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mqabbadbest's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I gave up on this book. I am so happy that an hour later I decided to continue it. This book may feel like nothing is happening for the majority of it, but my goodness were those last quarter incredible. Other than the meandering plot of the book, I would like to say that I have a gripe about Abercrombie's books. The big battle scenes are the worst parts of each book. The Circle duels are great, but I have started to loathe the time a battle scene is coming. They feel repetitive and are truly uninteresting. It was at the battle in the North that I wanted to give up on this book, that's how boring I found it. Give me two random characters talking to each other instead of the battles and I'd be happier.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest and Sexual content
da3m0nic's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Gore, Incest, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Racism, Torture, and Vomit
Minor: Body shaming and Fatphobia
dmongo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, and War
surdiablo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
An excellent start to a new trilogy, with riveting characters, an eventful plot, and a well-maintained pace. Abercrombie seems to be improving with each installment, and I was impressed to see how everything continued to feel fresh and exciting. However, I wasn't exactly blown away by certain story moments this time, since it's still setting up things and some of them simply didn't grab me much. I felt like he rather overused the POV switch this time as well, which didn't seem to possess the same charm anymore. But at the end of the day, it was a page-turner I really enjoyed, with a strong ending that makes you wanna jump into the next book immediately. For me, the highlights undoubtedly lie in the characters and their interactions with each other, even if I don't love them like the OG cast yet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Torture
ripxreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
josiah17's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Abercrombie is purely phenomenal with character work. Every character here is interesting and engaging. They're shown at their most appalling lows and when they're trending upward. And I loved how more focus was placed on the cunning and wits of these characters.
I'll never stop talking about how good Abercrombie is with dialogue too. It's part of his fantastic character work where he creates distinct voices for each character and keeps the reader thoroughly entertained. And I love how commonly he uses interjections. It offers perfect comedic relief.
It was also nice to see some familiar faces from the first trilogy. And the legacy of iconic characters and the transformation of the world continues to be perfectly interweaved into every consecutive installment in the First Law World. I still get excited at every mention of The Bloody-Nine.
And while I think I like The Blade Itself more than this book, I did appreciate how there was more plot here with the beginning of this trilogy than with the First Law trilogy. I feel like I have more to look forward to than I did going into Before They Are Hanged.
And pleasantly, I was not annoyed by all the romance.
I just can't wait to read book 2.
I'll never stop talking about how good Abercrombie is with dialogue too. It's part of his fantastic character work where he creates distinct voices for each character and keeps the reader thoroughly entertained. And I love how commonly he uses interjections. It offers perfect comedic relief.
It was also nice to see some familiar faces from the first trilogy. And the legacy of iconic characters and the transformation of the world continues to be perfectly interweaved into every consecutive installment in the First Law World. I still get excited at every mention of The Bloody-Nine.
And while I think I like The Blade Itself more than this book, I did appreciate how there was more plot here with the beginning of this trilogy than with the First Law trilogy. I feel like I have more to look forward to than I did going into Before They Are Hanged.
And pleasantly, I was not annoyed by all the romance.
I just can't wait to read book 2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Gore, Incest, Sexual content, and Blood
reggiethebird's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Infidelity, Violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual content, and Torture
Minor: Cannibalism
maday's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book starts off the Age of Madness Trilogy in the First Law Universe. The characters we follow all are connected to those from the original trilogy. Reading this after the previous 7 books really makes the connections that the characters have that much deeper.
The book does start off fast, but I felt the ending was a little rushed for where it left our characters.
Overall would recommend to First Law fans.
The book does start off fast, but I felt the ending was a little rushed for where it left our characters.
Overall would recommend to First Law fans.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore and War
Minor: Sexual content
schmalan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Classism
clemencepct's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence