I realised after requesting that I need to read the other series by Joe Abercrombie first so I will be doing that before reviewing this book.

This was my first Joe Abercrombie book. It was an interesting read. Unfortunately I had some technical issues and I was not able to finish the book. I am hoping to go back to it at some point!

A Little Hatred is the first in a new grimdark series from fantasy author Joe Abercrombie. While it contains characters from and references to an earlier series (the First Law world), you should be okay to jump into this one cold (though why would you, eh?).

Like many beginnings, this book introduces a large cast of characters and it does take some time to settle in and get to know them all. But Abercrombie is a talented writer who seemingly brings new characters to life with ease (seemingly because it's damn hard to do it well in reality). A few sentences it all it takes to make them breathe.

The plot is dark and windy and much of this book is setup for the ones to come, but it's an entertaining ride along the way.

Excellent return to the world of the First World series. They story takes place 30 years after the end of that series and some of the characters are still around. The world has moved into an industrial age, where machines are starting to appear removing jobs from the "lower" classes. The rich are getting richer and the poor, poorer. There's new war in the North, a peasants revolt and the Magi seemingly in the background nudging things along.

While the story is set in the same world as the First World series, you don't need to have read them to understand what it happening. It follows the new characters, Prince Orso, Rikke, Savine Dan Glotka and Leo Dan Brock, rather than the older characters who appear throughout.

Can't wait to read the follow up books.

The Industrial Revolution is about to hit the world of the First Law, and this trilogy looks to be the story of how it all shakes out. This first book sets the scene, and introduces us to characters old and new. There's no denying Abercrombie can write. This is another page turner that keeps you reading into the night, with vivid and engaging characters and some excellently dramatic set pieces. There are a couple of drawbacks. There's no real plot, just a lot of positioning for the rest of the series, and I wouldn't mind if he never wrote another sex scene again. I will still be first in the queue for the next one though.

A Little Hatred is set in the same Circle of World, that was introduced way back in 2006 with his debut, A Blade Itself that introduced the world to a new form of fantasy – veering away from heroic quests and destiny’s child or even multi-layered political intrigue, to give us real flawed grey characters, whose frustrations, angst and pain was etched in unerring detail and presented in a shining evocative prose, unapologetic, grim and dark. Can a new reader jump into this world, starting with this book? Err. Technically yes, but I would strongly advise anybody worth their salt to get their hands dirty with at least his First Law trilogy: Namely, the Blade Itself. Before they are Hanged and The Last Argument of Kings. Joe has done an absolutely fabulous job in painting this world up in his First Law trilogy, followed that up with some stunning standalone novels that feature far-lengths of this world giving full satisfactory closures to some of the most memorable fantasy characters ever to have graced printed page. There are numerous mentions of the names and deeds of these fallen heroes that form the basis for a lot of the character and world building in this story as well.

The events in A Little Hatred are set roughly three decades post the First Law trilogy.
The first theme is the age-old incursion into the Union-held territories by the relentless Northerners. Under the banners of the Stour “Great Wolf” Nightfall, son of Black Calder (One of my favorite characters from Heroes! Now you know, you have to finish those previous six books!) who is thirsting for glory just like the old Named Men of the North (Bloody Nine is often touted to be greatest warriors of the North, the one to have won multiple duels in the Circle!) Lined up against him is Leo Dan Brock, the heir/Governor to Angland, popular among his friends and soldiers as the “Young Lion” – Leo has the exact same ambitions as his enemy Stour; namely to win glory and honor for himself. Having grown up in the North with their allies, led by the Dogman. Possibly one of the most ‘honorable’ Northerner, a quiet unassuming man whose courage and loyalty are never in doubt, throughout the last few books set in this world. Completing the trio is Rikke – one of the first people we meet in the frozen North, daughter of the Dogman, apparently blessed by the Long Eye, a magical ability to discern the future. She’s a scared and frustrated soul looking only to escape the clutches of Nightfall’s soldiers out to grab her to get back at the Dogman. She is guided by a mad Hillwoman Isern-i-Phail who is possibly one of the worst teachers, as judged by the hapless Rikke. Bringing us the viewpoint of the ‘enemies’ is Clover, an old warrior who has learned life the hard way and now prefers to watch the fight from under the shade of a tree, choosing to train the youngsters in the North camp.

