/r/Fantasy Discussion Group discussion

This is a place to leave your first impressions from when you first start the book. Any spoilers should be hidden. Curious to hear how people like this one, it's one of my favorites.

Time for me to try and participate in the discussion over a year after reading this novel. Even longer, actually. I loved it to death, plus its followups.

Man i'm 2 for 2 on reading ahead, I finished the First Law series last month. I picked up the ebook since the Law Series was on sale and it was recomended by the r/Fantasy group numerous times.

This was a great book and really enjoyed the different POVs for the main characters.

I'm going to pick this up in audio I think having read it some time ago in print.

Can't wait to be able to post content here. Just trying to fly through my current book and then I'll be right on board!

I also read this book a while back, and I have to disagree with those struggling with the Glokta chapters, the character immediately has a sort of depth and intelligence to himself. From the onset Glokta is beset with conflict internally and externally (through his disfigurement)

@Nolan - I agree Glokta is a really compelling character.

Read this awhile ago so I'll go back and brush up on some of the finer points, but agree with Nolan and Michael about Glokta. The character and how he was presented was very interesting.

Just started, about an hour into the audio book.

I really struggle to relate to the people who don't like Glotka - he was by far my favorite character in the entire series. I loved his chapters.

I just started reading, but I can see why some people may not like Glotka. I think it has to do with the fact that his profession is not often talked about in fantasy(at least not the books I've read). As a result, some people may not like the change.

Personally, I'm enjoying the Glotka chapters so far as he seems like an intelligent character, and his interactions with his superiors are very entertaining.

I like the character building with 9 fingers and Glotka. I'm hoping for the Magi to visit Glotka. :-)

I think the characters are done pretty well. But I can see why some may not like Glotka.

I'm 25% of the way through the book and I'm wondering how it is that I missed it when it first came out. (I must have been in a science fiction or history phase...)

This is the sort of complex character fantasy I enjoy. Real people that I consider "interesting" are not one-dimensional, so I don't like my fictional friends to be flat either.

I *like* Nine-fingers and Glotka; both men are painfully world-weary, practical, yet surprisingly hopeful. They both perform a singular act in these early chapters which clearly shows that, while they certainly have little to live for, each still believes he needs to continue because there just may be something worth dying for. (view spoiler)[ Nine Finger's abandoning of his pot instead of Malacus, and, Glokta's when, after "the morning ritual", he still forces himself to smile, walk with his head held high, and verbally eviscerate the Arch Lector's Secretary when summoned to the top floor of the House of Questions. (hide spoiler)]

Yes, so far, so good...

I have only just started, but I get a bit confused with some of the switching between first person and third person in the internal dialogue. Might be the formatting of my ebook.
Either way it is okay so far. Will just have to wait until I get further in to see how it goes! Is everyone enjoying it so far?

I'm almost done with it now, but I don't see anyone else discussing it on the other threads.:-(

What did you think about it? Did you feel it got better towards the end? Im about 10% of the way through and not seriously loving it so far.

About 25% of the way through now. I am glad that other people are enjoying it. With the exception of Logen and West, I actually don't really like any of the characters whose POV we are reading from.

It gets better as it goes on for sure. Not all of the characters have even shown up yet. And I don't think you are supposed to like all of the characters.

I'm a little late to the party, but I will catch up.

Crystal wrote: "About 25% of the way through now. I am glad that other people are enjoying it. With the exception of Logen and West, I actually don't really like any of the characters whose POV we are reading from."

I'm not sure you're supposed to like any of the characters. Every single character has flaws and makes mistakes, without spoiling anything I can tell you none of the characters can really represent that paragon goody two shoe character. They are actually human which, in my opinion, makes them more relatable. It's what makes this series so fantastic.

I'm about 25% into the book and I am enjoying it. I too cannot understand why folks dislike or are having trouble reading the Glokta chapters. I find the differences between his thoughts and actual words to very interesting. Also his disabilities and actions because of them are a refreshing change to the brawny dashing hero trope.

Well I have finally been able to scrounge up enough time to read this and now that I'm about 120 or so pages in I thought I'd give my first impressions.

Unfortunately they're not all positive.

I agree with the previous poster. For me Glokta's chapters have been the highlight so far and Jezal's have been the low point with Logen somewhere in the middle. If this novel focussed only on Glotka I would probably enjoy it much more.

I also know that this is supposed to be character driven fantasy but there seems to be almost no overall plot progression whatsoever. Because of this I find that the excitement I usually get while reading is absent from this book, hopefully the pace picks up soon or perhaps Jezal will die and we can stick with the interesting characters.

I also have to say that when authors write out vocalizations like "umph" or "glurk" or other impact noises I can't help but roll my eyes. It just seems so unbelievably cheesy.

Shane wrote: "I'm not sure you're supposed to like any of the characters. Every single character has flaws and makes mistakes, without spoiling anything I can tell you none of the characters can really represent that paragon goody two shoe character. They are actually human which, in my opinion, makes them more relatable. It's what makes this series so fantastic."

Hmm... Overall, I agree with what you are saying. Personally, I don't care for 'perfect' characters, the flaws certainly make characters more interesting and less predictable. But just because a character is not perfect does that mean you're not supposed to like them? Also, I think there is a difference between enjoying reading a character's POV and liking them as a person. There are many many characters I absolutely love reading, but in real life would I like the person? umm.... yeah. Not so sure. Probably shouldn't.

Abercrombie's characters fall into the characters that I love to read about, but I'm not sure what I would think of them if they were real people (the whole moral ambiguity thing). I assume this is the what you were referring to when you said you weren't sure we are supposed to like any of the characters. Unfortunately, I suspect Crystal's reaction is that she doesn't enjoy reading about the characters. And on that note, Abercrombie is one of my favorite authors, he is on my must read list, but it did take me a while to get into this. Hopefully for those of you on the fence, you'll read on and find the things that make Abercrombie's works such great reads.

Sam wrote: "Well I have finally been able to scrounge up enough time to read this and now that I'm about 120 or so pages in I thought I'd give my first impressions.

Unfortunately they're not all positive.

I..."

I agree with some of your points. The plot is wicked slow in development and some of the vocalisations (especially "er") are starting to put me off.

With that said, overall I am really enjoying the book. Every character has their quirks/flaws, which is part of what makes them likable (so far). I am also a fan of the first person asides, especially with regards to Glotka.

Speaking of Glotka, I have no idea why, but whenever I picture him, I picture an elongated/stretched version of Tyrion (how I imagine the character and not Peter Dinklage). I can't help it for some reason.