombie's use of these two new characters to enhance Yarvi's story line, giving the readers a different angle to absorb. The Bloody Nine is my favorite of JA's characters, but by the end of this novel, Thorn definitely climbs the ladder.

Well written and action packed with Thorn's character and story line paying homage to the one of fantasy's original strong female warrior characters; Eowyn of the House of Eorl (LOTR Return of the King). Thorn, like Eowyn, struggles to find acceptance as a female warrior in a man's world and even follows a similar story arc. If you enjoyed Half a King, this is a must read.

I listened to Half the World on audio and didn't realize it was the second in the Shattered Sea series until I was into it. At first I thought Abercrombie was treating his characters rather lightly, especially Father Yarvi. Of course, when I realized that Yarvi was the protagonist of Book 1, which I had not read (or listened to), that he was not fully fleshed out, nor some of his close companions, made sense, because there characters were introduced and developed in Half a King. So, I relaxed and enjoyed the development of the two main characters of Book 2, Thorn and Brand. And theirs is a stirring adventure turned love story.

Abercrombie is a "deep-cunning" writer. Whenever you think you know what's coming next, expect to be surprised. Characters you expect to die, live, and vice versa. Fights you expect to be won are lost; and battles that must surely be lost are won. Some readers might find the plot twists annoying, but it's like sparring with a master who knows far more tricks than you, the pupil. When he shows the weak leg or drops the shield, expect a feint rather than an opening.

Well now. That was one helluva book!!!! After enjoying Half a King so much, I was curious to see how this one would hold up. And it was absolutely fantastic! The characters in this book were so great. Thorn is one of a kind and in all the best ways. She is a strong woman in every sense of the word and Abercrombie did a wonderful job with her character. As did he with Brand. And it was wonderful to see a different perspective on Yarvi, our main character from Half a King.

Abercrombie expanded this world seamlessly by showing it to us from a slightly different angle than book one. And that made the world and this book all the better for doing so.

I truly loved everything about this book from the characters to the world to the very words used. What a truly fantastic read.

This is a solid follow up to Half A King. I'd not recommend reading this as a stand alone since so much ground work was laid in the first book. Instead of focusing on Yarvi, this book centers on Thorn and Brand, two would-be warriors. Yarvi is ever present in this book as a matured and powerful minister. It was fun to see him grow into this role from the first book.

Abercrombie writes with a sure hand and I felt confident that this book would be fulfilling.There is quite a bit of"wagon training" in the first couple hundred pages;it is a huge buildup to the book's climax. The travel adventures did get a bit long for my taste although in the end I felt like I knew what the author was trying to build. For me one odd note: there are 2 female characters on the quest with very similar names; I spent half the book trying to distinguish them and making sure I knew who was who. I am not clear why their names needed to be quite so alike.

A very good follow up,definitely moved the story ahead; I look forward to what is to come!

I received this through Goodreads first reads for my honest review.

AHHHHHHH!! When does the third come out? I CAN'T WAIT!! Joe Abercrombie you are amazing!! This is one of the best epic high fantasy I have read in a long time (besides the first book.) Once again Joe delivers with his well rounded characters and great world building!

This time you follow Thorn and Brand as they make names for themselves throughout the Shattered Sea. All our first loves from Half a King appear in Half the World but Joe Abercombie also introduces a lot of new characters. I thought that I might not connect with the characters like I did in the first book but that wasn't a problem. Soon I found myself laughing, crying and jumping up and down giddily with all the characters; new and old! I do wish that Nothing had more book time in this one but I also thought that about Yarvi at the beginning of the book. One of the new characters was Skifr and I loved her!! She was like a female Nothing and so much more!! Another was Fror. For some reason I really liked him as well!

THIS IS ANOTHER BOOK THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ! GO BUY IT NOW! IT'S A MUST!!

As HALF THE WORLD began (bear with me a sec) I was utterly surprised by how bad it was. The sentences were awkward and ill-conceived... AND YET, MAGICALLY at the 11% point (I was reading this on a kindle) it changed. I was engrossed. I was very happy. This was turning into an okay story. I was invested and entertained by the characters.

But ultimately it's not a book I will thrusting upon any of my adult friends. The story remains fun to the end but it's definitely more YA and even MG than was warranted.

So... UNEVEN. That's the conclusion I came to. AND for young adults and some regular adults I suspect it's a great read but for me the YA cliches left me wishing that this had been a book written for Adults.

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4-5 STARS for Young folk who like adventurous tales. UPDATED NOTE that the later books are different. More for older Teens. Mild Violence and mild 'Adult Situations' in the later books.

A guy-friendly read.

Begining a few years after "Half a King", the sequel picks up with the High King continuing his plot to undermine Gettland. Yarvi is dispatched on a mission to gain the support of other kingdoms to check the High King's power and hopefully diffuse the looming war. The world gets bigger and the plots thicker as he journey's beyond the Shattered Sea in the quest for allies.

