Half a King (Shattered Sea Book 1)

I love Abercrombie. Every book of his up to now has been 5 stars. This one, though, even accounting for the fact that's it's YA, was pretty mediocre and seemed to be written on autopilot. I would have given it three stars because it's average for that genre, but went with two since a lot of people buying it will be fan's of his more adult stories. Really, don't bother buying this if you're a fan of his other stuff, you'll be disappointed. And don't buy it to support the author. I selfishly do not want him wasting his time writing this stuff when we could have been reading the first book of the Second Law trilogy. Sorry, Joe.

Spoiler's follow.

I could give you the cast of the characters and you could probably figure out the plot on your own. A prince, second in line for the throne. A King, his father. An older brother. The King's brother, the prince's uncle. A pirate captain. And a mix of slaves.

Hmm. What might happen? Exactly what you think.

I love Abercrombie. Every book of his up to now has been 5 stars. This one, though, even accounting for the fact that's it's YA, was pretty mediocre and seemed to be written on autopilot. I would have given it three stars because it's average for that genre, but went with two since a lot of people buying it will be fan's of his more adult stories. Really, don't bother buying this if you're a fan of his other stuff, you'll be disappointed. And don't buy it to support the author. I selfishly do not want him wasting his time writing this stuff when we could have been reading the first book of the Second Law trilogy. Sorry, Joe.

Spoiler's follow.

I could give you the cast of the characters and you could probably figure out the plot on your own. A prince, second in line for the throne. A King, his father. An older brother. The King's brother, the prince's uncle. A pirate captain. And a mix of slaves.

Hmm. What might happen? Exactly what you think.

One of the few authorities authors I pre-order. This is by far his worst effort to date. The new world? New mythology? It was all not up to what I've seen before; wafer thin characters, an ill-defined world, Howe??? A slap-dash work done to meet a contractual obligation. The sequel is off my pre-order list. He CAN do better. Yes , that is a challenge.

I've said it before, and I will say it again: Joe Abercrombie is literally The Hugo Awards incarnate. Get this book for your annoying 13 year old that doesn't have the attention span to finish Animal Farm, get it for your geriatric neighbor, get it for secret Santa, just buy it and read it. You won't regret it.

Oh how I missed this author. Have read dozens of good-but-not-great books since the last Abercrombie book. Read this in a couple days, really enjoyed getting to know Jarvi and his families. Sad I have to wait again.

While I was not thrilled with the first two chapters, this book flows fine. Give it a chance and know that as always a good read will come to mind. Make Joe Ambercrombi a regular read. This book leaves many open doors but only to a good reader who is willing to follow the dreams.

Oh how I missed this author. Have read dozens of good-but-not-great books since the last Abercrombie book. Read this in a couple days, really enjoyed getting to know Jarvi and his families. Sad I have to wait again.

While I was not thrilled with the first two chapters, this book flows fine. Give it a chance and know that as always a good read will come to mind. Make Joe Ambercrombi a regular read. This book leaves many open doors but only to a good reader who is willing to follow the dreams.

Another great bundle of gritty, violent and yet strangely charming fantasy by Mr. Abercrombie. As always the case with his books, I could not put it down. The treachery, the boiling anger and bitterness, it is all so real, you get drawn info the story and soon you forget time and place. My congratulations to the author with yet another triumphant book!

Very disappointing. I am a HUGE fan of Abercrombie's earlier books, but this one was a big disappointment. The book seems unfinished - as if Abercormbie simply published the first sketch for a story without giving the characters any depth.

Joe is one of the best writers of our time. His other books astonish and fill a gap in modern fantasy/fiction literature. This book on the other hand is just...meh. Not bad, not good...just OK. Maybe it was the attempt at changing his audience (going to a YA market), which may succeed in the end, but I found the writing to be rather tame and watered down. Not surprising overall. His other work is not, in my opinion, appropriate for YA readers, so watering it down was the only solution. Note that this is not for his grimdark fans. It will not fill that need. If you go into it knowing that, it is a good read. If you are a die hard grimdark fan like me, it leaves something to be desired. If you are not, you will like it.

the store needs a way to clearly tell us this is a kids book.

I love Abercrombie, but I find it hard to believe this is the same author that has been writing these last few years.

Tired and predictable. Either a quick cash grab or a blatant attempt to get a movie series made.

"Half A King" is the first volume in Joe Abercrombie's Shattered Sea fantasy trilogy, and is, to sum it up in one sentence, a coming-of-age story that is set in a Viking-age fantasy world. I'll give the bare bones of the main story-line and try to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible, before I give my reasons for the star-rating I chose for this book.

"Half A King" tells the tale of Prince Yarvi, the youngest son of the Gettland king. Because he was born maimed - he has a twisted, knobby hand on one side - he is seen as only "half a man." Not suited to be a warrior, Yarvi is studying to become a minister. On the night before he's to take his final Minister's Test, which will make him renounce family and birthright, his uncle Odem brings world-shattering news: his father King Uthrik, and also his heir, Yarvi's elder brother, have both been treacherously murdered by the Vanstermen. And now, Yarvi is suddenly thrust into the kingship.

The thin golden band of the King's Circle on his brow, his bottom about to be planted on the Black Chair and a marriage to his cousin Isriun in the very near future, Yarvi now has to prove to his people that being maimed doesn't make him only "half a king." He must take up his father's sword and lead a raid against the Vanstermen in revenge, even though the High King has forbidden open war. As usual with Abercrombie, a lot of things end up having double meanings. Take for example the oath of vengeance he swears before he sets out: "Let it be a chain upon me and a goad within me."

Before long, Yarvi is in chains indeed. Treachery during the raid has him make a desperate dash for freedom. Although everyone else believes he dies in his escape attempt, he manages to survive by the skin of his teeth but ends up in Vansterland. Captured - but not recognized - he is sold as a slave to the owner of a merchant ship, and shackled to the oars. Making friends among his oar-mates, and even meeting someone who may become a love-interest, the largest part of "Half A King" is taken up with how he finds a way to escape his iron collar and manages to outwit his pursuers. He also needs to find a way to steal his throne back from those who tried to stab him in the back, while keeping the adage "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" firmly in mind. Suffice to say that Nothing will prepare him for the truth.

The final verdict. As can be expected from Joe Abercrombie, the writing is outstanding. So... why the four stars? Well, it all seemed to lack a certain depth. Yes, the basic story is good, but when compared to his other work, it seemed to me a bit watered down, although this might be because he still has to find his "voice" as this novel is intended for younger readers. In parts, it also got somewhat predictable, although he had me with one of the big twists at the end - that one I didn't see coming (to avoid spoilers, I'll keep it vague and will only say it involves a revelation about one of his companions). But that said, there were a tad too many other startling coincidences that made things less believable. Case in point: the `deus ex machina' that happens during the pursuit that forms the core of the book, and saves the life of one of Yarvi's companions. Hence the four stars.

This book is aimed at the YA-market, and as such, the tale is less grim and bleak than Abercrombie's usual work. The swearing is also toned down - let's call it PG-rated instead of R-rated, to use a movie analogy. Of course, as in all his novels, there's only a thin line between good and evil and his somewhat cynical worldview (in which everyone is morally ambiguous) and his trademarked dark humor is prevalent throughout the tale. Although it's the first in a trilogy, for those who now may groan and don't want to sink their teeth into another trilogy or (who knows) maybe yet another umpteenth-ology: "Half A King" also works very well as a standalone novel. So: recommended for fantasy lovers in search for a good read, or all Abercrombie fans out there.

I'll get to Half a King, but to understand why I don't think highly of it, some background:

Abercrombie's First Law series put him on the map as an author with excellent characterization ability (Glokta was pure genius); fluid interesting prose; "gritty realism"; AND, critically, a plot that fit together over the course of the three books in a clever, satisfying way. Not predictable or cliched. Sadly, in my opinion, it's been all downhill since The First Law series. Best Served Cold was a mediocre revenge novel with great characterization but a humdrum plot. The Heroes, once again, featured great characterization, but reverted to themes and scenarios (Union/North) war that he'd exhausted already, and - once again - Bayaz turns out to be the great behind-the-scenes manipulator of all. In The First Law, in unexpected ways; in The Heroes, more like deus ex machine, where he just tells us at the end, rather than the narrative revealing it cleverly. I found Red Country somewhat better. Once again, masterful characterization. But in terms of plot, yet another revenge story. No really interesting world building elements. And bringing back characters for the sake of it gets tiresome.

OK, now, "Half a King": first, once again, it's a revenge story; second, just like in Best Served Cold, it begins right away with our hero being thrown over the side and injured and then crawling her/his way back to get her/his revenge; third, Yarvi is a completely uninteresting and cliched character, the non-warrior in a warrior culture who uses his wits to prevail in the end - though there's nothing especially clever about how Yarvi does so; fourth, it was entirely predictable that "Nothing" would turn out to be a surprise relative or the like from Yarvi's past, and the scene where it's revealed is anticlimactic; fifth, we've all seen the trope of the weakling who's exposed to terrible conditions (here, rowing as a slave, freezing weather, etc.) and thereby "hardened" so that he's a "new man" who comes into his true, powerful self (and by the way, did Yarvi's ordeal and suffering on the boat remind anyone else of Kaladin's original ordeal as a bridgeman after, likewise, being sold into slavery after, likewise, being betrayed).

I have a great deal of respect for Abercrombie. His prose is great. His characters (generally) well-developed and creative. And his approach to fantasy refreshing (at least, until Half a King, although I do appreciate this was tempered and "dumbed down" a bit for a YA audience - or so it seems).

But I think the author has a serious problem with plot. My sense is that his first book (The First Law trilogy is really one book, broken into three parts, but it's not as though any part stands alone with a satisfying conclusion) involved some very careful and thoughtful work to create a clever plot where the "parts" all fit together to culminate in a satisfying conclusion. Since then, I fear Abercrombie just hasn't taken the time with the plot, relying instead on his characterization skill and his willingness to show the horrors of death and war. But the latter gets old. The Heroes overdid it in this regard, in my view.

I hope that Abercrombie will spend the time necessary with future books to construct the carefully plotted structure of The First Law trilogy. If so, he'll reclaim status as one of the best current fantasy writers. Otherwise, I think, more and more readers will start to find his work repetitive and old hat.

Let me just say already that this book surpassed all of the expectations I had of it. The plot blew me away, the characters did… It just surprised me the entire time.

PLOT

While the characters are incredible in this book, I loved the plot the most. For most novels, the characters will surprise me the most. Here it was definitely the story line. It twists and turns and coils around until you pretty much don’t know how on earth the main character will survive anything coming for him. Now I made it sound confusing, but it’s not! It’s just an epic ride. I would compare it with my experience with taking a bus ride to a place you’ve never been before: even if you think you know where the bus is going the stops will take you by surprise and before you know it, you’ve passed your destination already.

I don’t want to tell you ANYTHING about how the plot actually goes. Because you need to discover it yourself. I will say however that if you think you know how this book will end, YOU’RE WRONG. Here’s a quote by Yarvi, to tell you a bit about his journey:

“When you’re in hell,” muttered Yarvi, “only a devil can point the way out.”

CHARACTERS

Our main character is -Prince- Yarvi. In the beginning of the book he is preparing to take his Minister test and if he succeeds, he will give up everything he has -even his family- and become a Minister. Since he is not much of a fighter and prefers knowledge and books over swords, this is the perfect destiny for him. Yarvi only has one hand, which is something he not only defines himself by, but others do too. He is often seen as a weakling, a man who can’t fight or yield a sword properly.

I really enjoyed Yarvi’s character. To describe him best would be to say “He will do what needs to be done.” whether that is something he wants to do or not. He is very smart and cunning -with a high education- which is an aspect of his character that is very important to his story and survival. Sometimes, I thought him to be cruel, while other times he seemed to be very thoughtful and filled with empathy. So he is definitely a well-rounded character, with many different dimensions to him.

There are many other characters but I feel like even mentioning some of them would be a bit of a spoiler. So I’ll just talk about Yarvi’s teacher in his education to become a minister and his mother. His actual mother I found very hard to pin down! She seemed cold and cruel at times but then she cared very much for certain people and aspects. And I think his Mother -the teacher, who is called Mother so it’s a bit confusing- surprised me the most. And not really in a good way I guess.

CONCLUSION

This is definitely worth picking up! It’s such a surprising novel with so many twists and turns.

This was an excellent fantasy book and a great start to a new fantasy series.

Surprisingly, this was the first book by Joe Abercombie that I have read and it was an excellent introduction to his writing. Prince Yarvi has plans to forsake his title and go into the Ministry but when his father and brother are killed he is forced into the role of king. Feeling inadequate due to his deformed hand he defers to his mother and uncle and goes on a quest to revenge their deaths. Things don't work quite as he expected and he finds himself in circumstances far more dire.

Yarvi starts out the book as a sympathetic yet pitiful character. The setting of the story has a nordic feel to it and the characters reminded me of Vikings so it was easy to imagine how a prince with a deformed hand is something to be laughed at and not to be king. Yarvi feels the sting of this and is very unprepared and does not have the confidence to be king. Watching Yarvi's life experiences over the course of the book and how they change and shape him were part of what make this a great book. He makes some difficult choices in this book that didn't always seem like the right thing but each step in his path helps him gain confidence and grow as a person. I also liked the characters that he spends most of his time with. They are well developed supporting characters and really add to the story.

The story itself was really interesting and picks up a lot when Yarvi ends up on the ship. From that point on it was hard to put this book down as I became engrossed in Yarvi's story. There were several surprises in the book and it often took turns that I didn't expect. The writing was excellent and helped me imagine the world that Yarvi is in. This book also had a well-developed world and we get to see many parts of it over the course of the book.t

Overall, this was an excellent fantasy novel. It could be classified as YA due to the fact that Yarvi is younger but other than that it reads just like an adult fantasy novel. I would recommend this to fans of Robin Hodd's Farseer trilogy as it has a similar idea of a young man growing into himself. I will definitely be reading the second book in this series and will also plan to check out some of Abercrombie's other books.

I received this book from the publisher for my honest review.

‘Half a King’ is the first book of the new trilogy, ‘The Shattered Sea’, by Joe Abercrombie. Known for his ‘The First Law’ trilogy, and now spoken about as one of the most successful writers of epic fantasy in the field today, Half a King departs from the author’s usual genre and instead moves towards the Young Adult market. It represents a coming-of-age tale in a fantasy world, a classic of the genre, whilst still having a distinct subversive touch on how these stories usually develop in the genre.

So, what is Half a King about?

The book features Yarvi, the youngest son of the King of Gettland and the Golden Queen. In a land where combat prowess and physical strength dictates the success of the monarch and any man, Yarvi is a cripple with only one good hand and no skill in warfare. Never having expected to inherit, he is suddenly thrown into the role of king after his father and elder brother are slain by treachery. However, before he can avenge anyone and bring to justice his father’s killers, he’s betrayed and sold into slavery. Only to find himself suddenly at the oar of a galley with newfound friends and companions. When escaping the galley it’s a long trek to his homeland, and he must escape the vengeful pursuit of the galley’s captain if he wants to then reclaim his throne.

Half a King is something different and an all-new setting that doesn’t have anything to do with The First Law series books. The world in this book is reminiscent of Scandinavia in early middle ages, and much of the elements in the book are similar to classics of the epic fantasy genre. Abercrombie hints at entire political, economic, and religious backgrounds; albeit without delving into these and maintaining them as mentions within the book, giving a rather simplistic and one-dimensional feeling to the book. This is fitting of the genre of the book and it being a young adult novel, but ought to be taken in mind by an older reader who wants to give the book a try.

Half a king is extremely readable right from the start, and with a very clear prose. It stands at three hundred and seventy three pages, and is divided into four parts then subdivided into further chapters. It reads with the same brisk prose that the author uses in his previous novels, albeit with less violence and graphic language. There is little to no graphic content, though the book does have some not-too-graphic adult situations. It is notably more simplistic from a moral perspective and character development perspective – fitting for its young adult nature but underwhelming and disappointing for a more mature reader. The twist given to the classic coming-of-age story is something which I came to really enjoy in the book, and is suitably reminiscent and in the style of previous books of the author. Albeit, really toned down.

Initially the constant self-depreciation of Yarvi gets slightly annoying, though one gets quickly used to it, and the tone of the rest of the book is fresh and original. Yarvi grows and changes a lot over the course of the story, as do the character’s around him, and good dramatic and adventurous scenes keep the plot moving along well. I personally found some of the characters rather one-dimensional when it came to those who weren’t around Yarvi, and little came to be truly known about them. Good guy and bad guy distinctions seemed to have little edge, and quite a few characters came off as stereotypical. It seemed to be as such rather simplistic and with a noticeable modernist tone, though the book was enjoyable to read from cover to cover and succeeds as a young adult fantasy book.

As such, Half a King is definintely a good young adult fantasy book, and is suitably entertaining once you get into its story. However, older readers might find it too simplistic and toned down, particularly if they liked the author’s previous work. The world seems to have little depth to it in this first book, and the morality isn’t really delved into. However, it wasn’t bad by any means and is worth reading for the people who like young adult fiction.

Half a King is an epic fantasy novel that isn’t particularly epic in scope. It doesn’t have the wide scale or intricate plot of a Game of Thrones. But it is a very effective story. Yarvi is a sad excuse for a prince. His biggest obstacle in life is that he has a withered hand, and it defines every aspect of his life. He can barely hold a sword, and doesn’t have the fighting and leadership skills that someone in his position should, which is why his intention is to become a minister, a quasi-religious position, where he would give up his birthright and any claim to the throne. That gets thrown for a loop when his father and brother are killed and he is forced to become king, only to be betrayed by his uncle and made a slave instead.

The story follows Yarvi’s fall from grace and his attempts at regaining the throne from his uncle. In a way, becoming a slave was exactly what Yarvi needed. It was through his time as a slave and his quest to become free that he grew as a person and gained the skills and confidence that he would ultimately need to gain the revenge that he sought. The story line wasn’t overly complex and the writing style was clean and easy to read. I ripped through this story quickly and enjoyed reading it. Despite what I say is not an overly complex story line, there were two really good twists at the end of the novel that I didn’t see coming that I thought really worked well. Overall, this was a fun read that I would recommend.

Carl Alves - author of Two For Eternity

Half a King was pure adrenaline with some good ol’ fashion betrayal and fighting! This four-part high fantasy was so close to being a 5 star rating for me but to be honest, the first part was super slow. And then the next three parts just completely flew by like it was on fast forward. Other than that I loved absolutely everything about this book.

It’s honestly been awhile since I read anything (especially high fantasy) with a male protagonist. So I was kind of skeptical at first of Yarvi but soon fell in love with his character. From the very beginning you know that Yarvi isn’t your stereotypical male lead. There’s no tall, dark and handsome, there’s no wooing girls with his princely charms, there’s no amazing skills with a weapon. There is just Yarvi, with one good hand and his soon to be life saving wits; whose character has had the best growth in a book that I’ve seen in a long time. Yarvi, to me, is as real as a character can get. I was on an emotional rollercoaster with Yarvi through the whole book and most definitely rooting for him.

Though he is betrothed at the beginning of the book, there is barely even a hint of romance throughout the book. This really allowed Abercrombie to focus on the adventure and Yarvi’s journey; and boy, what an adventure it was. From fighting the high seas, to trekking across snow stricken land with almost nothing but the clothes on his back, to finally coming back to his homeland to fight for what’s rightfully his. I was on the edge of my seat with every page I turned because there was always another twist and turn that I never saw coming.

Not only did this book have a fantastic male protagonist it also had some absolutely fabulous strong female secondary characters. I don’t know who I loved more, Sumael, Shadikshirram or Isriun. They were just as unpredictable as Yarvi’s character. I’m really hoping that Isriun will play a much bigger part in the second book because I know if she does it’s going to be amazing.

I wanted to make a note that one of my favourite things about this book is the way Abercrombie named the Gods of this story. With names like ‘He Who Watches’ and ‘She Who Writes’ and ‘She Who Makes Fast the Knot’, I thought it showed creativity.

So if you aren’t convinced yet on this book, let me sum it up for you: Half a King blows YA stereotypes out the window with its main protagonist having a disability who prevails over every obstacle. Romance having almost no role in the plot whatsoever. Amazing secondary characters that you love to hate or just plain out love. Adrenaline filled adventure where survival is questionable. And most importantly, family betrayal, near misses with death and plot twists you never saw coming.

How could you not want to read this?

It took a bit of a push to start this book, but I ended up really enjoying it. Half A King was such a unique and interesting story.

Prince Yarvi, second son of King Uthrik of Gettland, is forced to bear the crown, a crown he never wanted. Born with a crippled hand, he is despised by his people. He swears an oath to avenge the death of his father and brother even though he may be half a man. But then he is betrayed and loses it all. Now he must persevere through pain and hardship if he is to survive and reclaim his throne. He and a band of outcasts may be more help than he knows, but will this path he has set himself on end in tragedy just as it had begun? Can he, will he, reclaim his thrown?

This was a very different tale from other things I have read. I really liked it. Yarvi was a interesting character. It took me a bit to warm up to him and start to like him. There was plenty of excitement and adventure to keep me on the edge of my seat after the first few chapters. It was a neat story, while I felt it had a stark reality feel to it.

It was a different land and and culture that was interesting but felt very pagan at times. I wasn’t bothered by it, but there was a talk of talk and thought put to Yarvi’s gods and what they stood for. Yarvi prayed to them a lot. There also was some language a good lot of violence describe very blatantly and, can I say, darkly.

In the long run, I really really enjoyed this book. It had excitement, danger, and shocking revelations and betrayals; everything that kept me entertained. I’d recommend this to those who love fantasy and fiction, to people who want something unique that they won’t soon forget.

Visit my blog to see this review and more at: aheartredeemed DOT wordpress DOT com!

the store needs a way to clearly tell us this is a kids book.

I love Abercrombie, but I find it hard to believe this is the same author that has been writing these last few years.

Tired and predictable. Either a quick cash grab or a blatant attempt to get a movie series made.

"Half A King" is the first volume in Joe Abercrombie's Shattered Sea fantasy trilogy, and is, to sum it up in one sentence, a coming-of-age story that is set in a Viking-age fantasy world. I'll give the bare bones of the main story-line and try to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible, before I give my reasons for the star-rating I chose for this book.

"Half A King" tells the tale of Prince Yarvi, the youngest son of the Gettland king. Because he was born maimed - he has a twisted, knobby hand on one side - he is seen as only "half a man." Not suited to be a warrior, Yarvi is studying to become a minister. On the night before he's to take his final Minister's Test, which will make him renounce family and birthright, his uncle Odem brings world-shattering news: his father King Uthrik, and also his heir, Yarvi's elder brother, have both been treacherously murdered by the Vanstermen. And now, Yarvi is suddenly thrust into the kingship.

The thin golden band of the King's Circle on his brow, his bottom about to be planted on the Black Chair and a marriage to his cousin Isriun in the very near future, Yarvi now has to prove to his people that being maimed doesn't make him only "half a king." He must take up his father's sword and lead a raid against the Vanstermen in revenge, even though the High King has forbidden open war. As usual with Abercrombie, a lot of things end up having double meanings. Take for example the oath of vengeance he swears before he sets out: "Let it be a chain upon me and a goad within me."

Before long, Yarvi is in chains indeed. Treachery during the raid has him make a desperate dash for freedom. Although everyone else believes he dies in his escape attempt, he manages to survive by the skin of his teeth but ends up in Vansterland. Captured - but not recognized - he is sold as a slave to the owner of a merchant ship, and shackled to the oars. Making friends among his oar-mates, and even meeting someone who may become a love-interest, the largest part of "Half A King" is taken up with how he finds a way to escape his iron collar and manages to outwit his pursuers. He also needs to find a way to steal his throne back from those who tried to stab him in the back, while keeping the adage "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" firmly in mind. Suffice to say that Nothing will prepare him for the truth.

The final verdict. As can be expected from Joe Abercrombie, the writing is outstanding. So... why the four stars? Well, it all seemed to lack a certain depth. Yes, the basic story is good, but when compared to his other work, it seemed to me a bit watered down, although this might be because he still has to find his "voice" as this novel is intended for younger readers. In parts, it also got somewhat predictable, although he had me with one of the big twists at the end - that one I didn't see coming (to avoid spoilers, I'll keep it vague and will only say it involves a revelation about one of his companions). But that said, there were a tad too many other startling coincidences that made things less believable. Case in point: the `deus ex machina' that happens during the pursuit that forms the core of the book, and saves the life of one of Yarvi's companions. Hence the four stars.

This book is aimed at the YA-market, and as such, the tale is less grim and bleak than Abercrombie's usual work. The swearing is also toned down - let's call it PG-rated instead of R-rated, to use a movie analogy. Of course, as in all his novels, there's only a thin line between good and evil and his somewhat cynical worldview (in which everyone is morally ambiguous) and his trademarked dark humor is prevalent throughout the tale. Although it's the first in a trilogy, for those who now may groan and don't want to sink their teeth into another trilogy or (who knows) maybe yet another umpteenth-ology: "Half A King" also works very well as a standalone novel. So: recommended for fantasy lovers in search for a good read, or all Abercrombie fans out there.

I'll get to Half a King, but to understand why I don't think highly of it, some background:

Abercrombie's First Law series put him on the map as an author with excellent characterization ability (Glokta was pure genius); fluid interesting prose; "gritty realism"; AND, critically, a plot that fit together over the course of the three books in a clever, satisfying way. Not predictable or cliched. Sadly, in my opinion, it's been all downhill since The First Law series. Best Served Cold was a mediocre revenge novel with great characterization but a humdrum plot. The Heroes, once again, featured great characterization, but reverted to themes and scenarios (Union/North) war that he'd exhausted already, and - once again - Bayaz turns out to be the great behind-the-scenes manipulator of all. In The First Law, in unexpected ways; in The Heroes, more like deus ex machine, where he just tells us at the end, rather than the narrative revealing it cleverly. I found Red Country somewhat better. Once again, masterful characterization. But in terms of plot, yet another revenge story. No really interesting world building elements. And bringing back characters for the sake of it gets tiresome.

OK, now, "Half a King": first, once again, it's a revenge story; second, just like in Best Served Cold, it begins right away with our hero being thrown over the side and injured and then crawling her/his way back to get her/his revenge; third, Yarvi is a completely uninteresting and cliched character, the non-warrior in a warrior culture who uses his wits to prevail in the end - though there's nothing especially clever about how Yarvi does so; fourth, it was entirely predictable that "Nothing" would turn out to be a surprise relative or the like from Yarvi's past, and the scene where it's revealed is anticlimactic; fifth, we've all seen the trope of the weakling who's exposed to terrible conditions (here, rowing as a slave, freezing weather, etc.) and thereby "hardened" so that he's a "new man" who comes into his true, powerful self (and by the way, did Yarvi's ordeal and suffering on the boat remind anyone else of Kaladin's original ordeal as a bridgeman after, likewise, being sold into slavery after, likewise, being betrayed).

I have a great deal of respect for Abercrombie. His prose is great. His characters (generally) well-developed and creative. And his approach to fantasy refreshing (at least, until Half a King, although I do appreciate this was tempered and "dumbed down" a bit for a YA audience - or so it seems).

But I think the author has a serious problem with plot. My sense is that his first book (The First Law trilogy is really one book, broken into three parts, but it's not as though any part stands alone with a satisfying conclusion) involved some very careful and thoughtful work to create a clever plot where the "parts" all fit together to culminate in a satisfying conclusion. Since then, I fear Abercrombie just hasn't taken the time with the plot, relying instead on his characterization skill and his willingness to show the horrors of death and war. But the latter gets old. The Heroes overdid it in this regard, in my view.

I hope that Abercrombie will spend the time necessary with future books to construct the carefully plotted structure of The First Law trilogy. If so, he'll reclaim status as one of the best current fantasy writers. Otherwise, I think, more and more readers will start to find his work repetitive and old hat.

