Should You Read The First Law? (Yes)
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- Опубліковано 2 лип 2024
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The First Law amzn.to/2CS6mLO
Liane's Library • THE FIRST LAW | why it...
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It's better to read it than live with the fear of it.
Say one thing for Merphy, say she really liked the First Law Triology.
That's what my father use to say.
You have to be realistic about these things.
All the while echoing to yourself “I’m still alive”.
You can never have too many copies of The First Law.
There’s a lot of humor in these books. It can be grim humor, gallows humor, but it’s still quite funny. Some people think grimdark means humorless but that’s not true at all.
Body found floating by the docks....
One of the few fantasy series I've read where I've consistently laughed out loud throughout.
I was just about to comment on this as well. I complained to a friend that all the fantasy-book I picked up were boring and bland. I said "Give me something gritty where the world is cruel and people are complete shits. Oh, and I want to laugh... A lot." And to this he said "The Blade Itself".
There is a scene in the second book, when Logen says something like "If I'm the whore, who is the northman then?"
I don't think I've ever laughed so hard while I was reading.
I specifically remember one moment when Glokta goes up to a receptionist who was being a little shit who knew exactly who he was and was like Who ARE you,, DO YoU HAVE AN Appointment WITH Us and Glokta was like "I didn't realize you had so many crippled inquisitors, you dumb mother fucker" and I laughed so fucking hard I almost peed
Glotka remains still to this day one of the best characters ever written in fantasy.
truth
... I coudn't do anything else after...
I might be in the minority but Logen has to be my favourite. Bayaz as a (spoiler) as opposed to a wannabe Gandalf too!
Glokta and Logen are both all time great fantasy characters
I like to think of logan and the bloody 9 as 2 separate characters.
Also bramadan Gorst is bloody hilarious an absolute brute of a man built like an ox with a high piping little girl voice
It is absolutly great:
- Depth and realistic characters.
- A plausible Story
- good twists.
- not just a quest, far more and deerper plot.
- no plotholes
- no good versus evil.
- small amount of magic.
Just absolutly great.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaas! Glokta set the bar for character development for me. I want to find the "next" Glokta in all books I read now.
Steven pacey's glokta is sooo good.....would highly recommend the audiobooks
so many griMACES
"Body found floating by the docks..."
- Sand Dan Dockta
Pacey is God among narrators.
Absolutely agree, would even argue that Steven Pacey delivered on all the characters... but Glokta was spot on.
@@sblinder1978 he did change how he pronounced it in the books in the second trilogy
Merphy, I always quote this:
Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie, say he's a genius!
Gotta love how this vid dropped as soon as my down time started. Perfect way to spend my work break lol.
Btw, Merphy, I'm going to watch the whole video but I'm going to buy book one anyway. Your recommendations have not failed me yet!
I hope you all have a great day.
Edit: nvm, buying the trilogy now.
I hope you love it as much as I did!
These books are great, but the audio for these books are even better. The audio of these 3 books stay on my phone, even when the phone tells me I'm running out of space. The audio performance may be the best I've ever heard.
Absolutely agree, Steven Pacey does a phenomenal job with the audio books, he voices each character perfectly!
Haha, same. The audiobooks never leave my phone They're my security blanket, haha
Best Served Cold is my favorite book of all time. Can't wait for you to read it. It's just so freaking good.
The most entertaining series I’ve read, it’s never slow throughout the last two books. So much fun.
Thanks for this review! I have a new trilogy for my TBR. I was hesitant about reading this since I have read some pretty bad reviews on goodreads but your reviews have never yet failed me! Have a great day ❤️
Thanks for making this. I was thinking about this yesterday!
I just finished The Blade Itself yesterday and absolutely loved it; was so gripped by the characters, in spite of the lack of a clear plot, that I breezed through the book in about 5 days; which is pretty fast considering i’m supposed to be working on my Thesis right now 😅😭
Can’t wait to read the rest of the books but kind of glad all the bookshops are shut or I would never get any work done
Haha... Supposed to work on my thesis too xD
This sounds right up my alley. Thank you for the recommendation. :)
I love who quick after hearing about the books in your vlogs we get the reviews! This series are definitely higher and higher on my list since you and Eliot and Daniel praise them so much, plus I liked J.R.R. Martin, so I am very optimistic about my future reading grimdark :)
Loved this series, love the standalones even more! Curious to hear your ranking of the next three. Haven't read A Little Hatred yet, but looking forward to it. Thus far, my favorite in the series is the Heroes.
