Best Served Cold in Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy"

Oct 13, 2009 Greg (adds 2 TBR list daily) Hersom rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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When the infamous mercenary captain, Monza Murcatto, seems to be getting too powerful, her employer, Duke Orso, attempts to have her and Benna, Monza's next-in-command, killed. Short work is made of Benna, but, by a cruel twist of fate, Monza survives, just barely. And her quest for vengeance sets a spark to the powder-keg that is the country of Styria during the Years of Blood.

Best Served Cold is a stand-alone novel that takes place in the same world as Joe Abercrombie's acclaimed The First Law When the infamous mercenary captain, Monza Murcatto, seems to be getting too powerful, her employer, Duke Orso, attempts to have her and Benna, Monza's next-in-command, killed. Short work is made of Benna, but, by a cruel twist of fate, Monza survives, just barely. And her quest for vengeance sets a spark to the powder-keg that is the country of Styria during the Years of Blood.

Best Served Cold is a stand-alone novel that takes place in the same world as Joe Abercrombie's acclaimed The First Law series. To his many fans (of which I'm certainly one), I say: you'll be more than pleased with Best Served Cold. Along with a colorful array of new characters -- criminals, henchmen, assassins, power-hungry nobles, and mercenaries -- several of the second-string characters from The First Law play a major part. I'd list them, but half the fun of this book is guessing just who will show up. I will just give you this much: if you liked the despicable soldier-of-fortune Nicomo Cosca before, or maybe even if you didn't, you're gonna love him in Best Served Cold.

Mr. Abercrombie's stories have been called "fantasy noir" and I can't think of a better description. Think Quentin Tarantino or Guy Ritchie doing a fantasy movie and you just about have the right idea. Mr.Abercrombie's First Law and Best Served Cold has edginess, a multitude of criminals, raw and gritty dialogue, horrifyingly realistic violence, and dark humor.

Best Served Cold drags the reader along on Monza's grim and unyielding vendetta which in turn ignites vengeful repercussions that only throw other deadly events into motion. It was fascinated to watch how one person's obsession can drag so many others down with it and how once someone starts down a dark path, their whole self-concept can change. But, there's no need to lose heart in the darkness. There just may be (according to the individual reader's interpretation) a small ray of light at the end of the tunnel.

I do feel compelled to warn that Abercrombie may be too dark for some readers, and the sexual content is raunchy -- but it is on par with the tough, roguish characters. ...more

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Jul 28, 2010 J.M. (Joe) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

I was planning to write a resplendent review for BEST SERVED COLD, but all I can say is, "Joe Abercrombie is a bad mamma jamma." This guy can write powerful, gripping, uppercut-to-the-chin, fantasy like nobody else. Read his "First Law Trilogy" first, then grab a copy of BEST SERVED COLD and enjoy.

Here, instead of me writing a bunch of supererogatory stuff where I gush about Abercrombie, listen to the author himself talk about the book and then just try to resist the urge to get a copy of BEST S ...more

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Oct 29, 2010 Marniy rated it liked it · review of another edition

The characters in this book tried hard to achieve the magical combination of despicable and sympathetic Abercrombie captured in the characters of his initial trilogy, but they didn't rise above being despicable and unlikeable.
I don't know what the formula is to make his dark-gray characters in The First Law so damned interesting and sympathetic, he just didn't carry it off here. They felt forced in a "they're really mean and crazy but have these adorable quirks, so you should like them" way.

The ...more

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