I've heard this book was excellent, and if I'm being honest, it took me a little while to really get into it. But once I did, man oh man, was I invested! The story was fast-paced and intense, the characters were well rounded and complex, and the action was absolutely brutal. Yarvi is delightfully complicated and is a great, and unconventional, lead character. Watching him grow as a person was one of the many highlights of this spectacularly written book. The additional characters each added their own uniqueness to the story. I honestly loved this entire band of rogues and strong-willed slaves! The villains were absolutely wicked and I was rooting for our heroes to put them in their place. There were betrayals, tragedies, and a surprising twist at the end that I needed to re-read because I couldn't believe it. HALF A KING is an epic, thrilling adventure with memorable characters, and a twist that will have you clamouring for the sequel, and is a great book to check out this summer.

My rating 4.7

The Book of Half a King (Shattered Sea # 1) by Joe Abercrombie is a solid fantasy novel that brings us into the world of fraud, lies, and betrayal. As in the author's novels so far, he simply takes you into the story and you have to read the book to the very end. The story brings us into the world in which Yarvi live he is the son of the king but he was born with a crippled hand. A man without hands in the kingdom of his father is nothing but Yarvi only wants to become a priest and is not interested in his father's throne. But how it all happens in life, his life will change in the course of a day when his father and brother killed. His world is changing from roots and he becomes king. Although he does not know, he will find himself in a whirlpool of betrayal and deception, which will completely change his life and his life will be in immediate danger. This is a book that will drag you to read it and it is warmly recommended to fans of genre fantasy.

Let me just say already that this book surpassed all of the expectations I had of it. The plot blew me away, the characters did… It just surprised me the entire time.

PLOT

While the characters are incredible in this book, I loved the plot the most. For most novels, the characters will surprise me the most. Here it was definitely the story line. It twists and turns and coils around until you pretty much don’t know how on earth the main character will survive anything coming for him. Now I made it sound confusing, but it’s not! It’s just an epic ride. I would compare it with my experience with taking a bus ride to a place you’ve never been before: even if you think you know where the bus is going the stops will take you by surprise and before you know it, you’ve passed your destination already.

I don’t want to tell you ANYTHING about how the plot actually goes. Because you need to discover it yourself. I will say however that if you think you know how this book will end, YOU’RE WRONG. Here’s a quote by Yarvi, to tell you a bit about his journey:

“When you’re in hell,” muttered Yarvi, “only a devil can point the way out.”

CHARACTERS

Our main character is -Prince- Yarvi. In the beginning of the book he is preparing to take his Minister test and if he succeeds, he will give up everything he has -even his family- and become a Minister. Since he is not much of a fighter and prefers knowledge and books over swords, this is the perfect destiny for him. Yarvi only has one hand, which is something he not only defines himself by, but others do too. He is often seen as a weakling, a man who can’t fight or yield a sword properly.

I really enjoyed Yarvi’s character. To describe him best would be to say “He will do what needs to be done.” whether that is something he wants to do or not. He is very smart and cunning -with a high education- which is an aspect of his character that is very important to his story and survival. Sometimes, I thought him to be cruel, while other times he seemed to be very thoughtful and filled with empathy. So he is definitely a well-rounded character, with many different dimensions to him.

There are many other characters but I feel like even mentioning some of them would be a bit of a spoiler. So I’ll just talk about Yarvi’s teacher in his education to become a minister and his mother. His actual mother I found very hard to pin down! She seemed cold and cruel at times but then she cared very much for certain people and aspects. And I think his Mother -the teacher, who is called Mother so it’s a bit confusing- surprised me the most. And not really in a good way I guess.

CONCLUSION

This is definitely worth picking up! It’s such a surprising novel with so many twists and turns.

This was an excellent fantasy book and a great start to a new fantasy series.

Surprisingly, this was the first book by Joe Abercombie that I have read and it was an excellent introduction to his writing. Prince Yarvi has plans to forsake his title and go into the Ministry but when his father and brother are killed he is forced into the role of king. Feeling inadequate due to his deformed hand he defers to his mother and uncle and goes on a quest to revenge their deaths. Things don't work quite as he expected and he finds himself in circumstances far more dire.

Yarvi starts out the book as a sympathetic yet pitiful character. The setting of the story has a nordic feel to it and the characters reminded me of Vikings so it was easy to imagine how a prince with a deformed hand is something to be laughed at and not to be king. Yarvi feels the sting of this and is very unprepared and does not have the confidence to be king. Watching Yarvi's life experiences over the course of the book and how they change and shape him were part of what make this a great book. He makes some difficult choices in this book that didn't always seem like the right thing but each step in his path helps him gain confidence and grow as a person. I also liked the characters that he spends most of his time with. They are well developed supporting characters and really add to the story.

The story itself was really interesting and picks up a lot when Yarvi ends up on the ship. From that point on it was hard to put this book down as I became engrossed in Yarvi's story. There were several surprises in the book and it often took turns that I didn't expect. The writing was excellent and helped me imagine the world that Yarvi is in. This book also had a well-developed world and we get to see many parts of it over the course of the book.t

Overall, this was an excellent fantasy novel. It could be classified as YA due to the fact that Yarvi is younger but other than that it reads just like an adult fantasy novel. I would recommend this to fans of Robin Hodd's Farseer trilogy as it has a similar idea of a young man growing into himself. I will definitely be reading the second book in this series and will also plan to check out some of Abercrombie's other books.

I received this book from the publisher for my honest review.

‘Half a King’ is the first book of the new trilogy, ‘The Shattered Sea’, by Joe Abercrombie. Known for his ‘The First Law’ trilogy, and now spoken about as one of the most successful writers of epic fantasy in the field today, Half a King departs from the author’s usual genre and instead moves towards the Young Adult market. It represents a coming-of-age tale in a fantasy world, a classic of the genre, whilst still having a distinct subversive touch on how these stories usually develop in the genre.

So, what is Half a King about?

The book features Yarvi, the youngest son of the King of Gettland and the Golden Queen. In a land where combat prowess and physical strength dictates the success of the monarch and any man, Yarvi is a cripple with only one good hand and no skill in warfare. Never having expected to inherit, he is suddenly thrown into the role of king after his father and elder brother are slain by treachery. However, before he can avenge anyone and bring to justice his father’s killers, he’s betrayed and sold into slavery. Only to find himself suddenly at the oar of a galley with newfound friends and companions. When escaping the galley it’s a long trek to his homeland, and he must escape the vengeful pursuit of the galley’s captain if he wants to then reclaim his throne.

Half a King is something different and an all-new setting that doesn’t have anything to do with The First Law series books. The world in this book is reminiscent of Scandinavia in early middle ages, and much of the elements in the book are similar to classics of the epic fantasy genre. Abercrombie hints at entire political, economic, and religious backgrounds; albeit without delving into these and maintaining them as mentions within the book, giving a rather simplistic and one-dimensional feeling to the book. This is fitting of the genre of the book and it being a young adult novel, but ought to be taken in mind by an older reader who wants to give the book a try.

Half a king is extremely readable right from the start, and with a very clear prose. It stands at three hundred and seventy three pages, and is divided into four parts then subdivided into further chapters. It reads with the same brisk prose that the author uses in his previous novels, albeit with less violence and graphic language. There is little to no graphic content, though the book does have some not-too-graphic adult situations. It is notably more simplistic from a moral perspective and character development perspective – fitting for its young adult nature but underwhelming and disappointing for a more mature reader. The twist given to the classic coming-of-age story is something which I came to really enjoy in the book, and is suitably reminiscent and in the style of previous books of the author. Albeit, really toned down.

Initially the constant self-depreciation of Yarvi gets slightly annoying, though one gets quickly used to it, and the tone of the rest of the book is fresh and original. Yarvi grows and changes a lot over the course of the story, as do the character’s around him, and good dramatic and adventurous scenes keep the plot moving along well. I personally found some of the characters rather one-dimensional when it came to those who weren’t around Yarvi, and little came to be truly known about them. Good guy and bad guy distinctions seemed to have little edge, and quite a few characters came off as stereotypical. It seemed to be as such rather simplistic and with a noticeable modernist tone, though the book was enjoyable to read from cover to cover and succeeds as a young adult fantasy book.

As such, Half a King is definintely a good young adult fantasy book, and is suitably entertaining once you get into its story. However, older readers might find it too simplistic and toned down, particularly if they liked the author’s previous work. The world seems to have little depth to it in this first book, and the morality isn’t really delved into. However, it wasn’t bad by any means and is worth reading for the people who like young adult fiction.

Half a King is an epic fantasy novel that isn’t particularly epic in scope. It doesn’t have the wide scale or intricate plot of a Game of Thrones. But it is a very effective story. Yarvi is a sad excuse for a prince. His biggest obstacle in life is that he has a withered hand, and it defines every aspect of his life. He can barely hold a sword, and doesn’t have the fighting and leadership skills that someone in his position should, which is why his intention is to become a minister, a quasi-religious position, where he would give up his birthright and any claim to the throne. That gets thrown for a loop when his father and brother are killed and he is forced to become king, only to be betrayed by his uncle and made a slave instead.

The story follows Yarvi’s fall from grace and his attempts at regaining the throne from his uncle. In a way, becoming a slave was exactly what Yarvi needed. It was through his time as a slave and his quest to become free that he grew as a person and gained the skills and confidence that he would ultimately need to gain the revenge that he sought. The story line wasn’t overly complex and the writing style was clean and easy to read. I ripped through this story quickly and enjoyed reading it. Despite what I say is not an overly complex story line, there were two really good twists at the end of the novel that I didn’t see coming that I thought really worked well. Overall, this was a fun read that I would recommend.

Carl Alves - author of Two For Eternity

Half a King was pure adrenaline with some good ol’ fashion betrayal and fighting! This four-part high fantasy was so close to being a 5 star rating for me but to be honest, the first part was super slow. And then the next three parts just completely flew by like it was on fast forward. Other than that I loved absolutely everything about this book.

It’s honestly been awhile since I read anything (especially high fantasy) with a male protagonist. So I was kind of skeptical at first of Yarvi but soon fell in love with his character. From the very beginning you know that Yarvi isn’t your stereotypical male lead. There’s no tall, dark and handsome, there’s no wooing girls with his princely charms, there’s no amazing skills with a weapon. There is just Yarvi, with one good hand and his soon to be life saving wits; whose character has had the best growth in a book that I’ve seen in a long time. Yarvi, to me, is as real as a character can get. I was on an emotional rollercoaster with Yarvi through the whole book and most definitely rooting for him.

Though he is betrothed at the beginning of the book, there is barely even a hint of romance throughout the book. This really allowed Abercrombie to focus on the adventure and Yarvi’s journey; and boy, what an adventure it was. From fighting the high seas, to trekking across snow stricken land with almost nothing but the clothes on his back, to finally coming back to his homeland to fight for what’s rightfully his. I was on the edge of my seat with every page I turned because there was always another twist and turn that I never saw coming.

Not only did this book have a fantastic male protagonist it also had some absolutely fabulous strong female secondary characters. I don’t know who I loved more, Sumael, Shadikshirram or Isriun. They were just as unpredictable as Yarvi’s character. I’m really hoping that Isriun will play a much bigger part in the second book because I know if she does it’s going to be amazing.

I wanted to make a note that one of my favourite things about this book is the way Abercrombie named the Gods of this story. With names like ‘He Who Watches’ and ‘She Who Writes’ and ‘She Who Makes Fast the Knot’, I thought it showed creativity.

So if you aren’t convinced yet on this book, let me sum it up for you: Half a King blows YA stereotypes out the window with its main protagonist having a disability who prevails over every obstacle. Romance having almost no role in the plot whatsoever. Amazing secondary characters that you love to hate or just plain out love. Adrenaline filled adventure where survival is questionable. And most importantly, family betrayal, near misses with death and plot twists you never saw coming.

How could you not want to read this?

It took a bit of a push to start this book, but I ended up really enjoying it. Half A King was such a unique and interesting story.

Prince Yarvi, second son of King Uthrik of Gettland, is forced to bear the crown, a crown he never wanted. Born with a crippled hand, he is despised by his people. He swears an oath to avenge the death of his father and brother even though he may be half a man. But then he is betrayed and loses it all. Now he must persevere through pain and hardship if he is to survive and reclaim his throne. He and a band of outcasts may be more help than he knows, but will this path he has set himself on end in tragedy just as it had begun? Can he, will he, reclaim his thrown?

This was a very different tale from other things I have read. I really liked it. Yarvi was a interesting character. It took me a bit to warm up to him and start to like him. There was plenty of excitement and adventure to keep me on the edge of my seat after the first few chapters. It was a neat story, while I felt it had a stark reality feel to it.

It was a different land and and culture that was interesting but felt very pagan at times. I wasn’t bothered by it, but there was a talk of talk and thought put to Yarvi’s gods and what they stood for. Yarvi prayed to them a lot. There also was some language a good lot of violence describe very blatantly and, can I say, darkly.

In the long run, I really really enjoyed this book. It had excitement, danger, and shocking revelations and betrayals; everything that kept me entertained. I’d recommend this to those who love fantasy and fiction, to people who want something unique that they won’t soon forget.

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First off, I've seen some fairly negative reviews of this book. I don't think those reviewers realize that this is a Young Adult novel. That's not obvious from the description on the store, and I didn't realize it myself until today when I read an interview with Joe Abercrombie in the current issue of Locus. And this is Abercrombie's first YA effort, so I don't think most people expected it. You don't review China Meiville's "Railsea" with the same criteria as "The City & The City"; the same rule should apply here.

So no, this book is not at the same level as Abercrombie's First Law trilogy, and comparing it to books like Game of Thrones is, in my opinion, unfair. (One reviewer called it "Game of Thrones Light", which is probably accurate given its audience.) While the book is well-written and doesn't pull any punches or talk down to younger readers, YA books typically don't have the complexity of plot or writing level that "adult" novels do. And I think "Half a King" actually rises above the standard level of YA writing.

That being said, this is an excellent YA fantasy adventure. It's a pretty standard story line. A prince has to regain his throne and has many adventures, meets a lot of people, and triumphs in the end with the aid of companions he has gathered along the way. The writing style is considerably lighter than Abercrombie's other books, which is appropriate for the intended audience. It's not unrelentingly grim, and there's quite a bit of humor (of the dry and dark variety). I was reminded of Dave Duncan several times while reading. The world in the story takes place has a decent level of complexity, and I suspect that we've only got a brief glimpse in this first book.

I am very much looking forward to future books in this series. (As well as to any unrelentingly grim novels from Joe Abercrombie.)

Yarvi is the younger son of a king of a story land very similar to the Vikings. Strength and battle skills are considered the very most important skills for a man to have, and Yarvi, because he is small and has a bad hand, simply doesn’t have these skills. He is never considered to rule his land, nor does he want to rule; he is on the verge of taking his examinations to become a minister (one who studies religion, herbs that can heal or kill, and, perhaps most important, negotiation skills). Fate seems to have something else in store for Yarvi, though, when his father and older brother are pronounced dead.

Note that I say “seems to.” A usurper seizes the throne (the Black Chair) from Yarvi. Yarvi then goes through many trials, even enslavement. He, his new friends, and readers concern themselves with the fine line between good and evil. However, he does return to his land, and readers see a very big surprise at the end of this novel.

Other reviewers have commented that HALF A KING is this author’s first YA novel, and this is a novel that YA and fantasy readers will enjoy. Like most fantasies, it contains violence and some foul language. It is not for the very delicate or very unsophisticated, but the violence and foul language are not gratuitous either. Also, I, like other reviewers, would have liked to see more originality, but for the YA reader this would still be a good fit.

Also, my copy was an advance copy and did not have maps of the story world. These would be helpful, and I do hope that Abercombie provides readers with maps in either the final copy or a reprint. I’d love to see more about the story world he’s creating, and I’d love to see more about Yarvi and what happens next.

This is my first Joe Abercombie book and it won’t be the last. In fact, it is sure to be the first of many. HALF A KING commences with treachery. A young boy destined and keen to join his holy order is forced by fate to rule a kingdom after his father and brother are killed in battle. The book starts off with a deep sense of melancholy and immense sadness as we learn and witness of a foreign culture’s form of goodbye to the dead. Even by the end of part one, treachery has returned in the most unlikely of forms but men – and boys – destined for greatness stand up to be counted and the hero of this book – the young Master does not let this particular tradition of the fantasy genre down. Or his family. Or, indeed, himself. The book is as beautifully created as is the world the story is set in. Just about every page provides the reader with a small piece of vital information concerning the world, its inhabitants as well as its culture. The plot sails along with the force of a gale behind it and the plot twists and turns like the mighty the store (!) river. Characterisation is excellent. Emotions run high even by the end of chapter one and will continue to be held vice like with every chapter you complete until you reach book’s end.

I have heard the claim that this author is world class. Having read just this single tome from the great man I am inclined to agree. His talent oozes from the page with every word. I am therefore super keen (obviously) to read the rest of the trilogy as well as race to the power switch of my kindle in order to purchase and download his entire back catalogue.

A solid four stars from me.

BFN Greggorio!

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: I was truly impressed with the evolution of Abercrombie’s main character in this first installment. Half a King is everything I want in a YA Fantasy – adventure, humor, surprises and lovable characters. I’ll definitely be checking out Abercrombie’s other work as I wait impatiently for Book 2 of the Shattered Sea Series.

Opening Sentence: There was a harsh glare blowing on the night Yarvi learned he was a king. Or half a king, at least.

The Review:

It’s not often that an author takes a chance on a character who doesn’t conform to the normal hero (or even anti-hero) standards. Even in the majority of the Fantasy genre, there’s little deviation from the typical stereotypes. Elves are beautiful strong-backed warriors and intellectually superior. Dwarves are hunched greedy creatures skilled at working with various materials. There are very few heroes with physical deformities – and even fewer who emerge from their trials as a morally darker character than in the beginning. Abercrombie took that chance with Half a King and it paid off.

Born into a society of warriors with a maimed hand unable to carry a shield, Yarvi is used to disappointing others. There hasn’t been a day since his birth where his father, King Uthrik, and mother, Queen Laithlin, hasn’t cursed his existence. Even his older brother is embarrassed to have the boy with half a hand in their famed warrior family. His attachment to Mother Gundring, his father’s Minister, and Odem, his father’s brother, is the only bright spot in Yarvi’s life of shadows and bitter shame. Thanks in large part to them, Yarvi has grown to be an intelligent, resourceful and observant young man despite his father’s hard fists and mother’s cold indifference. In fact, Mother Gundring had such influence over him that Yarvi decided to give up his title and become a Minister.

Only a few short hours away from turning control of his life over the Ministry, Yarvi’s only chance at happiness is ripped away with the death of his father and older brother. Supposedly killed in an ambush by Grom-gil-Gorm, their country’s long-standing enemy, Yarvi is thrown into a position he never wanted and feels ill-prepared to step into. It’s in this moment that Abercrombie’s skill as a writer emerges. Yarvi’s terror, doubt and deep sadness is a potent combination and I found myself tearing up over his situation. He’s a young child who’s never known the love of his parent, who’s been told all of his life that he’s nothing – or half of nothing – and now he’s responsible for leading a country that doesn’t believe in him and certainly doesn’t want a cripple on the throne. Which only makes Yarvi’s determination to avenge his father and brother’s deaths that much more admirable. With Odem’s help, Yarvi gathers his Gettland army and sets sail to attack their enemy Grom-gil-Gorm in Vansterland.

Then, a devastating betrayal once again turns Yarvi’s world upside down. Even though it’s only been a short amount of time since his terrorized ascension to the throne, Yarvi is a quick learner. He’s better prepared to handle the disastrous situation he finds himself in and his fast thinking is the only thing that saves him. If you can call being bought as a slave the same as being saved. Still, Yarvi clings to the only piece of advice his mother ever gave him: There’s always a way. Even if it means sacrificing those few friends he’s finally found in order to fulfill his vow to a family who hated him.

Though it’s considered a YA Fantasy, Half a King reminded me of the adventure and character complexities found in the Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin. There are gut-wrenching betrayals. There’s adventure and innocence. In fact, Gettland and Vansterland in Half a King could very easily fit into the Game of Thrones universe. However, as with that series, the characters are the true element that makes Half a King standout above others in the Fantasy genre.

Abercrombie may use his words sparingly, but what he does say leaves an impact. He excels at creating personalities that jump off the page. Yarvi’s evolution from innocent child to calculating leader is made all the more fascinating because of how people reacted to his so-called deformity. His transformation wasn’t a straight line – there were peaks and valleys as circumstances changed. Abercrombie didn’t shy away from making Yarvi a darker character and I’d be lying if I said I liked the Yarvi at the end of the book. I didn’t, even though I appreciated why he changed. Power corrupts and the thirst for revenge twists people’s hearts until there’s very little innocence left. This overarching plot gave me more insight into the character’s personalities than pages of tedious description ever could. The same can be said for Abercrombie’s world building: it’s the details he chooses to include that make the landscape such a vivid environment.

I think most Fantasy fans – regardless of age – will find something to like in this character-driven and engrossing story because Half a King is amazingly multi-layered. There’s the superficial tale younger readers will enjoy: a young boy’s adventure in a magical world. But dig deeper and you’ll find a story about the values of self-worth, friendship and perseverance in the face of cruelty and injustice. This is definitely a story I’ve already recommended to all of my friends and I can’t wait to see what the next book brings to this extraordinary world.

Notable Scene:

They flung Yarvi down with unnecessary violence between two other slaves, by no means an encouraging pair. At the end of the oar was a hulking southerner with a thick fold of muscle where his neck should have been, head tipped back so he could watch the seabirds circling. Closest to the rowlock was a dour old man, short and stocky, his sinewy forearms thick with gray hair, his cheeks full of broken veins from a life in the weather, picking at the calluses on his broad palms.

“Gods damn it,” grunted this older one, shaking his head as the guards chained Yarvi to the bench beside him, “we’ve a cripple at our oar.”

“You prayed for help, didn’t you?” said the southerner, without looking around. “Here is help.”

“I prayed for help with two hands.”

“Be thankful for half of what you prayed for,” said Yarvi. “ Believe me, I prayed for none of this.”

The big man’s mouth curled up a little as he looked at Yarvi sidelong. “When you have a load to lift, you’re better lifting than weeping. I am Jaud. Your sour oarmate is Rulf.”

“My name’s Yorv,” said Yarvi, having turned his story over in advance. Keep your lies as carefully as your winter grain, Mother Gundring would have said. “I was a cook’s boy-“

With a practiced roll of the tongue and twitch of the head the old man spat over the ship’s side. “You’re nothing now, and that’s all. Forget everything but the next stroke. That makes it a little easier.”

Jaud heaved up a sigh. “Don’t let Rulf grind the laughter out of you. He’s sour as lemons, but a good man to have at your back.” He puffed out his cheeks. “Though, one must admit, since he’s chained to your side, that will never happen.”

FTC Advisory: Del Rey/Random House provided me with a copy of Half a King. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

We begin the book in Yarvi's teachers chambers. We are on familiar ground with this fantasy trope. The wizened old woman teaching her student. Things continue in a predictably boring manner. Yarvi, who has no plans to become king, is now elevated to that role. His kind old uncle offers him support and his daughter. His daughter Isriun, just happens to be the perfect woman for Yarvi. I was beginning to wonder if it was Joe Abercrombie I was reading. Was there a mistake? Then Yarvi is thrown off a tower by uncle and left to die.. and I knew I had the right author....

Now Abercrombie begins to weave a very different type of tale. This is not about a king, but a slave. We follow Yarvi as he rows across the shattered sea. He plots to return home, take the thrown and exact his revenge. On his journey he finds friends and enemies.

I love how in all Joe's books one can never be quite sure who is an enemy and who is a friend. Often times the character you have picked out as a villain becomes a friend. He has a great strength for showing just how human and complex people are. In life people are rarely as straight-forward as good and evil.

I think this went a step further in this book. One of the main themes was "the lesser evil and the greater good." This is a concept that changes with each persons perspective. In many instances the villain is acting from this sentiment. So sure that the evil they commit will work towards the greater good. Some characters pay for these choices with their lives.

There are lots of surprises for the reader in this book. Even when you think you have the book figured out, it twists again. Even to the very end. I did guess the main twist. Even though, it didn't make reading it any less dynamic. The final explanation of what happened took me by surprise.

Yarvi's character really grew on me. At first he was so self-loathing and sulky I wasn't sure. He is no soldier. It is more than just his crippled hand, it's who he is. He doesn't have the stomach for fighting and killing. I thought the way the author dealt with this was very smart. Yarvi doesn't become the invincible super character. He just is who he is. He doesn't delight in killing, it makes him sick. He does fulfill his vow though. He isn't the same Yarvi as at the start of the book, but he doesn't change into another person.

In the end the joke was on me. It was a set up after all. Here I thought Joe was losing his touch, instead he was skillfully setting up a great adventure. I think it made the book even more poignant. The book was tied up nicely in the end. After reading a few HUGE books I found it a refreshingly short read. I can see it as a stand alone book or a series. If more are written, I will be reading them.

Half a King was my first book by Joe Abercrombie and I was pleasantly surprised by it. I'm not sure if this book is suppose to be YA or Adult but it reads more like a YA with traces of an adult story. I found it as more of a book for guys but I'm sure some girls will enjoy it (I did after all). It isn't normally the style of book I would pick up, gritty and revenge driven, but it got better as I got into the book.

This story follows Yarvi the youngest son of the king of Gettland. Yarvi has no hopes of ever becoming king, not simply because of his older brother, but because of his crippled arm. After all who would want only half a man as their king? Imagine his surprise when he finds out that not only his father but also his brother have been killed and he is now the king. In his young folly the new king swears and oath to avenge his fallen family, an oath that will take him on a journey far harsher than he could ever imagine.

I had a hard time getting into this book for the first few chapters, it moved like any revenge tale dragging along a half-hearted hero. But from the moment Yarvi was betrayed until the end I could not stop reading. This revenge tale had taken one of many surprising turns. The story is fairly straightforward and the plot is fast paced keeping readers turning pages in anticipation of what will happen next. Yarvi's transformation from a cowardly beat down boy into a bold and cunning man pulled me along easily.

The characters really kept the story moving for me and I found myself attached to more than one of them by the end of the book. Because of the book's fast paced nature there didn't feel like a lot of time to really flesh out the characters but I expect them to show up in the next two books and be more fleshed out there. Aside from that their personalities and the hints of their back stories intrigued me and helped me to invest not only in Yarvi but also in the ragtag bunch of friends he collected on his adventure.

This book was full of surprises and I loved every one of them, and I hope to see more of them in the series's future installments. The shockers were another thing I really enjoyed about this book, seeing the whole story come together at the end was a delight and I'm eager to see where it goes from here.

Abercrombie's world building was also a great addition to the story. I felt easily pulled into the the world he built without having to know too much information about what it was really all about. I've found that the best world-building happens when the author doesn't have to explain themselves but allows the story and world to tell itself and this is one of my favorite things about Half a King.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an action packed story, or a good filler read between series or books.

How one becomes half a king

Half a King features young Yarvi, the youngest prince and now King of Gettland as his father and eldest brother have just been murdered. This thrusts Yarvi into a role that he never wanted nor one that anyone seems to think he is fit for because of a deformity he has to his arm / hand – essentially lacking one hand all he has there is a stub and one finger. He has spent his youth studying for the Ministry. A path of study, healing, wisdom and advising. Now that he is to be king his dream of being a minister is over.
No betrayal could cut deeper

Not even days into his kingship he suffers a terrible betrayal from one he thought the closest to him. With the scene set we have the makings for an extreme revenge story. Due to the betrayal Yarvi subsequently finds himself sold into slavery and is placed on a trade vessel. I have to admit that everything that transpired up until the point Yarvi lands on the trade ship I had a hard time getting through. Yarvi is such a whiner and seems to do a lot of wallowing in self pity. Much of it because of his deformity and then much more because of how he thinks everyone views him. I had a hard time with this because I have known people close to me that have a similar birth defect and it doesn’t seem to embitter them to the world and have this petulant behavior. Maybe I’m reading too much into his behavior and perhaps his inner dialogue is harder on himself then he outwardly showed, but there is no way for me to really know that since we got to see so much of his self pity.
Friends in the lowest places

The saving grace of this novel for me was most definitely the companions that Yarvi makes along his journey for revenge. They are dynamic characters with seemingly more personality than Yarvi himself. I do have to admit though that Yarvi did grow on my considerably as the story progressed and he matured. Such that by the time the book ended I liked him instead of being annoyed by him.

