The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)

by Joe Abercrombie

Surely this was hell. He knew he deserved to be here, but he didn’t remember dying.

‘People are born to their station here. They have commoners, to fight, and farm the land, and do the work. They have gentry, to trade, and build and do the thinking. They have nobility, to own the land and push the others around. They have royalty . . .’ Bayaz glanced at the tin crown ‘. . . I forget exactly why.