What did you guys think? I was super excited for this book, because Abercrombie does death, violence, and loss better than just about anybody. A book of short stories with characters that don't need to live past the end of their chapter? Hell yes!
The book provided nice insight into the backstories of several important characters: we got to see Glokta as an asshole, Rews as a fat coward, Bremer dan Gorst behind closed doors with a whore at Cardotti's, Whirrun as a sane man and then later as a crazy one getting laid, Bethod as a broker of peace, Logen before the regrets stacked up, and Shy being chased for her bounty.
But it just really didn't do it for me the same way the novels did. Without the context of an ongoing storyline, the fighting didn't mean all too much for me. Many of the chapters featured PoV's that belong to the least important of the characters in the chapter. For example, we get Salem Rews's perspective on Glokta and West, but I'd have much rather read it from Glokta or West's point of view. Similarly, we get Bethod's view of Logen. The chapters I appreciated most were those with my favorite characters as the PoV rather than as other characters in the scene.
I'll give it an 8/10, because I swallowed the whole thing in one sitting and didn't even realize time was passing. But that's on the low end of my expectations for a non-YA Abercrombie book.
The book provided nice insight into the backstories of several important characters: we got to see Glokta as an asshole, Rews as a fat coward, Bremer dan Gorst behind closed doors with a whore at Cardotti's, Whirrun as a sane man and then later as a crazy one getting laid, Bethod as a broker of peace, Logen before the regrets stacked up, and Shy being chased for her bounty.
But it just really didn't do it for me the same way the novels did. Without the context of an ongoing storyline, the fighting didn't mean all too much for me. Many of the chapters featured PoV's that belong to the least important of the characters in the chapter. For example, we get Salem Rews's perspective on Glokta and West, but I'd have much rather read it from Glokta or West's point of view. Similarly, we get Bethod's view of Logen. The chapters I appreciated most were those with my favorite characters as the PoV rather than as other characters in the scene.
I'll give it an 8/10, because I swallowed the whole thing in one sitting and didn't even realize time was passing. But that's on the low end of my expectations for a non-YA Abercrombie book.
