If you’re like me, you have a bookshelf with titles you’ve read, some you’ve partially read, and the rest are on the eternal to-do list of dusty tomes that have never been opened. Metaphorical cob webs have built up over time. At least it looks nice and neat!
Reading amid 21st century distractions can be challenging, but as a writer, to NOT read is to cut off my oxygen to my creative and analytical brain. Its critical to feed it with different kinds of prose, and forms of storytelling. Its for this reason that I prefer audiobooks and podcasts! Its a comfortable medium.
During times of great contemplation, you find yourself seeking stories to entertain yourself with. This Summer 2020 was no exception, as most will agree that live during the COVID-19 pandemic makes most entertainment options impossible. … So, I decided that it was finally time for me to reup my Audible subscription, and dive headfirst into a book I promised myself I was going to read; one that was pitched to me near the top of the list of great fantasy novels in the past couple decades; The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie.
Life in the Circle of the World
The Blade Itself, the first book in “The First Law” trilogy, is an AMAZING read of fantasy fiction!
I’m kicking myself so hard right now for putting it off.
(Why do I do this? … Why, did I wait this long!?)
Joe Abercrombie beautifully sets the tone for a world wrapped in war, political corruption, and intrigue, filled with captivating characters, well-crafted lore, and an environment thats equal parts wonderful and gritty. Some use the term “grimdark” to describe the genre, but there are distinct themes of epic fantasy underneath all of the turbulence that offset. It is both grim, dark, and neither.
The book explores multiple story-lines, each following the arc of wildly different characters. From the beginning, you’re thrown into a struggle involving Logan Nine-fingers, otherwise known as the “Bloody Nine”, a famous fighter with a history of war and violence. Compelled to leave his bloody days behind, he finds himself on a journey that puts him face-to-face with the reality of his past. (Say one thing about Logan Ninefingers; say that he’s troubled)
Complex Characters. No Heroes or Villains
That gritty reality shows that the line between hero and villain is razor thin. In truth, its hard to call the characters of this book either. Each are brutally honest projections of humanity, all of their hopes and sins wrapped together in an environment that continues to bring out the worst in them.
Which brings me to my favorite character: Inquisitor Glokta. A member of “his majesties” Inquisition, he’s crippled war veteran working as a sinister agent, torturing enemies of the crown for information. Despite his malice and villainous appearance, readers are treated to a his inner most thoughts, humorously sneering at his betters, judging the danger of his new, mysterious investigation, and woefully reflecting on his days before the inquisition, when he was a better man. So much torment that oozes sympathy. His story is like a deep puzzle you can’t stop trying to solve.
The Plot Thickens!
The themes of the book are dark, but they’re told in ways that are more jaw-dropping, less gut wrenching, and with a pinch of humor. … For instance, beside Glokta are his practicals, Severard and Frost, both orderlies who assist the inquisitor like henchmen to their villain, but have quite the personality themselves. By all means serious people, but I couldn’t help but laugh at a scene or two involving them. They fit their roles perfectly.
That’s the thing I love most; every single character is distinctive in their voice, in ways that are colorful, emotional, humorous, and terrible. Their voices are prominent, in their dialogue, their thought process, and how they deal with conflict.
Meanwhile, there are events lurking underneath the surface which threaten the characters, The Union, and the circle of the world. Conspiracies and assassinations. Deep magical truths. The drums of war beating to the north and south. A magi hoping to put into motion the pieces of a puzzle long forgotten. To save the world? … well … it’s hard to say. Perhaps not.
All things expected in good fantasy, but Joe Abercrombie succeeds this and much more!
Immersive Voice Acting
As for the audio-book, it’s narrated by the wonderful Steven Pacey! His use of tone for each of the characters brings them to life in a way that makes it clear who’s mind you are in before the book manages to tell you. His mastery adds color and animation to an otherwise dark and uncertain setting. Granted, some of the accents of faraway peoples in the book are a little odd, but he holds his own as thespian with an array of voices.
My advice to you, friend! Don’t make the mistake I did. Pick this one up, and start reading/listening immediately!
- “The Blade Itself” Audiobook – Audible
- “The Blade Itself” Audiobook – Google Play
- “The Blade Itself” Audiobook – Libre.fm
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