In an interesting move the protagonist in this one is a brand new character, a girl named Thorn, while Yarvi is present only in a supporting role. Again we are treated to a coming of age story wrapped in a fun Viking adventure. Abercrombie's sharp wit is omnipresent and he keeps the story moving at speedy clip. I can't say this one was better than HaK, but it's a swashbucklingly fast read that I enjoyed a lot. I've tried some of Abercrombie's adult fare and found it far too dark. His YA material is really fun though. I'm eagerly awaiting the third book.

As with the first book in this series, this is a fun and light version of Joe Abercrombie's stories - which is to say, it will still be too violent for some. The first is a fairly narrow look through one character's eyes - this one expands out significantly. Despite that, I found myself a little bit bored by it. The world is not that deep, the depths of the characters are fairly predictable, and it is again a sort of coming of age story. Basically, young adult fiction with bonus gore. And a little bit of a morals story in the background.

The story was enjoyable enough. But I can't imagine rereading it.

Everything I wrote in my review of the first book in Joe Abercrombie's "Shattered Sea" series applies to this book, "Half the World:" plenty of "blood, guts, death, dismemberment, torment, meanness, etc. in this book, but it's been tempered by a slightly rosy suggestion of cleverness and maybe (just maybe) a hint of decency. Abercrombie's writing is very good and the world, plot, and characters are all very well done." If anything, this book is even better. So, I'm pleased to rate it at an Excellent 5 stars out of 5. If you liked the first one, definitely get this one.

The novels in Joe Abercrombie's "Shattered Sea" series are:

1. Half a King (Shattered Sea Book 1)
2. Half the World (Shattered Sea Book 2)
3. Half a War (Shattered Sea Book 3)

When Half a King came out in 2014, I absolutely devoured it. Joe Abercrombie's story was a breath of fresh air in the YA fantasy genre; I couldn't wait to read more! Enter Half the World and I jumped right in... and then put it down... picked it back up... put it down... and then finally finished it almost a year later. I found this second entry to be so much slower than the debut and it just was not holding my interest. As much as I liked new characters, Thorn and Brand, I just did not care about their looooooong sea journey. Even the presence of Father Yarvi couldn't liven the joint up. I slogged through until about 65% and then things finally started to look up. I found myself reading faster and faster, eager to see what happened to everyone, especially Thorn. I loved seeing characters from the previous book and that the storylines started there, paid off here. I loved the evolution of Thorn Bathu and Brand's realization of where in society he was happy. I loved the fights and the intrigue and the backstabbing. I do say, the ending of this book was damn near glorious. But to get there, I had to deal with the overly wordy, too detailed, dare I say boring sea voyage first. Yes, there were some good pages spread here and there, but those jewels were buried deep. Thank Lord Grimdark that this book picked up midway through; I would have hated to DNF this series.

Thank you to Harper Voyager via Netgalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Review originally posted at BadassBookReviews.com!

I haven't had a chance to read Half a King shattered sea, the first novel in this series. I will though because I want to read the back story on the key characters. Even without it, Half The World stands on its own as a great read. I just love Thorn, just so full of grit, guts and determination. She is a hell of a female hero. I loved the fight scenes, even the practice ones. I liked how the Brand situation simmered without taking up a lot of the story. The fight where she takes a dagger through the face, she is just insanely determined soul. My favorite part comes in the last fight scene between Thorn and Gorm, fantastic descriptive show down with a shock ending. Many of the characters have their individual wants and needs that are so interesting that a different book could be written from their point of view. Enjoyed Half The World tremendously.

The first volume deals with Prince Yarvi and his new position as priest. The second installment brigs forth the story of another character Thorn Bathu - a girl-warrior who manages amazing feats of bravery during the long voyage the new high priest and his motley crew engages in in order to secure alliances to save his land and his mother. Thorn Bathu has a complicated and endearing development and the love story between her and Brand (their tentative, twisted, prickly, love-hate-dance) is the highlight of this book. Didn't like it so much as the previous one though.

This second book in the Shattered Sea series doesn't hit quite the same notes as the first book but is still entertaining. While introducing a new character in Thorn, there are many familiar faces from the first book and the sense of lowered stakes as a result. The plot revolves around a voyage to obtain allies for an upcoming war. Abercrombie is great at writing action scenes and its no surprise that there are several along the journey. Just as predictable is the sitcom-ish romance centered around a series of miscommunications. It's kludgey foil to the ease in which Thorn otherwise overcomes the other obstacles in her way. Overall, it's still a fun read and it does build up the larger story but the reliance on formula and the reduced stakes of being a middle book are detractions.

More what I expect from Abercrombie than the first book, main characters were more compelling. Pretty dark and gritty for young fiction. I can't say I was all that crazy about the first book's main characters so it didn't bother be when they took backstage in this one. I wasn't crazy about the reader of the audible version. Most of his dialect ranges between Scotty from Star Trek and Scotty from Star Trek. I realize Thorn is a tough, gruff, tomboy, but to give her the voice of Lennie from Mice and Men with Scottish accent was very odd. I can usually tell when a female character is talking, not in this read.

