Best Served Cold

First Law World #4

by Joe Abercrombie

Springtime in Styria. And that means war.

There have been nineteen years of blood. The ruthless Grand Duke Orso is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling League of Eight, and between them they have bled the land white. While armies march, heads roll and cities burn, behind the scenes bankers, priests and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king.

War may be hell, but for Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins, the most feared and famous mercenary in Duke Orso's employ, it's a damn good way of making money too. Her victories have made her popular - a shade too popular for her employer's taste. Betrayed, thrown down a mountain and left for dead, Murcatto's reward is a broken body and a burning hunger for vengeance. Whatever the cost, seven men must die.

Her allies include Styria's least reliable drunkard, Styria's most treacherous poisoner, a mass-murderer obsessed with numbers and a Barbarian who just wants to do the right thing. Her enemies number the better half of the nation. And that's all before the most dangerous man in the world is dispatched to hunt her down and finish the job Duke Orso started...

Springtime in Styria. And that means revenge.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Audiobook, Epic Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, High Fantasy, Adventure

534 pages, Hardcover

First published June 5, 2009

About the author

Joe Abercrombie was educated at Lancaster Royal Grammar School and Manchester University, where he studied psychology. He moved into television production before taking up a career as a freelance film editor. During a break between jobs he began writing The Blade Itself in 2002, completing it in 2004. It was published by Gollancz in 2006 and was followed by two other books in The First Law trilogy, Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings. He currently lives and works in London with his wife and daughter. In early 2008 Joe Abercrombie was one of the contributors to the BBC Worlds of Fantasy series, alongside other contributors such as Michael Moorcock, Terry Pratchett and China Mieville.

Reviews

[Petrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

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4.5/5 stars

A magnificent tale of vengeance filled with bloody actions, betrayal, and humor.

“One cannot grow without pain. One cannot improve without it. Suffering drives us to achieve great things.”

I’ve postponed starting Best Served Cold, the first book in The First Law standalone trilogy by Joe Abercrombie, for almost a year now due to the reason that I thought it will pale in comparison to the first trilogy. I shouldn’t have doubted Abercrombie; Best Served Cold was exhilarating, and it’s certainly superior compared to many grimdark books published now. Best Served Cold takes place in the year 579 AU; two years after the events of Last Argument of Kings. It is now springtime in Styria, and that means war and revenge. The premise of the book is simple. Monza Murcatto has been betrayed by Grand Duke Orso, and the betrayal resulted in her brother’s death and her crippled state. Monza is now determined to assemble her own crew and assassinate the seven personnel responsible for the betrayal. It’s a revenge story similar to Assassin Creed II or Kill Bill, on steroids. The progression of the storyline in Best Served Cold felt more straightforward compared to The First Law trilogy, but this doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. As you can expect from Abercrombie, he executed his narrative with brilliance by prioritizing distinctive characterizations and cinematic action scenes. Abercrombie successfully transformed this novel into an incredible story of tension, vengeance, and gore, but enriched with redemption and his trademarked humor.

Picture: One of the interior arts by Raymond Swanland for Best Served Cold Subterranean Press edition



Amazing characterizations have always been one of Abercrombie’s greatest strengths; it is one of the most dominant factors that separated Abercrombie from so many grimdark fantasy authors. And Best Served Cold just proved this notion further. Within a single standalone novel, all six characters with POV chapters received their own background, distinguishable inner voice, unique personality, and superbly-written character development. I do think it will be immensely beneficial for you to read The First Law trilogy first before starting this one. Despite the novel being deemed as a standalone, a lot of characters—or someone related to them—from the first trilogy made an appearance here. For example, both Caul Shivers and Nicomo Cosca were supporting characters in The First Law trilogy and they became some of the main characters in this book. Personally speaking, Shiver and Cosca truly made this book shine, but if Abercrombie should receive a trophy, it is for writing Friendly—a murderer with an obsessive-compulsive disorder towards dice and numbers. I found Friendly to be incredibly compelling and humorous as a character; I absolutely loved reading his POV chapters.

“What do the dice say?"
Dice say nothing. They are dice."
Why roll'em, then?"
They are dice. What else would I do with them?”

The dialogues and interactions between characters were insanely delightful and fun to read. Also, once again, Abercrombie exhibited his skill in delivering intricate and immersive action sequences effectively. Abercrombie’s prose never fails to pull me inside the chaos and conflicts; everything always felt so vivid when I’m reading his books. Rest assured that wars, duels, gore, and many other thrilling battle sequences exist in Best Served Cold.

Picture: One of the interior arts by Raymond Swanland for Best Served Cold Subterranean Press edition



Excluding the spectacular characterization and action scenes, if you’ve read Abercrombie’s book, you would know that he’s a master of crafting memorable catchphrases. I’ll leave those phrases for you to find out for yourself. I would like to, however, direct your attention to these quotes to show how beautifully philosophical his prose can be, in addition to being gritty and witty.

“That was the difference between a hero and a villain, a soldier and a murderer, a victory and a crime. Which side of a river you called home.”

And this one:

“Things aren't what they used to be' is the rallying cry of small minds. When men say things used to be better, they invariably mean they were better for them, because they were young, and had all their hopes intact. The world is bound to look a darker place as you slide into the grave.”

Frankly, the only factor stopping me from giving this book a full 5-stars rating was because of Monza Murcatto. One of Abercrombie’s talents as a writer is his ability to craft morally grey characters that felt genuine and lovable; despite their questionable actions, I couldn’t help but found myself rooting for them occasionally. I simply can’t attain that level of investment for Monza. She’s highly selfish, despicable, treated everyone that supported her like garbage. All she did was fuck, order her crew, blame everything on them, and much more. It’s probably intentional, and I do get that this is a grimdark fantasy series, but there’s no redeeming aspect to her personality. Fortunately, despite continuously hoping for retribution to visit Monza’s life, I also felt constantly motivated to find out how her story will proceed and end. I think that’s a testament to how good Abercrombie is. Plus, the multiple third-person POV narration ended up being hugely beneficial to my enjoyment of the novel. I don’t think I would’ve loved this book as much as I did if the entire novel was told exclusively through Monza’s perspective.

“You were a hero round these parts. That's what they call you when you kill so many people the word murderer falls short.”

