The First Law

The First Law

UK hardback covers for the trilogy
  • The Blade Itself
  • Before They Are Hanged
  • Last Argument of Kings
Author Joe Abercrombie
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Genre Fantasy
Publisher
Published 2006 – present
Media type Print

The First Law is a fantasy series written by British author Joe Abercrombie. It consists of a trilogy and three stand-alone novels set in the same world.

The trilogy is published by Gollancz in the UK and Pyr in the USA. The stand-alone novels remain with Gollancz in the UK but will be published by Orbit Books in the USA.[1]

Novels

The trilogy
# Title Pages UK release UK hardback ISBN
1 The Blade Itself 536 4 May 2006 ISBN 978-0575077867
2 Before They Are Hanged 441 15 March 2007 ISBN 978-0575077874
3 Last Argument of Kings 422 20 March 2008 ISBN 978-0575077898
Standalone books
Short stories

Setting

The trilogy is set in an epic fantasy world at war, reminiscent of medieval-era Europe and the greater Mediterranean world.

The books of the trilogy do not contain maps, as Abercrombie prefers not to use them.[6] However, the three stand alone novels do contain their own local maps.

Plot overview

The plot involves three major powers:

There are two major theaters of war. The first takes place in the north between the Union and the Northmen, who invade the Union's northern province of Angland. The second is in the south between the Union and the Gurkish Empire, who attempt to annex the Union city of Dagoska. The trilogy centers on the fortunes of a variety of characters as they navigate through these and other conflicts.

The Blade Itself

The title of the first book is taken from a quote by Homer in The Odyssey: "The blade itself incites to deeds of violence."

Before They Are Hanged

The title of the second book references a quote by Heinrich Heine: "We should forgive our enemies, but not before they are hanged."

Last Argument of Kings

The title of the third book refers to the words Louis XIV had inscribed on his cannons: "Ultima Ratio Regum," which is Latin for "the last argument of kings."

Standalone books

Best Served Cold is set in the same universe as the First Law series, roughly three years after the trilogy. It takes place in Styria, focusing on a different set of characters. Some are minor characters from the original trilogy given more depth and others are new characters. Major characters from the trilogy sometimes appear in cameos or are mentioned in passing.

The Heroes focuses on a three-day battle set in the same world as the First Law trilogy, about seven years after events of the trilogy itself. Union commander Lord Marshal Kroy leads the Union forces against the much smaller Northern army led by Black Dow. The story features many characters seen in previous First Law novels like Bremer dan Gorst, Prince Calder, and the Dogman.[7]

Red Country is set about thirteen years after the First Law trilogy and revolves around a youthful female protagonist who is hoping to bury her bloody past, but she’ll have to sharpen up some of her old ways to get her family back. Her journey will take her across the barren western plains to a frontier town gripped by gold fever, through feud, duel and massacre and high into the unmapped mountains.

Major Characters

Other Characters

Magi

Northmen

Adua

Adua Military

Dagoska

Reception

The Blade Itself was released to very positive reviews. Writing for The Guardian, author Jon Courtenay Grimwood said that "for once, the novel comes close to living up to its publisher's hype",[8] and Strange Horizons's Siobhan Carroll said that "fans of character-driven epics who are willing to take their heroes with a grain of moral ambiguity should add this novel to their "must read" list."[9]

Reviews for Before They Are Hanged were also positive; Fantasy Book Review stated that it was "hard not to try and read it in one sitting" and that it "does not disappoint".[10] Best Fantasy Reviews said it was "an excellent book, and accomplishes a fairly rare feat – the middle book of a trilogy that does a hell of a lot more than provide a stop gap between the beginning and the end."[11]

Last Argument of Kings was well received by critics, with Publishers Weekly saying that "readers will mourn the end of this vivid story arc."[12] SFX's David Bradley gave the book a five star review and stated that Abercrombie "signs off the trilogy on a high, interspersing breathless skirmishes with thriller-like moments."[13]

Eric Brown reviewed Red Country for The Guardian and said that Abercrombie was "tipping his hat to the Western genre but continuing his mission to drag fantasy, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century with his characteristic mix of gritty realism, complex characterisation, set-piece scenes of stomach-churning violence and villains who are as fully rounded as his flawed heroes" and concluded that the book was "a marvellous follow-up to his highly praised The Heroes."[14]

References

  1. "Blog Entry". 7 August 2008.
  2. Abercrombie, Joe. "Joe Abercrombie - Books". JoeAbercrombie.com. Archived from the original on 21 Jan 2013. Retrieved 21 Jan 2013.
  3. Abercrombie, Joe. "Joe Abercrombie - Books". JoeAbercrombie.com.
  4. "Two's Company". 12 January 2016.
  5. "Blog Entry". 12 January 2016.
  6. "Blog Entry". 2 October 2007.
  7. "Fiction Review: The Heroes". Publishers Weekly. 13 December 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  8. Grimwood, Jon Courney (10 June 2006). "Murderous Impulses". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  9. Carroll, Siobhan (16 August 2006). "Strange Horizons Reviews: The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie". Strange Horizons. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  10. "Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie". Fantasy Book Review. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  11. http://bestfantasybooks.com/blog/review-before-they-are-hanged-by-joe-abercrombie/
  12. "Last Argument of Kings: The First Law, Book Three". Publishers Weekly. 7 July 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  13. Bradley, David (28 March 2008). "BOOK REVIEW Last Argument of Kings". SFX. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  14. Brown, Eric (2 November 2012). "Science fiction roundup – reviews". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 November 2012.

External links

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