Thread: The Blade Itself **MILD SPOILERS**

I consider all criticism of me to be cloddish contrarianism.

I found of couple of reviews for 'Blade' over at Infinity Plus ... whilst searching for homes for my own little ARC... Anyway, they liked it... "Finding a writer like Abercrombie amidst the clutter of second-raters who crowd the fantasy genre, is like the sun breaking through dark clouds; he wakes you up and reminds you why you took up reading in the first place."

I know I shouldn't be doing this, and god knows, it's not as if he needs the publicity , but Joe at his website is offering FREE SIGNED Advance Reading Copies of The Last Argument of Kings to all those 'average readers' that want to be involved. (You'll have to read the Blog post to understand that one.) Just remember to say Thank You. Hobbit: one of those Artsy-Fartsy Critics, I guess.

Quote: Originally Posted by Joe Abercrombie Kazz, Decado, and RichardB - Many thanks for the kind words folks, I am not worthy. Very glad you enjoyed the book(s). I think I can pretty much guarantee you won't have to wait five years for the third one, Last Argument of Kings , as it's finished and just being edited now. It'll be out in the UK in March 2008, with proofs probably circulating around the end of this year. It's...

Quote: Originally Posted by saintjon Thrin, that super-deadly chick who kept trying to kill everything wasn't strong enough for you? I found her to be strong almost to the point where she was abrasive. she was brash, yes. she was full of (teenage) angst, yes. she was a competent fighter, yes. but she is far from what i would have called a strong female lead (Rennie Sullaweyo from Tad Williams' Otherland; Althea from Robin...

Quote: Originally Posted by JonLaidlow I've got a 100 pages to go and am really enjoying this. I bought the new paperback edition (the small one, as opposed to the large one that came out with the hardback) and was wondering when the cheaper paperback of book 2 might be out Anyone heard anything? Assuming you don't mind size, the larger paperback of book 2 isn't that much more expensive than regular paper size. The RRP is £10...

Quote: Originally Posted by Sfinx ...but that's exactly it, they do plod on - in their own unique, self-chosen way . It's this paradox that makes them so interesting. So despite the grim surroundings and the brutal acts most characters in the Blade Itself perform, there's quite a hopeful message there... Cheers, Sfinx. Yes! That's what I love about the characters. Indeed I can identify with it in the sense that while I may...

Clean fantasy is overrated. I like my food cooked, and my fantasy raw. You sir serve up nice raw fantasy, and that's a good thing.

Quote: Originally Posted by Surt My biggest problem was with West, and especially how the most likeable character in the book turned out to be a violent psychopath (I'm talking about the scene with him and his sister). That seemed very unexpected and also in my opinion a bad choice from Abercrombie. However, it is his choice, of course. ACtually, Ardee seems pretty unimportant and very 2-dimensional. I hope that we'll see her being...

Is there any chance that there will be an audio version of this series? I know Lies, and The name of the Wind have recently been release in audio form, and Abercrombie's Best Served Cold is also available in audio. Also, Best Served Cold, isn't really a sequel, but if I understand correctly shares a world with The First Law trilogy. What would I lose if I listened to Best Served Cold, without having read the trilogy?