A Little Hatred

Light spoilers warning:Disappointing. I was worried about this one ever since Sharp Ends, which was strongly tilting towards the feminist agenda side of things. The only reason I bought that book was for the Logan story which was also very disappointing as it showed Logan act in ways he never has before.I can't help but talk about Logan. Everyone who reads fantasy knows of Logan Ninefingers. He has become an icon. He was by far Joe's greatest character. But for whatever reason Joe decided to basically sideline him. I always thought Joe could have/should have wrote several books about Logan's adventures between the end of "Before they are Hanged" and the beginning of "Red County." There is 15 years there that he could have had some amazing adventures. Or, he could have wrote about Logan and his band of misfits from the time just after he left Bethod and right up until the flat heads attacked in The Blade Itself. So many great tales to be told but alas, Joe did not deem it worthy. Instead we got an older, not really himself version of Logan in Red Country. This is even more frustrating because Joe puts Shivers in every damn book! Shivers is fine but c'mon!Anyway, the reason I am lamenting is because A little Hatred is a disappointment to me. Yes, there are some names we recognize but none that we really care about. The focus here, as in Sharp Ends, is on the females, which there are an abundance. Not that I mind female characters. I loved Monza, Ardee, and Ferro. But there is a difference in having a strong female character to go along with strong male characters and having all the females be strong, brave and incredibly smart and all the males being dullards, stupid and cowardly. Or, is often the case in this book, needing the help or advice of the female in order for the male to be successful (Leo in the circle, Orso in Valbeck) It becomes preachy and looks like you are pushing an agenda.Furthermore, I just didn't care for the setting. I liked the North parts but the Valbeck/breakers story was not to my liking. I don't read fantasy for the discussion of "fair pay," and workers rights. The breakers were upset about jobs being lost to industrialization but how many more jobs were created?I'm sorry but all of this just came off as SJW to me.Sorry, bit of a rant. I wish Joe would go back and write a prequel about Logen and Three-tree's and Dogman and the gang but clearly that's not going to happen.Updated review.....Upon a second read I enjoyed this a bit more and upped my score. I would have liked at least one pov from one of the older characters, Jezal, Glokta or Dogman, they were really throw away characters. I'm also hoping the next books open things up a bit and we are not relegated to all the action being in just 2 cities.

I am a huge fan of the First Law trilogy - I've read it several times over the years. I was so excited to hear about A Little Hatred. Unfortunately, it was a phenomenal letdown. I love Joe's curt, yet simultaneously descriptive style - with excellent gory descriptions of sex and violence. But the plot left me yawning.This book is missing everything that the First Law had. Nuanced, likeable characters. A sense of wonder discovering how magic works, the history behind the Maker's House, the past conflicts and secrets. The shock and awe of first seeing the Bloody Nine. Incredibly cool and frightening villains. The subtle politics behind Adua. Crazy unexpected plot twists.Instead, you have a narrative about several rather bland and predictable characters. A few old heroes make an appearance - but "just 'cause" - not necessarily because they are vital to the story. The bulk of the book focuses on two political conflicts, while slapping you in the face with a bunch of social issues.Perhaps I am too harsh - and we have yet so see some dramatic plot developments in the next books. I really hope so.

Especially if he's the TV hack who's idea of a story is to frog-march his characters through one contrived scenario after another and makes a mint selling said crap to HBO.

