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Joe Abercrombie

The Heroes Audio CD – CD, March 15, 2016

by Joe Abercrombie (Author)

1,254 ratings

Book 2 of 3: World of the First Law

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They say Black Dow has killed more men than winter, and clawed his way to the throne of the North up a hill of skulls. The King of the Union, ever a jealous neighbor, is not about to stand by smiling while he claws his way any higher. The orders have been given and the armies are toiling through the northern mud. Thousands of men are converging on a forgotten ring of stones, on a worthless hill in an unimportant valley-- and they've brought a lot of sharpened metal with them. For glory, for victory, for staying alive.

Print length

1 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Hachette Audio and Blackstone Audio
Publication date

March 15, 2016
Dimensions

5.3 x 2 x 5.8 inches
ISBN-10

1478911263
ISBN-13

978-1478911265
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joe Abercrombie is the New York Times bestselling author of Red Country and the First Law trilogy: The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged, and Last Argument of Kings. He is a full-time writer and freelance film editor who lives in Bath, England, with his wife and three children.

Product details

Publisher : Hachette Audio and Blackstone Audio; Unabridged edition (March 15, 2016)
Language : English
Audio CD : 1 pages
ISBN-10 : 1478911263
ISBN-13 : 978-1478911265
Item Weight : 12.8 ounces
Dimensions : 5.3 x 2 x 5.8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,294,927 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #11,224 in Historical Fantasy (Books)
- #21,176 in Books on CD
- #32,267 in Epic Fantasy (Books)

Customer Reviews:
1,254 ratings

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M. L. Cockerill

Zard review of "The Heroes"

Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2017

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I just love this guy, Joe Abercrombie. He just REALLY writes good stories with interesting characters and all sorts of twists in the plot. In some ways it reminded me of the battle of Gettysburg. A three day fight that ended in a stalemate and their were battles all over the place. The one difference was that the "Union" gained the high ground on the first day but then lost it and found themselves in the position of having to regain it.
There is a cast of character and all of them are interesting, from the good people (not many of those) to the bad people (lots of those). It is like Game of Thrones. It is a great story that focuses entirely on a battle and the characters that make up that battle.
There are lots of twists and turns and you just know you do not want to have been there. It was not fun for anyone except the First Magi.
This is Joe at his best! Although he is always at his best. I am reading EVERYTHING he has published. I LIKE THIS GUY.

12 people found this helpful

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Josh Mauthe

In which Abercrombie does for war what he's already done for fantasy, and just as well as ever

Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2019

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Set in the world of his First Law trilogy, Joe Abercrombie takes on the fantasy war novel in the standalone novel The Heroes, which tells the story of a three-day battle between the forces of the North and the Union, all over an unimportant hill in the middle of nowhere significant. With a scope that includes more than a dozen different perspectives throughout the book - on both sides of the battle - Abercrombie plunges you into the conflict, depicting every aspect of it, from the large-scale planning to the brutality of the front lines, from the feints and bluffs to the incompetent commanders, from the individual acts of heroism to the pathetic acts of cowardice.

As ever, Abercrombie is incredibly character-driven and grounded in realism, refusing to flinch from the unpleasant aspects of his world, but also treating his characters with respect, no matter how flawed or selfish they might be. The Heroes uses all of these elements superbly, making a book that explores war in all of its horrors, while also understanding how it can forge bonds, shape destinies, and more. It's neither pro-war nor anti-war; instead, it shows the toll it can take on people, and celebrates those who have to fight them, even as it questions whether any of it is worth the human cost involved, or the way that the people who suffer least so often are those who send others to their deaths. In that, it's pure Abercrombie, looking at so many fantasy tropes and stories and exploring them from the inside out, turning it all over and questioning whether the legend is more important than the truth, all while telling a gripping read with countless great characters, incredible action, and a compelling, unputdownable narrative.

2 people found this helpful

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Eric J Allain

War ... what is it good for?

Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2020

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In this case, it is good for a vivid, gritty, punch you in the throat account of a three day medieval fantasy battle with an equally vivid, gritty, punch you in the throat cast of characters. For me, it is the latter that makes this a great read. Most of these characters are not clearly good or evil but are more ‘grey’. This makes them more authentic and interesting to me. Oh, and the names Abercrombie comes up with are fantastic: Curnden Craw, Caul Shivers, Black Dow, Yolk, Corporal Tunny, a giant called Stranger-Come-Knocking, a bad ass female mercenary called Wonderful, and a pair of assassin brothers known as Shallow and Deep. While the novel describes the course of a fantasy battle, the character reactions and experiences of the horror and chaos of medieval warfare seem real. As a reader I can envision how terrifying it might be. Abercrombie writes clipped and chaotic prose when he describes the fighting which also adds to the feel. Amidst all this grim violence, Abercrombie is also able to weave in some humor. Corporal Tunny was one of my favorites as well as the internal dialogue of Bremer van Gorst. Whirrun of Bligh, the slightly insane hero of the Northmen and his interactions with his ‘dozen’ or unit were quite funny as well.

If you are looking for a typical coming of age fantasy adventure story that starts off in an inn ... move along. “The Heroes” is a raw , bloody and stomach churning tale of the horrors and glory of battle with no punches pulled. If your taste in fantasy novels leans more towards “A Game of Thrones” than say “The Sword of Shannara” then you will likely enjoy it. I, for one, am very much looking forward to reading more of Abercrombie’s writing.

2 people found this helpful

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A. R. Marston

Gripping, grand, grotesque and great.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 26, 2017

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Abercrombie novels cover it all; from the finest things in life to the darkest depths of human depravity. His books are not for the meek, mild and politically correct. So be warned.
Some of the content is toe curling and teeth grinding. Abercrombie does not hesitate to call a spade a spade, in fact he will more likely call it a f.....g shovel.
There are episodes of gratuitous violence which rather than promote violence are skilfully employed to mock the failures of elements of society and demonstrate his abhorrence of it. Whilst graphically describing warfare his underlying message is to decrie the very purpose of human conflict.
Abercrombie has an understanding of military matters and can readily match the likes of Bernard Cornwall, Simon Scarrow, Conn Iggulden and associates in creating battle scenes of immense proportions.
The character development throughout the series of books is a lesson to any prospective writer. I simply love his books.
Whilst he can graphically describe warfare in the most stunning detail; the underlying message is to decry the purpose of conflict in the first place. He gainfully employs a degree of humour and cynicism to make his point.
The entire series of books is set in a medieval world which is an area that I enjoy to read anyway. The fantasy element although running throughout the books does not dominate the stories but rather runs seamlessly throughout; underpinning the plot .
Whilst I have a comprehensive library of books that include many classics, I am now an Abercrombie fan forever.

