“Best Served Cold” by Joe Abercrombie

Emily of Embuhleeliest and I are working our way through Abercrombie’s First Law books; we completed buddy-reading this one in December. I liked the books in the First Law trilogy, but this one, a standalone novel set in the same world with some familiar characters, wasn’t as appealing.

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GENRE

Grimdark Fantasy

SERIES

First Law

PUBBED

2009

Quick summary

As the title suggests, Best Served Cold is a story of revenge. The famous and talented female mercenary Monza Murcatto and her brother Benna were betrayed and murdered by their employer and close, somewhat trusted, associates. However, death didn’t take to Monza despite her being thrown down a cliff (or mountain, someplace high). Angry and bent on revenge, Monza gathers up a group of misfits — the Northman Shivers, self-important poisoner Morveer and his assistant, a former member of the Inquisition named Vitari, the once-famous mercenary and now drunkard Cosca, a killer with a love of numbers called Friendly — to hunt and kill the eight men (I think it’s eight… or was it seven?) responsible for her murder, which includes Duke Orso, father of the new queen of the Union.

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“Last Argument of Kings” by Joe Abercrombie

Here I am, just now reviewing this book while I’m nearing the end of the standalone novel that follows it — Best Served Cold.

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GENRE

Fantasy

SERIES

First Law, book 3

PUBBED

2008

MY THOUGHTS

Last Argument of Kings is grimdark fantasy and the last in the First Law trilogy. It picks up after the events in the second book, Before They Are Hanged, but I’ve since forgotten exactly what that means since the books have all melded together in my mind now. One thing that stands out about the starting point in this, though, is that Bayaz and crew (Ferro, Logen, Jezal, Quai, and Longfoot) are just returning to Adua after their journey abroad in search of “The Seed.” (Goodreads)

“Before They Are Hanged” by Joe Abercrombie

I’m back with the boys from the First Law series. Emily of Embuhleelist (my buddy-reader in all things Hobb, and now in all things Abercrombie) and I are enjoying reading about this cast of characters and have already started on the third book — which is quite entertaining so far what with Jezal’s and West’s promotions. But anyway, this book…

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Genre

Fantasy

Series

First Law, book 2

Pubbed

2007

From Goodreads

Superior Glokta has a problem. How do you defend a city surrounded by enemies and riddled with traitors, when your allies can by no means 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.

“The Blade Itself” by Joe Abercrombie

I buddy-read this with Emily at Embuhleeliest back in June. We were trying it out to see if it’ll serve as a nice chunky series for us to jump in and get hooked on like we did with Robin Hobb’s Realm of the Elderlings. And, so far I’d say Abercrombie’s series has potential.

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Genre

Fantasy

Series

First Law, book 1

Pubbed

2006

From Goodreads

Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught in one feud too many, he’s on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian — leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies.

Nobleman, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, Captain Jezal dan Luthar has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. But war is brewing, and on the battlefields of the frozen North they fight by altogether bloodier rules.