Back in Adua, the center of the world, the City of White Towers – the towers are no longer white, smudged by smoke and dust. Industrialization is slowly creeping into the world and as is ordained, there are vultures looking to “profit” from this age of machines. Savine Dan Glokta, daughter of …. yeah you guessed it! San Dan Glokta, Glokta the cripple, Old Sticks, now the Arch Lector to the King. Savine is a viciously cunning woman, having learned the art of business and investing wisely. Her ambitions know no bounds and she is ruthless in her pursuit of profit and money in this age. She also has a crippling fear of appearing weak in the face of her “detractors” – and being a successful woman in this trade, she has many. Then there is the rebel section of workers, who protest the deplorable conditions of the victims toiling in inhuman conditions, different factions with different ideologies to oppose those “capitalists” in power. Peaceful protests or burning riots, both aim for the “Great Change”. Vick is one of the rebels, a survivor of the battle camps of Styria who wants to affect the ‘Great Change’ and has sided with a dangerous faction calling themselves the Breakers. Into this midst comes Sergeant Gunnar Broad, war weary who has sworn off violence but violence has taken a deep-rooted affection to the man, who is built and bred for war.

The happenings within the Capital is of course presided over by Orso, heir to the throne who has earned himself a reputation for being a lazy, indolent selfish man who has bedded over four thousand whores and enjoys his wine first thing in the morning. But as we soon realize, claims make out a man to be much worse than he actually is. Orso is actually a clever, kind-hearted young man, who recognizes that his best talent is to do nothing. Feckless at having a purpose in life. Except for one, that is. That purpose has a name – Savine. And to impress her, the Prince actually puts together an army to go fight in the North. But circumstances conspire differently and very soon, the Prince is forced to set out on a different kind of a mission. One that involves the possibly saving Savine herself. Who, in the middle of surveying one of her investments, a factory in the industrial city of Valbeck, gets sucked into the middle of an armed uprising by the worker rebels who are out to burn everything in their sights, to catalyze the ‘Great Change’.

As usual, Joe Abercrombie is absolutely on point, when it comes to his characters. Utterly compelling in their ‘humanity’ he puts them through the worst of the wringer, forcing adversity piled one atop the other to wreck their defenses, making them by turns vulnerable, wicked, ambitious, helpless and ultimately revealing that all of us, are flawed to the core. This is an established world and we wonder, what new can Abercrombie offer us? Haven’t we explored the far reaches of the Circle of the World, understood the meaninglessness of it all. A lot of new things, as Abercrombie proves in a stroke of genius by the introduction of industrialization. And yet, as the novel progress we realize and lament that despite the ‘progress’ of the machines in this world, humans alas remain an utterly selfish species hell bent on each others’ destruction.

A new cast of characters this, Joe masterfully builds each of their backstories, motivations and vicious hands, dealt by fate. And he takes conscious care to do so, without each of their tracks being a ‘retread’ of their older generation/parents. For example, Savine is as ruthless and ambitious as Glokta but her manner of achieving her goals is as far removed from Glokta’s wicked politics. Orso and Leo are two sides of a coin, both privileged youngsters trying to find their place in this shifty world, shaped by change and inimitable violence. But the manner in which they go about it marks them differently – Orso goes hammer and tongs at life, out to win glory and honor, single-minded in his vision. He doesn’t waste time and rushes headlong into life. Straightforward and honest. Orso, on the other hand, is a thinker. One of my favorite characters in this book, his arc of redemption is the most satisfying. A spoilt, utter feckless dandy ( though not as bad as Prince Ladisla from First Law!) Orso emerges out from his trials, a cautious young man, sympathetic to the tribulations of the world around him and conscious of his need, to find an anchor and purpose.

What surprised me about this book, though is also its utterly unflinching focus on romance. In Joe Abercrombie’s world though. romance isn’t about pink blooming flowers and rose wines or well-mannered dates. It’s about utterly gratuitous sex, bad morning breath, entangled trousers, nipping teeth. Some of the lead characters fall hard for each other. But there is no redemption or happy ending in this world. The violence of course is unapologetic, shocking [There’s this factory uprising scene that had me gasping in fright and disbelief!] trademark vintage Abercrombie. But as we soon realize, it isn’t just about the action. The action underlines the propulsive plot, dotted with short sharp chapters leading to cliff hangers and then exploding into new chapters, swapping points-of-views [ Remember Heroes?] to complete the whole picture from both sides of the coin.

Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie, say he knows how to start a new series. Unputdownable once the characters are all introduced, the constant backstabbing, the vicious duels, the crazy battle scenes all of that adds up to an engaging read. It’s a world on the knife’s edge. A new generation that itches to take over from the veterans (a constant theme that runs through the book) A Little Hatred is clever, funny and horrible all at the same time. With scathing commentary on society and politics, division of class and wealth and even clever quips on xenophobia at times, A Little Hatred is definitely the book of the year for me. The wait was totally worth it. Joe spins his magic once again, giving us a hardboiled version of life inside the Circle and expanding outside of it, craftily writing his way into another classic series, that will possibly be featured as his best one yet.

Joe Abercrombie ha vuelto y vuelve con sus características literarias más agudizadas que nunca y también con algunas innovaciones que añaden un nuevo interés a la lectura de sus novelas, por si antes tuviera poco.


A Little Hatred es el comienzo de una trilogía en la que Abercrombie, muy perfeccionista, ha utilizado un método nuevo. Ha escrito los tres libros del tirón y aunque todavía quedan revisiones por hacer, en realidad la publicación de las novelas va a ser mucho más continuada de lo habitual. Esto, a pesar de haberle llevado más tiempo, le ha permitido tener más control de la obra en su totalidad, de la trilogía propiamente dicha, pero supongo que es algo que podremos observar con más claridad en las siguientes entregas.

Sobre el libro en sí, creo que una de las cosas más certeras del autor ha sido cómo gestionar el relevo generacional de su historia. Aunque algunos personajes de los libros anteriores siguen teniendo presencia, vemos cómo van perdiendo protagonismo en favor de la savia nueva que va llenando las páginas. Y no solo las páginas, si no también nuestros corazones, porque con ese cuidado especial que le caracteriza, los personajes (aún los que cometen los actos más atroces) se van haciendo querer.

Es la primera vez que leo a Abercrombie directamente en inglés y he de decir que no me ha resultado especialmente difícil aunque no se trata de una prosa excesivamente clara, pero sí que es muy fluida. Una vez te acostumbras a la forma de hablar de cada región, el ritmo te va llevando por cada página con una facilidad pasmosa.

Me gustaría también hacer hincapié en la evolución de la historia, ya que ahora nos encontramos en una época industrial donde la lucha obrera cobra una gran importancia en la narración. Resulta impactante el contraste de la guerras del norte, donde las batallas siguen siendo una épica mezcla de sangre, despojos y armas afiladas, con la industria textil organizada en las zonas más avanzadas. Pero esta supuesta «civilización» no hace si no enmascarar la terrible realidad del trabajo esclavo y las condiciones infrahumanas en las que los trabajadores viven. Resulta incluso más estremecedor pensar que Abercrombie no está exagerando en absoluto.

El final, que se nota muy trabajado por el autor, no hace si no aumentar el interés por las próximas entregas, porque lo que se ha ido cociendo a lo largo de los capítulos anteriores estalla con gran intensidad. Me tranquiliza saber que el segundo libro ya está en camino, porque así la espera será menos tensa.

Joe Abercrombie is one of my all time favourite authors so I was incredibly excited when I heard that A Little Hatred was going to take us back into the world of The First Law. It’s always a bit nerve wracking when a favourite author brings out a new book. My expectations for this book were really high and I’m so happy to say it delivered in every possible way. Dark, bloody and full of bleak humour, this is a terrific start to a new series.

A Little Hatred is the first in an all new series so if you haven’t read Abercrombie’s other books you can totally pick this up and enjoy it as a fun and fast paced fantasy tale, however to really get the full effect of this you should definitely check out his other books in this world. We follow all new characters, some of whom are related to characters from previous books. The story is set many years after the events of Red Country, and the industrial revolution has taken place, bringing with it a new age of machines, trade and politics.

