Why You Should Read The First Law Trilogy! 

What do you think of First Law?

Stop it Daniel, I am trying to finish Mistborn era 1, Gentlemen Bastards and The Witcher series. Screw it add to cart.

Say one thing about Joe Abercrombie. Say he knows how to maintain character consistency.

“Am I an evil man?” “You are the best man I know.”

I had my husband read these last year and he actually read them twice. He would make dark inappropriate Glokta quotes at work.

Loved first law. Best Served Cold is like a Tarantino version of Count of Monte Cristo. Looking forward to your review when you get around to it.

Spot on about Glokta. He blew me away when I first read this series. Truly an incredible character.

“You have to realistic about these things.”

First Law is so much fun. Also, the narration of the Audiobooks was done SOOO well. The voice used to convey the story was fun. Glokta is one of my favorite characters in the darker aspects of fantasy. The inner dialogue for Glokta is just so much fun.

I've described Abercrombie as the bastard child of Martin and Pratchett (RIP). He has the grittiness of Martin, but there are scenes that will make you literally laugh out loud from surreal absurdity. Amazing books. The three spin off books are phenomenal too.

I just finished re-reading this, one of my favorite series. I would sit down for dinner with Logan Nine fingers but he would have to leave the Bloody Nine at home.

"Why do I do this"?

“Body found floating around docks........” ; )

Sanderson finished TWOT, Abercrombie might as well finish ASOIAF. SMH

Loved it even more on a second reading in preparation for A Little Hatred (the sequel trilogy) coming out starting this fall.

I just started First Law to read in between Wheel of Time books and I love this story so far.....there's so much dark humor, and gritty reality to the descriptions and all the people. I like dark fantasy because authors like George R.R Martin and Joe Abercrombie don't hide from filth and hunger and disease and pain but they don't overuse it either. It all has a purpose. Characters suffer for a reason not just for the gore factor, or the "gross out" as Stephen King calls it (which I do enjoy as much as the next person but is something I read horror for, not fantasy)

I loved this series! I actually thought the three side novels were where Abercrombie really hit his stride. All three of them are EXCELLENT

I LOVE ASOIAF and this makes me want to read these books now.

The trilogy and the standalones are great. Edit: pls read the heroes

Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie, say that he writes the most interesting characters you could hope for. Also, one of the more ballsy endings to any trilogy i have ever read. I came away with so much respect for his dedication to his characters.

The Heroes is the best book, btw. But you really need a strong familiarity of the world and characters to fully appreciate it.

I think ASOIAF gets a bad reputation for not having good guys unfairly. There are good guys, the thing is they are not as heroic as good guys usually are in most other series.

This trilogy is AMAZING!! A co worker recommended it to me many times. I just never got around to getting the book, didn't feel like buying it, to start reading it at the time. I had way to many books I had to get to, or so I thought at the time. After about a month or so of him asking me "You read it yet?". Me telling him "No, Jon, but I will get it." He got tired of the dance and took things into his own hands. He was so sure about the books that he came to work one day plopped his personal copy on my desk and said "Read it." I glanced down at the book sitting on my desk then I looked at him, a half smile on my face and said "Ok, Jon. Will do!" nodding absently. He walked away with the look of a man that was confident that he had just given someone the keys to a door that lead to something amazing and I did. I started reading that same day and I was hooked after the first book. Before I was done with book one I bought the other two so that way I would be able to just roll on to the next one. I read all three of them back to back to back and all I could say to Jon was wow!!! We talked about things and he always had this look on his face of a man that knew what was coming but wouldn't tell me because I just and to read it for myself but man was it good. I mean the way Joe is able to seed things that you didn't even know were things that he seeded till they blossomed in the end. His ability to weave threads throughout the story and to tie them together in a satisfying way in the end is just brilliant writing. After I was done I then recommended the trilogy to a buddy who then did what I did and kept saying he will until I gave him my bought copy and then he too fell in love with the books and has since surpassed me in reading the extended work beyond the trilogy. Bottom line. If you like GOT or LOTR or anything like that you will love this series!

Nicomo Cosca is one of my favourite characters ever written. Love all of Joe Abercrombie’s work. The First Law and it’s spin off novels and the Gentleman Bastard series are my favourite fantasy novels out there. I am champing at the bit for more!