“Pick your enemies more carefully than your friend,” Nothing was muttering at the flames. “They will be with you longer.” – pg 186

I have to admit one of my favorite characters in the novel was a man named ‘Nothing’ – he had a habit of saying steel was the answer to everything and that ‘death waits for us all’ heck at one point I thought I should have counted the number of times he said it but he also said some of the funniest things.

“Death waits for us all,” said Nothing. “But she takes the lazy first.” = pg 171

“What is the world coming to when an honest man cannot burn corpses without suspicion?” – pg 186

As you can see, there were a good number of cool one liners in this book and I found myself frequently stopping to save them. It was fun reading and had me smirking. I also liked the fact that the book sparked some great conversation between myself and several other buddies who had read it, in regards to authors writing in adult genre fiction and then releasing a young adult book of the same genre.

It is for one’s own sake that one does good things.- pg 99

The author that wrote this is known for his grimdark adult fantasy (none of which I have currently read at this time). I’ve noticed a few people note that they consider this book to be a very watered down version of his writing. I however didn’t find the grimness to be watered down and think its a decent book to introduce say a young adult or even adult reader to the fantasy genre if they haven’t already read his previous books. Depending on a reader’s tastes, reading this first might entice them to read his darker works. Or if they already know they want something very dark then according to my friends you should just jump straight to his adult books bypassing this one. Bear that in mind when deciding to pick this up. This is definitely a good book worth reading regardless and I don’t believe that it should be categorized as a young adult book just because it has a young protagonist. Could it be considered a young adult novel? Yes. But it also makes a great crossover adult fantasy novel. Read it and hopefully enjoy but prepare for some gritting of the teeth through the first fourth of the book until the pace picks up a bit.

*quotes taken from an advanced reader edition of the book and may be different in the published version*

I've been fortunate to have a recent run of phenomenal books. Like several of the novels I last read, Half a King took me a moment to get into. With a new fantasy story there is always a period of getting used to the universe and its style within the spectrum of the genre. This was also my introduction to Abercrombie and his style, so I had no expectations or baseline measurement entering in. For the first chapters the tone set in and I worried a bit. Half a King is a high fantasy, told in a universe of Western Medievalesque culture/political systems that are the traditional standard of the field. Though elves and magic are mentioned, these amount to legends of the distant past (with hints that this may in fact be technology - perhaps of our civilization). The story at this point is set realistically, and is set up in a straight-forward manner.

Prince Yarvi is studying to be a minister, a career of academics and serving as advisor to those who rule. With a nod to some classic fantasy series, Yarvi is a cripple, born with a half-hand. Physically deformed and weak, intellectually-inclined, and lacking a personality of confidence or leadership, Yarvi has no ambitions or plans to ever rule. However, the sudden death of his elder brother and their father the king suddenly forces the ill-prepared Yarvi into the role of ruling.

This set up had me fearing that the novel would proceed rather predictably, down a simple path of Yarvi gaining confidence in ruling, and showing how his shrewd mind was more important than battle prowess and physical intimidation. The relatively short length of the book also left me wondering just how much could be accomplished on any epic scale.

After these first chapters, however, a curve is thrown to Yarvi and the plot, sending our protagonist down a different path. Still one of personal growth, of finding his confidence and an ability to lead, the story quickly became far more captivating than I first expected. I fell in love with this world and with the character of Yarvi, despite the familiarity of his situation.

Abercrombie succeeds in making Yarvi's story compelling through a couple of aspects. The first is by making this feel like an epic fantasy despite being short. (Originally thought to be a stand-alone novel, it is now clearly to be expanded into a series.) The plot is focused on Yarvi and the friends and adversaries he meets directly. But Yarvi's personal and political struggles are set within a richly formed universe. Abercrombie puts in many details of the world-at-large and its culture, including religion and the afore-mentioned elven relics of a previous age. At first the many details inserted into the narrative seemed to be a way of making Half a King 'sound' like a fantasy, akin to inserting lots of foreign-sounding technical words into a SF novel. Abercrombie's skill quickly became clear though, that this is setting up a sense of epic within the confines of this single small story. The history and characters of the offscreen larger world become clearer as the novel draws to a close and ties into what has occurred to Yarvi, giving the reader the sense of something epic and well constructed. Along these same lines, Yarvi's story extends through a significant period of time and drastically-changing circumstances, but Abercrombie makes this flow realistically and naturally across the pages.

The second aspect to Half a King's success is Abercrombie's tone. The book is written with a voice that fits Yarvi to a tee, with shades of being archaic and Medievalesque fitting to the universe, but not overtly or comically so as some genre books can get. There is a lyrical quality to the writing, helping this story to go by with fantastic pacing and being engrossing all the way. The novel is marketed under the Young Adult umbrella. As is often the case, this is largely due to the protagonist being a young adult. However, it is also the tone and content. Though featuring violence and talks of a sex, they are treated quite tamely, making this a PG sort of adventure story. The work is also pervaded with a sense of optimism, a resilience to survive, and a joy for the beautiful moments in life. This makes it a fine counter to the more pessimistic fantasy of something like A Song of Ice and Fire. Yet, despite the optimism, the novel continues to be believable and relatable, peppered with loss, disaster, and cruelty. With themes such as honor, promises, confidence, and loss, Half a King is ideal for a young fantasy reader, but shouldn't be limited to that audience.

Half a King has been featured on "Best of" lists for summer reading and garnered significant advance praise. Whether fantasy is your thing or not, the novel stands well as a coming-of-age story that should captivate you and whet your appetite to learn more about this world in which Yarvi lives.

Half a King is another great story by Abercrombie. If your a fan, you already know that Joe focuses on character development and intensity. There is plenty of that in "Half a King". Speaking of the title, in a way it has to do with the main character's deformity, his hand. I won't say much else but there is more to it then that.

The story follows Yarvi, the King's second son that is on his way to be a minister. Tragedy befalls his family, as per Joe Abercrombie, and now Yarvi has to go from minister in training to heir apparent. You follow him in a story full of tragedy, mystery, and surprises. Yarvi grows on you as you read along, and by the end I was pretty emotionally invested in this guy and his friends. There are some slow parts here and there, but plenty of action scenes and funny moments along the way.

My only complaint was this novel is fairly short compared to other books in the fantasy genre. It is a YA book so that might explain it, but by the end I wanted to know so much more than what could be said in this 300+ page adventure. I have heard that it is the first book in a trilogy, so I'm expecting more to come. Besides the length, I feel that anyone that is a fan of fantasy books should definitely pick this up.

"Shall I spin a tale for you?"

"What manner of tale, Brother Yarvi?"

"A tale of blood and deceit, of money and murder, of treachery and power."

Mother Gundring laughed, and took another sip from her cup. "The only sort I enjoy. Has it elves in it? Dragons? Trolls?"

Yarvi shook his head. "People can do all the evil we need."**

And thus begins the harrowing tale of Yarvi. A very gracious thank you to Netgalley for providing me an uncorrected proof copy in exchange for an honest review. An extra thank you for sending me the first ARC galley I've ever won that completely rocked my socks off.

I've never read an Abercrombie book before and you can bet I intend to sing his praises and read more now. He writes with care, and his action scenes are so precise as to become these fully realized, in-color scenes in your head. Also, although I would classify this as high fantasy, there is not a lot of jargon in the book, apart from the unique, fantastical names. I'd put this more in the tradition of modern fantasy that way. Also of note is that although the title implies this is part of a forthcoming series, this book can easily be read as a stand-alone. No cliffhanger ending, even though the foundation is laid for many more stories to come.

This is a hell of a book and I'm not even sure where to begin. For those who don't tend to read the dust jacket, the story follows Prince Yarvi, a young man thrust into the throne when his father and brother, both esteemed warriors, are killed in battle. Yarvi, however, only has one good hand, and is considered weak, not worthy of the throne. As Yarvi's father would often say, he did not ask for half a son, and many of his constituents did not ask for half a king. He can barely hold a sword, much less lead armies against their many foes in this war-torn world.

A series of events that seemingly come from nowhere and really kick off the action find Yarvi cast adrift, fighting to survive and vowing to avenge his father's death, no matter the cost. Many have dubbed this a coming-of-age tale, and it is, but not in the traditional way one might think. This is a tale of a weak, persecuted boy who learns to use what he has - his mind - to retake this throne. In the early parts of the book, his story brought to mind Tyrion from "A Song of Ice and Fire", a character who was also persecuted for what he lacked physically, but learned to make up for it by sharpening his mind against his foes.

I really felt his journey was real, and more important, I felt for Yarvi and his plight. There was nothing forced about it. The scenes and situations were natural and so, too, was my sympathy for Yarvi.

The characters are a motley bunch comprised of myriad personalities and diverse backgrounds. Yarvi is a cunning, analytical boy, who often uses his former training as a minister to survive and guide him during the trials he faces.

As he tells us, "Time might be slipping through his fingers. He lacked a full set, after all. But he had to be patient, patient as the winter. Once, after his father had hit him in a rage, Yarvi's mother had found him crying. The fool strikes, she had said. The wise man smiles, and watches, and learns."

And learn he does. Yarvi's fall from grace is a long one, and it's a wonder he did not give up and allow the Last Door to claim him early on. But rather than resign himself to such a fate, he fights to survive and reclaim his throne, in large part because he swore an oath of vengeance, and he refuses to quit until the deed is done. Given his mottled hand, this fight is no small feat. He becomes physically stronger, sure, but more important than that he becomes bold, fearless, and even reckless at times. He becomes more bitter and myopic as the book progresses - he has one goal in mind: vengeance. Even he observes, "It seems I've become the villain of this piece."

Meeting friends along the way, he forges enduring friendships and learns firsthand the kindness of strangers and their loyalty, most notably through Rulf and Jaud, his oarmates. Perhaps because he appears to them weak, or perhaps because he touches them with a humanity they've not felt in years, these men become his protectors and friends. They know there are no villains, but "[o]nly people, doing their best."

Nothing (that's the character's actual name) is a loyal and consummate badass, deadly with a blade, and that's about all I can say about him because he's too good for me to tell you about - you just have to read the book.

And the women in this book! The women! Rarely do I find a book with such strong, intelligent, capable, deadly women (and most often I seem to find them in high fantasy written by men, what's up with that?). From Shadikshirram, the drunken, but deadly captain, to Laithlin, aka The Golden Queen, Yarvi's powerful mercantile mother who seemingly has the ability to produce coin from nothing, to Sumael, whose gifts for navigation are unparalleled, the women in this book do not take a backseat to the men, oh no. In many ways, this is a matriarchal rule. Another way in which the women are treated equally to the men? They can be just as corrupt and cruel as their male counterparts.

"So you see, a woman can swear the same oath as a man." "If she's fool enough," said Yarvi, as he turned away."

In fact, throughout the book it becomes clear that Yarvi absorbed more wisdom from the women in his life than he did the men. In other words, Abercrombie wrote about people, their genders being little more than aesthetics.

Romance is extremely minimal. There are slight hints of it at times, like in the early moments with his betrothed, but apart from that, this story is pretty much romance free.

Fantasy as allegory: As with many fantasy books, one can't help but notice the numerous parallels between their world and our own. After all, "the wealthier a man is, the more he craves wealth." Yarvi learns this lesson the hard way before his story is done. There are allusions to religious influences throughout, as well, as the High King (this world has many kings) seeks to impose his new religion upon the entire world. But the moment that really got me - that really made me think about its application to present day - was this exchange Yarvi had with a slave:

"...But you are free."

"Free?" she muttered.

"Yes."

"I don't want to be free. I want to be safe."

Imagine a people content to remain enslaved by their masters so long as they are happy, cared for, and safe, while their masters go about obtaining yet more coin, enslaving yet more people, under the guise of keeping them safe.

One interesting note that escaped me until after I finished was that the various elf ruins mentioned sporadically throughout the book sound very much like the ruins of our present world. One elf-built ruin, a tower visible from afar, is comprised of "pillars of jointless stone [for three quarters of its height], perfectly square, perfectly true, with giant expanses of black elf-glass still twinkling at some of the great windows." Sounds like a skyscraper, yes? This fits with the themes throughout the book well, as this book contains no magic or mysteries of nature - it only speaks to the evils that will be the downfall of us all. In that way, this book almost serves to foreshadow our future should our present society collapse completely.

Oh, but the twists and turns in this book! The last third was a real doozy. I kept expecting a twist, because, well, c'mon, it's a fantasy story - without a twist or conflict, what kind of story would it be? But when it finally came, I was somehow still caught completely unaware. And it didn't even stop there. Every time I thought I'd read the final twist, and thought I was heading into the epilogue, I was wrong. Abercrombie is extremely skilled at not divulging the plot until he wants to.

This was a fantastic book, one I suspect will garner legions of fans. One I also suspect will be in my top two or three by the year's end. Congratulations, Joe Abercrombie, you've gone and earned yourself a new fan.

Betrayal rules this land, betrayal, greed, and a lust for power. "You may need two hands to fight someone. But you only need one to stab them in the back."

**All quotes taken from an uncorrected galley subject to change before final printing.

Joe Abercrombie is known for his dark and gritty (grimdark) fantasy stories. With Half a King, Abercrombie brings that sensibility and style to the Young Adult market. While definitely not as vulgar and explicit as his adult novels, Half a King has all the hallmarks of an Abercrombie story but in a format suitable for teens. This means the violence isn't as graphic and the language is toned down. I actually found this very effective, as it much of the harshness understated, which actually made it more real to me.

Yarvi is the second son of the king, a young man with a deformed hand and a temperament more suited to studying than war and ruling. He is planning on becoming a Minister (a type of doctor/advisor/medicine man), when he is informed that his father and brother have been killed by a neighboring barbarian king. As he leads an armed force set on vengeance, Yarvi is spun off on a journey that will change and harden him. He will discover that "family" doesn't always mean your blood relatives.

Half a King contains many familiar fantasy tropes, but in Abercrombie's hand they seem fresh. He imbues his characters with a believability that causes the reader to want to find out what happens to them. Yarvi is given depth as he moves through his journey to regain his throne, and he encounters many interesting people along the way, including Nothing, Sumael, Ralf, and Jaud, who, along with Yarvi, form an unlikely band of brothers. Abercrombie presents his characters in varying shades of grey, everyone having faults, with even the "heroes" becoming hard to root for at times. This can be a dangerous line to walk as an author, but Abercrombie does a masterful job.

The land of the Shattered Sea is explored in a general sense, with a few areas getting a little more attention than the rest, but it has a lot of potential as this series progresses. The idea of a High King, the Ministry, and the religious ideas presented in Half a King also bear further exploring.

I found Half a King to be a very enjoyable book, one that I didn't want to put down. The characters were engaging, the plot moved along at a brisk pace, and there were enough mysteries and surprises to keep it from becoming predictable. In addition, the story is completely told, with no cliffhangers to keep readers waiting, but with enough set-up for the future to keep readers coming back. I highly recommend this book and look forward to seeing how the story progresses in future books.

I received a preview copy of this book from Del Ray Spectra in exchange for an honest review.

I bought and read half a king on release day yet it has taken this long to put my thoughts in order to do a review i was wondering if i should even bother its been so long and so many reviews are up i can't see my review swaying people one way or another even if someone does happen to read it.

However in the end why not? after all if something affects me as reader shouldn't i share it. Joe abercrombie is a excellent writer whose name is dropped nearly as frequently as Martins when it comes to greatest living fantasy writers he is known as being one of the uncrowned kings of the Fantasy Genre of GrimDark basically 'Gritty' Fantasy.

But as well written and action packed as his books can be, even with his undoubted gift for pitch black comedy, they can be a bit of a slog at times grim relentess with characters showing a distinct lack of both common and moral sense and while Joe Abercrombie is a great believer in a character development and growth it.s not often in a way that can be seen as poistive. So while i have in the past, and will in the future, take a day off so i can devour a new Abercrombie novel the fact remains there are days when i as a reader need a 'time out'.

That brings us to Half a King, i went to this novel with the words lighter, young adult less grim etc ringing in my head i thought in a rough way i knew what i was getting i thought it would be a dialed up comedy romp with a bit of action and a happy ending the answer to that is hell no, i thought this would be the Abercrombie novel you could pick up when you are in bad form to perk your self up. The answer to that i suspect is maybe, and no, depending on the reader.

This novel is very much about perceptions and reality, how others perceive us, how we perceive ourselves and the difference between the Journey and the destination, and on a related note how the Journey affects the destination.

.............. Possible Spoilers........

Yavi is the younger son of the King, a Warlord in a world built along the lines of Old Norse culture where the 'Manly Arts' are celebrated courage, skill in arms, the appearance of strength and where Yavi, thoughtful intelligent and the bearer of a deformed hand is seen as less then, half a man and after the death of his father and brother, half a king. Meant to be a Minister healers and Councilors in service to Father Peace, becoming King forces Yavi to have to match the expections of his culture to try to become the man his father was perceived to be, to fufull a Oath of Vengence and reconcill who he is with who he needs to be.

This isnt far off of course the plots of many a other fantasy, and indeed non fantasy, coming of age novel even the Set back Yavi suffers, the lessons he learns along the way and the betrayals he suffers all very much fall under the Heros Journey however under Abercrombies hand this takes on a new shine.

Starting with Yavi's mother who in this kind of novel would normally be inconsquental a weeping willow there to beat her breast and to urge Yavi onto vengence or to tearfully ask him to stay, or a Conniving seductress or hag, depending on the author, who colluded with the traitors instead we get a woman who starts off formidable and becomes ever more important to the story whose word is held as Iron the Golden Queen whose actions and prescence inform much of the plot and story despite little on page screen time. Yavis Father perceived to be the embodiment of the manly virtues who Yavi cannot measure up to is shown to be a pale shadow of his Legendary Brother who got his poston by treachery and who like most of the male characers in a world where honor is so prized is dosnt have the strength of will to live life by their code.

Indeed the biggest revealtion of this story for Yavi isnt that he can live up to the legacy of his great parent but rather which of his parents is actually the great one and how much of her is in him.

My favourite bit of the novel is that where Yavi finishes and where he ends up are at once both so similar, and yet miles apart, the Yavi at the start wanted to hide in a world of books and knowledge away from war and death giving up things such as having a wife without a understanding of what that means. The Yavi at the end is ruthless and cold and formiddable son of mother war without the boasting or pointless vicousness that is a hall mark of nearly every other character who is willing to sacrifice future happiness to fufill his oath a man of power who understands at last it isnt the postion that makes you formiddable its the person,

...Spoilers End..

This no way a happy go lucky book its not as grim as Abercrombies main books can be true, but then it dosnt have nearly the comedic elements as those books would have its not a novel of extremes as Abercrombies books can be but it is still very much a Abercrombie novel dark and well written ( how you can read the final capther and call it light hearted i truely dont understand) with well rounded characters that made me think long after the story ended even the reason i deducted one star the over use of coincidence in the novel especally in the form of one of Yavi's companions i am still not sure if i was just missing the authors point after all while we dont see magic in the story there is much talk of Gods and Oaths and Destiny and fufilling your role, even if it turns out how is up to you, that maybe the idea is to show how much fate and destiny have a role in the traditional form of this story and how much that does and dosnt matter, hell when i read the last book maybe i will come back and add a star who knows.

All i can say if anyone does read this who is still trying to make up their mind check it out what ever you get out of the story you wont be disappointed.

This review was originally posted on Avid Reviews: www.avidfantasyreviews.wordpress.com

I have read every novel previously published by Joe Abercrombie, and I have to admit that I am a huge fan of his writing. If you are familiar at all with Abercrombie’s work, you will be aware that he writes decidedly “adult” fantasy. His gritty realism and violent scenes are what originally made his novels stand out in in my mind. His stories are filled with antiheroes, vast wars, and intrigue, which would not be unique without the brutal practicality with which he approaches both his characters and plot. Nothing is sugarcoated in his novels, and it seems as if he turns clichés on their head at every turn. So you can imagine that when I found out Abercrombie’s next book would be a young adult (YA) fantasy, I did not know quite what to expect, and I was even a bit apprehensive. What would Abercrombie’s writing be like without the vicious darkness for which he is known best? I should have had more faith in his ability to push the boundaries of a genre, because Half a King includes all the elements of Abercrombie’s other books that his fans have come to love so much. The only difference in this book is the addition of the themes that lay at the heart of the YA genre: coming of age, a protagonist who is some way an outsider, and adventure.

Half a King is told from the perspective of Yarvi, a young prince who was born with only one good hand. Yarvi lives in a society that is reminiscent of the Vikings; a warlike culture in which a true man is one who can stand tall in battle and be a shield bearer for his brothers in arms. Because of his hand, Yarvi will never be able to carry a shield or swing an axe. He has always been a weakling in the eyes of his countrymen, his family included. When he abruptly finds himself a King, a destiny he never expected as a second son, he soon realizes that not even his sharp wit will convince his subjects he is strong enough to rule. He soon finds his throne taken from him and is shortly after sold into slavery. But instead of finding himself defeated, he vows to reclaim the throne he never wanted, take revenge on those who have harmed him, and prove his strength despite having only one good hand.

This is a really fantastic novel, and although it has slightly less violence and profanity, is just as realistic and gritty as Abercrombie’s other novels. In fact, I found that Half a King contained just as much (if not slightly more) thought provoking material and meaningful content than is found in the First Law trilogy and the corresponding stand-alone novels. I also found it refreshing to read a story that takes place in a different world than the rest of his work. And even though so far the world is quite as expansive, Abercrombie leaves plenty of room for future exploration and expansion in future novels. There are also several tantalizing mentions of the history of Yarvi’s world that I absolutely cannot wait to read more about.

In this novel Abercrombie tackles a tough subject, a young man who struggles to overcome his physical disadvantage, and he does it with no censorship whatsoever. He drops his protagonist into a world that detests what they perceive as physical weakness, and puts him through trials that any person would struggle to overcome. Yarvi is the ultimate outcast teenager, who is not only shunned by his peers, but by his own parents, and even by an entire country. It is hard enough for any person to be a teenager, but for Yarvi it is almost impossible. He lives in a world where there is no such thing as “politically correct,” or “polite society,” and is instead faced with the darkest facets of human nature, where a “survival of the fittest” attitude runs rampant.

If you are a fan of Abercrombie’s who is hesitant to pick up Half a King because of its YA label, I assure you that your uncertainty is unfounded. On the other hand, if you have failed to pick up his novels in the past for fear that they were too violent for your taste, I greatly urge you to give this novel a try. This may just be the perfect novel to ease you into Abercrombie’s distinctive writing style. It is a book that should please both established fans and new readers.

So, I am going to go ahead and rate this book a 9.5/10. It is excellent. Seriously. Read it!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

I’ll make a confession; this is the first book by Joe Abercrombie that I’ve read. It won't be the last. In fact, I just purchased THE BLADE ITSELF.

Joe doesn’t give a lot of description to his scenery except as it impacts his characters; no loving descriptions of dark, haunted forests or endless seas, but his characters are magnificent, wonderful and alive. The scenery merely resides in the background as it should be.

Prince Yarvi would have made a very good king… in a far different kingdom but not the one he is born in where he is scorned for his crippled hand. He is a young man (mid-teens, perhaps; shorter than his mother at the beginning of the book, taller at the end) who comes to recognize his own strengths, who relies upon his intelligence, and who can change his plans in the stopping of a heartbeat.

Yarvi quickly rises to king and, just as rapidly, falls to slavery. Yarvi is so very human; subject to the trickery of others, to lies and, most of all, regrets. The other characters are no less wonderful; half-mad Nothing who has been a slave for twenty years and believes steel is the answer to all questions, kind Jaud who encourages Yarvi at the oar, Sumael the navigator and tightly chained when the ship makes shore, Laithlin Yarvi's mother who is the Golden Queen no longer, Mother Gundring the minister and Yarvi's teacher before his kingly elevation.

Yarvi's father and older brother die in an ambush and Yarvi swears an oath to avenge them. Ultimately, he does but he wonders at the price he's paid. In the end, he moves on with his regrets and a dawning wisdom.

In the middle, there's adventure; betrayal by his closest allies, escaping the oars then the ship, a not-quite-frozen-enough river, trade - what does an escaped slave have for trade? There's ending up captured by your hereditary enemies and bargaining for their army to invade your land so you can retake the throne from the traitor who is so very bad at assassinating relatives. It is Yarvi's training as a minister which brings him close and closer to his objective.

Not only does Joe Abercrombie have an excellent plot from which he doesn't stray, his word craft is wonderful. Sparse and spare with no extraneous verbiage the dialogue flows smoothly and naturally.

This reads like a YA book; slightly sanitized of blood and sex, with a teenage hero.

I received the book as an ARC for free through Goodreads First Reads.

Truly stunning. I have never read anything by Abercrombie and that has clearly been a mistake. This was certainly a nice break from most of the YA that I’ve been reading, and a must for anyone who enjoys fantasy.

Our wonderful protagonist, Yarvi, was born with a deformed hand. Not able to be a warrior, and thankfully a younger son, Yarvi has spent his time training to be a Minister. He is for a life of peace, not war. All of this changes when his father and brother are killed, and rather than becoming Brother Yarvi, he must become King Yarvi.

While Yarvi starts out soft, reality throws him into a world he is little prepared for, but is forced to endure. A rough life hardens him, and not just physically. In fact, by the end of the book you could say that he has become too hard. He makes mistakes, he survives, but most importantly, he learns. Yarvi grows. He becomes what he needs to become, and can admit to the mistakes that he has made. He makes friends with people who were forced together by circumstance. He inspired loyalty in them. He is kind to those who need it. He is intelligent and learned. He is a wonderfully written character with a very realistic personal journey.

I found myself loving most of the other characters as well. I started cheering for certain characters to survive, even when I did not love them at first. And this was even when I could not trust any of them. I learned early on in this book that no one is to be trusted. And yet, by the end of the book I realized that there were people I wound up trusting anyway, even when I knew better. And that was a mistake. Something that I loved was that characters weren’t just good or just evil. There’s a very fine line between the two that even Yarvi can’t escape. This makes the characters so much more realistic.

The action and the suspense were amazing. I never wanted to put the book down. I had to know what was going to happen next, and for the most part, guessing was fairly impossible. There were definitely two (maybe three) twists that really shocked me. These were things that I just did not see coming at all. Especially that very last one at the end of the book. There was one scenario I imagined that did not come to pass and I am grateful for that because that would have been pretty terrible.

The worldbuilding was fantastic, as it should be with an excellent fantasy novel, and the atmosphere was dark and gritty and grim. And oh how I love books like that. This was certainly no exception and I am eagerly awaiting the next two books.

Young Prince Yarvi doesn't seem to do many things well except find places to hide away from everyone and everything. And yet he immediately begins to show signs in this novel of his capabilities as a minister in his world - not in a religious sense, but as a dispenser of wisdom, advice, and common sense. Unfortunately this fantasy world is more a place for the strong and the agile with warfare and fighting seeming to take up most of the lives of those who live here. Yarvi has a disability that he cannot possibly overcome to make him the heroic fighter his country needs when he is elevated to kingship. Naturally his relatively sheltered existence has made him completely unprepared for treachery when it happens. Once he finds himself in the lowliest of all positions he learns that his deformed hand is not what determines whether he will survive. You learn to use the best of yourself to keep living one more minute, one more hour. So what is the best of young Yarvi?