I'm so excited to try this series!!
great video
I always loved how this author tackled foreshadowing. Leaving little hints for later things. One of my favorite opening paragraphs is from 'Best Served Cold'. Set the rest of the book up so well.
“The sunrise was the color of bad blood. It leaked out of the east and stained the dark sky red, marked the scraps of the cloud with stolen gold. Underneath it the road twisted up the mountainside towards the fortress of Fontezarmo - a cluster of sharp towers, ash-black against the wounded heavens. The sunrise was red, black and gold.
The colors of their profession."
Thanks for doing this video! First law is my favorite series. I also want to remind you not to forget about the collections of short stories (sharp ends). You can read that book after you are done with the standalones if you crave more of Joe Abercrombie, and also, Joe Abercrombies shattered sea trilogy is really good.
Absolutely loved the this trilogy. The stand-alones are next on my TBR. I also got a signed copy of his first book “a little hatred” and got very excited. Definitely one of my favorite authors now. 👍🏻🤘🏻
I finally got around to reading the Lies of Lock Lamora, and just, thank you so so much.
The series that got me back to reading the genre, love it all. Characters were so incredibly real and just the way people talked was so good. Joe is a master
@Merphy, thanks for reminding me how good these books are, I've already re-read half of the first one! Really enjoying getting to know the characters again, and enjoying the humour.
Another book to add to the list. At this rate my tbr list is going to be longer than my read list. Thanks for all the great recommendations you and your community always propose. Thanks 🙂
Merphy !!! Reading The Blade Itself right now !!! Liking it a lot.
*heck-darnit* Merphy! Just as I suspected... *another* series I need to read ASAP...
This trilogy is on my April TBR, and I'm reading The Blade Itself right now! It was a bit of a slow start for me, but now I'm fully invested and am excited for what's to come.
I JUST bought it OMG can’t wait
Finally!!! I've waited so long for a booktuber I actively watch to review The first law. So excited. This is my favorite series of all time. ♡
I actually just added this to my wishlist! The "morally grey" aspect really intrigues me and, imo, makes the characters more relatable! Excited to finally pick this up. :)
I just started reading The Eye of the World (wish me luck), but after that one I think I'm going to pick this series up. You convinced me.
I read the Gentleman Bastards series because of your recommendation and really enjoyed them, so I'll definitely try these out. Love your videos.
Im glad you recommend these! Now i know they'll be worth it. Ive read the first 2 books of A Song of Ice and Fire but since its not a completed series (and the author seems to not be going to complete it), i didnt want to get too invested in them.
Hi merphy
I like your videos so much 😊
Good luck for your upcoming vids
You were my first booktuber
And it was you that I came to know about a community
Of people who talk books
Thankyou very much
Glokta is so brilliantly written
His inner monologues are masterpieces in fantasy if not the whole literature
Also let's praise the narration of steven pacey❤ he did well narrating the novel and bringing the characters to life
I'm actually currently reading the first book of the series and it did take me a long time to get into it because I kept wondering where the plot was. Now that I'm almost done with the first book I find myself thinking about the characters even when I'm not reading. I think it's one of those books that takes a long time establishing everything but it's definitely worth the wait.
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on Best Served Cold. I find it hard to pick a favourite but that’s definitely near the top of my list!
This is on my TBR as well :)
Amazing, that you liked it. This is very high on my TBR, since Mike, Daniel, and now you liked it so much. And as an ASOIAF fan I think this will be right up my alley :) BTW, your new outro song has grown so much on me that I always llok forqard to it now, and I distinctly remember being disappointed when you changed the old one. How things change :D
I just picked up the first book in the series and can't wait to start reading it. I have been really liking darker fantasy and think this is just calling to me!
I'm reading through the Harry Potter books again at the moment, but I may well move onto this series when I'm done! Nice video, Merphy :D
All right you convinced me. Found the trilogy bundle offered for $26 on Amazon
My other half doesn't really read at all. I told him all about Logan and Glotka and Major West and he decided to read the books for himself. He's half way through Best Served Cold now! These books are incredible!