I found myself getting really attached to Logan 9 fingers but this book trilogy is amazing

Honestly i fear you(and people recommending fantasys because i liked asoiad doesnt get it why i like a song of ice and fire. Yeah martin is great creating characters, and making them live while they are easy to remember and differentiate from one and other. Its great but its the reason why i just cant enjoy other fantasy books like this,even tho i try, but most recommended books doesnt even have multiple view points. Does this book have multiple people we follow and see the world from their eyes? Why is that important? Because george have a realy unique way to introduce the world and important elements in it for the plot. To understand this you need to understand that in asoiaf a lot if things happen wich the characters seeing it doesnt recognise or understand, while we gain the knowledge of it(like the nature of some poisons) with other characters eyes, so we can figure out scemes wich would be impossible to figure out for the characters( like the red wedding wich was literally showed for dany in the second book, or we can get it that jaqen hagaar is in the citadel because his face he changed into at the end of book2 looks exactly like the face the guy who buys the master key). My point is that martin books have a lot of amount layers, the whole thing is connected realy well,you will find an answer for a fate of a side character 3 books after with the eyes of someone who is that, like when we met tyrion first wife we hear storyes about in the feast of crows in bravos as the whore who marryes to everyone before they do their thing. These layers makes paying attention,re-reading and discussing martins books fun. I want this. I just want stuff to be there wich i can think about while the answers are there too.

I just found your channel and I'm so happy to hear someone talk about Joe Abercrombie! Absolutely love his books and I feel like I never hear anyone talk about him when talking about fantasy? I completely agree that Joe is pretty much the only one who can compete with George (and maybe even.... Surpass him...😶) I think your description of his writing is spot on! The characters, the believable plot progression, the tone. Everything. I feel a personal connection to his characters that no other author has managed to create. They stay with me and sometimes I find myself thinking about them even in my everyday life. They. Are. So. Real. I can't explain it, just read it haha

I started reading Eye of the World because of you. So far so good.

I think the reason I personally liked The First Law Trilogy, is because I love fantasy as a genre. The Trilogy isn't just "dark fantasy" - it's a deconstruction of the genre. It lampshades every trope we grew up to love from Tolkien, Hobb, and Jordan.

The First Law is definitely one of my favourite fantasy series. I would love to see HBO or Amazon pick up the series and give it the mainstream attention it deserves. I think it'd translate to TV quite well. Loved the one-off books too, especially 'The Heroes' which is my favourite book of the entire lot. SUPER excited for the new trilogy coming in September titled Age of Madness.

Dude, read the other three books. Best Served Cold is one of the best standalone fantasy novels written in the 2000's, and the other two are JUST as good and maybe even a bit more rewarding. PLUS NEW BOOK THIS FALL!!! AHHH!!!!

In addition to the stunning character development, Abercrombie writes better fight scenes than any author, living or dead. He totally changed the game with combat in literature. That, I feel, will be his lasting legacy.

What I absolutely loved about these books was the way the author used inner dialogue and catch phrases. So hilarious, and really just gave that extra dimension to the character. Possibly my favourite series, though I did find it almost depressing at times and came away feel quite hopeless not going to lie. Still picked up best served cold though, and I can say that whilst no character will likely top glokta, the prose in the later novels is even better than the trilogy, a contrast of poetic beauty at times (yep he's actually surprisingly poetic) and to the point, harsh, vibrant and gritty descriptions. You can really tell Abercrombie has honed his craft, though the plot in the stand alones is quite simple (that doesn't matter to me, he's kinda like the Tarrintino of fanatsy, sort of). I also loved how at times when a certain troupe was being used, it was like you as the reader could tell abercrombie was aware that he was using almost a cliche, and have the character remark on it, no doubt saying something sarcastic and witty, showing us how the author is aware of what device he's using. I've honestly never read something like this, Daniel compares it to ASOIF which I also love, but its really different in my opinion.

The First Law trilogy and the follow up book make for a vastly superior story than Game of Thrones books.

Nobody is talking about the fourth book after the trilogy; Sharp Ends! It’s fantastic. It’s a series of short stories, mainly set before the original trilogy, all about the characters you came to love (and hate). Also with some new ones

I just finished book 1. This video made me decide to finish the series, because I wasn't going to.

i think "first law" is the best sequel to asoiaf EASY very adaptable

Hey I just started reading The Blade Itself a week ago! I freaking love it! I have about 60 pages left and have ordered the other two books in the trilogy. Can’t wait to finish it!

Isn't it gloKta instead of gloTka?

