Best Served Cold: A First Law Novel (Set in the World of The First Law Book 1)

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Big Damn Heroes: In Last Argument of Kings, he sends his fleet and ten thousand of his soldiers to the Union's aid during the Battle of Adua. The favor isn't returned in Best Served Cold, much to Orso's fury. Not quite done with my own read through of BSC yet. That said, I have to admit after reading The First Law trilogy, abandoning the story of Glokta, Jezel, Logan, and Bayaz, for some loosely related one off’s kind of didn’t thrill me going into BSC. The moment when Monza realizes she is revulsed by Shivers and realizes he is a worse person for having known her, and actually preferred him “trying to be a better man” despite her initial negative opinion on the matter given her own horrid values was powerfully intriguing stuff in examining these characters for what they are. Great job Joe! Now to finish the book…

Reading Order for Joe Abercrombie’s FIRST LAW Series A Reading Order for Joe Abercrombie’s FIRST LAW Series

She spurred round one more steep bend, and the outermost wall of the citadel of Fontezarmo thrust up ahead of them. A narrow bridge crossed a dizzy ravine to the gatehouse, water sparkling as it fell away beneath. At the far end an archway yawned, welcoming as a grave. Disney Death: In Best Served Cold, he's left for dead during the battle of Visserine, only to show up alive and well later in the book. Smug Snake: While he's good at his job, he's nowhere near as clever, or as cautious, as he thinks he is, and constantly ends up in humiliating circumstances because of it. Yeah, BSC works because it isn’t “epic fantasy” by itself, although it definitely is a cog in a much larger tale.Would Hurt a Child: At the end of Red Country, he threatens to kill some children, demonstrating that he's far beyond redemption at that point. Parental Substitute: To Monza, making it even more heartbreaking when she was pressured into betraying him by Benna and Orso.

Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie | Goodreads Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie | Goodreads

Monza’s bulging eyes followed them as they dragged Benna’s corpse out through the doors to the terrace, Ganmark grim and careful at the head end, Ario cursing as he daintily took one boot, the other smearing a red trail after them. They heaved Benna up onto the balustrade and rolled him off. Like that he was gone. The Evil Prince: In a subversion of the common depiction of this trope, he's actually the older son, and doesn't need to ascend in the line of succession, but he's still a selfish, sadistic asshole.

The New Trilogy

Evil Old Folks: By the time of Red Country, age has visibly caught up with him, and it has not made him kinder. Karmic Death: After all the atrocities he committed over the course of the book, his death at the end of Red Country is incredibly cathartic. For extra irony, he's killed by the man he hired to write his biography. Action Girl: In a world where warrior women are rare, she's one of the greatest military strategists alive, and a highly competent fighter besides. Duke Orso’s private study was a marble hall the size of a market square. Lofty windows marched in bold procession along one side, standing open, a keen breeze washing through and making the vivid hangings twitch and rustle. Beyond them a long terrace seemed to hang in empty air, overlooking the steepest drop from the mountain’s summit.

Joe Abercrombie - Goodreads First Law World Series by Joe Abercrombie - Goodreads

Combo Platter Powers: Aside from the enhanced strength and speed that all Eaters possess, she's able to teleport and read people's minds. In The Heroes, it's implied that she also has some kind of influence over the weather.Being Tortured Makes You Evil: Shivers getting his eye burned away in a torture chamber finally pushes him over the edge. I’ll do it.’ Faithful pulled the dagger from her belt, still pinning her wrist with his other hand. ‘I really am sorry.’

Best Served Cold - on Film - Joe Abercrombie Best Served Cold - on Film - Joe Abercrombie

Evil Has a Bad Sense of Humor: All of his "jokes" are spectacularly unfunny, and his most poorly timed ones could actually cause someone to try and kill him, like his assistant Day. Affably Evil: Being a self-admitted scoundrel and traitor doesn't stop him from having some likable qualities.

The Stand-Alones

Ganmark nodded stiffly to Monza. ‘General Murcatto.’ He nodded stiffly to Benna. ‘General Murcatto. Count Foscar, you are keeping to your exercises, I hope?’ Babies Ever After: At the book's end, she's pregnant. But whether by Rogont or Shivers, it's unclear. Officially, it's Rogont's.