I’m delighted, yet horrified, to announce that The Blade Itself was published on the 4th May 2006, twenty years ago today. Since then I’ve published 12 more novels, plus a novella and a collection of short stories, and written another yet to be published, around 2.5 million words of fiction, if you can believe it…
One observation that blows my mind – The Blade Itself is now twice as old as A Game of Thrones was when The Blade Itself came out. GRRM felt like a long established pillar of the genre to me at that point. Truly I must be part of the fantasy furniture at this one…
There have been a LOT of different cover approaches down the years, for international editions, for special and limited editions of one kind or another, even for a comic book adaptation which lasted only 4 issues, a few of which I’m attaching to this post. Some I’ve loved. Some I’ve been on the fence about but can’t deny the commercial effectiveness of. Some have been… hard to understand. But the original bundle-of-knackered-parchment style designs briefed by Simon Spanton and carried out by Laura Brett seem to have been as persistent as the book has. For a new hardcover release in the US, Orbit are going back to something very close to the well-loved original you can see at the top of the post.
The Blade Itself, and many of its sequels, has been translated into over thirty languages now, in many cases with a change of title. The Voice of the Sword, Power of the Sword, War Blades, Edge. In some of those (German, Polish and Spanish, for example) it sold well from the start and has been ticking over ever since. In others it had a bumpier ride (France and Italy, say). In still others it kinda failed and has since gone out of print (Holland and Sweden). Sometimes that’s because so many people read in English in those countries the translation market is naturally tough. Sometimes some bump in the publishing is enough to derail a book – a weird cover, the loss of the editor who believed in the project, the collapse of the imprint. Sometimes it might just be the different taste of a market. But the book continues to sell into new languages now and again – I believe Thai rights in the trilogy were sold the other day.
It’s always fascinating (sometimes baffling) to see the different approaches to covers and design different publishers take. Sometimes a copy arrives in not just a different language, but an alphabet I don’t recognise. It remains amazing to think that people of such different cultures are still reading this nonsense I made up in the middle of the night for my own amusement. Maybe even enjoying it…
The first book event I did was, I think, a signing at Forbidden Planet in London the month the book published. I remember there being about a dozen people there, and I knew maybe nine of them. A couple of years later I gave a triumphant lecture at the Neolithic village in Alphen a den Rijn in Holland to an audience of 2. Since then I’ve been to Eastercons, Worldcons, Comic Cons and events all over Europe and the US. I’ve become a regular at Celsius Festival in Spain and seen that event grow every year – last summer there I signed for a queue of nearly 1000 (took six and a half hours, since you ask). Here I am with Brent Weeks and Peter V. Brett in 2012 in Detroit:
Here’s to the sunny slopes of long ago… And here I am with Brent (sadly no Pete on this occasion), last week in Portland:
On that publication day in 2006 I was 31. I’m now (as you can probably calculate) 51. Back then I had no kids, was living in London, and still working as a freelance TV editor (mostly documentary and live music). In those intervening twenty years I not only got married to my wonderful wife Lou, moved to Bath and had three kids but have seen the oldest of them move out. I might have to start describing myself as an adult. When The Blade Itself was published there was far from an immediate transformation in my life. Certainly it troubled no bestseller lists. The book got a few reviews and I now know did great by most standards but to me it seemed to drop into a black hole. As Before They Are Hanged then particularly Last Argument of Kings came out in 2008 there was more anticipation, more reaction, but it wasn’t until Best Served Cold had been out a while, maybe five years since I was first published, that I could consider becoming a full time writer.
Without doubt a big part of the book’s success is down to my editor, Gillian Redfearn. She more or less pulled the Blade Itself out of the slush pile (where it had been rejected by half a dozen agents already), got it published (alongside Scott Lynch and Tom Lloyd who’ll also be celebrating two decades in the business this year), and we’ve been working together ever since – she’s a brilliant creative editor but also (perhaps even more importantly) a great champion for her authors and co-ordinator of all the different processes that go into publishing a book. No detail is too small to escape her basilisk gaze. I also need to give a shout out to my agent Robert Kirby, who has calmly and patiently piloted the ship, always with an eye on building a career rather than reaping a short term payoff.
The publishing industry, or at least my perception of it, has changed a hell of a lot in those twenty years – likely more than in any period since the printing press came along. When I started I can remember the big concern being that Waterstones had just taken over Ottaker’s (two uk book chains), and we had to support plucky little newcomer Amazon in the hope of challenging this high street behemoth. We all know how that turned out. Then there was the rise of e-books and a period when it seemed that physical books would soon disappear. I didn’t get an audiobook until Best Served Cold was released in 2009, when it appeared as a 20 CD boxed set, but with the rise of smartphones audio has become a more and more important part of the market. With The Devils, in large part due to the prodigious talents of Steven Pacey doing the readings (shown below last year in London), more than 50% of my sales have been on audio.