I’ll conclude my review here. The first volume of the standalone trilogy in The First Law World turns out to be a fantastic addition, and I honestly believe the overall series is better for it. Contrary to my initial pessimism, Best Served Cold was an indisputably impressive revenge story. If you’re a fan of The First Law trilogy, do not stop there; continue to Best Served Cold. You might find yourself surprised by how awesome it was like I did. After all, you can’t ever have too many First Law novels, right?

Bonus Picture: My gorgeous UK paperback of Best Served Cold



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[Matt's Fantasy Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Watch my video review by clicking here.

An entertaining revenge story that while not quite as good as the books of the original trilogy, is still a wildly entertaining adventure.

[Shelby *trains flying monkeys* · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm gonna have to do it. I'm going to give a Joe Abercrombie book a 3 star.

Calm down. I almost gave it a 2.


As to why? The good first.

The characters.
Monza is completely bad ass, but I never felt that connection with her. She wants revenge for her brothers death, I get that..but give me some anger..give me some emotions..give me something!

Her band of misfits, you have a drunk, a torturer, a master poisoner and his assistant (who eats constantly), a killer who has OCD, and a man from the North that just wants to be a better man.
So why was this not the most awesome book ever?
There was humor..and Abercrombie can be very funny when he chooses too. And violence! I like the violence!!
But then the bad comes in:
Frigging politics. They bore the shit out of me every single time.
Then the book may have lasted too long, my eyes kept glazing over and I kept promising myself it would get better.

Sex scenes. *shudders*
I'm not done with Abercrombie's writing and this one is no where near as bad as most of the books I subject myself too. I just expected more.

[Sean Barrs · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are going to say one thing for Abercrombie, say he’s got catchy sayings because, after all, you have to be realistic about these things!

Did you see what I did there? Well anyway I was about fifteen pages in and was thinking, “this book seems unusually slow” then the blood started spraying in the usual Abercrombie style about half a paragraph later. I knew from then that this was going to be as good as what came before it.

The Snake of Talins, the self-made mercenary with no regret, is at the height of her power. Monzcarro Murcatto (this name sounds so ridiculously cool) is then betrayed by her employer and thought dead by the world. Now she must creep out of the gutter and reap revenge on those that took what was most important from her: her brother. He was the only person she ever really loved and trusted. She must take the lives of six men to avenge his death, ending with the Grand Duke Orso himself. It’s a very bloody business.

Who loves a tale of revenge?

She hires a notable cast comprised of a murderer obsessed with numbers, an aged poisoner, a Northman trying to do what is right, a drunken mercenary and a red headed torturer. Most are familiar faces from the first law trilogy. So we’re about to see what happened to some of these odd-balls after the carnage that took place in The Last Argument of Kings. As per usual in this world everybody has their own secret motives and agendas. Nobody is honest and everybody has a knife ready to plunge into your back.

This book is filled with plot twists, betrayals and murder, murder, murder. This is a brutal story, told with much speed and intensity. The Snake of Talins is a very tough woman. I sure wouldn’t want to cross her.

“One cannot grow without pain. One cannot improve without it. Suffering drives us to achieve great things.”



Of all of Abercrombie’s books, this one is my favourite to date. It showcases much of what he does best; it shows how far his characters are willing to go to meet their achieve their own desires. This is a very dark fantasy world.

[Liene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I give it 6?!

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best read o this year and the best book in the series so far. Dark tale of vengeance turned out to be a profound, complex and deeply psychological study of ugliness of a war. Author's thoughts on that resonate a lot with my own emotions (especially considering situation at home). The plot was bit predictable, but characters and their development is fascinating.

[carol. · Rating 4 out of 5]

AKA "Abercrombie and the Ultimate Anti-Heroes."

Here's the short review: reading Best Served Cold is like being a guest judge on 'Iron Chef America: Sardines.' Sure, there's some incredible stuff happening--but still... it's sardines. And would you really want to eat like that every day?

The long review: What's good? The writing, the world, the character description, the brilliant way Abercrombie links and weaves so many plots together, both large and small, and the tension he is able to build through the story even when the general outline is known ("seven deaths"). There were times I found myself saying, "now that was a fabulous sentence/paragraph/plot twist," but I couldn't tear myself away from reading long enough to take down a note or two. So we will all have to remain unsure which particular points struck me; what I remember is that they were there and there was more than one. One notable narrative device used to brilliant effect is in memory segments in the beginning of some chapters. The memory gives context an earlier event we've already heard rumors about or how it has given rise to particular actions. It results in a neat little bite of background to the rumors, character insight and world history. Overall, he achieves that rare writer's groove where the reader stops to marvel, but not long enough to disengage from the story.

The bad? Well, while it's not done badly, truly none of the characters are very likeable. Caught in webs of their own weaving, and victims of their own pursuits, no one is very sympathetic. These are well-created characters that occasionally navigate their challenges with grace, and always with fortitude, but most often just use determination and brutality. If you've read The First Law series, and Abercrombie is hoping you have (as more than a few characters have first made appearances there), the main character, Monza, "The Butcher," suffers overmuch from similarity to Inspector Glotka. The frequent references to her physical discomforts sounded a great deal like the words used to describe him, and I found myself feeling like a significant amount of her character-building was poached from him. Abercrombie writes that part of his personal challenge with this book was writing a lead female character, and perhaps because of Glokta, I just feel like he didn't quite succeed.

Four stars for literary excellence, but the brutality and lack of truly heroic characters will keep me from adding to my personal collection, and prevent me awarding full five-star awesomeness rating.

Cross posted at http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2013/0...

[mina reads™️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most interesting part of the plot in this was that one guy with the piss kink

2.5 stars regrettably

[Edward Gwynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love The First Law and it was so much fun to rank the books in this world... do you agree with my list? FIRST LAW RANKING

*Re-read. A great book, one I enjoyed more so this time around. Monza is a bit of a rollercoaster, I love Shivers and Friendly, and Cosca is delivered perfectly. Onto THE HEROES!*

Best Served Cold is the first entry of three standalones set after the fantastic First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. It has dark humour, a vile cast and action so bloody and grim you can practically see the spouts of shooting blood on the pages. What’s not to love?

“What do the dice say?"
Dice say nothing. They are dice."
Why roll'em, then?"
They are dice. What else would I do with them?”

2 years from the end of The Last Argument of Kings, Best Served Cold takes us to the land of Styria - one that is ridden with war, death, revenge and many other unpleasantries. We follow the story of Monza Murcatto, on her path for vengeance after she is betrayed, her brother murdered and she is injured. All against Grand Duke Orso.

“You were a hero round these parts. That's what they call you when you kill so many people the word murderer falls short.”

