This is a review of the book “Half a King” which is the first book in the Shattered Sea-series by Joe Abercrombie.
Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain his throne. First he must survive cruelty, chains and the bitter wastes of the Shattered Sea, and he must do it all with only one good hand. Born a weakling in the eyes of the world, Yarvi cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge. But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi’s path may end as it began – in twists, and traps, and the death of a king…
This story has excellent writing. Joe Abercrombie knows exactly how to spin a good tale, and it was a pleasant surprise. The world was alive, the places well described without waxing poetic, and there was little to no focus on romance. Considering the slavery and the situation the characters ended up in, this was a relief.
The characters themselves were very well written, and they were fascinating. That not all bad people are actually bad and not all good people are actually good, was excellently portrayed. The politics almost reminded me of the cutthroat kind found in A Song of Ice and Fire by George Martin!
That Yarvi has a mostly-useless hand was never forgotten, and he never became an epic warrior. His history with his family was harsh and believable, and his companions on the journey were never boring or carbon cutouts.
Sumael wasn’t just there to be the token female, she was an integral part in keeping them alive and on the right course. Rulf and Ankran and Jaud grew as characters throughout the story. And, of course, Nothing and his madness and story. That was a delightful surprise!
There are a few bad things about the book, though.
The biggest problem was that the middle of the book dragged. Though it was good writing and interesting enough, it still dragged enough to bog the book down.
Other than that there were a few instances of situations that didn’t quitee make me worry for the characters and how on earth they would survive them. You knew they would. Shadikshirram was a bit of a let-down, too. I had wanted more from her considering her potential.
In the end, the middle of the story made me feel like I would never want to read the second book. Too boring, and also the second book has a new main character. But the twist and surprise at the end has convinced me to keep an open mind.
I am not as disappointed as I feared that I would be.
So, all in all, a very good book and a good story. Worth the read in the end.
Librarian's Ledger 