The story is complex and multi-layered, featuring several different POVS. Joe Abercrombie has a talent for writing really well fleshed out and vivid characters, and that is definitely true in A Little Hatred. Although there are quite a lot of character perspectives (seven in total), each is incredibly distinctive and brings something new and fresh to the story. I enjoyed them all, but Rikke and Savine were my favourites.

A Little Hatred brings plenty of bloody, gory moments and is full to the brim with revenge, betrayal and political intrigue. It’s a phenomenal start to a new series and I for one am already itching for the next instalment.

From Good Reads:
Doesn't matter if you are familiar with this world or not, dive in.
Deeply unsettled country, a brilliant cast of diverse characters and lots of blood.
Witty, loads of fun, bloody.
What I love is that the characters, good, bad and in-between are thought out, fleshed out and we get to know them.
Hints of magic - but lots of business, politics and backstabbing
This is just what we expect from Joe Abercrombie - quality plots and writing. Real storytelling.
Can't wait for the next:

The latest instalment in the world of the First Law is the start of Abercrombie's new series - The Age of Madness. The story take place some 30 years after the events of the First Law trilogy, and we are deep into that world's industrial revolution. Across the Union, tradesmen are being rendered obsolete by technological advancement. Savine dan Glokta, the daughter of the shining, shitty star of the First Law trilogy, has made her fortune by investing in such innovations and mercilessly milking their genius inventors for every mark of profit. Half of the story follows her on a trip to oversee the running of one of her investments, a trip which soon descends into riot, hostage-taking and a general shit-storm.

The rest of the story takes place in the North, where those Northmen are, once more, kicking up a fuss and trying to reclaim their land from the Union. These chapters focus on Rikke, the dogman's daughter, and Leo dan Brock, the Young Lion, as they fight against Black Calder and his crew.

Yes, this really is "First Law: The Next Generation". With very few exceptions, the main characters here are all the descendants of characters from the previous trilogy. What I couldn't quite come to terms with was the fact that Caul Shivers and Bremer dan Gorst seemed to have aged significantly less than I might have expected (based purely on my impression of their ages in the earlier books and other characters now).

The battle with the Northmen was pretty much a boiled-down version of the Heroes, and not all that enjoyable. Rikke was a new feature which just about saved this from utter tedium.

There was one exceptional scene revolving around the riot that Savine found herself in. This scene changed from one perspective to another seamlessly, truly like a scene from a film. This long chapter was so engaging and immersive I couldn't leave it unfinished.

Abercrombie's writing and dialogue once again shine through as top of the class.

However, what held the book back for me were the pace of the opening third (so much character introduction and yet so much of it is left to the reader based on the previous books), and the bulk of the chapters in the North. The rest of the book really felt new and exciting and thrilling, those sections really just felt like old hat.

Format: Hardcover
I requested an advance copy of ‘A Little Hatred’ as I’d enjoyed the First Law trilogy so much. Joe Abercrombie is great at creating interestingly complex and relatable characters; each of them adapting and conspiring to survive in challenging times. My previous favourite was the ruined hero turned master torturer, Arch Lector Glokta (who plays an important role in this book, along with many
of the First Law characters), so I was delighted to encounter his charming and ruthlessly ambitious daughter, Savine. I’m also intrigued by Rikke and her gift of the prophetic ‘Long Eye’.

The story picks up after a period of relative calm, but we soon find that the politics Union and the rest of the world is in flux again. How long before we discover who are the puppets and who are the puppet masters?

In my opinion, A Little Hatred is a promising start to a new series, The Age of Madness.

I cannot tell you how thrilled I was to hear that one of my favourite authors was coming out with a new book. Not just that, he was launching us back into the First Law world, one of my favorite fantasy settings ever. Living up to an amazing series like the First Law trilogy and the three standalone novels is a tall order, however Abercrombie has managed to keep up the quality of his books and start the Age of Madness trilogy with a bang.

I think many readers’ first question will be ‘can I read this without having read his other books?’ and I think it’s a tough one to answer. I have seen many readers pick up and enjoy A Little Hatred without having read the other First Law books. However, I think it would be hugely beneficial to at least read the original trilogy first. You’ll have a better feel for the characters, setting, and context of the various conflicts and schemes, but more importantly (to me, at least) you'll be able to pick up the throwbacks to the other books. A seemingly unimportant conversation between two characters will actually be a gut-punch to someone who has read the other books, for example. Just my two cents, on to the actual review!

