The First Law: SPOILER TALK - Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie 

"You mistrust me?!?! over a little paralysis?!?!" Morveer man, so unintentionally hilarious the whole book

Just finished the book. Cosca has become one of my favorite characters in this world.

Also, when it comes to shivers... I feel in a way we see him become what Logen already was in the beginning of the trilogy. He tried to become a better man but life wants to keep him a killer lol even the losing of an eye I saw as a parallel to Logen's missing finger.

Abercrombie‘s best work. The consequences of revenge, more than revenge itself.

100% agree about the fight with General Ganmark. Such phenomenal and powerful writing. The dialogue between him and Monza through out the fight is so good, and when Cosca joins in and redeems himself, ugh! so gooood! lol I like how you called it sort of a "mid-season finale". :)

Just finished the book and went looking for a review. Wild to find a reference to Mike’s book reviews having less than 500 subscribers. RU-vid says you have 100K now. Congrats on the success! I always enjoy your videos and reviews. I listened to every one for Dresden files as I made my way through the series and just finished last week.

For me, the book peaked at the fight with Ganmark, the way he described that duel, the banter, the tension, Cosca's sacrifice and then a shocking reverse at the end with him being killed by the statue! “You keep your guard too low, I am afraid. You are full of passion, but passion without discipline is no more than a child’s tantrum.” Mwah! the lines were so fun.

Just finished the audio book on this one, it was superb 🤘🏼

Abercrombrie's take on Kill Bill.

I am so happy to see you reviewed the stand alones as well. The next hour and a half of my evening will be watching all your reviews for 1st law as i realized just how much i had forgotten upon watching your last argument review. Hopefully you also did the stormlight archive books as i also need to read oathbringer eventually. These reviews are a huge help and i am going to enjoy a little hatred so much more because of these reviews to refresh my memory. Awesome work sir

A great book the ending was brilliant. Loved the bit where Monza gives shivers 5 boxes was very funny.

Shenkt being King Casimir is a pretty popular theory. Also, i read somewhere that Shenkt has been confirmed to be making an appearance of some kind in A Little Hatred. Hopefully will get to explore his relationship with Bayaz. Hope you can get that 500 sub goal soon. Always enjoy these reviews.

This is my favorite book in the series. The names Monte Cristo and Monza Murcatto sounds eerily similar, I believe it's on purpose by Joe

You're a gift to the community, Mike. Keep kicking ass. Can't wait for the interview with George RR Martin!

Just finished it on my new kindle paperwhite. Ttying to find spoiler discussions, thanks for this haha.

I just finished best served cold! Wow the cast in this 'rag tag' group of killers monza assembles was fantastic. Abercrombie continues to fully engage my interests with characters otherwise you shouldn't back utter madness. Great thoughts as always.

I honestly can decide which character i enjoyed more, and thats all you really need to know about this book, it is soooooo good. I loved Monza, Loved Morveer and Day [ also listened to the audio and Day is even more hilarious] Cosca i already liked from the the original series. I actually didnt think i was going to like this because your essentially told whats going to happen just from the title and the fact that your give the list in the 1st part of the book. But in the end, that really didnt take away from the Enjoyment of a classic Abercrombie Story

Haven’t read these yet but can’t wait to start

Great review. I've read the book twice and I watched this review just to reaffirm my love for it and remind myself of everything that happened. There are so many great characters, both "heroes" and villains. Friendly, Morvir and Shivers were better than you would think they would be. And yes, there was a Bremer Dan Gorst cameo, this sets up The Heroes as well.

Nicomo Cosca I thought you were dead? A story made up by one of my many enemies... wishful thinking on their part! Thanks for recommending this series. I love it, opened up a whole new world to me.

