“If Glokta could torture any one man, any one at all, it would surely have been the man who invented stairs."

I love the dog man. "And the dogman just sat there and though how things used to be different " all the named men are great characters.

I think im the only one who's favorite character in this series is Jezal.

Just finished this yesterday and it was SO GOOD!! Can't wait to start book 2 this afternoon!

Just finished this first book. Best book I've read in years and wouldn't have ever thought about it unless I watched your video on why I should read it. Many thanks to you my man many thanks

Callum West was such a legend in this trilogy.

I recommend Abercrombie,s books frequently, and usually just get a familiar shrug. A good half of me wishes he would get more exposure, but another good half revels in the big secret that is The First Law trilogy. These books are so good, and ready made for adaptation, I can t help but think it's only a matter of time before HBO or FX make these books a big series. Right now I like keeping them close to the chest.

Where have I been? I read some fantasy back in high school, then was distracted with college and the college life. After establishing my career and getting married I felt a longing to return to reading some fantasy books. I stumbled upon Game of Thrones/ASOIAF back in 2009-2010. I read all those books and was enslaved Sunday nights to watch the latest episode. That seemed to have satisfied my fantasy itch. Last fall I felt that itch return and decided to see what was happening in the fantasy realm and stumbled across your channel. Needless to say, the First Law trilogy seemed pretty high on your list of recommendations. I gave it a try, I loved it. It took me about 2 months to get through all 3 books during the holiday season. Now I'm reading the Faithful and the Fallen series and I am completely blown away. My TBR has over 30 books and these are mostly book #1 for a larger series. I feel so far behind but thankfully not left behind. Thanks!

Hi Mike thanks for your incredible service. You are clearly the best book reviewer on KZfaq. I'm reading this Joe Abercrombie The Blade and I'm blown away. I've read about 35% so far and had to put your video down after three minutes. I'm just trying to nibble around the edges without getting spoiled. It's an incredible book recommended by an incredible Book reviewer. Thank you so much for this recommendation. Joe Abercrombie may end up being my favorite author. Thank You.

Just finished this, glotka, logen and even jezal are awesome in there own respects. Loved it

I love Glokta so much because we've seen that character a million times, but always from the other side. The creepy torturer is common, but never as a POV. Because it is such a familiar character you can easily picture the POV of the people he is torturing.

The Dogman became my favorite character in the series pretty f*ckin fast! A whole comedy series could be solely based around the shenanigans of the Dogman, Thunderhead, and Black Dow.

I started reading this series based on a comment you made from your interview with Pierce Brown. I love it! I also found out a coworker also loves it, so now I have someone to talk with! Great reviews on this channel! :)

Imo I felt a strong friendship blossoming between Jezal and Glokta at the end and their last conversation felt hopeful seeing that Glokta is going to try his best to help Jezal make the kingdom better. I thought their conversation was the most hopeful/nice thing about the ending.

Just finished The Blade Itself a couple days ago. Great characters in this book. I’m anxious to see where Abercrombie goes with the story. Next book is already on order!!

I just finished this book, and I really enjoyed it. This was the first fantasy read for me. I see why folks like this genre

The blade itself was great, thank you for recommending it Mike! One of the most different, most brutal and funniest fantasy books I've ever read

Always enjoy your videos. This review was thorough and to the point, well done. I just finished this audio book. So I have a bit of a different view of characters due to the narration. Great characters to follow on this journey. Really excited for book 2. You have a great channel, I hope you grow!

Suffering through gout myself, I empathize with Glokta. Being in constant pain makes one very ornery. You get resentful for not being able to do simple things..like climb stairs.

Man, that starting quote in this video also really got me.

Brother Longfoot is obviously the best character

My favourite character has to be Logen. Badass but also very tragical character (Jezal maybe is even more tragical in the end...but unlike Logen he isnt badass :D) . He just wants to change and have peace, but death always follows him wherever he goes. I think in the end he realizes he will never change no matter how much he tries. And that scene with Tul Duru just broke my heart man.

Just finished this book, and I can finally start watching these videos!

glad you found this series....also glad I did. Sand dan Glokta, Logen, Bayaz, Jezal, the Eaters, Mamun, this was an amazing series...You'd like the standalones, Best Served Cold, Red Country, The Heroes...all of those have reference points in this trilogy. Welcome to the fold, brother

Glokta's inner monologues are very Richard III Shakespeare...I mean that as a compliment.

