Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie...

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Rurik: Mar 5, 2010; Thief
Warrior
Gladiator
Grand Prince

Besides, whom he would've eaten when travelling to the edge of the world?

# ? Aug 30, 2012 20:21

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# ? May 14, 2024 22:45

Mr.48: May 1, 2007

Rurik posted:

Besides, whom he would've eaten when travelling to the edge of the world?

The navigator :haw:

# ? Aug 30, 2012 20:22

Rurik: Mar 5, 2010; Thief
Warrior
Gladiator
Grand Prince

Mr.48 posted:

The navigator

Yes, but the navigator was caught by Glokta and forced to show the way somewhere in the sewers. Then he was let go.

# ? Aug 30, 2012 20:32

DarkCrawler: Apr 6, 2009; by vyelkin

I also think that it's just another thing he can use to say he's "better" then Khalul. Khalul is certainly eating, but Bayaz would never stoop to breaking the second law! personally.

# ? Aug 31, 2012 14:47

Hughmoris: Apr 21, 2007; Let's go to the abyss!

There is a Red Country extract up! :dance:

http://www.joeabercrombie.com/books/red-country/extract/

You have to be realistic.

# ? Sep 4, 2012 21:50

wellwhoopdedooo: Nov 23, 2007; Pound Trooper!

Ahaha the oxen named Scale and Calder is great. And if the extract is any indication, it looks like this book, true to the really good westerns, will be big on drama. Hot drat I'm excited.

As much as I'm loving these outriggers though, I hope he does the next trilogy and progresses the main story soon. I really want to see how poo poo gets real when the barriers break down, and I want to see Bayaz in over his head. That fucker is just too cool.

# ? Sep 4, 2012 22:59

Mr.48: May 1, 2007

Hughmoris posted:

There is a Red Country extract up!
http://www.joeabercrombie.com/books/red-country/extract/

You have to be realistic.

Link seems to be down, could you post the extract in spoilers if you can still access it?

# ? Sep 4, 2012 23:48

Hughmoris: Apr 21, 2007; Let's go to the abyss!

Mr.48 posted:

Link seems to be down, could you post the extract in spoilers if you can still access it?

Hmmm, its working for me. Below is the Red Country extract. SPOILERS BEWARE!

quote:

They were laughing when they clattered over the rise and the shallow little valley opened out in front of them. Something Lamb had said. He�d perked up when they left town, as usual. Never at his best in a crowd.

It gave Shy�s spirits a lift besides, coming up that track that was hardly more than two faded lines through the long grass. She�d been through black times in her younger years, midnight black times, when she thought she�d be killed out under the sky and left to rot, or caught and hanged and tossed out unburied for the dogs to rip at. More than once, in the midst of nights sweated through with fear, she�d sworn to be grateful every moment of her life if she ever got to tread this unremarkable path again. Eternal gratitude hadn�t quite come about, but that�s promises for you. She still felt that bit lighter as the wagon rolled home.

Then they saw the farm, and the laughter choked in her throat and they sat silent while the wind fumbled through the grass around them. Shy couldn�t breathe, couldn�t speak, couldn�t think, all her veins flushed with ice-water. Then she was down from the wagon and running.

�Shy!� Lamb roared at her back, but she hardly heard, head full of her own rattling breath, pounding down the slope, land and sky jolting around her. Through the stubble of the field they�d harvested not a week before. Over the trampled-down fence and the chicken feathers crushed into the mud.

She made it to the yard � what had been the yard � and stood helpless. The house was all dead charred timbers and rubbish and nothing left standing but the tottering chimney-stack. No smoke. The rain must�ve put out the fires a day or two before. But everything was burned out. She ran around the side of the blacked wreck of the barn, whimpering a little now with each breath.

Gully was hanged from the big tree out back. They�d hanged him over her mother�s grave and kicked down the headstone. He was shot through with arrows. Might�ve been a dozen, might�ve been more.

Shy felt like she was kicked in the guts and she bent over, arms hugged around herself, and groaned, and the tree groaned with her as the wind shook its leaves and set Gully�s corpse gently swinging. Poor old harmless bastard. He�d called to her as they�d rattled off on the wagon. Said she didn�t need to worry �cause he�d look to the children, and she�d laughed at him and said she didn�t need to worry �cause the children would look to him, and she couldn�t see nothing for the aching in her eyes and the wind stinging at them, and she clamped her arms tighter, feeling suddenly so cold nothing could warm her.