It’s a simple and direct story, with a few twists here, but for the most part is a brutal revenge story with characters who make the cast of Reservoir Dogs seem like the good guys.

“When God means to punish a man He sends him stupid friends and clever enemies.”

After binging The First Law trilogy I fell in love with the characters. When reading Best Served Cold I found it hard to grow a meaningful connection with the cast, maybe because The First Law characters were so damn good. However, there are some familiar faces from the previous trilogy that was immensely enjoyable to be able to shed new light on them.

“That was the difference between a hero and a villain, a soldier and a murderer, a victory and a crime. Which side of a river you called home.”

The plot, although simple, was full of fantastic scenes. There are some of the most brutal scenes Abercrombie has written here, as well as some *truly* disturbing sex scenes that I couldn’t stop laughing throughout. All of the glory and romanticism is taken from everything and sheeted with a coat of morally grey paint.

“My name is Nicomo Cosca, famed solider of fortune, and I am here for dinner.”

Although not as strong as The First Law - not much is - I still enjoyed Best Served Cold. There are intriguing characters with dialogue so witty you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel. The interactions are clever and I look forward to delving deeper into these standalone within The First law universe.

“Sometimes men change for the better. Sometimes men change for the worse. And often, very often, given time and opportunity . . .’ He waved his flask around for a moment, then shrugged. ‘They change back.”

4/5 - A fun read, with great scenes. Although the main character Monza was totally dislikable in a whole new level for most of the time, I still really enjoyed this read. Bring on The Heroes!

[Hamad · Rating 5 out of 5]

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Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars

“That was the difference between a hero and a villain, a soldier and a murderer, a victory and a crime. Which side of a river you called home.”

I was hesitant to start this book because in general, I am not a big fan of companion novels. I enjoyed The First Law trilogy last year and did not know what the author could add to the world. I was so wrong! And I just picked this on a whim without even reading the synopsis which made it an even more pleasant read. In my opinion, the less you know about this book, the more you will enjoy it.

I absolutely loved the writing, I actually liked this more than the original trilogy! As I mentioned in my reviews of the original trilogy, the books in that one felt like a long story divided into 3 books and you need to read all three to get the story. This one is a standalone, it is a complete story and you don’t need to read anything else to enjoy it. I think it can be read without reading the original trilogy but it will lose some of its charm so I still recommend reading it after.

The prose was great, Abercrombie certainly lives up to his title as Lord Grimdark because I felt that it was a dark story, from the writing to the characters to the world building. I can’t explain it but the way my brain processed it and the way I imagined it just screamed “GRIMDARK”. Also there were a ton of quotes that I loved and highlighted.



And like all the best novels, it does focus on characters and there were all kind of character. The story is a story of vengeance and our main character wants to gather her own crew to get her revenge and I am a big fan of this trope. I like seeing how the crew gathers and how the dynamics are formed and this was perfect in that regard. What I also liked was the humor throughout the story which kind of made it lighter.

“You were a hero round these parts. That’s what they call you when you kill so many people the word murderer falls short.”

Most of the characters are morally gray and it is one of the best novels that handles that. I did not if I should root for the characters or wish that they die. All of the characters have two sides and we are introduced to both. The characters were also unique in that each had an identifying characteristic, like one was obsessed with numbers and counting things would literally give him an erection but not actual sex. One had a drinking problem, one is a master poisoner and one is trying to be a better man. And we see this translated into the writing which is something I loved and thought was very genius!



The world-building is good and as I mentioned above, the darkness was something palpable in the story from poverty to corruption to betrayals. Even sex is sometimes pictured as something filthy! The story takes place in more than one city and there are mentions of places and people we know from the original series but still the story added much to both the world and characters.

The pacing is kind of slow but I did not get bored for one second. The story also is a long one, the book I read was almost 700 Pages so it needs some patience but I can assure you that you won’t be bored with it.

“One cannot grow without pain. One cannot improve without it. Suffering drives us to achieve great things.”

Summary: Best Served Cold proved me wrong because I enjoyed it more than the original trilogy. The writing and characters were the perfect mix of humor and darkness *Chef kiss*. The plot is very enjoyable although a bit slow. I loved the hell out of this one and now I am so excited to continue the rest of the novels set in this world.

[William Gwynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out - The Brothers Gwynne

“You were a hero round these parts. That's what they call you when you kill so many people the word murderer falls short.”

I was left slightly depressed after finishing Last Argument of Kings, so I had to read Best Served Cold swiftly afterwards. This series is just too good to stop. So I was ready to be subjected to more emotional manipulation as characters I love became victim to the most terrible of things, as I was most certain would happen in Best Served Cold. I've learnt to accept the inevitable now. They say you are what you read. In this case I hope that is not true. Great read, but I wouldn't want to live the lives of those in the world of the First Law.

Best Served Cold is the first of the standalone novels in the First Law world, and in it we explore the country of Styria, with mostly new characters, but also a few old faces reappearing, and also a wider arc to this tale that encompasses the story of the First Law trilogy. The political intrigue between different major forces and the interactions with these old characters as well as some of the new were some of my favourite elements, especially when they discussed events and characters we have already come to know.

“When God means to punish a man He sends him stupid friends and clever enemies.”

The prose is indisputable. In every book that Abercrombie writes, his prosed is exploited masterfully, to enforce character through the vernacular chosen for each perspective, and also for the world building and the crafting of an evolving tone. Abercrombie has it down. He is a master of prose.

The characters were varied in a really great way. Monza Murcatto, Caul Shivers, Nicomo Cosca, and then Morveer and Friendly. These were my favourite characters, especially Cosca and Shivers. Their contrasting personalities led to really believable conflicts, some with grand consequences, and some that were absolutely hilarious.

“That was the difference between a hero and a villain, a soldier and a murderer, a victory and a crime. Which side of a river you called home.”

Saying that though, whilst these characters were great, in my opinion none but Shivers reached the lofty heights of the first trilogy, especially Monza, which was a shame as she is the main figure in Best Served Cold. That is not fault though. The major characters of the first trilogy are almost all iconic and brilliant, so saying I preferred them is not an insult to these characters at all.

The plot was really great as well, with a classic revenge story at the core, but with many subversions of the genre and additional arcs and twists along the way. There was a slump I would say in the third quarter, but it pulled itself back up for the conclusion, which was very satisfying and of course, with Abercrombie being involved, shocking.