I pretty much binged the trilogy, it is just so good. I am normally a plot person when it comes to books but these characters were so well done that I never had an issue with slower plot. Hope more people will pick these books up!
I will be starting the second book in the first law series after I finish reading the first A Song Of Ice And Fire book. I'm looking forward to it.
Well I was hesitant about this series but now I might give it a try after all. I don't hate grim dark fantasy, I actually quite enjoy it so maybe I should give it a try :)
Elke Jager you should definitely check them out. Soooo good!!
I didn't enjoy any grimdark I read before this, always came off as super edgelord writing. This series though, it's just so well written and so funny at parts, it quickly turned into one of, if not my favorite fantasy series. Characters are so rich and so well written like nothing I have read before.
@@camtuck Oh, I'm right there with you. Calling it grimdark might be the single biggest hurdle this series must overcome to become as popular as I think it deserves.
When people talk about Game of Thrones, no one calls it grimdark, they just call them good books. I believe anyone who enjoys reading GoT would at least enjoy First Law, I just hope it get's to a place where it is considered a series of good books first and genre books distant last.
i'm reading the blade itself (along with the audiobook, which is excellent) right now and surprised at how much i'm enjoying it!! will definitely be picking up the rest of the trilogy
Aight these books just climbed up my want to read list
Read "The Heroes" next. Best stand alone from this world setting. So good!
Mine's best served cold.
The stand-alones should be read in order.
I am thinking getting the 1st book for my birthday. I am glad you enjoyed that series after you finished the Wheel of Time. I think you should check out the The Vampire Chronicles after you read Interview with the Vampire. It's a good epic fantasy series and it focuses on moral of grey with vampires. ☺
I love all Abercrombie''s books in this world. The stand alone books are excellent. Then he comes out with A Little Hatred which may be his best book so far. Can't wait for the next one.
I read all three of the original trilogy in a two-month span last summer. I loved everything about them. The thing that makes Abercrombie's style of grimdark as opposed to other authors or series, is his use of humor. Without Abercrombie's slick, wry, acerbic sense of humor, these characters and this world wouldn't be half as good. His character work is masterful. Let us know when you're going to continue on with the standalones; I haven't started them yet but I plan to in the next few months or so.
I love the first law series! All of the books are great. I've read them twice and I'll probably read them again. I love the inner voice narratives of Sand dan Glokta. Joe Abercrombie is an awesome author who knows how to tell interesting stories with amazing characters.
It always makes me happy to see readers not typically the target audience fall in love with this series. For newbies, I like to describe TFL as if Tarantino made a fantasy series. And while it is “grimdark”, I wouldn’t even say it’s as dark as ASOIAF and in at least half the cases it goes less dark than I expected. The “dark” elements aren’t there for simple shock value (like it seems to be with other books stretching to hit that genre tag).
I’m excited for you to check out the standalones and of course the new trilogy.
I literally just picked them up just now! They had better be good merphy😂😂😂
Just randomly picked up this series and started reading it a week ago; get out of my head!
Let's say I were an author and let's say I had a ton of money (enough to tempt you to do it) I'd have you do one of these videos for my books! This is some CONVINCING book praise! Nice video
Did book one! Was pretty good, waiting for more audible credits to get the next.
I am currently reading The Blade Itself. So this video was a happy coincidence :)
I bought the box set a couple weeks ago. Gonna start The Blade Itself in the next couple days.
I read this years ago, before I was aware that grimdark was a thing, and went into it knowing little about it. Was half-expecting a Conan variation, but I was majorly impressed. I don't remember much except some character names and a scene or two, but I know I loved it. Sounds like it's time for a reread!
I maintain that Robert E. Howard is the grandfather of grimdark so your expectations weren't unreasonable. As for Conan have you read Howard's stories or are you just familiar with him from the movies?
@@christopherbacon1077 I've actually only read Robert Jordan's Conan stories, never read the originals nor seen the movies.
@@dahakhamoontouched4133 You should definitely read Howard. Accept no substitutes
I've read The Blade Itself, and I have book 2 to go on with now...found the first one a little slow, but I did enjoy it while reading.
