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A Nice Boy
Feb 13, 2007

First in, last out.
Oh man...Almost done with book 1, and though I've really liked the whole thing, he really picks up the pace in the last 150 pages, basically from when they go into the House of the Maker.

So loving good...I don't want to finish it because I can't get the next one till this weekend. :(

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Yadoppsi
May 10, 2009

ultrachrist posted:

Also I didn't read the other books because I did not want to get involved in a trilogy. This wasn't a problem for 95% of the book, but... I really hope Shenkt and Vitari are in the main series because they feel almost completely pointless in BSC with no foreknowledge and could have been cut almost entirely without incident.
Vitari is in the previous trilogy and we see what her job was before fleeing to Styria. As for Shenkt, he isn't in The First Law, but the background is fleshed out enough to infer how he got his powers and why he chooses the side he did in Best Served Cold, as well as making his reveal at the end much more dramatic.

Bummey
May 26, 2004

you are a filth wizard, friend only to the grumpig and the rattata

ultrachrist posted:

Also I didn't read the other books because I did not want to get involved in a trilogy.

Yeah hey, you should probably read them! They're really good.

TShields
Mar 30, 2007

We can rule them like gods! ...Angry gods.
I really can't imagine reading BSC and skipping the trilogy.. That just doesn't make sense. Involved in a trilogy? Its three books, its not like you have decades of lore to catch up on. He writes so fast he practically wrote them over a weekend.

HoAssHo
Mar 10, 2005

:love::love::love:
And they're easy, fast reads. I don't read nearly as much as I used to, but I still got through the trilogy pretty quickly - quicker than I get through most books these days.

It's not like Malazan or something where it's sort of complex and you need to read it a bit slower so that you can absorb all the information being thrown at you.

ultrachrist
Sep 27, 2008
I liked BSC but if a sequel magically appeared in bookstores tomorrow, there's tons of stuff I want to read first. I only read the same writer's books back to back if I really, really loved their work.

With a series, I'm committed to reading it all to get the whole story which I avoid nowadays (this was not always the case, believe me). Too many good books, not enough lifetime. I will probably return to Abercrombie eventually.

Cotisimo
Jul 11, 2001

It's good to have a hobby.
Just finished BSC. I now can't wait to see Shivers back in the North rivaling Black Dow for simple cold blooded bastard-ness.

Mr.48
May 1, 2007

A Nice Boy posted:

Oh man...Almost done with book 1, and though I've really liked the whole thing, he really picks up the pace in the last 150 pages, basically from when they go into the House of the Maker.

So loving good...I don't want to finish it because I can't get the next one till this weekend. :(

If you're more than ~50 pages from the end the best is yet to come :)

A Nice Boy
Feb 13, 2007

First in, last out.

Mr.48 posted:

If you're more than ~50 pages from the end the best is yet to come :)

Just finished it, pretty great. Need to get over to the used bookstore; Hopefully they have the last two in the trilogy.

Tipped
Jan 9, 2007

A Nice Boy posted:

Just finished it, pretty great. Need to get over to the used bookstore; Hopefully they have the last two in the trilogy.

The second two books are better than the first book.

Overall this is probably the most universally enjoyable series I have read:

1. It is done.
2. It does not require 100% of my brain power to keep track of everything.
3. It is creative, and well written.
4. The twists are not obvious, but they are foreshadowed well.

I am definitely buying Heroes from the UK.

A Nice Boy
Feb 13, 2007

First in, last out.
Hah, I just got the thread title. Nice. :)

TShields
Mar 30, 2007

We can rule them like gods! ...Angry gods.
I have so many people I recommend this guy to and only one has taken me up on the offer to borrow my books. He flew through them in a couple weeks and is now as hooked as I am. I loaned them to another buddy and he sat on them for 8 months and just took them with him to Iraq. Heres hoping he doesn't neglect his duties to read...

Alaan
May 24, 2005

Just finished Best Served Cold. Pretty solid overall and definitely a fast read. Definitely liked how Benna was handled in the chapter intros. Fun seeing how Monza basically lies to herself about how he was. He may not have been as big of a killer, but he was as big of a bastard as anyone else. On the other hand Shivers was kind of disappointing. Right from the start he's treading dangerously into Nine-fingers territory. Big nasty barbarian, done bad things, blah blah blah. I don't think anyone was really shocked that he never got better and busted out a can of some minor Bloody Nine. Cosca as usual though was fantastic. I loved his mini-rant about brave soldiers.

