Ahira's Hangar

That is an interview with one of the most hyped new writers in fantasy - Joe Ambercrombie.

Unfortunately, he does not seem to have an American publisher yet.


Discussion boards are really excited about his first novel (one of a reported trilogy) called something like The Blade Itself, with a second book due to come out soon, and the third book in about a year.

I would love it if any Europeans here who have read the book could fill me in a bit on this writer - without huge spoilers!! - and tell me about his writing style and his novel/s.

I have been avoiding most of the threads about him at most boards, as I am looking for general knowledge rather than specific spoilerific types of things.

Thanks!

ps. The fact that he is writing a trilogy rather than a ten or so book series, and that he seems to be releasing them on schedule are big points in his favor to me.

I've not read his work, but I've heard a little about it. The first book is called The Blade Itself, like you said, and the second about to come out is Before They Are Hanged. Last year Abercrombie's name kept coming up alongside that of Scott Lynch, but usually with the disclaimer that Lynch's book was better. The first reviews of Before They Are Hanged have been fairly positive, and the new book is apparently an improvement on the first.
Not having read them, however, that's about as much as I can say about it.

I think it was Homer who wrote, The Blade itself is an incitement to violence..

--A

Abercrombie is a member over at the Martin board, and he has posted to say that he has turned in the third book to his publisher - ten months before his deadline.

Gotta love it!

Maybe when that third one is out, I will check into ordering them from Britain.

The first book by Abercrombie (along with another very well regarded British fantasy novel called Winterbirth by Brian Ruckley) have very recently been published in the US as paperbacks.

I am so glad that their American publishers are going straight to affordable paper rather than making putting them out in hard cover when they have long been available as paperbacks in other countries. I have always hated Tor for publishing Erikson as hardcovers years after they have been available as paperbacks overseas. I mean - there is making a decent profit, and then there is straight forward ripping people off.

I am really geeked up about The Blade Itself. Most fun I have had with any fantasy book in quite some time. Really great characters - especially the crippled up torturer who is always muttering nasty sarcastic comments under his breath.

I am a Glotka fangirl now!

This was a truly fun, truly wonderful book. cannot wait for the release of the next book this spring.

I am nearly done with the second book of The First Law trilogy - which is technically not released in the US yet, but Amazon has been shipping them weeks early.

The book is called Before They Are Hanged and is set on four different continents of that particular world. The Union is at war in the North over Angland. Col. West and various members of Logen's former band are involved in that. Down in the South, Glotka has been ordered to protect the one and only city the Union holds there (sort of a toehold in that part of the world) from the Empire (which holds the rest of that continent) at all costs. The other main characters (with one exception) are all questing across the Western continent....Ardee (whom we do not see much of) is back home in the captial city of the Union.

I am so happy to be getting a Glotka fix!!!!!!!!!!

As with the second book, Amazon is now shipping the third books weeks early. While the American release date is not until deep in September, my copy got to my house last night. I now face the fun decision of which to read first - the new Scalzi, the new Buckell, or the new Abercrombie? I wish more of life's decisions coulds be like that - where every answer is a win.