Joe Abercrombie is best known as the author ofThe First Lawseries, and he’s put together an outstanding body of work over the previous two decades. Dubbed “Lord Grimdark,“Abercrombie has developed a reputation as one of the premiere authors in the grimdark fantasy subgenre, known for morally ambiguous characters, historically rooted world-building, and subversion of classical fantasy norms.The First Lawuniverse is often noted for itssimilarities to George R.R. Martin’sA Song of Ice & Firebook series, which Abercrombie has cited as a chief influence on his fiction.
ThoughThe First Lawhas been around for some time, there’s no better time than now to dive into the author’s work. His original trilogy has been expanded on with the sequelAge of Madnesstrilogy, multiple standalone, and a plethora of short stories. One of his standalone novels, Best Served Cold, has had a feature film in the early development stages withRebecca Ferguson attached as the star. Not to mention,in 2025, Joe Abercrombie will releaseThe Devils, the first novel in a brand new dark fantasy trilogywith no relation to the world ofThe First Law.
1 House Of The Dragon Cameo Is The Perfect Reminder To Read ASOIAF’s Perfect Fantasy Book Replacement
House of the Dragon season 2 has a brief cameo that serves as a reminder to check out another gritty fantasy book series with similar themes.
10Sharp Ends
Goodreads Rating - 4.13
As a collection of short fiction set in Joe Abercrombie’sThe First Lawworld,Sharp Endsis always going to vary for the reader by their favorite and least favorite stories. It’s a must-read for lovers of that universe, with stories involving characters like Logen Ninefingers, Shy South, Bethod, and more. With that in mind,Sharp Endshas some enjoyable works, but it loses the advantage of one of Joe Abercrombie’s greatest skills: slow-burn character development.
Because of this,Sharp Endsrelies heavily on the foundational knowledge ofThe First Lawuniverse, leaving many of the stories to feel like supplementary material rather than narratives of their own. Highlights includeMade a Monster, which examines Bethod and Logen’s relationship before the originalFirst Lawtrilogy, andSmall Kindnesses, which introduces some fresh characters to the mix and offers one of the best standalone tales in the anthology.
9The Blade Itself
Goodreads Rating - 4.21
The Blade Itselfis the typical starting point for Joe Abercrombie’s work, as it’s the first book in the originalFirst Lawtrilogy. In that sense, the Goodreads score is bound to be significantly lower than the rest of the series, given that it’s the trial run for most readers. But whileThe Blade Itselfmay be unfairly represented by this number, compared to other books, it’s also reasonable to sayit’s not the most exciting novel Abercrombie has written, as it carries the burden of introducing the ensembleandthe world.
some highlights include the development of the three main POV characters, Logen, Jezal, and Glokta, as well as the general humor and wit with which Abercrombie paints his world.
The First Lawtrilogy doesn’t pull many punches in keeping a veil over its plot, andThe Blade Itselfmay leave readers with a substantial amount of confusion. The entire cast of characters is spread around the world, and while they’re fascinating to explore,it’s difficult to find meaning in the narrative until the cohesion of the third volume ties everything together. Still, some highlights include the development of the three main POV characters, Logen, Jezal, and Glokta, as well as the general humor and wit with which Abercrombie paints his world.
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8Red Country
Goodreads Rating - 4.31
Red Countryis the third and final novel in what Abercrombie has described asThe Great Levellertrilogy, a collection of standalone narratives inThe First Lawuniverse. Unlike its predecessors,Red Countryis often described as a Western, embracing aesthetic elements of the classic genre with Abercrombie’s usual taste for violence and complex characters. Because of the lawless nature of the Far Country, Abercrombie’s generally impressive action sequences are even more intense than usual.
With that praise in mind,Red Countryfinds itself on the lower end of Abercrombie’s titles and the weakest of the standalone novels. It’s got everything one would hope for from an Abercrombie book in its brutality and grittiness. Still,much of the enjoyment of this book is contingent on the reader’s feelings for the Western genre, and Shy South is arguably one of the weaker protagonists the author has written in this universe.
7Best Served Cold
Goodreads Rating - 4.23
The first of Joe Abercrombie’s standalone inThe First Lawseries,Best Served Coldmay not have the highest Goodreads score, but it’s an iconic book, and there’s no question as to why it’s going to be the first piece of his work to be adapted.Best Served Coldis anaction-packed, bloody revenge story set inThe First Lawuniverse, which feels like the epitome of Joe Abercrombie’s skillsetin the form of a standalone novel. ConsiderJohn WickorKill Billin grimdark fantasy form.
Monza Murcatto is one of Abercrombie’s best leads, and it will be a ton of fun to hopefully see Rebecca Ferguson bring her to life on the big screen. The action and revenge narrative is enforced by Abercrombie’s consistently powerful character work, makingBest Served Coldone of the most intense fantasy book experiences available.
6The Heroes
Goodreads Rating - 4.34
The Heroesis an outstanding follow-up to the originalFirst Lawtrilogy, involving a mix of characters readers already know with some fresh faces. After the North followed Logen to support the Union inLast Argument of Kings, they end up in conflict once again, with the novel shifting between figures on both sides of a new war.As a narrative concept, the idea of a novel following three days of a climactic battle is incredibly fun, offering many of Abercrombie’s usual elements in a riveting new format.
