Fantasy Book Club discussion

Post here to discuss thoughts after reading all 3 books in the First Law series. Spoilers for the whole series are allowed, so beware if you have not read them all.

Janny wrote: "Jane wrote: "I have also read all three and agree that they get darker, I think that I would have felt let down if it was tied up with happy endings for everyone.

Justin why did you feel betrayed?..."

To continue from the other thread.

Maybe betrayed is a little too harsh. How about selfishly disappointed? These books are amazing, flat out...there is nothing quite like them. I was completely enthralled with the story from page one of book 1. It was such an great tale, with it's ups and downs...it was real, it was dark, it was not like anything I had ever read. When I reached the end of book 3 I was expecting the ending to blow me away like the rest of the story had already. The journey to the end was so unique and amazing...I guess I just expected the ending to make me feel the same.

But isn't that the point of all the books? I see Abercrombie as a writer who writes as the antithesis of the average "fantasy" writer. I mean, they go on this long journey to save the world... and fail. The old wizard who is guiding the journey... isn't a good guy.

So, why should the end be happy? You expect the Union to be lead into the future by a changed and experienced Jezal but that's not the case. Glokta, the "villain" of the book ends up winning. I think it fits. I was surprised and happy with the outcome because of it (not happy as in it made me feel good, but happy because he didn't change his writing style to fit into the norms of happy endings).

Also, I would suggest you read Best Served Cold. Its a good standalone that takes place shortly after the series ends.

Oh I never expected the ending to be happy, noway, not the way things we going. I was sort of expecting something somewhat bittersweet, I didn't get it...and felt disappointed by it. I can't help it. I'm currently about halfway through Best Served Cold, and its proving to be as an amazing piece of work as his previous books. I'm also coming into this one knowing what to expect. I expect every character in the book to come to a horrifically tragic end. Anything different than that will leave me pleasantly surprised.

I quite liked the ending. I think that the book was meant to fall flat at the end. It felt somewhat more real to me that way, like Collin said, he writes the antithesis of your general fantasy. Toward that end, having an ending of apathy feels right.

I agree, Best Served Cold was a good stand alone.

My opinion about the ending

I liked the ending. It wasn't happy, but perhaps he left it open so he can write more about these characters. I can only hope. I'd like to see Glokta return for sure.

Because a book doesn't have a happy ending, does that make it a bad book?

I don't think anyone says it was bad. In fact it was my love for the story that left me disappointed by the the anticlimactic ending. I had massive expectations for the ending of the series due to having all my expectations blown away through the story, and to have end in a trite everyone loses way...well I just felt it could have been better. That's just my opinion though. I understand Aberrcrombie's reasoning for ending it how he did, doesn't mean I have to like it. I still recommend the series to nearly everyone.

It's not about avoiding unhappy endings - it's about endings that abandon the riches of experience and leave an aftertaste of wanton futility. Take me on a journey and leave me perhaps sadder, but the wiser for sharing the sorrow.