I've only read the first book, so does the series get darker? Because I honestly didn't think the Blade Itself was that dark. Of course, I read a lot of horror so maybe my tolerance for grimdark content is different than most people

Why Netflix has not come with a TV series is preposterous

Just finished First Law Trilogy. Glokta is far more enjoyable than any ASOIAF character, other than that, ASOIAF is, in my humble opinion, superior in any way I can think of : plot, wordbuilding, characters, writting... except being finished obviously. Biggest difference between the two : all First Law characters are bastards when all POV characters in ASOAF are idiots.

Black company, Malazan etc are the elephants in the room if you want to talk about best of grim dark

Dude, read the stand alones asap! The First Law and the stand alones are my favorite fantasy books. Abercrombie is a genius.

My head canon Glokta is Robert Carlisle as Rumpelstiltskin from Once Upon A Time

I am a big ASoIaF fan, and I have read The Blade Itself, but haven't read the rest of the series yet. I like it, but I like ASoIaF better. But I guess, while I enjoy grimdark, that is not why I read ASoIaF. I read that for its rich, character-driven story and extremely nuanced, textured worldbuilding.

I just love this series so much. Especially the standalone novels following the trilogy.

So far I haven't enjoyed the second two books as much as the first, but The Last Argument of Kings is much better than the second.

The last chapter of the 3rd book made me start writing. That last moment fit the trilogy so fucking well. Open endings are the best.

Just like Martin, Abercrombie makes me audible with disgust at the imagery the fight scenes, which is exactly what I want. There is some awesomely brutal bloodiness in this book series.

I thought it was ok, didn't like it as much as I thought I would though. Glokta was interesting as a character and was probably the only reason I kept on reading. The writing I found annoying at times, and you can tell it's his first book because it's a bit clunky (and the action very boring in my opinion). Also, another downside for me was that the story moved very slowly and that the whole first book was a set-up for the next ones, just to get to know the characters a bit and get them where they need to be (without spoiling anything, at the end of the first book it is implied that the adventure is just starting!) I didn't continue the series after reading The Blade Itself, because I had no interest following this story. However, I have to admit that even though I read it several years ago, I remember many details about the plot and the characters, props to Abercrombie for that.

A song of ice and fire and the first law are both fantastic stories, though admittedly I do like Abercrombies writing style light years more than martins. It’s just more engaging and to the point. Not that martins is bad, it can just be a real slog to get through at times, and I tended to disconnect because I’m now on the third page in a row describing a leaf or someshit. I’m not huge on that sort of stuff.

I wanna add that there are literally moments where I laugh out loud at these books, despite the gritty tone. Actually, the juxtaposition of gritty tone and lighthearted moments might contribute to the comedy (well not exactly lighthearted, some hilarious moments are during torture sessions…)

I personally didn't liked the first law, I didn't like the writing style and the characters were interesting at the very beginning but mostly annoying (to me) at the end. I know I might be the only person that dislike this trilogy 😅

About 2/3 of the way through listening to book 1, 9/10 so far and Steven Pacey is doing a great job of narration, OMG the characters are all definitely dark Grey Could easily have been done as a Flintlock series to, setting is a 17th-18th century like world.

Yeah, First Law is probably the best, most memorable, most wonderfully quotable fantasy series I've read in a long time, if not ever. Glokta's inner monologues give me life.

I've read it. Original Trilogy and the other books as well: Best Served Cold, Red Country, and The Heroes. All are fantastic.

The First Law series is great. Out of the 6 main books, I loved Best Served cold the most. It is very very good...

I read the First Law series. I liked to so much, I actually then listened to the audible book. I loved it.

Abercrombie takes a normal character arc and right when you think you can predict where it is going to go... It gets subverted.

So far enjoying this a lot more than the other grimdark series I tried, namely Mark Lawrence's Prince Of Thorns series. Love the characters so far.

I really like the First Law trilogy. I've read Best Served Cold and... the one about Bayaz and the cannons, and they are good, but I think the trilogy is better. I think it is because there is a little bit more mystery as to what is really going on, and I like magical elements and there is some fun magical payoff in the first three.

Joe Abercrombie’s ‘Half a King’ series is great too. More YA fantasy to be honest with much younger characters and a more YA-style plot, and way less grimdark, but the characters are still awesome.

Sand's inner thoughts are what really make him awesome.

Yesss! I was just thinking about this while I was reading Before They Are Hanged today! So true.

I picked this book up yesterday based on your recommendation. I hope I love it...even if I don’t have testicles for it to grab me by. Haha! Love your videos! Keep up the great work!