About 20-30 years have come and gone since the events of the First Law trilogy, and the world is changing. I love Industrial Revolution-inspired fantasy settings and Abercrombie does a fantastic job of launching Adua in to a new age. As this book doesn't just focus on one class of people -- there are POV characters ranging in social status from the heir to the throne to the most impoverished working class people fighting for survival -- you get such a great sense of how industry is impacting the world. Although the North is always my favourite setting in his books, I absolutely loved the story lines that took place in Valbeck -- an industrial city with horrendous working conditions and immense poverty. Abercrombie has a real knack for blurring the lines of good and bad, and the most impactful chapters take place in Valbeck.

When I think of Abercrombie’s books, the fantastic characters always spring to mind first. He is the absolute master of writing grey area characters, and A Little Hatred is no exception. Something that I really appreciated about this book is the number of female characters in it. His books always feature at least a few women, but he’s stepped up the number of female characters with this new trilogy and I really think it is better for it. My favourite character was obviously Savine dan Glokta -- the ruthless businesswoman and daughter of everyone’s favourite torturer --and I also loved Rikke and Vic, who are formidable women in their own right.

I could honestly go on and on about this book, so I’ve only picked out some highlights. If you’re a fan of the First Law books, you’re going to love A Little Hatred. If you’re new to this world and decide to pick this up, I think you’re going to be absolutely sucked in and unable to resist picking up the others. Deliciously funny and horribly grim, A Little Hatred is a perfect addition to the grimdark subgenre. This is undoubtedly one of the best books of 2019!

I received an advanced review copy of A Little Hatred in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Joe Abercrombie and Gollancz.

This first novel in The Age of Madness series is set a generation after The First Law trilogy. We are reintroduced to this world as it is in a bit of a crisis. It’s a new age that features the introduction of machinery, a potential revolution, brutal hard labour, and the fear and hatred of progression. It’s reaching a boiling point and that could soon equate to absolute turmoil. Here, once again, Abercrombie showcases why he is still one of the finest Grimdark/ Dark Fantasy writers of all time. The author’s world-building and characterisation are as impressive, detailed and unique as ever and the humour presented is amazing and typical Abercrombie.

Point of veiw characters Orso, Savine, and Rikke are the children of Jezal, Glotka, and The Dogman respectively. Some of the old favourite players are featured here but they don’t take over the mainstage. The new ensemble is well worth reading about and they organically take other the reins that steer this narrative. Abercrombie still creates bastards you love to hate and that you hate that you love. The author is a genius at creating characters that I actually care about however horrible they may be. My two absolute favourites follow were the so-called awful alcohol-addicted King-in-Waiting Orso who deep down wishes to be a good person and a leader – and also arguably the novel’s finest character the sex-addicted entrepreneur Savine Glotka. There a quite a few point of view players throughout and in addition to the aforementioned, Leo, the perfect hero and Broad the formidable warrior with a harsh past are great to follow. Their scenes were stunning to visualise and were the most memorable.

Some of the players may seem two-dimensional initially until Abercrombie deftly expands on their thoughts, emotions and agendas and massages the depth of their personalities into our minds. As mentioned, we see some old legends from the past such as Glotka, The Dogman and Bayaz but the new characters are not in the shadows of their predecessors at all. They truly own the narrative.

I had a brilliant time reading this and returning to Abercrombie’s world. Although I haven’t completed all of The First Law books and even though you probably could start reading here, I think some prior knowledge of at least one or two of the original trilogy is truly beneficial. A Little Hatred does read like the typical first book in a fantasy epic which may build up to truly monumental and stunning moments but it doesn’t really work as a standalone. I believe Abercrombie has completed the remaining two books though and I can’t wait for the next entry and to lose myself here again. Bravo. When I have finished all The First Law books I will return to this and the rating may be increased to 5-stars.

PS. This is a more casual review than normal as I finished the novel a little while ago but haven’t had the internet for a few weeks. Today is the first time I’ve been able to get around to reviewing it.

