Before They Are Hanged (The First Law: Book Two) [Paperback]

Joe Abercrombie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 13, 2008

Bitter and merciless war is coming to the frozen north. It's bloody and dangerous and the Union army, split by politics and hamstrung by incompetence, is utterly unprepared for the slaughter that's coming. Lacking experience, training, and in some cases even weapons the army is scarcely equipped to repel Bethod's scouts, let alone the cream of his forces. In the heat-ravaged south the Gurkish are massing to assault the city of Dagoska, defended by Inquisitor Glokta. The city is braced for the inevitable defeat and massacre to come, preparations are made to make the Gurkish pay for every inch of land ...but a plot is festering to hand the city to its beseigers without a fight, and the previous Inquisitor of Dagoska vanished without trace. Threatened from within and without the city, Glokta needs answers, and he needs them soon. And to the east a small band of malefactors travel to the edge of the world to reclaim a device from history - a Seed, hidden for generations - with tremendous destructive potential. A device which could put a end to war, to the army of Eaters in the South, to the invasion of Shanka from the North - but only if it can be found, and only if its power can be controlled ...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. 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. As savage Northmen invade Angland, the northernmost province of the unwieldy Union, honorable, hard-working Union soldier Colonel West watches his notions of civilized warfare erode in one horrible battle after another. In Dagoska, a southern city threatened by Gurkish soldiers and left undefended as Union troops head to Angland, dreadfully maimed Inquisitor Glokta employs tortures and deceptions to ferret out conspiracies against the king. Ignoring these worldly concerns, disreputable magus Bayaz of Calcis drives a squabbling little band through a wasteland in search of a relic that can open a gate to the realm of demons. Abercrombie leavens the bloody action with moments of dark humor, developing a story suffused with a rich understanding of human darkness and light. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Review

"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." SFF WORLD "In my opinion, Joe Abercrombie possesses all the qualities that made David Eddings such a powerhouse during the 80s and 90s. Before They Are Hanged is a satisfying sequel which should establish Joe Abercrombie as one of the bright new voices of the genre. " FANTASY HOT LIST "Before They Are Hanged grabs you and drags you along." SFF SITE "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." -- John Berlyne SF REVU "We're right there in the heads of these dudes, thanks to the author's style of showcasing their thoughts. His knowing turn of phrase means that situations often appear ironic, with peripheral characters verging on the Dickensian. This follow-up is crammed with unexpected betrayals, murders and liaisons, often catching us off guard." -- Dave Bradley SFX

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Product Details

• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: Gollancz (March 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0575082011
• ISBN-13: 978-0575082014
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 1.4 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (89 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,016,106 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joe Abercrombie is a freelance film editor, who works on documentaries and live music events. He lives and works in Bath. THE BLADE ITSELF, his debut novel, is the first novel of The First Law trilogy, followed by BEFORE THEY ARE HANGED and LAST ARGUMENT OF KINGS. His new stand-alone bestseller is BEST SERVED COLD.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy, Epic in its Innovation and Storycrafting, February 15, 2008

By 

Anthony M. Hildebrand (Lawrence, KS USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Before They Are Hanged (The First Law: Book Two) (Paperback)

I'm an avid reader - in fiction, specializing in science fiction and fantasy. However, while I tend to try to find the more cerebral, cutting-edge or challenging SF, I've often treated fantasy as a guilty pleasure.

Not so with Before They Are Hanged or its predecessor, The Blade Itself. There is no escapism here, no dialog that would be found only at the Elizabethan court. This is rough-and-tumble fantasy, only earning the label because there are swords and sorcery.

And this sequel is not fluff or a fond return. Abercrombie, if anything, has fit 1000 pages of story into one-half of that, as the architect of an amazing tale that builds on the solid foundation of the first novel. The story is tight, exceedingly well-written, and has one of the most realistic and believable (if dark) worlds I've ever seen created. The same goes for the characters.

There are no knights-in-shining armor. If you prefer flawless heroes and damsels in distress, this book is not for you. However, if you want a well-written story full of insights into human nature, the world at large, and the art of storytelling, I can think of few other books that deliver like this one has.

These books have the capacity to redefine and revolutionize the fantasy genre. Abercrombie, while young, is an amazing and innovative writer that I look forward to reading more of in the future.

33 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A well written continuation to the story, March 3, 2008

By 

Andrew Gray "Beezer Review" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Before They Are Hanged (The First Law: Book Two) (Paperback)

Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie is the second book in the First Law trilogy, the first being The Blade Itself (The First Law: Book One). The third, and final book, Last Argument of Kings is scheduled for release in the United States in September, 2008. The First Law Trilogy is not your run of the mill, cliché ridden fantasy series. It is dark, twisted, and unlike most of the `traditional' fantasy books being published.

The plot, or should I say plots, of this book pick up right after The Blade Itself. There are three separate plots, that center on separate characters or a group of characters. There is the plotline of a character trying to hold a city under siege and the measures he undertakes to keep the city from falling. There is a plot revolving around a group of characters seeking an artifact to aid them in a greater task, I won't say anymore about that because of spoilers. Lastly, there is a plot about the pending invasion by the Northmen and how the Union soldiers can combat the attack. These are the three plot lines that essentially tie the book together, however, there are countless subplots woven into the book as well. There is a great deal of political underpinnings in two of the three plot lines as well as betrayal and other manners of one-up man ship between a couple characters.