I just finished this book today and I don't know why it took me so long to finally get to it. I absolutely LOVED it and can't wait to read the rest of the series!!

Jezal and Logen was by far my favourites, got me trough this book. The thought of a Tournament coming up helped me too.

best content on youtube. Love the intro reading from the book. Great ambient music!

Just finished this one, great review as always! I enjoyed the characters, but the book was definitely a intro book to the series. I didnt feel like there was ever really a plot to the book, just a bunch of intros and character building. Looking forward to the next 2!

At the beginning of 2022, someone on YT recommended this series to me and I'd have to say that The Blade Itself is my favorite book of this years' reading. I've now started reading Red Country. Logan and the Dogman are ultimately my favorite characters. I came to hate Bayaz, but that only comes out in later books. I bet Jezal is what Glotka was like; when Glotka was a younger man. My favorite quotes: " you've got to be realistic about these things" and " better to do it, than live with the fear of it."

My god, thank you so much, Mike. Seriously, thank you! I would have never have looked twice at this series if you had not recommended it to a commenter on your 75K subscriber live video. I read the sample pages on google, and loved what I read. I then bought the book and I just finished it 20 minutes ago, what a ride. I've never read fantasy or Grimdark before, this is my first time. I am HOOKED!

Nice shirt. Mastodon rocks 🎸

Hey mike, just finished the book and loved every bit of it... Thanks for the recommendation!

This book was great. Already about to start the second. Cant wait to read through this absorbing trilogy!

This is great! Gotta say the chapters with Threetrees crew were hilarious…especially in regards to Black Dow 😂

Bro, I'm so happy for you. Booktube was missing a relatable male presence, been following for years. Now you are getting to interview these authors? Haha, fuck yeah. Cheers, bro!

Definitely a set-up novel, especially for character acts, except for Logen. Ended at a weird point for me. Logen is awesome, love him, JA did some real heavy lifting with Logen in the first few times we see him, really really well done. A lot to commend in this book; humour, decent action (the Contest was disappointing for me) some surprises (Logen's warp spasm, West's assault), the characters are probably the strongest aspect, love hate sympathize despise, so good. The mini funeral when the Weakest returns to the mud, damn that was emotional. Really enjoyed this, 8.9462 out of 10, finished this today and I think I'm going to go crack book 2 right now. take care Mike, stay safe, thanks for the rec on this one, so worth it

So happy I can finally watch these. :)

Great first book in a series. I was intrigued by almost all of the characters.

Just finished. Call me impressed. Excited to read book number 2. Thank you for the recommendation sir.

Alright i just found ur channel and i really really like the introductions u make the quotes and background music and the narration.. U just earn a new subscriber

Love these spoiler talks after finishing a book.

I really loved the Dialogue in this book. In a lot of fantasy series like GOT, all the characters are incredibly articulate and hardly ever misspeak. It actually made me feel like a dumbass when I stumbled over a word. But in this there are entire chapters where Jezal mostly says "Er..." People actually stutter and try to find the right words in this book. Not every line they say is perfectly said, and the characters talk like real people. I think Black Dow was like "Fuck yourself!" When he attacked some of Bethod's men.

Loved the book!!! It was so fresh and new. I'm glad I read it. Thanks for your recommendation! Cant wait to start book 2... P.S -.Mastadon 🤘

This is the quote that really drew me to this book!!

Great review, Glokta's my favorite too.

Just finished it and couldnt put it down. What a great read.

I'm pretty sure I remember reading something about Ferro being able to carry the seed. So in terms of why she's special and why bayaz recruited her I think this is at least one thing that's been hinted that. Just acquired books 2+3 so I'm excited to see where it goes

I loved the chapters with Logen's crew

I’m reading this at the moment. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I do since everyone on booktube talks about how good it is. Usually that tells me something will be lame. I’m pleasantly surprised. I’m gonna stop before I get to spoilers. This whole quarantine thing is doing wonders for my reading. Can’t leave the house or go to work so I’m just reading and eating haha.

This series is just the greatest.