“One cannot grow without pain. One cannot improve without it. Suffering drives us to achieve great things.”

Whilst I would say that Best Served Cold did not quite live up the the trilogy in this world I finished immediately before, that by no means signals a bad book. Best Served Cold is still an awesome read, with amazing characters, a great plot and smooth, witty prose. I now agree with the many who say a 'bad' Joe Abercrombie book is still a really great book. If you loved the first trilogy, you will almost certainly adore this as well.

4/5 STARS

[Jokoloyo · Rating 5 out of 5]

TLDR: A MUST READ for fans of Nicomo Cosca. Cosca to the rescue!


Now the review:
Continuation after First Law Trilogy, telling about epic bloody revenge story. Compared with the trilogy, this novel has significantly lower magical content. I believe people don't read FL series due to magic system but because loved the characterization of FL. Fortunately, the author knew this and delivered another excellent story. As expected with only one-novel-length, I felt the pace of this book is faster and simpler plots than the trilogy. And IMO, it is the most hilarious FL novel ever (based on Book 1-6), and I am damn serious about it.

If you still remember the (minor) characters from FL trilogy, your retained memory of FL will be rewarded. The character developments are exemplary for epic fantasy genre. Cosca maybe shine the brightest on this novel, but I like other not-so-sane characters too, like Day or Friendly I recommend to read the spoiler after you read the book and there is the most feared super bad ass assassin SHENKT with the important plot twist. He's just awesome!

Springtime in Styria. And that means war. Springtime in Styria. And that means revenge.

[Paul O’Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vengeance first, questions later.

A terrific, action packed romp with a vengeance.

This book is all about revenge. It follows Monza as she is betrayed very badly and then plots her course to get revenge on all those present at the time of the betrayal.

Set in the same world as the great First Law trilogy, the back drop is the region of Styria.

Springtime in Styria. And that means war. Springtime in Styria. And that means revenge.

It deals with revenge, what it means and what it feels like when you actually achieve it through a range of very human and likeable characters.

Characters

What makes Abercrombie stand out in today’s jam packed fantasy scene, is his ability to write fantastic characters. He creates such vivid, human and intriguing people in his books, he is second to none in this regard, in my opinion.

There are some familiar faces from the Blade Itself world and some new characters as well. My two favourites had to be Friendly, a math obsessed ex-con and Cosca, well known turncoat and flamboyant mercenary. The two form a bit of an unlikely bromance as well.

More important than simply creating great characters in his works, Abercrombie also has a nack for building on their individual stories throughout, making sure the characters change and learn things (or not sometimes). Each character has their own arc well though through and executed brilliantly.

Writing

Abercrombie’s writing is crisp and moves the story along nicely. There were times where I felt he went into too much detail but this doesn’t happen all that often. The action scenes really stood out for me in this. They were fantastic, suspenseful in places and had me on the edge on my seat (well, couch for the most part).

The witty banter, particularly from Cosca was hilarious.

Here’s some of my favourite bits. All in all the writing is very witty, human and jam packed full of quotable sayings:

‘One cannot grow without pain. One cannot improve without it. Suffering drives us to achieve great things.’

‘The dead can forgive. The dead can be forgiven. The rest of us have better things to do.’

‘People talk a lot when they’ve nothing to say.’

‘That’s the one. I’m an optimist.’ ‘How’s it working out for you?’ ‘Not great, but I keep hoping.’ ‘That’s optimists. You bastards never learn.’

‘You are a gentleman, sir,’ muttered Cosca. ‘I am a murderer.’ ‘I see no reason why a man cannot be both . . .’

He dipped in his wooden spoon and took a taste, and it was good. He rated it forty-one out of fifty.

death so close she could feel it tickling at her neck.

‘My name is Nicomo Cosca, famed soldier of fortune and I am here for dinner.’

To the starving man, bread is beautiful. To the homeless man, a roof is beautiful. To the drunkard, wine is beautiful. Only those who want for nothing else need find beauty in a lump of rock.

Words may hold more power than swords, as Juvens said, but I have discovered to my cost that there are times when there is no substitute for pointy metal.’

You make yourself too hard, you make yourself brittle too. Crack once, crack all to pieces.

Blades can kill men, but only words can move them.

Final thought

Anyone with an aversion to swearing, vulgarities and lots of gore should look elsewhere. For those who don’t mind a gruesome, gritty tale, you should read this. It was enjoyable being back in the same world as the First Law trilogy, one of the best series in all of fantasy. Best Served Cold wasn’t as good as First Law, but it was still a hugely enjoyable tale.

It also had some of the most awkward, funniest sex scenes I’ve ever read, they were hilarious!


Check out all of my reviews and book related blogs

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up)) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALL THE STARS IN THE BLOODY UNIVERSE!!!



As many of us know, revenge is a dish best served cold and that's exactly what we're served in this stunning Grimdark Fantasy by beloved author, Joe Abercrombie.

I loved the initial trilogy in the First Law world, composed of The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings. I gave them all 5-stars and grew to love that set of characters with my whole heart.



In fact, I loved them so much, I was a little sad when I first learned that this book, Best Served Cold takes place many years after the end of Last Argument of Kings.

19-years have passed and this is a dangerous world, it would have to be following all new characters, right? I was going to miss my tried and trues.

Would I even enjoy it half as much?



I should have trusted Abercrombie. Of course this was going to be amazing. I feel sheepish looking back. How dareth I have questioned his prowess with a pen!!

In this story we follow Monza Murcatto, known as the Snake of Talins, she is the most feared mercenary in Duke Orso's employ. Stories of her victories are told around every table, she's hugely popular. A real woman of the people.



She's a little too popular by Orso's estimation. He can't have it. It's a threat to his rule. This thinking leads to a swift and bloody betrayal.

Monza's beloved brother is slayed and she is attacked, beaten, thrown out a window to roll down the rocky cliff below and left for dead. Miraculously, she survives and through her dirty, painful recovery she has one thing on her mind. Vengeance.



Gobba, Mauthis, Prince Ario, General Granmark, Faithful Carpi, Prince Foscar and Grand Duke Orso of Talins.

Seven men were in the room when she was betrayed. They'll all pay. The countdown begins.



Monza assembles a team and off they go. This was incredibly easy to read. At just over 600-pages, you may think you'll get bogged down in it, but every moment was fascinating. My attention didn't wane at all.

I loved this cast of characters so much. I was extremely nervous that Abercrombie was going to shatter me in the end, but you know, it's hard not to walk away from such an incredible story a happy girl. Regardless of the outcome.

