The Blade Itself

Overhyped. This book is touted as many things, none of which I found within the far too long 500+ pages. Absolutely nothing happens. You only barely start to learn about the world in the last 50 pages, in part because the main characters themselves are utterly uninterested in knowing anything. This reads like a paean to the 12 year old boy living in a 44 year old man's body in his parents basement, the science denier who's maturity froze in time when swearing was how you shocked people.

The Blade Itself is a gritty and refreshing take on the fantasy genre. Abercrombie's world is dark, morally ambiguous, and filled with complex characters. The story follows a diverse cast of anti-heroes, each grappling with their own demons and motivations. The writing is sharp and witty, with a healthy dose of violence and bloodshed. While the pacing can be a bit slow at times, the payoff is well worth it. The novel is full of unexpected twists and turns.

A frustrating read. If you can get through the first half, it picks up. 3/4 of this book feels like a prologue. I don't mind a lack of action, but repetitive prose, inorganic exposition, and cardboard characters made it tough to make it to the mid-point. (I understand that they're intentionally unlikeable. They are not, however, interestingly so.) I stuck with it because of the breathless praise of the trilogy. Based on the improvement as the book went along, I'm cautiously optimistic that the sequel will begin at a higher baseline quality. Still, I can't recommend this book on its own merit. If, like me, you're fifty pages in and wondering if it will get better, be aware you've got another few hundred pages of incremental improvements in style and pacing. I can't blame anyone who feels they have better things to do with their reading time.