If you are a first time reader of Joe Abercrombie's novels, you need to understand that this is an example of Abercrombie being restrained. The book is undoubtedly aimed at the young adult reader and Yarvi is a young boy moving into manhood who must learn all the hard lessons at once. Because of this, even though the novel is filled with violence and death, it is actually done in a holding-back, ratcheting-back style over previous Abercrombie novels. Fortunately that does not diminish the appeal for someone such as me who has tackled other Abercrombie novels and lived to tell about it. I liked the honest portrayal of these characters where everyone showed signs of weakness but also signs of strengths. Not one dimensional characters at all, more realistic than anything. That is definitely a hallmark of Abercrombie's works since it is very often difficult to tell his hero from his villain. There is a plot twist at the end of this novel which came right out of nowhere for me, but it certainly did work for the story. I was surprised to find no obviously cliff-hanger ending since I understand there are to be more books in this series. This can definitely be read as a completed novel if you don't choose to continue following Yarvi's adventures. I would find it very, very hard to not read any other books that follow this one.

I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

Half a King is a fun and quick read, but it was not a very memorable fantasy debut for me. But because the action in the story moves quickly and has a number of good twists and surprises, I think for anyone looking for a solid fantasy read with interesting, quirky characters, this would be a good choice. I suppose I am hesitant about giving this book full marks though because I didn't feel the story stood out enough for me.

Prince Yarvi is the type of resourceful and thoughtful main character that I do enjoy reading about. His cleverness helps him many times in the story, and I enjoyed how he outsmarted people. Athough his cunning did not always have a good outcome for his plans, he learns and grows from them, so that by the end he sheds the doubts and worries that made him sometimes annoying and whiny in the beginning. He's flawed, but he has lots of room to grow, and the author developed him throughout the story in very interesting ways.

Yarvi has a group of friends who are also interesting in their own way. It's not obvious that this group would work together well, but their friendship was touching in many ways, and that element of a mismatched group coming together is probably the best part of this story.

There are many dark moments which missed it's emotional mark in my opinion because we don't really dwell too much on the heart of these characters and their relationship. It's hard to describe, but I often felt a little distanced from their plight and I could not really appreciate the darker and sad moments as much as I should. The book reads more like an adventure tale, and yet with the potential depth of the characters and the darkness of the world, I think it could have been a much more epic story. I may be putting too much of my expectations on this book though, because overall I feel like it is very enjoyable and I did read it quickly and was eager to know how it would all end. This is just not a book that will stay with me.

(I received this book from the publisher or author for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review.)

This review is courtesy of topoftheheapreviews(dot)com

Half a King is my first read from Joe Abercrombie, and it’s been quite a while since I’ve read in the fantasy genre. Let me tell you though, despite this book being billed as a YA fantasy novel, it was a welcome return!

Most fantasy these days tend to be on the hefty side anywhere from 700-1000 pages, with characters you can’t pronounce, and each author racing to kill off main characters ala George RR Martin faster than you can say his name. This book was a welcome departure from that. You didn’t have characters fleshed out beyond comprehension so you ended up not caring, you didn’t have any scenes that weren’t needed to progress the story, you didn’t have to spend five pages reading about the creases in the tattered cloak the merchant in the city 200 miles away was wearing.

What you have here is a nice little adventure that felt more like a D&D adventure than anything else. Everything was concise and divided up into sections that were almost an entire story in of it self. You go from Prince Yarvi having to step up and take the throne even though nobody thought he could lead, and watch him grow into the character he becomes at the end through each part of the book.

The companions were incredibly likable, and Joe Abercrombie took time to forge that friendship through tight dialogue and swift actions. They almost became inseparable.

There is plenty of action, incredibly well written action at that, mystery, backstabbing and twists and turns to keep you turning the pages.

The Bottom Line: Well paced, well written, and everything you’d come to expect from Joe Abercrombie. I loved the characters, I loved the journey they went on, and it was FUN. The downside to this book though is that it’s not very original. Yes, there are twists and turns, and Abercrombie tries to take you by surprise, but with the exception of one scene for me, they were telegraphed a mile away. That didn’t take my enjoyment away from it though. The world was just too well done to have that pull you out of the story. Go pick it up at your local bookstore when it comes out!

Half a King is the story of the one-handed Prince Yarvi who suddenly finds himself the King of his people only to be betrayed by his seemingly kind uncle, Odem. Yarvi suddenly finds himself a slave, who isn’t worth much, but because of his previous training to enter the ministerial order is able to put himself into the position to flee his captivity along with several other slave companions. Along with his friends, he sets out to avenge his own betrayal but those against his family and fulfill the oath he pledged at his father’s funeral.

Though the story doesn’t descend into grim and darkness, Joe Abercrombie’s first foray into the young adult fantasy is an enjoyable romp around the Shattered Sea. Abercrombie is able to work his word building throughout the narrative without weighing down the pace of the story. He is also able to throw in clues that Yarvi and the reader pull together by the end to unravel why the betrayed occurred in the first place. And does a wonderful job of using a small detail noted in one of the first few pages that plays a part in the last few pages.

A mature reader has to account for the genre Half a King clearly reads as, young adult fantasy. The characters are pretty well rounded, including Yarvi. Even though he is clearly pretty clever, Yarvi’s disability and youth do have an effect on the story and result in him getting beat up a lot while finding a way to survive. Yarvi isn’t pure; he does kill people in his efforts to survive and getting revenge in both direct and indirect ways. Abercrombie is able to use various tropes seen as part of the young adult genre and twist in a satisfying way, especially when it came to the character Nothing.

Upon finishing Half a King, I was very satisfied with my reading experience. Abercrombie wrote a fun, engaging book that I know I would have enjoyed if I was 15-20 years younger. He was also able to set up very interesting potential sequel plots with characters the reader has been introduced to and understands their motivations. I very much recommend this enjoyable book for all ages.

I received a book free through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program.

Half A King’s setting is reminiscent of the Viking era. The main protagonist, Yarvi, is a prince. He is the second son of his father, trailing a strong brother groomed to rule one day. Yarvi has a deformed hand so he is considered unfit to rule in a land where physical power is what a great leader is expected to have.

Young Yarvi learns the death of his father and his brother when he is about to become a minister, readying himself for a life of celibacy. Because of his handicap he has never imagined he would rule. But when his Uncle comes unannounced and kneels before him saying “My King” he understands that his father and his brother are dead. And this changes his life forever.

In Half a King, Abercrombie has created a world with a hint of mythology that I hope we would discover in more details in the series' future instalments. In this world, Elves are the legendary powerful beings who lived a long time ago and who vanished leaving buildings and all sorts of artifacts behind. It is told that they haven't been seen "since the Breaking of God" and "for thousands upon thousands of years".

This world has also many gods: "409 small and 6 tall". I really liked how the author created dualities by calling the six tall gods: Mother Sea, Father Earth, Mother Sun, Father Moon, Mother War, Father Peace.

When the new book of one of my favourite authors lands on my desk I drop whatever I’m reading in order to savour this precious newcomer. However it is not easy to review such a book. Not because I feel like I have to write a good review but because of expectations and standards. To me, the book of a top author comes with a heavy responsibility: to live up to the standards set by the author in her previous books. And this is where it gets tricky because having high expectations is the enemy of great entertainment. Therefore, opinions expressed about such a book should be considered in this context where disappointments could seem much larger.

Don’t worry. I’m not going to say that Half A King is a bad book. But… (You knew there was going to be a “but”, didn’t you) since the moment I turned the last page of the book I’ve been telling myself “there’s something missing in Half A King. Something that made me love Abercrombie’s books”. It’s hard to put a finger on it. I guess what I missed the most in Half A King was the stomach knotting, gut wrenching, kick in the balls moments that leave you breathless and that make you shake your fist to the heavens. Those are the side effects of an immersive reading that usually earn Abercrombie 10/10 from me and I really missed them.

Then, maybe it’s also due to the “tone” of the story telling. I know some readers complain about cursing and sex in books but those are part of the reality, aren’t they? Think about the Viking era. Or about a medieval setting. Do you think that baddies, mercenaries, soldiers, sailors, slaves, whores talked like they were part of the royal family? No, of course not. Same goes for sex. They didn’t live their sexual lives like 13 year olds stealing kisses from each other. In my opinion those details add reality to a story and help in creating the immersive experience that I always look for in the books that I read. So maybe they were part of the things that I missed in Half A King.

Last but not least, the book also felt pretty short. I would have expected Abercrombie to develop certain parts of the story in more detail. I'm not sure whether this was due to editing or just due to the style of the story telling but that's what I felt. Now... this could also indicate a good story as in "pages turned themselves" or "read it in one sitting". You could be the judge when you read it.

I enjoyed Half A King but it didn’t satisfy me as fully as Abercrombie’s pervious books. It was like being very thirsty on a summer day, grabbing the last bottle of your favourite beer and finding it not as cold as you imagined it. Nonetheless, I would recommend it. It is a good story, told masterfully by one of the best fantasy writers. You can’t go wrong with it. Get your copy, enjoy it and look forward to reading the second book of the series.

I have never read a Joe Abercrombie book before, but I knew his name from discussions of modern fantasy. When I saw he was starting a new series, I wanted to give it a try. HALF A KING begins much like this year's fantastic THE GOBLIN EMPEROR.

After a sudden assassination, a younger son who doesn't fit in at the court becomes the ruler. But there the books sharply diverge. Prince Yarvi is knowledgeable, but not a particularly savvy ruler, and he is quickly eliminated by a rival from the throne. Presumed dead, Yarvi is sold as a slave and must find a way to rescue himself and his country.

HALF A KING is a twisting adventure full of unexpected allies and enemies. Yarvi encounters people from many countries, and people who have much less and are more desperate than anyone he's known before. He also meets people who are not so ambitious as to murder for power, but loyal to the end. It's often pretty obvious which characters are which, but Abercrombie manages some surprises.

No one ever expects much of Yarvi, because the countries prize physical strength and he was born without a hand. His brain is one of his greatest assets, as he often has to convince people that he is too valuable to kill. And, as his journey continues, it starts to become true. The spoiled prince learns skills - physical, social, and mental - that he was lacking. At the same time, it may not be enough to make him a good king even if he would be a better one than at the beginning.

I've heard that Abercrombie writes fairly grim and dark fantasy. HALF A KING certainly isn't optimistic or idealistic, but neither is it grim (even with all the slavery). I'm sure it will have a significant overlap with the YA audience, given Yarvi's young age. I really like that HALF A KING stands very well on its own despite being the first book in a trilogy. I think the story works even if Abercrombie never writes another word about the Shattered Seas.

“The fool strikes.
The wise man smiles, and watches, and learns.
Then Strikes.”

Joe Abercrombie’s first venture into young adult fiction is a wonderfully Machiavellian tale of betrayal and revenge. I have read one of his books before and really enjoyed it but Half a King is a whole different animal altogether. What I loved the most was Abercrombie’s ability to make me feel foolish. Every time I knew how the story would end he changed it up and left me gob-smacked. Even when I saw through one trap he had another right behind it waiting to trip me up all the way to the final page.

At the outset the story appears pretty common. Yarvi, a young prince becomes king when his father and brother are killed in an ambush. Soon after, he is betrayed, barely survives an assassination attempt and ends up as a lowly galley slave in a distant land. Having sunk as low as one can, Yarvi then must endure great hardships to achieve his vow to get home, regain his throne, and avenge the murders of his father and brother. This is the predictable story but, as I said, this story is not as easy to predict as it appears.

Abercrombie is well-known in fantasy circles for his gritty style. I’ve read his first book in his First Law trilogy and didn’t find it particularly hard-core. Even so, Half a King does seem more suited to younger audiences, a feat Abercrombie manages without sacrificing any plausibility.

As the first book of a proposed trilogy, Half a King still works as a standalone novel. In the end, there are clearly threads that the reader will hope Abercrombie follows in the future volumes but the questions and mysteries that drive the plot of this story will be resolved without having to wait for the next book to come out.

My only complaint with this book is that it is the first book in a trilogy and with it not even on the market yet, how long will I have to wait before I will be able to read the next. Fortunately, Abercrombie appears to be a rather energetic writer, unlike some of the more well-known fantasy authors.

Bottom line: Half a King gets my highest recommendation.

*Quotations are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appears in the final published edition. The review book was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on the content of my review.

We begin the book in Yarvi's teachers chambers. We are on familiar ground with this fantasy trope. The wizened old woman teaching her student. Things continue in a predictably boring manner. Yarvi, who has no plans to become king, is now elevated to that role. His kind old uncle offers him support and his daughter. His daughter Isriun, just happens to be the perfect woman for Yarvi. I was beginning to wonder if it was Joe Abercrombie I was reading. Was there a mistake? Then Yarvi is thrown off a tower by uncle and left to die.. and I knew I had the right author....

Now Abercrombie begins to weave a very different type of tale. This is not about a king, but a slave. We follow Yarvi as he rows across the shattered sea. He plots to return home, take the thrown and exact his revenge. On his journey he finds friends and enemies.

I love how in all Joe's books one can never be quite sure who is an enemy and who is a friend. Often times the character you have picked out as a villain becomes a friend. He has a great strength for showing just how human and complex people are. In life people are rarely as straight-forward as good and evil.

I think this went a step further in this book. One of the main themes was "the lesser evil and the greater good." This is a concept that changes with each persons perspective. In many instances the villain is acting from this sentiment. So sure that the evil they commit will work towards the greater good. Some characters pay for these choices with their lives.

There are lots of surprises for the reader in this book. Even when you think you have the book figured out, it twists again. Even to the very end. I did guess the main twist. Even though, it didn't make reading it any less dynamic. The final explanation of what happened took me by surprise.

Yarvi's character really grew on me. At first he was so self-loathing and sulky I wasn't sure. He is no soldier. It is more than just his crippled hand, it's who he is. He doesn't have the stomach for fighting and killing. I thought the way the author dealt with this was very smart. Yarvi doesn't become the invincible super character. He just is who he is. He doesn't delight in killing, it makes him sick. He does fulfill his vow though. He isn't the same Yarvi as at the start of the book, but he doesn't change into another person.

In the end the joke was on me. It was a set up after all. Here I thought Joe was losing his touch, instead he was skillfully setting up a great adventure. I think it made the book even more poignant. The book was tied up nicely in the end. After reading a few HUGE books I found it a refreshingly short read. I can see it as a stand alone book or a series. If more are written, I will be reading them.

Half a King was my first book by Joe Abercrombie and I was pleasantly surprised by it. I'm not sure if this book is suppose to be YA or Adult but it reads more like a YA with traces of an adult story. I found it as more of a book for guys but I'm sure some girls will enjoy it (I did after all). It isn't normally the style of book I would pick up, gritty and revenge driven, but it got better as I got into the book.

This story follows Yarvi the youngest son of the king of Gettland. Yarvi has no hopes of ever becoming king, not simply because of his older brother, but because of his crippled arm. After all who would want only half a man as their king? Imagine his surprise when he finds out that not only his father but also his brother have been killed and he is now the king. In his young folly the new king swears and oath to avenge his fallen family, an oath that will take him on a journey far harsher than he could ever imagine.

I had a hard time getting into this book for the first few chapters, it moved like any revenge tale dragging along a half-hearted hero. But from the moment Yarvi was betrayed until the end I could not stop reading. This revenge tale had taken one of many surprising turns. The story is fairly straightforward and the plot is fast paced keeping readers turning pages in anticipation of what will happen next. Yarvi's transformation from a cowardly beat down boy into a bold and cunning man pulled me along easily.

The characters really kept the story moving for me and I found myself attached to more than one of them by the end of the book. Because of the book's fast paced nature there didn't feel like a lot of time to really flesh out the characters but I expect them to show up in the next two books and be more fleshed out there. Aside from that their personalities and the hints of their back stories intrigued me and helped me to invest not only in Yarvi but also in the ragtag bunch of friends he collected on his adventure.

This book was full of surprises and I loved every one of them, and I hope to see more of them in the series's future installments. The shockers were another thing I really enjoyed about this book, seeing the whole story come together at the end was a delight and I'm eager to see where it goes from here.

Abercrombie's world building was also a great addition to the story. I felt easily pulled into the the world he built without having to know too much information about what it was really all about. I've found that the best world-building happens when the author doesn't have to explain themselves but allows the story and world to tell itself and this is one of my favorite things about Half a King.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an action packed story, or a good filler read between series or books.

How one becomes half a king

Half a King features young Yarvi, the youngest prince and now King of Gettland as his father and eldest brother have just been murdered. This thrusts Yarvi into a role that he never wanted nor one that anyone seems to think he is fit for because of a deformity he has to his arm / hand – essentially lacking one hand all he has there is a stub and one finger. He has spent his youth studying for the Ministry. A path of study, healing, wisdom and advising. Now that he is to be king his dream of being a minister is over.
No betrayal could cut deeper

Not even days into his kingship he suffers a terrible betrayal from one he thought the closest to him. With the scene set we have the makings for an extreme revenge story. Due to the betrayal Yarvi subsequently finds himself sold into slavery and is placed on a trade vessel. I have to admit that everything that transpired up until the point Yarvi lands on the trade ship I had a hard time getting through. Yarvi is such a whiner and seems to do a lot of wallowing in self pity. Much of it because of his deformity and then much more because of how he thinks everyone views him. I had a hard time with this because I have known people close to me that have a similar birth defect and it doesn’t seem to embitter them to the world and have this petulant behavior. Maybe I’m reading too much into his behavior and perhaps his inner dialogue is harder on himself then he outwardly showed, but there is no way for me to really know that since we got to see so much of his self pity.
Friends in the lowest places

The saving grace of this novel for me was most definitely the companions that Yarvi makes along his journey for revenge. They are dynamic characters with seemingly more personality than Yarvi himself. I do have to admit though that Yarvi did grow on my considerably as the story progressed and he matured. Such that by the time the book ended I liked him instead of being annoyed by him.

“Pick your enemies more carefully than your friend,” Nothing was muttering at the flames. “They will be with you longer.” – pg 186

I have to admit one of my favorite characters in the novel was a man named ‘Nothing’ – he had a habit of saying steel was the answer to everything and that ‘death waits for us all’ heck at one point I thought I should have counted the number of times he said it but he also said some of the funniest things.

“Death waits for us all,” said Nothing. “But she takes the lazy first.” = pg 171

“What is the world coming to when an honest man cannot burn corpses without suspicion?” – pg 186

As you can see, there were a good number of cool one liners in this book and I found myself frequently stopping to save them. It was fun reading and had me smirking. I also liked the fact that the book sparked some great conversation between myself and several other buddies who had read it, in regards to authors writing in adult genre fiction and then releasing a young adult book of the same genre.

It is for one’s own sake that one does good things.- pg 99

The author that wrote this is known for his grimdark adult fantasy (none of which I have currently read at this time). I’ve noticed a few people note that they consider this book to be a very watered down version of his writing. I however didn’t find the grimness to be watered down and think its a decent book to introduce say a young adult or even adult reader to the fantasy genre if they haven’t already read his previous books. Depending on a reader’s tastes, reading this first might entice them to read his darker works. Or if they already know they want something very dark then according to my friends you should just jump straight to his adult books bypassing this one. Bear that in mind when deciding to pick this up. This is definitely a good book worth reading regardless and I don’t believe that it should be categorized as a young adult book just because it has a young protagonist. Could it be considered a young adult novel? Yes. But it also makes a great crossover adult fantasy novel. Read it and hopefully enjoy but prepare for some gritting of the teeth through the first fourth of the book until the pace picks up a bit.

*quotes taken from an advanced reader edition of the book and may be different in the published version*

I've been fortunate to have a recent run of phenomenal books. Like several of the novels I last read, Half a King took me a moment to get into. With a new fantasy story there is always a period of getting used to the universe and its style within the spectrum of the genre. This was also my introduction to Abercrombie and his style, so I had no expectations or baseline measurement entering in. For the first chapters the tone set in and I worried a bit. Half a King is a high fantasy, told in a universe of Western Medievalesque culture/political systems that are the traditional standard of the field. Though elves and magic are mentioned, these amount to legends of the distant past (with hints that this may in fact be technology - perhaps of our civilization). The story at this point is set realistically, and is set up in a straight-forward manner.

Prince Yarvi is studying to be a minister, a career of academics and serving as advisor to those who rule. With a nod to some classic fantasy series, Yarvi is a cripple, born with a half-hand. Physically deformed and weak, intellectually-inclined, and lacking a personality of confidence or leadership, Yarvi has no ambitions or plans to ever rule. However, the sudden death of his elder brother and their father the king suddenly forces the ill-prepared Yarvi into the role of ruling.

This set up had me fearing that the novel would proceed rather predictably, down a simple path of Yarvi gaining confidence in ruling, and showing how his shrewd mind was more important than battle prowess and physical intimidation. The relatively short length of the book also left me wondering just how much could be accomplished on any epic scale.

After these first chapters, however, a curve is thrown to Yarvi and the plot, sending our protagonist down a different path. Still one of personal growth, of finding his confidence and an ability to lead, the story quickly became far more captivating than I first expected. I fell in love with this world and with the character of Yarvi, despite the familiarity of his situation.

Abercrombie succeeds in making Yarvi's story compelling through a couple of aspects. The first is by making this feel like an epic fantasy despite being short. (Originally thought to be a stand-alone novel, it is now clearly to be expanded into a series.) The plot is focused on Yarvi and the friends and adversaries he meets directly. But Yarvi's personal and political struggles are set within a richly formed universe. Abercrombie puts in many details of the world-at-large and its culture, including religion and the afore-mentioned elven relics of a previous age. At first the many details inserted into the narrative seemed to be a way of making Half a King 'sound' like a fantasy, akin to inserting lots of foreign-sounding technical words into a SF novel. Abercrombie's skill quickly became clear though, that this is setting up a sense of epic within the confines of this single small story. The history and characters of the offscreen larger world become clearer as the novel draws to a close and ties into what has occurred to Yarvi, giving the reader the sense of something epic and well constructed. Along these same lines, Yarvi's story extends through a significant period of time and drastically-changing circumstances, but Abercrombie makes this flow realistically and naturally across the pages.

The second aspect to Half a King's success is Abercrombie's tone. The book is written with a voice that fits Yarvi to a tee, with shades of being archaic and Medievalesque fitting to the universe, but not overtly or comically so as some genre books can get. There is a lyrical quality to the writing, helping this story to go by with fantastic pacing and being engrossing all the way. The novel is marketed under the Young Adult umbrella. As is often the case, this is largely due to the protagonist being a young adult. However, it is also the tone and content. Though featuring violence and talks of a sex, they are treated quite tamely, making this a PG sort of adventure story. The work is also pervaded with a sense of optimism, a resilience to survive, and a joy for the beautiful moments in life. This makes it a fine counter to the more pessimistic fantasy of something like A Song of Ice and Fire. Yet, despite the optimism, the novel continues to be believable and relatable, peppered with loss, disaster, and cruelty. With themes such as honor, promises, confidence, and loss, Half a King is ideal for a young fantasy reader, but shouldn't be limited to that audience.

Half a King has been featured on "Best of" lists for summer reading and garnered significant advance praise. Whether fantasy is your thing or not, the novel stands well as a coming-of-age story that should captivate you and whet your appetite to learn more about this world in which Yarvi lives.

Half a King is another great story by Abercrombie. If your a fan, you already know that Joe focuses on character development and intensity. There is plenty of that in "Half a King". Speaking of the title, in a way it has to do with the main character's deformity, his hand. I won't say much else but there is more to it then that.

The story follows Yarvi, the King's second son that is on his way to be a minister. Tragedy befalls his family, as per Joe Abercrombie, and now Yarvi has to go from minister in training to heir apparent. You follow him in a story full of tragedy, mystery, and surprises. Yarvi grows on you as you read along, and by the end I was pretty emotionally invested in this guy and his friends. There are some slow parts here and there, but plenty of action scenes and funny moments along the way.

My only complaint was this novel is fairly short compared to other books in the fantasy genre. It is a YA book so that might explain it, but by the end I wanted to know so much more than what could be said in this 300+ page adventure. I have heard that it is the first book in a trilogy, so I'm expecting more to come. Besides the length, I feel that anyone that is a fan of fantasy books should definitely pick this up.

"Shall I spin a tale for you?"

"What manner of tale, Brother Yarvi?"

"A tale of blood and deceit, of money and murder, of treachery and power."

Mother Gundring laughed, and took another sip from her cup. "The only sort I enjoy. Has it elves in it? Dragons? Trolls?"

Yarvi shook his head. "People can do all the evil we need."**

And thus begins the harrowing tale of Yarvi. A very gracious thank you to Netgalley for providing me an uncorrected proof copy in exchange for an honest review. An extra thank you for sending me the first ARC galley I've ever won that completely rocked my socks off.

I've never read an Abercrombie book before and you can bet I intend to sing his praises and read more now. He writes with care, and his action scenes are so precise as to become these fully realized, in-color scenes in your head. Also, although I would classify this as high fantasy, there is not a lot of jargon in the book, apart from the unique, fantastical names. I'd put this more in the tradition of modern fantasy that way. Also of note is that although the title implies this is part of a forthcoming series, this book can easily be read as a stand-alone. No cliffhanger ending, even though the foundation is laid for many more stories to come.

This is a hell of a book and I'm not even sure where to begin. For those who don't tend to read the dust jacket, the story follows Prince Yarvi, a young man thrust into the throne when his father and brother, both esteemed warriors, are killed in battle. Yarvi, however, only has one good hand, and is considered weak, not worthy of the throne. As Yarvi's father would often say, he did not ask for half a son, and many of his constituents did not ask for half a king. He can barely hold a sword, much less lead armies against their many foes in this war-torn world.

A series of events that seemingly come from nowhere and really kick off the action find Yarvi cast adrift, fighting to survive and vowing to avenge his father's death, no matter the cost. Many have dubbed this a coming-of-age tale, and it is, but not in the traditional way one might think. This is a tale of a weak, persecuted boy who learns to use what he has - his mind - to retake this throne. In the early parts of the book, his story brought to mind Tyrion from "A Song of Ice and Fire", a character who was also persecuted for what he lacked physically, but learned to make up for it by sharpening his mind against his foes.

I really felt his journey was real, and more important, I felt for Yarvi and his plight. There was nothing forced about it. The scenes and situations were natural and so, too, was my sympathy for Yarvi.

The characters are a motley bunch comprised of myriad personalities and diverse backgrounds. Yarvi is a cunning, analytical boy, who often uses his former training as a minister to survive and guide him during the trials he faces.

As he tells us, "Time might be slipping through his fingers. He lacked a full set, after all. But he had to be patient, patient as the winter. Once, after his father had hit him in a rage, Yarvi's mother had found him crying. The fool strikes, she had said. The wise man smiles, and watches, and learns."

And learn he does. Yarvi's fall from grace is a long one, and it's a wonder he did not give up and allow the Last Door to claim him early on. But rather than resign himself to such a fate, he fights to survive and reclaim his throne, in large part because he swore an oath of vengeance, and he refuses to quit until the deed is done. Given his mottled hand, this fight is no small feat. He becomes physically stronger, sure, but more important than that he becomes bold, fearless, and even reckless at times. He becomes more bitter and myopic as the book progresses - he has one goal in mind: vengeance. Even he observes, "It seems I've become the villain of this piece."

Meeting friends along the way, he forges enduring friendships and learns firsthand the kindness of strangers and their loyalty, most notably through Rulf and Jaud, his oarmates. Perhaps because he appears to them weak, or perhaps because he touches them with a humanity they've not felt in years, these men become his protectors and friends. They know there are no villains, but "[o]nly people, doing their best."

Nothing (that's the character's actual name) is a loyal and consummate badass, deadly with a blade, and that's about all I can say about him because he's too good for me to tell you about - you just have to read the book.

