Quote of the Day

"So persuasive. So compelling. So very . . . what's that word. . . charismatic. Loved as only politicians free from power--and therefore from disappointment--ever can be. He's brought a lot of people around to his way of seeing things. The Union side have no one in his class. All rather stodgy. But then it's difficult, isn't it, to make a passionate argument for what you already have? So boring. Whereas the delightful alternative? A bouquet of promises! A sackful of dreams! A glorious ship of fantasies, undamaged by collision with actually getting anything done."

- JOE ABERCROMBIE, The Trouble With Peace (Canada, USA, Europe)

Made me think of Joe Biden. . . ;-)

3 commentaires:

Fred said...

I remember that I liked his original trilogy, is it as good as the first law?

Patrick said...

Like many readers, I think that Abercrombie's first trilogy was his weakest work to date. Everything that comes after is much better. =)

DontDriveAngry said...

I love his first trilogy for so many reasons, but I agree he just keeps getting better.

The First Law was just such a great assembly of subversions of the basic fantasy tropes, all done so well, with excellent character development all around. Then the subsequent standalones were just amazing fun as he played with different styles. A revenge thriller a la Count of Monte Cristo, a war story focused on a single three-day battle, followed by a Western that would've made Clint Eastwood smile.

And yet he keeps getting better. With his latest series, I simply love seeing a fantasy world undergo actual progress on widespread level and all of the effects it has on a broad basis.

So many landmark works of the genre occur in worlds that have existed for thousands of years with powerful magic...and yet somehow everyone is still riding horses, carrying swords, and huddled around campfires when they're not sleeping in thatched-over cottages. Like, does anyone bother learning anything?

I loved this latest installment.