Final copy for The Heroes:
“They say Black Dow’s killed more men than winter, and clawed his way to the throne of the North up a hill of skulls. The King of the Union, ever a jealous neighbour, is not about to stand smiling by while he claws his way any higher. The orders have been given and the armies are toiling through the northern mud. Thousands of men are converging on a forgotten ring of stones, on a worthless hill, in an unimportant valley, and they’ve brought a lot of sharpened metal with them.
Bremer dan Gorst, disgraced master swordsman, has sworn to reclaim his stolen honour on the battlefield. Obsessed with redemption and addicted to violence, he’s far past caring how much blood gets spilled in the attempt. Even if it’s his own.
Prince Calder isn’t interested in honour, and still less in getting himself killed. All he wants is power, and he’ll tell any lie, use any trick, and betray any friend to get it. Just as long as he doesn’t have to fight for it himself.
Curnden Craw, the last honest man in the North, has gained nothing from a life of warfare but swollen knees and frayed nerves. He hardly even cares who wins any more, he just wants to do the right thing. But can he even tell what that is with the world burning down around him?
Over three bloody days of battle, the fate of the North will be decided. But with both sides riddled by intrigues, follies, feuds and petty jealousies, it is unlikely to be the noblest hearts, or even the strongest arms that prevail…
Three men. One battle. No Heroes.”
Oh man, I’m so psyched! I can’t wait to read this! Oh, hold on, I’ve read it fifty times. I can’t wait to STOP reading it.
But I bet YOU lot can’t wait to read it. Only 167 days to wait, people!
38 comments so far
Nice blurb! Though now I have The Stranglers stuck in my head. Not really a bad thing.
Awesome. Curnden. Another great name. Although in terms of names, you can’t top Shenkt, I think. 😉
167 days is looooong. Think I’ma re-read The First Law this weekend.
“Curnden Craw, the last honest man in the North … he just wants to do the right thing”. So this chap fulfils a similar character role to Logan in The First Law, and Shivers in Best Served Cold? (I also just noticed that Shivers’ description in the Best Served Cold blurb includes the same phrase).
Are these characters there to contrast with the “everyone’s a self-centred bastard” view of humanity that you give with the rest of the cast? Is there any particular reason in all three cases they’re products of the harsh, barbaric North?
Oh, yeah. Can’t wait to read either!
How can you do this to us?! Has Glokta started advising on the best ways to toture us? 167 days?! I may have to lead a mass break-in at the printers… Who’s with me?
I’m so worked up I can’t even spell torture correctly, oh the shame…
Reading through the First Law again for the 4th time, only just noticed Monza’s name popping up in Before They are Hanged. Nice touch.
And Joe, is it Jezal that is the jealous neighbour? Or is it a the bald man behind the curtain?
Im excited to find out
It is going to be a long 167-days.
That is just so Cool and so Cruel.
The ‘Blurb’ is fantasic but now I am in purgatory for 167 days until the bigsouthamenricanriver people get the post man to drop it on my doorstep and ME who does not do waiting at all well!
This sounds like a read and a half! Nay, a read and 5 8ths! Nay, a read and 11 16ths! nay… oh you get the point.
167 days. Thats too long dude! Any more shorts to keep us sated in the mean time?
Mark C
Im not waiting 167 bloomin’ days….I’m Going to wait 4008hrs instead. So there!
Is that release date set in stone, Joe? I got ten bucks cold hard cash, with your name on it if you can bump the release up to October! Hard to resist, eh?
awesomesauce!
How would you compare it to the trilogy and BSC, on the quality of writing?
Ace – Acer – Acestest?
Fricking best blurb of the week!!
x2 on fire in space while punching a mountain!
Deep breaths now…
I too am psyched
Are you going to post the first chapter of the book like you did with Best Served Cold? I certainly hope so…
Quality.
Only just finished Best Served Cold, while I never expected to become as absorbed by a character as I was by the cripple, I’m pleased to add the scabrous libertine-mercenary to that list.
I wait patiently for these 167 to pass.
dude im so pysched you are the greatest!!!! Im in the states however im definately getting the U.K. cover so much better then the U.S.!
There is nothing in this world I am more excited about. NOTHING! Joe, without your character-driven, blood spilling brilliance this earth would be a boring place indeed.
Additional comment expressing excitement.
The psychage in my head is difficult to measure by any human standards. Gonna reread the First Law books pronto to calm my nerves.
Nice little tease…is the front cover still pictures of that boy band?..they seem a little too clean for my taste
Why not just send a guy round to punch us in our genitals!…Actually, if that would get the book released early, I’m all for it!
On a slightly more related note, Craw? Isn’t that a word for a mouth? AWESOME!!!
Lead the way, Mike, lead the way!
If you top your past exploits of super violence than this book will be spraying blood all over my brain…or maybe brains on my brain.
Almost thru ‘Best Served Cold’, the farmhouse shanking and Faithful Carpi’s demise was epic.
The fate of the North will be decided.
Find out how 166 days from now. ARRRGH!
(Impatient noise, not a pirate exclamation.)
Joe, this sounds Cool with a capital C. Black Dow was one of my favourites from The First Law, so it will be great just to see how totally bad he’s become.
Oh boy…oh boy…oh boy….(and breath)…. i have this preordered and cant wait! Love the blurb, just love it.
[…] From Stomping on Yeti, via Abercrombie’s blog: […]
Ive just read through your trilogy three times and best served cold for the second time in about 7 months, so please, hurry up with The heroes and stop feeding us crumbs!
Why did you have to make me stop liking any other fantasy books? Curse you Abercrombie, curse you and your wonderful books!
This has certainly made a day at work ALOT more exciting!
I have read the First Law trilogy and BSC twice now, and I’m struggling to find anything that grips me or provides the right ammount of violence and action that you so excelently dish out with each of your books.
I have even got my family addicted to them, and we are all certainly eagerly anticipating The Heroes.
I just came.
I think I’m gonna have to go back and read the trilogy again just to sate me after that wicked tease.
I hope Glotka makes an appearance, even a cameo will do. He was one of the best characters I’ve ever read. Sounds good though – Heroes.
So we have Bremer dan Grost, Corporal Tunny, and Finree dan Brock for the Union. And for the North there’s Prince Calder, Curnden Craw, and… you owe us the last one Joe!! Could it be the Black Dow? Please, let it be the Black Dow!!
I’m really looking forward for The Heroes. After Best Served Cold, the bar is really, really high though.
and we get P Rothfus’s new one a month later.
Man its going to be a good year.
I need to somehow see Logan-the Bloody Nine sort this whole mess out ! He is by far my favorite character of any author ( almost an evil superhero somehow )and I won’t believe he died so easily. So if he doesn’t show up in this book then maybe he has moved on to another land for another adventure and given up on the north. Just a thought.
I can’t wait, Joe. Counting the days. I will always be passin out your books and trying to make movies out of ’em. Not a bad life.
[…] From The author’s website: https://joeabercrombie.com//2010/08/05/the-heroes-copy/ […]