I'm now more in love with this world than ever and cannot wait to continue on.



If you've been curious about this series, love Grimdark Fantasy, or books with fascinating characters and top-tier world development in general, you absolutely have to give this series a go!!

I highly doubt you'll regret it.

[Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe I’m only just now reading this series.

I had my doubts when people told me the books after the initial trilogy were just as good, but if all the others are anywhere as amazing as Best Served Cold then I’m in for a fantastic year of reading. I would be hard-pressed to name anything I didn’t like about it.

I’ve heard mention that BSC is essentially a Count of Monte Cristo type story, and as I’ve made a habit of avoiding classics like the plague since grade school, I can only take their word for it. Presumably the similarity is the relentless pursuit of vengeance at any and all costs. I normally find plot structures like that boring. After all, if you kind of already know where it’s going, where’s the excitement? But I tell you what, Abercrombie added so many interesting characters and dynamics – the story felt anything but a tropey knockoff. I was glued to the pages the entire time and loved every moment of it.

Upon reflection, this may have been my favorite story in the First Law world to date, which is saying something considering Glokta (easily one of the best characters in the genre) doesn’t even make an appearance. It’s an amazing combination of gruesome, funny, heartbreaking, exciting, and depressing all wrapped up in an angry little package. I think I might be adding it to my very short list of all-time favorites.

Overall, this was an excellent tangent novel that did a superb job expanding the world-building of the series and giving us a whole new cast of characters to love/hate. I can’t wait to devour everything Abercrombie has on the market. And to think I was only so-so after reading the first book. This author is now a favorite.

Recommendations: if you loved the First Law trilogy and are wondering if you should keep reading, the answer is an emphatic yes!! Best Served Cold was written brilliantly, with careful care given to all the characters and a plot that will have you cringing and laughing and loving every moment. Consider it a new Obsessive Bookseller favorite!

Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes

Other books you might like:

[mark monday · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is best served hot?

> Flesh
> Blood
> Slaughter
> Desire
> Revenge*

*also delicious served cold

Best Served Cold delivers all of the above in a warm-blooded fashion. this is a sweaty, fully engorged adventure novel that follows a diverse cast as they move through various locales on their own sort of anti-quest. although it spends much time examining the psychological make-up of its characters, is heavily reliant on the kinds of details usually found in military fantasy, and is not shy of graphic sex and violence, it still lives and breathes all of the classic, instantly recognizable tropes of adventure fiction - to its credit. tropes are tropes for a reason: their familiarity creates an ideal framework on which to hang a narrative, characters, and themes that may play into or challenge those tropes, depending on the author's goals. this author wants to do both, and he succeeds. his book is complex and simplistic, old-fashioned and very modern.

synopsis: sibling mercenary leaders Monza and Benna Murcatto are betrayed by their employer during a meeting that ends in violence and murder. the six people in the room besides the Murcattos (plotters and bystanders alike) must now die, and so a colorful band of miscreants are assembled for just that purpose. thus the fun begins. don't let the title fool you into thinking that this is a book of cunning feints and subtle plots and diabolical machinations. far from it. its characters may be cold-blooded but Abercrombie serves his adventure yarn quite hot.

the author is well-known for his bleak world view and this novel is certainly more of the same. not a real hero to be found within these pages - although there are plenty of characters who are truly complicated. or at the very least, amusingly and/or sympathetically depicted. being forced to ride alongside such a cynical perspective could make for a depressing experience; fortunately, the author's cynicism is matched by his ability to make his characters consistently entertaining and often surprisingly funny. dark humor - but still humor! I appreciate that. although a 600+ page doorstopper, the book is far from a heavy one to read and is often an exciting, page-turning experience rather that one submerged in the sort of fatalism that makes me less than eager to read what will happen next. humor is the MVP in Best Served Cold (and after that would come Abercrombie's skill at writing cinematic action sequences).

unfortunately, there is a Least Valuable Player present and it is that incredibly aggravating flaw that seems to be prevalent across so much of modern fantasy and science fiction: REPETITION. ugh. it is so frustrating to see smart, talented authors like C.J. Cherryh, Patrick Rothfuss, Janny Wurts, George R.R. Martin, Jacqueline Carey, C.S. Friedman, Peter Hamilton, Connie Willis, and I'm sure many more, fall prey to the idea that their readers simply can't be trusted to remember traits integral to their characters, and so those traits and feelings are conveyed, via dialogue and thought processes, over and over and over, again and again and again and again and AGAIN. readers are not idiots who need to be repeatedly reminded about important details because their tiny little minds don't have the capacity to retain an important piece of information over the course of the book. repetition does not make the heart grow fonder; it make the mind grow numb.

but back to the compliments because despite that glaring flaw, I still loved reading this book.

so I'm a secretly sentimental sort of chap and despite my cynicism about people and life in general, I still believe that deep down most of us actually recognize the difference between good and evil, feel guilt about negative actions, and genuinely strive to be good - when that's possible. I doubt many people get off on their villainy. happily, Abercrombie shares my point of view - and only the most superficial read of his books would enable a person to come away thinking that the author writes everyone as a villain. assholes, yes; villains, no. like his First Law trilogy, Best Served Cold has protagonists who try to do good despite themselves and who do attempt - sometimes too late - to make up for regrettable actions. they regret things, they try to make amends, they see the need for change - even when they are also alienated or bloodthirsty or Machiavellian. I hate cheap positivity but I hate cheap nihilism even more. this novel has all the appeal of a dark, cynical adventure novel set in a bleak, war-torn landscape, but it still has a warmly beating human heart at its center. I wouldn't have loved it otherwise.

also, nice parallel between Monza and the prior books' Glokta. clearly this type resonates with the author. cynical cripples who are super deadly and of course terribly misunderstood. and beautiful - or at least once beautiful. poor Glokta! anyway, I could read more of this type.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin]

UPDATE: $3.99 Kindle US today 9/25/20

[Krell75 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non siete sazi della Prima Legge?
Se la risposta è no allora preparatevi ad assaporare il vero gusto della vendetta come solo Joe Abercrombie può raccontare.

Personaggi antipatici, gonfi di rimorso ed ira, circondati da vili elementi che sguazzano nell' ombra e nel peccato pronti a sferrare colpi bassi al malcapitato di turno.