These are all good reasons to pick up a series. What I’m curious about is how this compares to the author’s YA trilogy, The Shattered Sea (Half A King, Half the World, Half A War). Everything you said about The First Law also describes The Shattered Sea, which for me started really good then went downhill (the last book was a disaster). I guess I could ask you this: which book in The First Law was your favourite and which was your least favourite?
Regardless, I always love your reviews! They do a good job of helping me decide if I want to read a book.
I've read a book recently, called Nottingham, which is a take on the Robin Hood lore, and although I wouldn't call it "grim dark", it falls perfectly into the description you gave in the beginning of the video, where you describe how you weren't sure who was 'good' or 'bad' and having bad people doing good, and vice versa.
I’m a huge fan of The First Law Trilogy, but I’ll say that the three standalones that follow are perhaps even better! Brilliant character work throughout!
I LOVED best served cold and the heroes. What'd you think of red country? I'm debating reading it based on mixed reviews
I have recently started reading the first book, and I love it :)
I remember buying The Blade Itself years ago and being so excited. I ended up buying it again in ebook format. I really love Glotka's character but I have such hard time getting through the book since it's pretty slow. I do wanna go back and finish it one day though---I got a bit over 50% through it and I'd like to finish it as well as read the standalones and A Little Hatred.
I just bought the audio book, it's on sale for $5.00 right now, so I'm going to give it a try. Thanks
I'm going to be starting Best Served Cold soon, and I'm excited to be getting back into the world again. it's been over a year since I read Last Argument of Kings - I'm hoping Abercrombie's writing is as good as I remember. I fell in love with the trilogy.
Best served cold and the heroes are incredible
I am just reading the first book and loving it.
The stand-alones are pretty amazing, though I'm not sure you can say they exceed the The First Law trilogy, as far as execution of the whole. But I must say, think Monza Murcatto (Best Served Cold) is one of the best epic fantasy characters ever written. Period.For me, the amazing thing about Abercrombie is that he keeps reaching and growing as a storyteller. The new trilogy (only book one out so far) has a crop of characters with whom I can't wait to catch up. And he's twisted the world just enough that it's all new, and yet utterly familiar. Nice review/summary, Merphy. I really enjoyed your take. And the fan art.
I felt the author put so much effort on character development that he just lost out on laying out a plot for the series.
I didn't even get invested in the plot, but still loved the series because of the characters.
Many people say that, but I believe that the plot was awesome. And the subversion of classic themes like the old mentor or the journey of the hero was masterful.
Abercrombie’s Character writing and wIt are so strong that even during the slower beginning of The Blade Itself, I found myself growing invested in Jezal, Logen, and the rest. This is an incredible trilogy, and I highly recommend the one shot follow ups Best Served Cold, The Heroes, and The short story collection Sharp Ends. His newest trilogy in this world also started last fall! The character writing and twists only get better!
I honestly couldn't get into it because the beginning is excruciatingly slow. Worth pushing through though?
@@MorganWalser The first book is slow. In my second read, when I finished it, I was surprised bayhow little of the plot was revealed in the first book. The reading of the first book is driven almost exclusively on great characters, and their fantastic interaction, and it opens a lot of questions that (if you pay a minimal attention) will be answered in the next two books. Then the plot unravels to (in my opinion) a truly worthy ending, masterfully crafted.
I am not going to be blind to it's defects, being his first books and all, and I know the pacing can be a bit slow in the three books (some scenes maybe could have ben shortened), mostly in the first, but if you enjoyed the characters it's worth the push. Besides, I believe Abercrombie as an author deserves the time invested, because each book is better than the previous one. A Little Hatred is one of the finest pieces of literature I ever read.
I don’t actually find it slow at all in fact I find a lot of the second book actually slower because you don’t get as much variety from the POVs of jezal, logen and ferrow it’s all the same quest and you do see their different thoughts it’s just a lot of complaining about each other. In the first book the only slow part is jezal because all he’s doing is drinking and training and debating whether or not to bang his friends sister. The northmen story is entertaining. It doesn’t matter where glokta is he’s always fun and logen has quite a fun little story with his time in the south
Castor Morveer... wow, that's how you write a character, damn
@@caluminnes579 Half theater plays have become "interactive" cause in the mobile phone age the average attention span is measured in seconds... that's the main reason many people find slow what it isn't at all
Joe Abercrombie is my favorite. "The Heros" is fantastic.