In the last few years brick and mortar booksellers seem to have rallied, publishers have improved the hardcover offering and the feel and design of physical books, and ebooks have somewhat gone into retreat. Subscription services (Fairyloot, Goldsboro Books and Broken Binding being some of those I work with) have gone from strength to strength providing all kinds of special editions with alternate art and sprayed edges, while at the top end of the market boutique outfits like Subterranean Press and Curious King are delivering ultra high-end limited and letterpress editions that push the boundaries of materials, bindings and design at costs to make your eyes water.
At the same time the internet – first through blogs and chat rooms, then twitter, reddit, instagram, youtube, tiktok – has transformed the way we learn and talk about books, how readers can connect with writers and fandoms can find each other and organise. Self publishing has become a far more viable route to market, and crowdsourcing offers a way to get all kinds of projects off the ground. I’ve even dipped my toe into those waters myself, with some help from artist Joel Daniel Philips and the guys at Lit Escalates, with the latest special edition of The Blade Itself in the warehouse and shipping in the next few weeks.
Most books appear with some fanfare, have a burst of sales in hardcover, then tail off in paperback and ebook and eventually disappear from view. The Blade Itself, and The First Law trilogy in general, by some alchemy I find hard to explain, is selling more copies than ever 20 years on. I was certainly lucky with my timing – it anticipated a boom in ‘grittier’ fantasy (I hesitate to use the fateful term grimdark) which helped establish a whole group of writers, and SFF as a whole is one of few genres which have grown consistently over recent years compared to a lot that have shrivelled.
Reading The Blade Itself now I wince at the odd thing, and roll my eyes at a few others, but overall I’m surprised by how good I think it is. There’s undoubtedly a lot I’d do differently, but I’m not sure I’d change anything given the chance. I’ve learned a huge amount about writing with every book I’ve done, and think without doubt my craft has improved, but there’s a degree to which you’re always trying to regain that sense of exuberance and passion you had in your first book without really thinking about it, when you were writing purely for the joy of it, without a thought for contracts, or schedules, or audiences. Warts and all, I remain fiercely proud of The Blade Itself, and I’m delighted that readers are still discovering it two decades after it was first published.
I hope I can say the same in another 20 years time…
47 comments so far
Hey Joe
I love the work! I was blown away from the first to the last word!
The characters and dialogue in the blade itself remain my absolute favourites. I am 50 and have just lent a paperback version of it to a 20 year old I volunteer with on a nature reserve as she’s into her “grittier” fantasy. I was so excited to share Logan and the others with someone else. P.s are you done with Logan or is it back to the mud as his old dad would no doubt have said . Thankyou for all your work which continues to give me, as someone who reads every day, immense pleasure.
Mr A, you’re excelling yourself, first the April “round up” and now this supplementary piece giving “The Blade Itself” a well deserved salutation. It wasn’t the first of your novels I read but it set the standard and created a fantasy world which was made more iconic in that those who inhabited that world were definitely recognisable as characters you would meet in our own (I fancy myself as Black Dow personally!)!
The fact that “TBI” is still shifting units is testament to its power to draw in the reader and I would suggest it’s appeal reaches far beyond the confines of the genre many would pigeon hole it in to.
Personally I like the “Burnt Parchment” artwork, but it’s each to their own, isn’t it?
Thanks for the insight in to the support network you draw upon and magnanimously acknowledge. A true gentleman!
I remember emailing Mr Abercrombie after reading the Blade Itself for the first time.
I had never before or since felt the need to express my appreciation and awe for a book by contacting the Author but I was blown away.
I was surprised to receive a very nice reply ( wish I still had it)
I was convinced a couple of years ago to listen to the audio book and this again, is on another level.
Without doubt, gives JRR a run for his money.
I dream of the time when Logan and Co get to show us the exploits of their glory days.
Absolutely love your writing Joe. Thanks to Polish translation my mum and sister are hooked now as well Haven’t red the Polish version yet but it’s on my to read list as very curious how they compare.
Hey Joe,
I’m lucky to have found your works, and often find myself thrilled that I get to continue reading you for years to come. I have young children of my own and can certainly say that I will be recruiting them to your efforts of keeping “The Blade Itself” in print and well loved in 20 years time.