And the women in this book! The women! Rarely do I find a book with such strong, intelligent, capable, deadly women (and most often I seem to find them in high fantasy written by men, what's up with that?). From Shadikshirram, the drunken, but deadly captain, to Laithlin, aka The Golden Queen, Yarvi's powerful mercantile mother who seemingly has the ability to produce coin from nothing, to Sumael, whose gifts for navigation are unparalleled, the women in this book do not take a backseat to the men, oh no. In many ways, this is a matriarchal rule. Another way in which the women are treated equally to the men? They can be just as corrupt and cruel as their male counterparts.

"So you see, a woman can swear the same oath as a man." "If she's fool enough," said Yarvi, as he turned away."

In fact, throughout the book it becomes clear that Yarvi absorbed more wisdom from the women in his life than he did the men. In other words, Abercrombie wrote about people, their genders being little more than aesthetics.

Romance is extremely minimal. There are slight hints of it at times, like in the early moments with his betrothed, but apart from that, this story is pretty much romance free.

Fantasy as allegory: As with many fantasy books, one can't help but notice the numerous parallels between their world and our own. After all, "the wealthier a man is, the more he craves wealth." Yarvi learns this lesson the hard way before his story is done. There are allusions to religious influences throughout, as well, as the High King (this world has many kings) seeks to impose his new religion upon the entire world. But the moment that really got me - that really made me think about its application to present day - was this exchange Yarvi had with a slave:

"...But you are free."

"Free?" she muttered.

"Yes."

"I don't want to be free. I want to be safe."

Imagine a people content to remain enslaved by their masters so long as they are happy, cared for, and safe, while their masters go about obtaining yet more coin, enslaving yet more people, under the guise of keeping them safe.

One interesting note that escaped me until after I finished was that the various elf ruins mentioned sporadically throughout the book sound very much like the ruins of our present world. One elf-built ruin, a tower visible from afar, is comprised of "pillars of jointless stone [for three quarters of its height], perfectly square, perfectly true, with giant expanses of black elf-glass still twinkling at some of the great windows." Sounds like a skyscraper, yes? This fits with the themes throughout the book well, as this book contains no magic or mysteries of nature - it only speaks to the evils that will be the downfall of us all. In that way, this book almost serves to foreshadow our future should our present society collapse completely.

Oh, but the twists and turns in this book! The last third was a real doozy. I kept expecting a twist, because, well, c'mon, it's a fantasy story - without a twist or conflict, what kind of story would it be? But when it finally came, I was somehow still caught completely unaware. And it didn't even stop there. Every time I thought I'd read the final twist, and thought I was heading into the epilogue, I was wrong. Abercrombie is extremely skilled at not divulging the plot until he wants to.

This was a fantastic book, one I suspect will garner legions of fans. One I also suspect will be in my top two or three by the year's end. Congratulations, Joe Abercrombie, you've gone and earned yourself a new fan.

Betrayal rules this land, betrayal, greed, and a lust for power. "You may need two hands to fight someone. But you only need one to stab them in the back."

**All quotes taken from an uncorrected galley subject to change before final printing.

Joe Abercrombie is known for his dark and gritty (grimdark) fantasy stories. With Half a King, Abercrombie brings that sensibility and style to the Young Adult market. While definitely not as vulgar and explicit as his adult novels, Half a King has all the hallmarks of an Abercrombie story but in a format suitable for teens. This means the violence isn't as graphic and the language is toned down. I actually found this very effective, as it much of the harshness understated, which actually made it more real to me.

Yarvi is the second son of the king, a young man with a deformed hand and a temperament more suited to studying than war and ruling. He is planning on becoming a Minister (a type of doctor/advisor/medicine man), when he is informed that his father and brother have been killed by a neighboring barbarian king. As he leads an armed force set on vengeance, Yarvi is spun off on a journey that will change and harden him. He will discover that "family" doesn't always mean your blood relatives.

Half a King contains many familiar fantasy tropes, but in Abercrombie's hand they seem fresh. He imbues his characters with a believability that causes the reader to want to find out what happens to them. Yarvi is given depth as he moves through his journey to regain his throne, and he encounters many interesting people along the way, including Nothing, Sumael, Ralf, and Jaud, who, along with Yarvi, form an unlikely band of brothers. Abercrombie presents his characters in varying shades of grey, everyone having faults, with even the "heroes" becoming hard to root for at times. This can be a dangerous line to walk as an author, but Abercrombie does a masterful job.

The land of the Shattered Sea is explored in a general sense, with a few areas getting a little more attention than the rest, but it has a lot of potential as this series progresses. The idea of a High King, the Ministry, and the religious ideas presented in Half a King also bear further exploring.

I found Half a King to be a very enjoyable book, one that I didn't want to put down. The characters were engaging, the plot moved along at a brisk pace, and there were enough mysteries and surprises to keep it from becoming predictable. In addition, the story is completely told, with no cliffhangers to keep readers waiting, but with enough set-up for the future to keep readers coming back. I highly recommend this book and look forward to seeing how the story progresses in future books.

I received a preview copy of this book from Del Ray Spectra in exchange for an honest review.

I bought and read half a king on release day yet it has taken this long to put my thoughts in order to do a review i was wondering if i should even bother its been so long and so many reviews are up i can't see my review swaying people one way or another even if someone does happen to read it.

However in the end why not? after all if something affects me as reader shouldn't i share it. Joe abercrombie is a excellent writer whose name is dropped nearly as frequently as Martins when it comes to greatest living fantasy writers he is known as being one of the uncrowned kings of the Fantasy Genre of GrimDark basically 'Gritty' Fantasy.

But as well written and action packed as his books can be, even with his undoubted gift for pitch black comedy, they can be a bit of a slog at times grim relentess with characters showing a distinct lack of both common and moral sense and while Joe Abercrombie is a great believer in a character development and growth it.s not often in a way that can be seen as poistive. So while i have in the past, and will in the future, take a day off so i can devour a new Abercrombie novel the fact remains there are days when i as a reader need a 'time out'.

That brings us to Half a King, i went to this novel with the words lighter, young adult less grim etc ringing in my head i thought in a rough way i knew what i was getting i thought it would be a dialed up comedy romp with a bit of action and a happy ending the answer to that is hell no, i thought this would be the Abercrombie novel you could pick up when you are in bad form to perk your self up. The answer to that i suspect is maybe, and no, depending on the reader.

This novel is very much about perceptions and reality, how others perceive us, how we perceive ourselves and the difference between the Journey and the destination, and on a related note how the Journey affects the destination.

.............. Possible Spoilers........

Yavi is the younger son of the King, a Warlord in a world built along the lines of Old Norse culture where the 'Manly Arts' are celebrated courage, skill in arms, the appearance of strength and where Yavi, thoughtful intelligent and the bearer of a deformed hand is seen as less then, half a man and after the death of his father and brother, half a king. Meant to be a Minister healers and Councilors in service to Father Peace, becoming King forces Yavi to have to match the expections of his culture to try to become the man his father was perceived to be, to fufull a Oath of Vengence and reconcill who he is with who he needs to be.

This isnt far off of course the plots of many a other fantasy, and indeed non fantasy, coming of age novel even the Set back Yavi suffers, the lessons he learns along the way and the betrayals he suffers all very much fall under the Heros Journey however under Abercrombies hand this takes on a new shine.

Starting with Yavi's mother who in this kind of novel would normally be inconsquental a weeping willow there to beat her breast and to urge Yavi onto vengence or to tearfully ask him to stay, or a Conniving seductress or hag, depending on the author, who colluded with the traitors instead we get a woman who starts off formidable and becomes ever more important to the story whose word is held as Iron the Golden Queen whose actions and prescence inform much of the plot and story despite little on page screen time. Yavis Father perceived to be the embodiment of the manly virtues who Yavi cannot measure up to is shown to be a pale shadow of his Legendary Brother who got his poston by treachery and who like most of the male characers in a world where honor is so prized is dosnt have the strength of will to live life by their code.

Indeed the biggest revealtion of this story for Yavi isnt that he can live up to the legacy of his great parent but rather which of his parents is actually the great one and how much of her is in him.

My favourite bit of the novel is that where Yavi finishes and where he ends up are at once both so similar, and yet miles apart, the Yavi at the start wanted to hide in a world of books and knowledge away from war and death giving up things such as having a wife without a understanding of what that means. The Yavi at the end is ruthless and cold and formiddable son of mother war without the boasting or pointless vicousness that is a hall mark of nearly every other character who is willing to sacrifice future happiness to fufill his oath a man of power who understands at last it isnt the postion that makes you formiddable its the person,

...Spoilers End..

This no way a happy go lucky book its not as grim as Abercrombies main books can be true, but then it dosnt have nearly the comedic elements as those books would have its not a novel of extremes as Abercrombies books can be but it is still very much a Abercrombie novel dark and well written ( how you can read the final capther and call it light hearted i truely dont understand) with well rounded characters that made me think long after the story ended even the reason i deducted one star the over use of coincidence in the novel especally in the form of one of Yavi's companions i am still not sure if i was just missing the authors point after all while we dont see magic in the story there is much talk of Gods and Oaths and Destiny and fufilling your role, even if it turns out how is up to you, that maybe the idea is to show how much fate and destiny have a role in the traditional form of this story and how much that does and dosnt matter, hell when i read the last book maybe i will come back and add a star who knows.

All i can say if anyone does read this who is still trying to make up their mind check it out what ever you get out of the story you wont be disappointed.

This review was originally posted on Avid Reviews: www.avidfantasyreviews.wordpress.com

I have read every novel previously published by Joe Abercrombie, and I have to admit that I am a huge fan of his writing. If you are familiar at all with Abercrombie’s work, you will be aware that he writes decidedly “adult” fantasy. His gritty realism and violent scenes are what originally made his novels stand out in in my mind. His stories are filled with antiheroes, vast wars, and intrigue, which would not be unique without the brutal practicality with which he approaches both his characters and plot. Nothing is sugarcoated in his novels, and it seems as if he turns clichés on their head at every turn. So you can imagine that when I found out Abercrombie’s next book would be a young adult (YA) fantasy, I did not know quite what to expect, and I was even a bit apprehensive. What would Abercrombie’s writing be like without the vicious darkness for which he is known best? I should have had more faith in his ability to push the boundaries of a genre, because Half a King includes all the elements of Abercrombie’s other books that his fans have come to love so much. The only difference in this book is the addition of the themes that lay at the heart of the YA genre: coming of age, a protagonist who is some way an outsider, and adventure.

Half a King is told from the perspective of Yarvi, a young prince who was born with only one good hand. Yarvi lives in a society that is reminiscent of the Vikings; a warlike culture in which a true man is one who can stand tall in battle and be a shield bearer for his brothers in arms. Because of his hand, Yarvi will never be able to carry a shield or swing an axe. He has always been a weakling in the eyes of his countrymen, his family included. When he abruptly finds himself a King, a destiny he never expected as a second son, he soon realizes that not even his sharp wit will convince his subjects he is strong enough to rule. He soon finds his throne taken from him and is shortly after sold into slavery. But instead of finding himself defeated, he vows to reclaim the throne he never wanted, take revenge on those who have harmed him, and prove his strength despite having only one good hand.

This is a really fantastic novel, and although it has slightly less violence and profanity, is just as realistic and gritty as Abercrombie’s other novels. In fact, I found that Half a King contained just as much (if not slightly more) thought provoking material and meaningful content than is found in the First Law trilogy and the corresponding stand-alone novels. I also found it refreshing to read a story that takes place in a different world than the rest of his work. And even though so far the world is quite as expansive, Abercrombie leaves plenty of room for future exploration and expansion in future novels. There are also several tantalizing mentions of the history of Yarvi’s world that I absolutely cannot wait to read more about.

In this novel Abercrombie tackles a tough subject, a young man who struggles to overcome his physical disadvantage, and he does it with no censorship whatsoever. He drops his protagonist into a world that detests what they perceive as physical weakness, and puts him through trials that any person would struggle to overcome. Yarvi is the ultimate outcast teenager, who is not only shunned by his peers, but by his own parents, and even by an entire country. It is hard enough for any person to be a teenager, but for Yarvi it is almost impossible. He lives in a world where there is no such thing as “politically correct,” or “polite society,” and is instead faced with the darkest facets of human nature, where a “survival of the fittest” attitude runs rampant.

If you are a fan of Abercrombie’s who is hesitant to pick up Half a King because of its YA label, I assure you that your uncertainty is unfounded. On the other hand, if you have failed to pick up his novels in the past for fear that they were too violent for your taste, I greatly urge you to give this novel a try. This may just be the perfect novel to ease you into Abercrombie’s distinctive writing style. It is a book that should please both established fans and new readers.

So, I am going to go ahead and rate this book a 9.5/10. It is excellent. Seriously. Read it!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

I’ll make a confession; this is the first book by Joe Abercrombie that I’ve read. It won't be the last. In fact, I just purchased THE BLADE ITSELF.

Joe doesn’t give a lot of description to his scenery except as it impacts his characters; no loving descriptions of dark, haunted forests or endless seas, but his characters are magnificent, wonderful and alive. The scenery merely resides in the background as it should be.

Prince Yarvi would have made a very good king… in a far different kingdom but not the one he is born in where he is scorned for his crippled hand. He is a young man (mid-teens, perhaps; shorter than his mother at the beginning of the book, taller at the end) who comes to recognize his own strengths, who relies upon his intelligence, and who can change his plans in the stopping of a heartbeat.

Yarvi quickly rises to king and, just as rapidly, falls to slavery. Yarvi is so very human; subject to the trickery of others, to lies and, most of all, regrets. The other characters are no less wonderful; half-mad Nothing who has been a slave for twenty years and believes steel is the answer to all questions, kind Jaud who encourages Yarvi at the oar, Sumael the navigator and tightly chained when the ship makes shore, Laithlin Yarvi's mother who is the Golden Queen no longer, Mother Gundring the minister and Yarvi's teacher before his kingly elevation.

Yarvi's father and older brother die in an ambush and Yarvi swears an oath to avenge them. Ultimately, he does but he wonders at the price he's paid. In the end, he moves on with his regrets and a dawning wisdom.

In the middle, there's adventure; betrayal by his closest allies, escaping the oars then the ship, a not-quite-frozen-enough river, trade - what does an escaped slave have for trade? There's ending up captured by your hereditary enemies and bargaining for their army to invade your land so you can retake the throne from the traitor who is so very bad at assassinating relatives. It is Yarvi's training as a minister which brings him close and closer to his objective.

Not only does Joe Abercrombie have an excellent plot from which he doesn't stray, his word craft is wonderful. Sparse and spare with no extraneous verbiage the dialogue flows smoothly and naturally.

This reads like a YA book; slightly sanitized of blood and sex, with a teenage hero.

I received the book as an ARC for free through Goodreads First Reads.

Truly stunning. I have never read anything by Abercrombie and that has clearly been a mistake. This was certainly a nice break from most of the YA that I’ve been reading, and a must for anyone who enjoys fantasy.

Our wonderful protagonist, Yarvi, was born with a deformed hand. Not able to be a warrior, and thankfully a younger son, Yarvi has spent his time training to be a Minister. He is for a life of peace, not war. All of this changes when his father and brother are killed, and rather than becoming Brother Yarvi, he must become King Yarvi.

While Yarvi starts out soft, reality throws him into a world he is little prepared for, but is forced to endure. A rough life hardens him, and not just physically. In fact, by the end of the book you could say that he has become too hard. He makes mistakes, he survives, but most importantly, he learns. Yarvi grows. He becomes what he needs to become, and can admit to the mistakes that he has made. He makes friends with people who were forced together by circumstance. He inspired loyalty in them. He is kind to those who need it. He is intelligent and learned. He is a wonderfully written character with a very realistic personal journey.

I found myself loving most of the other characters as well. I started cheering for certain characters to survive, even when I did not love them at first. And this was even when I could not trust any of them. I learned early on in this book that no one is to be trusted. And yet, by the end of the book I realized that there were people I wound up trusting anyway, even when I knew better. And that was a mistake. Something that I loved was that characters weren’t just good or just evil. There’s a very fine line between the two that even Yarvi can’t escape. This makes the characters so much more realistic.

The action and the suspense were amazing. I never wanted to put the book down. I had to know what was going to happen next, and for the most part, guessing was fairly impossible. There were definitely two (maybe three) twists that really shocked me. These were things that I just did not see coming at all. Especially that very last one at the end of the book. There was one scenario I imagined that did not come to pass and I am grateful for that because that would have been pretty terrible.

The worldbuilding was fantastic, as it should be with an excellent fantasy novel, and the atmosphere was dark and gritty and grim. And oh how I love books like that. This was certainly no exception and I am eagerly awaiting the next two books.

Young Prince Yarvi doesn't seem to do many things well except find places to hide away from everyone and everything. And yet he immediately begins to show signs in this novel of his capabilities as a minister in his world - not in a religious sense, but as a dispenser of wisdom, advice, and common sense. Unfortunately this fantasy world is more a place for the strong and the agile with warfare and fighting seeming to take up most of the lives of those who live here. Yarvi has a disability that he cannot possibly overcome to make him the heroic fighter his country needs when he is elevated to kingship. Naturally his relatively sheltered existence has made him completely unprepared for treachery when it happens. Once he finds himself in the lowliest of all positions he learns that his deformed hand is not what determines whether he will survive. You learn to use the best of yourself to keep living one more minute, one more hour. So what is the best of young Yarvi?

If you are a first time reader of Joe Abercrombie's novels, you need to understand that this is an example of Abercrombie being restrained. The book is undoubtedly aimed at the young adult reader and Yarvi is a young boy moving into manhood who must learn all the hard lessons at once. Because of this, even though the novel is filled with violence and death, it is actually done in a holding-back, ratcheting-back style over previous Abercrombie novels. Fortunately that does not diminish the appeal for someone such as me who has tackled other Abercrombie novels and lived to tell about it. I liked the honest portrayal of these characters where everyone showed signs of weakness but also signs of strengths. Not one dimensional characters at all, more realistic than anything. That is definitely a hallmark of Abercrombie's works since it is very often difficult to tell his hero from his villain. There is a plot twist at the end of this novel which came right out of nowhere for me, but it certainly did work for the story. I was surprised to find no obviously cliff-hanger ending since I understand there are to be more books in this series. This can definitely be read as a completed novel if you don't choose to continue following Yarvi's adventures. I would find it very, very hard to not read any other books that follow this one.

I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

Half a King is a fun and quick read, but it was not a very memorable fantasy debut for me. But because the action in the story moves quickly and has a number of good twists and surprises, I think for anyone looking for a solid fantasy read with interesting, quirky characters, this would be a good choice. I suppose I am hesitant about giving this book full marks though because I didn't feel the story stood out enough for me.

Prince Yarvi is the type of resourceful and thoughtful main character that I do enjoy reading about. His cleverness helps him many times in the story, and I enjoyed how he outsmarted people. Athough his cunning did not always have a good outcome for his plans, he learns and grows from them, so that by the end he sheds the doubts and worries that made him sometimes annoying and whiny in the beginning. He's flawed, but he has lots of room to grow, and the author developed him throughout the story in very interesting ways.

Yarvi has a group of friends who are also interesting in their own way. It's not obvious that this group would work together well, but their friendship was touching in many ways, and that element of a mismatched group coming together is probably the best part of this story.

There are many dark moments which missed it's emotional mark in my opinion because we don't really dwell too much on the heart of these characters and their relationship. It's hard to describe, but I often felt a little distanced from their plight and I could not really appreciate the darker and sad moments as much as I should. The book reads more like an adventure tale, and yet with the potential depth of the characters and the darkness of the world, I think it could have been a much more epic story. I may be putting too much of my expectations on this book though, because overall I feel like it is very enjoyable and I did read it quickly and was eager to know how it would all end. This is just not a book that will stay with me.

(I received this book from the publisher or author for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review.)

This review is courtesy of topoftheheapreviews(dot)com

Half a King is my first read from Joe Abercrombie, and it’s been quite a while since I’ve read in the fantasy genre. Let me tell you though, despite this book being billed as a YA fantasy novel, it was a welcome return!

Most fantasy these days tend to be on the hefty side anywhere from 700-1000 pages, with characters you can’t pronounce, and each author racing to kill off main characters ala George RR Martin faster than you can say his name. This book was a welcome departure from that. You didn’t have characters fleshed out beyond comprehension so you ended up not caring, you didn’t have any scenes that weren’t needed to progress the story, you didn’t have to spend five pages reading about the creases in the tattered cloak the merchant in the city 200 miles away was wearing.

What you have here is a nice little adventure that felt more like a D&D adventure than anything else. Everything was concise and divided up into sections that were almost an entire story in of it self. You go from Prince Yarvi having to step up and take the throne even though nobody thought he could lead, and watch him grow into the character he becomes at the end through each part of the book.

The companions were incredibly likable, and Joe Abercrombie took time to forge that friendship through tight dialogue and swift actions. They almost became inseparable.

There is plenty of action, incredibly well written action at that, mystery, backstabbing and twists and turns to keep you turning the pages.

The Bottom Line: Well paced, well written, and everything you’d come to expect from Joe Abercrombie. I loved the characters, I loved the journey they went on, and it was FUN. The downside to this book though is that it’s not very original. Yes, there are twists and turns, and Abercrombie tries to take you by surprise, but with the exception of one scene for me, they were telegraphed a mile away. That didn’t take my enjoyment away from it though. The world was just too well done to have that pull you out of the story. Go pick it up at your local bookstore when it comes out!

Half a King is the story of the one-handed Prince Yarvi who suddenly finds himself the King of his people only to be betrayed by his seemingly kind uncle, Odem. Yarvi suddenly finds himself a slave, who isn’t worth much, but because of his previous training to enter the ministerial order is able to put himself into the position to flee his captivity along with several other slave companions. Along with his friends, he sets out to avenge his own betrayal but those against his family and fulfill the oath he pledged at his father’s funeral.

Though the story doesn’t descend into grim and darkness, Joe Abercrombie’s first foray into the young adult fantasy is an enjoyable romp around the Shattered Sea. Abercrombie is able to work his word building throughout the narrative without weighing down the pace of the story. He is also able to throw in clues that Yarvi and the reader pull together by the end to unravel why the betrayed occurred in the first place. And does a wonderful job of using a small detail noted in one of the first few pages that plays a part in the last few pages.

A mature reader has to account for the genre Half a King clearly reads as, young adult fantasy. The characters are pretty well rounded, including Yarvi. Even though he is clearly pretty clever, Yarvi’s disability and youth do have an effect on the story and result in him getting beat up a lot while finding a way to survive. Yarvi isn’t pure; he does kill people in his efforts to survive and getting revenge in both direct and indirect ways. Abercrombie is able to use various tropes seen as part of the young adult genre and twist in a satisfying way, especially when it came to the character Nothing.

Upon finishing Half a King, I was very satisfied with my reading experience. Abercrombie wrote a fun, engaging book that I know I would have enjoyed if I was 15-20 years younger. He was also able to set up very interesting potential sequel plots with characters the reader has been introduced to and understands their motivations. I very much recommend this enjoyable book for all ages.

I received a book free through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program.

Half A King’s setting is reminiscent of the Viking era. The main protagonist, Yarvi, is a prince. He is the second son of his father, trailing a strong brother groomed to rule one day. Yarvi has a deformed hand so he is considered unfit to rule in a land where physical power is what a great leader is expected to have.

Young Yarvi learns the death of his father and his brother when he is about to become a minister, readying himself for a life of celibacy. Because of his handicap he has never imagined he would rule. But when his Uncle comes unannounced and kneels before him saying “My King” he understands that his father and his brother are dead. And this changes his life forever.

In Half a King, Abercrombie has created a world with a hint of mythology that I hope we would discover in more details in the series' future instalments. In this world, Elves are the legendary powerful beings who lived a long time ago and who vanished leaving buildings and all sorts of artifacts behind. It is told that they haven't been seen "since the Breaking of God" and "for thousands upon thousands of years".

This world has also many gods: "409 small and 6 tall". I really liked how the author created dualities by calling the six tall gods: Mother Sea, Father Earth, Mother Sun, Father Moon, Mother War, Father Peace.

When the new book of one of my favourite authors lands on my desk I drop whatever I’m reading in order to savour this precious newcomer. However it is not easy to review such a book. Not because I feel like I have to write a good review but because of expectations and standards. To me, the book of a top author comes with a heavy responsibility: to live up to the standards set by the author in her previous books. And this is where it gets tricky because having high expectations is the enemy of great entertainment. Therefore, opinions expressed about such a book should be considered in this context where disappointments could seem much larger.

Don’t worry. I’m not going to say that Half A King is a bad book. But… (You knew there was going to be a “but”, didn’t you) since the moment I turned the last page of the book I’ve been telling myself “there’s something missing in Half A King. Something that made me love Abercrombie’s books”. It’s hard to put a finger on it. I guess what I missed the most in Half A King was the stomach knotting, gut wrenching, kick in the balls moments that leave you breathless and that make you shake your fist to the heavens. Those are the side effects of an immersive reading that usually earn Abercrombie 10/10 from me and I really missed them.

Then, maybe it’s also due to the “tone” of the story telling. I know some readers complain about cursing and sex in books but those are part of the reality, aren’t they? Think about the Viking era. Or about a medieval setting. Do you think that baddies, mercenaries, soldiers, sailors, slaves, whores talked like they were part of the royal family? No, of course not. Same goes for sex. They didn’t live their sexual lives like 13 year olds stealing kisses from each other. In my opinion those details add reality to a story and help in creating the immersive experience that I always look for in the books that I read. So maybe they were part of the things that I missed in Half A King.

Last but not least, the book also felt pretty short. I would have expected Abercrombie to develop certain parts of the story in more detail. I'm not sure whether this was due to editing or just due to the style of the story telling but that's what I felt. Now... this could also indicate a good story as in "pages turned themselves" or "read it in one sitting". You could be the judge when you read it.

I enjoyed Half A King but it didn’t satisfy me as fully as Abercrombie’s pervious books. It was like being very thirsty on a summer day, grabbing the last bottle of your favourite beer and finding it not as cold as you imagined it. Nonetheless, I would recommend it. It is a good story, told masterfully by one of the best fantasy writers. You can’t go wrong with it. Get your copy, enjoy it and look forward to reading the second book of the series.

I have never read a Joe Abercrombie book before, but I knew his name from discussions of modern fantasy. When I saw he was starting a new series, I wanted to give it a try. HALF A KING begins much like this year's fantastic THE GOBLIN EMPEROR.

After a sudden assassination, a younger son who doesn't fit in at the court becomes the ruler. But there the books sharply diverge. Prince Yarvi is knowledgeable, but not a particularly savvy ruler, and he is quickly eliminated by a rival from the throne. Presumed dead, Yarvi is sold as a slave and must find a way to rescue himself and his country.

HALF A KING is a twisting adventure full of unexpected allies and enemies. Yarvi encounters people from many countries, and people who have much less and are more desperate than anyone he's known before. He also meets people who are not so ambitious as to murder for power, but loyal to the end. It's often pretty obvious which characters are which, but Abercrombie manages some surprises.

No one ever expects much of Yarvi, because the countries prize physical strength and he was born without a hand. His brain is one of his greatest assets, as he often has to convince people that he is too valuable to kill. And, as his journey continues, it starts to become true. The spoiled prince learns skills - physical, social, and mental - that he was lacking. At the same time, it may not be enough to make him a good king even if he would be a better one than at the beginning.

I've heard that Abercrombie writes fairly grim and dark fantasy. HALF A KING certainly isn't optimistic or idealistic, but neither is it grim (even with all the slavery). I'm sure it will have a significant overlap with the YA audience, given Yarvi's young age. I really like that HALF A KING stands very well on its own despite being the first book in a trilogy. I think the story works even if Abercrombie never writes another word about the Shattered Seas.

“The fool strikes.
The wise man smiles, and watches, and learns.
Then Strikes.”

Joe Abercrombie’s first venture into young adult fiction is a wonderfully Machiavellian tale of betrayal and revenge. I have read one of his books before and really enjoyed it but Half a King is a whole different animal altogether. What I loved the most was Abercrombie’s ability to make me feel foolish. Every time I knew how the story would end he changed it up and left me gob-smacked. Even when I saw through one trap he had another right behind it waiting to trip me up all the way to the final page.