Never heard of grim dark before but sounds like it is in then vein of dystopian, so definitely will give it a read.
Okay so my TBR has another series...
Also I am almost done with Lies of Locke lamora and... ohhhhhh it's GREAT
I am in the scene where Locke is acting as(spoilers)Grey King and was just put in the coffin drowned in that...thing and then we have the flash back of that Tesso boy and the ending of the scene where Locke is being beaten up so badly and he's just grinning and saying wait till Jean comes and...it just...the friendship( and that's just one scene) and then we have the Dona midnighters scene and ITS GREAT
It has like Slytherine, Huffelpuff, Ravenclaw And Gryffindor all in one book
I'll have to take a look at these sometime. Think malazon is the next on my list.
Have you read anything by Elizabeth Moon? She has a couple standalones, such as 'The Speed of Dark' which you would probably enjoy. She also has a couple (short) series, two sci-fi and a fantasy, of which I would highly recommend both sci-fi series and I think that everyone should read her Deed of Paksenarrion fantasy omnibus.
Joe Abercrombie is definitely my favourite fantasy author (Brandon Sanderson being a decently close second). The one aspect I admire in his writing is the POV/character voice, with different "styles" and, well, catchphrases (e.g. "You have to be realistic about these things"). For all his brilliance, though, not one of my handful of fantasy-reading friends has even heard of the guy before I took up converting said friends to the Church of Abercrombie
Just startet the trilogy. Not gotten to know the characters yet, but so far I love it. My first ever audiobook, so its a bit new/different.
I think you should also give the Shattered Seas trilogy a go as well by him. They are grimdark but with a teen edge to them - still very good and the setting is brilliant. I saw the twist early but it is still full of fascinating detail and lots of brilliant characters.
I have about 50 pages left in the blade itself. It's really good. Gonna start before they are hanged as soon as I'm done.
By looking at you and hearing your reviews increase my heartbeat. 😭 why are you so beautiful!
I am going to be starting this series soon i bought the books just need to finish my current reads.
Just finished the trilogy a few days ago. Every POV was so interesting to read in its own ways.
The first book I Read from Abercrombie is "A little Hatred". Definately worth a read!!
That's a sequel to this trilogy...
Sounds like an interesting series I need to keep in mind. Grimdark fiction does kinda grab me, though I do like the advice from Monty Python sometimes too. "Always look on the bright side of life....".
Monty Python is arguably grimdark. It’s cynical, violent, and arguably nihilistic. The fact that it’s funny does not disqualify it at all.
Make sure to read A Little Hatred! It's Book 1 of a new trilogy in the First Law world. Book 2 is coming out in September I believe.
Awesome book. I liked the reflection of real world conflict with one side driven by religious fanaticism and the other funded by rampant capitalism. Added to the grim realness of the story for me!
After Letters to the Lost, I find myself trusting your book recommendations, but dangit, my TBR pile is long enough!!!
Well, need to read these then
Loved the first two of these books, the third one was still amazing but a lot of the final third of the book made me need a peaceful comforting read afterwards :'( Abercrombie writes dark humor into his books so well - I describe the series to people as "dark" but hardly "grim"
Just discovered your channel and love what your doing. Could you please do Malazan book of the fallen series?
The savage humor is the key that makes all the grim palatable
Read the first book and loved it. Better read books 2 and 3. All the book stores are closed so lets order on-line. Ordered from Chapters/Indigo. Expected delivery: July. Great. Thanks.
This has been on my list for a long time. I read half a king trilogy and loved it. “Unfortunately” I own so many other books through sales that it’ll be a while before I get to it.
I finished this series the other day and now I miss "The Bloody Nine" what an excellent character, on the flip side I just started 'Best served cold' and its brilliant! :)
I am reading Best Served Cold rn and it is fantastic
I am a big big fan of yours and really love your book rewies. I would suggest you reading the immortals of meluha if you get hold of rhe book
well these just got moved to the top of my reading list :)