Alaan fucked around with this message at 21:37 on May 22, 2010

Danger
Jan 4, 2004

all desire - the thirst for oil, war, religious salvation - needs to be understood according to what he calls 'the demonogrammatical decoding of the Earth's body'
I haven't read fantasy in years, I'm more of a crime fiction guy, but this sounds like a great light summer read.

Anyone know if an ebook is available through barnes and noble? I found one on amazon, but not on bn.com. I just bought a nook and would like to get into these books.

A Nice Boy
Feb 13, 2007

First in, last out.
I'm about 150 pages into book 2, and so far I'm liking it more than book 1. It's much faster paced, and gets you into the characters at a nice clip. I loved book 1, but felt like it meandered around a bit early before finding focus in the second half.

Mr.48
May 1, 2007
Just got Best Served Cold in the mail, the one with the nice cover too! Will report back shortly.....

John Charity Spring
Nov 4, 2009

SCREEEEE

A Nice Boy posted:

I'm about 150 pages into book 2, and so far I'm liking it more than book 1. It's much faster paced, and gets you into the characters at a nice clip. I loved book 1, but felt like it meandered around a bit early before finding focus in the second half.

Abercrombie essentially uses The Blade Itself to set everything up, then the next two books ratchet up the pace considerably as all the set-up gets its pay-off.

Weaponized Cum
Aug 31, 2004


This post brought to you by the finest Miami cocaine money can buy ----->
I finished the trilogy and I really enjoyed it. Could someone recommend similar authors or series?

TShields
Mar 30, 2007

We can rule them like gods! ...Angry gods.

Weaponized Cum posted:

I finished the trilogy and I really enjoyed it. Could someone recommend similar authors or series?

If you haven't read George RR Martin's books, give them a shot, but be prepared to hate yourself when he never finishes the series. Also, I really got into Brent Weeks' "Night Angel" trilogy (Way of Shadows, Shadow's Edge, Beyond the Shadows).. Its a different feel, but its a complete trilogy and seems to have the same fantasy style.

Also, glad to see this thread woke up again. Was quiet for a while!

therapy
Jun 12, 2001

Living the dream
I'm just about done with the 2nd book, and to be honest I loved it. The first book came across and kind of meandering and purposeless until the end, but this book has a real purpose and a lot of character development throughout.

Can't wait to read the third.

Evfedu
Feb 28, 2007
I know it's a bit Out There to draw the comparison, but I think that Abercrombie has a bit of Pratchett in him with the whole shamefully well plotted books with a somewhat similar cast of characters in an increasingly well-drawn world. Try one of the Sam Vimes books if you haven't (good place to start probably being somewhere like Feet of Clay or Men at Arms).

A more obvious influence would be Glen Cooke, for another series about miserable mercenary bastards being miserable mercenary bastards.

Finally let myself start Best Served Cold. Every bit as good as the trilogy so far (100 pages in).

Mr.48
May 1, 2007
Just finished Best Served Cold and was impressed by the sheer amount of backstabbing.

One thing I'm not certain of though: Whats the deal with Shenkt? Clearly he's an eater like Sulfur and refers to having the same masters once upon a time, so is he an ex-apprentice of Bayaz or what?

Chronic Reagan
Oct 13, 2000

pictures of plastic men
Fun Shoe
Abercrombie will have a short story in the anthology 'Swords and Dark Magic' coming out in a couple of weeks for those in need of a fix before 'Heroes' comes out, along with some other unknowns like Michael Moorcock and Glen Cook.

Table of Contents

A Nice Boy
Feb 13, 2007

First in, last out.

Joshtafari posted:

Abercrombie will have a short story in the anthology 'Swords and Dark Magic' coming out in a couple of weeks for those in need of a fix before 'Heroes' comes out, along with some other unknowns like Michael Moorcock and Glen Cook.

Table of Contents

Erikson, Lynch, and Ambercrombie?

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit! :D

Alaan
May 24, 2005

drat. I will be all over that poo poo.

