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The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)

Joe Abercrombie

Start date: September 1, 2012

Finish date: September 30, 2012

Discussion: Book Discussions

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What Members Thought

Jul 31, 2012 Raquel rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

Second read 9 years later so I can finally read the full trilogy.

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Jan 31, 2025 Aurelia rated it liked it

Joe Abercrombie’s The Blade Itself is a character-driven fantasy that subverts traditional genre tropes with flawed protagonists, political intrigue, and sharp, darkly humorous dialogue. Set in a world of shifting alliances and looming conflict, the novel follows three main characters: Logen Ninefingers, a battle-worn barbarian trying to outrun his past; Jezal dan Luthar, a self-absorbed noble more interested in vanity than valor; and Inquisitor Glokta, a former war hero turned ruthless interrog Joe Abercrombie’s The Blade Itself is a character-driven fantasy that subverts traditional genre tropes with flawed protagonists, political intrigue, and sharp, darkly humorous dialogue. Set in a world of shifting alliances and looming conflict, the novel follows three main characters: Logen Ninefingers, a battle-worn barbarian trying to outrun his past; Jezal dan Luthar, a self-absorbed noble more interested in vanity than valor; and Inquisitor Glokta, a former war hero turned ruthless interrogator, now navigating the dangerous world of politics and espionage. Their fates slowly converge under the guidance of Bayaz, a mysterious and powerful mage with his own hidden agenda.

Rather than a traditional fantasy story with a clear overarching quest, The Blade Itself is more focused on its characters and the intricate power struggles they become entangled in. The world Abercrombie builds is rich and detailed, with a dry wit underlying even its darker moments. There is certainly violence, cynicism, and moral ambiguity, but I found myself expecting even more grimness and brutality given Abercrombie’s reputation as a quintessential modern grimdark writer. While the book leans into the messiness of war and power, it balances this with a surprising amount of humor and character-driven storytelling.

Despite its strengths, my experience with The Blade Itself was initially frustrating. I had attempted to read the novel twice before and struggled to get past the halfway point. The beginning is slow and, at times, disorienting, with frequent shifts in perspective and little clarity on how the characters or their stories connect. The narrative seemed to lack a clear direction, making it difficult to stay engaged.

However, determined to give it another chance, I persisted. And once I crossed the halfway mark, everything began to fall into place. The characters became more compelling, their interactions more meaningful, and the overarching story started to take shape. By the final quarter of the book, I was fully invested, and upon finishing, I was eager to continue the series.

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly why the first half was such a struggle—whether due to pacing, structure, or the sheer amount of setup required for such a complex world. However, in retrospect, I am glad I gave it another attempt. If you are willing to push through the slower opening, The Blade Itself offers a rewarding and immersive experience, setting the stage for what promises to be an engaging and unpredictable trilogy. ...more

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Mar 05, 2021 tobes rated it it was amazing

Shelves: first-page-sold-me, listened-to, love-triangle-adoo, forbidden-love, girls-behaving-badly, crazy-city, i-loled, new-ambassador-investigates-the-old

Not checking FB til Morgan and I watch WandaVision but I had to post about this fuckin book! It’s pretty rare that a book has me laughing until I cry, I think most humor writing is too cute. BUT! I just finished the first in the First Law trilogy and I haven’t had so much fun since Harrow the Ninth! I loved the characters so much I was only slightly annoyed there are only two women! The narration is amazing! Glokta is the best! Come through book twooooo

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Oct 09, 2011 Bill marked it as to-read