niamh Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 I finally bought the thing. I resisted that long because the hype over it made me fear the worst. People here are very exacting and I'm not an intellectual (I don't mean I'm retarded, thank you) I'd no idea what it was about and the author's name coupled with the book title made me think it was some arty farty Scifi pomposity, for some reason. But a trusted source whom I just forced to read Sword in the Storm at gunpoint immediately told me I would love it. So I shelled out money for it, when I have 71 bookmooch points to spare on freebies. (not that anyone is giving it away, the bastards) I loved it. I loved it from page 1, dammit! I loved Sand; I have been (very minorly, compared to him) crippled and in pain for 3 years and understand how empty and self-loathing he is. (i.e. I went far down enough to honestly ask myself would I be better than him in his position. The answer was, probably not, I'd be as nasty and vicious and dead as him) I loved West: I know about the self-perpetuating cycle of domestic violence. I still feel the attraction, myself. Very interesting twist there. Very believable. I loved Forley, the Bravest. Jezal reminded me of the Morningstar, on all accounts. Guy you love to despise. I loved the outlaws pov best of all. I did also take a shine to Gorst, and am miffed he is not appearing anymore. Great potential, that lad. Even though we barely meet him. I've started Before and am looking forward to my read every night, which hasn't much happened since Gemmell died. Maybe my extremely sappy simple-minded self is finally getting over it, due to certain resemblances I found and much enjoyed. Anyway, thanks very much for writing these books, and please write some more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxom 1974 Posted September 30, 2007 Share Posted September 30, 2007 I'm about 150 pages in and it's been a great deal of fun so far. More to come to be certain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
From that One Book Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 I just finished it. Wow. One of the best "first in a series" books I've read in a long, long time. Other people have commented on this, and I'll throw in my two cents, that although the book's setting is generically fantastical, the grit, the humor, and especially the great characters really make it shine above a lot of other fantasy out right now. Other people have compared it to Bakker, or Martin, but what it honestly reminds me of is Eddings, done right. Fantastic book. Now the only question is, when does Before they are Hanged come out in the US? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Good interview with Joe here: http://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/ Best line: I think uniqueness (if I dare use the word) is sometimes a bit over-rated. Much beloved of critics but perhaps not so much of readers. You can be unique and still be, for want of a better word, shit. A man with an arse for a face is unique, but I don’t know that I’d want to be him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Abercrombie Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Niamh, Sorry about the pain. The idea for Glokta came from my own long-running experience of injuring my back, and I think that character often speaks to people who suffer a bit of chronic pain. Glad you enjoyed the book, though how dare you imply that my work is not some artsy-fartsy intellectual pomposity? Evidently its hidden depths went way over your head ... or something. Jaxom, Hope you enjoy the rest. From that one Book, Glad you liked it. I am indeed both generically fantastical AND fantastically generic. And Before They are Hanged is due out in the US in March. Calibandar, Ha ha ha! You're right! That is funny! That Joe Abercrombie, man, he kills me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danro Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Joe, Maybe Niamh is just to immature to understand important human themes? Just kidding. I'm looking forward immensly to having my crazy theories about the plot mercilessly crushed by your next book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Faceless_Man Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 I just finished The Blade Itself, and I very much enjoyed it. Now I have to decide whether to order Before They are Hanged from overseas or wait until March for the US release. I'd have to say I liked reading about Threetrees and friends the most, the comedy in those chapters was great. Fuck the signal! P.S. The Bloody-Nine is my hero :bow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Decius Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 I just finished The Blade Itself, and I very much enjoyed it. Now I have to decide whether to order Before They are Hanged from overseas or wait until March(?) I think it is for the US release. I'd have to say I liked reading about Threetrees and friends the most, the comedy in those chapters was great. Fuck the signal! P.S. The Bloody-Nine is my hero :bow: Why overseas? http://www.amazon.ca/Before-They-Are-Hange...4171&sr=8-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Faceless_Man Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Why overseas? http://www.amazon.ca/Before-They-Are-Hange...4171&sr=8-1 Ah didn't realise I could get it there, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werthead Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Hmm. What 'well-known US TV show' could that be? (ponders) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niamh Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Niamh, Sorry about the pain. The idea for Glokta came from my own long-running experience of injuring my back, and I think that character often speaks to people who suffer a bit of chronic pain. Glad you enjoyed the book, though how dare you imply that my work is not some artsy-fartsy intellectual pomposity? Evidently its hidden depths went way over your head ... or something. You're talking to someone who thinks Gemmell is deep. ...........Yeah, you're right, you're definitely pompous compared to that Injuring my back.............. you know, I kept wondering how you got him so right. Now it's all clear, you're part of the Club. (my back's fairly alright these days so no worries. I'm simply always stiff enough that I considered Sand like long-lost family from word 1. You do lose your sense of "immortality" with a bad injury. Sherman Alexie has a great quote about that) eta: the Bloody Nine ranks right up there with Sword of the Morning or Bladedancer with the bestest war names in fantasy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Iceman of the North Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Hmm. What 'well-known US TV show' could that be? (ponders) Are they making new episodes of Pigs in Space? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxom 1974 Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Jaxom, Hope you enjoy the rest. Actually, I did. Finished the other day, but this is the first opportunity to comment. It was a strong first novel. I really am looking forward to the next. I think what I enjoyed the most about it though was that pretty much every character drew you in and made you root for him at some point or another and even when you had to look closer and realize maybe so and so isn't such a nice guy, you couldn't help but feel the gray area anyway. I don't know which one I like the best at this point. Thanks though, Joe. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
From that One Book Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 [nitpick] I was just reading the info on both Before they are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings on joeabercrombie.com (a risky thing to do, reading the info for the last back before I've read the second, but I live dangerously.) Anyway, I saw this sentence in the info for Last Argument of Kings: "Jezal dan Luthar has decided that winning glory is too painful an undertaking, and turned his back on soldering for a simple life with the woman he loves." So Luthar's decided to give up electrical engineering for the woman he lives? That's sweet. Anyway, although I know many eyes will look at the info before it goes on the back of the book, and although the info on the website might not even reflect what will ultimately be on the book, I just wanted to bring that up to make sure that they typo doesn't show up on the book itself. [/nitpick] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Abercrombie Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Yes, SOLDERING. Do you have some problem with electrical engineering? Do you have some problem with the direction in which I want to take my series? So there'll be more stuff about circuit boards in this third book than there were in the other two, so what? To me, that's what's missing from epic fantasy. Electrics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xray the Enforcer Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dajamieson Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Glotka.......with a sodlering iron. *shudders* Edit: Pah, see how easy it is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niamh Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Glokta sodlerising people is indeed a nasty thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dajamieson Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 A soddering iron would be much worse though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Sneachd Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Behold, I am killed by puns. I should learn some english once I am done with rereading At random: Can someone take the thought out of my brain that there should be a Glokta version of this smiley : (and no, the one doesn't count.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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