Why You Should Read: Joe Abercrombie
Ultimately, reading fantasy is embarking on a journey through the author’s imagination. They pull you into their own unique world and let you experience their personality through the lens of their creations. While some use their medium to create worlds of wonder, Abercrombie’s crafts a world that is brutal, gritty and unforgiving. The British writer’s First Law universe, currently spanning two trilogies, three standalones and two short story collections, is a place where darkness and depravity are commonplace, with violence and corruption lurking around every corner waiting to destroy those too foolish or unlucky enough to stumble into them. But what Abercrombie does so well and what sets him apart from his grimdark contemporaries is striking the perfect balance between the wickedness of his world and his own razor sharp wit. You laugh, cry in frustration and yell in horror, and often all in one scene, thanks to the perfectly hewn skill of this writer.
An author’s voice is always going to be his greatest weapon. The unique delivery of an author’s expression is the thing that sets his work apart; the creative flourishes, the thematic turns and twists, the character details that give life to the story. Some authors like a subtle touch, gentle embellishments to craft something which is intricate and entrancing. By contrast, Abercrombie beats his readers with a warhammer while delivering a battlecry. His authorial voice is so strong it easily makes him distinct amongst an overabundance of grimdark authors crowding the fantasy shelves. By allowing his humor to shine through he adds streaks of color to his otherwise bleak world, making his stories feel like something entirely unique. Every page bleeds with personality and draws you further and further into the story like the most charismatic of performers.
Abercrombie’s stories encompass the grand conflicts of wizards and kings spanning empires and nations, but are always driven by deeply personal tales of revenge, jealousy and pride. There is the unflinching sense of classic tragedy that hangs over every one of his works, as characters struggle to overcome their flaws and survive in an indifferent world. In this regard, there is no one better. He has mastered the art of turning his characters into real people, or as close as you’re likely to find. He takes some of the most despicable figures ever put to page and lets you get to know them so intimately you can’t help but root for them, despite knowing all their failings and ugly flaws. You become invested in their struggles and hope like hell they can somehow figure out a way to make it through the meat grinder that is their dark little universe. It’s a trick that Abercrombie pulls off time after time in his novels, and it pays off in spades.
Abercrombie is not for everyone. He is brutal in his treatment of characters and readers alike. He is not one for sentimentality or a strong sense of satisfaction. Characters fail, are maimed, die unfulfilled, while storylines diverge from the expected and twist into horrifying turns on the classic tropes. Reading First Law is like chewing bittersweet candy, it’s all sour medicine and you need a strong stomach. He also defies the tendency of many modern writers to delve into the mechanics of his magic systems and offer explanations of the intricacies of his world. His world exists solely to serve as a vehicle to present his characters and conflicts to the reader, as streamlined and functional as he can make it. But for fans, these are features, not flaws. Abercrombie crafts his story with the expert precision of a butcher carving up a carcass to deliver a serving of perfectly cut steaks. But if that’s what you’re looking for, there’s really no one better.
Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie, say he’s hell of a writer.
