Astra Crompton's Blog: A Literary Diary - Posts Tagged "joe-abercrombie"
Half a War
Riveting, visceral, and driven prose, once again. Abercrombie remains my favourite author in the fantasy genre.
The Shattered Sea trilogy is a Viking-inspired fantasy, and is considered his first offering for the YA audience (his previous books being more adult-oriented). That said, I started reading the trilogy not knowing it was intended as a YA, and it seems that Joe Abercrombie did not know it was YA either, until somewhere in book 2. By this third instalment, the tale feels more firmly planted in YA expectations, with the focus shifting firmly to the relationships and budding romances between its young protagonists.
Still, Abercrombie refuses to play by the rules, much to my delight. There are no saccharine happily-ever-afters here. Each of the characters faces ache and longing, sure enough...but frequently for the world shifting around them, forcing them to change into something beyond what they wanted for themselves. There is still sex, with as much honesty and clumsiness as one should expect from Abercrombie's writing. It is refreshing that these people are so human. Even the ones who are described as being stunningly beautiful are still balls of nerves, and not spared the indignity of throwing up all over themselves.
For those who have read the first two Shattered Sea books, expect Abercrombie to focus on a different cast here yet again, with the heroes from the previous book shifting to a background role. It would enable one to stumble into book 3 and follow it cleanly even if they hadn't read the other two first -- but as always, the subtle references woven throughout gain depth and poignancy if the entire series has been absorbed.
Abercrombie remains one of the few authors who can write "strong female characters" that feel both distinct and impressive, without any of the annoying tropes that turn me off of these roles in so many fantasy books. His female characters are not merely men with breasts, nor are they constantly trying to prove themselves the equal of men. They all have their own roles, expectations, and struggles that arise from their station(s) and talents. They also display a lovely variety of strength, from the tenderness of Owd to the vengeance of Thorn, from the majesty mingled with mercy of Skara, to the hard work of Rin. Abercrombie's women form a seamless part of the world's fabric that is as realistic as it is refreshing to read.
While it is likely not set in the same world as Abercrombie's other books, I like to imagine it's simply another continent from his First Law trilogy, as the lore of this Viking-inspired setting is rich and haunting. The Shattered Sea's mystery and horror seems extremely timely for the events going on in the world presently. The concept of the Elf Relics make this story stand apart from other Viking-styled fantasies, and the richness of the characters are instantly unforgettable.
The Elf Relics, specifically, raise many assumptions and questions, and I hope Abercrombie will explore the idea further in future books, as it sparked my curiosity like an itch I never really got to scratch. Their presence was a perfect opportunity to subtly comment on human attitudes that seem as eternal as time itself, with a sort of futility and brutality in an endless cycle. While Half a War ends the trilogy, it is certainly only the beginning of a new saga.
Abercrombie's fight scenes remain the best in the genre, so far as I'm concerned. If anything, the fact that this tale veered YA makes me wonder if some of my books might fit for YA, after all...
The Shattered Sea trilogy is a Viking-inspired fantasy, and is considered his first offering for the YA audience (his previous books being more adult-oriented). That said, I started reading the trilogy not knowing it was intended as a YA, and it seems that Joe Abercrombie did not know it was YA either, until somewhere in book 2. By this third instalment, the tale feels more firmly planted in YA expectations, with the focus shifting firmly to the relationships and budding romances between its young protagonists.
Still, Abercrombie refuses to play by the rules, much to my delight. There are no saccharine happily-ever-afters here. Each of the characters faces ache and longing, sure enough...but frequently for the world shifting around them, forcing them to change into something beyond what they wanted for themselves. There is still sex, with as much honesty and clumsiness as one should expect from Abercrombie's writing. It is refreshing that these people are so human. Even the ones who are described as being stunningly beautiful are still balls of nerves, and not spared the indignity of throwing up all over themselves.
For those who have read the first two Shattered Sea books, expect Abercrombie to focus on a different cast here yet again, with the heroes from the previous book shifting to a background role. It would enable one to stumble into book 3 and follow it cleanly even if they hadn't read the other two first -- but as always, the subtle references woven throughout gain depth and poignancy if the entire series has been absorbed.
Abercrombie remains one of the few authors who can write "strong female characters" that feel both distinct and impressive, without any of the annoying tropes that turn me off of these roles in so many fantasy books. His female characters are not merely men with breasts, nor are they constantly trying to prove themselves the equal of men. They all have their own roles, expectations, and struggles that arise from their station(s) and talents. They also display a lovely variety of strength, from the tenderness of Owd to the vengeance of Thorn, from the majesty mingled with mercy of Skara, to the hard work of Rin. Abercrombie's women form a seamless part of the world's fabric that is as realistic as it is refreshing to read.
While it is likely not set in the same world as Abercrombie's other books, I like to imagine it's simply another continent from his First Law trilogy, as the lore of this Viking-inspired setting is rich and haunting. The Shattered Sea's mystery and horror seems extremely timely for the events going on in the world presently. The concept of the Elf Relics make this story stand apart from other Viking-styled fantasies, and the richness of the characters are instantly unforgettable.
The Elf Relics, specifically, raise many assumptions and questions, and I hope Abercrombie will explore the idea further in future books, as it sparked my curiosity like an itch I never really got to scratch. Their presence was a perfect opportunity to subtly comment on human attitudes that seem as eternal as time itself, with a sort of futility and brutality in an endless cycle. While Half a War ends the trilogy, it is certainly only the beginning of a new saga.
Abercrombie's fight scenes remain the best in the genre, so far as I'm concerned. If anything, the fact that this tale veered YA makes me wonder if some of my books might fit for YA, after all...
A Literary Diary
I've never been good about keeping a journal, but I do love media and even more I love talking about my experience with media. This is intended to be a series of my reviews of the books I read (and pe
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