The Blade Itself
by Joe Abercrombie · first published 2001
78% recommend22% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Gritty, darkly funny fantasy with twisting plotting that keeps overturning assumptions; readers call it a fast, gripping page-turner and a good entry point to the First Law series.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught in one feud too many, he’s on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian – leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies. Nobleman Captain Jezal dan Luthar, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. But war is brewing, and on the battlefields of the frozen North they fight by altogether bloodier rules. Inquisitor Glokta, cripple turned torturer, would like nothing bet
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…amazingly ... just go and read it already - in fantasy (or, dark fantasy, perhaps) genre Joe Abercrombie's "First law" trilogy is an gut wrenchingly entertaining trope-twisting joyride, starting from "The Blade Itself" http://www.amazon.com/The-Blade-Itself-First-Law/dp/15910259... that is worth reading for the hilarious character development (or degeneration?) alone. - Vernor Vinges "A deepness in the sky"(http://www.amazon.com/A-Deepness-Sky-Zones-Thought/dp/081253...)…
on “Sci-Fi Novels You Should Read” ↗If you like fantasy, there are three series you need to read: The Blade Itself (3 books) The Kingkiller Chronicle (waiting on third and final book) The Stormlight Archive (waiting on third and final book)
on “The Best Books I Read in 2015” ↗The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie (the Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged, and the Last Argument of Kings). They're quite dark but surprisingly funny and maybe the most readable novels I've ever read. Absolute page-turners.
on “Ask HN: Favorite fiction books of 2018?” ↗I found The First Law books to be fantastic: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/944073.The_Blade_Itself (You can tell The Blade Itself is a first novel — but the following novels are A+.) I had given up on fiction for a few years, but tried it out after coming across a thread on Reddit. The audiobooks…
on “Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?” ↗The Martian Ready Player One Project Hail Mary Name of the Wind Dresden Files Eye of the World (Wheel of Time) We Are Legion (We Are Bob) The Blade Itself (First Law Trilogy) Dungeon Crawler Carl The History of Ancient Egypt (Bob Brier lecture) Food: A Cultural Culinary History (Ken Albala lecture)
on “Ask HN: Favorite audio book for long drives?” ↗No one has mentioned The Blade Itself and its successors by Joe Abercrombie? This turns and twists as you go, lulling you into thinking you know what is happening before forcing you to review all your assumptions..
on “Ask HN: Which book are you reading these days?” ↗My #1 for a movie/tv show would be The Blade Itself series by Joe Abercrombie. The thought of seeing Glokta and Ninefingers portrayed on screen gives me chills.
on “Amazon to Adapt J.R.R. Tolkien’s Globally Renowned Fantasy Novels” ↗Altered Carbon - Richard K Morgan The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie A Walk Among the Tombstones - Lawrence Block Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Ken Kesey Use of Weapons - Iain M Banks Blood Song…
on “Ask HN: What are some must read books?” ↗Sure: https://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/The-Blade-Itself-A... The voice actor, Steven Pacey, is so amazing I've considered listening to other books he's narrated solely due to his performance. I haven't quite gone that far yet, though :) However, I do recommend…
on “People Who Speed-Listen to Podcasts” ↗The Blade Itself (3 books) There are 3 more books which read like sequels (same world, same heroes). The Kingkiller Chronicle (waiting on third and final book) We've been waiting for years and still no information…
on “The Best Books I Read in 2015” ↗…Idealism is a memoir - Sarah Wynn-Williams Hail Mary - Andy Weir Slaughterhouse-Five - Kurt Vonnegut The War of the Worlds - H. G. Wells Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Phipip K. Dick The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie
on “Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?” ↗