John Charity Spring
Nov 4, 2009

SCREEEEE

Mr.48 posted:

Just finished Best Served Cold and was impressed by the sheer amount of backstabbing.

One thing I'm not certain of though: Whats the deal with Shenkt? Clearly he's an eater like Sulfur and refers to having the same masters once upon a time, so is he an ex-apprentice of Bayaz or what?

Shenkt is one of Bayaz's followers. Well, originally. Now he hates him of course.

Kaddish
Feb 7, 2002
I don't remember Sulfur being an eater.

a shitty king
Mar 26, 2010

Kaddish posted:

I don't remember Sulfur being an eater.

Yeah, he is. He's the one who killed the decent Prince, so that Luthar could become king under Bayaz's influence. There's a conversation when Luthar is all 'but how is he an Eater, I thought they all worked for Khalul' and Bayaz is all 'not all Eaters follow the prophet. :smug:'

Kaddish
Feb 7, 2002
Ah, ok, it's been awhile since I read the first 3 books.

J Bjelke-Postersen
Sep 16, 2007

I have a 6 point plan to stop the boats.....or turn them around or something....No wait what were those points again....Are there really 6?
I picked up The Blade Itself on a whim from Borders before boarding a plane (it was a staff recommendation, even that didn't deter me) and God drat I've read all his books and loved every minute. I have to admit the last time I read a fantasy book was Lord of the Rings like ten years ago but these are massive fun. Books own. Dude owns.

Plucky Brit
Nov 7, 2009

Swing low, sweet chariot
One thing I didn't pick up from the books. Why are the Magi so long-lived?

neongrey
Feb 28, 2007

Plaguing your posts with incidental music.

Plucky Brit posted:

One thing I didn't pick up from the books. Why are the Magi so long-lived?

I believe the answer to this one is officially 'a wizard did it'.

Liesmith
Jan 29, 2006

by Y Kant Ozma Post

Plucky Brit posted:

One thing I didn't pick up from the books. Why are the Magi so long-lived?

Because Gandalf is actually a minor god and so can be any age he likes.

A Nice Boy
Feb 13, 2007

First in, last out.
Welp, just finished the trilogy and moving onto BSC, but goddamn, wanted to vent a little:

The ending of that book is basically the DEFINITION of depressing. I don't think a single loving character made it through who wasn't in a horrible position. I can't think of anyone happy at the end.

I loved it, and ripped through it even though I wanted it to last, but goddamn...I can't tell how I feel after reading the last pages. A combination of "drat, this series is great" and "I want to kill myself." He definitely ratcheted up the GRRM "loving over all my characters" quotient in this one, although in my opinion he did it in a much more natural way. Everything that happened made sense, despite being horrible and sad but also kind of awesome.

One thing I admire the poo poo out of him for is that, on a level that only the Malazan books surpass, he layers poo poo in books that comes out later. So many authors don't do the stuff that works from book to book. GRRM, for example, writes great plots, but they're all fairly self contained in each book aside from ongoing storylines. I'm talking about, for example, Pike, who turns out to be Rews who we meet in book one and pick up randomly in book two. Or Valint and Balk turning out to be Bayaz, and the hints he layers in the earlier books that some of you probably got. Great stuff.

But drat...Depressing.

West about to die
Jezel trapped by Bayaz
Bayaz turning out to be possible the biggest badguy in the series
Princess Lesbo having to get down with Jezel because her lover is hostage
Glotka being basically a puppet and miserable as always
Ardee cleaning up poo poo every morning
The Northmen unhappy with everything
Ninefingers possibly dead, who the hell is ruling the north now
Ferro crazy and who knows what's going to happen to her
At least Longfoot made it out ok :smith:

What did I miss? lol...The great thing about the books, though, is that even the bad guys have realistic reasons why they do things that make you realize they aren't even that bad in some cases. If half of what they say about Bayaz is true, then Mammun probably had pretty good reasons to want to kill him and to break the First Law. Black Dow betraying Ninefingers at the end? As much as I loved Logen, there was a part of me that understood...I mean, the part where he killed Thunderhead kicked my rear end, and even though we love Logen's character, you can understand where Dow's coming from. The part where he says basically "I may be poo poo, but if I keep you from the throne I've done one good thing in my life" was loving great, and really showed you how multifacted and awesome these characters are.

