Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie starting February 1, 2023.

Oh I just bought the trilogy a few weeks ago and it's on my TBR. definitely in for this!

Thank you Yanique :)

Looking forward to re-reading the first trilogy - it was so long ago, I remember liking the first book very much.

I've been wanting to read the books after the first trilogy... I might re-read..

Monika wrote: "Thank you Yanique :)"

Enjoy!!!

It just went on sale in Kindle USA: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00TOT9LD...

$2.99

I can't wait to get stuck into this series. Been on my TBR for way too long.

Yay! Always fun to have lots of people!

I'll be joining soon! Maybe early next week :)

None of my libraries have these on audio :C

"Say one thing about The First of the Magi, say that he's a cheating bastard"

:D

gah! too many BRs starting around the 1st! >.< Brain explodes!

I'll be starting on this probably a week or so late

This book was amazing! I can't believe it took me so long to get around to reading it and I devoured it in less than 3 days. Complex characters and nicely written fight scenes.
Well worth reading if you haven't already. I'm very tempted to continue reading the series straight away. But I will hold off... plenty of other books on the shelf.

Gavin wrote: "This book was amazing! I can't believe it took me so long to get around to reading it and I devoured it in less than 3 days. Complex characters and nicely written fight scenes.
Well worth reading i..."

Read the series!

I read this during Covid when we were all locked down. Such a good series.

Julian wrote: "I'll be starting on this probably a week or so late"

Oh good! We'll be around the same time. ^_^

This will be my first reread. I've always meant to go back, but it's also so brutal... I just haven't been in the mood. I absolutely love Glokta though... such amazing character work...

@Gavin--at least you won't have long to wait! Next book starting BR in just two weeks!

Jennifer wrote: "Read the series!
I read this during Covid when we were all locked down. Such a good series..."

Nice! Yeah, I did the same during lockdown but with The Expanse and The Witcher Series, and others.

I definitely will read it. But I want to read it as a FBR. So it's one book every fortnight. I tend to read more than a book per week, so I'm happy to wait and get feedback from everyone.

@ Nirkatze Two weeks feels like too long away. ;) plus, The Tyranny of Faith comes out Feb 14. Can't wait
Glokta is really an interesting character. Best thing about the story is the strong character interactions and development. It feels natural and authentic.

More catch up to do for me :). Still no net at home... So can't use computer on Kindle to properly update my reading. I spent 3 days on the phone to have problem fix asap, we can say at least they started the process of fixing...

Suppose to be 'or kindle' LOL!

I read the first 3 books probably 10 years ago and I remember I liked them but I don't remember specifics so this is like a new read. I am 15% in and I kind of remember the characters so far and I think I remember how these 3 books are ultimately resolved but I am trying not to dwell too much on that and just enjoy the book.

@Nirkatze this will be my first read. I'm looking forward to it but need to finish the broken earth series first

@ Julian, how are you liking that series, btw?

I'm starting tomorrow and I'm excited because this will be my first time reading it :)

Gavin wrote: "@ Nirkatze Two weeks feels like too long away. ;)..."

LOL so true! When you're excited for a read, there's no such thing as a short wait time...

Julian wrote: "@Nirkatze this will be my first read. I'm looking forward to it but need to finish the broken earth series first"

Oooh shiny! I really liked Broken Earth--did a local book club with it--lots of good chewy thought stuff. Isn't my absolute favorite, probably because of literary qualities, but I really appreciate it.

Ann-Marie wrote: "I read the first 3 books probably 10 years ago and I remember I liked them but I don't remember specifics so this is like a new read. I am 15% in and I kind of remember the characters so far and I ..."

I have a feeling this will describe my experience exactly once I get started... ^^;

Broken Earth is definitely one of my favorites!

@Nirkatze it is definitely among the more unique fiction books I've read due to its writing style. It's one of those books that I think needs to be read rather than listened to.

Finally could open this book. So far read only few pages, but starts good.