The second book didn't hold a candle to the first. I don't like that Yarvi who successfully carried the first book was not the protagonist. Thorn was wearisome at times as was Brand. The book was ok but nowhere near as entertaining as book 1 and nowhere near as atrocious as book 3 was. The series was in a steady decline after book 1 which was quite good.

Another amazing book by Joe Abercrombie.

With just as many twists and turns as the first book in this trilogy, Half the World kept me riveted from start to finish. I love the characters, the writing, and the speed at which the story unfolds. The only thing about this book that was disappointing was that it had to end.

Thank goodness the third book is already out and I don’t have to wait for what I’m sure will be the next amazing book in this trilogy.

With well-rounded, strong characters, an exciting plot and detailed world-building, Joe Abercrombie has cemented his place as one of my favorite fantasy authors with this second installment in the Shattered Sea trilogy.

Things started off a little slowly for me because it had been a while since I had read the first book, Half a King. It took a little bit for me to get my bearings and remember who's who and where they are. It also threw me a little that this book does not center on Yarvi, but rather on two other characters, Thorn and Bran. Yarvi is now Father Yarvi and is the minister to his uncle, now the King. He is just as cunning as ever and everything he does has an underlying motivation. Thorn and Bran are young people training to become warriors. Through various circumstances they end up following Yarvi across the world while he's trying to gain allies for his country in what looks to be the coming war with the High King.

Thorn is a seriously bad-ass chick. Everything she has she gets by hard work. She's a flawed character who sometimes jumps to conclusions and makes bad decisions, but you can't help but cheer for her. She's impetuous and acts without thinking. She gains some serious fighting skills. Bran is the opposite. He's the strong, silent type. He's more slow and thoughtful and aims to "do good" above all else. Both characters are well-written and complex. The supporting characters are a mix of new and familiar faces from Half a King. They round out the cast well and even offer some comic relief.

We learn a little more about this world and there are more details peppered throughout that hint that this may be set in the far-future and we, the reader, might be these elves they speak of with such reverence. It's an interesting concept. The setting are described in enough detail that you can visualize them but not so much that you're bogged down.

This book really shines in it's action scenes. This book would translate really well to the screen and I could absolutely "see" all of the battle scenes while reading. They were completely enthralling and I couldn't pull my eyes away.

Overall, while it started out slow, this book quickly built to a fast-paced, exciting read with strong characters and settings. I am very eagerly awaiting the third book in this trilogy. This book has definite crossover appeal and adult fans of fantasy would enjoy as well as YA readers. Highly recommended.

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Left dangling with anticipation in “Half a King,” many readers will be delighted that Joe Abercrombie’s soon-to-be-released 384 page hardback, “Half the Word” is about to see the light of day. In this new work the author picks up a few old friends who are drawn into perilous adventures with new oar-mates, forged together by sweat, fear, fighting and savagery, into a family of sorts. Their exploits take them through half the world, creating much needed, but unlooked for, alliances for Gettland, while overcoming obstructions, conflicts, and vows for revenge.
“Half the World” revolves around a young teenage girl, Thorn Bathu, who has vowed to one day kill Grom-gil-Gorm, the Breaker of Swords and Maker of Orphans, and the killer of her father. The determination runs deep in her blood, and drives her every waking and sleeping moment. She trains in Master Hunnan’s school with this ambition in mind, only to be set up for failure, and through an accident in the sparring ring, finding herself declared a murderer. From here the making of a warrior in all of her the storeian intensity begins in earnest as Father Yarvi, now the King’s minister, takes her under his wing on his extended journey to the First of Cities, which is half a world away. Thorn is trained by a skilled fighting woman, Skifr, throughout the long voyage, strengthening her muscles, sharpening her skills, and stiffening her resolve. Thorn’s finely fashioned fighting abilities will pay off in winning the heart of the new, young and inexperienced Empress Vialine. Thorn’s daring in defending the Empress, almost singlehandedly, against seven warriors and the sinister Duke Mikedas, will shape an unlooked for alliance between the Empress, her Empire and Gettland.
The expedition sails aboard the South Winds, with a rugged and ruthless crew that includes Rulf the helmsman who had travelled with Father Yarvi in the previous book. But the crew also includes Brand, one of Thorn’s fellow students from Master Hunnan’s school. Brand, orphaned young, has found himself betrayed for his honesty, and similarly pulled into Father Yarvi’s cunning agenda. The adolescent dynamic between Brand and Thorn is stiff but tolerable at first, and then turns icy cold on the return trip from the First of Cities, only to melt into heated embraces in the last third of the book. Both Thorn and Brand develop from the uneasiness of their youth into more mature individuals who find something of their place and purpose in the world. There are wonderful turns and twists through most of “Half the World” that will keep a reader on their bookish toes, turning pages, and biting their nails.
Yet, the wheels of “Half the World” begin to deflate in the last third of the book, where the storyline becomes tired and trudges along. One wonders if the plot becomes more plodding because the author starts imposing steamy love scenes between Thorn and Brand that add nothing to the story, or did the author sense the narrative sagging and so brings in the intrusive sexual trysts to spice things up? There is a shorter, similar scene between Father Yarvi and Sumael. Though none of them are outright pornographic, the scenes are distracting, disappointing and downright unnecessary. Maybe I should have expected that something like this might come about, since earlier in the book I was taken aback by the immodest description of Thorn’s discomforting moment of menstruation that I imagine would bring a blush to many young women’s cheeks. As a father of girls who have grown to womanhood, I know from experience that they would rather the whole business be kept private and not displayed for all to see. In the end, none of these episodes add any value to the plotline, but instead cheapen what was a great story.
“Half the World” began with promises of being just as good, if not better, than “Half a King”. But it ended up sagging its way into being only half the book it promised to be. Sadly, I find it difficult to recommend.
My thanks to Random House Publishing and Net Galley for the temporary e-copy of this book used for this review.

