Customer Reviews

Best Served Cold

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

B+ for "Best Served Cold"

This is typical fare for Joe Abercrombie fans. You can pretty much guess the end result of the novel (people will be brutally killed, people will be betrayed, etc.) but it was a fun ride while it lasted. For some reason, this novel seemed even more cold and depressing than the first law series. Perhaps it was the unerring cynicism of some of the characters, but I was left with a hollow, empty feeling after reading this novel. That is not to day that I didn't enjoy it, but you may well finish this book feeling more depressed than usual. The combat is, as always, fantastic and the characters are as interesting as ever. I enjoyed the use of secondary characters from his First Law series being reused here, and am looking forward to his upcoming novel, "The Heroes."

'Best Served Cold' is the latest book from Joe Abercrombie, author of one of my favorite trilogies, 'The First Law' series. Rather than the first book in another trilogy, this is a stand alone fantasy/adventure.

***Spoiler***

'Best Served Cold' is not a book about summer beer or potato salad; its a book about... revenge. Monza Murcatto, the books female protagonist has been sorely wronged by Grand Duke Orso, and thus the tale (and the premise for its title) begins.

***End Spoiler***

Having just finished this book,I did not get the same sense of satisfaction as I did with 'First Law' trilogy (especially the first two books of that work).

Why? ...let me explain

1.)The book was written in the same style as the previous work, but yet the story lacked a certain quality; I couldn't develop a caring commitment to its main characters that I felt early on with Logen and Sand dan Glokta from 'The First Law' series. Yes, the main side-characters (those being Shivers, Morveer and Cosca) had some great traits and interesting personalities, but when you get lots of action, without substantial character development to the main heroine, the story tends to fall a little flat after a while. Monza's character just needed a little more likability and maybe a little less hardness or brittleness.

2.)The story is rather predictable in its outcome...from early on you can fairly well guess as to the ultimate outcome will be, however, the road to the ending did provided several delightful and intriguing twist and turns.

3.)This book seemed to dwell on some prolonged descriptions of scenes with gratuitous violence and others of intimate sex.

Conclusion:

Another solid fantasy/adventure effort by Joe Abercrombie. If I hadn't been 'spoiled' by 'The First Law' trilogy, I'm sure I'd have loved this work, rather than just liked it. 3 1/2 Stars, rounded up to 4.

Ray Nicholson

I was a bit skeptical of this book following up Joes' first law series since it was in the same universe and wouldn't have his incredible and deep characters from the three original books. How much I was proven to never second guess Joes' amazing skill with the written word. I have read a library of fantasies and this author rises to the top of a chosen few in my eyes as one of the best authors to grace us with their stories and creations. This is a must buy for any person into fantasy fiction or hell anyone with a head on their shoulders and a wish to be enthralled in an amazing read.