By: Joe Abercrombie
Publisher: Pyr
Publish Date: 2008
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Paperback, 539 pages - 6"x9"
Series: 2nd book in The First Law series, To read the review of Book 1 - The Blade Iteself, Click here.
Recommendation: If you like lots of action and not to squimish of blood, and a magical journey... I would start with The Blade Itself and dive right into this read.
Book Synopsis:
Superior Glokta has a problem. How do you defend a city surrounded by enemies and riddled with traitors when your allies can by no meands be trusted and your predecessor vanished without a trace? It's enough to make a torturer want to run - if he could even walk without a stick.
Northmen have spilled over the border of Angland and are spreading fire and death across the frozen country. Crown Prince Ladisla is poised to drive them back and win undying glory. There is only one problem - he commands the worst-armed, worst-trained, worst-led army in the world.
And Bayaz, the First of the Magi, is leading a party of bold adventurers on a perilous mission through the ruins of the past. The most hated woman in the South, the most feared man in the North, and the most selfish boy in the Union make a strange alliance, but a deadly one. They might even stand a chance of saving mankind from the Eaters. If they didn't hate each other quite so much.
Ancient secrets will be uncovered. Bloody battles will be won and lost. Bitter enemies will be forgiven - but not before they are hanged.
First Sentence:
Damn mist. It gets in your eyes, so you can't see no more than a few strides ahead.
My Review and Summary:
Before They Are Hanged picks up right where The Blade Itself left off. Bayaz - the First Mage, Quai his apprentice, the Navigator, Logen or Bloody Nine as he's known, Ferro, and Jezel are all on their journey to the edge of the world to get the seed to save everyone. Glokta and his practicals are in the Southern city Dagoskan, to save a doomed city from the Gurkish. Colonel West is up North fighting with, or for, the Prince against the savage Northmen. It all sounds simple where the characters are and what they are doing. But, the journey with these characters always seems to go by quickly for me with the wonderous things, good and bad, that happen.
I enjoyed The Blade Itself, but I think I enjoyed Before They Are Hanged even more. Joe Abercrombie has a wonderful way of telling the story full of action and wonder. I enjoyed reading of all the happenings with these characters in the different ends of the world, to see there is a great deal going on around the world and needing help in fixing.
I don't know which set of characters I enjoy reading about more. They are all have different happenings and characteristics that pull me into their stories. Glokta is always a pleasure to read with his suspicious negative thoughts are always interesting in how he comes to his conclusions of people and happenings. And he is usually right in his suspicions. Bayaz and the crew have the magic with them and the great journey. Magic and wonder always interest me. Colonel West has the Northern Men coming to him and the crazy chaos.
The characters have all gone through great hardships of their own kind. They are all grew greatly by the end of this book. The Blade Itself defined who they where at the start, and now they are changing. I got to learn more about the Eaters in the south and Shanka (or Flatheads) in the north. Also, some history leading up to the reason Khaluh is doing what he is doing.
You start to see the inside workings of the history to why they are where they are and the world as it is. I love how the history ties everyone together. Even why Bayaz picked the crew, and yet wonder the purpose of a few of them.
There was one thing I would have liked to have, a map. BUT I really liked how Joe Abercrombie drew a map of the world with his words and I didn't need a physical map to help visualize the world.
I have The Last Arguement of Kings on the shelf here, and will be looking forward to the time I can squeeze it into the schedule to see what all happens to everyone.
This book qualifies for my Speculated Fiction Challenge @ Book Chick City.
