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The Devils
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TD: compared to the other books like First Law
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Tamahome
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Jul 17, 2025 05:03AM
I just wonder what people who have read the other books like First Law think about how The Devils compares? It seems to have more fantasy and comedy. A few youtubers aren't thrilled with the differences in style.
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It's been a while since I read the First Law, but I felt like the tone isn't too far away. I particularly remember some very funny passages in First Law with Sand dan Glotka and his lisping assistant torturer - those are played for laughs as much as anything in The Devils. There's probably more magic 'on screen' in The Devils, but only because the wizard in First Law seems like he does most of his magical scheming behind everyone's backs (if I remember right). First Law has people going on quests for magical objects and a fallen magical civilization or something too, right? It seemed plenty fantasy to me.
I have read all of Joe's books. First Law trilogy, then 3 stand alone books using minor characters, Then the Age of Madness which propels the First Law world into the industrial age. Shattering Seas is a Viking inspired YAD, but still enjoyable. All have humor, great characters and generally a fantasy trope gets turned on its head, One booktuber thought it was plotless, but it the oldest plot in the literary world, The Quest Trope. Another was disappointed in the character development, but Joe always leave some mystery to each character for the next book in the series. Always easier to get viewer hits by being a contrarian.
I’m finding it pretty similar in style to The First Law books, with the same strand of dark humour very much in evidence.
I am struggling with this book, where as with First Law, I was sucked in and really enjoyed, violence and all.For me, the characters feel flat and the world...meh. I get the parallels and the "fun" he's poking at the church. But...it's just not drawing me in. I think my entry point requires more movement of a story and interesting characters. To me, they feel very two dimensional.
terpkristin wrote: "I am struggling with this book, where as with First Law, I was sucked in and really enjoyed, violence and all.For me, the characters feel flat and the world...meh. I get the parallels and the "fu..."
I’m losing steam with this book now tbh. The world-building drew me in at first but now (about two-thirds in) the plot has become very repetitive and the characters, while fun, haven’t really developed much. They each have their thing, and they do it, then they do it again. I’m hoping for a cool climax.
…and I’ve hit the DNF button. I just couldn’t be bothered with this book anymore. The early promise of the alternate history world building has been squandered on a story that feels repetitive and derivative. Oh well! Onwards to the next read…
It's a gang of 8. Maybe it's too many to get deeper characterizations at least in the first book that has a big action climax in each section.
Like the first Law books, some characters get more background info in the second and third book.
Seth wrote: "It's been a while since I read the First Law, but I felt like the tone isn't too far away. I particularly remember some very funny passages in First Law with Sand dan Glotka and his lisping assista..."Sand dan Glotka was super funny! The tone seems similar. yeah.
Tamahome wrote: "It's a gang of 8. Maybe it's too many to get deeper characterizations...."I think this might be exactly the problem. Maybe it would work better as a TV show where you can get some visual cues that firmly separate everyone? Or, like Firefly, the show could do a background episode for each main character. Those flashbacks would have made The Devils way too long, but really there's only about half the characters that feel like they're in it enough to care about.
Maybe an omniscient narrator would have worked more efficiently for character, instead always having to pick one of them as the pov. McCammon's The Five does it that way. Speaking of Firefly, the Firefly books zoom in and out of everyone's heads in the crew.
Seems like I’m in the minority but this was my favorite set of Abercrombie characters. I thought each was well fleshed out and super interesting. I loved this book from beginning to end and can’t wait for more adventures in this world.
Most people who reviewed this book loved it too. We are not in the minority
Ruth wrote: "…and I’ve hit the DNF button. I just couldn’t be bothered with this book anymore. The early promise of the alternate history world building has been squandered on a story that feels repetitive and ..."All true, and yet...
...I kinda fell in love with alt-Troy. Found the ending pretty good. Pounding action all the way through, yes. Some good twists also.
