The Devils [May 13, 2025]

[Silvana]

Nirkatze wrote: "If y'all aren't doing the print book, check out this artwork!!

https://www.instagram.com/torbooks/p/...

Black and white in the regular books, but color in a special edition, I think... T..."

no 6 is Balthazar? but he looks so old
https://www.instagram.com/torbooks/p/...

[Ann-Marie]

Nirkatze wrote: "If y'all aren't doing the print book, check out this artwork!!

https://www.instagram.com/torbooks/p/...

Black and white in the regular books, but color in a special edition, I think... T..."

I was too late for the Waterstone's version but I got the Broken Binding one. If I can get the Waterstones for a decent price on re-sale at some point in the future I will definitely pick it up. I listened though, there is no way I could have finished over the weekend if I had to read the physical copy!

[Ann-Marie]

@Silvana - I agree about Vigga, (view spoiler)[I was not expecting her to kill one of the core characters and the aftermath for her was sad. (hide spoiler)]

About Baltahzar (view spoiler)[I assumed he thought he would have failed again and so didn't try. (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Which repetition were you guys having trouble with?... (view spoiler)[the characters trying to do their own thing and get out of the situation, or the revolving door of siblings trying to kill/capture Alex, or something else? (hide spoiler)]

[Ann-Marie]

I didn't find it repetitive, I thought it was clever how the parts were separated (view spoiler)[one for each cousins' death lol (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I haven't minded either... 77% now... Curious what book 2-3 look like...

Always jarred by that bank or whatever that sounds similar to Valintz and Balk from First Law tho...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Went back and read page 1 spoilers and got answers to my questions...

Reddit thread says yearly releases based on Polish publisher info about getting access to English copies to translate the next 2 years...

[Ann-Marie]

That makes sense, doesn't he write the trilogy then works on editing as they are released so he avoids being a stupid, terrible, awful person and makes people wait ridiculously long times for new releases?

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

That and/or likes being able to better weave developments and foreshadowing across entire trilogies...

[Ann-Marie]

Timelord Iain wrote: "That and/or likes being able to better weave developments and foreshadowing across entire trilogies..."

That makes sense too, whatever the reason I support it <3

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Which repetition were you guys having trouble with?... [spoilers removed]"

My annoyance is the repetitive dialogue - there are so many lines that are used over and over.. It's something that annoyed me with The Blade Itself and it's why I haven't read much Abercrombie since.

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

Finished :) I'll probably be in the minority here, but this one was an exhausting read.

An interesting premise and some good actions scenes, but the humour killed it for me. There were only a couple of jokes that I thought landed, and the rest I thought were pretty cheap laughs - maybe I just have a terrible sense of humor, though. If there were more of a balance between the comedy and character development, I think I would have been more invested in the story, but I was emotionally checked out by the time Part 3 started.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I finished as well... (view spoiler)[I read the spoiler about Vigga/Baptiste, so that was pre-spoiled, but I feel like if I hadn't, it wouldn't have been too surprising, given how unsurprising alot of the other twists felt...

Uncle plotting... Alex not being the original Alex... Eudoxia's soul experiments succeeding... Etc...

That sequence was tragic enough to make me a bit misty eyed tho, listening to the necromancer have fictional conversations in his head before finding out... I blame wind for blowing a tear out a single eye... Very manly tear :D

The more surprising thing to me was Eudoxia realizing she wasn't a great Empress and should just go off and do her science thing...

Also, I'd be surprised if the necromancer doesn't figure out how to bring Baptiste's soul back, using magic and Eudoxia's research...

Also also how corrupt the church proved to be... (hide spoiler)]

[Jacci]

starting this now FINALLY got my copy from the Library

[Silvana]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Which repetition were you guys having trouble with?... [spoilers removed]"

plot and dialogue/banter for me. and some of the inner thoughts...

and I don't know if I'm imagining this but (view spoiler)[ Baptiste did not get a POV chapter, right? (hide spoiler)]

[Silvana]

Jenna wrote: "Finished :) I'll probably be in the minority here, but this one was an exhausting read.