Joe Abercrombie rientra con il suo grimdark tra i maggiori talenti nel genere fantasy degli ultimi anni, anche se poi di fantasy, in fondo, tratta ben poco. Lo sappiamo e ci va bene cosi perché i suoi personaggi rimangono impressi a fuoco nella memoria.

Continua, con le sue brillanti trovate a dare pesanti schiaffi al lettore ad ogni pagina e lo fa con la giusta cattiveria.

[Scott Hitchcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good but it wasn't great like the trilogy. The character interactions were what made the book. The plot was lacking and his writing style has never been smooth. It entertaining from an action point of view and you don't have to wait for it. From the prologue on it's battle, guts and assassinations. A killing smorgasbord.

[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5 stars.

Grimdark isn’t my thing. I prefer my fiction hopeful, with good at its heart even when bad things happen. That being said, I’ll give anything a shot if it’s well crafted, and I’ve read some pretty incredible fantasy novels that throw hope out the window and bask in their darkness. The best in the grimdark business has to be Joe Abercrombie, hands down. He has a way of creating characters and plots that really shouldn’t work for me, but that shine in spite of their dark cores. I loved the First Law trilogy enough that I was actually hesitant to read the standalones set in the same world, because I didn’t see how Abercrombie could possibly top or even match the greatness he achieved with that original plot and cast of characters. I needn’t have doubted him. In Best Served Cold, Abercrombie not only gives us a compelling plot but a wonderfully engaging cast of new and returning characters.

“Good steel bends, but never breaks. Good steel stays always sharp and ready. Good steel feels no pain, no pity, and above all, no remorse.”

Monza Murcatto is out for vengeance, both for her nearly-murdered self and her completely murdered brother. She was at the top of her career as a mercenary general when she was betrayed, and she won’t stop until all seven of the men in attendance during said betrayal are dead and back in the mud. Monza is a badass but she is far from perfect. In a way, she reminded me of a female Glotka who was able to keep her looks despite her scars. She’s relentless, even when it’s to her own detriment. She’s halfheartedly battling addiction which leads to making poor choices and trusting the wrong people. And they come back to haunt her.

“You were a hero round these parts. That's what they call you when you kill so many people the word murderer falls short.”

The return of so many familiar side characters from the original trilogy made me really happy. I won’t list names because the very fact that they survived Last Argument of Kings could be a spoiler. But every time a familiar face was presented it brought a smile to my face. While I loved the returning characters and Monza, a new addition to the fray really won my heart. And his name is Friendly. I would happily read a dozen books about Friendly. He was just precious. In a dark way, of course; the man has no problem killing people. Still, I found him incredibly unique and charming. He’s number one in my book.

“That was the difference between a hero and a villain, a soldier and a murderer, a victory and a crime. Which side of a river you called home.”

Abercrombie is truly a master of characterization. None of these characters were in any way truly good at their core. They’re morally varying shades of gray, with some edging scandalously close to black. And yet I still found myself rooting for them. As I stated earlier, I prefer stories and characters that are at least tinted with goodness, if not permeated by it. However, I’ve come to the conclusion that I am perfectly willing to abandon fictional morality so long as Abercrombie is at the helm. The man can make even the vilest of villains somehow sympathetic, and I truly care what happens to each and every one of them.

“Sometimes men change for the better. Sometimes men change for the worse. And often, very often, given time and opportunity . . . They change back.”

Plot wise, this story is much smaller scale than that of the original trilogy. It’s about revenge, pure and simple. And yet, through this smaller scale plot we see so many strands of that original, huge and overarching plot come into play and tie into this new story in various ways. I love how Abercrombie was able to bring so many of those elements together while still maintaining this novel’s own plot, and ensuring that said plot line always stayed in the spotlight.

“One cannot grow without pain. One cannot improve without it. Suffering drives us to achieve great things.”

While Abercrombie is highly (and deservedly) praised for his characterizations, I feel that his actual craftsmanship is oft overlooked. The man can seriously write. There are dozens upon dozens of tiny and thoughtful writing decisions that really made the book for me. It can be something as simple as the repetition of sounds, like slap-slapping during sex or how different shoes click-clicked or squeak-squeaked down a hallway. For some reason, those little choices really stood out to me. Also, Abercrombie is the king of the entertaining segue. I love how so often, either a line of dialogue or internal monologue is both the last bit of one character’s perspective and the first line of the next. What this did was ensure that the segues not only didn’t detract from the story, but actually added to it. There are so many small but intentional additions to the prose that elevates this book from merely a good story to a beautifully crafted piece of fiction.

“The dead can forgive. The dead can be forgiven. The rest of us have better things to do.”

I honestly have so much respect for Abercrombie as an author, and for the world that he has created. While it’s bloodier and more political and a lot more gray than what I generally gravitate towards in my fictional forays, I can see Abercrombie and his First Law World gaining a place among my favorites. In this novel, he showed the truth of the title; revenge truly is a dish best served cold. I’ve now come to the conclusion that, if Abercrombie wrote it, I really need to read it. And I’m going to get right on that.

You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.

[Overhaul · Rating 3 out of 5]

La guerra, qué se puede decir de la guerra, puede ser un infierno, pero para alguien como Monza Murcatto, la Serpiente de Talins, a sueldo del duque Orso, también es una forma excelente de hacer dinero. Sus victorias la han hecho muy popular —quizá demasiado para el gusto de Orso..

Traicionada y dada por muerta, la recompensa de Murcatto es un cuerpo desfigurado y una sed de venganza que no se detendrá ante nada.

Sus aliados son el borracho menos fiable de Styria, el envenenador más traicionero de Styria, un asesino en serie obsesionado con los números y un bárbaro que quiere enderezar su vida…

Entre sus enemigos están los más poderosos del país, y eso antes de que el Orso envíe al hombre más peligroso para acabar con ella…

La venganza está servida..

"La Mejor Venganza" forma parte de las novelas independientes que tienen lugar en el mundo de la trilogía "La primera Ley". Una gozada. Sand Glokta, Nuevededos, Escalofríos y más. Incluido cierto mago muy cabrón...

Con un solo defecto. Es una venganza muy pero que muy sangrienta, carente de piedad o de lo que podríamos denominar, humanidad. Con sus dosis de Escalofríos maravillosas.. pero.. es una venganza demasiado larga. Mucho.

Se me ha hecho bastante largo a ratos y si le quitas páginas hubiera sido una Abercrombie en toda regla y un cinco estrellas clarísimo.

Ha pecado de largo, y ahora yo peco de ponerle 3 míseras estrellas a un Abercrombie.