At the outset the story appears pretty common. Yarvi, a young prince becomes king when his father and brother are killed in an ambush. Soon after, he is betrayed, barely survives an assassination attempt and ends up as a lowly galley slave in a distant land. Having sunk as low as one can, Yarvi then must endure great hardships to achieve his vow to get home, regain his throne, and avenge the murders of his father and brother. This is the predictable story but, as I said, this story is not as easy to predict as it appears.

Abercrombie is well-known in fantasy circles for his gritty style. I’ve read his first book in his First Law trilogy and didn’t find it particularly hard-core. Even so, Half a King does seem more suited to younger audiences, a feat Abercrombie manages without sacrificing any plausibility.

As the first book of a proposed trilogy, Half a King still works as a standalone novel. In the end, there are clearly threads that the reader will hope Abercrombie follows in the future volumes but the questions and mysteries that drive the plot of this story will be resolved without having to wait for the next book to come out.

My only complaint with this book is that it is the first book in a trilogy and with it not even on the market yet, how long will I have to wait before I will be able to read the next. Fortunately, Abercrombie appears to be a rather energetic writer, unlike some of the more well-known fantasy authors.

Bottom line: Half a King gets my highest recommendation.

*Quotations are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appears in the final published edition. The review book was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on the content of my review.

Half A King is definitely in my top 10 reads for 2014. I've read one of Joe Abercrombie's adult books, Red Country, and enjoyed it but this book took it to another level. Abercrombie is a wonderful writer and his descriptions make you feel like you are right there with Yarvi as he is on his journey.

Yarvi was a wonderful character and he grows so much in these 350 odd pages. The character at the beginning of the book is certainly not the same character we get at the end. His transformation was truly amazing and I loved seeing him fulfill his potential, especially because it wasn't what I was expecting.

I normally hate "travelling" stories, but Joe Abercrombie did this one right. There was plenty of action throughout Half A King, the pacing was on point, and the characters were nicely detailed. I enjoy the humorous interactions between them just as much as I did the more serious and life-threatening ones.

Though this is being billed as a young adult novel, I truly think Half A King is a book for all ages. Yarvi started as naive and self-conscious, but his characterization never screamed, "Child, child, I'm a child!" Instead, he just felt like a lost young man who was determined to set the wrongs done to him right. I highly recommend this to all readers of high fantasy and even those who don't normally read it. I think this could be a great gateway book as it is very accessible and entertaining. Yarvi's journey seemed to be finished at the end of this novel so I am eager to see what story the next installment will contain.

This review was originally published on BadassBookReviews.com. An advanced copy of Half A King was provided by Del Rey in exchange for an honest review.

This is the beginning of a new trilogy by Joe Abercrombie unrelated to the world in his first two trilogies. In this world of warrior kingdoms, Prince Yarvi is the younger son of the King of Gettland. Yarvi was born with a withered arm and his hand has just a thumb and the stump of one finger. Because of this infirmity he is unable to hold a sword or learn to fight like a warrior. Instead he is training to be a Minister which is a cross between a medicine man and a “confessor”.

While on a mission to meet with the King of the northern Kingdom of Vansterland, both his father the King and his brother (the heir) are killed in an ‘ambush’. Prince Yarvi is thrust into the position of King (jokingly half a king for half a hand) for which he is totally unprepared and unqualified. To prove his right to kingship, he inadvisedly leads a raid on a city on his border with Vansterland. After the ‘victory’, while speaking with his retainers in the captured citadel, he is thrown out into the sea.

But (since he is the hero of this tale) he doesn’t die but is washed up on a beach where he is made a slave. He is sold to a trader’s ship as an oarsman. So blah blah blah, he is not longer and oarsman, blah blah blah, he escapes with other oarsman. They are pursued by the ship’s captain…they go through blah blah blah together…the starve they recover they fight some die some go on..blah blah blah.

Yarvi becomes a politically astute and cunning man. Next February the second of the three books are to be published, and the last book in Fall 2015. Looking forward to them.

Zeb Kantrowitz zworstblog.blogspot.com

**This book was kindly provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

4 KINGLY STARS

There are some stories that are timeless. Half a king is one of them. It's neither futuristic or historic. It is the kind of story legends are made of, full of action, adventure, myth, and heart. It is King Arthur meets Robin Hood.

Half a King did not grab my attention immediately, it wasn't the kind of story that had me sucked in from the first page. It was slow at first, but as the story progressed, and the characters developed I was hooked.

Half a King is Yarvi's story. Yarvi is the youngest son of a king. However, he has always been made to feel less than, as half a person, because he has a withered hand. He was the subject of much abuse and torment and little love from his family. However, he was not without talent or worth. He is extremely smart and peaceful and was seeking to join the ministry when all of that changed.
Yarvi's very existence was turned upside down in a matter of days. He found himself in situations he never thought possible.

I love Yarvi's story, of seeing him grow from child into man and seeing his confidence and faith in himself. It is a heartwarming and heartbroken story. One of survival, and growth, and finding friends in the most unlikely of place. Things are never as they seem, and people surprise us at every turn. Sometimes help comes from the most unlikely of sources.

I have never read anything by this author before but thoroughly enjoyed this read and will definitely read more.

I have to admit I wasn't sure what to expect with Half a King. Having Lord Grimdark himself Joe Abercrombie write a young adult novel didn't fill me with confidence regarding this book...but I was wrong.

Half a King is another strong book from Abercrombie about a boy with a deformed hand who should have never been king in Yarvi. Yarvi was training to be a minister when disaster struck in the form of his father and brother being killed. Yarvi then becomes king, gets engaged to his cousin, and vows to get revenge on those who killed his father and brother. Things go downhill for Yarvi quickly after that.

Yarvi strikes me as a young Tyrion Lannister before having the first of his Tywin's sharp lessons. Though he's clearly intelligent he's a bit naive which leads him into the trouble that is the bulk of Half a King. <spoiler>As the story goes on Yarvi like Tyrion learns to outsmart basically everyone in his quest to get home and get revenge</spoiler> The parallels between Yarvi and Tyrion are clear. They most clearly each share a physical deformity that makes others overlook them in worlds where warriors are more important than basically everyone else.

My only complaint is I found the books major twists quite predictable. It's a shame because I love being unsure of the major twists, but I figured out the ending half way through the book.

In most ways this book seemed normal for a Joe Abercrombie book except there aren't any sex scenes or even described nudity. So if anyone likes Abercrombie, but dislikes the sex scenes this is probably a book for that person. Also anyone who is a fan of Abercrombie will find plenty to enjoy in Half a King.

Joe Abercrombie has been on my list of authors I’ve really wanted to read and Half a King didn’t disappoint. It is fast-paced, a little gritty, exciting and thoroughly enjoyable.

Prince Yarvi is immediately sympathetic. With one crippled arm and two disappointed parents, Yarvi’s future is forever changed when his father the King and favored older brother are murdered, leaving him next in line for the throne. Betrayal soon follows and while Yarvi is nearly killed, a bit of luck and some quick thinking leave him alive, but sold into slavery.

As weak as his arm is, Yarvi’s mind is equally strong. As an outcast, he earns the loyalty of other outcasts while plotting first his freedom, and second his revenge. Yarvi is a complex character, inheriting a throne he didn’t want but refuses to let be stolen from him. All the characters in this novel have depth to them. Abercrombie creates twists in both the plot and in the characters. Much like young Yarvi, the reader can never entirely trust anyone or know what hidden surprises and motivations they may have. Everyone is trying to manipulate the others and that keeps you guessing until the very end.

Half a King is the first volume in the new Shattered Sea series. It tells a complete story on its own and can be read solo. Abercrombie’s writing skills are on full display here creating a world, characters and story that is a thrill to read. I’m looking forward to future installments in what promises to be a great series. Highly recommended.

I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of this book.

I started this book yesterday afternoon, took a break and then finished it today. I have not read Abercrombie before but, wow, I will be.

I've seen a few other reviews that claim the intrigue is not GRRM's level. Yeah, you're right, it's also not meant to be. Not to mention that after 20 years of reading, Game of Thrones hasn't been completed.

This is an adventure story. A book that (cliche as it's become) is a coming of age but one that doesn't start with the innocent farmboy. It's a coming of age that is immediately set in brutality, revenge and blood.

I loved this book. I could not stop reading. Page to page, wondering where the adventure would lead and, possibly naive, surprised and in love with the twists.

Give this book a chance. It is fantastic.

I read it straight through. Immediately wanted more. Abercrombie has a distinctive storytelling voice here, cultural mores woven seamlessly into narrative, like listening to a saga that reveals reality instead of romance. The blood, guts, and gore are here, but they are not gratuitous. One is at the same time living the story but grateful to be in a modern world with running water and machines.

The culture of Half a King is analogous to the old Norse, or older. The story is like all old stories, with men clashing, thrones lost and won, heirs lost and found. In this story, the prince is a reluctant king, being an introvert and trained from youth for the Ministry--meaning Administration. He'd rather be beside the throne than in it. But he is a man of his culture, and attempts to step up to the job--but others do want the kingship, and thusly the story starts.

Kudos for the strong, well-written women characters--there are a few. There is adventure, deception, merchantry, and personal growth. Stories are how we learn to live in the world, and there are some fine lessons here, lessons for heart and mind. This would make a great compare and contrast with Goblin Emperor; two young men with thrones unsought, two different but similar worlds, two different takes on duty and right behavior. Two different books marketed as YA and yet achieving far more range and power than typical coming-of-age stories. Highly recommended for mature teens and adults.

I came to this with quite low expectations. The YA label put me off. Also, a lot of the reviews I'd read have been quite critical, saying that it is not on par with his adult series, The First Law, which I absolutely love. A lot of the criticism of the series I don't disagree with. The pseudo-Viking world, with remnants of elf civilization and a mythology based on a shattered god, is nothing remarkable. The darkly charming humour I expect of Abercrombie is a little sparser than I'd like.

The structure of the series is quite interesting, where the POV character in the first book, is a main character but not a POV in the subsequent books. I can't remember seeing that before. But it works quite well, certainly in the second book, Half a World. I'm not sure it works quite so well in the third, Half a War ... you can pull a trick once, but if you try to pull it a second time you need to do something special.

However, despite its flaws, I genuinely really enjoyed the series. Prince Yarvi is an unlikely "hero" that will grow on you. Abercromie's writing style and a wonderful sense of the absurd, shines through. There were plenty of parts of the books where I could not put it down ... I read the last 100 pages of the series in one epic night, staring at the last pages wanting to know more ... what more can you ask of a series.

I am a massive fan of this talented writer. Given his reputation for dark, realistic and adult fantasy I was interested to see how this would translate into a "Joe lite" YA novel.
So, heir to throne has a deformed hand and a lack of agression, so of course his uncle tries to kill him and then steals the throne. Our hero swears revenge and then has a journey of personal growth and gathers an odd group of friends as he gets the chance to take back his kingdom.
Taking the full grit out of the novel does water down what Mr Abercrombie is so good at, but this is still very readable. The author does not really do heroes, his characters tend to be very grounded and deal with what's in front of them.
So our half a King' survives by wit and not brawn and with some very odd companions. This Joe lite novel does feature the humour, the characterisation and the twists of his normal works, but by going 'lite' it does take a little something away that takes this into the less than outstanding novels we have become accustomed to.

I've read all of Joe Abercrombie's books for adults, and loved them. I knew this one was targeted more at a young adult audience (although the author more-or-less said on his blog...which is excellent, by the way...that he hates to say it's targeted at young adults), so I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. It's still pretty dark and gritty and depressing, with lots of shades of gray. There are more out-and-out bad guys and at least a few out-and-out good guys, though. It's also got a LOT less profanity (not zero, but a lot less). The plot is more straightforward, and the book is shorter than his other stuff.

All that aside, how did I like it? It's a quick read, although I really didn't care for most of the characters until about 50 pages in, when the protagonist's tale of woe starts to kick into high gear. Then I found the story very compelling for about the next 150 pages, until the run-up to the final confrontation begins, at which point things start to get morally grayer and a little less focused. I found the conclusion a little disappointing, partly because it relied on an EXTREMELY long coincidence that I had trouble swallowing. I won't say any more on that, so as not to spoil anything,

I guess one thing I missed is Abercrombie's gritty humor, which was missing from the first 50 and the last 70 or so pages of the book; it was on display somewhat in the middle 150 pages or so, which is probably one of the reasons that was my favorite section of the book.

Let me just start by saying that Joe Abercrombie is absolutely brilliant! Half a King was filled with diversity, amazing and breathtaking world building and dynamic and fantastic characterization. This is the first book I have ever read by Joe Abercrombie and I have to say I am absolutely sold.

In a coming of age story, Prince Yarvi must struggle and go far from home to use his knowledge and learn more about himself and life than he ever expected. Being looked down upon his whole life for his handicap, Yarvi must prove to all that he is more than half a man. Yarvi goes through great character growth and Abercrombie does a marvelous job with the story line and situation in which Yarvi must go through to prove himself.

I have to say that this book is pretty grim and has some dark and gruesome material , but it was not lacking in adventure, actions or some bad ass characters. I fell in love with so many of the characters, they were just so kick ass and had some great snarky personalities! The book was full of suspense and surprises as well. Just when I thought I knew how a situation was going to play out I was caught off guard and completely surprised. The ending was something I never saw coming.

Half A King was an absolutely wonderful, unique and action packed fantasy story that I could not put down because the story never let up! I highly recommend this to any fans of high fantasy!

I’ve never read any Joe Abercrombie but was intrigued by the cover on the advance reader copy of Half a King. What a great story! I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The main character, Prince Yarvi, is sympathetic, believable, and imperfect. Although some characters, like the ship’s captain, are stock, Yarvi’s closest companions are well drawn. It was easy to tell them apart.

After about 40 pages of world building and otherwise setting up the story, the action begins in earnest and doesn’t let up. Yarvi is cast into the wild world friendless and alone, and he makes his own new family. The plot took a number of turns I didn’t expect, and there was one twist at the end that both surprised and delighted me.

I enjoyed the dialog, especially when the mysterious man called Nothing was involved.

“If you have a plan,” hissed Sumael from the corner of her mouth, “now would be the time.”
“I have a plan,” said Nothing.
“Does it involve a sword?” asked Jaud.
A pause. “All my plans do.”
“Do you have a sword?”
Another. “No.”
“How will your plan work without one?” muttered Sumael.
A third. “Death waits for us all.”

I fell into this book and just wanted to stay there. I look forward to the next book in the series. I recommend Half a King for any lovers of high fantasy.

I really loved "Red Country" so I was excited to read another Abercrombie book. This one was a short, fast read, and I almost couldn't put it down. That said, there were a few problems:

1. The main character has a deformed hand. OK. But this is repeated SO many times in the book it gets old fast. Other people make fun of his hand, he mentions it over and over because he's self-conscious about it, the narration constantly refers to it. After a while I was like, "OK, I get it, he has a bad hand, now move on."

2. The ending relied too much on a HUGE coincidence.

3. In this fantasy world, which is sort of like a Viking culture, there are slaves. What was problematic was that our "hero", though he did free a couple of people from slavery because they were related to a friend of his, still seemed unconcerned about slavery in general and even let a slave-seller go -- and this is AFTER the hero has already been through the horrible experience of being a slave himself. That just didn't sit right with me.

Is this worth reading regardless of these problems? Maybe, if you're a Joe Abercrombie fan. I liked the gritty realism of war, some of the characters, the world-building and the fast-paced plot. But maybe you should just read "Red Country" instead.

Half a King is Joe Abercrombie’s first book marketed as Young Adult. It was also my introduction to Abercrombie’s work. It’s easy to see why he is so popular. He displays an easy skill with the technical aspects, both at the micro and macro levels. The prose flows through placid waters, rapids, and waterfalls alike. The characters are rich, even if only briefly seen, and both the early, minor and later, major twists well structured. I’m not sure a YA title is the best introduction to an author so closely associated with grimdark though. That aspect seems to be missing. I will certainly be exploring Abercrombie’s other work though.

Half a King is the story of Yarvi, the younger son of the king of land in a place that very much resembles Viking-era Scandinavia. He succeeds to the throne after his father and elder brother are killed, thereby the “king.” The “half” comes from his deformity—a crippled arm and hand—that marks him as unsuitable to his countrymen. As to be expected, things do not go as planned and MILD SPOILERS Yarvi winds up a galley slave seeking to regain his throne.

Disclosure: I received an advance copy of Half a King.

4.5 of 5 stars

Writing 5/5
Imagination 4/5
Plot 4.5/5
Setting 5/5
Characters 4/5

My Overall Enjoyment (Not an average) 4.5/5

About the book from Goodreads

“I swore an oath to avenge the death of my father. I may be half a man, but I swore a whole oath.”

Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains, and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea. And he must do it all with only one good hand.
The deceived will become the deceiver.
Born a weakling in the eyes of his father, Yarvi is alone in a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rule. He cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge.
The betrayed will become the betrayer.
Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast and the lost, he finds they can do more to help him become the man he needs to be than any court of nobles could.
Will the usurped become the usurper?
But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi finds his path may end as it began—in twists, and traps, and tragedy.
This is an excellent book! I compulsively read it and finished in two days. Not uncommon for me when I enjoy a book. Joe Abercrombie successfully enters the YA market but in no way does that diminish this as a book for all ages. It has a somewhat lighter feel than his other books and the main character is a young prince which is part of the appeal to a younger audience but it's still violent and and edgy, with a dark foreboding feeling throughout. The normal foul language is scaled way back as well.

One of the reasons I love reading an Abercrombie book is because of the witty and clever writing and Half a King does not disappoint. Beginning to end the writing is wonderful. The dialogue, descriptions, and narration are all laced through with his trademark dark humor and clever turns of phrase.

This is a fantasy world and it's done amazingly. I was especially interested in some of the world back-story, always something that fascinates me because I love new creation myths that authors build and this has a great one. There are some other very cool references to certain races and places in this book that left me wondering more about this world's origins but I won't spoil it for the reader. Magic was also completely or nearly non-existent and I do enjoy magic so that was a bit of a disappointment. I do believe there will be some great mysteries unveiled in future books and hopefully magic is introduced.

As for plot, it was action packed and fast moving, and I expected nothing less. A few of the sequences were a bit boring and kind of standard to me, meaning I have read similar scenes many times, although not usually so well written. The ending was great and it sparked my interest for the next in the series. I thought it was wrapped up nicely, without any annoying cliffhangers.

I originally wanted to give this 4/5 stars but bumped it up to 4.5/5 while writing this because I really did like it. I just didn't love it. When I read The Blade Itself, I immediate put it on my "favorite of all time" bookshelf. But this one won't go there. Perhaps it is because the last two years I have developed a very specific taste in reading and I have read so many fantasy books that it really takes a certain style of book to get me to love it. Part of the reason is that it just wasn't brutal and dark enough for my taste although it has those elements. Also, I didn't really love any of the characters, even Nothing, who was the mysterious one here and probably my favorite. I still think about some of Abercrombie's First Law series characters, like my favorite Logen Ninefingers, also Rudd Threetrees, Glokta, Bayaz First of the Magi, and Shivers. For the person who reads 10-20 books in a year, I would recommend they make this one of them. It's a beautiful book. For the YA, who enjoys fantasy or even is hesitant to pick up a book, I heartily recommend this book to them as a must. For the fantasy lover who has been reading for many years, I also highly recommend this book. There's something for everyone in this book and objectively, it is one of the best books out this year.

Others here have noted that Joe Abercrombie's "Half a King" is less "gritty," bloody, visceral, etc. than some of his other works. I agree (a bit - don't go looking for the characters to be dancing with rainbows or singing in six part harmony). But, whereas they bemoan that "loss," I'm happy with it. There's more than enough 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. I'm usually a bit ambivalent about his books, but this one's got enough of a positive trend for me to rate it at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5 and to look forward to the next in line.

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)

Joe Abercrombie's new Shattered Sea fantasy series has been lauded as "A Game of Thrones for Young Adults." Judging from the first book, HALF A KING, that's an apt description, but only on the surface.

In the walled city of Thorlby--capital of one kingdom among many scattered around the edges of the eponymous Shattered Sea--young Prince Yarvi is on the cusp of his coronation as the King of Gettland. All of the Game of Thrones archetypes are here: the unappreciated 'cripple', the stern, unloving father, the imperious, wrathful Queen, the untrustworthy sellsword, etc. The tropes are here, too: the ever-shifting alliances and betrayals, and the sense that magic is (mostly) a thing of the past.

There are hints of a detailed background mythology to Abercrombie's vaguely Viking-themed world. Elves, for instance, once broke God into a thousand different pieces, but this disappeared from the Shattered Sea. But the greater world and the greater story behind Yarvi's adventure is only grazed tangentially, and don't really impact the present-day story. The worldbuilding is extremely shallow for a fantasy series: the cities have no distinctive sense of place, the geography's history is only occasionally hinted at, and the mythology is mostly implied. So while the characters jump off the page, the world they occupy is--at least in book one--a fairly generic series of unremarkable set dressings.

Narratively, the setup is wonderful, the prose is clean and accessible, and the remarkable twists toward the end are well worth the wait. In this first book of the series, Abercrombie has clearly mastered the first and third phases of the archetypal Hero's Journey made famous by Joseph Campbell, the Departure and the Return. But the middle phase, Initiation, where Yarvi crosses the Shattered Sea on a slaving ship and then traverses the icy wastes of the north, feels like obligatory stalling, a bland series of escalating obstacles without any sense of exploration or discovery. But with that out of the way, the novel's coda perfectly primes readers for the rest of the series.

**Thank you Del Rey and Netgalley for providing this in exchange for a honest review**

Yarvi is the crippled second son of King Uthrik. He has been training for and is about the Minister's Test. When his father and older brother are killed, he is suddenly thrown into thrown into the role King A position he neither wants or is prepared for. He really shouldn't be too worried about that though. Those closest to him will make sure his reign is short lived.

This was my first Abercrombie and it was not a disappointment. Half a King was a great coming of age story. The character growth in Yarvi is absolutely phenomenal. Yarvi was a great character, and I did like him, but the secondary characters stole the book IMO. Abercrombie is truly a gifted storyteller. There were bits that were pretty formulaic, but the author still made them seem original. There were two great surprises that caught me completely off guard. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great Epic Fantasy, Coming of Age, or an Action/Adventure title.

Medieval fantasy without magic. The main character is well developed and interesting, and the plot moves quickly. A number of the characters and events are fairly standard fantasy tropes, but woven smoothly into the story. And while some of the twists were predictable, it had a few that were harder to spot in advance.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book. It is violent, graphically at times, but far less so than some of Abercrombie's other work. Less dark and gritty, and less wide character development in a shorter book. More of a young adult novel compared the First Law series. Only one POV, and that a younger and less mature one.

This book was very engaging, and at first I liked it more than Abercrombie's other series. The chapters are short and hook you.

I enjoyed that he utilized the literary elements that I remember learning about back when I read Beowulf in school as a kid (e.g. it uses particular figurative language like the kenning). Helps set the scene and draw the reader in.

However, the pacing felt rushed in the later part of the book. It seemed like the main character's personality shifted abruptly in order to drive the plot, and the resolution seemed both too quick and too neat (there was a twist that seemed a very unlikely coincidence).

This is the first Joe Abercrombie book I’ve read. It's actually hard to describe. For what is suppose to be a young adult book and a coming of age story set in a fantasy world, it is awful grim and gritty. The story starts with Yarvi training to be a minister. Yarvi is young and born with only one good hand so he is teased and tormented most of his life. After his father and brother are killed, he unexpectedly becomes king. Then he is betrayed. I hate to give away any more of the story. It has too many twists and turns, enemies who ultimately become friends, and supposed friends who are actually enemies to spoil by going into the rest of the story. Suffice it to say that it's an adventure that you really shouldn’t miss the opportunity to read without my revealing any more of the plot.

While I haven't read all of Abercrombie's books, I have enjoyed thee ones I have including the First Law trilogy. This book falls along the same vein as his other books in terms of plotting, twists, grit, characters; however, the overall feel of the book is a slight departure from his others due to the "children's book" nature. Although "children's book" may be a slight misnomer, it still fulfills the darker fantasy needs fans would expect of Abercrombie.

One big benefit of Half a King is the simple fact that it can stand alone, despite being in a series. It is always nice to feel satisfied at the end of a book without having to feel the need for the next installment; although knowing there is a next installment is even more satisfying to return to the world presented.

Overall, I thought the book was outstanding; however, my hesitation on providing a fifth star is because I believe the book would have been even better had it been written for his standard adult audience.

Abercrombie producing a run of the mill fantasy novel is a crime against humanity. The book isn’t overly bad, but very far from his best effort. The characters are instantly forgotten (there is little attachment to them, and when they die one doesn’t really care), the action is watered down, and the script is predictable, flat and linear (except for the ending “twist” which really is going overboard and into the realm of the “hey, let’s shock the reader with a surprising but, alas, really dumb ending” category). Finally, what really irked me was how Nothing (minor spoiler) suddenly changes dramatically his whole character and persona in two sentences – such a major character flaw from Abercrombie is unpardonable.

Read the Ninefinger trilogy which is light years ahead of this one.

5 stars – Young Adult, High Fantasy
Oh my goodness, this book was so good!
It was full of action and violence, suspense, and twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. There were characters that I really shouldn’t have liked, but they just had something about them that made me want to like them. And there were ones that found their way into my heart and stayed there. I’m so happy that there are 2 more books in this series because I really enjoyed the way this book was written and can’t wait to start reading the next book.

At first I thought that Joe Abercrombie was coasting, riding the tsunami of his earlier work. "Half a King" starts slowly, Prince Yarvi seems rather too similar to Sand dan Glokta, and there is a strong whiff of YA correctness souring the mix.

After a few chapters, Mr. Abercrombie finally peeked out from wherever he had been hiding and the book gained weight. I still do not think it is in the same league as any of his others, though, and the PG-13 decorum is irritating. "Half a King" has the feel of an old manuscript pulled out of a drawer and dusted off and is a weak offering from one of my favorite authors. For an adult reader, this is a distinctly non-thrilling start to a proposed YA series. That being said, few YA readers will have read, or be ready to read, Mr. Abercormbie's other books so perhaps I am being too demanding. I do not blame Mr. Abercrombie for following NG into the huge YA market. Well, actually, I do. How many of these will adult readers have to sleepwalk through before he takes time to write book for grownups again?

Locus Mag has posted an interview with Mr. Abercrombie that readers might find interesting. http://www.locusmag.com/Perspectives/2014/06/joe-abercrombie-fiction-on-the-edge/

I received a review copy of "Half a King" by Joe Abercrombie (Random House – Del Rey Spectra) through NetGalley.com.

Joe Abercrombie writes long stories that immerse the reader in his characters. It’s a grueling exhausting experience of complete immersion and empathy with his characters in action and plot. “Half A King” delivers a saturating sense of immaturity, enslavement, a relentless run for your life, and the tragic irony of finally gaining what you’ve only wanted … then the intellectual torment that it’s not what you want at all. There are twists and surprises aplenty here.

If you read in the genre and not had an experience with a Joe Abercrombie read, this first of the trilogy is an excellent place to discover a top tier writer. 5 star entertainment!

Ah, I really liked this one! Ambercrombie is a great writer and his books all display a level of polish and care that is seldom seen. He creates great characters that are flawed, have struggles, and don't always come out on top in the way that you would expect. He is a master of creating worlds that are fun and real.

Half of King is a book about Yarvi, born heir to the throne, but not wholly intact. He cannot be a great warrior or slay thousands in a single charge...but he can think and plot and plan. And in that case, that makes him the most powerful of all.

Finding his voice and his place in the book is half the fun- as Ambercrombie has given us a ragged hero who is unassuming and underwhelming...but he grows in stature and purpose throughout the book and this makes it the most fun of all.

