Before They Are Hanged: Book Two (The First Law)

"Before They Are Hanged" is the second volume in the First Law Series by promising young British writer Joe Abercrombie. The first novel, the wonderful "The Blade Itself" was a fantastic introduction to a series featuring brutal, hard-boiled characters, excessive profane language and copious amounts of violence. It was dark fantasy at its best--nasty and brutish. Well I am here to say that "Before They Are Hanged" is an even bigger, meaner and better story as things get kicked up here to another gear.Inquistor Glokta and the barbarian, Logen "The Bloody Nine" Ninefingers are anti-heroes for the ages. Abercrombie turns all of his characters, who are filled with violence, maliciousness and machinations, into guilty pleasures. You know you should feel shocked and offended at some of the things the characters say or do, but it is just too damn hard not to enjoy it. While it may be good to be the King, it is also good to be bad. As the novel begins, the Union finds itself at war on its Northern front against Bethod and his massive horde of battle-tested barbarians. Impending war with the Gurkish also threatens the southern city of Dagoska. Inquistor Glokta has been dispatched to Dagoska to solve the mysterious disappearance of the previous Inquisitor of Dagoska. He finds he must overcome the corrupt and incompetent leadership of the city in order to achieve his objective, and defend the city from the impendingGurkish attack. Deadly backroom political intrigue ensues as forces within and without battle for their own agendas, causing Glokta to use his wits in order to keep control. Meanwhile operating under his own agenda, the wizard, Bayaz, has gathered a party of his own, the mindless and arrogant Union officer, Jezal dan Luthar, the mysterious hate-filled Ferro Maljinn, and Logen. They have set out to recover an apocalyptic artifact from the past which Bayaz covets, the Seed. This device supposedly contains a destructive force so powerful and otherworldly that it will be able to save the Union from the invasions of both theGurkish and the North. But will Bayaz' group be able to recover the Seed and harness its power in time to save the Union? Like "The Blade Itself", Abercrombie's writing here is hard-edged and relentless. Like a nail-chewing, steroid-popping beast of a fantasy novel, the story's pace flies at breakneck speeds, flexing its considerable muscles during well-conceived battle sequences. The action pounds, the dialogue cracks, and the humor oozes through, combining into one of the most enjoyable reading experiences of the year. I find that I cannot wait for the conclusion. Last Word: Better than the first novel, "Before They Are Hanged" is a fast-paced, gritty bit of brutality and fantasy that grabs you and doesn't let go. Dark, well-conceived and enjoyable, this is one not to be missed.

THE BLADE ITSELF was excellent (readers should start there, with the first book, not here), and though it was basically the set-up of the plot, it established the characters wonderfully. Here, the plot moves into high-gear as the Union Armies move to Angland, where Major West attempts to keep the spoiled and useless Crown Price from leading his troops to disaster. West meets up with the hardened Northmen warriors, the renegade Named Men: Threetrees, Dogman, Black Dow and Grim, who have been battling the inhuman Shanka as well as King Bethod's well-trained, magically aided army. Instead of facing the cold and death and incompetence in the North, pampered nobleman, Captain Jezal, finds himself instead on the far side of the world with the First of the Magi, Bayaz, the legendary Northman, Logen Ninefingers and Ferro, the tireless former-slave who only desires revenge. They are on a quest in the Old Empire, replete with grand ruins of an ancient civilization, to recover a magical artifact that may change the balance of power among the Magi and the warring Empires and many hazards stand in their way. And in the South, Superior Glockta of the Inquisition is charged with holding a city, an outpost of the Union, against an overwhelming force, the vast armies of the Gurkish Empire who are besieging it. He must also find out who is responsible for the disappearance of his predecessor and who may be plotting treason against the Union. And in a city that is virtually doomed to fall to the enemy, almost anyone could turn traitor. If you liked the first book, you should like this as much or better. The characterization continues to deepen and grow in a satisfying way that makes the book worthy all on its own. The action is fast and furious with battles in the North and in the South and smaller but no less dire actions in the Old Empire. The blood and gore and torture and treachery continue as much as ever--or even more so as whole armies are slaughtered and the fates of Empires are at stake. As before, this is only a part of a continuing tale so not much is tied up at the end, although some story arcs are completed. Still, it remains an amazing read.

As good as, if not even better that the first book! ('The Blade Itself') Basically, this novel continues with the intriguing story line that we were introduced to in the first book and alternately follows the travels of four different main groups (those groups being 'lead' by Glokta, Colonel West, Logen and Dogman). There were some great battles, magic, unexpected events, and even a sprinkling of humor throughout this exceptional fantasy/adventure. This is a book where the action is non-stop; there is minimal 'down' time in this work. The most significant difference in this book (compared to the last) is that the writing by Abercrombie has improved; it seems more detailed and intense...richer. Another positive is the ongoing character development of all of the main protagonists, thus making a lot of the people in this fantasy very easy to identify with; and to either like or dislike, depending on your point of view. As with the first book, the only niggling negative would be the lack of a map. There is a tremendous amount of geography covered in this novel; a map would have been helpful to locate and approximate groups and events. Conclusion: First rate fantasy story telling! If you love fantasy, you'll find this book impossible to put down. (this 2nd book even has a couple of George R.R. Martin-like surprises). 5 Stars...more if I could. Addendum May, 09/08 *possible character spoiler* Having just finished this trilogy, I'll add this as a final thought... For all their accomplished skill, I don't think either GRRM (Ice and Fire series) or Erikson (Malazan Book of the Fallen series) have ever created an individual character like Sand dan Glokta. Glokta, with his villain-esque persona, is the unforgettable, physically grotesque 'cripple' in this tale; a character whose profession requires him to be the consummate liar (except, excruciatingly, to himself), who has instinctive, self-preserving insight into most 'situations' and provides us, the readers, with regular doses of witty cynicism. There were moments in these novels (involving Glokta) that were so sad and tender that they near moved me to tears (particularly this last book) and others that made me laugh out loud; of all the wonderful characters in this trilogy, it was Sand dan Glokta and his tale that I enjoyed the most. R.Nicholson

I'm an avid reader - in fiction, specializing in science fiction and fantasy. However, while I tend to try to find the more cerebral, cutting-edge or challenging SF, I've often treated fantasy as a guilty pleasure. Not so with Before They Are Hanged or its predecessor, The Blade Itself. There is no escapism here, no dialog that would be found only at the Elizabethan court. This is rough-and-tumble fantasy, only earning the label because there are swords and sorcery. And this sequel is not fluff or a fond return. Abercrombie, if anything, has fit 1000 pages of story into one-half of that, as the architect of an amazing tale that builds on the solid foundation of the first novel. The story is tight, exceedingly well-written, and has one of the most realistic and believable (if dark) worlds I've ever seen created. The same goes for the characters. There are no knights-in-shining armor. If you prefer flawless heroes and damsels in distress, this book is not for you. However, if you want a well-written story full of insights into human nature, the world at large, and the art of storytelling, I can think of few other books that deliver like this one has. These books have the capacity to redefine and revolutionize the fantasy genre. Abercrombie, while young, is an amazing and innovative writer that I look forward to reading more of in the future.