Late comment, and new sub by the way! About halfway through Best Served Cold right now, and I’ve noticed in each book at least one chapter has it where the final word of a scene serves as the first word of the next scene. I love when Joe puts this in his books, it’s hilarious. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed that as well. It’s kind of like what the show “Archer” does.

wow, what a difference a year makes. Love Joe (thanks a lot to you) and had fun with this book. Different than First Law, less epic, a smaller story, more focused. Again the character work stands out, though in that regard I didn't think it quite lived up to FL. Shivers definitely felt like a poor man's Logen at the start, but he's enough of his own creature by the end. Morveer was a character alright, and i liked his skillset. Monza was so conflicted i feel like i never got to know her, does she know herself? Felt more sympathy than anything for Friendly, maybe working in mental health. Cosca was the standout. I liked him fine in FL but wasn't excited or anything to see him in this, but it was a great choice, worked all the way through. The sobriety "revelation" was way too obvious, and there was some stuff in the FL that was a little heavy handed too, i bet Joe gets better and better at that as we go along. I ultimately would have liked a little more explanation, especially about Shenkt, but i guess there's a lot more material out there. Love this author, will keep reading. Love the videos, will keep watching. I don't normally listen to audiobooks, especially books i haven't read, but the first two books of First Law are on youtube and if I'm doing dishes or something... anyways people are right, the narration is excellent. It's more like a one man radio play than an audio book cheers Mike

I'll def have to give this one a go! Great review.

I'm a third of the way through the book. Didn't watch your spoiler-laden review yet obviously and not reading any of these comments. Just wanted to say that the first third is damn good. As dark as this world is, I am glad to be back!

One of my favorite books. Highest rating from me.

I think you would actually enjoy Friendly more in the audiobook. Steven Pacey does that character amazing.

Shivers is very similar to Logen in a sense that he claims to be trying to be a "better man" yet continues to make bad decisions that completely go against that goal, choosing instead to go where the current pushes him. I feel like his arc sees him turn more into a Black Dow type who knows what he is and doesn't try to hide or justify it, unlike Logen, who does which makes him arguebly worse. Who's worse? A bad man who knows he's bad or a bad man who thinks themselves to be a hero?

If you haven't read The Heroes and Red Country yet (the two books after BSC) buckle up. You're in for an AMAZING ride. The 3 standalone novels are sort of a second trilogy, although only very loosely connected via a couple of characters that appear in them, and gradual changes to the world that occur due to the events of each book. But they are each simply fantastic. Each one serves as a sort of genre blend, with Best Served Cold being a revenge story/heist in The First Law world. The Heroes - many people say this is Abercrombie's best book to date. Red Country - my personal favorite of his, although it's hard to compare the stand alone books to each other because their themes are so different. I would categorize them as a band of brothers/war novel for The Heroes (taking place over a 3 day battle, and a western with swords for Red Country. They're by far two of the best books I ever red, with Red Country being my ultimate no.1 due to the story and characters (it's a matter of taste, and it varies, because The Heroes has so many great characters too, but it's more location focused). Anyway, I envy you if you've yet to read them, because they're absolutely great, and unlike other fantasy books I've ever read. P.S. I can't recommend the Stephen Pacy narrated audiobooks highly enough. It's like watching a movie.

I thought I'd be OK with spoilers, because I'm only midway though the book, but with the elevation about Day, I think maybe I'll come back after I finish. Really enjoying this book!

Cardotti’s is my favourite scene in any media.

Just finished this book. Read the original trilogy a few months ago, loved it. I think this is Abrocrombie's best writing yet.

I really enjoyed this book it's on my list of best books of this year and it's also my favorite joe Abercrombie book so far I will be reading heroes in June totally can't wait and I really love the character monza 💝💖💞☺️😊👓

You mentioning the “episodic” format really nailed my only complaint with this book. I really loved this format up through Ario (the scene at Cardotti’s was absolutely amazing) but grew tired of it once it got to Ganmark and Faithful. However, the rest of the book felt different enough after those two.

I love this book, but man Shivers story went depressing. SPOILERS he goes from balling tears at accidentally murdering a woman, to sadistically beating Foscar to death. He even betrays Monza who was his one 'friend' left in the world like jeez and he fails at it too lol. I can't deny it was well written, I just feel bad about it. It's fascinating to me how both Cosca and he tried to become better men but Cosca is the one to succeed. It's curious how Monza let him go free after it all, I think she decided enough blood had been spilt at that point.

