Saturday, 16 February 2019 11:05 pm
Book Review: The Blade Itself
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deckardcanineIt had been long enough since my last tome. This one, the first in Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy, runs about 500 pages plus substantial extras. It's also pretty violent, as made plain by the cover. By the time I read a positive blurb from George R.R. Martin and a Guardian description as "delightfully twisted and evil," I wasn't sure I'd dare reach the end. Still, I've enjoyed enough dark novels to give it a go.
The setting, as typical for the genre, appears to be based on medieval Europe, primarily in a land referred to only as "the Union." Made-up geography aside (kinda wish we got a map), it takes a while for any blatant fantasy elements to turn up. The Union recently had a war with the spreading Gurkhul empire to the south; that threat is but temporarily subdued. More pressing is the rise of a tyrant among the Northmen, Bethod, with an explicit desire to take over the known world. The Union is extra weak right now, not only in remaining manpower but in leadership: The king is too senile to rule, and the official who has almost completely assumed his authority is a raging alcoholic. Perhaps salvation lies with a small band of unlikely heroes.
Most of those (anti)heroes alternate in the limelight. They don't share a whole lot of scenes, and it takes a long time to see how their stories come together, largely by the workings of one man. In that sense, it's a little like the first volume of Otherland, which I loved, but that series didn't take as long for me to get a good sense of synopsis. Anyway, here are the focal characters:
-Logen Ninefingers is a Northman who used to serve as Bethod's right-hand warrior, carving out a fearsome reputation as "the Bloody-Nine," until he had enough of it. Now he's separated from his renegade band and presumes them all killed by humanoids called the Shanka. In his wild natural habitat, Logen can hardly think beyond immediate survival, but he still prefers that lifestyle to the "comfort" of the overwhelming Union city to which his adventure leads.
-Captain Jezal dan Luthar is an up-and-comer in the Union military, rich, popular, decadent, and insufferably arrogant. He wouldn't give a peasant the time of day (if watches were a thing in this setting) -- until he meets Ardee West, a woman who's all sorts of things he feels he shouldn't want but does. It is partly for her that he pursues a grueling practice routine before an annual fencing tournament. You can bet she won't be the last person to give him a fresh outlook on the world.
-Sand dan Glokta used to be a lot like Jezal, until his term as a POW left him a chronically painful limp, too few teeth for chewing or smiling pleasantly, and no friends. (Union medicine hasn't developed much, and forget about Section 508 compliance.) Now he's an inquisitor, which means he oversees the official abduction and torture of anyone suspected of crimes against the Union, sometimes personally mutilating them. Despite his apparent value, he's never confident that his suspicious boss won't make him disappear soon. That may not be his biggest fear when he comes across signs of far-reaching treacheries in circles where he doesn't normally get to exercise his powers. Can he hobble his way through the detective work fast enough?
-Major Collem West, while low-born, has advanced handily in his career, so Jezal regards him as a fair-weather friend. He introduces sister Ardee to Jezal, just so she won't be lonely during her visit, but soon has misgivings about it. Compounding his stress is the pressure to prepare a woefully unprepared army, with bureaucrats not taking the imminent war as seriously as their pettier politics.
-Ferro, from a southern nation most Union citizens never heard of, might be even more feral than Logen, if not more badass. Once a slave to the Gurkhish, she now lives only to kill as many of them as possible. Slow to trust any helper, she nevertheless accepts the suggestion from a strange, capable elder that a less lonesome, more nuanced approach may be in order. Of the central characters who meet each other in this volume, she is the last to come anywhere near the rest.
-Dogman, nicknamed for his tracking sense, is a member of Logen's band, which is not dead and mistakenly thinks Logen dead. An archer, he's about par for fighting prowess, intelligence, and heart. I'm not sure why we get his POV; maybe the others work better as slight mysteries, or maybe he'll be the lone survivor. At any rate, they're hardly concerned with the Union, as both the Shanka and Bethod are making their homeland a living hell.
