Kara Sears
The First Law is a series of gritty modern fantasy novels by British author Joe Abercrombie. The first three novels form a trilogy, while the remaining stories are stand-alone but interconnected novels. The First Law trilogy is the original trilogy in the series, with the series as a whole also being referred to as The First Law. The trilogy is set in an epic fantasy world called the Circle of the World, reminiscent of early modern Europe. The world is on the verge of an Industrial Revolution, with magic fading away. The trilogy centres on the fortunes of various characters as they navigate conflicts between the Union, the Gurkish Empire, and the North. The First Law World also includes a sequel trilogy, The Age of Madness, and three standalone novels.
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What You'll Learn
- The First Law trilogy is a series of gritty fantasy novels
- The series is set in the Circle of the World, reminiscent of early modern Europe
- The world once had magic, but it's fading and most don't believe in it
- The plot involves three powers: The Union, the Gurkish Empire, and the North
- The trilogy centres on characters navigating conflicts and has a cynical tone
The First Law trilogy is a series of gritty fantasy novels
The original trilogy comprises the novels "The Blade Itself" (2006), "Before They Are Hanged" (2007), and "Last Argument of Kings" (2008). The story follows the interweaving narratives of six viewpoint characters: Logen Ninefingers, Jezal dan Luthar, Sand dan Glokta, Ferro Maljinn, The Dogman, and Collem West. Each character's path is drawn into the plan of Bayaz, a wizard of the Older Time whose magical skill is matched by his political savvy.
Following the success of the original trilogy, Abercrombie released three standalone novels set in the same world: "Best Served Cold" (2009), "The Heroes" (2011), and "Red Country" (2012). These novels feature both new characters and minor characters from the original trilogy, with some major characters from the trilogy appearing in smaller roles. In 2015, Abercrombie announced that he was working on another trilogy set in the First Law world, titled "The Age of Madness". The first book, "A Little Hatred", was published in September 2019, followed by "The Trouble With Peace" in September 2020, and a third book in September 2021.
The First Law trilogy is often described as "grimdark" due to its emphasis on the negative aspects of human nature and its cynical tone. Abercrombie himself prefers to call his work "gritty" rather than "grimdark". The trilogy has been praised for its technical brilliance, careful plotting, and dark humour, although some reviewers have found its pessimism off-putting.
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The series is set in the Circle of the World, reminiscent of early modern Europe
The First Law is a fantasy series written by British author Joe Abercrombie. The series is set in an epic fantasy world called the Circle of the World, reminiscent of early modern Europe. The First Law is the title of the original trilogy in the series, but the name is also used to refer to the series as a whole. The world of the First Law is on the verge of an Industrial Revolution.
The Union, a powerful kingdom reminiscent of Western and Central Europe, particularly the Holy Roman Empire, is in a state of near-perpetual war. The Union is constantly manoeuvred into seemingly useless conflicts by a dysfunctional government and an uncompromisingly proud foreign policy. In the frigid north, the Union is in conflict with the Northmen, a rough alliance of barbarous, warmongering tribes. In the south, the Union and the sprawling Gurkish Empire, similar to the large Middle-Eastern empires of antiquity, are in conflict over control of the city of Dagoska.
The First Law trilogy centres on the fortunes of a variety of characters as they navigate through these conflicts. The story follows the fortunes and misfortunes of bad people who do the right thing, good people who do the wrong thing, and stupid people who do stupid things. The trilogy involves three distinct sets of characters as war breaks out on two fronts. In the south, Sand dan Glokta and his inquisitors attempt to repel a Gurkish invasion of the city of Dagoska. In the north, Colonel West and the Northmen deal with Bethod, who intends to force the Union out of Angland. Finally, Logen, Ferro, and Jezal journey into the far west of their world with the sorcerer Bayaz, seeking a powerful and ancient artifact known as the Seed.
The First Law world has a rich backstory that begins thousands of years before the events in the books. In the Old Time, Euz, a legendary half-demon, half-human with great magical powers, banished the demons from the world to the Other Side, allowing humans to flourish. Euz left behind the First Law: "It is forbidden to touch the Other Side directly." Juvens, one of Euz's sons, used his gifts to shape the greatest civilisation in the Circle of the World, the Old Empire. However, a conflict arose between Juvens and his brother Kanedias, which ended in Juvens' death. Bayaz, one of Juvens' apprentices, swore vengeance and made war on Kanedias.
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The world once had magic, but it's fading and most don't believe in it
The First Law is a series of gritty modern fantasy novels written by British author Joe Abercrombie. The series consists of a trilogy, three standalone novels, short stories, and a sequel trilogy titled The Age of Madness. The first trilogy is referred to as The First Law and the series as a whole is also known by the same name.
