The plot thickens. Some characters die. Some change. Some go on to greater things. Bayaz and crew go traveling and meet with danger. Glokta has even more questions. Collem West battles Bethod and his Northmen. Threetrees and crew get into some bloody melees. Eaters attack. Jezal slowly becomes less of an ass. New characters are introduced. Mysteries deepen. And who are Valint and Balk? Can't wait to get my hands on the conclusion this August. (Note: the title comes from the quotation: "We should forgive our enemies, but not before they are hanged." ~ Heinrich Heine) ( )

This is the second book in the First Law Trilogy, a swords and sorcery adventure. It picks up right where the The Blade Itself, the first book, left off with no summary whatsoever of what happened in the first book. All of the main characters from the first book reappear in this book, but now they are all flung to various corners of the globe on separate new adventures. There is more sorcery in this book (although still not much) and more monsters (although still not many). There is lots of gore, although less torture. I love the humor here, definitely my kind of humor in my darker moments. If you're in the mood for a raucous adventure, this is a great book for you. If you're in the mood for resolution of that adventure, this is not at all the book for you. Nothing whatsoever is resolved here. I can only assume everything will be resolved in the third and final book, The Last Argument of Kings. I'd definitely recommend this, but you should probably read the first book first. ( )

http://bactra.org/weblog/algae-2008-1... ( )

Excellent continuation of the first law trilogy. I loved the time spent in the south, of Adua, Glokta is my favorite character in the book. He is just so evil, but not, a good balance. ( )

I really enjoyed the first book of this series and have felt incomplete having not bought books 2 and 3 for such a long interval. But then Borders came through with 40% off coupons to use. I splurged on this.

It wasn't a mistake. But while reading Abercrombie's second effort I wondered if I had done right. First it took weeks to get through. And I have time on my hand. So why was I not engaged and read this in one sitting?

There are several main viewpoints that we have chapter after chapter. Who is our hero? Is our hero the torn up torturer of the Inquisition? Is there a trend in fantasy to identify with humans who have suffered horror?

Not that I completely remember book 1, but until half way through I think this series is all human based. Then all of sudden we have some fantastical beings. I am not sure that we needed them. Human enemies for our heroes might have been more than enough.

But that is what holds this back from a great read, and possibly a repeat. It is dark, it is disjointed with too many major plot lines to follow all wanting to be center stage. And anything good seems to disappear into its own gloom of twilight. Somewhere, sometime, the heroes need to have something good going on. ( )