The Wisdom of Crowds
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4.5 • 65 Ratings
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
The New York Times bestselling finale to the Age of Madness trilogyfinds the world in an unstoppable revolution where heroes have nothing left to lose as darkness and destruction overtake everything.
Chaos. Fury. Destruction.
The Great Change is upon us . . .
Some say that to change the world you must first burn it down. Now that belief will be tested in the crucible of revolution: the Breakers and Burners have seized the levers of power, the smoke of riots has replaced the smog of industry, and all must submit to the wisdom of crowds.
With nothing left to lose, Citizen Brock is determined to become a new hero for the new age, while Citizeness Savine must turn her talents from profit to survival before she can claw her way to redemption. Orso will find that when the world is turned upside down, no one is lower than a monarch. And in the bloody North, Rikke and her fragile Protectorate are running out of allies . . . while Black Calder gathers his forces and plots his vengeance.
The banks have fallen, the sun of the Union has been torn down, and in the darkness behind the scenes, the threads of the Weaver's ruthless plan are slowly being drawn together . . .
"No one writes with the seismic scope or primal intensity of Joe Abercrombie." —Pierce Brown
For more from Joe Abercrombie, check out:
The Age of Madness
A Little Hatred
The Trouble With Peace
The Wisdom of Crowds
The First Law Trilogy
The Blade Itself
Before They Are Hanged
Last Argument of Kings
Best Served Cold
The Heroes
Red Country
The Shattered Sea Trilogy
Half a King
Half a World
Half a War
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Intense action and political intrigue collide in the sweeping conclusion to Joe Abercrombie’s Age of Madness trilogy. Years of turmoil are coming to a head in the fantasy lands of the Circle of the World. The people have taken control of the allied empire of Union, ousting King Orso in a bloody revolution. But the leaders of the uprising don’t just want democratic control—they want vengeance. Meanwhile, a clan feud threatens to bring chaos to the North just as a massive invasion begins. Abercrombie draws you right into his medieval Europe–inspired tale, even if you haven’t read the previous books in the series. We were gripped by the shifting tides and allegiances as Abercrombie’s world transitions from its own version of the Industrial Revolution into a French Revolution–style Reign of Terror. If you love the complex machinations of Robert Jordan or George R.R. Martin, we recommend getting into this adventure series.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Abercrombie's conclusion to his bestselling grimdark Age of Madness trilogy (following The Trouble With Peace) will satisfy his many fans, especially those who don't need to rely on the five-page cast list at the back to feel sufficiently oriented. Disreputable crown prince turned reluctant king Orso the First has assumed the throne of the Union following an unexpected military triumph. Predictably, he wears the crown uneasily: his reign is challenged by a rebel group calling themselves the Breakers, who are amassing a People's Army to march on Orso's stronghold. The crown's response is harsh, and the book's strongest scenes depict the consequences of Orso's acquiescence to his advisers' decision to toss captured rebels off a tower to their deaths. ("The trial can be on the way down. The ground can give the verdict.") The bloodshed and political turmoil are reminiscent of the horrors of the French Reign of Terror, mixed with diverting humor that comes partially courtesy of Orso's narcissistic tendencies. Less successful are some of the other, more forced real-world allusions, including a draft constitution that begins, "We consider these facts to be self-evident." Nonetheless, with its thoughtful exploration of differing approaches to governance and rich, action-packed plot, this epic fantasy makes a fitting series close.
Customer Reviews
What a series!
A great ending to a great story arc. One of the best writers I have ever read. Amazing characterizations. Drama mixed with black humour. Like the best of historical fiction, but in a fantasy world. Read them all! From the first law trilogy through the standalones. Most enojyable
Disappointing conclusion
Not a very satisfactory conclusion. Not at all.