Book Title                  Half a King
Author:                        Joe Abercrombie
Number of pages:  336

Synopsis:

Betrayed by his family and left for dead, Prince Yarvi, reluctant heir to a divided kingdom, has vowed to reclaim a throne he never wanted.

But first he must survive cruelty, chains and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea itself – all with only one good hand. Born a weakling in the eyes of a hard, cold world, he cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he has sharpened his mind to a deadly edge.

Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast, he finds they can help him more than any noble could. Even so, Yarvi’s path may end as it began – in twists, traps and tragedy…

(re: Goodreads @ Half a King by Joe Abercrombie)

Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr review:

– Familiar fantasy setting that draws from medieval influences
– Protagonist feels like a teeny bopper version of Tyrion Lannister of Game of Thrones fame
– Plotting/twists can be predicted with the right skepticism but the provocative writing, clever dialogue, and well-paced action made for an enjoyable experience
– A coming-of-age tale with complex characters who are not pawns to the protagonist’s story
– I would imagine Abercrombie’s grocery list is quite eloquent…

Initial Thoughts

A highly anticipated read (back in 2014) that actually pans out right.

Continue reading [Review] Half a King — Joe Abercrombie →