Kind of wish I watched this video before diving back in to the wheel of time. I'm not patient and I'm only on The Dragon Reborn, so I have a ways to go, but this is on deck, for sure.

"Why do I do this?" Huge fan of the series, horrified there's not more exposure than there is.

Could not agree more. Rich story and characters.

I was given "The Heroes" to read first, as it stood on its own fine and if fact it made it very interesting to see the Bloody Nine as a person instead of a story.

Have to admit, Inquisitor Glokta is probably one of my favourite characters in fantasy fiction... ever.

Please explain slightly why this is a great book series. All you ever talk about are the characters development, whom I also love, but there really is nothing else about this whole trilogy that is well done. Why is this such a great book to read? I’ve finished the trilogy and just found the entire story meaningless. The wizard is just a shit and every character ultimately doesn’t accomplish anything at all. What is the point of the series?

I NEED Burn Gorman to play Glokta. He has the charisma and cruelty down.

So, I read the First Law trilogy per your recommendation. I have to say that I absolutely hate Glokta. Moreover he is never challeged or outsmarted. He may be smart, funny, a cripple and well crafted. But he is absolutely dispecable and causes the dead and horror of too many people. I understand his motivations, I just needed someone to humble him and put him in his place in the books. This is Glokta that needed to be captured by The 100 Words.

Of God Daniel has become a White Walker

This is my next read. thanx man. your reccomendations havent let me down yet. subscribed too btw

Best book! I listen to audiobook and read the paperback. The audiobook has a really good narrator for the characters!

12 hours in Eye of the World (audible) and absolutely loving it (Mat makes a lot of dumb decisions tho.... still a lovable goof), and youre trying to give me another series to read? I hate and love you at the same time. Keep up the great content

Read it. Loved it. Also loved the next three companion books.

Joe Abercrombie is my favorite fantasy author with "The Heros" being my favorite novel.

I've only read the first book but I already am a fan. Daniel is right, this book will grab you by your fruits

I absolutely loved The Blade Itself. I have not finished the trilogy yet, but like you I liked what I read very much.

I also bought the first six books in Wheel of Time. I already wanted to read the series but hearing you hype it up sold me on it

Joe abercrombie is seriously one of my favorite authors, he is so good. One of my favorite characters in the first law trilogy is Jezal luthor.

Thank You Daniel. I've needed something to "really read" for a while. So good to be here again. Wow! 30K !! Looking good!! VOTE DAY :) BE THERE

I just started reading it two weeks ago actually, and I was surprised just how similar the writing is to ASOIAF.

There are no heroes in the First Law world. There are people who are forced to act heroically, occasionally. They are all villains. But there is nothing better than to hear Glokta, crippled Chief Torturer, make humorous comments, often bitingly sarcastic, to those about to be tortured. You find you can warm to these evil people. The Bloody Nine cuts a swathe of chaos wherever he goes. A reluctant murderer until he gets into the work. As you said, the characters are so alive, so individual, so flawed, so perfect, so cruel, so kind (on rare occasions).

I love the First Law Trilogy. I say with confidence that it's one of the best trilogies I've ever read. Highly addictive and really engaging reads

Love these books. I'd also recommend the Shattered Sea series by the same author. It's more YA, but still great.

Yeah man! First law is the shit. New to the channel but you know your stuff and I'm enjoying the WOT news. Keep it up bro 🤘 the bloody nine is the shit

Almost done with last argument of Kings then I’ll go back to the mud

Started the Blade itself this week and I've been up late every night just tearing through it. Such a great book

Also, whats your Favorite Sci-Fi series/novel?

Loved this Trilogy

I've about halfway through the first book for the first time. It's everything you say it is and more. Maybe it's because I'm listening to the audiobook and Steven Pacey the narrator is just so fkn good - but I'm surprised you didn't mention the thread of humour that runs through the books. It's laugh out loud hilarious at points, especially many of Glockta's acid-dripping comments and thoughts.

I've been looking for something to pick up after The Black Company. This a good one?

After watching this I went and ordered the trilogy straight away!

Jason mamoa for Logan 3 fingers!

Friendly is one of my fave fantasy character but the plot wasn't that strong in First Law. Very predictable twists. I prefer ASOIAF by far is an overall work of fiction. First Law is still solid and more fast paced

I think this review is ironic because I hate "A song of Ice and Fire" But the "First Law Trilogy" is my favourite series