Cosca in the mine getting ready to light the dynamite. Epic

Regarding Shivers: if you think he's gone bad at the end of this book, just wait till you read The Heroes...

Old style video and review format compared to your current model. Fun however to see an early review by Mike. I just finished this one after about a 2 year break from the first trilogy. I liked it a lot and realized how much I've missed this world

Mike I am reading Stephen King's Langoliers and Best Served Cold concurrently. It is so hard to put down Best Served Cold and pick up the Langoliers (which is a fine book). Best Served Cold is so much better. That book is the whip just as good in my opinion as the trilogy. Darn it is so good. BTW Langoliers is a good book but BSC is the best it is the whip

This one is divisive, but it's my personal favorite of the First Law standalone books. They're all fantastic, though. I just found this one the most unique.

I was really scared at the start that Id be stuck with Diet 9-fingers northman, Diet Glockta torturer cripple character, and Diet Practical Frost with Friendly. It wasn't that though, and the book really picked up for me with the hilariously bumbling and morbid comical poisoner Morvir and Dey. Would reccomend. Great trip.

I'm just getting into the series...I have read the First Law trilogy (the first 3 books) and just finished Best Ssrved Cold. Totally hooked on Joe's First Law universe. I'm going to start Heroes now then Red Country, followed by the Age of Madness trilogy. I might skip the short stories just because I'm so far behind...if someone can let me know if thats ok to do? That I won't miss any major events happening in the first law world that will affect the Age of Madness trilogy?

I love it how meaningless in Joe made the vengeance - the main plot - taste. Out of the seven targets, pretty much just Ario's death gave me any satisfaction. Weirdly even Morveer's death had more feeling. How many tropes can this author blow up before he's finished? I bet there's more to come as I started The Heroes now.

"I gave my life for you" "YOU DIDN'T F*CKING DIE"

Am I the only one who thought Day was secretly an eater? Thought he made it obvious on purpose with her always eating

They say that General Ganmark was one of the best swordsman in the world. How'd you think he'd do against someone like Bremer De Gorst? I personally don't see him beating Bremer myself.

imagine. Caul Shivers taking Monz`S eye and they rule Talins together at the end

Wait...woahh, i completely missed something, Shanked and Bayaz knew each other? i read this a while ago, but i cant remember that part...was it kind of like a read between the lines thing?

Monza lived in the end of Best Served Cold because her son (and who's the real father again...?) is a POV character in the upcoming new trilogy (first book drops this year). I literally can't wait for it.

I felt sorry for Day. :(

At first I was so pissed with shivers near the end but then after thinking about it it’s such a perfect ending for him. And monza. The last scene is great. Monza was a rageful bitch who’d had no remorse for anyone just so she could get her way, and shivers a broken man trying to be better. By the end Monza is trying to do better and shivers is probably about double as bad as he was prior to meeting her. And he doesn’t care. He knows. He just gave up. I love shivers so much in best served cold.

15:45 - 'I need to thank you. You see, Morveer, a man can change, given the proper encouragement, and your scorn was the very spur I needed.(...) Do you know the best thing about this?(...) Now, I can start drinking again!' He took a swig and burped, blasting Friendly with an overpowering reek of strong spirits. (...) 'Are you drunk?` `Ludicrously, my friend, quite ludicrously so. This is a good stuff, the old grape spirit.' Cosca took another swig and smacked his lips. 'Change, Friendly, change is a funny thing. Sometimes men change for the better, sometimes men change for the worse. And often, very often, given time and opportunity...' - he waved his flask around for a moment, then shrugged - 'they change BACK!' I think there could be a quite thick book only with Glokta and Cosca's quotes. :D

Might have solved the algorithm issue lol

I still prefer the original trilogy but this was still a good book. I really liked the introduction to morveer scene and the paralysis 😂 also pretty much anything with Cosca was good. I think the reason I didn't enjoy this one as much is b/c I actually dislike Monza. I don't really empathize with her, I empathized with Shiver's the whole time and ended up hating Monza by the end and hoping she would die 😅

