The Grim Company, by Luke Scull. Just like Abercrombie, but with actual magic.

[Rhom]

Yeah, that new sports park is damn impressive. Bowling Green has always had the reputation as having the best soccer park in the state, but that one has it beat. I think ours can probably accommodate more teams and has more fields with a better overall layout - but for a medium-sized tournament like the one over the weekend, the Etown park has BG licked.

For $30 million dollars and a questionable restaurant tax, it damn well better. :lol: You were about 2 miles from my house, I live just a couple miles down from the park off St. John Rd.

To other thread readers... please excuse our Kentucky diversion in the topic.

[flinn]

Where are you guys getting this at? The link I tried didn't work.

[WrathOfTinyKittens]

Where are you guys getting this at? The link I tried didn't work.

I got an ARC from the publisher, but it's out in the UK already. Out in the US on Sept 3.

[Rhom]

60 pages from the end and stuff has picked up nicely. Not quite sure where this book will end and what is in store for the future. Should have it finished tomorrow.

ETA: just finished. Whatever I was expecting... It wasn't that. Great ending and sets the next book up to be entirely different than this one.

Without giving spoilers, let me just say that while I recognize character growth to be a good thing; I hope Davarus Cole keeps at least some of his personality. It really grew on me!

[TheGhostInWinterfell]

-Brodar Kayne, aka the sword in the north, is Logen ninefingers, aka the Bloody nine: both are from a tribal warrior culture, both were the best and most famous fighters of their time, both were exiled by their violent ruler, both were sick of fighting and of violence and were looking for a new life.

-Salazar, the white lady and company are the order of the magi, which either killed the gods or the master maker (and juvens himself, as we later learn was killed by bayaz). Also, they later fight themselves for power, as happens with bayaz and khalul the prophet. in their endless struggle (each the leader of a nation, whereas in grim company they lead a city).

-The white lady servants, the unborn, are just a cheap version of eaters (both are powerful, dont seem to feel pain and dont seem happy, seeing death as something good, as freedom somehow).

-Davarus Cole resembles Jezal Luthar: both are young, proud and foolish man thirsty for glory.

-Sasha resembles ardee, both are unconventional and pretty woman whith a troubled psiche who attract the young foolish man (davarus cole/jezal).

-The war between the cities resembles the war between Ghurkul and the Union, both sides being led by some sort of magician.

So what do you think? sorry for any mistakes english is not my native language!

[Rhom]

Thread for discussion on this exact question.

A quick search helps facilitate discussion.

[Rhom]

-Brodar Kayne, aka the sword in the north, is Logen ninefingers, aka the Bloody nine: both are from a tribal warrior culture, both were the best and most famous fighters of their time, both were exiled by their violent ruler, both were sick of fighting and of violence and were looking for a new life.

-Salazar, the white lady and company are the order of the magi, which either killed the gods or the master maker (and juvens himself, as we later learn was killed by bayaz). Also, they later fight themselves for power, as happens with bayaz and khalul the prophet. in their endless struggle (each the leader of a nation, whereas in grim company they lead a city).

-The white lady servants, the unborn, are just a cheap version of eaters (both are powerful, dont seem to feel pain and dont seem happy, seeing death as something good, as freedom somehow).

-Davarus Cole resembles Jezal Luthar: both are young, proud and foolish man thirsty for glory.

-Sasha resembles ardee, both are unconventional and pretty woman whith a troubled psiche who attract the young foolish man (davarus cole/jezal).

-The war between the cities resembles the war between Ghurkul and the Union, both sides being led by some sort of magician.

So what do you think? sorry for any mistakes english is not my native language!

Similarities sure, but I don't know that I would call it a cheap knock off. Abercrombie certainly doesn't have a monopoly on the "grizzled veteran barbarian" or the "wise magician mentor with a quest" or even the "spoiled rich kid hidden heir to the realm". In fact, those tropes were all set up intentionally for him to switch the expectations on their head. I think Scull sets out to do much the same. In that vein, the two works would appear to be very comparable; but I would say that the evidence of diverging paths is already there at the end of the book. I remember the first time I read TFL, I didn't see much about The Blade Itself that made me think the tropes were going to be anything other than what is expected in the genre.

