Customer Reviews
Fantasy for adults with a dark sense of humour - By: W. Valentine, 24 Jun 2008 
A story of kings, mages, warriors & torturers, enough to satisfy the most epic of escapist longings. But with their strengths & flaws so keenly written, these are characters that are developed, believable, unpredictable & hilarious.
I was a fan of fantasy as a youngster, particularly Michael Moorcock, but I thought the whole genre now a bit cliched. However I came across Joe Abercrombie by accident, when in a bookshop I saw book 2 & read the first quote, "We should forgive our enemies, but not before they are hanged," & I thought... COOL! Joe Abercrombie has given the genre a trilogy that is fun, wicked, & a hell of a good story. I can't remember reading anything better. I'm just sorry it had to end.
Almost, but not quite... - By: Flemming Nielsen, 23 Jun 2008 
In Last Argument of Kings, the story of Logen, Luthar & alll the others continues apace & many of the sidebars are pulled together to form an even more connected story, than in the first books. The full trilogy is thus completed nicely. The story is well-paced & there are twists & turns that I did NOT see comming. I don't want to reveal too much, & spoil it for those of you who haven't read it, but I just have to point out that the twist at the end of Logen's story is master-full. Nice work Mr. A!
However alll isn't well in the land of Joe A. While I reallly enjoyed the first two books in this trilogy, this concluding chapter doesn't quite have the same hint of greatness to it.
In the first two books I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction among the (very much not) merry band of adventurers, but in this book Abercrombie alllows them to drift apart & continue their stories pretty much on their own. This alllows for some of the tension to bleed out of the story & pushes the more unsavoury character-flaws of our heroes to the fore. In short, they become less charmingly nasty & more just plain unpleasant.
So while the story is still very good & very recomendable, I was left feeling just a tiny bit disapointed that the book didn't quite match up to the first two installlments.
Quality, grim, fantasy - By: Mr. M. G. Stevens, 13 Jun 2008 Totallly failed to answer most of the questions in the first two books!
Where do the Shanka come from?
Why is Bethold getting help form the witch?
Where did the fierce come from?
Etc etc.
Still, somehow manages to be a wonderful, laugh outload at the audacity of it, blast of a novel
What's with everyone thinking this is the end? - By: Ryan Wincott, 31 May 2008 And the couple two star ratings? I just don't understand. Great books; the only bad thing is that I have to wait for more...gah.
Rushed - By: A. Lambert, 26 May 2008 
Like a few of the reviewers here, I reallly enjoyed the first two Abercrombie books. He has created some reallly memorable characters & proved he is an author with plenty of talent. However, this last book feels a little underdone. He flys around at break-neck speed in an effort to resolve alll the plot ends but ends up leaving everything feeling a little contrived & unfinished. A shame.