She heard Lamb�s boots thumping up, then slowing, then coming steady until he stood beside her.

�Where are the children?�

They dug the house over, and the barn. Slow, and steady, and numb to begin with. Lamb dragged the scorched timbers clear while Shy scraped through the ashes, sure she�d scrape up Pit and Ro�s bones. But they weren�t in the house. Nor in the barn. Nor in the yard. Wilder now, trying to smother her fear, and more frantic, trying to smother her hope, casting through the grass, and clawing at the rubbish, but the closest Shy came to her brother and sister was a charred toy horse Lamb had whittled for Pit years past and the scorched pages of some of Ro�s books she let blow through her fingers.

The children were vanished.

She stood there, staring into the wind, back of one raw hand against her mouth and her chest going hard. Only one thing she could think of.

�They�re stolen,� she croaked.

Lamb just nodded, his grey hair and his grey beard all streaked with soot.

�Why?�

�I don�t know.�

She wiped her blackened hands on the front of her shirt and made fists of them. �We�ve got to get after.�

�Aye.�

She squatted down over the chewed-up sod around the tree. Wiped her nose and her eyes. Followed the tracks bent over to another battered patch of ground. She found an empty bottle trampled into the mud, tossed it away. They�d made no effort at hiding their sign. Horse-prints all around, circling the shells of the buildings. �I�m guessing at about twenty. Might�ve been forty horses, though. They left the spare mounts over here.�

�To carry the children, maybe?�

�Carry �em where?�

Lamb just shook his head.

She went on, keen to say anything that might fill the space. Keen to set to work at something so she didn�t have to think. �My way of looking at it, they came in from the west and left going south. Left in a hurry.�

�I�ll get the shovels. We�ll bury Gully.�

They did it quick. She shinned up the tree, knowing every foot- and handhold. She used to climb it long ago, before Lamb came, while her mother watched and Gully clapped, and now her mother was buried under it and Gully was hanged from it, and she knew somehow she�d made it happen. You can�t bury a past like hers and think you�ll walk away laughing.

She cut him down, and broke the arrows off, and smoothed his bloody hair while Lamb dug out a hole next to her mother. She closed his popping eyes and put her hand on his cheek and it was cold. He looked so small now, and so thin, she wanted to put a coat on him but there was none to hand. Lamb lowered him in a clumsy hug, and they filled the hole together, and they dragged her mother�s stone up straight again and tramped the thrashing grass around it, ash blowing on the cold wind in specks of black and grey, whipping across the land and off to nowhere.

�Should we say something?� asked Shy.

�I�ve nothing to say.� Lamb swung himself up onto the wagon�s seat. Might still have been an hour of light left.

�We ain�t taking that,� said Shy. �I can run faster�n those bloody oxen.�

�Not longer, though, and not with gear, and we�ll do no good rushing at this. They�ve got what? Two, three days� start on us? And they�ll be riding hard. Twenty men, you said? We have to be realistic, Shy.�

�Realistic?� she whispered at him, hardly able to believe it.

�If we chase after on foot, and don�t starve or get washed away in a storm, and if we catch �em, what then? We�re not armed, even. Not with more�n your knife. No. We�ll follow on fast as Scale and Calder can take us.� Nodding at the oxen, grazing a little while they had the chance. �See if we can pare a couple off the herd. Work out what they�re about.�

�Clear enough what they�re about!� she said, pointing at Gully�s grave. �And what happens to Ro and Pit while we�re loving following on?� She ended up screaming it at him, voice splitting the silence and a couple of hopeful crows taking flight from the tree�s branches.

The corner of Lamb�s mouth twitched but he didn�t look at her. �We�ll follow.� Like it was a fact agreed on. �Might be we can talk this out. Buy �em back.�

�Buy �em? They burn your farm, and they hang your friend, and they steal your children and you want to pay �em for the privilege? You�re such a loving coward!�

Still he didn�t look at her. �Sometimes a coward�s what you need.� His voice was rough. Clicking in his throat. �No shed blood�s going to unburn this farm now, nor unhang Gully neither. That�s done. Best we can do is get back the little ones, any way we can. Get �em back safe.� This time the twitch started at his mouth and scurried all the way up his scarred cheek to the corner of his eye. �Then we�ll see.�

Shy took a last look as they lurched away towards the setting sun. Her home. Her hopes. How a day can change things about. Naught left but a few scorched timbers poking at the pinking sky. You don�t need a big dream. She felt about as low as she ever had in all her life, and she�d been in some bad, dark, low-down places. Hardly had the strength all of a sudden to hold her head up.

