Red Country by Joe Abercrombie
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Brilliant.”
—Guardian (UK)
“Reminiscent of… Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera novels in terms of scope and military action, this will appeal particularly to military fantasy buffs.”
—Library Journal
“Magnificent, richly entertaining.”
—Time
“The Heroes is as irresistibly inviting as a bowl of pistachios. After that first taste, you’re going to find it almost impossible to stop until it’s all gone.”
—Philadelphia Inquirer
“It’s violent and full of treachery and horror, but it’s delivered with Abercrombie’s signature dark humor and a hint of cynicism.”
—Sci Fi Magazine
“An outstanding novel.”
—Fantasy Book Critic
“This has been my favorite read of the past year and I cannot recommend The Heroes highly enough.”
—www.graspingforthewind.com
“The book is gloriously funny. It’s like an epic fantasy version of All Quiet on the Western Front spiked with some of the irreverence of Altman’s M*A*S*H. The human tragedy has plenty of comedy to go around.”
—sff.net
“A blast to read.”
—sfsite.com
“Though I have loved the books before, for me this is Joe’s highlight to date. This is an evolution from, and a distillation of, all that was great in his previous books… The man just keeps getting better and better. Damn him!”
—sffworld.com
Praise for
The Blade Itself
“Abercrombie has written the finest epic fantasy trilogy in recent memory. He’s one writer that no one should miss.”
—Junot Diaz
“There are great characters, sparky dialogue, an action-packed plot, and from the very first words (‘The End’) and an opening scene that is literally a cliffhanger, you know you are in for a cheeky, vivid, exhilarating ride.”
—Starburst
“Delightfully twisted and evil.”
—The Guardian (UK)
“An admirably hard, fast and unpretentious read.”
—SFX
“Abercrombie kicks off his series masterfully with a heroic fantasy without conventional heroes… Their dialogue is full of cynicism and wit, their lives full of intrigue, battles and magic.”
—Romantic Times
“If you’re fond of bloodless, turgid fantasy with characters as thin as newspaper and as boring as plaster saints, Joe Abercrombie is really going to ruin your day. A long career for this guy would be a gift to our genre.”
—Scott Lynch, author of The Lies of Locke Lamora
“In addition to excellent characterizations and fascinating world-building, Abercrombie also writes the best fight scenes I have read in ages. I’m glad the whole package is good, but I could happily recommend The Blade Itself for the fight scenes alone.”
—sfsite.com
“Joe Abercrombie’s The Blade Itself is sure to delight readers tired of the predictable machinations of standard fantasies… An author to watch.”
—bn.com
Praise for
Before They Are Hanged
“Dark, deeply ironic and full of character gems that will appeal to your cynical side, Before They Are Hanged is as brilliant as its predecessor.”
—SF Revu
“Before They Are Hanged is an excellent sequel from an author writing compelling, character-driven, adult fantasy, for readers who want to be entertained as well as challenged.”
—sffworld.com
“This grim and vivid sequel to 2007’s The Blade Itself transcends its middle volume status, keeping the reader engaged with complicated plotting and intriguing character development.”
—Publishers Weekly
Praise for
Last Argument of Kings
“You should always end with the best. Wow them in the final act, make the last chorus a belter, build to a climax and them get them on their feet applauding when the curtain falls. Last Argument of Kings is the textbook example of this theory in practice.”
—SFX
“A seminal work of modern fantasy.”
—SF Revu
“Abercrombie is headed for superstar status.”
—Jeff VanderMeer
“Last Argument of Kings concludes The First Law the way it began: with cynicism, blackly comic repartee and non-stop, bloody action.”
—Starburst
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Contents
Cover
Title Page
Welcome
Dedication
Map
I: TROUBLE
Some Kind of Coward
The Easy Way
Just Men
The Best Man
All Got a Past
The Stolen
II: FELLOWSHIP
Conscience and the Cock-Rot
New Lives
The Rugged Outdoorsman
Driftwood
Reasons
oh God, the Dust
Sweet’s Crossing
Dreams
The Wrath of God
The Practical Thinkers
The Fair Price
III: CREASE
Hell on the Cheap
Plots
Words and Graces
That Simple
Yesterday’s News
Blood Coming
The Sleeping Partner
Fun
High Stakes
Old Friends
Nowhere to Go
IV: DRAGONS
In Threes
Among the Barbarians
Bait
Savages
The Dragon’s Den
Greed
V: Trouble
The Tally
Going Back
Answered Prayers
Sharp Ends
Nowhere Fast
Times Change
The Cost
Last Words
Some Kind of Coward
Acknowledgments
Extras
Meet the author
A Preview of Best Served Cold
By Joe Abercrombie
Praise for Red Country
Orbit Newsletter
Copyright
Copyright
The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Copyright © 2012 by Joe Abercrombie Limited
Excerpt from Best Served Cold copyright © 2009 by Joe Abercrombie Limited
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
First published in Great Britain in 2012 by Gollancz, an imprint of the Orion Publishing Group, Orion House, 5 Upper St Martin’s Lane, London wc2h 9ea An Hachette UK Company
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First ebook edition: November 2012
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ISBN 978-0-316-21444-5
Joe Abercrombie, Red Country
(Series: # )