Like a bit of romance in your life? Romantic Times has reviewed The Blade Itself, and awarded me four and a half stars out of five, would you believe:
“Abercrombie kicks off his series masterfully with a heroic fantasy without conventional heroes. Its clearly the characters that take center stage here. Their dialogue is full of cynicism and wit, their lives full of intrigue, battles and magic.”
Masterfully, you say? You shouldn’t have… Simon’s Bookblog has likewise been examining this much-talked-about fantasy debut:
“While the nastiness of some scenes will put off many potential readers, The Blade Itself is a well written and interesting fantasy novel (more so for its characterisation than other features), the start to a series that I will want to read to its resolution.”
Blue Gargantua has read both books, now, and I think it’s fair to say he kinda likes them:
“I think this series is a winner. Here’s the deal: It takes all the standard Tolkien-esque tropes and then completely peels back the shiny heroism to reveal the all-too petty, mean and dismal underside.”
but not as much as SQT, who offers up this beauty at her fantasy and sci-fi lovin’ blog:
“Sprinkled with political intrigue and short, messy battles, “The Blade Itself” is packed with action for sure, but it’s also an amazing work of character development. Abercrombie’s characters are blunt spoken, complex and never boring–which is exactly how I would describe the book.”
But it’s not all ice cream and roses in the world of genre criticism, you know. In the interests of maintaining the cosmic balance, I need to inform you that I’ve been roundly slagged off on the Song of Ice and Fire board:
“Abercrombie writes surface melange without any real depth. It was like the movie version where all the good parts were in the two minute trailer. And an amazing amount of pages where nothing ever really happens. Abercrombie is one of the rare authors that bores me even if he can write half-decent.”
I guess you can’t please all the people all the time, right? Say it with me now:
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm … Melange.
In other news, applications for my competition (see below) are still flooding in. I was UTTERLY DISGUSTED to note that Ady Hall, one of The Manx Lads is urging the internet community to CHEAT on his behalf. However, he did describe my series as ‘excellent’, so I have decided, in my infinite generosity, to let him off.
To err is human, to forgive, divine…
6 comments so far
I don’t understand what, if anything, a melon-flavoured blancmange has to do with your books?
I so have love for your book right now.
I’m working on my sucking up so I try for a copy of “Last Argument of Kings.”
Yikes. Busted.
But – in my defence, my ‘politician sidestep’ (‘cheating’) has created quite a buzz as people are asking about the books and have been inspired to hunt down The Blade Itself to see what I’m raving about . . .
Compare that to the blank stares of apathy I received when first trying to big-up The Blade Itself when you first released – it wasn’t pretty.
Anyhoo – I shall put my faith in the dice.
To forgive is divine. To win is – most excellent!
After asking google to define the word ‘melange’, this is the one I chose to zone in on.
‘A mixed parcel of diamonds of varying grades and sizes.’
So you could, if you really tried, take that as a compliment!
Finally I understand! He’s saying my writing is like a packet of diamonds!
That might have to go on the back cover of the next one.