SHARP ENDS: STORIES FROM THE WORLD OF FIRST LAW

Too much of a good thing can be bad. No, it’s not one of those pearls of wisdom that arrive uninvited at your mobile via WhatsApp or some Facebook meme. It’s a realisation. And the book under review can be considered as one of the shiniest cases corroborating aforesaid observation. It began spectacularly with a story where an unlovable character dissects one of the most spectacularly nasty characters I have come across. Yes, I’m talking about Colonel Glokta, as he goes about doing his usual stuff. But these are the days before he had to leave his soldierly days, and the story had an edge about it that truly shines. I fell in love with the collection almost immediately. Then came other stories, mostly about lovable, yet twisted & crooked characters, whom no sane person would allow under their roof unless the sharper end of a sword gets pressed to his or her delicate organs. All of them, and the characters portrayed therein, followed similar patterns, ending similarly, i.e. without much joy, and leaving sour taste of treachery and pungent smell of frustration at their wake. As you can understand, love started getting lost first in routine, then became boredom, then became “Oh, God! When am I going to see the end of all these?” Then it ended. Mercifully. But not before giving me some alloyed pleasure. So, the contents, for your benefit: - 1. A Beautiful Bastard 2. Small Kindnesses 3. The Fool Jobs 4. Skipping Town 5. Hell 6. Two’s Company 7. Wrong Place, Wrong Time 8. Some Desperado 9. Yesterday, Near a Village Called Barden 10. Three’s a Crowd 11. Freedom! 12. Tough Times All Over 13. Made A Monster Therefore, humble submission, please read these books with ample spacing in-between. And, if possible, stick to the ‘First Law’ novels. Glokta is, undoubtedly, a beautiful bastard. To read about his exploits, as he weaves magic using basic tools like torture, deception, blackmail etc. would guarantee that warm feeling which you get while handling things that can result in vicious cuts, but are so-so shining! Recommended, with care.

Disappointing compared to other works by Abercrombie and feels like a lazy attempt to cash in on the success of The First Law novels. Would have been better if Abercrombie had just written a new novel

Hervoragendes Buch, bestehend aus Kurzgeschichten die teilweiße aufeinander aufbauen. Wir lernen einige neue Gesichter kennen treffen jedoch auch viele alte Freund/Monster wieder. Mann erlebt einige in den vorherigen Büchern angeteaste Erlebnisse und es ist toll einfach nur toll. Natürlich aber nach Abercrombie manier blutig dunkel und mit einem happy end kann man natürlich auch nicht rechnen. Alles im allem es lohnt sich wenn Ihr Fans seid, vorallem wenn Ihr die anderen Bücher eh schon besitzt.

Es como comes unos pinchos. Algo ligero pero que cuando llevas varios es como si hubieras comido. Si eres fan de Abercombrie te gustará.

A very good book with good stories that complement the view around the main characters in the First Law series. Some of the short stories are a bit boring, but most are enjoyable. However, is a book only for hard fans of First Law fans.

When I first read the first trilogy about the Bloody Nine, it was a completely new experience for me. The very dark and gritty, and sometimes hilarious, fantasy was like nothing I had read before. I absolutely loved it, and these short stories set in that same world really didn't disappoint at all. I love that we get to see some of the side characters fleshed out more, and it was a great read.