Then there is the heart-wrenchingly torn Inquisitor Sand dan Glokta, who was once a charming officer before he was captured and subject to indescribable horrors during his torture by the Gurkish, and now, crippled and broken, has become a professional torturer himself for the Union. You will meet Logan Ninefingers, nick-named The Bloody Nine because of his missing finger, a Northman with a violent past who wants to mend his brutal ways Captain Jezal dan Luthar, representing the aristocracy, a self-obsessed and self-absorbed spoiled brat, basically, who has more interest in playing cards than in training soldiers to fight a war. The depth and nuances of his cast have been praised extensively by readers, especially given the moral ambiguity that underlies all character actions and motivations in grimdark fantasy novels. Treason, blackmail, torture… all make an appearance in the desperate struggle to conquer or be conquered – with all the brutal consequences a defeat would entail.Ībercrombie’s writing stands out due to his exceptional characterization. When characters wield a sword, it’s because they plan to use it. The First Law is a fantasy trilogy of the grimdark subgenre, so expect many gory and violent scenes war is everywhere, and in Abercrombie’s world brutality is the way to survive. In Gurkhul, the Magi have clout and a powerful influence over the ruler. To the south, the Gurkish Empire, a massive extension of land where the separation of state and church is weak, and the people’s religious fervor borders on fanatic. To the north is the area simply known as “The North” where the Northmen dwell, barbaric Viking-like tribes that have formed an alliance.

The other territories have plans to attack. However, the sound of war drums is rumbling off in the horizon, though faintly, and around its borders. The Union is the Kingdom where many of the main characters live it is inhabited by a decadent society that is convinced of its civilization’s superiority. All three books take place in the epic fantasy world created by Abercrombie, clearly inspired in feuding Medieval Europe with which it bears many similarities. The First Law is a trilogy containing three of the best books by Joe Abercrombie: The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged, and Last Argument of Kings.

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