An interesting premise and some good actions scenes, but the humour killed it for me. There were only a coup..."

some of the jokes could be cheap and tiring indeed

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

There are definitely focal devils and peripheral devils... I probably missed a bunch, listening at work...

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

Silvana wrote: "some of the jokes could be cheap and tiring indeed..."

Glad I wasn't the only one who felt this way

[Chris]

I've been meaning to start this all week but keep getting distracted by this Infinity Kingdom game lol

[Paula]

I got my copy! And it has colored illustrations! So I'll start today

[Nirkatze]

I started yesterday on the plane and am enjoying so far. I'm a bit more than halfway through Part II but only commenting on my notes from Part I here. I saw this review by Daniel Greene before reading, and pretty much agree with a lot of what he's said--(view spoiler)[he points out the excessive use of excrement and OMG, it's so true, there's bodily functions all over the place. He also mentioned the humor, and I think being prepared helped me take it with a grain of salt... the character development is sneaking up behind the humor, but it does feel rather nonstop. None of the jokes have landed big, but just been kind of a general smile so far.

I like the premise--lost princess, suicide-squad-style group, kind of makes me think of Malevolent Seven. I think I liked that book more (so far), but the characters in this are more distinct. I definitely see Abercrombie's mastery in the character-work.

My favorite is Vigga so far--even though we only get one scene with her in Part I, I like the stream-of-consciousness we get as she slaughters all the Trojans. It really works for me as an introduction to her character. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

@Silvana, re: Part I (view spoiler)[I totally didn't notice how little we saw of the Baron & Sunny until you mentioned it, but now I'm curious too. (hide spoiler)]

re: Pictures. I think #6 is indeed Balthazar... (view spoiler)[I'm really curious who y'all think #1 is? The Cardinal? The Pope? I don't think it'd be Baptiste or Sunny. Maybe Alex by the end of the book?

In the physical books, the endpapers are #3 (Vigga), #7 (Brother Diaz), #1 ?? and #5 (bald elf head? rock out hand sign? Devil?)
Those last two are the ones I'm most curious about. (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I definitely agree on the Malevolent Seven comments ... I thought the same thing while reading and forgot to mention ..

[Chris]

I started over the weekend and read a few chapters....

This feels like Abercrombie, but also has what feels like a Discworld seasoning thrown in...

[Felina]

Intriguing!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Discworld, but gross :D

[Silvana]

Chris wrote: "I started over the weekend and read a few chapters....

This feels like Abercrombie, but also has what feels like a Discworld seasoning thrown in..."

I need Vimes to suddenly pops out in there. And Nobby needs to meet Balthazar.

[Paula]

Until part I (view spoiler)[ Really liking it so far. A group of misfits is very fun and I like the humour so I think I will enjoy it till the end.

At first I was as confused as Alex. Her being a princess? And I am still a bit wary of Miguel. I don't think he is as altruistic as he appears. Why wouldn't he take the throne and kill his nephews if he is the Empress brother?

But I am liking the other characters and the European setting. The map is quite funny, there are atlantians too. (hide spoiler)]

[Paula]

@Nirkatze, Part I, I haven't watched many reviews, I wanted to be a bit blind with this one but (view spoiler)[ yeah, so many uses of excrement haha.

And I agree on the Malevolant seven thing, it's similar but I prefer this characters.

I also liked Vigga but Baltasar's self importance is very funny (hide spoiler)]

[Silvana]

Ooh potential adaptation by James Cameron https://x.com/JamesC_Online/status/19...

[Nirkatze]

Hah! that would be great! I can see this being pretty fun onscreen, with the right cast.

[Tonari no Emily]

Popping in to say I LOVED this. Makes me want to reread all of Abercrombie again!

[Paula]

Finished too! (view spoiler)[ I was surprised Baptiste was killed. I hope Vigga stopped and now I am sad that she has another kill on her shoulders. That's why she forgets everything.

And I like Iain's theory that she will be brought back by necromancy and Eudoxias soul magic. (hide spoiler)]