Fantastic second installment. Abercrombie departs from Father Yarvi as the lead character. While he still plays a major role, especially in the second half of the book, this is Thorn and Brand's book. She a teenage warrior beyond compare, and he is a teen who has not only great strength, but also great strength of character. This volume primarily deals with Yarvi and company's travels hither and yon trying to enlist allies for coming confrontation with the High King. Abercrombie is a riveting storyteller, and I look forward to reading Half A War, the concluding volume in the triology. Highly recommended.

5 Stars!

This book was simply amazing! I was completely enchanted by this story from the first page until the very last word. I was so excited to get my hands on an early copy of this book because I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Half a King. I had really high expectations when I started this book and I was a little fearful that this book wouldn't be able to compare to the first book in the series. This book is just as awesome as the first in the series.

"Fools boast of what they will do. Heroes do it"

I believe that this story is best experienced as the story is being read so I am not going to give any of the plot away in this review. Joe Abercrombie has created one of the most likable, fierce, and kick ass female characters that I have encountered. Thorn has been kissed by Mother War and is more a warrior than most men that hold that position. She fights for a chance to do what she feels in her blood but is met with resistance. After a few twists of fate, she finds herself serving Father Yarvi. Brand is another main character in this story who I loved Brand just as much as I loved Thorn. Brand is a quiet man who is willing to do the right thing despite what it may cost him.

"A fool doesn't fear. A warrior stands in spite of his fear. You stood."

The writing in this story was excellent. I felt for all of the characters. I experienced their anger, their fear, and their joy. I cheered for them when things went well and my heart broke a little when things didn't go so well. The fact that I felt of these emotions while reading this story is really a credit to the author. I loved the world that this story is set in and some of the visual images that come to mind from this world are just amazing. The pacing of the story was perfect with enough building of characters between the action scenes. I even found myself being completely amused by some of the dialog between the characters. Everything is this book is perfectly balanced.

"Your trouble is you make everyone's trouble your trouble."

I do think that this book could be read as a stand alone novel as the story contained in this book is complete. On second thought though, the first book is absolutely incredible so I don't know why anyone would want to skip it so I would recommend that readers read this story in order. Many of the characters from the first book are back in the sequel as fans of the series will be happy to note. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. I think that everyone really should give this series a try - it really is that good. This is only the second book by Joe Abercrombie that I have read and both books have been amazing. I plan to read much more by this author in the future.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group via Net Galley.

A pretty good fantasy novel with a Viking type world that was basically ruined by the writer's attempt to insert some romance between two of the main characters, Thorn and Brand.
While Joe Abercrombie can write a decent fantasy/adventure novel, writing romance is not one of his strong suits.
The romance between Thorn and Brand is not only poorly written, it ranks up there with some of the worst YA type romance novels in awkward posturing and obsessive thinking by the characters.
I was actually getting into the story up until the point when the awkwardly written romance reared it's ugly head, and I could read no more after that, as it permeated the story almost to the exclusion of anything else.

If you don't mind some gag worthy romance in a story, you might like this adventure, but if you have a weak stomach, skip this one.

Not recommend

As sequel to Half A King, Half the World doesn't quite measure up but still is a good read. This story has two main characters - Thorn and Brand. Both fail to pass their warrior's test and are recruited by Father Yarvi to join him on a journey seeking allies that will help Gettland take on the high king. They face many obstacles and do a lot of growing up in the process. Looking forward to the final book in the trilogy.

He's a genius. What a great book. What makes this guy so great is his ability to write a brilliant books in so many different ways. This book being no exception. He's able to use different formulas practically each time and still produces a captivating story. This book features 2 completely different characters that weren't in half a king, yet it continues the trilogy, and it does it really, really well.

