HtW: Part 1 Outcasts

[Sky]

Please keep all discussion to the events and speculation from Part 1

No spoiler tags required. Though it would be highly appreciated if you Uncheck Add to my Update Feed to avoid accidentally spoiling this for your good read friends.

Please do not discuss events from later chapters. Referring back to events from a previous section/book is fine.

[Sky]

It's taking me longer to remember the plot of Half a King than it did of The Autumn Republic - perhaps in part because HaK was a less memorable story than TCC, but I think the important parts are coming back by the end of part I.

I am enjoying the book so far - not a huge YA fan, but for me this is far better than The Reckoners. I actually like the characters in this case.

So far the plot seems less boilerplate than HaK...Interested to see where it goes.

[Richard]

I enjoyed the first book, but it was not ground breaking. I remembered Yarvi, but the others - not so much.

I 'think' the two focus characters in the early 3 chapters are new (Thorne and Brand).
Yarvi seems to have changed a LOT since the last book. I don't think too many years have passed, as there was reference to Yarvi being a few years older than Thorne - and she is 16. He seems to have mellowed a lot, and become very wise (well, that's the impression I am getting).

Was an interesting start to the book. I immediatley hooked onto Thorne. Brand will take a little longer I think. He comes across as a D&D Trainee Paladin (always do the right thing).

[Sky]

Yeah, the 2 character POV is new - I don't recall a lot from the first book either but I think it was told entirely from Yarvi's POV. Yeah, he has seemed to have mellow/mature a lot too. I think a year or two after the last book sounds about right.

[Christina]

I was a little thrown in the beginning when we didn't start off with Yarvi's POV. Actually, I don't think there were any sections from Yarvi's POV in this first section. But Thorn and Brand are growing on me.

At the beginning of last year I read a lot of YA fantasy and dystopia, but lately I've been reading less and less because they usually only seems to scratch the surface of the plot and characters and have poor world building and writing. (Although I really enjoyed the Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Finnikin of the Rock series). But I really enjoyed reading HaK. The world building was still lacking for me, but I was always engaged with the plot and enjoyed Yarvi's story.

Richard - I really like the multiple POVs. For me it's a big improvement from the first book. My favorite stories are ones where there are between 5-10 POVs throughout the story. I think it helps you connect more with the characters. I also like seeing characters from both how they view themselves and how others view them. I think it creates a more well developed and rich character. I hope the book introduces even more POVs.....maybe even Yarvi's again?

And it's hard to picture Yarvi as 18. He definitely doesn't act that way, although given his position and responsibilities he has to grow up fast. I just keep picturing him in my head as being around 35! (Probably because I'm about to turn 40 this year :) )

[Bill]

I like Brand and Thorn already. Probably more so since I just finished Providence of Fire and the POV characters in that are pretty frustrating.

While these two seem to have gotten off to a bad start it isn't as bad as what happened to Yarvi. Was Rulf in Yarvi's crew in the last book? Can't remember if he is who I think he is.

I like the glimpses into Yarvi already plotting to overthrow the high king. I am assuming he setup the entire situation with the assasin in Throvenland.

[Richard]

Rule was in the last book.

As for Yarvi, I agree - he seems to be twice his actual age. This may change as I go through this section.

[Sky]

Yeah Rulf was in the last book. There are further allusions to someone on the crew from the last book who died but I can't remember who that was.

[Caitlin]

I agree on Yarvi, I keep thinking of him as at least late twenties or early thirties. I feel like Abercrombie is doing a much better job with memorable characters in this book, particularly Thorn and Brand. Thorn honestly might be one of my favorite female characters ever.

And I'm pretty sure they're referencing Jaud, the former baker and crewmate who died protecting Yarvi at the end of HaK. Abercrombie sure does love killing the "good" men.

[Sky]

Was Juad Safrit's husband, or was that another person who died in book I?

[Caitlin]

Yet another person who died in book 1. :P It's been long enough since I read it that I couldn't remember so I ended up looking and she's Ankran's wife. Ankran was the corrupt storekeeper on the ship that Yarvi exposed and, if I remember right, Yarvi went back and saved Safrit and Koll from slavery at the end of the book since Ankran had been killed and couldn't free them.

[Sky]

Ah!!!! yes, that is all coming back now...I should have looked up all the characters in the last book as I was reading...With kindle/ebooks search is so easy.

Thanks!

[Caitlin]

No problem! I thought about re-reading HaK before I started HtW but couldn't be bothered so this is giving me a nice refresher. :P

[Nico]

glad to see I'm not the only one who can't remember what happened in the first book :)
Normally it all clicks back after a while, but this time I really struggle. But as I wrote in my review the story was nothing extraordinary.

[Alexa]

Thank you for all the comments about who is who! I was sure most of them were part of HaK but I wasn't sure who each character was.

So far I have mixed feelings about Yarvi, I like that he seems older and smarter, but I think he sounds too old for his age. And I definitely don't like Thorn.

[Amak888]

Thorn's a fantastic character, and one of Abercrombie's best (in a traditional sense, not a schtick sense) but she definitely starts out as a bit of a brat. That's partly her personality and also learned behavior: as a woman trying to break into a man's world against massive (frequently violent) pushback she needs to be (seen as) incredibly tough, and she proceeds to achieve that in precisely the worst ways.

[Christina]

Amak888 wrote: "Thorn's a fantastic character, and one of Abercrombie's best (in a traditional sense, not a schtick sense) but she definitely starts out as a bit of a brat. That's partly her personality and also ..."

I agree. I enjoyed her development throughout the story. I thought she and Brand were much better developed than Yarvi.

[Scott]

Broke down and bought this after seeing all the complimentary comments about it; glad I did because I'm enjoying it so far

Yarvi is excellent in this part so far. And agreed with the comment above about him having a hand in the assassination/poisoning attempt.

Liking the two POVs so far. Last chapter in this part was great with Brand kicking the shit out of Thorn. He seems to be denying some sexy time feelings for her as well

Will be fun with everyone heading south.

Gotta say I love Abercrombie's writing; his characters and dialogue especially. Also love the very toned down approach to prose and style, which didn't sit well with me at first reading him

[Suzanne]

I'm glad my library hold finally came through! The dialogue is more "Abercrombie" than the first book, I think. The little aside comments, and bits of humor in a grim situation. I didn't remember the first book character/plots at all, so in one sense I'm glad we are starting fresh, and in another sense, I keep thinking I might be missing something.

[Amak888]

Yarvi is the first book's protagonist, Rulf (the big old guy) and Uthil (the jerkass King) were members of Yarvi's fellowship of slaves from the first book who stuck around. Queen Laithlin is his mother. Yarvi's love interest Sumael went vaguely south back home (hint hint).

Safrit and Koll are the names of Ankran's nameless family that Yarvi rescued from slavery after Ankran was killed.

Grom-Gil-Gorm and Mother Scaer are the big Vansterland personalities. Friendly Sister whatserface doesn't appear in this book. Sister Isruin was Yarvi's fiance for like two minutes before her dad orchestrated a coup attempt.

[Suzanne]

Thanks for the character recap - that really helps!

[Rob, Mayor of Ghost Town]

Glad to see I'm not the only one who had trouble remembering the last book.

I like both new characters so far. I wonder who the women at the end of this section is. Was anyone else reminded of the briefcase in pulp fiction with the elven cube?

I hope we find out wht's inside.

So far I like it much better than book 1.

[Mark]

Late to this one, but finding it a much better read than the first book.

[Suzanne]

Glad you are enjoying it so far! I agree - its a lot better than the first one.