The First Law: The Trouble with Peace (spoiler free review) by Joe Abercrombie

𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥: (I get a commission when you use the links)

𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬:

𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐁𝐑 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬:

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐌𝐞:

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠?
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𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀:

𝐌𝐲 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:

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[edsheeran]

Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie, say he certainly knows how to write an intense wrestling match

[nathantowns]

lol I knew the blurb was some manner of ruse… but I was thinking it was gonna be ”Don’t read this book, listen to it”

[Frogotron]

The section in Cardotti's House of Leisure is so good. Jappo made such an impression in such a short amount of time.

[birgertales]

Thank you for this review! 💙📚 I really look forward to trying Abercrombie! 😄 And also, man, CONGRATS to 21'000 subs! 😃 Back in december when I attended your video "Best Fantasy/Sci-fi Book Published in 2023 (according to 73 YouTubers)" you had around 14'000 subs, if I remember correctly! You're channel has really BLOWN UP!!! 😃😃😃💙📚

[jedeo]

“The Heroes” is still imo his best book ever written.

[valliyarnl]

This entire book was mental illness. It broke me. … and then the wisdom of crowds beat me as I lay already dead in the grave.
You are so right about this book ruining other books bc it is so good

[MrHighlander]

I need to re-read all of these once I'm done with The Bloodsworn and Malazan series. Something I don't do enough. Great spoiler free review! 👍

[LordDarkuness]

the Age of madness trilogy is definitively perfect

[akellerhouse]

I'm about to read this one! I put off reading this series for many years and I'm glad I decided to start it last year. It's been great and I can't believe I'm almost done with it.

[ericw]

Not directly related to this title, but Outlaw Bookseller, whom I think is somewhat of a fantasy and sci-fi historian, had mentioned that "Grim Dark" is really what we have always known as "Sword & Sorcery." His point being that the Sword & Sorcery subgenre of fantasy has always been, by its very nature and by definition, grim dark. The name has just been changed is all.

[cavendar]

I've just started the book. I almost didn't after some very disappointing events at the very end A Little Hatred, but so far I'm enjoying it anyway. My biggest hope--which probably means the opposite will happen, thank you Clover--is that Biaz finally gets his due by the end of this trilogy.

As a writer myself, what I most admire about Abercrombie is not his dialog and certainly not his battle scenes (though the PoV jumps during one of the battles in The Heroes was spectacular) but rather the stubborn way he excels at sticking to the PoV of each chapter or scene. A lot of other writers either take the idea of a PoV too loosely and embellish their descriptions with things the PoV would not know or would not care about, or they don't delve deeply and effectively enough into what the character is thinking or motivated by. Abercrombie does PoV flawlessly.

[OnlyTheBestFantasyNovels]

Ah, the excitement is infectious. Sounds like you hit the same wall I did a couple years back with China Mieville's The Scar - that book broke fantasy for me. Literally 4 years before I could read a fantasy book and enjoy myself again.

You're right, there's something to be said about leaving some of the best for later on. But you'll also find the more you read, the more your tastes will get fine tuned, and you'll just keep finding stuff that you resonate with that maybe a year or two before you'd read and think was not for you. I've read almost 1000 fantasy books at this point and that's what I've found has been happening with me recently. So in short, don't sweat it, there's hope yet 🤣 And the cool thing about when these authors write is that they also tend to only get better, so you can safely say the best is yet to come :)

[justjuanreader]

Love hearing your thoughts on this one! Personally I enjoyed A Little Hatred more (I’m a sucker for introductions and openings), but this book was really well written and overall masterful, especially considering it’s a second book in a trilogy. I’m not a fan of battle sequences and that’s probably why I didn’t give this book 5 stars, so that’s on me. However I’m very excited to continue on with book 3.

The best second book in a series is and forever will be Forest Mage by Robin Hobb. Period. The most unbelievably underrated and under appreciated gem ever.

[giants]

Joe Abercrombie and GRRM the undisputed kings of dialogue. And it’s not really close

[BooksWithBenghisKahn]

Touché! A masterful bk 2 within a masterful series 💪

[DallasfanTen]

I just finished this 10 book series. What can I possibly read next that's as good as this?

[trlns]

I’ll be starting this trilogy directly. Can’t wait!

[battlereadyminis]

i just finished the heroes and loved it

[Talking_Story]

Duuude I gotta get there! The standalones must come first for me.

[rvt_hd]

I found the whole trilogy (hardcover signed editions) at my local thrift store in new condition. I couldn't believe it lol.