4.5 stars and eagerly awaiting the final book in the trilogy.

Although I did not read the first book prior to picking this up, I didn't feel lost at any time as the author does a great job of making this a stand alone story. From other reviews I've seen, this may even be a good thing, as I'm not comparing the book to the first and then getting let down.

Abercrombie paints a rich and tough world and inhabits it by well developed characters that propels the reader to continue on.

The second book in Joe Abercrombie's Shattered Sea trilogy lacks the fast-paced charm of the first, but it's still a solid adventure story in the now-familiar line of gritty epic fantasy. Yarvi, protagonist of the first book, is a supporting character here, and the focus is on Thorn and Brand, two young would-be warriors of Gettland. An incident near the end of their training guarantees that neither one will have quite the heroic future they anticipate, but Yarvi's intervention sets then on an even more perilous journey. With an extra protagonist and an extra hundred pages, Half the World lacks the taut directness of Half a King, and bogs down slightly around its midpoint. The added length also makes more glaring the predictability of certain plot developments, and reduces the potency of Abercrombie's typical dark-edged banter and thematic asides. Nonetheless, the book will appeal to readers who (like me) enjoy the occasional escape into a world that reflects the moral complexities of our own, but in an atmosphere of heightened drama.

This book keeps you enthralled by pulling you in with the characters emotions. Thorn is at first an unlikely heroine but the author keeps you interested and invested in her growth as a warrior by his own skills as a writer. I look forward to the next installment of this series.

Half the World was an even better look into this world than Half a King with a couple new POVs that really sold it. Yarvi is still present and central to the story, but nothing is done from his POV. It's actually much better we don't see things from his angle. Thorn is the standout character and quite the young lady that has shades of what Monza from Best Served Cold becomes. I can't wait for the final act.

HALF THE WORLD by Joe Ambercrombie

If there is a better writer of epics than Joe Abercrombie, I would like to read his books, but I doubt that there is such a writer. I will not compare, because such a comparison would be only of my opinion. However, every book by Abercrombie amazes me with its depth of plot and character, the absolute brilliance of the book' combat, and the taut and economical prose.
Without wasting words, people and locations come alive, emotions are laid bare and thoughts are captured.

This is the second volume of the trilogy and I know that the third will be a great as the other two.

Recommendation: buy it, read it: the book will waste neither your time nor your money.

Note: combat is with edged weapons, so expect blood and gore. A very little bit of sexual love.
A bit of wizardry, and reference to elves, but this book is about human conflict in a world resembling our medieval one.

High Fantasy, 363pgs.

It's hard to talk about what I enjoyed of this book without talking about what bothered me. So, I hope I don't muck it up. I liked the characters but it was really confusing trying to keep all the kings and courts straight. Who hated who; I couldn't keep that straight much either. The author's writing style is similar to Stephen King, in that they both love, love, love to take chapters to describe things. And, man does he love his metaphors. Reigning in a little would have made the reading easier for sure. There were many times where I had to read paragraphs over again once or twice to try and figure out what was going on. I doubt I would ever read anything more of this series or this author. Not bad, but not great either with the struggle.

It was just ok. I found it hard to relate to the self loathing characters. I realize everyone has doubts about themselves from time to time but the characters in this book seem to delve a little deep into the oh poor me bag. The story was ok if somewhat predictable though.

Book 2 is a will written SI-FI thriller with well developed interesting characters. The adventure flows from beginning too the end of book. The action is like you are there. Everything ties together too be continued in the 3rd book in the series. I would recommend this series too anyone who enjoys adventure series that are will written. Enjoy reading

I usually give fantasy novels a wide berth as they take themselves far too seriously but having read and enjoyed Half a King, I got struck straight into this novel. Enjoyed this tale as well. Still got the humour and Yarvi of the first novel plus two interesting new characters, Brand and Thorn.

Great fun. Great story. Buy it!

Ray Smillie

Meh. I had a hard time getting through this one. I am a big fan of Abercrombie's and have read all of his books, which is why I gifted a 3 star review on what was quite honestly probably a 2 star book. Without going into a glorified book report that so many reviewers are fond of writing here, I have really tried to articulate what the strengths and weaknesses of this book are.
PROS:The writing is enjoyable and Abercrombie has a great way of expressing things in a unique and often funny way. I love the fact that Father Yarvi is so much smarter than everyone (Tyrion Lannister, anyone?) and that he is so manipulative. The book is easy to read and fast-paced enough to keep the reader's attention.
CONS: Much of the story is utterly transparent and unimaginative. I almost wonder if Abercrombie's editors really changed his plots because the first book was much less formulaic. The new protagonist Thorn (who is basically Shy South) is the cliche' angsty teenager who is struggling to make it as a fierce warrior even though she is a woman. She is the best, but faces constant ridicule and set back because of her gender. Okay G.I Jane...I get it.
Perhaps the most unforgivable aspect of this book is the love affair between Thorn and Brand. Ugh, that just went on and on and on. The constant whining of "She hates me...or does she" and "I like him, but don't know how to show it" really gets old quick. It was like reading a fantasy version of the Hunger Games. And it is pervasive through 3/4 of the book. I almost put the book down over that.
Brand is equally frustrating to read about, with his constant self-loathing and cowardice. He is big and strong on the outside, but a gentle giant who only wants to "do good". Been there, done that. I feel like Abercrombie really wanted to flesh out his characters so they would seem more rounded, but ended up falling into clichés. Unfortunate.
While I respect Abercrombie's attempt to change the narrative of the book by adding additional POV characters, I just feel it made the book worse.