The First Law series is set in an epic fantasy world called the Circle of the World, reminiscent of early modern Europe. This world, once inhabited by both demons and humans, had magic as a force, but it now seems to be fading, to the point that most people don't believe in it. The backstory of the books begins thousands of years before the events in the books, with the half-human, half-demon Euz. Euz rose up against the demons and banished them from the world to the Other Side, allowing humans to flourish. He then granted gifts to his three eldest sons – the three pure disciplines of magic – and left them, instructing his sons to bring order to the world. However, Euz left behind the First Law: "It is forbidden to touch the Other Side directly."
The fading of magic is a trope often used in fantasy worldbuilding. It is particularly associated with Tolkien, as Middle Earth is set in our distant past, so magic had to disappear to explain its absence in the present day. Some readers are tired of this trope and would prefer new ideas, while others appreciate its value as a world-building tool that does not require the depth of separate explanations.
In the First Law world, the Union, one of the three major powers in the original trilogy, enters an Industrial Age in the new trilogy, with chimneys rising all over Midderland. The world seems to be moving towards an inevitable war with the Northmen, a rough alliance of barbarous, warmongering tribes.
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The plot involves three powers: The Union, the Gurkish Empire, and the North
The plot of Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy involves three major powers: The Union, the Gurkish Empire, and the North, recently united under King Bethod. 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 Union is in a state of near-perpetual war, constantly manoeuvred into seemingly useless conflicts by a dysfunctional government and an uncompromisingly proud foreign policy.
In the north, Colonel West and the Northmen attempt to deal with Bethod, who intends to force the Union out of Angland, their principal northern possession. The Northmen are a rough alliance of barbarous, warmongering tribes. The Union forces are led by Lord Marshal Kroy, who leads them against the much smaller Northern army led by Black Dow. The Northmen seek once again to drive the Union from Angland.
The second theatre of war is in the south between the Union and the Gurkish Empire, who attempt to annex the Union city of Dagoska. The Gurkish Empire is a massive realm that dominates almost the entire Southern Continent of Kanta. It was ruled by Emperor Uthman-ul-Dosht from the capital city in Shaffa. The Gurkish army is large, possibly equal to that of the Union, and is made up of a mix of citizen soldiers and slave soldiers. They have historically had no significant navy, but since their defeat in the First Gurkish War, they have been secretly building a large fleet. The Union are the power at sea.
The Gurkish Empire and the Union are in conflict due to a personal rivalry between the Magi manipulating both realms: Khalul and Bayaz. Khalul manipulates the Gurkish Empire through religion, as the religious leader The Prophet, while Bayaz secretly controls the Union through money and the banking house of Valint & Balk. This feud is centuries old and revolves around the death of their master Juvens and Khalul's breaking of the Euz's Second Law.
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The trilogy centres on characters navigating conflicts and has a cynical tone
The First Law trilogy is a series of gritty modern fantasy novels written by British author Joe Abercrombie. The trilogy is set in an epic fantasy world called the Circle of the World, reminiscent of early modern Europe. The world is on the brink of an Industrial Revolution, with the Union, one of the three major powers in the trilogy, entering an Industrial Age.
Magic once existed in this world, but it is now fading, with most people no longer believing in it. The trilogy's central conflict involves the Union, constantly embroiled in wars, facing off against the Northmen in the north and the Gurkish Empire in the south.
The trilogy centres on various characters navigating these conflicts, with a focus on their fortunes and personal journeys. The characters are multifaceted and exhibit distinct personalities, with some reviewers noting that their interest in the story hinged on their investment in the characters. Notable characters include Logan Logen, a hirsute barbarian with a murderous reputation; Jezal, a skilled fencer and dashing captain; and Glokta, an unstable and crippled inquisitor.
The trilogy has been described as having a cynical tone, elevating cynicism and pessimism to a comical degree. It offers a realistic and gritty portrayal of its fantasy world, with brutal violence, explicit torture scenes, and dark humour. The story subverts and deconstructs fantasy tropes, providing a critical take on heroism and the War on Terror. The cynical nature of the trilogy is reflected in its themes, such as the difficulty of achieving positive change and the notion that "the winner gets to be the good guy."
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Frequently asked questions
The First Law is a series of gritty modern fantasy novels by British author Joe Abercrombie. The first three novels form a trilogy, while the remaining stories are stand-alone but interconnected novels.
The First Law World is the setting of the First Law Trilogy. It is an epic fantasy world called the Circle of the World, reminiscent of early modern Europe. The world is on the verge of an Industrial Revolution.
The First Law Trilogy came first. The First Law World is the setting of the trilogy and the subsequent stand-alone novels.
