Joe Abercrombie - The Heroes

Abercrombie has written the finest epic fantasy trilogy in recent memory. Hes one writer that no one should miss

Junot Diaz, Pulitzer Prize winner

Joe Abercrombie is probably the brightest star among the new generation of British fantasy writers Abercrombie never underestimates the horrors that people are prepared to inflict on one another, or their long-lasting, often unexpected, consequences. Abercrombie writes a vivid, well-paced tale that never loosens its grip. His action scenes are cinematic in the best sense, and the characters are all distinct and interesting

The Times

Joe Abercrombies BEST SERVED COLD is a bloody and relentless epic of vengeance and obsession in the grand tradition, a kind of splatterpunk sword n sorcery COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, Dumas by way of Moorcock. Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins, could teach even Gully Foyle and Kirth Gersen a few things about revenge.The battles are vivid and visceral, the action brutal, the pace headlong, and Abercrombie piles the betrayals, reversals, and plot twists one atop another to keep us guessing how it will all come out. This is his best book yet

George R. R. Martin

Abercrombie writes dark, adult fantasy, by which I mean theres a lot of stabbing in it, and after people stab each other they sometimes have sex with each other. His tone is morbid and funny and hardboiled, not wholly dissimilar to that of Iain Banks Like Fritz Leiber you can see in your head where the blades are going, what is clanging off what, the sweat, the blood, the banter. And like George R. R. Martin Abercrombie has the will and the cruelty to actually kill and maim his characters

Time Magazine

Delightfully twisted and evil

The Guardian

Abercrombie is both fiendishly inventive and solidly convincing, especially when sprinkling his appallingly vivid combat scenes with humour so dark that its almost ultraviolet

Publishers Weekly

Storms along at a breakneck pace. Each character has a history of betrayal and a wobbly moral compass, giving further realism and depth to Abercrombies world. The violence is plentiful, the methods of exacting revenge are eye-wateringly inventive and the characters well fleshed out. A fan of Bernard Cornwells historical escapades could easily fall for it. Believe the hype

Waterstones Books Quarterly

Abercrombies narrative twists and turns, playing with but also against the readers expectations. His characters do likewise. Their realistic unpredictability means that it is almost impossible to determine what will eventually happen. One of the great pleasures of Joe Abercrombies fiction is that his characters are so lifelike

Interzone

All in all, we cant say enough good things about Mr Abercrombies latest addition to the genre. Its intelligent, measured, thoughtful, well paced and considered, but retains a sense of fun. We cant recommend it enough

Sci-Fi Now

THE FIRST LAW TRILOGY

The Blade Itself

Before They Are Hanged

Last Argument of Kings

Best Served Cold

For Eve

One day you will read this

And say, Dad, why all the swords?

THE UNION

High Command

Lord Marshal Kroy commander-in-chief of his Majestys armies in the North. Colonel Felnigg his chief of staff, a remarkably chinless man. Colonel Bremer dan Gorst royal observer of the Northern War and disgraced master swordsman, formerly the kings First Guard. Rurgen and Younger his faithful servants, one old, one younger. Bayaz, the First of the Magi a bald wizard supposedly hundreds of years old and an influential representative of the Closed Council, the kings closest advisors. Yoru Sulfur his butler, bodyguard and chief bookkeeper. Denka and Saurizin two old Adepti of the University of Adua, academics conducting an experiment for Bayaz.

Jalenhorms Division

General Jalenhorm an old friend of the king, fantastically young for his position, described as brave yet prone to blunders. Retter his thirteen-year-old bugler. Colonel Vallimir ambitious commanding officer of the Kings Own First Regiment. First Sergeant Forest chief non-commissioned officer with the staff of the First. Corporal Tunny long-serving profiteer, and standard-bearer of the First. Troopers Yolk, Klige, Worth, and Lederlingen clueless recruits attached to Tunny as messengers. Colonel Wetterlant punctilious commanding officer of the Sixth Regiment. Major Culfer his panicky second in command. Sergeant Gaunt, Private Rose soldiers with the Sixth. Major Popol commanding the first battalion of the Rostod Regiment. Captain Lasmark a poor captain with the Rostod Regiment. Colonel Vinkler courageous commanding officer of the Thirteenth Regiment.

Mittericks Division

General Mitterick a professional soldier with much chin and little loyalty, described as sharp but reckless. Colonel Opker his chief of staff. Lieutenant Dimbik an unconfident young officer on Mittericks staff.

Meeds Division

Lord Governor Meed an amateur soldier with a neck like a turtle, in peacetime the governor of Angland, described as hating Northmen like a pig hates butchers. Colonel Harod dan Brock an honest and hard-working member of Meeds staff, the son of a notorious traitor. Finree dan Brock Colonel Brocks venomously ambitious wife, the daughter of Lord Marshal Kroy. Colonel Brint senior on Meeds staff, an old friend of the king. Aliz dan Brint Colonel Brints naive young wife. Captain Hardrick an officer on Meeds staff, affecting tight trousers.

The Dogmans Loyalists

The Dogman Chief of those Northmen fighting with the Union. An old companion of the Bloody-Nine, once a close friend of Black Dow, now his bitter enemy. Red-Hat the Dogmans Second, who wears a red hood. Hardbread a Named Man of long experience, leading a dozen for the Dogman. Redcrow one of Hardbreads Carls.

THE NORTH

In and Around Skarlings Chair

Black Dow the Protector of the North, or stealer of it, depending on who you ask. Splitfoot his Second, meaning chief bodyguard and arse-licker. Ishri his advisor, a sorceress from the desert South, and sworn enemy of Bayaz. Caul Shivers a scarred Named Man with a metal eye, who some call Black Dows dog. Curnden Craw a Named Man thought of as a straight edge, once Second to Rudd Threetrees, then close to Bethod, now leading a dozen for Black Dow. Wonderful his long-suffering Second. Whirrun of Bligh a famous hero from the utmost North, who wields the Father of Swords. Also called Cracknut, on account of his nut being cracked. Jolly Yon Cumber, Brack-i-Dayn, Scorry Tiptoe, Agrick, Athroc and Drofd other members of Craws dozen.

Scales Men

Scale Bethods eldest son, now the least powerful of Dows five War Chiefs, strong as a bull, brave as a bull, and with a bulls brain too.Next page