Well done and highly recommended...now when do we get more?

Half a King was a real page turner that always kept me wondering what was going to happen next. In addition to the fast pace of this story, Abercrombie’s writing style created a compelling atmosphere that enriched my reading experience. There were many sentences that served as quotes. One of my favorites was “there are no villains. Only men doing their best.”

Which takes me to what I liked the most about this story: the characters. Yarvi, the protagonist, is likable yet flawed, with so much development in his character along the plot. As for the supporting characters, they were believable and multilayered, but my personal favorites were Nothing and Shadikshirram (whom I pictured as the female version of Jack Sparrow).

Definitely five stars and highly recommended for fantasy readers!

I have an advanced readers copy of "Half The World" so I wanted to read Half a King first. This is a marvelously enjoyable read, not a dull spot in the entire book and filled with plot twists and surprises. It is a very quick read. We follow Yarvi as his path is disrupted and then his life turned inside out. He meets unlikely companions and they thwart death and defeat again and again.

I found Abercrombie very sure in his character development and plot. I often had no idea where the story was going and was often startled by allegiances and betrayals. This is a masterful adventure; there is a lot of heart in the flawed hero as well as his band of compatriots. If you like fantasy and action, you could really not find better in current literature. A great read.

I was lucky enough to been given an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

The first thing I will say is it is nothing like The First Law series. While it still has the gritty edge where no one seems to every really catch a break, it's a completely different book. At the start I found I didn't really like Yarvi. There was a lot of whining and want for sympathy just because he'd born with one of his hands and because he was weak. As the book went on however I found myself starting to side with him as found his iron. However, I quickly fell in love with Nothing (and his odd relationship with Rulf), because I knew there was something about him. The whole book moves pretty quick from beginning to end. Leaving me to want more. Lucky for me this is a series. In the end I felt bad for Yarvi considering all the people in line to betray him, and how the only person he should have trusted treated him with a cold shoulder.

Half a King is a fun fantasy adventure, bordering on YA, but still appealing to an adult. It has some of the standards elements of this sort of book- a young outcast thrown in over his head and struggling to prove himself, a band of misfits who join forces to fight against a treacherous ruler, and a mysterious warrior who clearly is more than he seems to be.

There's nothing particularly new and innovative in the book, but I enjoyed reading it. The characters were likeable, the action sequences were fast-paced and entertaining, and the twist at the end was quite surprising. There were a few plot points that were a bit over-played (how many times does Yarvi need to mention his deformed hand?), but for the most part the writing was smooth and polished. Half a King is a good, solid fantasy read, and it starts out a new series with a bang.

Half a King was a birthday gift from a friend; I wasn't sure what to expect. It is the first in a series, but it stands well on its own. What is telling is that I took the book to a series of appointments over the span of a couple of months and never lost track of what was going on in the story. The characters were compelling and I enjoyed watching Prince Yarvi mature. It isn't a typical fantasy genre coming of age novel; it is gritty and dark in places. It is not as grim as George R.R. Martin, so some characters still live at the end.

I am glad that I read it. If you like George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series, I think you would enjoy it, too.

This is pretty good stuff. The half-King is a young man born with a deformed hand. He is in training to be a minister, to avoid the Kingship, when the death of his father and brother catapult him into the black chair, the crown, and trouble.

As the story progresses, he is attacked, sold into slavery, forced to fight for his freedom, gains friends, makes enemies, grows, and seeks his revenge. The story is really fun to read, stands complete as a novel, and has interesting characters. The situations are nuanced, and the author has a few surprises up his sleeve.

Abercrombie is willing to take risks, to have a hero without the square jaw, boring style, and meaningless easy fighting style of wooden heroic tales. Instead, we have a main character who has an arc, and the result is a book that is very fun to read.

Slavery, death, more death, lying, betrayals, and more death.
Much happened to Yarvi, almost all of it bad. It is surprising how exciting that can be to a reader, and how the pace never slackened . Now and then something good (warm land, brief victory, new allies, food) would happen to Yarvi or his band, and then an old enemy/problem would flare up or get closer.
Twisted! Much was predictable (by me, I always knew about Nothing), but the plot was fun to follow all the same. I guessed at the final chapter and betrayal but had not really expected it.
This book seems like Heritage, Runaway King, Sword and the Seer, and Runaway Deception.

the store / Goodreads

“I swore an oath to be avenged on the killers of my father. I may be half a man, but I swore a whole oath”

Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea itself. And he must do it all with only one good hand.

The deceived will become the deceiver

Born a weakling in the eyes of his father, Yarvi is alone in a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rule. He cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge.

The betrayed will become the betrayer

Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast and the lost, he finds they can do more to help him become the man he needs to be than any court of nobles could.

Will the usurped become the usurper?

But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi’s path may end as it began – in twists, and traps and tragedy...

The characters weren't bad.
Yarvi was interesting. I didn't like him. But he was interesting. He had a backstory to him. A past. He was haunted by the torture from his parents and brother. His family ignored him. Just because of his hand. He is quite cunning. I'll give him that. He uses that cunning to boost him. He's his mother's son definitely. He was a prince. But he was never treated as so. So he never got the airheaded thoughts that some princes get. Which is great. But he wasn't raised as a son. He was seen as the kingdom's weakling. A fool even if you underestimated him. He changed, though. He became an asset. Someone you would never dare underestimate. I liked that. He seemed weak at first. But he turned into a strong man.
Sumael was actually pretty cool. She was badass and smart. She was determined. I liked her a lot. She could have been a great heroine. She was smart. And had places to go. Her skills made her important. You notice how they all followed her? They wanted to make sure they got home safely. It's a large burden. But Sumael handled it perfectly.

The friendship bond between the oarmates was great. I really loved it. They were brothers of a different kind. They stuck together and braved through the worst of weather. Nothing but the Last Door could separate them.
The emphasis on friendship was great. It just proves that romance isn't always important. Romance sometimes is not important at all. This book shows that friendship is important. The bond between friends can go beyond making jokes. It can help in the worst of situations. Your closest friends can be the crutches you lean on if you need help. Your worst enemy becoming a friend.

I wish there was more action. I didn't particularly like the fights. They weren't very action-y. I expected more. I expected more fights in general. Yarvi was trying to reclaim the throne. There would be more fights. We had only the last battle. And the fight between Nothing and Odem.
The fights weren't long. And they weren't very descriptive. I wanted more. More played-out swordplay. Or something of the sort.
The fight between Yarvi, Shadikshirram, and Ankram...was wow. I liked that fight the best. (And don't blame me for putting Ankram in the fight. He was there after all.) This battle showed Yarvi's quick-thinking and cunning. He didn't have time to think. Only react. He didn't have the physical strength. Only the reflexes and mental prowess. But that was enough.
My favorite fight with the most action was the one between Nothing and Odem. It was a good match. The two both good. But Nothing was better. We all knew it was a losing battle. Odem should have surrendered or something. But man...the shock of Nothing's identity must have crippled Odem a bit. (I'll gleefully admit I guessed the secret. But I read the end...so it doesn't count. Kinda does, though. The end doesn't reveal much!)

The romance was meh. I didn't feel for it. I didn't care for either girl being with Yarvi.
We had another love triangle. If you care to consider it that way.
Isruin as a character wasn't the best. I liked her at first. Until she destroyed the kingdom. I don't get that. Why did she do it? I have another question. Why does Isruin offer a better kiss? Does she really think it will work? Or is she being sly and teasing Yarvi? (If it's the latter, that's quite rude.)
There was something between Sumael and Yarvi. They both knew it. Everyone else knew it. Neither party cared to act upon it, though. I saw chemistry. But I didn't see why. Was it Yarvi's cunning that lured her in? Or something else. (Mind you, Yarvi isn't the more handsome or good guy. And he isn't an Uthil.) And letting her go! Gosh. Yarvi really doesn't care for a relationship. Which is rare among young adult men. They want a woman or man. And that's it. They'll spend the majority of the book looking for their Soul Mate. There felt like a hint of something more. They both could have done something. But neither did. Such a shame. I can hear the readers bemoaning the relationship sinking under the waves.

The ending. I didn't like it. It seemed...too downplayed. I wanted more. I didn't like how things happened.
What happened to Sumael? Did she go home? And Yarvi. Why did he do that to Gundring? Why? He chose to be that person. Even though he tried not to in the beginning. (Showing how drastically he changed.)
There are many questions and no answers.

I felt like I was deceived the entire book. We were told that there would be an adventure. Yarvi trying to become king.
But we didn't get this. Yarvi didn't try. I know there was a reason. (You can't really try in chains.) He didn't really care! Then, we got to the wasteland. And he started caring. I was struggling through the book until the wasteland. I felt cheated. The premise was unlike what I read.
The story still feels like a cheat. He didn't end up doing much for the throne. (Even if you know how it ends.) Still! He only fought this one battle. And joined forces with his county's enemy! I don't see the pursuing his throne. Or anything.
He only thinks of Odem's death. That's all. (And maybe Isruin's kiss? Kidding kidding.)

Weather:
Sunny with some clouds
3/5

Joe Abercrombie is synonymous with the Grimdark genre and has become its de-facto face. This leads to a lot of misconceptions and increased anticipation. With this story Joe tries his hand at the YA genre and manages to make this story his own by slanting it with his brand of violence and foulness.

It's not quite the same level as his First Law books but that would be very inappropriate here. I am in two minds about this book, I enjoyed it but I'm definitely worried that the author seems to be losing his touch or is having trouble finding his feet in this genre. I'll be willing to give the sequel a shot because I know how good Abercrombie can get but this book was simply a 3 & 1/2 stars and considering who the author is, that's not a good thing.

This is Abercrombie at his most condensed. Things move along so quickly there isn't as much individual character development beyond the protagonist Yarvi, but most characters still have those nuances looked for in his fiction. Unlike the twists in the First Law books I did see the two biggest knives revealed early on, but it didn't dampen the fun at all. I'm sold on the series and am eager for the next chapter in Yarvi's life as he is sure to cause upheaval to many plans to come.

As for those concerned for or against this being a YA book it is more than appropriate for both First Law fans and new folk alike. I could definitely see this being a gateway book to Abercrombie's fiction even though I like the The Blade Itself much more.

Surprises come in different shapes and sizes. In literature there are those that come out of the sky interrupting the flow of the story, and then there are those that simply fit. They are unseen and thoroughly unexpected, but once they explode onto the scene it is obvious they match the texture, flow and rhythm of the tale. Joe Abercrombie’s released-today 352 page hardback, “Half a King” is an adventure that is chock full of such wonders. This is a delightfully entertaining, entrancing saga that will charm and win many readers, from the tweens to those in their prime. It is a story of tragedy, treachery, high adventure, and deep friendships expressed with captivating style and clearheaded urgency.

“Half a King” revolves around a young prince named Yarvi, who is not a “whole man” because he was born with a crippled, malformed hand. Yarvi’s lack makes him a prime candidate to be trained as a minister, part of a network of shamans who know the lore of the elves and the shattering of god; who are studied in herbs, poisons and medicine; and often befitted to be counselors of kings. Just before he faces the test to become a minister he is shoved into the royal limelight brought on by the murder of his father and only brother. It becomes quickly clear that Yarvi is the unwanted heir since he is only half a man who would only make half a king. He can’t fill his father’s boots or stand up to his brother’s stature. His icy mother is ashamed, and his counselors patronizing. It is at this point the story takes off!

Yarvi is pressured to seek vengeance on Grom-gil-Gorm, the supposed murderer and king of the rival dominion, Vanserland. He bows to the inevitable raid of reprisal, which will be launched once the funeral fires for his father and brother have moldered. The troops are mustered and mourn as the funeral pyre burns. Early the next morning, as the army leaves the smoldering heaps and mounts their ships to head out to avenge the injustice; Yarvi makes a serious, unbreakable oath to avenge his father and brother. He swears to hunt down and slay their murderer. When challenged by his uncle Odem, he asserts that he may be half a man, with half a hand, but he can make a whole oath. This “whole oath” propels the rest of Yarvi’s story, through the shocking treachery of his uncle Odem, his grueling time on the slave galley, the dangerous escape with his oarmates, the hazardous trek that binds them together, their arrival in the capital city of his homeland, on to the very last page of the story. Half a king with half a hand can make a whole oath!

The story Abercrombie masterfully weaves will quickly, but lastingly, draw the reader into the drama; to be stunned by the twists and turns, to cheer over the growth and development of Yarvi, and to sigh with satisfaction and reflective surprise over the ending. “Half a King” is cleanly written, compelling, and driven. I happily recommend the book.

Full disclosure: This was my first book by Joe Abercrombie. I know, I know. Unpardonable crime. I’ve had THE BLADE ITSELF in my “to be read” pile for quite some time, and I’ve quite enjoyed several interviews with Lord Grimdark, so when I got a chance to read HALF A KING, I jumped at it.

I know there was some concern about Abercrombie entering the YA field, but HALF A KING doesn’t read like a typical YA novel. Yes it focuses on a teenage boy. Yes it is a coming of age story. But there is minimal romance, and the novel did not spend inordinate amounts of time inside the protagonist’s head. I wouldn’t hand it to someone saying, “Here, read this. It’s great YA.” Instead, I’d say, “Here, read this. And if you like this, there’s a lot more fantasy where this came from.”

HALF A KING is the story of Yarvi, a double cursed prince: he’s a second son, deep in the line of succession, and he was born with a crippled left hand. In Yarvi’s Viking-like home of Gettland, a hand like that means he can’t hold a shield or sword, tie or knot, or lead. He would be a terrible king, so he’s studying to be a Minister, ready to give up the throne and family for a life of knowledge. Until his father is betrayed and murdered, along with his older brother.

Yarvi takes the throne, but holds it only for a moment before he is betrayed by his uncle, nearly murdered, sold into slavery, and then turned into a galley slave. But in that moment, Yarvi swears an oath to take revenge on those who murdered his father and brother. And the desire to fulfill that oath drives Yarvi out of his enslavement, around nearly half the Shattered Sea, and back home to Gettland. He may not have two hands, but his mind is sharper than most blades.

Don’t worry, Abercrombie fans. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. There is darkness and violence in this story. Both good and bad people die. Yarvi makes plenty of mistakes, and pays for them. But for you concerned parents out there, unlike Abercrombie’s other books, there’s no sex. And the violence isn’t any more explicit than a lot of other entry-level fantasy.

And this is great fantasy, for new readers or old fans. It’s exactly what I want in a summer read: fun, exciting, page turning. I was able to predict a few elements of the ending, but Abercrombie was able to twist the reveal in a way that prevents the story from deflating and losing momentum.

This is definitely one of those “Just a few more chapters before bed” books, and I’m currently paying the price in extra cups of coffee. But I don’t regret it. This was a great read, and I highly recommend it.

This is an excellent start to a series. I confess that I didn't go into this novel with tremendously high hopes, but I soon found my self enjoying it immensely. The characters are especially well written. This is not a book with clearly delineated good guys and bad guys. All are a mixture of both. If there is one consistent theme it is that with power comes the need for conceit and cunning. The best people are those who have little control. There are no pure power brokers in this book. The plotting is just as good and has its share of twists and turns which for the most part are very believable. I will definitely read the next installment in this series.

Very good, just order this, you will be very happy you did.

This is set in a new world for Abercrombie, different from that of the First Law, that might be some sort of far future setting. It is basically a nordic semi barbaric setting with slave rowed ships and nascent coinage. Treachery, cruelty, hidden agendas, and struggle against the elements all combine to give this revenge epic moving along at a good clip. Each element is a standard trope, but in Abercrombie's hands they seem fresh. Even the self pitying hero actually grows up for a change. I enjoyed it immensely.

I have already preordered the next book in the series: Half the World (Shattered Sea Series)

This races along at a good clip. It has a beginning, a middle and an end, though that end is maybe a little clumsy-hurried. Though it is a fantasy, it is a little too obviously set in and around a Norse Baltic in the late Tenth, early Eleventh century; you don't even have to squint at the map and the High King is busy setting up a One God from a Southern Empire that is clearly Constantinople. From the moment Nothing gets his hands on a sword you know what is going on and where this story is going. But there is nowt wrong with that; the tales told by the scop to Hrothgar and his warband in high Heorot will have been heard a hundred times afore and we thrill to them still all the more for that.

I would have rated this a four but for the setting falling between two stools; but all in all a good read. Pick it up in paperback and pass to a friend when your done.

Edit: Partway into the next volume it dawned on me why this appeared to fall between stools. This saga isn't at all what I thought it was; I am saying no more but I will interested to see if Abercrombie can pull this off satisfactorily. Upped to four stars on reappraisal.

In The First Law trilogy, I got the feeling that Abercrombie relied heavily on the fact that gore, guts, and loads of swearing make for an interesting combination in writing. But take those away and the story immediately feels inadequate, at least to me. This is why I was so very interested in his attempt to write YA – the age group restrictions would prevent such crude language, so Joe had to change his tactics. The result is very different from what I expected: while I still see the similarities with his earlier works, this time his writing really impressed me. I think I’ll have to read the three books he wrote between that first trilogy and this one so I can experience his evolution as a writer – a lot must have changed!

* * *

So let’s talk about Half a King. I loved the characters. Like I said, I liked the characters of his first trilogy as well and Joe realy has a way with shaping his heroes (I think he’s a psychologist by profession originally, but please don’t quote me on that).

Prince Yarvi, the protagonist, is a slightly crippled boy who has the misfortune of growing up in a society where wielding a sword is worth much more than wielding words. He’s been raised on a steady diet of cruelty and harsh humiliation, interspersed with nuggets of wisdom such as this one: “Once, after his father had hit him in a rage, Yarvi’s mother had found him crying. The fool strikes, she had said. The wise man smiles, and watches, and learns. Then strikes.”

I can’t really go into the plot without spoiling it for you so I’ll just say I had huge fun following Yarvi on his unwanted adventure – and I especially enjoyed the way he developed as a person. The cast of secondary characters is wonderful as well. I love how Abercrombie spins the tale of morals, survival and growing up, spiced up with a healthy sense of irony and humor.

Abercrombie’s writing has been thoroughly cleaned of elements that were his crutch in his earlier works, but instead of being the poorer for it, he found his true voice. Looky here: “Yarvi realized then that Death does not bow to each person who passes her, does not sweep out her arm respectfully to show the way, speaks no profound words, unlocks no bolts. The key upon her chest is never needed, for the Last Door stands always open. She herds the dead through impatiently, heedless of rank or fame or quality. She has an ever-lenghtening queue to get through. A blind procession, inexhaustible.” This is some beautiful prose, people.

I would thoroughly recommend Half a King to anyone who wishes to read some good YA high fantasy. I’m planning on reading Joe’s other books, so you can expect some reviews here, but I have no idea when. :) I’m also curious whether the remainder of this new series, The Shattered Sea will feature more Yarvi or not. We’ll see!

This review was first posted on my book blog, Of Dragons and Hearts (http://ofdragonsandhearts.com/2014/09/half-king-joe-abercrombie/)

The best part about a novel by Joe is that you never doubt the story will change you. For as much suffering as his characters are baptized with, there is always some splattering of grace flickering your way. And the language is brutal and robust, as bracing as a winter bath. How can you not be fascinated?

This particular novel is about intelligence, cunning, and endurance. I enjoyed the flaws all his characters were afflicted with: usually the lack of all and various virtues. But I really wish I had seen the end coming. I might have read slower, instead of gulping it down. But other readers can benefit...

Fyi, the main show-down did not involve a climatic chariot race, a la Ben Hur, which is probably the worst oversight I can think of. All the other elements of a good story are there in spades.

First off, I'm a sucker for underdog stories, which this one is. Mr. Abercrombie gave the main character, Yarvi, all the characteristics that make a reader like him, empathize with him, and root for him. I enjoyed reading about his journey for vengeance and all the obstacles he encountered on the way. The supporting set of characters was also well developed, and the fellowship and loyalty the characters have with each other is well rounded. This book is filled with emotion, action, and deception. The twists and turns are very unexpected. I'll definitely be reading the other books in this series.

I listened to the audiobook, which was quite good. This was a 3.5 star read for me. It's one of those books that grabs you at the start and hooks you in the end but the middle wasn't as interesting. Prince Yarvi steps up to become king after the death of his father and brother. Unfortunately, not everyone wants him to be king. I loved the interactions between Yarvi and his intended at the first so when events happen and Yarvi spends a good portion of the book on a slave ship I just didn't love it as much. The end does bring surprises and leaves you with questions that will hopefully be answered in book two, Half The World.

The young prince set to inherit the throne after the untimely death of his father and older brother is not your usual prince; his hand is deformed, and he is counted as a fool and a cripple by his family and his people. As might be expected, the path to the black throne is not easy, and is a bloody, cold path, when he is betrayed and counted as dead. A rag-tag group of slaves become his only allies agains a growing list of murderous enemies.

likes: I loved that the prince had a physical handicap. He seemed to be a likable fellow, at first. And I did like Sumael, she was an interesting character but I wished there had been a bit more development of her character. This was by no means an innovative plot, but still had good writing. I stayed up late to finish the story.

didn't work for me:

SPOILERS AHEAD!! BEWARE OF SPOILERS!!

Gosh a bloody, violent book. It seems like everyone I thought I liked ended up just being a horrible murderer. I could not BELIEVE Yarvi killed Mother Gundring at the end! Also, the characters did not seem very consistent. At first, the golden queen, Yarvi's mother, seemed a bit of a wench who had no time or love for her crippled son. Then, she was willing to do anything for him, at one point calling him her "favorite son." Um. At what point did THAT happen, when your other son died?? That just makes him your ONLY son, lady. I wasn't feeling the love before that. And I really thought that Nothing would be this kind of Aragorn like hero, that there was more to him than met the eye. There was more to him, much more, but he was just as bad as everyone else. He killed innocent people quickly and easily with barely a second thought. Also Odem and his daughter were presented as likable, then both seemed to change with a flip of the switch. I know that's meant to make their betrayal more surprising, but it felt flat and unconvincing. Perhaps if they had had some inkling of kindness or regret that tied them back to their original characterization, I would have found it more believable.

I found a lack of characters to care about and root for. The only likable characters were minor, supportive ones, that seemed to have an ounce of decency and loyalty. Everyone else was just awful, even Yarvi. It's tone was dark and unhappy, and come to think of it, though I don't expect a happy endings all the time, I like to have a little bit of redemption for my heroes and it just seems like Yarvi sold his soul for a vengeance I couldn't understand. He didn't even like his father, and his father was a bully and abusive to him, yet he killed people who loved him and became the kind of monster he supposedly hated. Then the "rightful king" is on the throne, and he knows all about what Yarvi has been through. But he doesn't defend him to the people. He murdered a bunch of people just doing their job. He threatens the ally that helped him return to the throne. Yay, glad he won.... NOT. Instead of his horrible experience making him a good person, he's just as murderous and vengeful as those who deposed him. All in all, don't think I'll be picking up any sequels.

"A good story, masterfully told."

That's the best way I can describe the beginning of a wonderful new series by Joe Abercrombie. This is a short book, and the story itself, while always interesting, is not breaking any new ground. It's a pretty simple revenge tale.

But the writing is so sharp, and the pacing so marvelous, that an average story turns into one of the best books I've read this year.

Add to that some unforgettable characters and one huge twist at the end and I'll be reading the sequel as soon as possible.

Wow oh wow oh wow!!! Loved this book! I have to admit I was saddened and feeling a little desperate initially that Abercrombie was starting a new series set in a new universe. That seemed like terrible news to me because Logen Nine-Fingers may be my favorite character ever and I really just want a lot more of him. My fears were misplaced.

I was lucky enough to get an ARC copy of this book to review and I can't really sing it's praises high enough. I can say emphatically that if you liked Abercrombie's previous books then you will love this one. It has his distinctive voice; you can tell it's Abercrombie writing even if you didn't notice the name on the cover. The world is gritty and imperfect and the characters have to struggle along through bleak and desperate situations with inadequate resources save for black humor.

I don't give plot details in my reviews, but I will say that if you have enjoyed Abercrombie before you will love this book. It's only flaw is that I didn't want the story to end. Of course it did, but even there I was impressed with how he tied the story off completely. This could be read as a stand alone novel. I wasn't left feeling wretched because it ended precipitously on a cliff-hanger and there will be a year-long wait for the denouement. Nope, we get our denouement, and a whole and complete story in one delicious serving. There are definitely events looming on the horizon that will make for an awesome second book, but I really appreciated that I got a complete story in one book. Kudos to Joe.

If you haven't read Abercrombie before, then don't walk, run, to your nearest bookstore and get a copy of this book. Yes, you will love it. The characters are well drawn and interesting, the story is riveting, the prose is a pleasure to read, and this is the best book of 2014 thus far for me.

I liked Half a King. It has a tenderness I did not expect, memorable characters and a murder-investigation type plot (politics and economy involved). It's also a coming of age story: the one good arm prince-child, soft and cultured, left for dead, is sold as a slave and there he learns how to survive, how to fight, the meaning of true friendship and the price of a kingdom. I am not sure why I felt there was something missing from the book, some incisiveness, some hardness I have come to expect from Abercrombie. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

Very well written. Fabulous plot twists throughout the novel, never letting you catch a breath. Understandable, well-created circumstances, characters, and character interactions. All together a very mind-bending tale, very violent filled with intrege, treachery, blood, the high seas, harrowing adventures across foreign lands, and wise words. Enjoyable for all action/adventure-seeking readers who don't mind blood, hardship, and flawed individuals make thing the best decisions they can make with what is given them.

(I'd give it 3 and a half stars if I could.)

Prince Yarvi was born with a bad arm and plans to take the oath of a minister and renounce his small claim to the Black Chair. However, his dreams are quickly dashed when his father and brother are both killed and he is to assume the chair. But he is quickly betrayed and vows revenge. The first book of a planned trilogy, this an entertaining, fast-moving, action-packed fantasy adventure novel. I found it a little predictable, but Abercrombie does have a good sense of character and some snappy dialogue.

Half a King by Joe Abercrombie

This is actually the first J.A. book I have had the pleasure to read, and I think his first foray into the Young Adult genre is a resounding success. This book was super easy to get sucked into to and before I knew it I was half way through the book in the first sitting.

We follow the incredibly sad but stoic Prince Yarvi. Raised to be a minister instead of a King, his life is thrown upside down when he is forced to take the throne and deal with the machinations of the court….

Sadly because Yarvi is cripple, people don’t tend to be that sneaky and more often than not come straight out and tell him what a worthless turd he is and how they are doing the best thing for everyone by getting rid of him. You really do feel for this poor character but at the same time, you feel a certain freedom in rooting for him as anything he does would be entirely justified. Here is a guy you love to see stand up for himself. He is always looking for a way to change things in his favour using the lessons taught to him by his former mentor.

There are some lovely twists and turns in the plot. You wont guess how things will end and isn’t that a pleasure?

I can’t wait to read more of Joe’s work and hear his darker tone, and I cannot wait to hear more of Prince Yarvi

Giveaway Details - July 14 to August sometime

I ordered a copy from the store with the intention to have Joe sign it when he visits the Mysterious Galaxy Book Store in San Diego near the end of the month. When it arrived there was a small tear on the bottom corner of the dust jacket from the wear and tear of travel.

It was enough for me to request a replacement and the store, to their credit, have offered to send me one out at no cost. Due to the fact that shipping the slightly damaged one back to the Uk would be quite expensive they have offered to let me keep it!

When I hit Mysterious Galaxy, I will be asking Joe to sign my Uk Heroes, Uk Half a King and which ever of his books I grab from the store, probably a Best Served Cold or US Half A King.

If I am not being a pain in Joe's butt and there is not a massive line of people behind me I will try and get this Half a King signed as well.

Open Internationally.

To enter Follow me on Twitter at @areadingmachine, Retweet my Giveaway Tweet at least once during the competition and send me an email at [email protected] with Half a King Giveaway in the subject line.