Thanks for the laughs, tears, and everything between.
Love this book and the whole series! My favorite first chapter ever! Thank you for your continued excellence!
I found these books about 5 years ago, and have recommended them to everyone since. I even got to meet you in Illinois last year. Forever a fan, and I am looking forward to finally reading “The Devils” soon. I do hope you return to this magnificent world of First Law when the timing feels right. Congrats Joe on 20 years.
I’m halfway through my FIRST LAW re-read now and I’m just delighted by the characters all over again. Glokta is the greatest fantasy literature character since Tyrion Lannister.
I had just gotten back into reading and audiobooks not too long before I read The Blade Itself. That book ignited something in me and I was hooked. I followed that up by reading everything else I could find by you! It also inspired me to do a little writing of my own. I’m so glad I found your books!
You know what, Joe? You are the reason I become a fantasy author! I’m Polish and after Sapkowski I couldn’t find anything satisfying on this genre until I came across your “Heroes”. There’s fantasy that got me going. Finally! And loving it and your work ever since.Then I got my hands on “The Blade Itself” and I knew I wanted to write fantasy like you do. Now I’m published and fairly successful in our own crippled book (and especially fantasy) industry. I also frequent local events, and my fellow authors have a running joke that Abercrombie always comes up in my gigs. Have best next 20 years Joe!
Mate, this one really hits.
I’m the same vintage as you, and I was lucky enough to come across The Blade Itself early on here in Australia. From the first read, it felt like something sharper, darker, and far more honest than most of what was out there.
Twenty years on, the characters still stand up with the very best. Logen, Glokta, Jezal… flawed, brutal, and human in a way that sticks.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read them, and then gone back again and again on audio.
You’ve built worlds that don’t pull punches and stories that respect the reader enough not to sugarcoat anything. That’s rare
Delighted for you, slightly horrified at how fast the years have gone, and genuinely grateful for the body of work.
Here’s to the next chapter mate.
Un milione di grazie da Firennze Italia
“Adult” is a state of mind (well worth dodging)
Congratulations, Joe. Getting published is one thing, but staying published is another matter, and it’s such a delight to see that you’re still selling and doing well all these years on. All thanks to Gillian Redfearn, of course, I’m sure.
Congratulations on 20 years Joe! The First Law trilogy has been some of my favorite fiction for years. I met you at a book signing you did at the University of Washington in 2014. I had you sign a book for my future child who would be named Logan. Logan Mara Weckerly joined the world last November – and I look forward to the day I can share the book with her. It heartens me to read that you spent the first few years of you writing career unable to commit to being a full time writer, as I hope to follow a similar path. Thank you for all your contributions to the genre!
I listened to First Law and Age of Madness in my car and it’s the slowest I’ve ever driven. Always late everywhere.
As a SF fan first and foremost I wonder what a science fiction novel by Joe Abercrombie would be like. All best, Joe!
My elder brother introduced me to fantasy in the 80’s, handing me down Tolkien, then Fiest, Eddings . . . he stopped reading fantasy in the 90’s tired of the rehashing of very familiar story lines. I handed him Game of Thrones, and he was “yeah, no, more swords and magic and stuff? No”, regardless of how much I told him it was different and better.
Then a couple of years later he handed me The Blade Itself, almost hissing “YOU HAVE TO READ THIS!”, so I thought it would be good, but oh man, how good was it?
I know some people give out about the pacing, and say “well nothing really happens”, and “it’s just a setup for the next book”, and I feel sorry for them because I had read a completely different book. The characters and grim humor would be worth it even if – as they falsely claim – nothing had happened through the course of the book.
Thank you so much Mr A, for 20 years of pure enjoyment.
Happy 20th anniversary to The Blade Itself!
Your books have been an absolute joy to read. I genuinely love your style, the characters, and that sharp, dark humor that’s so uniquely yours.
I first started reading your books in my native language, Ukrainian, but I was way too impatient to wait for the translations, so I switched to English. Honestly, your books were one of the reasons I pushed myself to improve my English. At this point, I’m pretty sure half my vocabulary comes from your writing.
Thank you for all the stories so far. I’m really looking forward to everything you write next!
Congratulations, Joe! Here’s to another twenty years!
Holy shit. 20 years. I’m so envious of anyone reading your books for the first time. The only thing that softens the blow is that re-reading them feeds my shrivelled soul and remains an always deeply enjoyable experience. I used to steal SF books from my older brother’s shelves when I was a kid and a few years ago I paid him back by introducing him to your books. I thank you for adding another layer to our sibling bond. And most of all I thank you for your words. They are good.
