Who Would Like This Book:
If you crave fantasy that ditches shining heroes for gritty, deeply flawed characters, this is your jam. "Last Argument of Kings" is a rollercoaster of battles, betrayals, and political games, full of dark humor and gut-punch twists. Abercrombie's talent for complex antiheroes (think: scarred torturers and berserker barbarians) is on full display. Fans of George R.R. Martin and grimdark, who enjoy stories where anyone can fall and victory comes at a cost, will love it. Bonus points if you appreciate rich character arcs and a satirical take on classic fantasy tropes.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Those seeking cheerful escapism or happily-ever-afters might find this trilogy overwhelmingly bleak. The violence is graphic, and hope is in short supply - don’t expect lighthearted magic and unicorns. Some readers were let down by the open-ended finale and felt unresolved character threads left them unsatisfied. If you like straightforward morality or clear-cut heroism, this series may feel too morally gray (or just plain depressing).
About:
'Last Argument of Kings' by Joe Abercrombie is the final book in the 'First Law' trilogy, known for its gritty, dark, and sometimes shocking writing style. The book follows the characters as they navigate through a world filled with war, dark humor, and complex plot twists. Abercrombie's writing is praised for its realistic portrayal of characters dealing with horror and pain, with a touch of humor that adds depth to the storyline. The plot unfolds in a way that keeps readers engaged, delivering an action-packed and satisfying conclusion to the series.
Genres:
Tropes/Plot Devices:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers include graphic violence, war, torture, and themes of death and despair.
From The Publisher:
The final novel in the First Law Trilogy by New York Times bestseller Joe Abercrombie.
Logen Ninefingers might only have one more fight in him - but it's going to be a big one. Battle rages across the North, the king of the Northmen still stands firm, and there's only one man who can stop him. His oldest friend, and his oldest enemy: it's time for the Bloody-Nine to come home.
With too many masters and too little time, Superior Glokta is fighting a different kind of war. A secret struggle in which no one is safe, and no one can be trusted. As his days with a sword are far behind him, it's fortunate that he's deadly with his remaining weapons: blackmail, threats, and torture.
Jezal dan Luthar has decided that winning glory is too painful an undertaking and turned his back on soldiering for a simple life with the woman he loves. But love can be painful too - and glory has a nasty habit of creeping up on a man when he least expects it.
The king of the Union lies on his deathbed, the peasants revolt, and the nobles scramble to steal his crown. No one believes that the shadow of war is about to fall across the heart of the Union. Only the First of the Magi can save the world, but there are risks. There is no risk more terrible, than to break the First Law. . .
Ratings (147)
Incredible (53) | |
Loved It (64) | |
Liked It (17) | |
It Was OK (9) | |
Did Not Like (4) |
Reader Stats (202):
Read It (158) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (36) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
Not Interested (6) |
4 comment(s)
Everything comes together in the end. I don’t want to say in a satisfying way but definitely with some mind-blowing reveals and connections.
The books were interesting but I wasn’t attached enough to push myself through the last 40% of the book. Nothing against the book specifically. Just there are many other books I want to read.
******4.5******
This was a complicated book, in a complicated series.
The characters were extraordinarily well-drawn - 3-dimensional characters, full of flaws, and you watch them all struggle.
My mind is caught by the blank white page Abercrombie put in right before the very last chapter of the entire trilogy. That white page contained a single line, a single quote...
"Does the devil know he is a devil?" -- Elizabeth Madox Roberts
I think I could write pages and pages about how that relates to the book. It is a magnificent way to wrap it up, because I think you can apply that thought to every single one of the main characters. They are all struggling to do what they feel they need to do, in order to set things right in the world. They all do terrible things, or make horrifying decisions, in the name of a greater good.
Bayaz has a line, during the final battle, that I think also sums this up nicely: "This is war, and in war the only crime is to lose." (p 510) But before you think too poorly of him, know that the man he is fighting at that moment made equally horrific choices (maybe worse, honestly...), and when he (who claims to be a devout man, and offers to pray for Bayaz as he kills him) is asked what God will think of his methods, he claims "God smiles on results." (p 508)
It is a complicated book, and in the end, I felt so battered by the horror of the war that, while surveying the aftermath, like the characters I was rooting for, I was unsure whether the results could ever justify the methods taken to get there.
Most fascinating, to me, is that Abercrombie could write characters who - if viewed objectively - anyone would agree are freaking horrible people... but I love them. Glotka makes me uncomfortable, definitely... but I love him. Ferro makes me NUTS, but I love her. Same with Jezal. Ardee doesn't deserve what she got in this life, and I could wish she treated others better, but the glimpses you got of her behind the walls she built... I loved her. West made decisions that he should pay for, but I love him. Dogman, Grim... I wish they could see the big picture, but I love them. Logen... you could argue is probably the worst human being who ever lived. But I adore him. Abercrombie uses the varying POV chapters to magnificent effect (much like George R.R. Martin), and the result is that, seeing the world through the eyes of these complicated characters, understanding it the way that they do, you can't help but come to have affection for them.
And most complicated of all, Bayaz. Bayaz is the reason this book got 4.5 stars instead of 5. Mostly because I feel mild disappointment that he wasn't laid bare the way every other character was - there is SO MUCH about Bayaz that we don't know. We are given hints of massive, complicated backstory... and it becomes impossible to judge him. And that, I feel, leaves this last book in a weird place. Because Bayaz is the center of this trilogy, and at the end I was left wondering... is... is Bayaz
a villain??? It tips the reader's perspective on the book in a different way at the end, and honestly, I am POSITIVE it was a deliberate choice on the part of the author. But it left me a little bit unsettled.
All in all, though, I am thrilled that I read this trilogy. It is fantastic, character-driven storytelling. I look forward to seeing more from Joe Abercrombie.
****5.0****
RTC
What can you read after
Last Argument of Kings?
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
