[fan_83]

its not too bad.. interesting in a way.. not too bad..

[Werthead]

Scott Lynch recommends it, which is good enough for me to pick it up. I may wait for the mass-market paperback though. It was released a week before The Lies of Locke Lamora from the same publisher and lots of magazines reviewed them together and said they complemented each other very well. Lamora is supposed to be better, but The Blade Itself is still reportedly a good read.

[caliban]

A very enjoyable read Hetan,well worth the effort.

[drinksinbars]

really enjoyed this book, refreshingly swift and too the point.

oh and the bloody nine fucking rocks:)

[Abyss]

It's in my 'to read' pile on the strength of forum and elsewhere recommendations, for what that's worth.

- Abyss, notes the forum has yet to fail him in this regard...

[Obdigore]

I'm hoping to win Pat's contest, so I don't have to purchase it, but yes I am looking at reading this as well.

[drinksinbars]

let me just reiterate again then, THE BLOODY NINE FUCKING ROCKS!!!!

one of the funniest scenes i have read in years.

[Valgard]

have now read the first two books in the series and they are great fun. I agree with drinksinbars bloody nine is awesome. also Glokta is a great character defiantely worth reading.

[Cause]

Im suprised by all the praise your giving this book. I found it painfull to read. Doubt Ill ever pick up the second. Its a shame as the blurb sounded great

[polishgenius]

I like it. It's not brilliant, but it's enjoyable and a light read. Also Abercrombie has an ace dark sense of humour. Think something like Eddings spliced with GRRM, with some Gemmell thrown in...

The Stormcaller might disappoint you though.

[drinksinbars]

well i wasnt really expecting much, and the book was blissfully light on exposition which was fairly refreshing. I found the story therefore moved quickly along and was suitably corny and cheesy to be just the right side of fun. plus the violence was very well handled and suitably bloody.

Spoiler

the scene were the bloody nine appears was also fucking hilarious.

i understand that some people might have found certain elements a bit tough, the repetitive nature of glokta's story line and some inconsistencies as well, but overall it was a debut novel that promised little but delivered, to me at least, quite a lot.

[Morgoth]

I quite enjoyed the two first books and look forwards to the third. I especially likes how he slowly picks apart the gandalf figure and turn the stereotypical characters and plot twists on their head

[Falco]

I've only just read the first, and enjoyed some of the characters and the writing but not so much the tired old plot...

[Werthead]

Read the second book. I imagine that foreknowledge of the second and third novels will make re-reading the first book an eye-opening experience (not quite on the Erikson or Martin level, but not too far off).

[Battalion]

The sequal, Before They Are Hanged, is the best book I've read in years. Great characters and dialogue.
Better than Erikson's latest instalment.

[pat5150]

Though I really enjoyed Before They Are Hanged, it's nowhere near the scope and quality of Erikson's work. . . At least in this house!

Patrick

[Reborn]

I agree with Pat in that Abercrombie is not on the same level as Erikson, but I really thought that Before They are Hanged was a great book. A big improvement over The Blade Itself -- which I also enjoyed immensely -- and I very much look forward to the last instalment. His strenght is not in the plot -- the plot is not bad but neither is it particularly original -- but in the prose and, foremost, in the characters. Highly recommended!

[Battalion]

I agree.
Abercrombie has a little way to go before he reaches the scope of Erikson, but pound for pound, I felt that Before They Are Hanged is a better book than Reapers Gale, even if it was not quite as good as Erikson's earlier books.
It's a great read.