The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie

[I, Brian]

Ordered the next two First Law books to complete the trilogy.

[Ross]

Just finished this one. All I can say is I really enjoyed it and will be ordered the rest soon

[Ursa major]

I'm glad you've ordered both "sequels", Brian, if only because the trilogy is really one enormous book divided into three volumes.

That and they are all good reads.

[thaddeus6th]

Aye, they're rather different but I think it's arguable the First Law Trilogy is better than A Song of Ice and Fire.

.....

No, really. No, put down the pitchforks and blazing torches! Heeeeelllpp!!

[biodroid]

Originally Posted by thaddeus6th

Aye, they're rather different but I think it's arguable the First Law Trilogy is better than A Song of Ice and Fire.

.....

No, really. No, put down the pitchforks and blazing torches! Heeeeelllpp!!

Agreed! The First Law trilogy at least has a good pace and more action while not detracting from characterisation, intrigue or plot.

[xLORDSNOWx]

Wow! What a great book. I'm currently on Before they are Hanged and it's truly turned into a page turner. I wasn't much of a SF reader until i read "ASOIAF", which prompted me to read "The Dark Tower Series", followed by this Trilogy. I must say that i am real selective when it comes to SF and i haven't been disappointed thus far. I'm glad i listened to those who recommended these series to me, but i'm afraid there isnt much else out there that will compete with these three. I read the first book of the "Acacia" series and will probably go back after i finish The First Law trilogy.

By the way, my favorite character is Dogman, he just cracks me up. Jisele has that Jaime Lannister character transformation going which i'm starting to like...lol

[I, Brian]

Originally Posted by xLORDSNOWx

i'm afraid there isnt much else out there that will compete with these three.

First Law is just a taster. "Best served cold" I think beats First Law - it has all the twists and grim humour of that trilogy, but in a single very readable book.

[viZion]

And The Heroes is even better still! I like that we get to learn so much about the Northmen in that book.

Now that I think about it, I think whichever book I've read most recently will be the best in my mind. I plan to re-read The First Law trilogy soon to make more sense of what's happening behind the scenes across all of the books. Joe Abercrombie is my favorite author right and I can't wait for his next book!

[xLORDSNOWx]

Cool. I'll have to check them both out when i finish this series. The political intrigue and in depth character development/transformations is what has me hooked. There's nothing like a book that makes you think......

[Connavar]

I regret alot that i waited two years after i finished this book to read book 2. This one was slow at first and the characters was only sketches compared how much more interesting they are in book 2. Is there a synopsis,summary of this books storyline somewhere online? I need it to refresh my memory about what happened late in book 1, House of the Maker and all. Reading book 3 right now.

Is there actually news about a second trilogy of FL coming or its only some weak rumor??

[Comrade Gwydion]

Is there actually news about a second trilogy of FL coming or its only some weak rumor??

Well, actually it's quite certain. Joe Abercrombie, the writer, has announced that after the first trilogy he would write three stand-alone books in the same universe and a second trilogy.

At the moment he has finished the first trilogy and two stand alone books, with the third stand-alone coming out in October.

[Boneman]

Nothing like putting prerssure on himself, then? I read an excellent blog between Patrick Rothfuss and Terry Brooks, where they talk about the pressure to compete with deadlines, as opposed to being an aspiring writer, just trying to achieve. Wonder what Joe thinks of that? (He very occasionally pops in here...)

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by Comrade Gwydion

Well, actually it's quite certain. Joe Abercrombie, the writer, has announced that after the first trilogy he would write three stand-alone books in the same universe and a second trilogy.

At the moment he has finished the first trilogy and two stand alone books, with the third stand-alone coming out in October.

I finished the last of the trilogy last night and this changes my views of the ending. I knew Logen would have an upcoming book but i thought why did he leave so many characters hanging with out a real end. The Magi war didnt etc

Its not about wanting a second trilogy for me but i want to see more about the characters and the Union,Gurkish etc. Stand alone with other characters in Styria isnt the same.

[somnambulist]

Originally Posted by Connavar

Is there actually news about a second trilogy of FL coming or its only some weak rumor??

yes

http://geekus.net/2012/02/21/joe-abe...-next-trilogy/

looking forward to Glokta's adopted son in conflict with Jezals true born children

[Comrade Gwydion]

Originally Posted by Boneman

Nothing like putting prerssure on himself, then? I read an excellent blog between Patrick Rothfuss and Terry Brooks, where they talk about the pressure to compete with deadlines, as opposed to being an aspiring writer, just trying to achieve. Wonder what Joe thinks of that? (He very occasionally pops in here...)

Well, I don't think he mentioned deadlines, as in, when to finish these books.

Originally Posted by Connavar

I finished the last of the trilogy last night and this changes my views of the ending. I knew Logen would have an upcoming book but i thought why did he leave so many characters hanging with out a real end. The Magi war didnt etc

Its not about wanting a second trilogy for me but i want to see more about the characters and the Union,Gurkish etc. Stand alone with other characters in Styria isnt the same.

Well, actually I think it's a shame Logen is returning. I like the complete unexpected, sudden and merciless downfall of the Bloody Nine. In the stand-alones, rumors of the Bloody Nine being alive play a big role in some scene's, and I would have loved those scene's all the more if they were indeed just rumors, and Logen, sadly, dead.

As for the War of the Magi, don't wory: in every stand alone book you learn more about it. Even if it may have to wait untill the final chapters of the book. Also, the standalones are only stand-alone in name: in reality they have a lot of characters from the earlier novels, especially The Heroes but BSC too.