50 pages behind me. Three main characters introduced. Very interesting ones have to say :)

Part 1 complete (view spoiler)[and I am really enjoying it. I am sad I didn't have more time this weekend to read more. I am switching between the audio and ebook, the narrator is good but I'd rather read it so I can go faster. All of the characters are interesting and I am glad I remembered that Logen's friends were still alive correctly lol (hide spoiler)]

Ann-Marie wrote: "I read the first 3 books probably 10 years ago and I remember I liked them but I don't remember specifics so this is like a new read. I am 15% in and I kind of remember the characters so far and I ..."

Yeah I read these about 10 years ago too, and I don't remember hardly any of the plot. Just general sketches of the characters.. Through "Fencing Practice" and (view spoiler)[ I forgot how well done these characters are! And how much I really do not like Jezal. Fun to see Ardee take him down a notch :D

I'm also loving the repeated sayings, especially for Logen. You have to be realist about these things" :D (hide spoiler)]

I'm still waiting for my copy! I found the second book as a donation at my library! Hahaha! Now if the next ones will come in! 😆 (though I feel guilty that my director won't put the books out for the patrons)

The best part is I think it matches the one I bought from thriftbooks! Sadly some of my orders from thriftbooks are stuck/delayed!

I finished earlier today, it was as good as I remembered, great into to the series. I love how character focused the book is. It is a brutal, violent world and the book has lots of action.

(view spoiler)[I am not sure if Glotka or Logen is my favorite. Jezal is annoying and that scene with West and Ardie was shocking and I am still bothered and annoyed by him doing that. I think I remember what happens with her (maybe? hopefully?) so I am going to put it out of my head lol Loved naked Bayez exploding one of the Practicals, showing how powerful he is. (hide spoiler)]

I half read/listened, will likely listen more than read the next since work is getting busier but I can't wait to start book 2 later this month!

Up to page 136 so far as reading few other books :) more and more interesting. I like how main characters are shown here.

I still want to jump in on this! I'm sure y'all are in to the next book already, but I'm going to try to start in the next couple days... before I hit the 2-week deadline for including it in the BR category. :)

Finished two days ago. Can't wait to start book 2.

My copy just arrived today!

I'm still reading it. It's just a slow book so I haven't had an urge to pick it up even though I really love the characters

I put it down for a bit to finish something else, but I'll be back to it!

Makes me happy to know I won't be alone!

Finally started today! About 2 hours in, not sure what chapter, but wow, I forgot how good this is... and how fascinating Glokta is. I swear he has to be one of the top 5 characters of all time... that torture scene (view spoiler)[with the Minister of the Mint, where he starts slicing him to pieces one chop at a time... (hide spoiler)] I've forgotten so much of the book, just a few scenes, but that scene will never leave my memory... and it's so horrible, but just like Glokta, so fascinating... how could anyone stand up to that? Is there any worse torture? The combination of mutilation and terrible anticipation...

Oh yeah Glokta is one of the best things about the trilogy!

Nirkatze wrote: "Finally started today! About 2 hours in, not sure what chapter, but wow, I forgot how good this is... and how fascinating Glokta is. I swear he has to be one of the top 5 characters of all time... ..."

I think I kicked all of these from 4 to 5 stars on my reread.

@Nirkatze I agree with you about Glokta - he is very interesting character, very interesting indeed.

I feel bad--I went from start to finish without commenting at all in the middle. Weekdays are bad for commenting for me... not enough brain cells. Going to try to reconstruct thoughts, but I have no time stamps.

Definitely agreeing with Chris--when I read this for the first time...probably at least 15 years ago... I think I read it when the third book came out, the whole trilogy at once. Back then, gave it 4 stars. Probably wasn't used to reading anything quite so brutal. This time, OMG it is 5 stars. Such BEAUTIFUL character-work! Every one of them a trainwreck. And all in such different ways, and so human, and Glokta is a masterpiece. If it was a movie, my eyes would be glued to the screen.