I guess I'm done beating up on the book. The book was okay, but far below the standards I expect from Abercrombie. I will still buy the third book when it comes out because this is the only disappointing book I've read of his. I just hope he really takes his time and sticks with what has been working for him in all his other books.

This trilogy is Abercrombie's best so far. The characters are well developed and the story has some good twists. Each character, no matter how minor has some story to them that makes you want to know more.

I feel like the growth of Thorn is one of the most believable character transformations I've read in a long, long time. I could sense the passing of time (the book takes place over a year), and actually believed the changes she showed. For that alone, I'm giving five stars. Excellent read, looking forward to the third.

This book is a tale about a group of Vikings, in particular a young woman and young man growing up in a warrior world. Thorn is the angry daughter of a slain Viking father. She has a chip on her shoulder a mile wide, with little or no social skills, she doesn’t make friends easily.

Brand is the young male character, a man born of peace not war, who’s having a little trouble not only with Thorn, but fitting into the violent world he lives in. Brand saves Thorn from being stoned to death and the two of them take off together on an adventure that leads them to foreign lands-an adventure that forges the two into adults, friends and something more.

I found the book a great Fantasy read, well plotted with characters you can relate to. I’m glad I discovered Joe Ambercrombie’s work. I hope to read more of his books soon.

This fantasy book was one of the best I've read in years. I've read Peter Brett, Brent Weeks, and Patrick Rothfuss recent books (and can't wait for Scott Lynch's new book) and feel this Abercrombie outing is on par with them, and harkens back to Abercrombie's earlier trilogy in terms of quality. There is lots of humor, no shortage of action, and lots of Game-of Thrones shenanigans in this book. The pacing is lightning quick, and the story leaves me hungry to read the next book in the series. I don't think new readers will need to read the first book to enjoy this book, but they will definitely want to go back after finishing this to see what they missed.

Highly recommended!

Before I retired after 30 years of military service, and preparing to go on another "campaign", I picked up a Joe Abercrombie book and after about 30 pages, immediately ran back grabbed up several more including Shattered Sea Book 1. They kept me entertained when things we did on a "campaign" slowed down enough to allow a good read. Now That I'm retired, I have managed to have all his novels placed in a kindle which travels with me on more relaxing trips. Shattered Sea 2 has violence which it must have for this story, but not too gory, some sex, but there is a unique relationship, thus it needs it and not overpowering in the book. He's that good Shipmates !!!!

The story was powerful, and the heroine's transformation was satisfying. It was kind of hard in the opening chapters to see her suffer at the hands of the established patriarchy, but the payoff is worth it. I would recommend it as an unique take on the genre.

This is a review of Half the World in audible/audiobook form.

For starters, John Keating is a poor narrator. He emphasizes odd (off) points of sentences, stumbles over dialogue, fails to bring characters to life, and has poor modularity/pitch. Coming from Steven Pacey's otherworldly performances reading the First Law Trilogy this is like going from Disney World to a County Fair

In terms of content it's uninspiring. Half a King had some good suspense and compelling characters. Half a World never really invites you in to feel for Thorn and Brand (like I did for Yarvi's and Nothing's plight).

I may pick it back up in paperback form as at one point as I just couldn't take the narration any longer. Too bad.

4.5 Stars A great sequel to Half a King, this novel has all the key ingredients that made the first book such a good read: a daunting and adventurous journey, excellent world-building (similar to Vikings), cool fight scenes, and some well-written and interesting characters. A few characters come back for this installment, but some new ones are the focal point. For older YA and adults. Read the first book in the series before this one.

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Another book worth buying in hardback from an author climbing the ranks in my list of fantasy authors. His gritty twisted tales keep me up too late reading and this is no acception. This series, while possibly not as gloriously bloody and dark as Best Served Cold (my fave) is an easy 5 stars by the second installment and the place to start your Abercrombie addiction.

This book was very well written. So much happens to the characters and they are almost set up to fail. But somehow the author manages to make them stronger without it being cliche and doesn't let them turn whiney.

