4.5 starsLast argument of kings is an appropriately epic, dark and brilliant ending to a trilogy filled with great characters and a beautifully crafted, intricate plot. It provides a definite(if somewhat disappointing) ending to the trilogy that still leaves space for the characters and story to be further explored in the following standalone novels.SPOILERS Jezal's character development was easily the best written in this series and among the best I've seen in any fantasy. From his introduction as an arrogant, lazy nobleman in the first book I expected him to develop into a wiser, kinder and generally better guy. However this development, although predictable, is still handled brilliantly here. Returning to the city of Adua, Jezal has decided to forget ambition and instead has decided to spend his life with the woman he loves... but he quickly backslides on this romantic plan when offered a promotion. Reverse character development is something I've rarely seen in fantasy and is cleverly written here. Meanwhile in the North the truth about Logen's violent past is revealed. I always considered Logen's vaguely bloody past to be exaggerated, however in this novel we truly see 'The Bloody Nine' and his indiscriminate savagery reveals a different side to the tough, dependable man he is so desperately trying to be. One scene in particular in which he murders a beloved character demonstrates the senseless violence of his bloodrage, which had been hinted at with Ferro in earlier books. As he gradually returns to his old ways, we come to see why he was so hated, and so feared. Despite the love a lot of people seem to have for him I've never really bought into Glokta. He's always seemed an imitation of Tyrion Lannister to me. A cynical, witty, shrewd political operator who is an outsider in society due to a physical deformity. (And who in the second book in the series commands the defence of a besieged city, I mean come on Abercrombie). I did feel for Glokta however when he was simultaneously betrayed by his two most trusted henchman. On the other hand his interactions with Ardee added hopefulness and sympathy to what was otherwise an often bleak character arc. Also lols. Lots of lols. Their relationship results in 2 of my all-time favourite Glokta scenes. The scene in which he visits her house after being ordered to assassinate her was initially tense (made all the more so by Abercrombie's willingness to have his protagonists do terrible things) and then heartwarming. The second was the scene in which he threatens to go all medieval on the ass (in so many words) of an extremely powerful politician if that politician threatens 'his' wife and child. Tears.So. The ending. I was disappointed by the ending, not throw my book off the wall disappointed but still. I've given the book 4.5 stars because my problems with the ending were due to the tone and the treatment of 2 of my favourite characters more than any real plot hole or pacing error and because other than the last few pages the book is almost flawless.Jezal ends the book not only alive but as king of the union. Yet he is only the powerless pawn of the ruthless megalomaniac Bayaz and trapped in a loveless marriage to boot. Due to her treatment of Jezal I initially felt that the 'jewel of Talins' was a ridiculously 2-dimensional character created to absolve Jezal of all blame in his loveless marriage. However at the end it is revealed that she is a lesbian...completely justifying her coldness, spitefulness, random petty cruelty and her bitter desire to see the entire population of Adua murdered for her own convenience. Those lesbians right? Smashes face off keyboard*Possibly my most disappointing moment in the book was when Jezal, who had only a few pages earlier been willing to make a heroic, self-sacrificing last stand against an unstoppable, murderous 'eater', completely capitulates to Bayaz allowing himself to become a meaningless figurehead for the nation. For me that scene and it's results rendered Jezal's entire character development throughout the series completely meaningless. I know I just praised Abercrombie for his 'reverse character development' (patent pending) but that was just too much. Major Wests' death was another crushing disappointment. One of my favourite characters throughout the series, West was the only major character who died and he did so in a completely meaningless, off-hand way after the climactic battle was already concluded. I feel that his death was greatly different to GRRM-style meaningful main character removal that adds realism and suspense as well as affecting the plot in unexpected ways. The pointless death of a great character didn't seem to affect the plot in any meaningful way and we see only second hand accounts of his failing health without any poignant final POV as death approaches. At least Logen Nine Fingers ended the story in an appropriate way. For a while I was worried he would end the series as a peaceful king leading the north to a bright future, which as much as I liked him, would have been completely at odds with his character and the theme throughout his story arc of having to pay for the sins of the past. I was mildly disappointed that his ability to talk to spirits was forgotten in this book, especially as I had hoped it would be linked into the seeming superpowers he has while(whilst?) in berserker mode. Nevertheless his violent, mysterious (at least until Red Country)end was well written and suited his character perfectly. Despite my personal complaints about the ending I still felt this was an epic, complex and fitting final installment to a great series.