Content warnings apply - this is grimdark so expect violence and gore, also incest. Happy to give more specifics - do get in touch.

I'm very willing to concede that reading this as my first ever example of Joe's work may have been...not a mistake... but possibly not the best plan. I definitely got the feeling that this would have been more impactful if I had read the other books in this universe first. I still had a great time reading but I think I probably missed a lot of nuances and would have had more 'oh it's you' moments if I hadn't done that. I know Justine is on the blog tour for this so check her review out if you're looking for a fan's perspective!

So what did I, a Joe Abercrombie 'virgin' - gosh I hate that term - feel about this book?

I loved it.

It's interesting. I wasn't sure whether this would be the nail in the coffin of my attempts to read Grimdark. I read Godblind a while back and hated it, I read Blackwing and was less annoyed but still not keen. Was it that my poor little heart just wasn't cut out for books known for being brutal?

Or was it that I hadn't found the right book? 

Because this book was amazing. I had a bit of a blip at the beginning where I really thought I wasn't going to get into it, it's not the longest book but it is quite dense (there are a lot of plotlines to follow) and I've been so busy - it could have been a disaster. However, as happens with great books, I soon had a character whose story I cared about more than the others and that carried me through to the end, along the way I learned to tolerate or appreciate the other characters too! It's the best way that multiple POV books go for me.

But what makes this book good? I liked that, even though the characters (or some of them) have a lot of power and decision making to do within the story, you really get the sense that they are caught up in events bigger than themselves. The actions of one thread of the story may not seem relevant but they all affect each other, as the reader you have the privilege of a 'bird's eye view' on the story and it's so satisfying to feel like you know what's happening. 

I'm not going to deny that this book is bleak. Those looking for happy heroic fantasy should probably look elsewhere - but that's never missold to you, it doesn't feel like victory is being snatched from you gratuitously. This is a book about hard times and thus the characters go through a lot. None of them are perfectly nice people and perfectly nice things don't really happen to them. There are some books which feel relentlessly brutal, this book manages to give you the breathers you need. It's not peaks and troughs necessarily, but it is a balance of the grim and the...slightly less grim. 

I would absolutely recommend this book, especially to those who, like me, are sure they ought to like Grimdark but haven't found the right book yet! I think my recommendation would be to go back and read the other books in this 'series' (the book stands alone but it is off the back of previous works) and you'll probably get more out of it. 

Who knows - maybe by this time next year I'll have caught up?

Looks anxiously at my TBR.

Ha.

My rating: 4/5 stars

I received a free digital advanced review copy of this book. All opinions are my own. 

A Little Hatred is available now!

I knew who Joe Abercrombie is but it's his first book I read and it was love at first read.
It's gripping, entertaining, full of humour and action packed. Once I started I couldn't put it down and was turning pages like a maniac.
I loved the well written and fleshed out cast of characters. They are flawed, morally grey and not always likeable but interesting and fascinating.
The world building is amazing and fascinating.
An enthralling and fascinating book, a great reading experience.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Joe Abercrombie has smashed it with this book, it gives you everything you want from the First Law world and then just keeps on giving.

I loved this book. I loved every twisted, flawed character (that's all of them) and every twisty, cruel piece of plot (that's all of it) .

The plot is brilliant - it's relevant, topical, cruel and terrifyingly real.

The characters are wonderful - every single one is petty. spiteful, selfish and terrifyingly real.

The blend of character and plot is bang on perfect delivering a story that is utterly riveting.

If you have any interest in fantasy then this is 100% a must read.

Joe Abercrombie has written an outstanding, earth-shattering book. A Little Hatred, is the first book of his new trilogy The Age of Madness, which is based in the world he created for The First Law trilogy. The lands of The Union and its neighbouring empires reverberate with the echoes of battles, courageous exploits and heroic characters from the past. Characters such as Logan Ninefingers, Dogman, Black Dow, The Feared, Jezal dan Luther and Sand dan Glokta, are still mentioned in revered tones, and after 30 years, some are still alive.

This is a novel that is structured along multiple threads and points of view, which provide a wide variety of fascinating story arcs with a new array of unforgettable characters. Abercrombie manages to create a cast of characters who all equally contribute to an adventurous story. He creates diverse complex characters, where some you will favour, but he doesn’t make it easy, as each person conveys traits that paint what is good and bad in humanity, what is virtuous, and what is corrupt.