Check out my website for more details and future giveaways! http://charliehopkins.wix.com/areadingmachine#!giveaways/c11ap

HALF A KING by Joe Abercrombie is one of the most hyped novels of the year. Check out some of the author blurbs and you'll see what I mean. Patrick Rothfuss, Rick Riordan, Robin Hobb, and Brent Weeks are among the fantasy heavyweights heaping praise on the novel. When Abercrombie first announced HALF A KING I was anxious. He's my second favorite author and my very reason for returning to the fantasy genre, but I couldn't see how well his brutal wit and grim perspective would translate to a YA novel. You'll no doubt notice that this review has been filed under "Books We Love," but it didn't start out that way. HALF A KING is the story of Yarvi, the younger son of the king of Gettland. With only one good hand Yarvi has chosen to embrace the path of a minister rather than that of a warrior. The murder of his father (the king) and brother (the natural heir) sees Yarvi ascend to the throne. He is looked upon with contempt by his people for a perceived weakness, but he takes an oath to avenge his family regardless. Betrayed in his quest for vengeance Yarvi must use the greatest and only asset at his disposal (his mind) in order to defeat his enemies and reclaim what is rightfully his. Because I read this on my the store Kindle I was able to track my progress through the novel in percentages. It was also in percentages that I noticed HALF A KING gradually improve. I will openly admit that I was underwhelmed by the first 20-25% of the novel. Yarvi had all the makings of a true Abercrombie hero. He was unconventional and bore a physical handicap and he had suffered as a result. Still, Yarvi had a vanilla flavor that matched the rest of the beginning of the book. The setting of HALF A KING, the Shattered Sea, is has the trappings of a "Viking saga" (as author Myke Cole points out in his blurb) but there's little to differentiate this world from any other generic Norse-inspired fiction, save for the religion. The beginning fifth of the novel is too YA for my liking, it's like HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON without dragons. It doesn't read like Abercrombie. It reminded me why I was reading books like THE BLADE ITSELF when other kids my age were still carrying around the latest Charlie Bone book. And yet... "What can you think about a cause," muttered Jaud, "when all the decent folk stand on the other side?" And yet it gets better. I continued reading because Abercrombie has never failed me before. The further I got into the novel the easier it became to forgive the bland opening. With each new conflict Yarvi encounters he became more and more compelling. It got to the point where I started thinking of him as Yarvi Sevenfingers or The Bloody-Seven (no small compliment given I consider Logen of The First Law Trilogy my all time favorite character). In Yarvi exists the literary-DNA of Abercrombie's former protagonists, and still he manages to stand on his own merits. He may not be a great warrior but he is a formidable thinker and the lessons he learnt from his mother (the queen and treasurer) and the king's minister (his mentor) frequently pop up over the course of the novel. Yarvi matures over the course of HALF A KING, growing from naive boy to wise man in a short amount of time. It is an extremely satisfying character arc, one of Abercrombie's best. "What is the world coming to when an honest man cannot burn corpses with suspicion?" asked Nothing. The other characters come to distinguish themselves as Abercrombie characters as well, especially Sumael, Shadikshirram, and the man they call Nothing. Sumael channels two of Abercrombie's extremely strong female characters, Ferro (The First Law Trilogy) and Shy South (RED COUNTRY). Shadikshirram brought to mind the fan favorite mercenary captain Nicomo Cosca (BEST SERVED COLD). And then Nothing...well I won't ruin that for anyone. Yarvi forms strong bonds throughout the book, assembling quite a band of misfits on his quest. The cast is colorful and tinged with the sadness that permeates Abercrombie's work and makes for such believable characters. The plot is largely reactive throughout the novel but once the final third kicks HALF A KING is impossible to put down. Updating my companions as I read the novel I went from "not impressed" to "getting interested" to "not bad" to "hooked" and finally "bravo!" There are a series of twists and betrayals -- the first is predictable but the rest will shock you. The violence so common in Abercrombie novels is toned down. Combat takes a backseat to cunning and negotiation, though it is by no means absent. As always the case when he writes fighting, the edges are sharp and there are no winners...only survivors. Losses present new opportunities and victories are generally Pyrrhic. There are consequences for each and every action and it is this that Abercrombie expresses so well above all other genre writers. Even his YA novel has elements of Greek tragedy and moral ambiguity, understated though they may be in the midst of his other work. This and humor. The wit on display is as dark and sharp as ever, and this is what finally won my affection. Starting out I was not a fan of HALF A KING. I saw my worst fears for the book realized but I stuck with it and my patience paid off. I wish that the book had been written twice the length as some scenes seem to end abruptly and I would have appreciated more world building. But HALF A KING isn't a novel about setting so much as it is about character, and character is something it has an abundance of. It is also perhaps the most film-friendly Abercrombie book to date. Given the current popularity of movie adaptations of YA books I can see this one getting the big screen treatment (and what a breath of fresh air that would be in the midst of all these yawn-inducing dystopias). I would hesitate to call HALF A KING a masterpiece (and it's still not my favorite Abercrombie novel) but I love it anyway. It starts out like a typical YA novel but transforms into something much greater. I can see this being a gateway drug for new readers. And who knows, HALF A KING is but the first in a trilogy and the end of the novel sees some interesting developments on the horizon. Recommended Age: 14+ Language: Nothing worse than you get on prime time television. Violence: The level of detail in the violence is on par with THE HUNGER GAMES though there is considerably less of it and the consequences are far greater. Sex: There's some hand holding, that's about it. - See more at: http://elitistbookreviews.blogspot.com/2014/04/half-king.html#sthash.WrhtDFow.dpuf

Jarvi is the younger son of the King of Gettland. He lives in an area called the Shattered Sea on a world where Elves once built castles and thousands of years ago, God had been broken into eight large gods and 409 smaller gods.

Jarvi is small and has a withered hand, useless for holding a shield in a Viking culture where kings lead raids against other countries and defend their own country. But one night his uncle finds him and calls him King. Jarvi’s father and older brother have been killed while meeting to discuss peace with the neighboring king. A few days later, King Jarvi, the “half king” as he is contemptuously called, is leading a raid against a town of that other king.

Within a few more days, he is betrayed, nearly killed, nearly killed again, and sold as a galley slave for a merchant ship. On that ship, he is chained to two other slaves and to their bench at one of the oars. None of the hundred galley slaves are ever unchained and only their taskmaster and the merchant captain have keys.

In a culture where even villains are afraid to make an oath, Jarvi swears an oath to kill his betrayer. But how will he even escape from the ship? If he manages to escape, how will he avoid recapture and death? And even if he avoids recapture, how will he avoid being killed by the many soldiers of his betrayer if he tries to return home to kill him?

This story moves quickly with one adventure after another. At the very start, we begin meeting interesting characters such as “Mother” Gundring, who teaches Jarvi about wisdom and herbs, and the flamboyant female ship captain, Shadikshirram. Each of a dozen interesting characters develop and show their true colors as the story unfolds. And there are two unexpected surprises at the end.

First, and mostly importantly, I really enjoy this book and I look forward to the next book in the series.

Now, that out of a way, there are a few things about the book that simply drove me nuts. Foremost, it was too short. I'm not saying this as a back-handed praise, but rather an issue since too much ground was covered too quickly. There was little build-up, few detailed descriptions, and not enough time to see the character(s) develop--rather I was simply informed of those developments or left shaking my head with open jaw trying to figure out how many personalities existed in what must have been a character with an undiagnosed dissociative identity disorder.

Second complaint, there were quite a few passages that felt like fan-fic for the Vikings television series, Pirates of the Caribbean, Ben Hur, the Hobbit (the films not the book), and a few others.

Okay, to positives. There were some extremely clever moments in the book. The portion of the book focused on Yarvi as a slave was well done. The penultimate reveal was great! The lead-in to book two captured my flagging interest.

Trying not to post any spoilers, I'll wrap up with a final complaint and then endorsement.

The quote “I swore an oath to avenge the death of my father. I may be half a man, but I swore a whole oath,” seems to have been chosen as the tag line for the book. I wasn't impressed the first time the line surfaced in the book, and I was d*#% tired of it by time it appeared for the last time in the book.

I recommend this book to fans of fast paced fantasy who also favor pirate yarns, revenge, and conspiracy quests.

Disclaimer: I received a digital proof of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

An excellent book. The only in the series told from Yarvi's perspective and the best by far. Second book was okay and 3rd was a letdown. I wish Abercrombie had kept Yarvi as the protagonist in the series.

Meh.
It's OK I guess. Standard fantasy stuff apparently set in the area around the Baltic Sea some thousands of years in the future. "Elf" ruins are made with reinforced concrete, i.e. the remnants of modern buildings. Some disaster has made everyone revert back to swords and wooden ships level tech. The main character is Yavi who is a prince destined to be a "minister", kind of a cross between a diplomat, scholar, and priest. He was born with a crippled hand and is kind of thin and studious. In Viking society, which is what Scandanavia has reverted to, being a nerd instead of a good fighter is about how you would think it would be - i.e. everyone hates him. Throug some disasters he gets to be king for a few days, his relatives try and kill him, and he gets sold off into slavery.
SPOILERS>>>>>>>
He gets away from his owner and with the other escaped slaves comes back to get revenge and reclaim his throne. He does that, but in the process becomes as evil and ruthless as everyone else. He engineers a freaking invasion by his country's biggest enemy to cause a distraction. He really causes a level of destruction far worse than the "bad guys". You end up not liking him one bit and seeing why his relatives wanted him dead.

This book proved to be a page turner; it's writing is flawless, the pace and character development colorful and intriguing. I typically love the long arc storylines spanning multiple volumes. This book stands on its own, maybe leaving some room for a follow up going in an entirely different direction (one may hope?). It's occasionally a bit formulaic, with some story tropes that people who've read their fair share of fiction will see coming, but that oddly manages to increase its charm.

I've read mAny Abercrombie books now he does not disappoint the reader. His characters trend towards archetype but still surprise you. All the clues were there in this story but I missed then as I hungrily read the next best in the action. A good solid book in a fantasy realm.

Irritating novel where instead of logical twists, Abercrombie uses the most incongruous coincidences to keep a story together. If I hadn't seen another in this series advertised at the back I was thinking this was one of those projects he had given up on but published to meet contractual obligations. Very disappointing and a waste of time and money when compared to its contemporaries.

Half a king is definitely worth your time, and your attention.

Abercrombie brings all the characters to life, even those whose appearance is brief. Every characters actions and choices help you understand, and care about the motives behind the deeds. You empathize with all the characters, even the villains. Bad choices are made for good reasons, or as the better of two horrible options.

Abercrombie creates a compelling world while moving the story along at a brisk pace. The sense of betrayal and disconnection Yarvi, the deposed king, feels as he struggles to get home make you want to root for him as the underdog, instead of many stories out there where you feel like you’re “supposed to”.

This is my first Abercrombie novel, and it won’t be my last.

An absolute wonderful story. Full of murder, deceit, love, and vengeance. Beautifully crafted. I don’t think I’ve hung on a story and wanted to read more in ages. Joe Abercrombie has a masterpiece on his hands and I think anyone willing to delve into a world that seems so much like our own will have a wonderful time traveling with Yarvi and his oarmates on their quest to see the rightful King take his throne.

The Story: The protagonist is typical for this genre, Yarvi, is a young man with big doubts and bigger responsibilities. Those readers that liked the characters of Jordan and Feist will see the similarities. Also the world of the Shattered Seas has elements from the worlds of Locke Lamora, Pug, and Rand. The characters are not as developed as the characters of Abercrombie's "The First Law" series and neither is the world of the Shattered Seas described in enough detail to pull the reader into it. Overall a quick and enjoyable read.
The Book: The font is Fournier and is similar to Times New Roman in appearance and spacing, and equivalent to Times New Roman font size of 13 (MS Word) so it's easy on the eyes. Although the there is 333 pages there are only about 100,000 words, if that, and the reason for the review title.

4.5 stars

Fantastic read! I love Joe Abercrombie's writing style. The story was a little slow going at times, but I enjoyed the twists and turns along the ride. I ordered book two and three and look forward to continuing on with the series!

the storyline aas cute but hardly complicted enough to charge $10.99 for some 300 pages. I wouldve read the sample and bought it anyway but George's review priced it unfairly. Think about the reader first. Most likely won't buy the short sequel at that pricing. I did enjoy the story and it was a fast read. Totally overhyped. Who am i kidding? I might buy the next if nothing longer and more meaty comes along. Will see if i forget about it by release time.

I have read just two of Lord Grimdark's books, his first and his latest published works. I reviewed The Blade Itself (First Law) in a previous post and had already started Half a King wand was looking for and seeing some differences in style and substance. An author's books are like their children, indeed in some cases it would appear more precious than their offspring, and as with children one hesitates to draw direct comparisons between them. However, no book can stand entirely separate from its context as authors strive to stretch the envelope of their achievement or to exorcise (or even exercise) some inner demons, and comparisons can cast a little light on literature.

The first thing I understood about Half a King was that Joe was setting out to explicitly write for the Young Adult audience, to extend his reach into another genre, to break free of the carapace of Lordgrimdark and maybe show a glimmer of Lordyoungadult. My first thought was that this book more straddled the two genres than broke wholly through from one to the other, and that is a good thing in that it can appeal to both audiences, rather than leave his many fantasy fans wailing in despair as he goes in pursuit of John Green's legions of admirers.

So what might make this Young Adult? Well the first thing I noticed was the absence of swearing, not an f-word in sight (believe me I even did a kindle search to check) which is a big drop in the gritty darkness of the first-law peppered with a realistic use of coarse language (which even so fell someway short of the potty-mouths I have known at work, my own included). But then while this is a difference between Joe's two books, it is not necessarily a key feature for distinguishing the genres. Mazarkis Williams and Robin Hobb have both written glorious fantasy trilogies with not a single f--- between them, while many a YA book will be sprinkled with the versimilitudinous expletives of modern youth.

The second thing that might denote YA is the age of the protaganist. Yarvi is a boy, a teenager whose never been kissed, and there is in the midst of his many trials, a longing to see again the girl who kissed him first and promised him a better kiss when he returned. And then against that promise he has the bright eyed young woman with whom he has established bonds deeper than love, bonds of life itself in a shared fight for survival. That shifts this work away from the First Law where Logen was a hard bitten warrior with scars of life as well as war, and Bayaz was older than all of them. Also, like many a young adult, Yarvi's thoughts and fate are bound up with his parents far more than the mature and cynical badass heroes of The Blade Itself. He worries about his parents and he pines when he is parted, even though the approval he so yearned for from them has never been truly or freely given. There are, therefore, those echoes of ordinary teenage angst, a fearfulness of what being an adult might involve and whether he is capable of it. To be fair Mark Lawrence too had a teenage protaganist in a book which would indubitably be in the grimdark tradition if only someone would give an unequivocal definition of what grimdark is. As teenage boys Jorg and Yarvi could not be more different, though Jorg too has debts he owes his parents which he fears cannot, or will not be paid. In short, a youthful hero (or anti-hero) does not a young adult book make.

So this book stands not so much athwart the divide between YA and grimdark fantasy as rooted in its grimdark heritage but reaching out for a younger audience. But does that really matter? What counts is whether or not it is a good story and labels are just that. J.K.Rowling showed how a good story can transcend the arbitrary type-setting of age. To paraphrase Bill Clinton, "it's the story, stupid" and the story is the thing.

But what about the story?

So what of Yarvi's story and, setting aside the YA/grimdark division, how does it compare to Logen's and Glotka's?

Well there is a resonance of Glotka, in my view Joe's finest creation in the Blade Itself. For Yarvi is a cripple and that fact dominates his every waking moment. He was born with half a hand (well strictly speaking one and a half hands but you know what I mean) and this makes him unfit for war and unworthy of his father's love or approbation. There is, more resignation than bitterness in how Yarvi deals with his deformity, but it sets out the story's stall at the outset. This cannot be a Luke Skywalker tale of the farm boy who makes good and becomes the warrior god that makes others run in incontinent fear. Yarvi's victories must be won by cunning and it is here perhaps more than in his YA ambitions that Joe most throws over the traces of traditional fantasy tropes. Despite his many difficulties, Yarvi finds many subtle ways to control the ebbs and flows of his most troubled life, to show that the pen is mightier than the sword, that brain can move more than brawn can.

It is a good story with colourful characters and twists enough to surprise you and an ending entirely unlooked for but in keeping with Yarvi's character and journey. Just as he is no typical hero, his triumph is no typical triumph. There is Joe's love of battle with combat described in fast paced detail. At times the plot might have looked a little holey as impossible hardships were endured in a way that made me think Scott of the Antarctic was a bit of a wuss for giving in so easily. People die, as people do, sliding of swords with sorrowful; expressions, but you know enough about each one to care about the dreams they won't fulfill, or to rejoice at an overdue end so richly deserved.

So, is it Young Adult - not noticeably, but is it a good story - yes, and sufficiently different to its archetype to be worth pursuing into the sequels.

I'm a huge fan of Joe Abercrombie and this book did not disappoint. Although this book is shorter than his previous works don't let that fool you. The book offers the same level of world building, and great characterization. The only problem is that the book starts off a bit slow. However, after about 70 pages the plot picked up and then the book's end came all too fast. If you like his previous work, don't hesitate to pick this one up.

Despite all the praise “Half a King” has been receiving, I found it to be sorely wanting.
My tendency is to blame it on being a young adult novel, something I only realized after I finished the book. That’s not fair to the genre.
“Half a King” is really half a novel.
It’s a mediocre start to what promises to be a series of some king, although what that will entail is unknown.
When it comes to the fantasy part of “Half a King”, there’s almost nothing at all. There’s writing of Elfen structures and some religious talk of the time between now and then, when the gods were shattered. There’re also some plotlines of the coming of a monotheistic movement.
The book is labeled as “fantasy” but there are no fantasy elements that could not merely be attributed to a novel set in a post-apocalyptic landscape.
The book comes in 266 pages and it feels, sadly, overly long. It feels so overly long because there is very little meat on its bones. Far too much time is spent on a boat, then fleeing the people from the boat. Then, there’s a fight scene and bam! the stories done.
“Half a King” is a really boring novel start to a new series, one that could have even been done in novella form, considering how little actual content there is.
Not particularly worth reading until more books in the series come out and even then, it’s probably just worth a summary read.

This book was received, free of charge, from the Goodreads First Reads program.

I'm a big fan of Abercrombie's First Law trilogy but this is far, far below the quality of that series - it's almost as if Half a King was written by a different author. The characters suck, the story is dull, the writing isn't great, and the twist at the end felt contrived. I basically ended up skimming much of the final chapters, just wanting it to be over.

Just suberb! After Patrick Rothfuss I thought I would not find another fantasy work as appealing but Half a King blew that notion away. The setting, the realism, and the physically flawed protagonist whose trials and tribulations kept me on my toes.
I can't wait for the next book in this series.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a advance copy!

For my first Abercrombie book, I was underwhelmed. While the story was well written with a relatable main character I thought it was predictable and I just didn't think it was great as everyone said it was. It was a nice coming of age story overall I will definitely pick up the next book. But I will definitely consider picking up the next book.
3.5 Stars

I received 'Half a King' in exchange for an honest review. The blurb immediately intrigued me. The idea of a prince with a mal-formed arm was certainly one I haven't come across before.

The beginning was slow to hook me onto the story. However, once the wild-ride happened, that started with the betrayal, the book kept the fast pace with plenty of adventure, misadventures and lots of blood and violence. It was to the point I felt the created world of 'Half a King' was modeled after the vikings.

While the ending was excellent, I didn't feel it was completely surprising. I expected at least 80% of it to end that way. There was the last 10 minutes that caught me by surprise. The ending nicely wrapped up everything, while leaving an opening for next book if author chooses to make this a series.

I think I'll check out more books by Joe Abercombie.

This is the first book by Joe Abercrombie I've read, and while it was OK it wasn't anything memorable or enthralling for me. It felt like more of a teen/young adult book, but nowhere in the description or on the the store page does it designate Half a King as belonging to that category.

The writing in Half a King is fine, but the characters were just blah. Of course the King was disappointed in (and mean to) his disfigured son. Of course the other son was a whiz on the battlefield. Of course the sea captain was a raging drunk and of course the slaves all turn out to be top notch human beings, and of course the really good guys turn out to be bad guys. It all felt familiar and predictable. I will admit to not expecting the biggest plot twist, but instead of being impressed by this, I felt a little cheated. When the most important aspect of a story is based on such staggering coincidence, it feels improbable rather than mind blowing. I also didn't quite buy into some of the character changes along the way. It also seemed cliche, that the studious, disfigured boy thrust into an unexpected role will face hardships that will harden him and he will do hard things and make hard choices...well, you get the idea.

Half a King isn't horrible, just average, and entertaining enough for an easy weekend read. I'd be more likely to suggest it as a summer read for a teen, something to take on a road trip or for a day at the beach, than for an adult. If you are looking for a Game of Thrones style book, this is not it. I would give the next book in the series a look to see if it improves after being set up by this first book, but only because Joe Abercrombie's other books have had more positive reviews.

I'm a huge fan of Abercrombie, but didn't realize that this book was a foray into young adult. The reading was faster, introduction to characters more skin deep. I love Abercrombie's other novels for their rich descriptions and multifaceted characters. I would recommend for younger readers as a good introduction to Mr. Abercrombie.

Great story and a great start to a new trilogy. This falls right in stride with Abercrombie's other fantastic 'First Law' books. Abercrombie doesn't miss a beat here. If the 'First Law' books are rated R, this one would be rated PG. IMO, this makes it 4 stars instead of 5. It's still a fantastic story and a great start. It just lacks Abercrombie's 'signature' edge.

A very will written novel with interesting well developed characters. The story line is fast moving with lots of twist and turns. The ending is a great lead in too the next novel in the series. I would recommend this book too anyone who enjoys a will written novel. Enjoy reading

Would give it a 3.5 if it was an option. The book was quite enjoyable but the protagonist couldn't seem to make up his mind as to whether or not he actually wanted to be the good guy or not. I don't particularly enjoy ambivalence in my heroes. The real world is wishy washy enough. I want my fantasy to bright shining and true, or outright dastardly (C.S. Friedman's Coldfire Trilogy).

The plot was quite good. There were a couple good twists. They can be seen coming from a mile away, but it made them no less enjoyable for me.

Bottom line, if I happen to see the sequel on the shelf, I'll buy it. But I'm not going to go looking for it.

Well written novel that is breathtaking to read. There are too many fantastic highlights to quote. While I borrowed this from the public library, I plan on purchasing it on the store and the sequel as well.

This is one of the best novels Joe Abercrombie has written to date. His character is interesting, believable and for once, in a Joe Abercrombie novel, really quite sympathetic. I zoomed through this book much faster than I usually do with his novels. It is a great stand alone introduction to Abercrombie's writing and it might even be said to be YA. Great book. Buy it and read it.

I really enjoyed his previous works. Though this is supposed to be for young adult, I thought it was pretty brutal at times. Maybe kids are more jaded these days and need a book with more edge. Either way, I thought it was great. Nice work Joe!

Abercrombie writes exceptional low fantasy. I was concerned this book would be a partial story, as the first in a new trilogy, but it is a complete tale from beginning to end. Excellent twists and turns, with realistic characters.

Kind of reminded me of his book,"Best served cold", they tried to kill the main character, one hand maimed, revenge. I enjoyed this book, but it is for a younger audience. I like his writing, but miss the adult themes.

I enjoyed the book, but I wouldn't rate it as one of the top stories I have read. I probably will not read book two because I could careless what happens to the characters. It was well written and I had no problem finishing it, but just didn't care much for main character or the world they lived in.

Half A King by Joe Abercrombie has been marketed as Abercrombie's attempt at telling a "grimdark" Young Adult story. Once you get past all the buzzwords and marketing speech, you will find a story about a young man with a horribly disfigured and almost useless limb who is not satisfied with simply surviving extreme adversity in a bleak world, but rather he strives to become the master of all. This is not just a story for teenagers, this is story for anyone who enjoys fantasy.

An interesting and entertaining tale, full of intrigue and interesting characters. A fast enjoyable read. My measure of the quality of a trilogy is whether I want to read the next. I certainly do here.

I really wanted to love Half A King by Joe Abercrombie, given all the blurbs by fantasy authors that I love. Unfortunately, I am not very impressed with Half A King. A few reviews that I’ve seen have stated that perhaps this isn’t the best book because it’s a young adult book. However as a frequent reader of young adult fantasy as well as epic fantasy, I can’t help but think that a certain something, a certain spark feels missing from Abercrombie’s young adult debut.

Half A King follows young Prince Yarvi as he goes from studying to be a minister to being crowned king of Gettland after the death of his father and brother. Unfortunately, Yarvi is not king for long and finds himself betrayed by someone very close to him. Yarvi is sold into slavery and much of the book revolved around Yarvi rowing a boat while only having one working hand and plotting his vengeance. With the help of a ragtag crew, Yarvi undertakes an incredible journey to restore his birthright. I will say, one thing I really enjoyed about Half A King was the plotting. I thought it was fantastic and contained a lot of action and high points. The plot is not convoluted and quite easy to follow.

Unfortunately, the characterization leaves a bit to be desired. I kind of felt disconnected from the main character. I felt like this book was overly simplistic and just never really explored different emotional scenes. Like, I would start to connect to the main character Yarvi because he was feeling something, but then the book would just move on instead of following the emotion to a logical conclusion. I guess the best way I can describe it is that the book felt really sort of abrupt. As for character attributes, Yarvi is a pretty good guy. He’s very thoughtful and considerate. He works hard to overcome his lack of a hand which plays a huge role in the story, but he’s no Eugenides (from The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner). Yarvi is definitely not a tough guy at all. That’s okay though. I liked that he didn’t look like a typical hero. I liked that Yarvi relied on his education and his brains instead of brawn. That stated, aside from Yarvi, main characters include a slave called Nothing, another slave name Juad. There’s a female navigate named Sumael who plays quite the interesting role.

As for the world building, Half A King by Joe Abercrombie seems to be based on a Viking world. It is hard for me to wrap my brain around picturing the world, though. There’s not a map included in the edition that I read. A map likely would have helped in picturing Yarvi’s journey. As for sociology of Abercrombie’s Shattered Seas world, I liked the use of ministers to advise. It was neat seeing how ministers gain their positions (by taking a test) and how valued they are in this society. In addition, I liked the idea of the Black Chair which is what the kings of Gettland sit upon. Although, it sounds a lot like the Iron Throne. Further, there is an interesting discussion of slavery which is a part of Yarvi’s world. We see Yarvi develop from a character who does not give a care either way about slavery, to someone who actually considers the issue.

As for Abercrombie’s writing, well, this was a fast read. The pacing works well for the story. However, it wasn’t one that I thought about while not reading. I was never so enamored by Half A King that it crossed my mind during times where I could not read it. I would recommend Half A King to people who are already fans of Joe Abercrombie and for people who want fantasy about unlikely heroes and the triumph of underdogs.

I approve of this book and its concept. It was a nice jaunt through a fictional world with a few expected plot twists and a few I didn't see coming. What really made the story for me was the narrating main character and the life of all the characters. I would recommend this to adventure fans.

Well written novel that is breathtaking to read. There are too many fantastic highlights to quote. While I borrowed this from the public library, I plan on purchasing it on the store and the sequel as well.

This is one of the best novels Joe Abercrombie has written to date. His character is interesting, believable and for once, in a Joe Abercrombie novel, really quite sympathetic. I zoomed through this book much faster than I usually do with his novels. It is a great stand alone introduction to Abercrombie's writing and it might even be said to be YA. Great book. Buy it and read it.

I really enjoyed his previous works. Though this is supposed to be for young adult, I thought it was pretty brutal at times. Maybe kids are more jaded these days and need a book with more edge. Either way, I thought it was great. Nice work Joe!

Abercrombie writes exceptional low fantasy. I was concerned this book would be a partial story, as the first in a new trilogy, but it is a complete tale from beginning to end. Excellent twists and turns, with realistic characters.