I’m relatively late to the party having only started reading your books a decade ago, but I’ve been hooked on every one. I don’t think there’s a single one I’ve not read at least twice. No one does that pairing of the brutal and the sardonic quite as exquisitely. Thanks for the great stories. Long may they continue.
I still remember opening this parchment-style edition of The Blade Itself back in 2007 (bought on Amazon because I don’t think you could find it anywhere else, in France, at that time) and wondering whether it was another book I was going to regret buying on the strength of GRRM’s recommendation. Needless to say, I didn’t — neither it, nor all your other books that I’ve bought (I know this is important for you!) and read (and this is important for me) since then.
I wish you to keep up the flame of grimdarkness for a few more decades!
Congratulations Joe – it’s a cracking book and has deserved the success!
The parchment covers are the best. I tried my best to get every copy of mine from the series with it if could, whether new or used if available.
I just fell in love with the world and the characters reading it, like it was good chocolate and it gave me a similar sugar high. Just gorging on it page after page.
It felt very close too, to my finnish/nordic sensibilities. The light and dark of it all.
There has not been another book series that has had that effect on me in a while.
I stumbled on the first law series roughly two years ago, and have listened through all the audio books three or four times a piece now. I pitch this series to everyone I meet with the slightest interest in fantasy books. This series is the only one to ever rival my obsession with The Dark Tower. I find myself regularly quoting these books at random and certain scenes live rent free in my mind. You’re the king of fantasy, Joe. Keep up the fantastic work. Can’t wait for the next installment in The Devils and sincerely hope to see more First Law books one day!
I read 50-70 books per year and you are by far my favorite author. Love your characters and sense of humor. My favorite are all of the Northmen. Thank you for sharing your stories!
I was lucky enough to come across The Blade Itself early last year. Since then I’ve finished reading the two trilogies, all the stand alones and the short story collection. I thoroughly enjoy your writing and these books have provided a tremendous amount of thoughtful entertainment and got me through some rough times. In your blog post you have a picture of the cover to the traditional Chinese Mandarin version of the book, which my wife have recently picked up to begin her journey, seeing how much I enjoyed the English version and constantly talk to her about it.
Thank you, and I can’t wait to get started on The Devils.
Felix
from Taiwan
This was the book that got me into reading adult fantasy a few years ago. I am forever thankful for that and even though I liked some of your (and others) books more, it will always have a special place in my hearth. Even after another 20 years 🙂
I was one of the two lucky people in Alphen aan de Rijn who got a private audience with Joe. I think the whole situation wasn’t helped by us fans having to pay around 20 euros just to get into the neolithic village. It might be a haunting memory for you Joe but rests assured that for me it’s my all-time favourite (book-related) memory.
And the signed ARC of Best Served Cold you sent me still holds center stage in my book collection.
Thank you for 20 wonderful years, Joe!
What a great night at “Me Oh My” in Liverpool. Yourself and your fellow author on stage, the perfect combination of brash Irishman and reserved Englishman! It was great to meet you prior to the event. As I showed you how to get in to the building, can I now say I opened doors for you in your career? Once again your understated charisma and old worldly charm made for a winning combination and gave a great insight in to how your mind works when putting a novel together. I liked the “elder statesman” remark straight from my comments on the previous thread!
A great reading whetting the appetite for the next tome. I know it’s set in a medieval Europe and there aren’t any ‘phones, so I guess I’ll have to get hold of Vigga by carrier pigeon!
Thanks again for a great night, here’s to the next one!
Enjoyed The Devils, but also looking very forward to a return to the First Law universe, either before the events of the first trilogy, in between that and the Age of Madness, or to see what the First of the Magi manages to get up to after the Age of Madness – any (or all) would be a fascinating read.
20 years late, but I just bought this one. Looking forward to cracking the spine.
I don’t usually comment, but on this special occasion, I’d like to say a few tired words. You’ve been revolutional, your stories and characters and dialogue are awesome, and everything you’ve heard a million times over. I’m a relatively new reader, a slow reader, but I’ve been devouring your books these past few months and they’re like nothing I’ve read before. The first books, for that matter, which I fully read in English.
Now, I’d like to call myself a writer, I’ve been doing it some years and got to the point when I thought my shit didn’t stink and I was some great sage on the way to glory. Then I read your books, and they’ve been the best, sweetest middle finger in my entire life. Quite literally, you managed to make me sit up, shut up and write out of humiliation, and a draft that’s been sitting at a stubborn 20k for 3 years has now swelled to 180k.
