Jump to content

Joe Abercrombie’s Before They Are Hanged


Geddon

Recommended Posts

My copy arrived today, but since I wasn't in it's been taken back to the post office, so I won't be able to get it until Saturday.

Still, I've got Ink and Winterbirth waiting on the pile, so it's not too bad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I liked The Blade Itself. I didn't think it was wonderful, but I did like it.

I REALLY like this one. Pacing is better, dialogue nice and snappy and a few things that you just don't see coming.Nice

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I actually only picked up The Blade Itself as a 'Sunday afternoon light read' type of book, but enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. Went and got me a copy of Before They Are Hanged straight after - and I have to say, its a great book.

(shameless blog pimpage warning)

Check out my reviews of both;

Before They Are Hanged

The Blade Itself

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Am I going to see any BwBers in the queue for the London signing tomorrow?

I'll be the bespectacled asian guy wearing a brand spanking new olive green military jacket answering to the name of Peregrinus.

Also, what questions do you think I should put to Joe if I get the chance? im pretty rubbish at things like that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got my copy yesterday and I'm going to start it today (had to finish Latro in the Mist first). :thumbsup::drool:

I'm envious. You guys have one or two books, and I have nothing. :P Stupid bookstore don't carry it yet, and internet's unreliable here.

*sigh*

Maybe we can run a charity pool to buy and send you a book...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Amazon sent my copy this week, just waiting to finish Ysabel (I'm currently going up the mountain with Ned for the final showdown.......) first, so should be reading this by next week. Looking forward to returning to Glokta.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got my copy from Forbidden Planet London on Saurday at the signing. :thumbsup:

I got down to the basement and saw a moderate queue for the signing. Joe Abercrombie was in that little section by the antholgies with a huge stack of mass, trade and hard/paperbacks next to him. (Understand that? I mean MMPB and TPB of TBI and HB and TPB of BTAH) Ensconced around him was some guy, nice lady and a little baby, I was assuming publiscist, partner and little baby (who looked adorable).

Predictably me being me, the socially awkward guy that I am got pretty nervous and just hanged around looking at the big stack of books evesdropping on the signing. Joe was being nice and charming to everyone. I took my place in the queue once it had died down some. I kept looking around wondering if any of the people arouond me was BwB but never asked them. The guy in front of me had a huge sportsbag full of what looked like first edition hardbacks of TBI. How amazing is that? Joe being a cool guy said he'd sign them all no problem saying he'd even sign other authors books. :P The guy asked him to sign and write down the first line of the book, apparently this is pretty standard practice at signings, you get an author to "sign and line" a book. I didn't know that, I thought maybe the first line was just really good so I picked up a copy of TBI from the stack and checked it, its a pretty long line, go check! The guy, whom I am assuming was a collector then pulled out a couple of ARCS to be signed. I made a joke that I know a copule of people that would kill for those (I was talking about you all here so I used the word "know" in the loosest possible sense ;) ) The collector guy then thought he was being rude holding up the queue and insisted that I go ahead in front of him and he would wait (Just to be clear, I didn't think he was being rude, he seemed like a decent guy)

I then got to the front of the queue and met Joe. He was pretty cool and friendly and answered my seriously inane questions. Stuff like, "When is the next book out?" and "Are you really prolific as you seem?" Like I didn't already know the answers from this board, but like I said, i was stupidlynervous. I asked him where he got those insightful quotations from like the Brodsky one. He said I could take my pick of answers from his vast knowlege of cool quotations and stuff or, alternatively, The Internet. I grinned sheepishly, said, "the former". Got him to sign my book, to Jeremy and then left.

On the whole, Joe seemed a really nice guy, was charming and talked a lot to his fans. Hopefully he is well on his way to a big-ass house.

Rambly post I know. They always are for some reason.

Am loving the book. Sand is still the most interesting charcter by far. It seems he is sort of fair and merciful in a ruthless efficient practical kind of way.

Also: Spent the rest of the day hunting London's bookshops for Ellen Kushner's Swordspoint, failed miserably in locating a copy. Drowned my sorrows with Irish people on St. Patricks Day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just finished it and I enjoyed it a great deal I'm growing perversely fond of our Inspector Glotka and his storyline, however

SPOILER: BTAH

the quest on the other hand dragged a little and if Jezal does become the King of The Union at any point I may have to hunt Mr Abercrombie down and hit him over the head with a copy of the Belgariad

Link to comment
Share on other sites

well I went saturday to 2 bookshops hoping to come back home with the oh-i-waited-so-long-for-it book and guess what, it was nowhere to be seen

came back home very disappointed instead (and, i'll admit, a bit pissed off)

i was going to order via amazon when i remembered someone mentionning www.bookdepository.co.uk

i tried it out of curiosity...

now, I don't who I should thank/blame but I kind of let things get out of control :P

ordered Before They Are Hanged of course

couldn't refrain myself then to buy

Temeraire, book 2

Crooked Letter

Ysabel

Anansi Boys

American Gods

The Truth

Night Watch

Small Gods

let's not say I didn't help writers build their big-ass house :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Usotsuki,

Yeh, I noticed that the whole thing with ..

SPOILER: BTAH
Bayaz encouraging or manipulating Luthar towards a more noble and better rounded person. Though that is his role as a Magi to shape those around him. He's having the same affect on Logen too I guess, though to what end, we'll have to wait and see.

There are still other directions for it to go, I would be slightly jaded if what you suggested happened though.

Anyway, I just finished Before they are Hanged last night (This morning actually), excellent book!

If possible I think its better than the first, there is so much that is praiseworthy within the book. The characters are never left on there laurels, they undergo change just as the plot does, and to say I could't stop reading was a slight understatement. The various plot strands were all good devices through whch to explore their protagonists, whether it was the Jezel, Bayaz, Logen & company, or West and his insights and tribulations (puts on accent) up North.

And once again Glokta was hilarious, nice to see him acting like such a bastard as well as letting some mercy seep through, great character.

On the humour side :lol: ...

.. absolute comedy, which just adds to what was a very enjoyable read, Thank you Joe!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just ordered The Blade Itself from Amazon.co.uk. Bastards haven't released it in the US yet. :tantrum:

I had considered buying it when it came out last year, but I went for Lies of Locke Lamora. At the time (and still) it was a good decision, but considering the press The Blade Itself is getting...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...