Pero que eso no os eche para atrás. No deja de ser un Abercrombie, no el mejor, pero incluso un Abercrombie de tres estrellas es una buena o gran lectura.

Entre sus personajes tenemos desde tiranos a torturadores, un par de envenenadores, asesino en serie, un borracho traidor, un oscuro norteño que busca ser mejor persona y también hasta un sangriento mercenario algo borracho.

Y éstos son los buenos…

Las batallas son vívidas y viscerales. La acción es brutal, tal cual, el ritmo aún pecando de largo en algunos momentos podríamos decir que es imparable y Abercrombie amontona las traiciones y los giros de la trama de forma que llega un punto en que nos preguntamos cómo acabará todo.

Siete hombres eran los que estaban presentes en la habitación donde mataron a su hermano y ella fue descartada y dada por muerta.

Ahora, su fuerza motriz es el deseo de matar a cada uno de esos hombres. Y no se detendrá ante nada ni nadie para lograr su objetivo.

Una escritura sucia, sin filtros, ni censura. Con personajes de todo tipo y todas las calañas.

Con su parte gris, su parte muy sangrienta y su parte aún más oscura. También tiene su pizca de humor y sarcasmo. Abercrombie es ingenioso en todos los diálogos, personalidades y carácter de sus personajes. Por ello crea de los mejores que he leído hasta hoy.

Los diálogos entre los personajes fueron para mi lo mejor. Además, una vez más, Abercrombie da rienda suelta a su habilidad para generar unas secuencias de acción envolventes.

La prosa de Abercrombie te sumerge en el caos y los conflictos. Leed a este maestro.

Aún con el dolor que me supone ponerle a un Abercrombie 3⭐️, yo, Over, un pobre pecador, lo recomiendo. No hay un mal libro del señor del Grimdark.

Esta será seguramente mi última reseña de este 2022, en la que os deseo, querida banda y amistades, un feliz año nuevo. Que tengáis un 2023 lleno de grandes lecturas. Ha sido un buen año de lecturas y novedades a vuestro lado. Un abrazo.

Atentamente, Over..✍️🥳🎩

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these books especially listening to them on audio. The narrator is just excellent and there is a little soundtrack with slashing swords which really sets the scene. The only problem is that I do not get to have the paper copies with the oh so beautiful covers.

Best Served Cold is typical Abercrombie fare which means it is the epitome of grimdark. If you do not enjoy gritty then you will not like his books. Somebody dies unpleasantly on just about every other page and even the people who live are usually damaged and in pain of some kind. Oh and the sex scenes are so far the other side of romantic.

So why do I like it so much? Because all of his characters are so well drawn, his writing is beautifully done, the story is smart, well paced and exciting and the world building is..... well it just is. The author never wastes time telling you about his world but it is there all the time and understood. I still miss my favourite character, Glokta, but noticed several references to him in this book. The Cripple is still greatly feared.

Easily five stars for me and I am already looking forward to the next one.

[Rick Riordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Abercrombie's The First Law trilogy, set in a richly realized fantasy world with a great cast of characters. I'm usually hesitant to read standalone fantasies like Best Served Cold. I prefer series so I can get to know the characters over a longer time, but I was eager to revisit Abercrombie's world so I picked up Best Served Cold, and I'm glad I did. When mercenary general Monza Murcatto is brutally betrayed by her employer, she decides to take revenge against all odds, regardless of the consequences. Sounds like a simple plot, but nothing is simple about the way the story unfolds. Loyalties change, good and evil become increasingly hard to distinguish, friends become enemies who become friends again. The relationships and turns of fortune are every bit as punishing and convoluted as Game of Thrones, and I mean that as a compliment. Abercrombie makes you care about each character, no matter how flawed they are. It was also great to see old acquaintances from The First Law series pop up here and there in this book. If you're looking for an engaging story with epic adventure, plenty of violence, and characters who are three-dimensional (at least until the author puts them through the meat grinder and they come out flattened!) definitely check out Abercrombie's work.

[HaMiT · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Revenge Is A Fool's Game"

Arthur Morgan
آره آرتور جان ولی لامصب عجب آثاری انتقامی‌ای که خلق نشده
من کتاب با این تم زیاد نخوندم ولی تو سینما این موضوع خیلی خوب جواب می‌ده
ابرکرومبی هم این روایت کوبنده از انتقام رو با الهام از یکی از فیلم‌های محبوبش نوشته
Point Blank (1967)

یه جور کیل بیلِ فانتزی در ابعاد وسیع‌تر با چاشنی شخصیت‌پردازیِ استثنایی ابرکرومبی

[Maddie Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING BREAKDOWN
Characters: 4⭐️
Setting: 4⭐️
Plot: 5⭐️
Themes: 3⭐️
Emotional Impact: 4⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 4⭐️
Total Rounded Average: 4⭐️

What a great time! I especially loved the setup-to-payoff structure of this book and the seven parts. Characters are always distinct and memorable with Joe Abercrombie's writing, and the dark humor in the narrative has such flair. I love how intimate and savage and base Joe gets with his writing. It has fantastic grit. The plot and pacing of this one are straightforward but elegant. It's well-done and moves bits and pieces in the periphery that come full circle in the finale in a really satisfying way.

Overall, this is smashing and so easy to recommend. It's not what Abercrombie goes for in his writing, but I do prefer a bit more emotional connection and thematic substance in my favorite books. However, this absolutely accomplishes what it sets out to do, it's just not that kind of book.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Filter the retro feel and the Tarantino dialogue from "Kill Bill Volume 1." Take what's left and mix in one random barbarian from Abercrombie's earlier trilogy, then pour into a pan with a good dollop of the late Middle Ages. Fry for 880 pages, dropping in one new badguy every 110. By the end of the process, it should look something like "The Unforgiven". . . It won't taste nearly as good, though.

I'm surprised about all the glowing reviews this book has gotten considering how little new ground this one breaks. Abercrombie, as always, goes against some of our genre stereotypes, but. . . well, so what?

Here's the plot: Monza Murcatto is a heartless badass who leads a group of mercenaries called the Thousand Swords, and her brother is her advisor and right hand man. She's recently worked for a man who wants to conquer a bunch of countries, and when she meets him in his castle, he has both of them stabbed and thrown over the balcony, where they fall far, far down, and land in a forest.

Monza survives, and begins her quest to kill all seven of the guys who were in the room when she was betrayed and her brother killed. Think "The Crow." Think "Payback." Think "The Machine Girl" and ninety-seven-thousand other movies.