Of the three standalone books inThe First Lawuniverse,The Heroeshas arguably the strongest character development, as it covers the varying perceptions of war among a terrific ensemble. The title itself summarizes the irony behind this book,reinforcing a thematic idea about war that was prevalent in the original trilogy: war is scarcely heroic, and those who are truly heroes aren’t often credited for it.
5Before They Are Hanged
Goodreads Rating - 4.35
Before They Are Hangedis the middle book ofThe First Lawtrilogy, which benefits significantly from grouping the majority of its characters. Readers of this series have been challenged with a complicated set of characters, andthe second volume prompts them to dive deeper into the cast’s vulnerability. Maybe Jezal dan Luthar can turn his life around for the better. Maybe Logen and Ferro can find peace in each other. Maybe Glokta has a softer heart than he lets on.
When thrown into the thick of the action, characters like Major West and Jezal are more accessible. Compared to people like Crown Prince Ladisla, Bayaz, or Arch Lector Sult, these characters suddenly become easy to root for.Before They Are Hangedchallenges its reader to sympathize with criminals, killers, and morewithin the framing of a perfectly crafted grimdark setting. To one’s surprise, that sympathy comes easier than they might expect.
4A Little Hatred
Goodreads Rating - 4.45
2019’sA Little Hatredintroduces audiences toThe Age of Madnesstrilogy. While it’s fantastic and worthy of immense praise, the Goodreads scores are inflated by the fact that they’ve had far less readership than the originalFirst Lawbooks, which is often the case the deeper one goes into a series. With that in mind,A Little Hatredhas a higher score thanLast Argument of Kings, but it’s not as emotionally impactful of a story.
A Little Hatredbuilds upon the foundation ofThe First Lawtrilogy, preparing readers for an even more rewarding saga.
Though that may be the case,A Little Hatredis still a phenomenal story and one of Abercrombie’s best. Jumping forward in time and setting doesn’t always work in high fantasy. For example, Brandon Sanderson’sMistbornera 2 series wasn’t as successful as its original trilogy. A massive aesthetic change, along with a shift in characters, can be jarring.A Little Hatredbuilds upon the foundation ofThe First Lawtrilogy, preparing readers for an even more rewarding saga.
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3Last Argument Of Kings
Last Argument of Kingsmight have a lower score than its predecessor andA Little Hatred, but there’s great value in Joe Abercrombie’s first trilogy ending. The third volumeaptly concludes its major character arcs with immense emotional weight and also lays the foundation for much more to come. It’s one of his most visceral literary experiences, leaving readers with a heavy feeling that justifies the merits of Abercrombie’s cynical take on fantasy.
There are few fantasy series that pose characters with such indefinite moral standings
At the start ofThe Blade Itself, it would be hard to fathom feeling tremendous sorrow for Jezal dan Luthar, passionate hatred for Bayaz, or such confusion about Logen Ninefingers. There are few fantasy series that pose characters with such indefinite moral standings that digesting the events ofLast Argument of Kingsbecomes an experience in and of itself. Abercrombie’s trilogy isa masterful, sophisticated exploration of character, with a treat of a fantasy world to bolster it.
2The Trouble With Peace
Goodreads Rating - 4.6
An accomplishment that’s worth noting forThe Trouble with Peaceis that, with a 4.6 rating on Goodreads, it’s one of the highest-rated books on the platform altogether. Of course, attaching a score value to a novel is arbitrary to a degree, but it speaks to the mass love readers have for these stories. The fact that his books seem to get better and better as they progress is beyond impressive, andThe Trouble with Peaceaffirms the quality of the second trilogy’s fresh character ensemble.
Just asBefore They Are Hangedsolidified the originalFirst Lawcast, book 2 ofThe Age of Madnesstakes the newcomers from the previous installment and elevates them to the center of the spotlight. This book demonstratesAbercrombie’s character work at its peak, with Savine dan Glokta being an extraordinary highlightas the torch passes down to her. Once again, the middle book sees Joe Abercrombie perfectly set up the finale without detracting from its individuality.
1The Wisdom Of Crowds
Choosing between the final two books ofThe Age of Madnessseries is a nearly impossible choice. Ultimately, the ending of the series is the big winner, but both books are undoubtedly incredible works of contemporary fantasy. This booksolidified Joe Abercrombie’s second trilogy as his masterwork and is one of the defining achievements of the grimdark genre, with the author distinguishing himself with the sheer quality of his prose and his distinctive characterizations.
As one would expect from the final book of a trilogy,The Wisdom of Crowdsis the darkest component of the saga, allowing Abercrombie to work with what he’s strongest at. The book is packed with harrowing tragedy, complete chaos and destruction, and beautifully written action. Yet, all throughout, each POV character is undergoing an incredible transformation, leaving the reader with a sense of awe at how far they’ve grown throughout the series. This isThe First Lawauthor Joe Abercrombie at his best.
