Joe Abercrombie was educated at Lancaster Royal Grammar School and Manchester University, where he studied psychology. He moved into television production before taking up a career as a freelance film editor. During a break between jobs he began writing The Blade Itself in 2002, completing it in 2004. It was published by Gollancz in 2006 and was followed by two other books in The First Law trilogy, Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings. He currently lives and works in London with his wife and daughter. In early 2008 Joe Abercrombie was one of the contributors to the BBC Worlds of Fantasy series, alongside other contributors such as Michael Moorcock, Terry Pratchett and China Mieville.
Another superb trilogy from the master of grimdark!
The Age of Madness is every bit as good as the original First Law series. We get some returning characters, but mostly we meet a whole new group which I loved. Each new character is just as interesting and morally grey as all the legacy characters.
The plot is fleshed out, interesting and fun to follow. Everything about this series is top notch, and if you were a fan of First law and the standalones, you will eat this up!
Joe Abercrombie writes books that are fun to read, packed with colourful characters and crafty, sinister situations. A Little Hatred and The Trouble with Peace take the reader back to the Union and the new King Orso. He is surrounded by plotters, from Leo (the Young Lion) who is naive and heroic, to Savine, the conniving daughter of his Eminence Glotka. My favourite character is Rikke of the Long Eye, always underestimated by everyone around her except for Caul Shivers and the witch Isern. Book 2 ends in a great battle and Abercrombie describes in short, bloody vignettes from the perspective of the little people - the spear carriers, the sponge boy at the cannon, the standard bearer. A riotous and compelling read and I want to read book 3!
Joe at his best. Hands down my fav fantasy author. Good story. Even better characters. On pair with Trouble with peace and earlier entries from Abercrombie.