For all I know, it’s still as bad as the rest, but it’s also the best thing I’ve got going in my life, and it’s largely thanks to you. Perhaps in 20 years I’ll look back and wince at my work and laugh at Friendly’s dice. (Currently reading BSC. Only some 17 years late to the party). Maybe I’ll be hairless and leer a toothless grin. All that to say, I hope I’ll remember, because these books have been so worth it. Here’s to another 20 years.
I’ll see myself out, apologies to the dice.
I’ve listened to the First Law trilogy three times now. I love the writing, the narration and the humour. They are a ripping good yarn. Black Dow’s observations still make me laugh out loud. ‘Fxxckin Union’.
Comment about reading in english is spot on. I live in Sweden and I don’t think I have read a book in the swedish language in… 25 years or more. Only english. The VAST majority of books, comics and stories are never even considered for a release in my native language. If you have an interest in fantasy and scifi then reading in english is a must.
Hi Joe, I hope you’ll come across my comment at some point. I just wanted to say that your First Law world is absolutely brilliant — as is your writing. I do have one small piece of criticism, though: the way you describe the endings of your stories only very briefly isn’t really my favourite. I’d personally wish for just a touch more, instead of having to wait for (not yet confirmed) follow‑up novels to learn how things turn out.
And one last thing: that characters can die quickly in your books — well, that worked in GoT too, and it’s certainly part of your style. But that Orso had to die like that… (as the only single event), I can’t quite agree with it :-(.
I’m even toying with the idea of writing a short story in which Orso is rescued by the Eaters (Zuri & brothers) — maybe even at the cost of a limb, but still alive at least….
So — please, please more novels set in the First Law world. I love them all.
In my view, you’re the Tolkien of today.
Greetings,
Peter
PS: Aren’t the priestesses of Tond a bit overpowered with their weapons?
Joe, I don’t know if you read these but thank you for being you I guess.
If you’re still writing in 20 years I’ll still be pre-ordering your books in 20 years!
Missed you Cam-side two weeks ago due to a prior engagement with the Inquisition (if you retain In- and add the last word of The First Law you’ll get there…) but congratulations on still hitting the heights two decades in. Great blog post as ever, full of fascinating insights, and especially encouraging to those of us still hoping to get something on the shelves at some point in our dwindling mortal existences. That Amazon lot, eh – whatever happened to them?
I still remember the magic I felt listening to The Blade Itself for the first time. It was 8 years ago, in 2018 and I’d just gotten into Audiobooks since my Mum’s boyfriend, (now my dad) had an audible account that he let me use.
I first started off with the original Audio book of the hobbit and loved it. And quickly moved through enders game that I loved.
And for my third book, at 12 years old. My dad made the responsible decision to recommend me the blade itself.
And for all I didn’t understand looking back, it was likely the best bad decision he ever made.
Hi Joe,
Thank you for writing these stories and creating these characters. I’m almost done with Red Country and have been absolutely, completely engrossed in the First Law world for the last few months. I simply want to tell you that this series has been one of my favorites, and I truly look forward to your other works. Keep on being awesome, good sir!
Best regards,
Patrick from Michigan
I have been collecting your work for 20 years. The fisrt one I purchased was a proof copy of The Blade Itself on eBay. I’ve since attended many of your signing events. Often wondered, did you base Nicomo Cosca’s Company of the Gracious Hand, on the ancient Greek Sacred Band of Thebes?
The Blade Itself is my #1 book recommendation to this day. Still, the most interesting and believably written characters in a backdrop of an exciting and vast plot.
I would love to see a sequel to Best Served Cold. Once you get used to reading books with quality writing like yours everything else is about as fun as getting a Cory Feldman face tattoo.
It’s one of my favourite books. Not only is it inspiring, you’re inspiring as well. Keep going and here’s to another 20 years!
Apologies if this is coming in late. I really loved this book and everything you’ve written. The Blade Itself has a bit of an edge that some of your newer books don’t have. For instance, the detail around Glokta’s struggle with stairs is just marvellous brilliant writing, while some of the new books dive into the action a lot quicker (I don’t mind that, but equally I don’t mind taking my time with your books and will read each book a few 100 times anyway).
Anyway, I’m just so impressed by how prolific you’ve been over the past 20 years and as a fan I appreciate it greatly. I always keep an eye out for anything new that you write and always will. That you for countless hours of enjoyment over the last two decades.
I can’t believe it has been 20 years. I picked up The Blade Itself after a review in Edge magazine which had a tiny book section.