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The Blade Itself (The First Law Trilogy Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Joe Abercrombie (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 22,166 ratings
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The first novel in the First Law Trilogy and debut fantasy novel from New York Times bestseller, Joe Abercrombie.

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.

Inquisitor Glokta, cripple turned torturer, would like nothing better than to see Jezal come home in a box. But then Glokta hates everyone: cutting treason out of the Union one confession at a time leaves little room for friendship. His latest trail of corpses may lead him right to the rotten heart of government, if he can stay alive long enough to follow it.

Enter the wizard, Bayaz. A bald old man with a terrible temper and a pathetic assistant, he could be the First of the Magi, he could be a spectacular fraud, but whatever he is, he's about to make the lives of Logen, Jezal, and Glokta a whole lot more difficult.

Murderous conspiracies rise to the surface, old scores are ready to be settled, and the line between hero and villain is sharp enough to draw blood.

Unpredictable, compelling, wickedly funny, and packed with unforgettable characters, The Blade Itself is noir fantasy with a real cutting edge.
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  1. Book 1 of 3
    The First Law Trilogy
  2. Print length
    536 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Orbit
  6. Publication date
    September 8, 2015
  7. File size
    1261 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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  1. Once you’ve got a task to do, it’s better to do it than to live with the fear of it.
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

British newcomer Abercrombie fills his muddled sword-and-sorcery series opener with black humor and reluctant heroes. Logen Ninefingers, a barbarian on the run from an ex-employer who's now king of the North, finds his loyalties complicated when he switches sides and becomes a valuable source of intel to the beleaguered Union. Glokta, a torture victim turned torturer, gets roped into securing the Union's position against both the invading Northmen and the incompetent Union king and council, and ruthlessly wields his skills in attempts to weed out traitors. Foppish Jezal, a preternaturally excellent swordsman, manages to win the contest to become the Union champion, thanks to a little help from Bayaz, a mage with his own agenda. The workmanlike plot, marred by repetitive writing and an excess of torture and pain, is given over to introducing the mostly unlikable characters, only to send them off on separate paths in preparation for the next volume's adventures. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"...is a fantasy novel full of enough ironic and slightly self-deprecating humor and Scorcese-esque violence to make the average hipper than thou non-fantasy reader want to learn more about the genre (my favorite kind to convert), yet filled with enough touchstones to make your average Tolkien weaned fantasy reader quite happy indeed...just one of the great characters in a rogues gallery of fantasy archetypes with a twist, Inquisitor Glokta is one of the finest examples of a sympathetically drawn antagonist I have seen in a very long time, in a book of any genre, and some of his inner dialogue is absolutely quote-worthy...if the rest of the series is as much fun as the first bit, Pyr can gladly have my $10.... This book is highly recommended by BBT Magazine!" -- Blood Blade & Thruster Magazine, August 2007

"If you're fond of bloodless, turgid fantasy with characters as thin as newspaper and as boring as plaster saints, Joe Abercrombie is really going to ruin your day. A long career for this guy would be a gift to our genre." -- Scott Lynch, author of The Lies of Locke Lamora

"[A] highly readable fantasy that isn't going to scare off mainstream readers or newcomers to the genre....a whole banquet of violent action and intrigue." -- SFX.com

"Critics compare Abercrombie to Dickens, but come on - Dickens was never so entertaining. This intricate story just flows, carrying along barbarian fighters with real courage (and real injuries), spoiled nobles with redeeming potential, mages with disconcertin" ----Starburst (5 star review)

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00TOT9LDK
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Orbit; Reprint edition (September 8, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 8, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1261 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 536 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 22,166 ratings

About the author

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Joe Abercrombie

Joe Abercrombie

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Joe Abercrombie is a freelance film editor, who works on documentaries and live music events. He lives and works in Bath. THE BLADE ITSELF, his debut novel, is the first novel of The First Law trilogy, followed by BEFORE THEY ARE HANGED and LAST ARGUMENT OF KINGS. His new stand-alone bestseller is BEST SERVED COLD.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from the United States

L. K. Evans
5.0 out of 5 stars What an interesting set of characters!
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2014
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Where to begin . . . I have such a wide range of feelings for this book.

First off, we’ll start with the world. I thought it was very well done, had a nice rounded out feel to it, and seemed very solid. There were races and countries at war, prejudices and an array of cultural differences, old heroes and long forgotten lore. It gave me enough without boring me to tears. Always a bonus. When I was learning, it was through the eyes of a character, so it made it much more enjoyable. No info dumping! Loved that I didn’t have to read pages of history.