Rereading was an interesting experience too, especially on audio. I love how the narrator did great "oomph" type noises--like when folks got punched etc--always made me smile. And the difference between Glokta's internal voice and his spoken broke-tooth lisp... so well done.

Also, for a reread--I have very very few memories of this series, just a few specific scenes and slips of knowledge, really. One of those scenes--seared into my brain--is the one I commented on above. The others, I think, are all from the end of the series (so don't open this spoiler tag unless you are also rereading) (view spoiler)[that Jezal ends up king, supposedly a hidden child of the previous king, married to the haughty young lady who prefers women, and that Bayaz tells him he is actually the child of a whore Bayaz bought for pennies of the street, and that he had several more secreted away if he needed them. That knowledge this time through made me laugh at all of Jezal's "oh, I'm so much better because of my blood" comments, and wish the knowledge could come sooner, because OH how I wanted to knock him down several pegs. (hide spoiler)] Knowledge like that, of the ending, and where folks end up (at least in the trilogy--I really want to read all the later books) gave a very different perspective on a lot of lines and a lot of different scenes.

Ann-Marie wrote: "I finished earlier today, it was as good as I remembered, great into to the series. I love how character focused the book is. It is a brutal, violent world and the book has lots of action.

[spoil..."

OMG that scene with West and Ardie--so masterful! Why does my physical copy not have Chapter numbers? I found the scene in "Nobody's Dog" about p355. (view spoiler)[How you feel just as angry as West when he finds Ardie drunk and writing letters... and then realize with horror that you're siding with someone beating their sister... but you can't let go of the anger... (hide spoiler)]

I also really loved Brother Longfoot! I'd totally forgotten about him... I think he first appears in "The Remarkable Talents of Brother Longfoot" around p.282 (view spoiler)[His self boasting! His way of just chattering on, and completely oblivious to the human aspects around him as he does what he is so good at, navigating! Hiding behind Logen--smart move--boastful, but also quick to recognize his weaknesses. The narrator gives him a slight Indian accent, which I thought very effective... (hide spoiler)]

I also really enjoyed Ferro--though she was introduced so late to the book, she had big impact. Found it! Right a the start of Part II, and in random chapters through the end. (view spoiler)[A counterpoint to Logen almost--all that ferocity and full of purpose--while Logen, as skilled at death and mayhem (say one thing about Logen Ninefingers, say he's good at killing) is calm and almost purposeless. He even told Bayaz he didn't want to know why Bayaz wanted him--which is the main reason we the readers are still in the dark about the state of the world and Bayaz's plans. Logen's focus is all about staying alive--it's his mantra--and keeping the Bloody Nine down. Ferro is all about freedom and her vengeance. I also love the way she calls people "Pinks"--such a great flip to the derogatives of history on people of darker skin. And the empire! Seen only briefly through Ferro's eyes, with Yulwei's commentary and that one conversation she overheard between him and Bayaz... a force, getting ready to flood over the world... (hide spoiler)]

And again, I love that with all the focus on characters, we really have no idea what is going on with the larger world. Why is Bayaz gathering people to him? What is his plan? Blame Logen for why we don't know. Though to be fair, it's more fun trying to puzzle details out as we read... (view spoiler)[The mention of the laws--First Law, not to deal with demons/the other side--ominous, that this series is named such. The Second Law, not to eat the flesh of man, and the horrible creatures we see as a result. Are there more laws? We know not yet.

Bayaz influencing Jezal's tournament. Bayaz gathering Jezal, Logen, and Ferro. The seeming incompetence of Quai. Ferro's blood having some significance, her eyes, a "seed", a suggestion of breaking the First Law.

The play. A glimpse at the history of the Magi. The Tower, and the confusion within. Strange, I don't remember there being much magic in the series, but Bayaz was throwing it around... much more than I remember. (hide spoiler)]

I'm very excited to see how the pieces fit together. I've honestly forgotten everything.