The Heroes

Friday Firsts: A Little Hatred

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Welcome to Friday Firsts – a weekly meme created by Tenacious Reader. First paragraphs. First impressions. A new favourite?

| Friday Firsts: August 14 |

A Little Hatred

Book One of The Age of Madness

by Joe Abercrombie

Fantasy | 471 Pages | Published by Gollancz in 2019

| First Paragraphs |

‘Rikke.’

She prised one eye open. A slit of stabbing, sickening brightness.

‘Come back.’

She pushed the spit-wet dowel out of her mouth with her tongue and croaked the one word she could think of. ‘Fuck.’

‘There’s my girl!’ Isern squatted beside her, necklace of runes and finger bones dangling, grinning that twisted grin that showed the hole in her teeth and offering no help at all. ‘What did you see?’

Rikke heaved one hand up to grip her head. Felt like if she didn’t hold her skull together, it’d burst. Shapes still fizzed on the inside of her lids, like the glowing smears when you’ve looked at the sun.

‘I saw folk falling from a high tower. Dozens of ’em.’ She winced at the thought of them hitting the ground. ‘I saw folk hanged. Rows of ’em.’ Her gut cramped at the memory of swinging bodies, dangling feet. ‘I saw… a battle, maybe? Below a red hill.’

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

| First Impressions |

I could not be happier to be back in the world of The First Law. In just a few opening paragraphs, that ever familiar narrative style springs from the pages and throws us back into a chaotic, bloody and treacherous world.

With a whole host of new characters, a few familiar favourites, and a plot that weaves the past through the smoke and steam of  industrial revolution, A Little Hatred is already turning out to be a brilliant read.

What are you currently reading? What were your first impressions?

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Cover Reveal: Sharp Ends by Joe Abercrombie – US Edition

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Cover Reveal

| Sharp Ends by Joe Abercrombie |

Last week we saw the darn right beautiful cover for Joe Abercrombie’s forthcoming collection of short stories, ‘Sharp Ends’, and this week (hurrah!) Orbit and Mr. Abercrombie have revealed the wonderfully eye-catching US edition. They’re both completely different yet manage to capture the  spirit of his writing. I love them both! The US cover, designed by Lauren Panepinto, is incredibly striking and is an edition I would love to have on my shelves… but that UK cover is hard to beat and will remain a definite favourite for some time. Take a look and see what you think.

Sharp Ends

by Joe Abercrombie

Design by Lauren Panepinto | Map by Tim Paul

Orbit – 26th April 2016

| Synopsis |

The Union army may be full of bastards, but there’s only one who thinks he can save the day single-handed when the Gurkish come calling: the incomparable Colonel Sand dan Glokta.

Curnden Craw and his dozen are out to recover a mysterious item from beyond the Crinna. Only one small problem: no one seems to know what the item is.

Shevedieh, the self-styled best thief in Styria, lurches from disaster to catastrophe alongside her best friend and greatest enemy, Javre, Lioness of Hoskopp.

And after years of bloodshed, the idealistic chieftain Bethod is desperate to bring peace to the North. There’s only one obstacle left – his own lunatic champion, the most feared man in the North: the Bloody-Nine . . .

Sharp Ends combines previously published, award-winning tales with exclusive new short stories. Violence explodes, treachery abounds, and the words are as deadly as the weapons in this rogue’s gallery of side-shows, back-stories, and sharp endings from the world of the First Law.

| The First Law Covers – Orbit US |

| Sharp Ends – UK vs US |

| The First Law – UK vs US |

| UK |

Sharp Ends

| US |

Orbit Covers 2

What do you think of the US cover reveal for Sharp Ends? Which is your favourite?

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Cover Reveal: Sharp Ends by Joe Abercrombie – UK Edition

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Cover Reveal

| Sharp Ends by Joe Abercrombie |

Finally! We have another cover reveal and oh my, this really is a good ‘un. Gollancz and Lord Grimdark himself have recently revealed the UK artwork for Sharp Ends, a collection of short stories from The First Law Universe, and I fully expect to be overwhelmed by a multitude of bastards, rogues and dubious characters. And if that wasn’t enough, we also get to return to one of my favourite characters (from one of my favourite authors) of all time – Sand dan Glokta. Just take a look at this beautiful cover… it might just be my favourite of Abercrombie’s ever expanding repertoire.

Sharp Ends

by Joe Abercrombie

Artwork by Laura Brett and Dave Senior

Gollancz – 26th April 2016

Sharp-Ends-wraparound

| Synopsis |

The Union army may be full of bastards, but there’s only one who thinks he can save the day single-handed when the Gurkish come calling: the incomparable Colonel Sand dan Glokta.

Curnden Craw and his dozen are out to recover a mysterious item from beyond the Crinna. Only one small problem: no one seems to know what the item is.

Shevedieh, the self-styled best thief in Styria, lurches from disaster to catastrophe alongside her best friend and greatest enemy, Javre, Lioness of Hoskopp.

And after years of bloodshed, the idealistic chieftain Bethod is desperate to bring peace to the North. There’s only one obstacle left – his own lunatic champion, the most feared man in the North: the Bloody-Nine . . .

Sharp Ends combines previously published, award-winning tales with exclusive new short stories. Violence explodes, treachery abounds, and the words are as deadly as the weapons in this rogue’s gallery of side-shows, back-stories, and sharp endings from the world of the First Law.

| The First Law Covers – Gollancz UK |

What do you think of the cover reveal for Sharp Ends? Excited?!! Stay tuned for the US cover reveal.

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