The First Law · Book 1
The Blade Itself
- Published
- 1 May 2006
- Pages
- 531
- ISBN-13
- 9780316387316
- Type
- novel
About this book
The Blade Itself (2006) opens The First Law, introducing a crippled torturer, a vain swordsman convinced he's the hero of his own story, and a manipulative wizard with an unexplained agenda -- the trio Joe Abercrombie pulls together as a looming war approaches. It set the grimdark template of morally grey characters and cynical humor the whole series became known for, running 531 pages ahead of Before They Are Hanged.
Its place in The First Law
The Blade Itself is book 1 in the The First Law series. It is followed by Before They Are Hanged. See the full The First Law reading order.
A crippled torturer, a vain swordsman convinced he's the hero of his own story, and a manipulative wizard who never seems to be quite what he claims are pulled together by a looming war and the wizard's own unexplained agenda. Joe Abercrombie's First Law world is epic fantasy stripped of most of its comforting illusions: kingdoms are run by the venal and incompetent, battles are chaotic and ugly rather than glorious, and the people readers root for are, almost without exception, deeply compromised. It's the book…
Editions
- edition · unknown publisher · — · ISBN 9780575077867
- edition · unknown publisher · — · ISBN 9780575091504
- edition · unknown publisher · — · ISBN 9781478935797