The pacing was rather slow at times. Normally that would bother me, but it didn’t with this book. Personally, I view this as more of a character read. Sure, there were some amazing action scenes, but overall—to me—it moved a bit slow. I would have been bored if some of the characters weren’t so damn amazing! So while the story might have lazily plodded along, I was content because I had some interesting people to plod alongside with. Now, that being said, I had no problem putting the book down and coming back to it later. This was one of those few times where I read other books while enjoying this one. This book felt like a first book. A lot of setup. Character examination. World building. Again, nothing wrong with it. There was a point to this buildup that I understood by the end. I don’t think it was a waste and it was needed. Now that I’ve grown rather close to some of the characters, I’m anticipating book two will raise the stakes and I’ll become obsessed. I nearly was with this book towards the end, which was incredibly fun.

As for those characters, that’s where this book shines.

First off, I really didn’t like Jezal. I don’t think we’re meant to, honestly. For me, I cared the least about him, I didn’t find his story that engaging, and I ended up skimming some of his sections. Abercrombie nailed Jezal’s character: haughty nobel with no idea how insufferable he is. I hope he grows. I hope in the next book his story is a bit more interesting. He’s the only character I didn’t like and sighed each time I came to one of his chapters.

Logen. Now, he was a favorite of mine pretty quickly. I not only loved his character, but he had a fun story: traveling, fighting, action. His journey held my interests the most of all the characters. That’s not to say he was my all time favorite, just that his story was. I tend to like traveling with characters and seeing the world.

Glokta, my favorite character of the whole book. I can’t say enough amazing things about him, but I don’t want to ruin how well Abercrombie rolls out his entrance in the book. I’ll just say that I loved him. I wanted to be in his PoV just to hear his internal thoughts. However, his storyline wasn’t as interesting to me as Logen’s. It’s just a matter of personal tastes on that one. As I said, I like traveling and exploring. I tend to grow bored with political intrigue, which is where Glokta’s story unfolds. Shame. Not to say the intrigue wasn’t good, it was, it’s just not something that can get me flipping through pages in excitement. Regardless, I never shied away from his PoV like I did Jezal.

The other characters were done well. I think in the next book West will play a bigger role which I’m actually excited about. I liked him from the start and as the book grew, he became one of the PoV’s I was excited to read, especially as his role in the unfolding story becomes more important. We see sides to him I would never had guessed. Brilliantly done.

Abercrombie’s writing took me a few chapters to adjust to. Most of the longer reads of late have been very poetic almost, the prose reading smoothly and, at times, flowery. I’ve been racking my brain trying to think of a way to describe Abercrombie’s writing and the closest I can get is delightfully choppy. Harsh maybe, compared to the others. It kinda reminds me of Logen, honestly. It’s how I would imagine him writing a book. Though it took me a bit to adjust, once I did I was completely enraptured by it. I hit my stride and found that I thoroughly enjoyed his style. There was something alluring to it, something that made me feel entrenched in the story when reading.

So overall, a bit of a yo-yo effect for me, but it ended on a high. I’m very excited to pick up the next book. Matter of fact, I’m aching to, but I’ve got two I need to read before I can carry on with the series. But as soon as I can, I’m buying the second book. This is one of those reads that would be enjoyed by a wide range of readers.
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J. Matthew Casperson
4.0 out of 5 stars Not for the squeamish
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2012
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The Blade Itself is part of the "gritty fantasy" movement which has recently come to the forefront of adult fantasy literature, thanks to the highly publicized works of George R.R. Martin. Unlike "high fantasy," which is embodied in Lord of the Rings and its many clones, "gritty fantasy" doesn't follow the common formula of the unlikely protagonist versus an evil dark lord. In addition to containing lots of violence, "gritty fantasy" tends to discard simplified notions of right and wrong, favoring a more complex world where moral decisions are often muddled in shades of gray. Heroes and villains aren't easy to distinguish in these stories since everyone seems to have reasons for acting in the manner that they do. Another hallmark of gritty fantasy is the concept that "no one is safe." Because there's no single protagonist bent on saving the world, any character is expendable - adding an element of uncertainty to the story. If what I've described doesn't sound like your cup of tea, then it's unlikely you'll enjoy what author Joe Abercrombie has to offer here. However, if this type of format intrigues you, then you will likely appreciate (and very much enjoy) what you find.

The Blade Itself is the first in a trilogy known as "The First Law." The story follows the perspectives of six characters throughout, but most of the story centers around the following three: a barbarian who's attempting leave behind a dark past, a crippled torturer who's best years are behind him, and an arrogant noble who's training for a sword tournament to win himself some glory. It's difficult to summarize the plot without giving too much away, but the first volume tends to act as an introductory volume to the greater story contained in the subsequent installments. Indeed, some readers have criticized this first book for seeming directionless at times, but the significance of conversations and actions aren't fully felt until later in the trilogy. That isn't to say the story isn't interesting in this first installment, because it certainly is. The reader just won't start getting a grasp for the big picture until later.