I'll base this rating on my firm belief that anything Joe Abercrombie writes is worth something, but after my disappointment with its predecessor and the reviews here, I think I'll spare myself the disappointment of reading this one and just go read the Blade trilogy and Heros again. My those were heady days! I yearn for their return and have hope JA will some day be able to write like that again. Or should I say, chooses to write like that again, as it occurs to me that those earlier works were more adult oriented and it looks like these newer titles are definitely targeting a younger audience. I'll continue keeping an eye on Mr. abercrombie's offerings. The First Law Trilogy, Red Country, Best Served Cold and Heros were full of such wonderful writing and story telling that i devoured and relished them all completely. My advice, if you haven't already, read them first.

I was disappointed in Half a King, it was just missing something. Abercrombie is one of my favorite authors and he just reinforced that with Half the World. An engaging story with his main characters scratching their way out of the muck right off the bat. I liked Father Yarvi much more in his conniving role as minister.

Half the World is a coming of age tale, with two main protagonists, Thorn and Brand. Father Yarvi returns from Half a King, but he's a prominent supporting character rather than the main focus. Thorn and Brand both want to be warriors, but the King's Master at Arms, Hunnan, rejects them both. Thorn because she's a girl, and Brand because he speaks up against unjust treatment of Thorn. Not because he has any particular soft spot for Thorn, or because he feels girls should be allowed to be fighters, but because what Hunnan does in the course of pushing Thorn out is pretty vile.

Just as in Half a King, the High King is still plotting against Gettland, and Father Yarvi forms an expedition to gather allies, and he decides to bring both main characters along. This book is primarily about that voyage across, well, half the world, and its consequences. Yarvi's decision to bring them is not an arbitrary one, but the details of why don't come out until late in the book.

Abercrombie continues to bring a gritty and realistic view of common fantasy themes. Thorn isn't nearly as good a fighter as she thinks she is, and at one point he delves into how ugly petty little border raids really are. Thorn's a rather unpleasant person despite being one of two primary characters. I never warmed to her, even though it's clear that we're expected to. This would be a difficult book to read if Brand weren't far more likable, even if he usually doesn't know what to say. Brand rather stands out considering the author, since Abercrombie usually writes people who are more ethically gray than Brand. Yarvi definitely has "one shoulder in the shadow," as the book puts it.

The "Shattered Sea" books have a distinct Scandinavian flavor to them, as if they were written about an alternate Norway with frequent Viking raids a part of the landscape, but they're clearly post-post apocalypse. So long after the fall of civilization as we know it that the people can't read pre-fall writing and see the remnants of technology as unfathomable magic, even if there are clues that are obvious to us. Yet this is deep background for the stories, since they're not at all about understanding the past, and "elf artifacts" are rare and baffling treasures. You could take out the references to elves without altering the story a bit - it's not clear if Abercrombie will make this important in a future novel, but so far he hasn't.

While Half a King and Half a World are parts of a series, one the Abercrombie clearly intends to continue, both are reasonable standalone novels. Both have a definite beginning and end, the absence of which is a common problem with series books. I've enjoyed both of them, and I look forward to additional stories.

Half The World is a much better book than its predecessor Half A King, as it shifts the focus from Yarvi to Thorn and Brand. These 2 young warriors will be honed by Yarvi in his attempt to get back his crown. I wasn't a fan Joe Abercrombie's first book but this sequel has nicely brought me round to this trilogy as I can't wait to read the trilogy ender Half A War to see how brutally this Nordic saga ends

This is a fine YA novel, but it could have been better. There's a lot that we've read before in other books. However, the author gives us a good sound plot and enjoyable characters. I do feel there was a bit too much effort expended in making this a YA novel. Even so, this will no doubt be a continuing series. It's readable and enjoyable, but again, a bit over familiar.

4.5 Stars A great sequel to Half a King, this novel has all the key ingredients that made the first book such a good read: a daunting and adventurous journey, excellent world-building (similar to Vikings), cool fight scenes, and some well-written and interesting characters. A few characters come back for this installment, but some new ones are the focal point. For older YA and adults. Read the first book in the series before this one.

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Another book worth buying in hardback from an author climbing the ranks in my list of fantasy authors. His gritty twisted tales keep me up too late reading and this is no acception. This series, while possibly not as gloriously bloody and dark as Best Served Cold (my fave) is an easy 5 stars by the second installment and the place to start your Abercrombie addiction.

This book was very well written. So much happens to the characters and they are almost set up to fail. But somehow the author manages to make them stronger without it being cliche and doesn't let them turn whiney.

I'll base this rating on my firm belief that anything Joe Abercrombie writes is worth something, but after my disappointment with its predecessor and the reviews here, I think I'll spare myself the disappointment of reading this one and just go read the Blade trilogy and Heros again. My those were heady days! I yearn for their return and have hope JA will some day be able to write like that again. Or should I say, chooses to write like that again, as it occurs to me that those earlier works were more adult oriented and it looks like these newer titles are definitely targeting a younger audience. I'll continue keeping an eye on Mr. abercrombie's offerings. The First Law Trilogy, Red Country, Best Served Cold and Heros were full of such wonderful writing and story telling that i devoured and relished them all completely. My advice, if you haven't already, read them first.