“Mercy and weakness are the same thing in war, and there's no prize for nice behavior.”When your two favorite characters in a book are a master torturer and a warrior who occasionally is filled with so much bloodlust that he forgets who he is and is as likely to kill a friend as much as a foe you really shouldn’t be surprised to have mixed feelings at the end of the series.But I was surprised. Maybe I’m too used to the series I’m reading ending by tying everything up neatly in a bow and giving out an appropriate number of Happily Ever Afters. I can’t really say that happened. There are some people who got what they deserved, others who got far more than they deserved and even more who did not get what they deserved at all. At the end I wasn’t sure how to feel. This is one of those stories that is going to stick with me and I’ll wonder what the characters went on to do long after the story ended. I’m going to give Joe Abercrombie some props. He made me love characters that I shouldn’t have liked at all. I mean who loves the torturer in a story, but Glotka is one of my all-time favorite Anti-Heroes. I also adore Logan who sometimes goes on killing sprees and might kill his most trusted ally, still Logen Nine-fingers really made this story for me.Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie, say he is never boring. I flew through the last half of this book needing to know what was going to happen. I was surprised by revelations that just kept coming. There was one character that I absolutely loved in prior books that I couldn’t believe how much I despised them by the end of this one. “But you love to play the good man, don't you? Do you know what's worse than a villain? A villain who thinks he's a hero. A man like that, there's nothing he won't do, and he'll always find himself anexcuse.”I really do not want to give away anything about this story. I just ask that you go in with an open mind and be ready for a very wild and unconventional and always entertaining ride. The ending to this trilogy is much like Abercrombie’s characters; complex, interesting, controversial and perfectly unapologetically flawed. Maybe that doesn’t sound like a good thing but looking back on it now a week after I finished I really liked some of the chances he took with his story.I really hope he revisits a few of these characters since he left it a little open for some of them in the future. I grew really attached to so many of the characters in the story and I really want to see them again.
What do You think about Last Argument Of Kings (2008)?
Wow, just... Wow. The story doesn't end, but loose ends are tied, maybe not so neatly, but they are wrapped up. Sort of. At this point in the trilogy, there's really nothing new about the characters, except for the lengths to which they will go to attain and obtain their own ends. The king showed himself to be royal in his character, while others are sneaky, manipulative scoundrels. I was surprised at when the battle ended, with over four hours left in the (Audible) book. But the palace intrigue and maneuvering took up the rest of the book, and that's still my favorite part of this series. Gonna take a break from this world before picking up the three single titles set here.
—Steve
Epic/Dark Fantasy Buddy Read with Anasylvia, Alexa, Robin, Michelle, and Eon. WTF! I don't know how to rate this or what kind of review to write for this.....Fuck it, I don't care what people think...I love this damn series. I will read it over and over and over again. I loved it so damn much that I ordered and bought the graphic novel...even though I can read it for free online. The First Law Graphic Novel Ugh..Its so flawed with these fucked up characters that I love them anyway. How is that I love the blood thirsty cripple who loves to torture, or the stick up his ass Captain, Jezal dan Luthar, and his narrow minded way of thinking. On top of all that, the narrator is AMAZING! A-MA-ZING! Like no joke, he's right there with Michael Kramer for me. I'm not going to tell you about this book/series, if you love blood and back stabbing and to fall in love with flawed characters read this damn series. I loved it...fucking loved it!!!
—Athena
"Book 3, the final one! We're almost there!""Yes, Sir, Mr.Abercrombie.""So, let's see. We casted characters already and invented plots. What needs to be done now.""Perhaps an ending?""Really? Aren't you enjoying my fabulous characters?""Of course, but you know, a good story needs an ending.""Did Robert Jordan knew that? Does Martin think so?""Well, I'm not sure...""And they sold way more books than I did.""Hm, this is true. But weren't you going somewhere with the story?""You're right, but maybe that's not the point of a story.""Really? I'm confused.""There is a lot of rothfuss lately on the internet about stories within stories about storytelling without telling a story.""And people like that?""Apparently a huge kvothient of the peer group does. Maybe I should write something like that.""A little late for that now, ain't it, boos?"Well, what else is successful?""Star Wars, boss.""That's an idea, finishing a trilogy and then living on it, creating tons of follow-up stuff and Merchandising. Maybe we even get Natalie Portman to play a role in a crappy prequel.""Natalie Portman is mentioned quite often in book reviews lately, isn't she, boos?""Makes you suspicious, doesn't it?""So, we're still in need of an ending. Was way easier with the brginning.""That's it!""What's it, Sir, Mr. Abercrombie?""We don't need an ending, we need a beginning."And thus the third book in Abercrombie's First Law trilogy ends with an epilogue chapter called "The beginning".This book lived up to its predecessors from end to beginning and has a few surprises for the reader.As always, the characters are well executed and outshine the other elements of Abercrombie's writing.So, if you're a reader for whom characters are the most important part of a book, you can easily add a 5th star to the rating.All in all the series is a fun ride that cleverly plays with a lot of fantasy tropes and likes to turn them on their heads.If I wanted to be really picky, I could tell you that the world-building lacked a bit for my taste and that I personally had preferred it to have a few better developed antagonists from the Ghurkish side, but that's not really what the book wants to be good at.So, I would highly recommend it to everyone, who's not afraid of a bleak world and cruel events. I'm definately delving back into the First Law universe with the three standalones, but most likely not right away."Mr. Abercrombie, sir?""Yes?""About these Northmen...""What about them?""There's more of them now. Here's a little girl with a huge hammer...""Well...I'll think of something."
—Mpauli