8 people found this helpful

Noor A Jahangir

A quest for lost heroes

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 6, 2014

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Black Dow and the Northmen have becoming a thorn in the Union’s side. The Union is getting pushy and starting to encroach on land held by Black Dow. There’s only one way to settle this . . . FIGHT!!!
Craw and his dozen have been sent to secure a hill, crowned by ancient standing stones known as The Heroes, which is being held by some of the Dogman’s men. He manages to pull it off without violence. But neither he, nor his dozen are aware of how important that hill is going to be in the coming days, for the Union is marching all of its legions North.
Somehow Abercrombie has managed to take a simple concept as a war, and a pointless one at that, and turn it into a 500+ paged novel, and managed without even having any one main protagonist. What he does do is introduce a rogues gallery of fighters on either side of the war, so instead of one main story arc, we get six arcs that enjoy almost an even amount of page space. The North has its named men, with Black Dow, a charismatic but murderous leader, as their chief. Craw is the ‘I’m too old for this s***’ warrior that tries to the right thing in ever situation, whilst looking out for his crew; amongst whom are Whirrun of Bligh, a legendary warrior who carries the Father of Swords and Wonderful, the only female warrior who can hold her own against any of Black Dows men. Also on the Northmen’s side is Prince Calder, the scheming son of the former ‘King of the North’, who’s smirk and double-edged words only seem to land him in deeper waters. Then there’s Beck, a farm boy who has dreamed of earning a Name and following in his heroic father’s footsteps.
The Union is led by Lord Marshal Kroy, a seasoned general who takes the loss of men personally but is surrounded by sycophants and the King’s old drinking buddies. His daughter, Finree has come along to show support for her husband, a nobleman who’s family has fallen from the King’s favor, whom she hopes to advance through her own politicking. Another man who has fallen from favor is Bremer dan Gorst, a warrior with very few equals but only allowed near battle as the Royal Observer, though his only wish is to fight his way back into the King’s good graces. Then there is Corporal Tunny, a seasoned soldier and slacker. He’s that guy that get you anything you need, polish, extra rations or a blanket, for a price. The characters are colorful and well-realized, making you care for what happens to them and hope for their safety every time they face danger. This in itself is no mean task, as Abrecrombie manages to strike such a fine balance that the reader doesn’t care what side the characters are fighting on, but rather empathise with each characters personal situation instead.
The world-building is gritty and believable. There are no undead, demons or dragons to distract from the action, and the battles are every bit as muddy, bloody and confused as you would expect a battle to be, but even the gore is tempered by that underlying sense that the violence is pointless and dehumanizing. The Union could very well be the Roman Empire trying to conquer the Northern lands of the British Isles, which quickly helps to establish the style of armour and clothing, the style of the architecture and the lay of the land, within the readers mind.
The writing may not be written in stanzas, but Abercrombie has managed to tell the story of an epic battle in the tradition of Homer’s Illiad, choosing to focus on the heroics of individuals rather than force the reader to pick sides and politics. The plot might not enrich your lives, but you will most certainly remember his motley cast of characters and no doubt will find yourself browsing for other titles by Abercrombie.
The Heroes can be read as a stand-alone novel (as I did), or can be read as part of a linked series of books that started with The Blade Itself. What is certain is that Abercrombie has made himself a ‘Named Man’ amongst writers of Fantasy and a contender for the crown of ‘King of Heroic Fantasy’.

9 people found this helpful

Tomo London

My favourite Abercrombie book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2018

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I can't rate this book enough. Set over 3 days of the bloodiest, stupidest, and most pointless battle the North has ever seen, The Heroes is a masterpiece of first and third person narrative. The story is entirely told from a series of perspectives, of individual actors experiencing events from their unique points of view. The book is in this manner like a glorious tapestry made up of small snapshots. This is a breathtaking accomplishment, Abercrombie's voice strong throughout and never letting up. Well done all involved.

2 people found this helpful

Armed_Sirloin

I absolutely loved The First Law stories

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 23, 2018

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I absolutely loved The First Law stories. After getting into the fantasy genre with Game of thrones, I had this recommended to me. I am very plead I listened.

The story is rich and engaging, with each cheaper following a different chatters POV. It works well, with insights into these feared characters that the world cannot see. They aren't all blood thirsty killers!

Joe Abercrombie has become one of my favourite authors, and The First Law opens up the world he had created with future volumes to enjoy also.

If you are a fantasy fan then you simply cannot go wrong with The First Law.

disrep

Another fine book from Mr Abercrombie

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 26, 2016

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Kindle Edition (edit)
Review Great fun like all Mr Abercrombie's books. Others have written enough of the plot suffice to say it builds to a bloody battle, the nitty gritty of it is brought to life very well in all its ghastliness. Lots and lots of black humour and very entertaining characters. I loved Gorst's thoughts in his head compared to what he actually says. Calder develops into much greater than the sum of his personality flaws and Craw as the aching battle weary veteran very well done. Then there are so many minors that make the book such a joy like Beck, Tunny and Stranger Comes Knocking.

A fine example of the futility and awfulness of war written with gallows humour and the grim bleakness of the situation of the soldier's lot . Yet again a winner

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