The First Law


The First Law is a fantasy series written by British author Joe Abercrombie. It consists of a trilogy, three stand-alone novels and a number of novellas set in the same world. Abercrombie has released A Little Hatred, the first book in a new trilogy set in the First Law world. The novel is set after the 3rd stand-alone novel and serves as a sequel to the original trilogy.
The trilogy is published by Gollancz in the UK and Pyr in the United States. The stand-alone novels remain with Gollancz in the UK but will be published by Orbit Books in the United States.

Published Works

;Standalone Books
;Short Stories
;Short Story Anthology
† story first published in Sharp Ends
;Upcoming Trilogy - "The Age of Madness"
Set 15 years after the events of Red Country.
The Original Trilogy story arc :
The Best Served Cold story arc :
The Heroes story arc :
The Red Country story arc :
The Shevedieh, Javre and Carcolf story arc:
The Age of Madness Trilogy story arc, begins in 605:
The First Law series is set in an epic fantasy world at war, reminiscent of medieval-era Europe and the greater Mediterranean world.
The books of the trilogy do not contain maps, as Abercrombie prefers not to use them. However, the three stand alone novels do contain their own local maps and a World map was finally produced in full on the cover of the Sharp Ends short story collection.

Plot Overview

The plot of the trilogy involves three major powers:
There are two major theatres of war. The first takes place in the north between the Union and the Northmen, who invade the Union's northern province of Angland. The second is in the south between the Union and the Gurkish Empire, who attempt to annex the Union city of Dagoska. The trilogy centres on the fortunes of a variety of characters as they navigate through these and other conflicts.

''The Blade Itself''

The title of the first book is taken from a quote by Homer in The Odyssey: "The blade itself incites to deeds of violence."

''Before They Are Hanged''

The title of the second book references a quote by Heinrich Heine: "we should forgive our enemies, but not before they are hanged."

''Last Argument of Kings''

The title of the third book refers to the words Louis XIV had inscribed on his cannons: "Ultima Ratio Regum," which is Latin for "the last argument of kings."

Standalone Books

The three standalone books are set in the same world as the trilogy. Some of the major characters are minor characters from the original trilogy while several major characters from the trilogy sometimes also appear in smaller roles, cameos or are mentioned in passing.
Best Served Cold is set in the same universe as the First Law series, roughly three years after the trilogy. It takes place in Styria, an island continent reminiscent of Italy during the Italian Wars, focusing on the vengeance of a betrayed mercenary leader.
The Heroes focuses on a three-day battle set in the same world as the First Law trilogy, about seven years after events of the trilogy itself. Union commander Lord Marshal Kroy leads the Union forces against the much smaller Northern army led by Black Dow. The story features many characters seen in previous First Law novels like Bremer dan Gorst, Lord Marshal Kroy, and the Dogman.
Red Country is set about thirteen years after the First Law trilogy and revolves around a youthful female protagonist who is hoping to bury her bloody past, but she’ll have to sharpen up some of her old ways to get her family back. Her journey will take her across the barren western plains to a frontier town gripped by gold fever, through feud, duel and massacre and high into the unmapped mountains.

Major Characters

Magi
Northmen
Adua
Adua Military
Dagoska
The Blade Itself was released to very positive reviews. Writing for The Guardian, author Jon Courtenay Grimwood said that "for once, the novel comes close to living up to its publisher's hype", and Strange Horizons's Siobhan Carroll said that "fans of character-driven epics who are willing to take their heroes with a grain of moral ambiguity should add this novel to their "must read" list."
Reviews for Before They Are Hanged were also positive; Fantasy Book Review stated that it was "hard not to try and read it in one sitting" and that it "does not disappoint".
Best Fantasy Reviews said it was "an excellent book, and accomplishes a fairly rare feat – the middle book of a trilogy that does a hell of a lot more than provide a stop gap between the beginning and the end."
Last Argument of Kings was well received by critics, with Publishers Weekly saying that "readers will mourn the end of this vivid story arc." SFX's David Bradley gave the book a five star review and stated that Abercrombie "signs off the trilogy on a high, interspersing breathless skirmishes with thriller-like moments."
Eric Brown reviewed Red Country for The Guardian and said that Abercrombie was "tipping his hat to the Western genre but continuing his mission to drag fantasy, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century with his characteristic mix of gritty realism, complex characterisation, set-piece scenes of stomach-churning violence and villains who are as fully rounded as his flawed heroes" and concluded that the book was "a marvellous follow-up to his highly praised The Heroes."