Before They Are Hanged
Book Two
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4.4 • 169 Ratings
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- £5.49
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- £5.49
Publisher Description
'As brilliant as its predecessor' SF REVU
Bitter and merciless war is coming to the frozen north. It's bloody and dangerous and the Union army, split by politics and hamstrung by incompetence, is utterly unprepared for the slaughter that's coming. Lacking experience, training, and in some cases even weapons the army is scarcely equipped to repel Bethod's scouts, let alone the cream of his forces.
In the heat-ravaged south the Gurkish are massing to assault the city of Dagoska, defended by Inquisitor Glokta. The city is braced for the inevitable defeat and massacre to come, preparations are made to make the Gurkish pay for every inch of land ... but a plot is festering to hand the city to its beseigers without a fight, and the previous Inquisitor of Dagoska vanished without trace. Threatened from within and without the city, Glokta needs answers, and he needs them soon.
And to the east a small band of malefactors travel to the edge of the world to reclaim a device from history - a Seed, hidden for generations - with tremendous destructive potential. A device which could put a end to war, to the army of Eaters in the South, to the invasion of Shanka from the North - but only if it can be found, and only if its power can be controlled ...
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This grim and vivid sequel to 2007's The Blade Itself transcends its middle volume status, keeping the reader engaged with complicated plotting and intriguing character development. As savage Northmen invade Angland, the northernmost province of the unwieldy Union, honorable, hard-working Union soldier Colonel West watches his notions of civilized warfare erode in one horrible battle after another. In Dagoska, a southern city threatened by Gurkish soldiers and left undefended as Union troops head to Angland, dreadfully maimed Inquisitor Glokta employs tortures and deceptions to ferret out conspiracies against the king. Ignoring these worldly concerns, disreputable magus Bayaz of Calcis drives a squabbling little band through a wasteland in search of a relic that can open a gate to the realm of demons. Abercrombie leavens the bloody action with moments of dark humor, developing a story suffused with a rich understanding of human darkness and light.
Customer Reviews
How to follow a masterpiece…
The Blade Itself was a truly astonishing piece of fiction and I had already bought this follow up before reaching half way…and damn if the sequel isn’t somehow even better that it’s predecessor and a vindication of going against my apprehensive instincts on sequels. Each part of the story is equally compelling and the way the characters continue to develop and grow is on a scale that may be impossible to best. No work of fiction is perfect.. but this may be as close as it ever gets.
Battles
I love the way time slows down in battle scenes for the characters. I love West’s headaches , Glotka’s bursts of goodness and his doubts . The story moves fast, it is a good read.
My kind of fantasy
Gritty and brilliant, with fascinating characters. Love it. 2nd in the trilogy, start with 'The Blade Itself' for best results!