Joe Abercrombie's writing style is in the same vein of a modern action thriller. Sentences are regularly short and have a conversational tone about them. However unlike most action thrillers you'll find, the characterization here is beyond good. It's simply fantastic. These aren't characters of the cookie-cutter variety. These are characters with hopes, dreams, faults, and fears. Abercrombie does an amazing job bringing the reader into his world because of his spot-on descriptions and portrayals. What's interesting to me is how effective this method is. Oftentimes we see fantasy authors who get lost in their world-building - spending ridiculous amounts of time detailing politics, history, or some obscure geography. This frequently comes at the expense of good storytelling. None of that is a problem here as Abercrombie seamlessly weaves those points through the story without overemphasis. The more you follow the plot, the greater the overall picture becomes. It's also worth noting that there are quite a few laugh-out-loud moments throughout Abercrombie's narration. Much of the humor is deadpan which works quite well with the dark themes being explored.

One critique I have for Abercrombie's writing is the overabundance of swearing. First off, everyone in this trilogy swears: lords, ladies, peasants, wizards, soldiers, and even children. Secondly, the swearing is nonstop - almost whenever there's conversation. Bluntly put, it's overkill. For some readers it'll be a deal-breaker, which is really a shame. But hopefully in time, Abercrombie will come up with some alternative ways of expression.

If my description of "gritty fantasy" wasn't clear enough, understand that this book is chock-full of violence. Heads roll, body parts are crushed, and graphic descriptions accompany each gruesome encounter. Some sex will be sprinkled throughout the books that follow as well. All of this is R-rated material. Keeping that in mind, it's all quite entertaining if you have the stomach for it.

The Blade Itself is the beginning to a deep and interesting world, populated with some even more interesting characters. If you decide to embark on this yarn through the mud, just be prepared to get a little dirty. Bring some galoshes and you'll have great fun.
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Joanna
5.0 out of 5 stars Big YES
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2023
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I don't even like fantasy, but I liked this trilogy much, and believe me, that's something. I've tried many best selling authors labeled as 'the best' in the genre, and I swear I enjoyed none. This one is the first typical modern fantasy book I encountered that truly feels as written for adults. No Mary Sues and Gary Stus, no black and white characters, no banal moralizing, no cheesy pompousness, no soap opera-like storylines, no easy answers, no 'from zero to hero and he is so awesome' trope. Finally!

It's low fantasy. Magic exists in this world, but hardly anyone believes in it. The plot is mostly about the military conflict, the intrigue that underlies it and, last but not least, the relationships between characters. And these are SO good! At first they all seem pretty cliched: you get a scary, sadistic Inquisitior, a handsome, dashing young knight, a husky barbarian, a tough female warrior wanting her revenge, a wise mage and his clumsy apprentice, a sassy, fearless lass... And in the end it turns out that NOTHING is as simple as it initially seemed. The characters are so well fleshed out, their struggles feel real, they evoke real emotions, and the relationships between them are just delightful.

And the content is, yeah, adult. There is lots of violence, pain, gore, sarcasm, lost hopes, failures, fake victories and disappointments. It's captivating and entertaining to the last sentence of the third book.

Definitely worth trying. Please expect nothing special like I did and let yourself be positively surprised, if not in love.
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Top reviews from other countries

Rodrigo Ormonde
5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing dark fantasy trilogy
Reviewed in Brazil on April 14, 2024
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First of all, this series of books is not for every one as it includes lots (and I mean it) of very well described scenes of dark humor, gore, torture, violence, and so on (I think you can get the picture). If this is something you can stand and also you like complex stories that start slowly to unveil themselves but have very interesting and surprinsing endings, than stop thinking and buy this book.

Before reading the first book, I read many reviews mentioning the slow start of the story and I imagined that they meant the first chapters or so, but actually the whole first book can be seen as an introduction to the actual story that unfolds in the next two, so it starts *really* slow (although the fist book is not entirely dull as it may sound as it has many funny and interesting moments).

My rates of the individual books would be 3.5/5, 4.5/5 and 5/5.
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RickZ
5.0 out of 5 stars Glimpse of warmth in gritty harsh world
Reviewed in Canada on October 18, 2023
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Set the world well. Plenty of memorable moments, stylish writing. Fantastic character portraits. Can't stop now. On to the journey I go.
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Joel Distefano
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing so far!
Reviewed in Germany on October 29, 2023
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about half way through and I am loving it!!!
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Rashmit M.
5.0 out of 5 stars Second read and it makes the book even better
Reviewed in India on July 31, 2023
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So i have decided to delete my last review and write a new one , coz my 2nd read has left me even more flabbergasted.

