Joe Abercrombie - A Red Country

[fjgilman]

It's the coolest beans this side of that left-over chili you accidently tossed into the freezer instead of the fridge cuz you were on some sort of drug.

Horns of Jurbgotterath I want you to write all my future cover copy.

[Caligula_K]

I agree. No feature appearances from any of the main POVS until the next trilogy is the impression I'm under. So that's Glokta, Logen, Ferro, Jezal, Dogman and West (at least two of these characters might be dead). When you see what a good job he has done with Shivers, Cosca and Caulder, I'm hoping he goes for the fleshing out of some pre-existing characters from the first trilogy or either the stand-alones.

The old empire is a hazy memory for me now. Can anyone remember if any characters showed up in that part of the "epic" quest? That or someone from the Union quit being a soldier/politician and went to seek their fortune out there. Maybe the woman Glokta met with a couple of times?

I'm rereading Before They Are Hanged now and will get back to you on this.

I think I'm alone in hoping Logen doesn't appear again. His story ends at the perfect point for me, right back where he started; maybe this time he can become a better man. Don't need to see it again, though.

[red snow]

I'm rereading Before They Are Hanged now and will get back to you on this.

I think I'm alone in hoping Logen doesn't appear again. His story ends at the perfect point for me, right back where he started; maybe this time he can become a better man. Don't need to see it again, though.

It'll be interesting if anyone turns up there or gets mentioned in relation to that part of the world. Wasn't that the place where there were warring bands constantly trying to take control? Sounds like an ideal place for Cosca to hang out.

I'll compromise on the Logen debate. I want to see him back but not until Joe does the "final" trilogy.

[Werthead]

Joe Abercrombie appears to have a Wiki. Which has got like four articles on it and needs improvement. Who wants to write the 'list of cringe-inducing but also very funny sex scenes' page? :P

[jonsfather]

Posted 15 August 2011 - 10:44 PM

Aside from the last Dread Empire novel, I honestly can not think of a book I want in my grubby hands more than this. CAN'T WAIT. ( yes I said that last bit out loud in my best imitation of Bart Scott ).

What is the Dead Empire? Who by?

Thank You!

[Caligula_K]

It'll be interesting if anyone turns up there or gets mentioned in relation to that part of the world. Wasn't that the place where there were warring bands constantly trying to take control? Sounds like an ideal place for Cosca to hang out.

Hmm... So while they're in the Old Empire our gang actually interact with very few characters- there is an Imperial Legate of Calcis whom they meet briefly, Salamo Narba. They also run into two of the Magi, Zacharius and Cawneil, and hear a lot about a war between three emperors- Cabrian and the two brothers Scario and Goltus. So maybe that plot will form the background and the Magi will appear. I would love to see Cosca back.

[WrathOfTinyKittens]

Posted 15 August 2011 - 10:44 PM

Aside from the last Dread Empire novel, I honestly can not think of a book I want in my grubby hands more than this. CAN'T WAIT. ( yes I said that last bit out loud in my best imitation of Bart Scott ).

What is the Dead Empire? Who by?

Thank You!

www.google.com = your friend

By the way, in this case the answer is the #2 result, not #1.

[red snow]

Hmm... So while they're in the Old Empire our gang actually interact with very few characters- there is an Imperial Legate of Calcis whom they meet briefly, Salamo Narba. They also run into two of the Magi, Zacharius and Cawneil, and hear a lot about a war between three emperors- Cabrian and the two brothers Scario and Goltus. So maybe that plot will form the background and the Magi will appear. I would love to see Cosca back.

Salamo Narba seems to have a good chance of turning up then and the 3 emperors would likely make a good backdrop to a story. Magi are always welcome too. I must have been dozing when I read that part of the book as I barely recall any of it. Sounds as if Salamo would fit the bill of character who barely registered in the trilogy becomes a great character in the stand-alone. Befor "the heroes" I'd never have listed one of Bethod's sons as being a favourite either.

[TheEvilKing]

Is that adventurer/guide guy who went along with Logen & co in First Law still alive? Or was he killed off? I can't remember.

[williamjm]

Is that adventurer/guide guy who went along with Logen & co in First Law still alive? Or was he killed off? I can't remember.

Longfoot? I think he did survive, so it's possible he could reappear, although I thought he was one of the less interesting characters in the series.

