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_The Blade Itself_, Joe Abercrombie
"Publicity and Advertising", "Something Borrowed", "It's My Birthday Too" by Jim Butcher
First, three short stories by Jim Butcher, all starring Harry Dresden. "Publicity and Advertising" is an ultrashort, plotless scene; the other two are full-fledged stories. If you like Harry and are awaiting the next novel, these are nice reminders of what Jim can do with characters he knows well.
Now, what was I thinking when I picked up Abercrombie's first book, which is:
A) book one of a named trilogy
B) a first published book
and also C) epic fantasy, of the "barbarians and wizards vs the Evil Overlord Threatening the World" variety?
It's well written. The style is neither dense nor fluffy; there are no in-jokes (unless there are SF authors and characters having their names reused; that could be coincidence). Magic is scarce and powerful. The violence is realistic and bloody. This opening book appears to be about defining the threat, getting together a quest posse, and starting them off.
Nobody appears to be jockeying for the Special Snowflake role -- we've got a legendary barbarian, the legendary wizard, his bumbling apprentice ("twenty more years and he might be worth something"), an arrogant young noble officer, a vicious ex-slave with vengeance on her mind, and a senior Royal Inquisitor, crippled. Will they prevail? Probably, but it will take two more volumes.
"Publicity and Advertising", "Something Borrowed", "It's My Birthday Too" by Jim Butcher
First, three short stories by Jim Butcher, all starring Harry Dresden. "Publicity and Advertising" is an ultrashort, plotless scene; the other two are full-fledged stories. If you like Harry and are awaiting the next novel, these are nice reminders of what Jim can do with characters he knows well.
Now, what was I thinking when I picked up Abercrombie's first book, which is:
A) book one of a named trilogy
B) a first published book
and also C) epic fantasy, of the "barbarians and wizards vs the Evil Overlord Threatening the World" variety?
It's well written. The style is neither dense nor fluffy; there are no in-jokes (unless there are SF authors and characters having their names reused; that could be coincidence). Magic is scarce and powerful. The violence is realistic and bloody. This opening book appears to be about defining the threat, getting together a quest posse, and starting them off.
Nobody appears to be jockeying for the Special Snowflake role -- we've got a legendary barbarian, the legendary wizard, his bumbling apprentice ("twenty more years and he might be worth something"), an arrogant young noble officer, a vicious ex-slave with vengeance on her mind, and a senior Royal Inquisitor, crippled. Will they prevail? Probably, but it will take two more volumes.