�Why�d they have to burn it all?� she whispered.

�Some men just like to burn,� said Lamb.

Shy looked around at him, the outline of his battered frown showing below his battered hat, the dying sun glimmering in one eye, and thought how strange it was, that he could be so calm. A man who hadn�t the guts to argue over prices, thinking death and kidnap through. Being realistic about the end of all they�d worked for.

�How can you sit so level?� she whispered at him. �Like . . . like you knew it was coming.�

Still he didn�t look at her. �It�s always coming.�

# ? Sep 5, 2012 00:08

Mr.48: May 1, 2007

Oh god I want this book so bad it loving hurts.

# ? Sep 5, 2012 00:28

Beastie: Nov 3, 2006; They used to call me tricky-kid, I lived the life they wish they did.

Oh man I wasn't going to read that but I lasted about 15 minutes. Cant wait!

# ? Sep 5, 2012 02:12

Blue Raider: Sep 2, 2006

Abercrombie has really, really been reading some westerns. drat, he nailed the feel of the big genre writers like L'amour. It's dead loving on.

# ? Sep 5, 2012 05:34

Play: Apr 25, 2006; Strong stroll for a mangy stray

I need that book bad. Everything Abercrombie's put out has been an instant classic in my mind

# ? Sep 5, 2012 07:08

thecallahan: Nov 15, 2004; Since I was five Tara, all I've ever wanted was a Harley and cut.

I was going to wait as well and yet, ten minutes or so later I just had to read it.

That last line.. It's so perfect, I'm just annoyed I have to wait until the 23rd to get this bad boy.

# ? Sep 5, 2012 15:13

UncleMonkey: Jan 11, 2005; We watched our friends grow up together
And we saw them as they fell
Some of them fell into Heaven
Some of them fell into Hell

Holy poo poo holy poo poo holy poo poo holy poo poo holy poo poo holy poo poo :neckbeard:

# ? Sep 5, 2012 17:52

lobotomy molo: May 7, 2007; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

"You have to be realistic."

:haw:

edit: Also, the last little bit of this: 'Best we can do is get back the little ones, any way we can. Get �em back safe.� This time the twitch started at his mouth and scurried all the way up his scarred cheek to the corner of his eye. �Then we�ll see.�

Then we'll see. Holy gently caress this is going to be brutal. :unsmigghh:

lobotomy molo fucked around with this message at 21:49 on Sep 5, 2012

# ? Sep 5, 2012 20:42

UncleMonkey: Jan 11, 2005; We watched our friends grow up together
And we saw them as they fell
Some of them fell into Heaven
Some of them fell into Hell

Fly Molo posted:

"You have to be realistic."

Yeah, that was the one that got my biggest reaction too. I just got such a huge grin and was giggling like an idiot. I also appreciated the names of the oxen.

# ? Sep 5, 2012 20:48

Evfedu: Feb 28, 2007

UncleMonkey posted:

Holy poo poo holy poo poo holy poo poo holy poo poo holy poo poo holy poo poo

empty quoting is bad form. No really though that last line.

# ? Sep 5, 2012 21:23

DarkCrawler: Apr 6, 2009; by vyelkin

Can't wait so bad!

# ? Sep 6, 2012 17:20

The Gunslinger: Jul 24, 2004; Do not forget the face of your father.; Fun Shoe

UncleMonkey posted:

Yeah, that was the one that got my biggest reaction too. I just got such a huge grin and was giggling like an idiot. I also appreciated the names of the oxen.

The names of the oxen was a really nice touch.

# ? Sep 6, 2012 18:29

cheese: Jan 7, 2004; Shop around for doctors! Always fucking shop for doctors. Doctors are stupid assholes. And they get by because people are cowed by their mystical bullshit quality of being able to maintain a 3.0 GPA at some Guatemalan medical college for 3 semesters. Find one that makes sense.

Just finished reading Best Served Cold after enjoying his first trilogy and while I enjoyed it a lot, I was a little distracted by abercrombies use of a main character so similar to The Cripple. I don't think this is spoiler worthy, but just in case...
I felt like Monza and Glokta were too similar and it got a little...wierd. Skilled, respected warriors cut down in their prime? Check. Fall from a position of power and privilege? Check. Horrible physical injuries inflicted by others? Check. Deserted by most of their 'friends'? Check. Frequent sentences and passages devoted to detailing the subtle nuances of their chronic panic? Check.

