There’s something about fantasy novels, isn’t there, that makes the authors think that one novel isn’t enough, that two novels aren’t enough; the story arc must extend over a trilogy. Whether this is in homage to Tolkien, or simply a much used convention, it seems to be pretty much the standard for fantasy novels.

And Joe Abercrombie’s The First Law trilogy is no exception. Like many books for which I now own the series, I picked up the first book —
The Blade Itself — almost as an afterthought: the third book in a 3-for-2 offer. When I finally got round to reading it however, I was quickly drawn into it.

The first book introduces us to a cast of rather unsavoury characters. There’s Logen Nine-Fingers (also known as “The Bloody-Nine”) famous barbarian, warrior, merciless killer, who seems possibly just a little tired of creating new enemies as fast as he disposes of the old ones. There is Captain Jezal dan Luthar of the Union, smug and insufferable army officer who really doesn’t care about anyone else; yet perhaps he has a right to be smug — he is one of the favourites for the prestigious fencing tournament.

There’s Glokta; once a famous soldier, until captured by the enemy and tortured for two years. Now bringing to bear all of his experience in pain, he serves in the Inquisition, cutting out one confession at a time. And then there’s the wizard Bayaz, the ancient first of the Magi, powerful and mysterious.

And meanwhile, the leader of the Northmen, Bethod, an old enemy (once a friend) of Logen is marching upon the Union from the North…

It’s credit to Joe Abercrombie that despite introducing these characters to us in such a way that we don’t really have much sympathy for them, he draws us into their lives, gradually revealing their humanity (although I’m never quite sure of that with Inquisitor Glokta) as their paths gradually draw together and they set out — with the strange dark-skinned woman Ferro — on a dark and mysterious quest.

And that quest is the subject of the second book, Before They Are Hanged…

Logen Ninefingers tries to draw together his travelling companions, as for the most part Ferro and Jezal seem to despise everyone else, as they head off in search of a great artifact which Bayaz wants to use to defeat the second of the magi, Khalul, who has broken the Second Law (not to eat human flesh) and formed himself an army of super-strong Eaters called the Hundred Words who form part of the mighty Gurkish army.

Meanwhile, Inquisitor Glokta has himself been sent to the southern city of Dagoska with two tasks. Firstly, to find out what (and who) happened to the previous inquisitor, who disappeared without trace, and secondly, to strengthen the defences of Dagoska so he can hold off the Gurkish army who are on the move towards the Union from the South, just as Bethod and the Northmen are marching upon the Union from the other side.

Unfortunately, the city defences are weak, Glokta doesn’t have much time, and he doesn’t have any money or armed forces to call upon. Can he strike a bargain to save the city and root out the traitor(s) using his less-than-delicate methods? Or will the city, and he, fall…

The trilogy is not for the faint of heart: it’s dark and it’s gritty, but it is full of such wonderful characters. And the quest for the ancient artifact which destroyed the city of Auculus does not end precisely as one would expect, meaning that at the start of the third novel the characters are about to split up and go their separate ways — to some extent.

In Last Argument Of Kings we find Logen Ninefingers has gone back north to encounter some former companions he believed dead; Jezal, Bayaz, Glokta and Ferro remain in the capital initially … we find out some more of Bayaz’s ancient history and start to wonder if we’d not perhaps misjudged him somewhat earlier: the city falls into worrying over the king’s succession as Glokta tries to buy votes for the Inquisitions favoured candidate…

But just as it seems that the war against the Northmen is about to be won, the Gurkish approach the gates of the capital. Will the army be called back in time to save the city? Will the army have time to defeat the Northmen? Are the army even capable of standing against Khalul’s Eaters? And what exactly is Bayaz up to?

The characters in this story are all rounded and fleshed out. They have failings and weaknesses as well as strengths. And they all have their dark sides. The dark side of Logen Ninefingers is perhaps the easiest to spot: it’s “The Bloody Nine” which he carries within him, and, well, Glokta tortures people without any qualms (his dark side might be slightly easier to spot, on reflection). But all of the characters have their dark sides.

It’s perhaps unsurprising that there is no fairytale ending, therefore. It’s not excessively grim, but it’s one that leaves you feeling that there is more of this story to be told — more of Bayaz, more of Jezal, certainly more of Kerro. And Logen? Well, I’d not write him off, but perhaps he might prefer simply to seek out a quiet retirement…

It’s another great fantasy trilogy, and one which I’d urge you to read, if you like that sort of thing.