I'd say its too early to judge. If you read some of Mr. Scull's comments throughout this thread, I think you'll see that he certainly has an appreciation for Abercrombie's works and he even acknowledges some of the similarities.

[red snow]

They are very similar but you could argue Joe was just copying Conan and D&D. It's all in the execution really, otherwise "Spartacus" would be the same as "rome" or "the wire" would be the same as any other cop show. You could argue the whole warring factions led by wizards is ultimately ripping off LOTR as there was Gandalf and Saruman on opposing sides (or pretty much any war in greek mythology)

If the book had been bad, I would have been harsher but it's actually pretty entertaining so I can forgive a lot of the similarities and I agree there are a lot. I wouldn't say it's a rip-off though.

[buff daddy]

Yeah, if you've been reading any one certain genre for years, it's gonna be hard to find stuff that's truly original, so it's all about the execution to me. Scull did a great job with this book.

[Rhom]

So this released yesterday. Anyone else stateside pick it up?

[MisterOJ]

I'll probably download it to my Nook once I finish with Shift by Hugh Howey. Hopefully get into it this weekend.

[Rhom]

I'll probably download it to my Nook once I finish with Shift by Hugh Howey. Hopefully get into it this weekend.

I liked it. Definitely worth a read.

Probably more entertaining than UK vs Miami (OH) :lol:

[peterbound]

Second book this year I stopped mid way through. Couldn't get into it.

[MisterOJ]

Second book this year I stopped mid way through. Couldn't get into it.

How come? I keep starting to pull the trigger on this one and stopping.

[YellowDogJen]

I finished this a few days ago, and I liked it very much!

There's a lot of action and movement, but it's cohesive and moves the plot forward. The characterization is very well done - I liked all of the characters, I think - even the creepy ones!

The Grim Company is a very good book with plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested. I recommend it!

[peterbound]

How come? I keep starting to pull the trigger on this one and stopping.

Sorry I didn't get back sooner, had surgery, and been working.

They've kind of hit on it before. Everything is too... Familiar. The writing isn't all that bad, but the ripping off of tropes is damn near Brooks level in it's execution.

He's not subverting anything, like Joe, or very clever, like Mark. Rather, he's trying really hard to be Grimdark (fuck that word), and throwing everything that is 'required' in that genre to see if it works.

not for me. He has talent, no doubt. I just wish he would have used it on something more original.

[KingGendry]

I liked it overall.

Struggled to get in to it at the start but I'm like that with most books, and the fact that POV characters are dotted around the world at the start didn't help, but once things get underway I really enjoyed it.

Although the style isn't unique, it had some nice ideas and the execution was good enough to make this an enjoyable read.

[SkynJay]

I enjoyed it quite a bit. It certainly borrows heavy from what has come before. Hell every thing PB said is right; it isn't genre bending but rather fits right into the new GRIMDARK lable. Take the Cole - Luther similarities. At the start of First Law we are being built up to believe he is going to grow into the HERO, whereas right away we know Cole is has some serious delusions of grandure.

Despite that it was quick paced with an interesting story, and mostly enjoyable characters. I will pick up the next book.

[MisterOJ]

Sorry I didn't get back sooner, had surgery, and been working.

They've kind of hit on it before. Everything is too... Familiar. The writing isn't all that bad, but the ripping off of tropes is damn near Brooks level in it's execution.

He's not subverting anything, like Joe, or very clever, like Mark. Rather, he's trying really hard to be Grimdark (fuck that word), and throwing everything that is 'required' in that genre to see if it works.

not for me. He has talent, no doubt. I just wish he would have used it on something more original.

Thanks Peter. That tells me pretty much just what I needed to know.

I'm still interested in reading, but I think I'll wait until the price drops when the paperback comes out before downloading.

[Luke Scull]

I'm doing an AMA on Reddit today. Feel free to drop by. I've not been posting here much as I'd rather not discourage honest opinion - and I need to focus on finishing the second book, which I'm happy to answer questions about. Here's the link:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/1n1fsc/hi_reddit_im_fantasy_novelist_luke_scull_ama/