The Shivers/Bloody Nine comparisons are also pretty obvious, and while that didn't bother me so much for some reason, its there. They are clearly different characters with different motives, but the similarities were a bit 'eh' for an author who is clearly very talented not only at story telling, but creating characters. Someone who can create a duo like Morveer and Day shouldn't end up with so similar main characters. I'm starting The Heros this week and I just hope he can break out of it a bit.

# ? Sep 9, 2012 00:42

Above Our Own: Jun 24, 2009; by Shine

I didn't think they were that similar. Glokta's defining points as a character aren't the elements of his background, they're his brutal self-awareness, wry gallows humor, and the interaction between his constant paranoia about being killed and his resigned sort of acceptance towards dying.

The things in your list are pretty common for fantasy characters, and they're only superficially similar between Glokta and Monza; Glokta was captured by his enemies and came back to discover that society was now ashamed of him in his disfigured state. Monza was betrayed by her patrons but still held a huge following among the populace.

The two characters also form very different motivations as a result of these events. Monza focuses on simple revenge, while Glokta seeks out a profession where he can inflict pain on others.

# ? Sep 9, 2012 01:13

Devorum: Jul 30, 2005

I just read the excerpt, and I cannot wait for this book. I just started re-reading First Law to quench my Abercrombie thirst in the mean time. I haven't been this excited for a new fantasy novel in a while.

# ? Sep 10, 2012 12:54

John Charity Spring: Nov 4, 2009; SCREEEEE

The UK tour dates have been announced and I think I'm going to have to go to Glasgow or Edinburgh to get Red Country signed like I did The Heroes. Which will mean, of course, putting off reading the book for a week or so, but I'll live.

# ? Sep 10, 2012 20:18

UncleMonkey: Jan 11, 2005; We watched our friends grow up together
And we saw them as they fell
Some of them fell into Heaven
Some of them fell into Hell

I've reached that stage of waiting for highly anticipated book releases where I start to get irrationally angry at the publisher. "You have it! We all know you have it! Why are you making us wait? Release it now, you cocksuckers! I want! Gimme gimme gimme! ARRRGGGHHHHHHHH!" :derp:

# ? Sep 13, 2012 19:06

Hughmoris: Apr 21, 2007; Let's go to the abyss!

The US release has been pushed back to at least November 13th. :suicide:

# ? Sep 13, 2012 22:47

Clinton1011: Jul 11, 2007

Isn't there an online store someone posted earlier in the thread that you can get the UK version from and have free shipping anywhere?

Edit: Found it bookdepository.com

Edit2 : Here is a link to the Red Country

http://www.bookdepository.com/Red-Country-Joe-Abercrombie/9780575095823

Clinton1011 fucked around with this message at 22:54 on Sep 13, 2012

# ? Sep 13, 2012 22:51

UncleMonkey: Jan 11, 2005; We watched our friends grow up together
And we saw them as they fell
Some of them fell into Heaven
Some of them fell into Hell

Hughmoris posted:

The US release has been pushed back to at least November 13th.

Yeah, the UK release is like a month before that and they have the better cover so that's where I'm ordering from. And Clinton1011 reposted the website that was posted earlier that has free world-wide shipping. I should probably just go ahead a preorder now.

# ? Sep 13, 2012 23:44

Mr.48: May 1, 2007

Yeah Bookdepository is pretty awesome, I've been telling people about them for a while now.

# ? Sep 14, 2012 00:51

Pigskin: Jun 13, 2005

It's really awesome reading this Abercrombie thread, thanks to everybody for making it fun and interesting.
Like most of you I can't wait for the release and after reading that excerpt, UncleMonkey pretty much summed up my thoughts with the Holy poo poo! response

I will probably not be able to wait for the U.S. release and will pre-order from the bookdepository - I do have a question about the book being offered from the bookdepository vs Amazon.

The version from the bookdepository is listed at 464 pages, the version from Amazon (U.S.)is listed at 480 pages. Anybody know or have an idea why there is a 16 page difference?
link to amazon U.S. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/03...&pf_rd_i=283155

# ? Sep 21, 2012 03:57

neongrey: Feb 28, 2007; Plaguing your posts with incidental music.

Clinton1011 posted:

Isn't there an online store someone posted earlier in the thread that you can get the UK version from and have free shipping anywhere?

