boards_books_and_brews's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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? It's complicated
4.0
Half A King (Shattered Sea #1)
Written by Joe Abercrombie
Read by
Book 146/200
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Audio
Pages: 416
Published: 2014
Rating: 8/10
"If life has taught me one thing, it's that there are no villains. Only people, doing their best."
I love Lord Grimdark's writing. The First Law and Age of Madness are masterpieces, and The Shattered Sea has the potential to another great series. Abercrombie continues to be a master at character development. I am definitely continuing this series.
Written by Joe Abercrombie
Read by
Book 146/200
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Audio
Pages: 416
Published: 2014
Rating: 8/10
"If life has taught me one thing, it's that there are no villains. Only people, doing their best."
I love Lord Grimdark's writing. The First Law and Age of Madness are masterpieces, and The Shattered Sea has the potential to another great series. Abercrombie continues to be a master at character development. I am definitely continuing this series.
sydneyash's review against another edition
adventurous
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
3.75
megabyte117's review against another edition
3.0
(2.5/3) A thoroughly average, if not at times, below average, YA-flavored intro. Unlike Abercrombie's other books, the characters felt lifeless and their arcs nonexistent. The book's pacing is quick, but to its detriment as it never feels like we get to spend time with the characters before the next significant plot event happens. Will stop here, as I left the book very cold and uninterested in any of the characters/world.
kepheus's review against another edition
5.0
The overall plot was predictable (tough not to be in a story this short), but a thoroughly enjoyable read otherwise.
andrewjstillman's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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
3.75
elle_loves_reading's review against another edition
4.0
This was my first Abercrombie and it proved to be a very enjoyable read. Plenty of drama, action and wit. It was well written with short chapters, which I'm a big fan of, and it also had some wonderful characters.
I'm looking forward to the second installment, and more Abercrombie books in the future
I'm looking forward to the second installment, and more Abercrombie books in the future
kurucow's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 / 2.75? While I wouldn't say I very much enjoyed this book there were some great lines and plans in here and it really felt like a great tool to learn from. I'm not entirely sure what killed it for me. it might have been that I really dislike Yarvi or it might be the audiobook narration. But the parts that were supposed to hit, hit. And that's one of the most important things for me. ... Though, I do feel like the plot twist at the end, while enthralling, was a little unearned. The set up on Yarvi’s end was done in a way that made sense, but the other characters involved didn't really feel set up well enough.
moirwyn's review against another edition
5.0
This review originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/2015/05/27/half-a-king-by-joe-abercrombie/
Half a King by Joe Abercrombie is the story of a reluctant heir who must overcome adversity to reclaim his throne. Yarvi, a young prince with a withered hand, never wanted to be a king. He’s not cut out for a life of blood and steel. Instead, Yarvi is a peaceful soul who is much more suited for life in the Ministry (quasi-religious advisers who embrace the role of wise men/women), and he’s spent his life training to accept such a role. But then, as he nears the completion of his training, his father and brother are murdered, and he finds himself thrust into power and completely unprepared for it. Almost immediately, he falls victim to another plot, and barely escapes with his life, sold into slavery in a foreign land. Thus begins Yarvi’s coming of age, as he discovers his own inner strength and takes responsibility for his kingdom.
It was the coming-of-age theme of the story that really did it for me. Yarvi started out as sensitive, insecure, intelligent, but extremely naive. As he suffers hardship, he learns to identify and accept his own strengths and use them to his advantage. Sure, he’s not going to be an excellent swordsman, but he can become an excellent strategist. And even then, he’s still fallible. He’s not some superhuman hero, he’s just a normal guy thrust into some really crappy situations who has to make do with what he’s got. Because he handles it well, Yarvi inspires loyalty among his friends, long before they know the truth about who he is or what he aims to accomplish.
I loved the way that Half a King ended. The twist was both unexpected and oddly satisfying. And that’s all I’ll say about that, because spoilers ruin the fun.
If you like gritty fantasy where magic takes a backseat to revenge, betrayal, and intrigue, then Half a King is for you. 10/10, would read again.
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/2015/05/27/half-a-king-by-joe-abercrombie/
Half a King by Joe Abercrombie is the story of a reluctant heir who must overcome adversity to reclaim his throne. Yarvi, a young prince with a withered hand, never wanted to be a king. He’s not cut out for a life of blood and steel. Instead, Yarvi is a peaceful soul who is much more suited for life in the Ministry (quasi-religious advisers who embrace the role of wise men/women), and he’s spent his life training to accept such a role. But then, as he nears the completion of his training, his father and brother are murdered, and he finds himself thrust into power and completely unprepared for it. Almost immediately, he falls victim to another plot, and barely escapes with his life, sold into slavery in a foreign land. Thus begins Yarvi’s coming of age, as he discovers his own inner strength and takes responsibility for his kingdom.
It was the coming-of-age theme of the story that really did it for me. Yarvi started out as sensitive, insecure, intelligent, but extremely naive. As he suffers hardship, he learns to identify and accept his own strengths and use them to his advantage. Sure, he’s not going to be an excellent swordsman, but he can become an excellent strategist. And even then, he’s still fallible. He’s not some superhuman hero, he’s just a normal guy thrust into some really crappy situations who has to make do with what he’s got. Because he handles it well, Yarvi inspires loyalty among his friends, long before they know the truth about who he is or what he aims to accomplish.
I loved the way that Half a King ended. The twist was both unexpected and oddly satisfying. And that’s all I’ll say about that, because spoilers ruin the fun.
If you like gritty fantasy where magic takes a backseat to revenge, betrayal, and intrigue, then Half a King is for you. 10/10, would read again.
semipersona's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5