[Ski the Swift]

Longfoot? I think he did survive, so it's possible he could reappear, although I thought he was one of the less interesting characters in the series.

I thought he seemed pretty bitter and twisted by the end of TFL trilogy, he could very well make an interesting read. If you had have asked me if Shivers would make a good read for BSC before reading it I would of been iffy as well.

[Patchface12]

I wonder is this will be about the Union's war with Monza they were supposed to start following The Heroes. I wouldn't mind that. I'd like to check in with the Styrian characters again.

I'd love to see Shenkt and Friendly again.

[Knight Of The North]

Am I the only one who thinks that, with Styria, the North, and The Old Empire, he's kind of spiiled for choice on what he could go for with the 'lawless' bit? This may sound overly hopeful, but I hope it's Shivers and Ninefingers in The Old Empire, showing them ponsy Malacus-Quai lookalikes how Northmen how dey do thiins oop North.

But Longfoot is an interesting one aswell, definitely. 75% of Joe's point of view characters could kill you with a twitch, and 100% are this or pretty highly placed. It'd be really interesting to see how he handles a man who's bitter, beaten up and rather hateful towards the world, but has full control of his body, and is lacking the prathicalths to help.

[Caligula_K]

I thought he seemed pretty bitter and twisted by the end of TFL trilogy, he could very well make an interesting read. If you had have asked me if Shivers would make a good read for BSC before reading it I would of been iffy as well.

I don't know if I'd call him bitter and twisted at the end, but Glokta did torture him and he was more willing to shut up when necessary, so maybe Joe could evolve his characters in interesting ways.

Speaking of Shivers, re-reading Before They are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings is so depressing when you know what Shivers is going to turn into...

Also, I doubt we're getting the Styria/Union war in this book. Styria and the Old Empire are pretty far apart, if I remember correctly.

[red snow]

Longfoot? I think he did survive, so it's possible he could reappear, although I thought he was one of the less interesting characters in the series.

This is whay Longfoot(?) would be a great choice. Make him someone we love as opposed to being deliberately annoying. I'm not so sure about him being in "full use of his body" though. Didn't Glokta smash his feet up?

[Patchface12]

I wonder what happened to Sult. Since we just see Pike handing Glokta a knife, I'll just assume Glokta tortured him really badly, basically creating another version of himself.

What does the Old Empire and Styria's distance have to do with Joe not doing it? Did Joe say the book will be about the Old Empire?

That might be interesting too, what with Zacharus trying to reform the Old Empire. He seemed almost successful in doing so by the end of Book 2, or on the road to it in any case.

[Topher]

He said it'd be near the old empire.

[red snow]

I wonder what happened to Sult. Since we just see Pike handing Glokta a knife, I'll just assume Glokta tortured him really badly, basically creating another version of himself.

What does the Old Empire and Styria's distance have to do with Joe not doing it? Did Joe say the book will be about the Old Empire?

That might be interesting too, what with Zacharus trying to reform the Old Empire. He seemed almost successful in doing so by the end of Book 2, or on the road to it in any case.

Yeah he mentions it in his blog several times, so we may well have to wait for the Styria - Union war. It does make me wonder whether that is set up for the next trilogy or if Joe is maybe doing more stand-alones than the initially contracted 3. Saving it for the next trilogy would be a good way of drawing storylines together.

Personally, I really want to see a story set in Ghurka.

[The hairy bear]

Between The First Law and Best Served Cold there's a 3 year span, and then there's 5 years more until The Heroes. What I mean is that by the time A Red Country takes place the war in Styria may well be over. That would allow nearly anyone from BSC or TH to appear in ARC: any soldier from the losing difr might want to employ himself as a mercenary in the endless civil wars of the Old Empire.

I'd like to see Carlot. She hasn't much more places left to flee, has she?

[Knight Of The North]

Between The First Law and Best Served Cold there's a 3 year span, and then there's 5 years more until The Heroes. What I mean is that by the time A Red Country takes place the war in Styria may well be over. That would allow nearly anyone from BSC or TH to appear in ARC: any soldier from the losing might want to employ himself as a mercenary in the endless civil wars of the Old Empire.

I'd like to see Carlot. She hasn't much more places left to flee, has she?

Glokta's probably got to her by now, buddy.