Have you heard of Joe Abercrombie? The author of what is very likely 2007s greatest fantasy offering and what is shaping up after one volume to stand among the top genre trilogies ever penned? No worries, friends, you will soon. With the American release of the first book of his “First Law” trilogy, The Blade Itself, up and coming Brit author Joe Abercrombie has presented the rapidly tiring fantasy genre with the most refreshing, original, and entertaining tome it has seen in years. Deftly crafting a tale that falls somewhere between high and quest fantasy, while interweaving multiple storylines, all tied together and every one enthralling, and peppering it all with supremely written, violent, and uncompromising fight scenes, smart dialogue (and some of the best inner monologues I’ve ever come across), and a wonderfully sardonic sense of black humor throughout, Mr. Abercrombie may very well have written the best book of the year, bar none.
The Blade Itself entwines the stories of Logen Ninefingers, a barbaric legend of the north, in over his head in a new land and battling infamy he no longer desires, Jezal dan Luthar, a young fencing prodigy and consummate drinker, womanizer, and all around ass, Sand dan Glokta, onetime hero and champion, now tortured head of the brutal King’s Inquisition, and the great Magus Bayaz, a walking mystery of incredible power who will bring this group of contrasts hopelessly together to a purpose unknown. Although this may very well sound high, even self-indulgent as so much recent fantasy has been, Abercrombie’s subjects are brilliantly created, given life and personality that draws the reader in to the astounding world he has crafted.
The oft-overbearing fantasy styling and tones that have come to plague the genre through the countless redundant offerings of well meaning Tolkien-imitators are nowhere to be found here. Thick, flowery language, races and species so far gone from our own as to be unrecognizable or understandable, absurd altruism and unthinkable evil have no place in Abercrombie’s world. Instead, perhaps the most human and relatable themes ever written in fantasy run through every page of this exceptional read. These are not derivative, black and white, cardboard cutout characters, none purely good or perversely wicked, and the role every individual in the novel plays in the grand scheme of things is never clear until it’s unveiling is most poignant. You with empathize with almost every character at some point, and whether or not you develop a “bond” with any particular one, you will come to understand them all, their motivations, strengths, weaknesses, even emotions. This is fantasy with conscience, purpose, and though it never hits you over the head, it will make you think. A welcome shot in the arm to the genre, ask me.
As for the fantasy itself, as stated before, the fight scenes are simply incredible. From the blunt and brutal observation of Logen’s painfully imaginable and always bloody brawls to the eloquent, technical commentary of Jezal’s fencing matches, every blow, every thrust and parry comes across with sharp, engaging clarity. One scrap involving Logen and an elite group of Inquisitors occurring near the end of the book leaps to mind. It is easily one of the most visceral, meat tenderizing bloodbath fight scenes fantasy has to offer, and promises more to come. Also, though magic is much less prevalent (or at least not nearly in your face) in The Blade Itself as opposed to so many other genre works, Abercrombie captures its presence in a unique manner that is so raw and powerful I can only relate it to “Star Wars’” Force. There really is a certain magnitude conveyed in Abercrombie’s descriptions of this fantasy keystone. The wry, observational dialogue is also some of the best I have ever read in any genre, and unlike anything the fantasy genre is currently offering. It feels real, reading just as it is expected for the characters to talk, and is never indulgent or over the top. You will laugh, frequently, and find conversation as entertaining as every other aspect of the novel.
If you have grown weary of the sameness of today’s fantasy, are looking to get into fantasy, or just enjoy a good yarn, I cannot recommend The Blade Itself enough. In fact, this was my favorite book of the year with ease, and I am not sure I can wait until March for the U.S. release of book two of the trilogy, Before They Are Hanged. I have never imported a book before, especially with the release date looming mere months away, but Abercrombie’s first entry simply warrants this hype. The makings of a truly epic fantasy event are all evident here, and I urge any and all to pick up this brilliant book.
– Travis Anderson
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
