Reading Joe Abercrombie's The First Law for the first time. (Spoilers for Books 1-3)

[Ded As Ned]

Yeah, that was really great. I am afraid that if some hidden camera were watching me that I'd have had an absurd grin on my face.

I loved how long it was built up. The reader was allowed a certain bit of "what is the big deal w/ this 'Bloody Nine' anyway?"

Yeah I thought it was great how the POV changed from tired Logen to the Bloody-Nine killing spree then back to tired whiney (for him) Logen

[therustman]

I have just finished the trilogy and really enjoyed them. Good fun, good characters and well paced story.

Am looking forward to the stand alone novels.

[Ded As Ned]

Well I just finished book 2... ugh. The ending with Bayaz & co. was pretty funny & ironic... but the ending with the northmen another punch in the gut. On to book 3!

[Rhom]

Well I just finished book 2... ugh. The ending with Bayaz & co. was pretty funny & ironic... but the ending with the northmen another punch in the gut. On to book 3!

Prepare for many gut punches.

I remember the end of book 2 being the first moment where I really thought "Man... this is not going as I expected."

[Ded As Ned]

Prepare for many gut punches.

I remember the end of book 2 being the first moment where I really thought "Man... this is not going as I expected."

Yeah. Dogman said something like "I had hoped to know her better... but we never get what we hope for." or some such. Then Ferro's "Hope is for the weak."

The whole ending left me with a feeling of sadness that books rarely do. Even the sad moments in Ice & Fire didn't affect me in the same way. It's kind of hard to describe, but it's like the difference between a good friend of yours losing their best friend that you didn't know, and losing a best friend yourself. One is much more personal than the other, if that makes sense.

[Eponine]

I wish that I'd read these books first, before ASOIAF. I think they would have surprised and affected me a lot more, while not diminishing my surprise when Ned dies at all. But going the other way, I feel like I was already prepared to distance myself a little and not feel the impact as much.

I finished the trilogy a little while back, and am waiting to read the stand-alones. I don't feel a sense of must-read about those, but I didn't feel a sense of must-read about the first law and it turned out to be better than I'd expected. I was expecting it to be somewhat simplistic, despite the "grittiness". I'd flipped through the first book at Raidne's and the aaarrrgg's and the little catch phrases seemed kind of silly to me, but I thought it was much less jarring and more organic once I started reading.

[Guy Kilmore]

In my mind the Standalones are better than the Trilogy, but reading the Trilogy enhances the reading of the Standalones. I love how Abercrombie goes for a feel in each one of them and is able to do so quite well. (A revenge story, a war story, and a western).

[Goodbye World]

Loved the Glokta/West reunification.

The whole thing through the House of the maker.

The Bloddy-Fucking-Nine being cut loose.

The death of the Weakest, and Dogman, 3Trees & Co. cutting those guys to shreds in a fit of rage.

And of course in true book 1 fashion... the end is really the beginning. Bayaz has his merry crew assembled and onward to tackle the Phrophet (forget his name at the moment). I'm most interested to see what happens to Dogman & Co. as they continue south into Angland.

That's funny because I didn't really care for the Dogman & Co. Their chapters have been the least entertaining for me so far. I like the Jezal/Logen/Ferro interactions in book two the most, they're hilarious.

[Ded As Ned]

I'm up to (what seems to be) the beginning of the big climax in book 3. I'd have to say Dogman is one of my favorites as I've gone. Since most of the other characters I've really liked turn out to be giant lying, self-serving assholes,

I'm looking at you, Bayaz

, or have less than redeeming qualities that are beyond their control. Ferro contines to grow on me though. VENGENCE!

[Errant Bard]

So some time ago, you were saying:

So I suddenly realize I'm saying this after only reading 75% of book 1 of The First Law, but so far I don't get the label. The characters are people, yes. And portrayed realistically. But I don't get what makes it "grimdark"? Maybe I'm way off and the book will take a turn in the next 150 pages that will open my eyes a bit to the whole thing.

What is your opinion on "grimdarkness", characters being people and so, now that you are at the ending?

[Chun-Li]

I like the Jezal/Logen/Ferro interactions in book two the most, they're hilarious.

Agreed, I'm halfway through the second book and pretty much every time Jezal opens his mouth I expect a funny response from one of the others. I literally laughed out loud for half an hour straight yesterday at a scene where Jezal approaches Ferro,

'Bet it doesn't rain much where you come from, eh?'

'Are you going to shut your fucking hole, or do I have to hurt you?'