WHAT I LIKED :

Lord Grimdark , as Joe Abercrombie is known as on twitter (or X) , set out to write this novel , his very first to create a world which was dark and in the process of doing so he created one of the best Grimdark fantasy to date .

And sure many would complain that it's not dark enough, fair enough, there's a lack or murder , Rapes , etc in comparison to something like A song of ice and fire , but whats dark in these books are it's characters and their actions , there's no hero here .

The characters and how they develop through out the book is marvellous to witness , you cab have your pick of diverse and fun character to call your favourite and yet none of the characters are actually good guys/gals .

But character and their darkness aside , Abercrombie's world is unique and so alluring , he puts you as a reader in the world and doesnt force feed you pages upon pages of information about his world like most fantasies , he instead acts as if the readers are already aware of the world and keeps pouring information fleetingly throughout the book. Heck he doesn't even care to explain much about the mythical creatures of his world or the magic system, (both of them excellent creation btw ) which is draining away and as a reader I never felt to have skipped a beat.

There's a lot of events that take place in the book that break the general trope in fantasy literature, and keeps you fixated and amazed. The pages are 500 thick and it never feels as such and reads like a 300 page afair.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE :

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING . This is my favourite series for a reason .

CONCLUSION:

Though characters are the biggest selling point of the series , the magical realism , fast pace , the tropes breaking , the awesome action and the unique magic and world system it's just nothing like any other fantasy and its awesome
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The Fantasy Review
5.0 out of 5 stars A Gritty, Political Fantasy Book With Amazing Characters
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 30, 2022
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I’ve been watching book reviews, hauls, TBRs and more on BookTube for over 8 years now. I first heard of The Blade Itself and Joe Abercrombie 4 years ago, around the time fantasy book review content creators such as Daniel Greene, Murphy Napier and Elliot Brooks started putting out their videos.

After 4 years of ignoring everyone’s advice and insistence that The First Law trilogy (and everything else) by Joe Abercrombie is worth reading, I finally started reading The Blade Itself. I should have read it sooner.

Everyone Talks About the Characters

And there’s a reason for that. Actually, I think there’s a second, but I’ll get to that. Jezal, Glokta and Logen are all incredible characters. Their points of view feel completely different, to the extent that you know who you’re following even without being told.

Jezal is an arrogant, selfish nobleman who I hated from the start and still don’t like him. That’s the point! Just because I don’t like him doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy his scenes. Seeing the world through his eyes was interesting, especially when he seemed to have conflicting opinions on people and things, his arrogance and self-righteousness coming into conflict with friendships (kind of) and the world around him.

Glokta, once a great swordsman, now a crippled torturer, is bitter and in constant agony. I think this character might have been the most difficult to write. He finds himself, as an inquisitor, embroiled in political schemes that were very entertaining to read and genuinely surprising at times.

Finally, the last main point of view character is Logen. What I find interesting about Logen is that he doesn’t want anything. That is to say, he wants to not know anything, and will just follow his companions along, making sure they don’t die. As someone who has done both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in writing, it was surprising to see a character with no impact on the plot of the book, yet it still worked. I couldn’t stop reading until the end of his scenes, all because his character was so well written, rather than being hooked on the plot.

There is Little to No Plot

Sure, there is a narrative, but it isn’t what you might expect. The Blade Itself is almost like a set up for the next 2 books, introducing us fantastically to the world, the characters and mysteries to uncover.

This is why I think everyone (including me) mainly talks about Joe Abercrombie’s characters in book reviews for The Blade Itself - what else is there to talk about?

This sounds like a negative, but it’s not. If you only want a fantasy book that has epic battle scenes, dragons, elves and constant excitement, this might not be your favourite book. (But, from what I’ve heard of the trilogy, you could think of it as a 1500-2000-page epic fantasy book and get your fill of battle later on.)

The narrative is political. It’s full of mysteries, backstabbing, literal stabbing… And from the little we see of other countries/continents, Joe Abercrombie successfully shows that this is a sprawling world with vibrant cultures and dangerous, incoming threats. This is just the kind of book I was after, and it’s been on my TBR pile for over 4 years!

Final Thoughts on The Blade Itself

Everyone who raves about this book is right. If you loved A Song of Ice and Fire and don’t mind your fantasy books a little dark with only a dash of magical elements, this is definitely a series you should pick up.
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