The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie is easily one of my favorite fantasy series of all time. It is brutally honest grimdark fiction at its finest and features some of the most incredible characterizations I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Abercrombie was inspired by the works of George R. R. Martin, however, his work exceeds Martin’s in pure entertainment value.

Best Served Cold is the first of three stand-alone novels within the First Law universe. Although you can read this book with no knowledge of the previous trilogy, the story does feature many references and characters from the first three books.

The basic premise of this book is simple. After a ruthless betrayal by her longtime employer, mercenary Monzcarro Murcatto vows to take revenge on the seven men who played a part. She hires a team of miscreants to aid her consisting of an ex-convict, a skilled poisoner, a drunkard, and a Northman.

The resulting plotline certainly goes in the direction you would expect. However, the way in which our characters finally accomplish their ultimate goals is highly engaging. Additionally, just like in the original series Abercrombie manages to craft some of the most intriguing and likable characters for us to follow on this classic revenge journey.

Each one of Murcatto’s crew members reads distinctly from each other with a different voice, personality, quirks, and motivations. This allows them to come to life within your mind as you find yourself rooting for their success, even through some dark actions.

For example, Shivers the Northman just wants a fresh start. However, he desperately needs cash and thus finds himself spiraling further down toward the dark deeds he wants to leave behind. It’s a very human struggle that can be relatable. Especially when the world he’s a part of gives him nothing in return.

Another thing that contributes to the exceptional characterization is the dialogue. Each character speaks in a way that further emphasizes their personality traits. The socially distant convict, Friendly speaks very little and when he does it’s direct and to the point. In contrast, the vain and egotistical Morveer speaks with flowery speech often hoping to confuse and assert his own superiority over others using expansive vocabulary.

I enjoyed how this book greatly expanded on the world and characters from the first couple of novels. Characters such as Nicomo Cosca who appeared only briefly before are now elevated to major characters. The country of Styria is now the main setting rather than a simple made-up name thrown around by characters from the original series. It is these small elements that truly make this world feel alive. It also gives the story being told more weight, as the audience understands the outcomes here may actually affect how future installments play out.

Make no mistake though, this story does end in a satisfactory way. Character arcs build to an eventual conclusion that is both expected and surprisingly nuanced. I also appreciated how Abercrombie never devolved into tangential subplots that never amount to much in the end. Every scene and chapter is perfectly placed. Whenever the perspective shifts away from our core characters, the reasons are immediately obvious.

As with most of Abercrombie’s work, the prose during action scenes is also fantastic. No other author has managed to capture the brutality and ugliness of medieval combat within the fantasy realm as effectively. I have a pretty high tolerance for violence within media but even I found myself cringing during a few scenes at the visceral, graphic descriptions.

The visceral descriptions also certainly don’t stop with simple violence and can be off-putting to some readers. I’d certainly recommend caution for reading any of Abercrombie’s work if you find yourself easily disturbed. However, this is the only real fault I have with the book. Everything else from the plotting to characterization and pacing is exceptional throughout.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!

Best Served Cold

$17.00

9.5

Score

9.5/10

Pros

• Excellent characterization
• Witty dialogue
• Unique character arcs
• Well paced and plotted

Cons

• Can be overly graphic
• Cliché premise