Joe Abercrombie is one of the few author who is good at creating interesting characters, dark humor, and realistic tales. His First Law Trilogy, made up of The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged, and Last Argument of Kings, is a fantastic example of modern fantasy storytelling. This trilogy has attracted readers from all over the world with its characters who aren’t purely good or bad, its complicated storylines, and its world where magic can be a problem as much as a solution.
There are also some standalone books and another timeline trilogy exists in the First Law Verse you can read these too if you want but it is recommended to read The First Law Trilogy first.
Standalone books
- Best Served Cold The Heroes
- The Heroes
- Red Country
- Sharp Ends
Age of Madness trilogy
- A Little Hatred
- The Trouble With Peace
- The Wisdom of Crowds
The First Law Trilogy
1.The Blade Itself
2.Before They Are Hanged
3.Last Argument of Kings
If you love fantasy books, you should definitely read the First Law Trilogy. These books take you on a thrilling adventure in a world full of interesting characters who aren’t just good or bad. Joe Abercrombie, the author, is really good at telling stories, and you’ll find lots of exciting plots, surprising twists, and even some humor.
Whether you like epic battles, tricky politics, or thinking about right and wrong, you’ll find it all in this trilogy. So, get ready to be hooked, get your brain working, and have a great time as you dive into this amazing fantasy series.
The Epic World of the First Law Trilogy
The First Law Trilogy introduces you to a tough and unfriendly world where wars, politics, and magic are all mixed up. Abercrombie has built this world really well, so it feels like a place you could know, but it’s also completely different. The story happens in a world that’s like the Middle Ages, filled with politics and people forming and breaking alliances. There’s a powerful city-state called the Union, fighting with the wild Northmen, and there’s a dangerous force called the Gurkish Empire, waiting to strike.
Magic in Abercrombie’s world isn’t the kind of magic you see in most fantasy books. It’s dark and dangerous, and it often causes terrible things to happen to the people who use it. This makes the story more tense and helps us understand that power, in any form, comes with a big price.
Characters with Many Sides
One of the best things about the First Law Trilogy is its characters who aren’t purely good or bad. Abercrombie doesn’t follow the usual fantasy pattern of heroes who are perfect and villains who are completely evil. Instead, he gives us characters who are somewhere in the middle.
For example, Logen Ninefingers, a Northman warrior, is really tough, but he’s haunted by a bad past and is trying to make up for it. Then there’s Inquisitor Glokta, who used to be a nobleman but became a torturer. He’s not a nice person, but we can’t help but feel sorry for him because of his struggles.
The characters in the trilogy change a lot as the story goes on. They deal with their own problems, make strange friends, and sometimes do things that are hard to judge as right or wrong. Abercrombie’s skill in making us care about characters who aren’t clearly good or bad is really impressive.
Exciting and Complicated Storylines
The First Law Trilogy is a big adventure with lots of twists and turns in the story. The tale is told from the point of view of many different characters, so we get to see the whole picture of the world Abercrombie created. Each character’s story has a lot of action, surprises, and things we didn’t expect.
There are a lot of politics, betrayals, and changes in who’s friends with who in the trilogy. It’s a bit like reading historical stories because of all the complicated relationships and power struggles. Abercrombie is a great storyteller, and it shows in how he handles all these complex storylines.
Themes about War and What’s Right
At its heart, the First Law Trilogy talks about war and what’s right and wrong. Abercrombie doesn’t hide the harsh parts of war and shows how terrible it can be. The characters have to think about whether what they’re doing is good or bad, and this makes us wonder about the price of power and the choices people make in tough times.
Conclusion
Joe Abercrombie’s First Law Trilogy is an amazing example of modern fantasy storytelling that has changed the genre. With its rich world, complex characters, exciting story, and questions about right and wrong, this trilogy is a must-read for anyone who loves fantasy stories.
It doesn’t follow the usual hero and villain pattern, so it gives us a more real look at how people are. Whether you’ve read a lot of fantasy books or not, the First Law Trilogy is a big adventure that will stay with you for a long time. So, dive into this dark and complicated world, but be ready for a journey where it’s often hard to tell what’s right and wrong.