They aren't just black and white, good and bad. The great evil turned out to be a lot more ambiguous then we though, and the benign old Gandalf figure turned out to be a loving rear end in a top hat. I know fantasy has been moving in this direction for awhile now, but I think this is one of the best examples of the non black/white type of characterization the genre has seen, characters who feel way more human and real.

Great stuff, great books. But god...I'm going to go watch some comedy now or something to cheer back up.

Torsade de Pointes
Feb 14, 2006

Oh, yeah. I name all the operations that go down in Taipei, even the ones that aren't mine. Operation Latex Turtle, Operation Angry Bees, Operation AAAAAHHHH-YOOOOOOOW! Heh. That was a good one.
GloktaI thought Glokta ended up pretty well all things considered. He has a hot wife to help him around. He basically runs the Union. Plus, he still gets to torture people and doesn't have to deal with as many stairs. He realizes that he is a puppet, but he's just fine with that. Isn't the end of the book him torturing the former Arch-Lector for shits and giggles?

A Nice Boy
Feb 13, 2007

First in, last out.

Torsade de Pointes posted:

GloktaI thought Glokta ended up pretty well all things considered. He has a hot wife to help him around. He basically runs the Union. Plus, he still gets to torture people and doesn't have to deal with as many stairs. He realizes that he is a puppet, but he's just fine with that. Isn't the end of the book him torturing the former Arch-Lector for shits and giggles?

I should have clarified...When I meant that it was hard to read, I meant that some people had lovely positions, and some people were just lovely. I mean on some level I love Glotka, but goddamn he's a bad person.

Decius
Oct 14, 2005

Ramrod XTreme

Evfedu posted:

I know it's a bit Out There to draw the comparison, but I think that Abercrombie has a bit of Pratchett in him with the whole shamefully well plotted books with a somewhat similar cast of characters in an increasingly well-drawn world. Try one of the Sam Vimes books if you haven't (good place to start probably being somewhere like Feet of Clay or Men at Arms).

A more obvious influence would be Glen Cooke, for another series about miserable mercenary bastards being miserable mercenary bastards.

Finally let myself start Best Served Cold. Every bit as good as the trilogy so far (100 pages in).

I don't think it is Out There at all. Abercrombie seems a lot like a much darker Terry Pratchett in his writing, also he seems to have a pretty similar personality and look on life as Sir Pratchett judging from his online posts, forum participations and interviews.


Joshtafari posted:

Abercrombie will have a short story in the anthology 'Swords and Dark Magic' coming out in a couple of weeks for those in need of a fix before 'Heroes' comes out, along with some other unknowns like Michael Moorcock and Glen Cook.

Table of Contents

Thanks a lot for the link, 10 seconds later I had it on my Kindle. Gotta love the Brave New World we're living in :D.

Mr.48
May 1, 2007

A Nice Boy posted:

Welp, just finished the trilogy and moving onto BSC, but goddamn, wanted to vent a little:

As much as I loved Logen, there was a part of me that understood...I mean, the part where he killed Thunderhead kicked my rear end, and even though we love Logen's character, you can understand where Dow's coming from.

You gotta realize though, that when Logen goes berserk, he's not in control of himself and people like Tul Duru who have been around him for years should have known better than to approach him in that state in the middle of battle. Black Dow on the other hand, is fully in control of his own actions, and still constantly kills in cold blood. So, objectively, Black Dow is considerably worse than Logen and his words at the end were just him trying to justify betraying of his chief

Kellanved
Sep 7, 2009
On the other hand, would you want a ruler who goes berserk at the drop of a hat and starts killing people around him?. Eh, arguing who is worse in this series isn't a very good way to spend our time. Most characters are plain bad on some standard.

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Mr.48
May 1, 2007

Kellanved posted:

On the other hand, would you want a ruler who goes berserk at the drop of a hat and starts killing people around him?. Eh, arguing who is worse in this series isn't a very good way to spend our time. Most characters are plain bad on some standard.

But it's not at the drop of a hat. Only during battle, so really it's not that bad. Everyone just needs to learn to stay the hell away from him once he starts laughing like a maniac while smashing people's skulls.

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