Ferro is my favorite. Stubborn, painless, and quick. Heavy pink bastard ! 😂

Finally finished book 1. Was great!

I am still reading through the last book in the series, so this might change, but you might actually be underselling Glokta. For my money he might be the most original and morally complex character since McCarthy’s Chigurh, though obviously different in many ways.

Glad to see you’re also a Mastodon fan!

I tried to read this about 3 years ago and DNF for some reason. Decided to try again just recently and I’m Obsessed now. Lesson I learned is if your not enjoying a book, you should try it again at another stage in your life and your opinion could flip.

Definitely the best booktuber 💪🏻, after all you have to be realistic.

Glokta is great ofc, but also Logen.

“The Firth Law Ith the betht!!” - Practical Frost’s Bookish Inquisition

Video idea- full recap of each book book to help us who took long breaks between books

I wish this boks were easier to get here in Colombia, sounds really interesting and fun! The only book by him I've seen in physical is A little hatred, and its not exactly cheap. Are Fantasy books like this are expensive there as here?

Huge Mastodon fan! Epic songs. (Blood Mountain is my favorite album from them.) Just finished “The Blade Itself” and looking to see what other people think. Sub 👍🏻

"why do I do this?"

I could handle all the brutal bloodshed, the torture scenes, everything. But West beating Ardee made me feel gross. I had liked him but at that point it turned into pure hatred of him. If Abercrombie tries to bring him back into being likeable he has to work magic.

I think His 2nd book, "The Trouble with Peace" from the other trilogy is in my top 3 books of ALL TIME.

I just finished the blad itself and the first thing I recommended was these video

This sounds REAL interesting

you and Daniel Greene are my favorite booktubers.

Im currently reading Book 1 im at page 90 and the book kinda boring and slow should i finish it? Will it get interesting as i read it?

Just finished this. There were so so many passages you could have used for the intro.

Stairs. Fucking god damn stairs. Nothing contains greater evil than GOD. DAMN. FUCKING. STAIRS.

#1 Mastodon hell yeah! #2 $23.99 on Amazon for the entire trilogy,jump all over it right?

Ferro calling all the white people “pink” had me dying Also, Logen panicking about the City

As much as I really enjoy most of the characters, logen and glokta especially, I think the guy I want to see more of most of all is bayaz. Really interested in what this guy is all about.

Great 👕

Yeeeahhh Mastadon!

logan and glockta best char of the book.

West WAS my favorite

do we get a map at some point?

Well, I checked out the Blade itself, and for a while, I will be taking a break from grimdark fantasy.

I’m surprised you weren’t questioning whey did Bayaz take Jezal with him. Out of all the gang members, Jezal is the only one who looks like a normal human being with no uniquely useful skills .. even his combat abilities are questionable and his elite status is meh, not a prince

This is my first book by him and two thinks stuck out to me. 1. There's no plot. 2. Such witty conversations between characters.

True statement: glockta can beat darth Vader if he joins the sith

Great video! One.. Correction I guess? Logen doesn't have a split personality, he's demon possessed.

Except for Ferro Majinn: the women were weak point in the 1st book.

I love your videos my dude, but maybe shorten the intro sequence? It's like 1 minute of books, not very appealing me thinks. The part where you read snipets from the book is great tho! :D

Ok....just finished this and unfortunately I have to disagree with you that it was a page-turner, at least not for me...before I go on I gave this 3/5, but believe that Name of the Wind was a better book at 3/5.... I like the characters but did not feel attached to any of them and thought them to be somewhat blend except for maybe Glokta..... there was also too much going on... You're following way too many people and way too many things are happening at once....I just got lost in some areas or plain just lost interest....the last 3 chapters took me 3 weeks to read as I felt it shlogged.... in all fairness though I was reading two other books so I was jumping between those three books....some areas of the book did pique my interest and for that fact I do want to read on to the second book.....I think I'll re-read this when I have no other books on the go.

Just finished The Blade Itself yesterday and know I am starting to understand the love surrounding these books/trilogy 🫢🫢🫢🫢 it was so good! I adore the characters, I haven’t been this invested since Mistborn 🥹🥹🥹🥹 so happy for this recommendation ☺️☺️☺️ thank you so much for being a spoke’s person for this series 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Inquisitor Glokta might be my new all time favorite character 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