Edit: Found it bookdepository.com

Edit2 : Here is a link to the Red Country

http://www.bookdepository.com/Red-Country-Joe-Abercrombie/9780575095823

Thanks. Gonna get me some Red Country. :dance:

# ? Sep 21, 2012 04:05

John Charity Spring: Nov 4, 2009; SCREEEEE

Pigskin posted:

The version from the bookdepository is listed at 464 pages, the version from Amazon (U.S.)is listed at 480 pages. Anybody know or have an idea why there is a 16 page difference?
link to amazon U.S. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/03...&pf_rd_i=283155

Since it's from a different publisher then it's probably just a question of font size and typesetting.

# ? Sep 21, 2012 12:54

Pigskin: Jun 13, 2005

John Charity Spring posted:

Since it's from a different publisher then it's probably just a question of font size and typesetting.

Thanks John - I'm sure that's probably it, just wanted to be sure I (or we) weren't going to miss 16 more pages of goodness.

Time to do that pre-order!

# ? Sep 22, 2012 03:35

Lord Jigger: May 8, 2008

Rereading The First Law trilogy and am just starting Last Argument of Kings. Such an awesome series. I forgot how much I thoroughly enjoy Glokta.

# ? Sep 22, 2012 04:16

Beastie: Nov 3, 2006; They used to call me tricky-kid, I lived the life they wish they did.

I'm torn between the UK cover and the US one for Red Country. My three copies of the original trilogy all have the cover with maps and blood, while my copies of BSC and The Heroes are the hokey ones with the models. I get a huge discount at work so if I hold out and wait for the US version I get 30% off, but I have to wait until Nov. 13th.

First world problems in a First Law Series.

# ? Sep 27, 2012 20:36

Mr.48: May 1, 2007

Beastie posted:

I'm torn between the UK cover and the US one for Red Country. My three copies of the original trilogy all have the cover with maps and blood, while my copies of BSC and The Heroes are the hokey ones with the models. I get a huge discount at work so if I hold out and wait for the US version I get 30% off, but I have to wait until Nov. 13th.

First world problems in a First Law Series.

Thats not even a choice. Get the nice UK cover and you will get it 3 weeks early to boot.

# ? Sep 27, 2012 20:40

Glug_Glug: Feb 17, 2011

I bought The First Law Trilogy about a year ago at a used book store(20 bucks for the set!). I finished the first book in about a week, and I really enjoyed it. For no reason at all, I haven't started the second book until now. The problem is, I don't remember what happened in the first book. I remember the torturer, the rear end in a top hat captain, and Logan. I remember the old magi as well. Basically, I remember the characters but not what happened.

So my question is, can someone give me a quick summary of what happened in the first book?

# ? Sep 27, 2012 20:55

Clinton1011: Jul 11, 2007

Everyone traveled to Adua then left.

Edit: Not much really happens expect introducing characters. I would suggest reading the first book again just to have all the character interactions and everything fresh in your mind. I personally love re-reading this series and don't feel like parts drag on during re-reads like a lot of other books I have read.

Edit2: I can't find a really great plot summary online but this one is decent.

http://www.voidhawk.com/wordpress/?p=75

Clinton1011 fucked around with this message at 23:01 on Sep 27, 2012

# ? Sep 27, 2012 22:43

Glug_Glug: Feb 17, 2011

Yeah, that's pretty much what I remember from the plot. Thanks for the link. When I looked it up, all I could find was reviews as well which basically only give you the set up.

I actually ended up starting the first book again. The way I figure it, I can basically skim read it, find the important parts and get back to the new bits. The important parts meaning anything that doesn't involve that super annoying noble dude. Jezal or something. Gods, I can't stand him.

That's actually what I remember the most. How much I can't stand that prick.

# ? Sep 28, 2012 08:19

UncleMonkey: Jan 11, 2005; We watched our friends grow up together
And we saw them as they fell
Some of them fell into Heaven
Some of them fell into Hell

12 days. 12 goddamn hellishly long days. And that doesn't even factor in however long shipping takes from overseas. I feel like a little kid counting down the final two weeks before Christmas. The day that package arrives at my work and I have to get through the day with it sitting on my desk will be the longest 8.5 hours I've spent since A Dance with Dragons came out and I spent the entire day waiting until I could go home and just read.

# ? Oct 6, 2012 03:01

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# ? May 14, 2024 22:45

adebisi lives: Nov 11, 2009

Is there any chance we will be able to buy an epub of this thing somewhere?

# ? Oct 6, 2012 15:21

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie...

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