The most prominent character whose perspective remains undepicted is an old man who claims to be Bayaz, a legendary magus who vanished about a millennium ago. People start entertaining the idea after he performs some magic in front of them and reveals a lot of special knowledge. As yet, it's unclear to me why he's been incognito or why he recently stopped, but he wants to return to a Union post. He also assembles Logen, Jezal, and Ferro, among others, for a secret mission. Good luck with that, dude: They hardly trust each other. Or you, for that matter, especially when you cheat or lose patience.
Yeah, they're not the most ethical bunch. At the same time, they do a good job of winning my sympathy. Some of them doubt they'll ever be happy again, if they ever really were.
Oddly enough, I think my favorite is Logen. He may have big holes in his education, but he's not stupid; he maintains a realistic outlook. He admits to past villainy and cowardice, showing more humility than Jezal ever did. He doesn't seem to hate anyone, except maybe those who deserve it, like Bethod.
I have more mixed feelings about Glokta. He's certainly interesting to read, not least on the many occasions that he thinks one thing and says another, but I don't always relate to him. He keeps asking himself why he chooses to be an inquisitor and never devises an answer; I can only guess that he finds it cathartic on a level he refuses to acknowledge. And he hates Jezal a little too much, probably for representing his past self.
Jezal may have the most disagreeable views, but I tend to root for him anyway. His feelings for Ardee just seem so genuine that I hope they can work it out. And he is relatively innocent, if only by virtue of inexperience.
The book's greatest strength is its immersive detail. I felt like I was seeing things up close, hearing them loudly, feeling every twinge, and smelling every putrescence. Of course, that is a double-edged sword, if you will. In addition to occasional violence, Abercrombie doesn't shy away from vulgarity. That might be a reason that some blurbs mention laughs, tho irony may play a bigger part. Me, I always found hints at humor overshadowed by the darkness.
I put TBI (unfortunate abbreviation) almost on par with The Way of Shadows. It doesn't make me quite as eager for a sequel, but I wouldn't mind seeing where things go from here.
For something different and much shorter, I have begun the latest edition of Steering the Craft by Ursula K. Le Guin. I'm not entirely sure I'm part of her target audience, but every bit of pro writing advice suits me fine.
The setting, as typical for the genre, appears to be based on medieval Europe, primarily in a land referred to only as "the Union." Made-up geography aside (kinda wish we got a map), it takes a while for any blatant fantasy elements to turn up. The Union recently had a war with the spreading Gurkhul empire to the south; that threat is but temporarily subdued. More pressing is the rise of a tyrant among the Northmen, Bethod, with an explicit desire to take over the known world. The Union is extra weak right now, not only in remaining manpower but in leadership: The king is too senile to rule, and the official who has almost completely assumed his authority is a raging alcoholic. Perhaps salvation lies with a small band of unlikely heroes.
Most of those (anti)heroes alternate in the limelight. They don't share a whole lot of scenes, and it takes a long time to see how their stories come together, largely by the workings of one man. In that sense, it's a little like the first volume of Otherland, which I loved, but that series didn't take as long for me to get a good sense of synopsis. Anyway, here are the focal characters:
-Logen Ninefingers is a Northman who used to serve as Bethod's right-hand warrior, carving out a fearsome reputation as "the Bloody-Nine," until he had enough of it. Now he's separated from his renegade band and presumes them all killed by humanoids called the Shanka. In his wild natural habitat, Logen can hardly think beyond immediate survival, but he still prefers that lifestyle to the "comfort" of the overwhelming Union city to which his adventure leads.
-Captain Jezal dan Luthar is an up-and-comer in the Union military, rich, popular, decadent, and insufferably arrogant. He wouldn't give a peasant the time of day (if watches were a thing in this setting) -- until he meets Ardee West, a woman who's all sorts of things he feels he shouldn't want but does. It is partly for her that he pursues a grueling practice routine before an annual fencing tournament. You can bet she won't be the last person to give him a fresh outlook on the world.