[KingGendry]

I found TBI a bit of a struggle to get in to at first, but I have that problem with most first books in a series.

Towards the end of TBI I really got into it and it just gets better from there, LAoK is right up there with my favourite books, loved the adventures of Dogman and co.

[Ded As Ned]

So some time ago, you were saying:

What is your opinion on "grimdarkness", characters being people and so, now that you are at the ending?

Yeah, you can consider my statement in your quote to be revoked. I get the label, and although I'm not a fan of the term itself, I can't come up with a better one. It wasn't long after that post that

West beat the shit out of Ardee

, then

Logen The Bloody 9 takes out the Thunderhead while the dude is helping him, not to mention the hill chief's son

, and let's not forget

Bayaz acting all noble and shit while he's basically just a different side to the same coin as the "bad guys"

.

I could go on, but not much time at the moment. Yeah, GrimDark, or whatever you want to call it.

[First of My Name]

I'm 280 pages into the first book, and I already have two and three ready. I'm enjoying this series a lot.

[Ser Rodrigo Belmonte]

Finished FL trilogy, BSC, TH, now almost done with red country. At least this guy seems to write much faster than Martin :P can't wait for the young adult book and the new trilogy!

[Clueless Northman]

Ok, I'm done with 2/3 of the Blade itself, and fear I'll have to read the whole trilogy as a whole, because I don't think I'll see any solid conclusion of any plot or story arc at the end of the book - unlike Lies of Locke Lamora, or even to an extent Game of Thrones. I have the impression this'll be more like LOTR, with a massive story split into 3 books because it's too huge.

Well, looks like my plan to read 1 Scott Lynch, 1 Joe Abercrombie, 1 Patrick Rothfuss, 3 times in a row, was a pretty bad idea :D

That said, have to say I clearly enjoy the first book so far.

The thing that really drives me nuts is the authors who have a fondness for unpronouncable names.

You mean, like the various Meereenese dignitaries? :D

[Brandon Stark]

I wish that I'd read these books first, before ASOIAF. I think they would have surprised and affected me a lot more, while not diminishing my surprise when Ned dies at all. But going the other way, I feel like I was already prepared to distance myself a little and not feel the impact as much.

I finished the trilogy a little while back, and am waiting to read the stand-alones. I don't feel a sense of must-read about those, but I didn't feel a sense of must-read about the first law and it turned out to be better than I'd expected. I was expecting it to be somewhat simplistic, despite the "grittiness". I'd flipped through the first book at Raidne's and the aaarrrgg's and the little catch phrases seemed kind of silly to me, but I thought it was much less jarring and more organic once I started reading.

It's a well-established fact that Martin is the leading contributor to the PTND (Post Traumatic Novel Disorder) epidemic,

[williamjm]

Ok, I'm done with 2/3 of the Blade itself, and fear I'll have to read the whole trilogy as a whole, because I don't think I'll see any solid conclusion of any plot or story arc at the end of the book - unlike Lies of Locke Lamora, or even to an extent Game of Thrones. I have the impression this'll be more like LOTR, with a massive story split into 3 books because it's too huge.

Well, looks like my plan to read 1 Scott Lynch, 1 Joe Abercrombie, 1 Patrick Rothfuss, 3 times in a row, was a pretty bad idea :D

That said, have to say I clearly enjoy the first book so far.

The Blade Itself does have a good ending, but you're right that it is a single story split into three volumes. If you haven't got to Rothfuss yet, his series is similar, The Name of the Wind doesn't really have much of an ending. You might also have to wait a couple of years if you want to read the third book.

[Ded As Ned]

Ok, I'm done with 2/3 of the Blade itself, and fear I'll have to read the whole trilogy as a whole, because I don't think I'll see any solid conclusion of any plot or story arc at the end of the book - unlike Lies of Locke Lamora, or even to an extent Game of Thrones. I have the impression this'll be more like LOTR, with a massive story split into 3 books because it's too huge.

Well, looks like my plan to read 1 Scott Lynch, 1 Joe Abercrombie, 1 Patrick Rothfuss, 3 times in a row, was a pretty bad idea :D

That said, have to say I clearly enjoy the first book so far.

You mean, like the various Meereenese dignitaries? :D

I mean like Tad Williams names (see, Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, and Shadowmarch series). I don't really have problems with the Mereeneese names

[Frank Fitzpatrick]

It's a well-established fact that Martin is the leading contributor to the PTND (Post Traumatic Novel Disorder) epidemic,

"Post Traumatic Novel Disorder", brilliant. :P