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The Blade Itself
(Adobe EPUB eBook, Kindle Book, OverDrive Read)

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Series:
First law volume 1.
Published:
Orbit 2015
Status:
Checked Out
Description
The first novel in the First Law Trilogy and debut fantasy novel from New York Times bestseller, Joe Abercrombie.
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, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, Captain Jezal dan Luthar 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 better than to see Jezal come home in a box. But then Glokta hates everyone: cutting treason out of the Union one confession at a time leaves little room for friendship. His latest trail of corpses may lead him right to the rotten heart of government, if he can stay alive long enough to follow it.
Enter the wizard, Bayaz. A bald old man with a terrible temper and a pathetic assistant, he could be the First of the Magi, he could be a spectacular fraud, but whatever he is, he's about to make the lives of Logen, Jezal, and Glokta a whole lot more difficult.
Murderous conspiracies rise to the surface, old scores are ready to be settled, and the line between hero and villain is sharp enough to draw blood.
Unpredictable, compelling, wickedly funny, and packed with unforgettable characters, The Blade Itself is noir fantasy with a real cutting edge.
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Format:
Adobe EPUB eBook, Kindle Book, OverDrive Read
Street Date:
09/08/2015
Language:
English
ISBN:
9780316387323, 9780316387330
ASIN:
B00TOT9LDK
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Citations
APA Citation (style guide)

Joe Abercrombie. (2015). The Blade Itself. Orbit.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation (style guide)

Joe Abercrombie. 2015. The Blade Itself. Orbit.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities Citation (style guide)

Joe Abercrombie, The Blade Itself. Orbit, 2015.

MLA Citation (style guide)

Joe Abercrombie. The Blade Itself. Orbit, 2015.

Note! Citation formats are based on standards as of July 2022. Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy.
Copy Details
LibraryOwnedAvailable
Shared Digital Collection50

There are 18 holds on this title.

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Grouped Work ID:
08f509cf-53ea-424b-e53c-3f014565fa81
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Needs Update?:
No
Date Added:
Jun 12, 2018 16:13:14
Date Updated:
Mar 16, 2023 06:18:43
Last Metadata Check:
Mar 28, 2024 05:18:37
Last Metadata Change:
Aug 27, 2023 08:05:55
Last Availability Check:
Mar 28, 2024 05:18:40
Last Availability Change:
Mar 28, 2024 05:18:40
Last Grouped Work Modification Time:
Mar 29, 2024 02:17:20

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title
The Blade Itself
fullDescription
The first novel in the First Law Trilogy and debut fantasy novel from New York Times bestseller, Joe Abercrombie.
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, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, Captain Jezal dan Luthar 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 better than to see Jezal come home in a box. But then Glokta hates everyone: cutting treason out of the Union one confession at a time leaves little room for friendship. His latest trail of corpses may lead him right to the rotten heart of government, if he can stay alive long enough to follow it.
Enter the wizard, Bayaz. A bald old man with a terrible temper and a pathetic assistant, he could be the First of the Magi, he could be a spectacular fraud, but whatever he is, he's about to make the lives of Logen, Jezal, and Glokta a whole lot more difficult.
Murderous conspiracies rise to the surface, old scores are ready to be settled, and the line between hero and villain is sharp enough to draw blood.
Unpredictable, compelling, wickedly funny, and packed with unforgettable characters, The Blade Itself is noir fantasy with a real cutting edge.
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reviews
      • premium: False
      • source: Locus on Red Country
      • content: Pointed, driven, and sharp.
      • premium: False
      • source: Time on The Heroes
      • content: Magnificent, richly entertaining
      • premium: False
      • source: Lev Grossman, Wall Street Journal on The Heroes
      • content: Imagine The Lord of the Rings as directed by Kurosawa.
      • premium: False
      • source: The A.V. Club
      • content: [Abercrombie has] begun breaking his own rules. And succeeding wildly at it. ... [R]arely has Abercrombie had so much fun while rollicking through his colorful cast's foibles and witty dialogue - and rarely has he dished out so much straight-for-the-heart poignancy.
      • premium: False
      • source: The Independent (UK)
      • content: New, fresh, and exciting.
      • premium: False
      • source: Guardian (UK)
      • content: Abercrombie writes fantasy like no one else.
      • premium: True
      • source: Publisher's Weekly
      • content:

        August 6, 2007
        British newcomer Abercrombie fills his muddled sword-and-sorcery series opener with black humor and reluctant heroes. Logen Ninefingers, a barbarian on the run from an ex-employer who's now king of the North, finds his loyalties complicated when he switches sides and becomes a valuable source of intel to the beleaguered Union. Glokta, a torture victim turned torturer, gets roped into securing the Union's position against both the invading Northmen and the incompetent Union king and council, and ruthlessly wields his skills in attempts to weed out traitors. Foppish Jezal, a preternaturally excellent swordsman, manages to win the contest to become the Union champion, thanks to a little help from Bayaz, a mage with his own agenda. The workmanlike plot, marred by repetitive writing and an excess of torture and pain, is given over to introducing the mostly unlikable characters, only to send them off on separate paths in preparation for the next volume's adventures.

popularity
7405
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shortDescription
The first novel in the First Law Trilogy and debut fantasy novel from New York Times bestseller, Joe Abercrombie.
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, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, Captain Jezal dan Luthar 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 better than to see Jezal come home in a box. But then Glokta hates everyone: cutting treason out of the Union one confession at a time leaves little room for friendship. His latest trail of corpses may lead him right to the rotten heart of government, if he can...
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