-Sand dan Glokta used to be a lot like Jezal, until his term as a POW left him a chronically painful limp, too few teeth for chewing or smiling pleasantly, and no friends. (Union medicine hasn't developed much, and forget about Section 508 compliance.) Now he's an inquisitor, which means he oversees the official abduction and torture of anyone suspected of crimes against the Union, sometimes personally mutilating them. Despite his apparent value, he's never confident that his suspicious boss won't make him disappear soon. That may not be his biggest fear when he comes across signs of far-reaching treacheries in circles where he doesn't normally get to exercise his powers. Can he hobble his way through the detective work fast enough?
-Major Collem West, while low-born, has advanced handily in his career, so Jezal regards him as a fair-weather friend. He introduces sister Ardee to Jezal, just so she won't be lonely during her visit, but soon has misgivings about it. Compounding his stress is the pressure to prepare a woefully unprepared army, with bureaucrats not taking the imminent war as seriously as their pettier politics.
-Ferro, from a southern nation most Union citizens never heard of, might be even more feral than Logen, if not more badass. Once a slave to the Gurkhish, she now lives only to kill as many of them as possible. Slow to trust any helper, she nevertheless accepts the suggestion from a strange, capable elder that a less lonesome, more nuanced approach may be in order. Of the central characters who meet each other in this volume, she is the last to come anywhere near the rest.
-Dogman, nicknamed for his tracking sense, is a member of Logen's band, which is not dead and mistakenly thinks Logen dead. An archer, he's about par for fighting prowess, intelligence, and heart. I'm not sure why we get his POV; maybe the others work better as slight mysteries, or maybe he'll be the lone survivor. At any rate, they're hardly concerned with the Union, as both the Shanka and Bethod are making their homeland a living hell.
The most prominent character whose perspective remains undepicted is an old man who claims to be Bayaz, a legendary magus who vanished about a millennium ago. People start entertaining the idea after he performs some magic in front of them and reveals a lot of special knowledge. As yet, it's unclear to me why he's been incognito or why he recently stopped, but he wants to return to a Union post. He also assembles Logen, Jezal, and Ferro, among others, for a secret mission. Good luck with that, dude: They hardly trust each other. Or you, for that matter, especially when you cheat or lose patience.
Yeah, they're not the most ethical bunch. At the same time, they do a good job of winning my sympathy. Some of them doubt they'll ever be happy again, if they ever really were.
Oddly enough, I think my favorite is Logen. He may have big holes in his education, but he's not stupid; he maintains a realistic outlook. He admits to past villainy and cowardice, showing more humility than Jezal ever did. He doesn't seem to hate anyone, except maybe those who deserve it, like Bethod.
I have more mixed feelings about Glokta. He's certainly interesting to read, not least on the many occasions that he thinks one thing and says another, but I don't always relate to him. He keeps asking himself why he chooses to be an inquisitor and never devises an answer; I can only guess that he finds it cathartic on a level he refuses to acknowledge. And he hates Jezal a little too much, probably for representing his past self.
Jezal may have the most disagreeable views, but I tend to root for him anyway. His feelings for Ardee just seem so genuine that I hope they can work it out. And he is relatively innocent, if only by virtue of inexperience.
The book's greatest strength is its immersive detail. I felt like I was seeing things up close, hearing them loudly, feeling every twinge, and smelling every putrescence. Of course, that is a double-edged sword, if you will. In addition to occasional violence, Abercrombie doesn't shy away from vulgarity. That might be a reason that some blurbs mention laughs, tho irony may play a bigger part. Me, I always found hints at humor overshadowed by the darkness.
I put TBI (unfortunate abbreviation) almost on par with The Way of Shadows. It doesn't make me quite as eager for a sequel, but I wouldn't mind seeing where things go from here.
For something different and much shorter, I have begun the latest edition of Steering the Craft by Ursula K. Le Guin. I'm not entirely sure I'm part of her target audience, but every bit of pro writing advice suits me fine.