I was disappointed in Half a King, it was just missing something. Abercrombie is one of my favorite authors and he just reinforced that with Half the World. An engaging story with his main characters scratching their way out of the muck right off the bat. I liked Father Yarvi much more in his conniving role as minister.

Half the World is a coming of age tale, with two main protagonists, Thorn and Brand. Father Yarvi returns from Half a King, but he's a prominent supporting character rather than the main focus. Thorn and Brand both want to be warriors, but the King's Master at Arms, Hunnan, rejects them both. Thorn because she's a girl, and Brand because he speaks up against unjust treatment of Thorn. Not because he has any particular soft spot for Thorn, or because he feels girls should be allowed to be fighters, but because what Hunnan does in the course of pushing Thorn out is pretty vile.

Just as in Half a King, the High King is still plotting against Gettland, and Father Yarvi forms an expedition to gather allies, and he decides to bring both main characters along. This book is primarily about that voyage across, well, half the world, and its consequences. Yarvi's decision to bring them is not an arbitrary one, but the details of why don't come out until late in the book.

Abercrombie continues to bring a gritty and realistic view of common fantasy themes. Thorn isn't nearly as good a fighter as she thinks she is, and at one point he delves into how ugly petty little border raids really are. Thorn's a rather unpleasant person despite being one of two primary characters. I never warmed to her, even though it's clear that we're expected to. This would be a difficult book to read if Brand weren't far more likable, even if he usually doesn't know what to say. Brand rather stands out considering the author, since Abercrombie usually writes people who are more ethically gray than Brand. Yarvi definitely has "one shoulder in the shadow," as the book puts it.

The "Shattered Sea" books have a distinct Scandinavian flavor to them, as if they were written about an alternate Norway with frequent Viking raids a part of the landscape, but they're clearly post-post apocalypse. So long after the fall of civilization as we know it that the people can't read pre-fall writing and see the remnants of technology as unfathomable magic, even if there are clues that are obvious to us. Yet this is deep background for the stories, since they're not at all about understanding the past, and "elf artifacts" are rare and baffling treasures. You could take out the references to elves without altering the story a bit - it's not clear if Abercrombie will make this important in a future novel, but so far he hasn't.

While Half a King and Half a World are parts of a series, one the Abercrombie clearly intends to continue, both are reasonable standalone novels. Both have a definite beginning and end, the absence of which is a common problem with series books. I've enjoyed both of them, and I look forward to additional stories.

Half The World is a much better book than its predecessor Half A King, as it shifts the focus from Yarvi to Thorn and Brand. These 2 young warriors will be honed by Yarvi in his attempt to get back his crown. I wasn't a fan Joe Abercrombie's first book but this sequel has nicely brought me round to this trilogy as I can't wait to read the trilogy ender Half A War to see how brutally this Nordic saga ends

This is a fine YA novel, but it could have been better. There's a lot that we've read before in other books. However, the author gives us a good sound plot and enjoyable characters. I do feel there was a bit too much effort expended in making this a YA novel. Even so, this will no doubt be a continuing series. It's readable and enjoyable, but again, a bit over familiar.

There might not be a better writer of gritty battles and characters on fantasy that Abercrombie. Everything to love about his writing is present in book two of the shattered sea trilogy. Get it and devour it.

While this one starts off with some interesting stuff, I found myself muttering "Who? What? Where? How? Why?" And "Did I miss a book somewhere?" "What happened to Yarvi - he was a good ambidextrous swordsman in Book One - between books, while I wasn't looking?" "Where are all the characters from _Half A King_, darn it?" If we're going to leap ahead through (evidently) several deaths and plot-changing events that the author chooses not to delineate in full, could he kindly give us a little heads-up at the beginning? Sort of like the old serials - "When last we saw Yarvi, he was a young Captain in the King's Guard. Since those halcyon days, X years have passed. (Blank) and (Blank) have passed on to the Tall Gods through the treachery of the evil (Blank). The throne has been occupied by (Blank), and Yarvi has become his Minister." See, that wasn't so difficult, Mr. Abercrombie - saves all sorts of labor for you AND relieves your readers' confusion in one short paragraph.

Great book. Abercrombie keeps getting better and better. While I miss Logan and the previous world Joe created prior to the Shattered Sea trilogy this is a welcome read with complex characters and plenty of action. Can't wait to read the conclusion to this series.

I had trouble with Half a King because I did not really find any characters I wanted to root for. That was not the case with Half the World. I really enjoyed the two main POV characters of Half the World. Neither was perfect, but their talents and shortcomings made them a formidable team. I am excited for the conclusion.

I find it very irritating when a publisher pumps up a short book by upping the type size to child large which has been done with this.
So don't be fooled by the page count. This is NOT a long book.
Having said that however, Joe just gets better and better IMO.
I loved this book and as usual can't wait for the next one.