I finished the The First Law  series by British author Joe Abercrombie. Now started the first of a series of stand-alone novels set in the same world.

• 1. The Blade Itself (2006)
• 2. Before They Are Hanged  (2007)
• 3. Last Argument of Kings  (2008)

If dislike blood, guts and battle scenes, you won’t like this series.

Sand dan Glokta is a compelling character. A champion swordsman turned torturer in the Inquisition. Who – by the end of book 3 – is running the The Union itself.

Book 1 begins with Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian warrior of the North, falling off a cliff into a river. Book 3 ends with the Bloody Nine jumping out of a window. Into water.

Aside from that nice touch, book 3 is the weakest. As so often happens in lengthy fantasy fiction, the author has problems wrapping things up in a satisfactory way.

Still … I’ve started book 4. It’s got me hooked.

The author has finally begun a new work, by the way.  The Shattered Sea series for young adults.