The characters in this novel are essentially the same characters that were present in the first novel. Some of the returning characters are Glokta, Logen Ninefingers, Bayaz, Ferro, Jezal, and Colonel West among others. They are all complex characters and most, if not all, go through a great deal of character development in this novel. One of my complaints of the previous novel was that a couple characters came across as forced or contrived. That notion never crossed my mind with this novel. Rather, a couple of the characters go through quite an overall transformation due to their ordeals, such as West and Jezal. The characters in this book are top notch, they are gritty, rough, crass and real. If you are looking for light, happy characters that you can laugh with, look at a different book. I was rather impressed by the amount of character development in this book. Granted, some characters do not get a lot of character progression, but they all grow in some way or another. Whether it is a character realizing something about themselves due to an injury the incur or a character growing a backbone, to a character beginning to show a softer side of themselves to a select few people.

In The Blade Itself, it seemed Mr. Abercrombie had a few, shall we say growing pains. However, in this novel, there seems to be an exponential growth in both his writing and his overall story. If this type of growth continues with the next novel (and any future stories after that) I think readers will be more than pleased.

The only criticism I have of this novel is there is one particular character, Glotka, who has a great deal of what can only be described as internal dialogue. This holds true to the first book as well, but when I read the internal dialogue it just doesn't work very well for me. This may be a personal bias of mine, since I do not care for first person books. Some of the internal dialogue is fine, but there are points in the novel where it seems over used.

Where The Blade Itself seemed like a setup for future events, in Before They Are Hanged events occur at almost a frenetic pace leaving the reader little time to stop and catch their breath. Mr. Abercrombie seems to almost dare the reader to try and put down the book. The prose in this novel seems more refined and polished. The flow and pacing seem more natural and, at least to me, seemed easier to grasp and understand. This could very well be due to having the first novel under my belt already.

The First Law trilogy seems to be taking on the mantel of a fine painting. Taken piece by piece each book is solid. However, taken as a whole, as the entire trilogy, the true beauty of this work begins to stand out.

Overall, I think this is a marked improvement over the first novels minor flaws. If you are a fan of the fantasy genre and are seeking a solid adult fantasy novel, then by all means look no further than this trilogy. Although, you really need to start with the first book if you are to understand the events in this book. With Before They Are Hanged, Mr. Abercrombie has established himself as one of the new voices of the fantasy genre that will be around for many years to come. I can easily see myself recommending this trilogy to many people in the future.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hard-edged dark fantasy at its very best!, June 18, 2008

By 

Paul Stotts "alephlogos" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Before They Are Hanged (GollanczF.) (Hardcover)

"Before They Are Hanged" is the second volume in the First Law Series by promising young British writer Joe Abercrombie. The first novel, the wonderful "The Blade Itself" was a fantastic introduction to a series featuring brutal, hard-boiled characters, excessive profane language and copious amounts of violence. It was dark fantasy at its best--nasty and brutish.

Well I am here to say that "Before They Are Hanged" is an even bigger, meaner and better story as things get kicked up here to another gear.Inquistor Glokta and the barbarian, Logen "The Bloody Nine" Ninefingers are anti-heroes for the ages. Abercrombie turns all of his characters, who are filled with violence, maliciousness and machinations, into guilty pleasures. You know you should feel shocked and offended at some of the things the characters say or do, but it is just too damn hard not to enjoy it. While it may be good to be the King, it is also good to be bad.

As the novel begins, the Union finds itself at war on its Northern front against Bethod and his massive horde of battle-tested barbarians. Impending war with the Gurkish also threatens the southern city of Dagoska.

Inquistor Glokta has been dispatched to Dagoska to solve the mysterious disappearance of the previous Inquisitor of Dagoska. He finds he must overcome the corrupt and incompetent leadership of the city in order to achieve his objective, and defend the city from the impendingGurkish attack. Deadly backroom political intrigue ensues as forces within and without battle for their own agendas, causing Glokta to use his wits in order to keep control.

Meanwhile operating under his own agenda, the wizard, Bayaz, has gathered a party of his own, the mindless and arrogant Union officer, Jezal dan Luthar, the mysterious hate-filled Ferro Maljinn, and Logen. They have set out to recover an apocalyptic artifact from the past which Bayaz covets, the Seed. This device supposedly contains a destructive force so powerful and otherworldly that it will be able to save the Union from the invasions of both theGurkish and the North. But will Bayaz' group be able to recover the Seed and harness its power in time to save the Union?

Like "The Blade Itself", Abercrombie's writing here is hard-edged and relentless. Like a nail-chewing, steroid-popping beast of a fantasy novel, the story's pace flies at breakneck speeds, flexing its considerable muscles during well-conceived battle sequences. The action pounds, the dialogue cracks, and the humor oozes through, combining into one of the most enjoyable reading experiences of the year. I find that I cannot wait for the conclusion.

Last Word:
Better than the first novel, "Before They Are Hanged" is a fast-paced, gritty bit of brutality and fantasy that grabs you and doesn't let go. Dark, well-conceived and enjoyable, this is one not to be missed.