So, Abercrombie's first mistake was making it seven badguys. Four, or maybe five, were necessary to make his story work, because character and plot development happens during that many episodes. Did I mention they feel like episodes? They do.

Throughout the book, we increasingly learn that this apparently straight-up revenge story has some darker, murkier undertones, and even what we thought we knew about the larger conflict is vastly skewed because of whose vantage point we're seeing these events from. I like this approach to fantasy, but unless you're new to Abercrombie, it's not much of a surprise.

Why three stars? Well, I enjoyed this book, despite its flaws. This is probably one of those I-love-you-so-I'm-hard-on-you kinda things, because I couldn't believe Abercrombie had the balls to end his First Law Trilogy the way he did. It was fucking awesome. But Abercrombie pulls most of the same tricks here, and we end up with no greater understanding of the genre, or of Abercrombie's take on heroes, than we had at the end of the First Law Trilogy. For many fantasy readers, this is exactly what they're looking for; but the sameness of most fantasy bores the shit out of me.

Abercrombie has a new and unusual take on the fantasy genre, and turns the common tropes of fantasy on their head in certain ways. Unless he finds new ways to do this, though, he's going to create his own standard fantasy formula that can be repeated by nine thousand hack authors who will make it just another kind of stereotypical fantasy: 'Medieval Noir."

I'm in a grumpy mood and can apparently not focus on the positive, so let me try again: this book is funny, action packed, full of amusing stereotypes that are sometimes almost real characters. Shit, there I go again. . . I give up. I'm going to write an Ann Coulter review.

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, one of my favorite authors does not disappoint, I totally love this guy! So much violence, grit and...fun. I really enjoyed the characters, new worlds and especially liked the glimpses of seconday characters from the other Trilogy popping up in interesting more fleshed out roles.

Definitely a great purchase, boy readers rejoice, there's lots of blood and guts flying around!

[S. ≽^•⩊•^≼ I'm not here yet · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Vengeance brings no man a brighter tomorrow, and when placed on the scales of life, does not outweigh a single … scale.”

Monzcarro Murcatto, The Butcher of Caprile, The Serpent of Talins seeks her brother's revenge against from six and one, the king and his company...

“When you build your life around only one thing, love only one person, dream only one dream, you risk losing everything at a stroke. You built your life around your brother. I built mine around a crown.”

For that matter, she gathers a merry company of six and one,
A Northman beggar called Shivers! Used to be he was his own worst enemy. Now he was everyone else’s.
A poisoner called Morveer and his assistance!
A convict from Safety named Friendly! شبیه زلفعلی کچله
A woman called Vitari handles those things no one with a specific title can do.
And Nicomo Cosca, who always found "the most heroic deaths of all were the pointless ones" and Monza depose him from Captain General of the Thousand Swords and took his place.

Seven is a good number...

And If you think about 27 hours of all about revenge might be a little too much or boring, well... I can only say you are mistaken... HUGE

Never fear your enemies, but your friends, always.

I read The First Law Trilogy about 6 seven years ago and I can't remember if was Shenkt one of the old mate?!!

quite a thing here...

“My son is dead.”
“You have my sorrow.”
“You do not sound sorrowful.”
“He was not my son.”

“What will you do with so much money?”
“I will count it and laugh, while considering how a rich man need not answer the questions of idiots. You will find no employer, anywhere, unsatisfied with my work.” Shenkt moved his eyes slowly to the half-circle of scum at his back. “You can pay less to lesser men, if you please.”
Oh God, How much I desperately want to spit Shenkt's words to the faces of men I deal with...

Strange, that however tough one’s skin becomes in later life, the wounds of youth never close.


QUOTES

To the starving man, bread is beautiful. To the homeless man, a roof is beautiful. To the drunkard, wine is beautiful. Only those who want for nothing else need find beauty in a lump of rock.

“Fury, paranoia and epic self-centredness in the space of a single sentence.”
“All the fine qualities a great military leader requires…”

War is but the pricking point of politics. Blades can kill men, but only words can move them, and good neighbours are the surest shelter in a storm.

the more you give a man, the more he demands, and the less happy he becomes. No one ever appreciates what he gets for nothing.

When men say things used to be better, they invariably mean they were better for them, because they were young, and had all their hopes intact. The world is bound to look a darker place as you slide into the grave.

Darkness and dark company make it easy for even half-decent men to behave like animals

People would far rather believe a lurid lie than a sorry string of accidents. Would far rather believe the world is full of evil than full of bad luck, selfishness and stupidity.

good and evil are a matter of where you stand. We all got our reasons. Whether they’re decent ones all depends on who you ask


Set in Styria

573 Small Kindnesses ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ Hmm I wonder, there is any hope of seeing Javre another place another time?!

579 Best Served Cold ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

580 Wrong Place, Wrong Time ⭐⭐⭐⭐Poor fellows got caught as collateral damage of this merry group...
A problem left behind was just the same as a problem solved. Wasn't it?
I'd rather fight a brave idiot than a clever coward. Far, far rather.
Battles aren't so bad. Long as you're on the winning side.

587 Three's a Crowd

592 Tough Times All Over

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll be honest at the start, I felt this one was going to be straight forward. I felt I could predict everything that was gonna happen. I was wrong.

I doubt I have the words to explain how good the second half of this book was. Not to say the first half was bad, I mean the prologue was simply amazing. The tempo was like a ball rolling, slowly at first, then gathering momentum the farther it goes.

With tension packed moments, bloody and gritty action and exceptional world building. How many times did I cheer for joy? How many times did i give an involuntary chuckle? How many times did I think 'hey, that was badass'? How many times did I marvel at the word play?...and How many times did I hold my breath, scared to turn the pages, scared a character I love might not make it?

With Joe Abercrombie I always expect good characters, this was no different. There wasn't a character's POV I hated. I find I cant even pick a favorite: Cosca, Morveer and Friendly all fighting for that spot. I loved Shivers and Monza as well. And many other well written minor characters.

Also, I almost forgot how good at writing battles Joe is. (I mean he did write The Battle of Adua, The Battle of the High Places even the Siege of Dagoska). The battles here were amazing, I felt right there in the midst of it.

How do I feel about this book?
I feel this is a masterwork.
I feel they don't call him 'Lord Grimdark' for nothing.
I feel, so far, this is Joe Abercrombie at his best.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Abercrombie is my new nemesis. His books are too damn good.