Before They Are Hanged

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Joe Abercrombie: Before They Are Hanged (2008, Orion Publishing Group, Limited)

592 pages

English language

Published Nov. 6, 2008 by Orion Publishing Group, Limited.

ISBN:
978-0-575-08201-4
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4 stars (14 reviews)

9 editions

reviewed Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie (The first law. Book 2)

Second verse, same as the first

4 stars

The pros and cons are very similar to the first volume in the series. The characters are interesting (and a bit more familiar, so there is less wondering how things fit together). The overall plot arcs are interesting. For better or worse the book includes some fairly extended and graphic descriptions of violence. I don't know if I am extra sensitive, but I struggled to get through it because of these passages, or perhaps because of my anticipation of these passages.

reviewed Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie (The first law. Book 2)

Like it's predecessor, a solid third of a story

4 stars

With perhaps a little more understanding of how things will go, I found this book perhaps a bit better than the first volume (bookwyrm.social/book/402337/review#reviews).

What I didn't fully understand about the first book, and which took me a surprisingly long time to realise reading this one, is that the lack of awareness or knowledge of the "big picture" in this epic tale is the whole point. The point of view characters each has their arc, all of them dealing with difficulties and unpleasantness that is much greater than they can ken or manage. The result is that the grand sweep of history is unfolding, but there's no way for the characters or reader to fully grasp it.

Both because we've got to know them better, and because of development, the characters themselves are more appealing. They are rounded, often messy, and so the more compelling for it, though …

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Subjects

  • Fiction, fantasy, general