The Union has fought the toughest wars for years and it has cost a lot of money and even though there has been peace for a long time, the debt of war is substantial. In current times an industrial change is underway where machines have the capacity to outwork and outperform real people. The nature of jobs will also change and we only have to reflect how our own industrial revolution affected the lives of so many. With increased industrialisation comes the movement of people from rural areas to cities and for some, comes increased wealth, while for many others, comes poverty, hardship and resentment. Something will give and society feels like a tinderbox waiting for the spark to ignite a revolution.

“ ‘Every man with a say in how he’s governed. Every man with a vote.’ ‘So no more king?’ ‘Every man’ll be a king!’ Broad might’ve called it treason once, but his patriotic feelings had taken quite the kicking the last couple of years. Now it just sounded like daydreams.”

With the cost of industrialisation, innovation, and serious debt, the Union is ill-equipped to fight another war. Please let there be another war!

To add to the precarious position of the Union, the North under the leadership of Stour Nightfall, the Great Wolf, have started attacking the northern border of Angland. A border defended by Lady Finree and her son Leo, the Young Lion, who may have the courage but not the wit to battle the seasoned warrior, Nightfall. Other characters providing a unique POV and storyline include Dogman’s daughter, Rikke, gifted with the Long Eye, Savine dan Glokta, the highly intelligent and ruthless daughter of the chief inquisitor, and Prince Orso, heir to the throne of The Union’s empire, Broad, Clover and Vic. It was wonderful to read each enthralling and entertaining narrative with equal fascination.

There is no reason why this book can’t be read without any previous experience of Joe Abercrombie’s world. However, knowing how he writes his trilogies you need to start this trilogy with this book, it’s too difficult to understand if read out of sequence. That said, if you have the chance of reading the First Law trilogy first, take the opportunity – not only will you adore it but you’ll meet wonderful characters that only get a mention in this book.

I would highly recommend this book and this fantasy world and characters Joe Abercrombie has created, stand with the best ever imagined. I'd like to thank Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC version in return for an honest review.

A work of genius. A new Abercrombie that is both fresh and familiar. Snappy dialogue, morally grey characters, terrible odds and terrible deeds. It's a master at the height of his powers. Buy it

This was an interesting read. I have not read any other books by this author, but felt, when I saw that he had a new series coming out, I might get started with this one and see if I liked it and the author's writing styler or not.

Over the first half or two thirds of the book I fell in love with the characters, the set up and the story that was being told. True, it is dark, sad, desperate, but there is movement and change is coming in at times quick and fast in this book.

I was also fascinated by the main characters that were introduced, male and female, flawed, and yet each one has reasons for if, what and why.

And then came the wrap up for this first book. Firstly, it was too long. Secondly, the plot twists that brought the various story lines to a new setting, found myself yawning to pondering them in something akin to disbelief. All of a sudden the book as well as the characters I had started to love became all too conventional and the plot twists became too convenient.

For now, I would consider this book to be an interesting and entertaining study of the coming of age of a new political generation in a world where different political systems exist, from the Northmen who seem to be ruled by sheer muscle mass to the much more 'civilised' political machinations in the Union. The characters are well drawn and show development over the course of the book.

The strength that I felt in the first part of this book that came with a strong female cast the book started with, was dismantled by the end of this first book and the female characters are mostly reduced to political intrigue and scheming, if not dead.

It remains to be seen what happens in the next two books. So, a final conclusion has to remain suspended for now.

My review refers to an eARC I got from the publisher via Netgalley.

4 / 5 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2019/09/15/book-review-a-little-hatred-by-joe-abercrombie/

A Little Hatred is the 10th full-length novel by Joe Abercrombie set in the First Law world. Where Red Country saw the rise of expansionism, so does Hatred see the rise of Industrialization. Although, where this age of industry and innovation see the rise of many great miracles, they are built on the backs of the working class, and on flesh, sweat and blood. So, so much blood.