Never tried a first Law Book

Morveer 😭

I should have kknown better than to pick up another Joe Abercrombie book. It is so sickening to watch the same stupid ideas tromped out again and again, the same characters over an over with no good reason, mingled with torture porn and without even the best of his characters to do it. Joe is a talented 'Writer' but a shit author. The dialogue, the character interactions are very well written, the composition is easy to follow and his descriptions are excellent; both sufficient and colorful. That said, his ability to craft a good story is lax and full of tongue in cheek lunacy one might mistake this for a comedy except it then turns into torture porn or predictable mayhem and have to stop and ask myself why I bothered. In all of the First Law trilogy, there was exactly one character I liked and everyone else was crap. They had some good moments but if there is crap in the cake, it is a crappy cake. The worst part was that the world building creates some major problems and when trying to frame it into a logical setup, even from the perspective of the knowledge we have at the end of the trilogy, it makes the entire trilogy a total waste of time but for the one story worth reading. One example from this book, major sporler here if you are squeamish about them. .. They are int a city that is about to be seiged and they arrive at the home of one of the main characters. Their purpose is to wait in the city until the opportunity to kill the general of the attacking army arises. When they get to the home, there are 11 locals squatting in the house, farmers hiding behind city walls to save their lives. She lets them stay, rather than killing them. They plan to sneak into the dukes palace as the city falls, under the guise of soldiers of the attacking force in order to kill the general. So, they are capturing the uniforms of the attacking army soldiers as they can, saving them up for the end. The farmer sells them out as spies for five silvers and the guards who come to collect them just buy it all as offered. They take the word of 'loyal citizens' who broke into a fine home to squat in it as gospel but they don't actually look at anything else in the house with any real care. They find the uniforms they were collecting but fail to notice that they all have the makrs of deadly wounds or such. The main character actually owned this home but they don't know that. She is wearing a ring with a ruby on it the side of an olive pit but other than taking it for themselves, they don't actually listen to anything they say... they only take the word of the huddled, penniless, peasants over the clearly wealthy person in the house. Why? because Joe Abercrombie wanted to toss in some torture porn and all guards are flat one dimensional idiots if they stand between the author and some grim scenery. At the dungeon they ask questions, get the truth right away, ignore it and start torturing. Why because (See above) They ignore that the woman is covered with strange scars that make no sense for a normal person, becasue she sruvived the ridiculous fall off a mountain top castle in the beginning of the story and fortunately fell right into the hands of a masterful physician with a love for bones... Theymade it this far in the story by running into several other characters from books 1-3 because the author is too lazy to write new ones. If you are reading this AND you are still reading 'Best Served Cold' then I guess you deserve it.

who else skips the annoying intro quotas from the book itself , me me meme !

"this book is just as good as any of the ones in the trilogy " NO ITS NOT!!! HOW???? THIS BOOK IS SO DAMN BORING AND PREDICTABLE. HOW IS THIS BOOK AS GOOD AS THOSE??? I DONT UNDERSTAND. You have the brutal prologue after which literally everything magically aligns so that she gets to have her cake and eat it too. She gets to have her revenge exactly like she planned and wanted to AND she ends up the ruler of Styria as well! What even is this book??? Literally everything magically aligns so that she somehow beats all the odds and kill everyone she wanted. Every single character , ally, enemy, plot point are forcefully pushed so that the events align into her getting everything she wanted and she does exactly what she said she will do in the very beginning of the book. The whole book happens exactly as expected at the very beginning. She kills the first guy, then the second, then the third, then the fourth, then the fifth, then the sixth( which shivers conveniently does it for her so that she doesn't need to deal with additional struggle which was SO BAD WRITING IMO. ) then the 7th one with yet again convenient ass pull help from everyone. And on top of that the characters except Morveer are so bad as well! Not necessarily bad, more like boring and uninteresting! Nothing like the first 3 books.

The most overrated book I've ever seen in my life. How is this the same author as the first law trilogy??

Vitari is married Schenkt. He may be King Casamir that would not allow Bayaz to dominate him. And too bad Nicomo dies in Red Country. 😢