If you were thinking that the dawn of a new age possibly meant the dawn of a new Abercrombie—you really weren’t thinking clearly. I actually had a similar thought upon reading through, at a point where the plot-lines had tied up fairly well and each character had a nice (and if not “happy”, then) aesthetically pleasing end. Then I realized I was only at the 80% mark, and remembered who I was dealing with.

Industrialization has come to Adua. In the capital, Savine dan Glokta stands out as the most feared woman in the nation—even more so than Terez, Queen of the Union. Not only is she the only daughter of “Old Sticks” Arch Lector Sand dan Glokta, but a cutthroat businesswoman, with her finger in every pot. Prince Orso, meanwhile, the Crown Prince and only son of Jezal dan Luthar and Queen Terez—is a worthless disappointment. Known as a wastrel, playboy, drunk, whoremonger, the Young Lamb is possibly less loved than Savine, though definitely more hated. The Union may be a hotbed of industry, though the underclass is restless. Bull Broad thought he was done with war after Styria, but with a war brewing in the north, the eyes of the elite are soon to be distracted. And a war of another kind is stoking closer to home.

The North has come to Angland. Black Calder has tired of waiting for the Dogman to die and pushed Scale to invade. And when the Northmen, led by Calder’s son, Stour Nightfall, come knocking, the Union moves to engage. Rikke, daughter of the Dogman, is blessed with the Long Eye. Errmm… cursed with the Long Eye. But the future isn’t exactly helpful if you don’t have a clue to what it means. Luckily, she has allies. Unluckily, they’re like the Young Lion, Leo dan Brock. An inspired leader, if a selfish, arrogant one, he’s as pretty to look at as he is to bed. Clover is an uninspired warrior. A Named Man, he gained his name in the Circle. And then lost it, only to gain another. But when he’s pressed into war, he may gain yet another name, and this one might be the worst of all.

Darkness, intrigue and war ravage the world. Where there is war, there is blood. And where there is blood, there are heroes. And those other ones.

The character arcs and progression are evident in ALHatred, though I’d almost really separate them into pro- and regression arcs. Meanwhile, the plot and story both remain strong, sometimes powerful enough as to convince me I had lived it. After a decade plus of this, this Brit really knows what he’s doing.

Now, up to this point Abercrombie hasn’t exactly been all sunshine and daisies. But A Little Hatred is more than just a little depressing. There’re terrible people, and just mostly terrible people, and some only kinda terrible people—but they’re all just people. Oh, and they’re all selfish bastards.

I think this is my biggest issue with the book. Self-interest—more than anything else—ruins pretty much everything. I mean, a little self-preservation isn’t a bad thing. And some people are always going to be self-obsessed. In previous efforts, many of Abercrombie’s characters have been. But not in ALHatred. Because they all are. Every single character is a selfish bastard at one time or another, and most for pretty much the entire book. For the most part, it’s a book full of terrible, depressing people. Now, you may argue that this’s just Grimdark at its finest. Which, yeah… I guess. But it’s just not realistic. Not everyone is going to be a self-obsessed bastard. Except that in this case, they are.

As always, Abercrombie presents a dark rendering of the world. But while I found the industrial world of the First Law to be vibrant and interesting, realistic to a scary degree, immersive to almost the same amount—its characters fall well short. I had absolutely no issue picturing the world. So much of the book is rendered in gory detail, the scenes the text creating in my mind’s eye brought me chills. There’s one I remember best of all: a beggar set amidst the runoff from a textile mill, dye and filth mixing freely in the water, while behind her the city burns. It’s such a haunting image of progress, innovation, revolution. The world leaps forward, but once more leaves the common man behind.

TL;DR

A Little Hatred presents a level of realism unheard of in fantasy on all fronts—save one. The level of detail was truly astounding, as I was swept from a scene of majestic beauty, to one of tortured triumph, to the aftermath of a gruesome battle, and beyond. The overarching plot and each character’s story are almost as amazing, trailing through the murk as the world industrializes. A dark book, Abercrombie has not changed in the slightest. Though he may have lost some in transit. The characters, his bread and butter, seemed hollow, self-obsessed husks of humanity. Puppets rather than ‘men inhabiting this otherwise real world. While not his strongest work, A Little Hatred is definitely worth a read, whether you get it new or used. Even more so as it begins a new trilogy: the Age of Madness.