For those who hold Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy in the utmost esteem like I do, you will be very pleased to know that this book is the start of a new series set in that same world. In fact, some of the main characters in A LITTLE HATRED are the children or other family members of characters from First Law. The setting is also a very familiar one, with the action taking place some years after the turbulent events of the first series. All of this makes for a wonderful transition and extension of that particular story arc while giving us something very new to chew on.Welcome back to Angland and its surrounding territories, where much has changed in the past 30 or so years, and yet in some cases much has not changed. The Union still struggles to maintain stability in a land where marauders and enemy armies continually nip at its heels and test its tenuous rule. There's also quite a bit of back-biting and double-dealing from within which doesn't help matters.This is a land where power speaks and the best way to gain power is by eliminating your enemies (preferably using underhanded methods if necessary). As with the previous series, there are threats to The Union from outside its borders, the only thing different is the leaders who have now taken up the mantle. The population is growing increasingly bitter and discontented as refugees fleeing from other lands flood into Union territory seeking a reprieve from the corruption and brutality of their own feckless rulers.Ultimately the refugee infusion causes an untenable situation as extreme resentment creeps in and very disparate cultures are forced into a situation where they are competing for the already limited resources provided by an uncaring government only concerned with its own greed and power. The Union faces potential invasion as a growing army masses to the north and is preparing for war. Can The Union prevail when forces from both outside and inside its ranks are slowly eating away at it? Or will the past few decades of relative peace result in it being too soft and ill-prepared for the onslaught that may be about to be unleashed from the north?A LITTLE HATRED has all of the violence, brutality, world-building and witty humor that we have come to expect from the Lord of Grimdark himself, Joe Abercrombie. I'm avoiding spoilers here for those who haven't read the First Law trilogy, but if you haven't read those yet, what is wrong with you? What I will say is that for those who may have been afraid that Abercrombie was getting a little soft after releasing a YA series a few years ago, rest assured that the master is back and better than ever!What I found especially gratifying in this book is the way that we were allowed to be connected again to some very familiar characters through their children. For instance there's Savine dan Glokta, daughter of my favorite character in any Fantasy series, hated torturer and inquisitor Sand dan Glokta. Savine has all of the guile and wit of her father but with a tenacity and cunning of her own that makes her a very worthy adversary to those who would cross her. Then there's Rikke, daughter of the battle-hardened friend of Logen Ninefingers, The Dogman. Rikke has the ability to see the future through a gift called The Long Eye. What she sees in her latest visions are truly horrifying indeed, and could have implications beyond imagining.These characters plus a multitude of others really make up the strength of this phenomenal story. Abercrombie has always been my favorite author when it comes to writing incredible dialogue, and A LITTLE HATRED shows him in top form once again where that is concerned. I mean the guy can flat-out write brilliant dialogue and his characters are always fleshed out to an amazing degree.I'm so glad that I was able to revisit this world again and get immersed in such a wonderful book that doesn't rehash any old ground, but rather expands on the past history to give us an entirely new and engaging story to enjoy. A LITTLE HATRED is a can't miss book filled with violence, treachery, suspense, humor, adventure, and that special storytelling knack that can only come from one of the best writers in the genre.If you want an amazing read that won't disappoint, pick this one up and read it cover to cover. The more I read Joe Abercrombie's books, the higher he moves up in the pantheon of the best of the best in Fantasy. Well done Lord Grimdark! If this first book is any indication of what is to come, then I eagerly anticipate the next installment with much enthusiasm indeed.Just a quick note, if you are wondering whether you can jump right into this book without reading his First Law trilogy I would say yes and no. Yes it is a totally self-contained story and you can absolutely read this book and enjoy it on its own merits. However, if you truly want to get the best reading experience from A LITTLE HATRED, I highly recommend reading the First Law trilogy. It will give you a much deeper understanding of events and circumstances while also providing valuable insight into the characters. Enjoy!

I thought I was buying a book about hard bastards and sharp swords, instead I got a period drama filled with fops and spoiled brats.Abercrombie had spoken about this book as his attempt to further subvert the genre with a greater emphasis on female characters and a desire to see the world he has created move on and evolve.He has been 100% successful in achieving these goals but instead of subverting the genre he has shifted into an entirely different one.Anyone picking this up looking for a fix of what made the other books in the First Law series some of the best in all of Fantasy will be disspapointed.

Arrrgh political correctness just overkill.Loved the earlier stuff but thinks this maybe over reaction intended to appease an audience the author thinks are overly concerned about gender and other bias ?

Having read the original First Law trilogy as well as three standalone novels, I'm a bit perplexed by some of the mixed reviews.Abercrombie has never been afraid of bending the genre; you only need to look at the Great Leveller trilogy to see this in practice. Best Served Cold as pulp revenge, The Heroes as war-weary epic, and Red Country as a spaghetti western. All three books showed his inclination to take fantasy in new directions.A Little Hatred is set in the world of the First Law as it sits on the cusp of an industrial revolution. The story is told through the eyes of a variety of flawed, likable characters, some familiar and others new. There is no central quest to save the world that the first law poked fun at, but rather is a story of two rebellions as they unfold, exploring each side and the impact the upheaval has on the characters.I loved that it explored themes not commonly addressed in the fantasy genre; greed, capitalism and classism. While Abercrombie has previously seemed hellbent on subverting all expectations to the point where it can sometimes be frustrating to see a plot you enjoy being upended, he shows a level of subtlety of portraying the characters that feels to me much more authentic.My only complaint is that the relationship between a certain two characters was telegraphed early on and so the reveal felt forced. I feel it would have been nice if the author let you in on it from the start and then had fun with the irony of the reader knowing but the characters not, but it's a small gripe.Most of all, I look forward to seeing what the rest of the new trilogy brings.

So here we are the start of a new Joe Abercrombie series his first book in the First Law series, not counting Short stories, since red country. You can enjoy the hell out of this book without having read anything by Abercrombie before, if you are a long time reader such as myself you will find much to enjoy and muse overfrom cameos from characters from previous series to throwaway lines referencing places and events from previous series.The first law was set in a world where the rule of Magic was dying but still very much present the purview of a few chiefly Bayaz first of the Magi and it was his machinations that set the stage for the events in that series and introduced some of modern fantasies most iconic characters chiefly The Bloody Nine and the best anti hero in fantasy fiction Sand Dan Glotka the bitter self loathing Torturer Brilliant and relentless. Self aware with a large vein of pitch black humor and many acid edged observations on human nature the series was also a riff on the type of fantasy as embodied by Tolkien, though like the very best satire it stands on its own two feet as a work of fantasy in it own right.Now the Age of Madness fast forwards 30 years or so to the start of a industrial revolution things are changing but the more they stay the same revolutions war and treachery loom large and if the tag line for the original series was Tolkien for Nilhilists then here I suspect Discworld for Absolute Basterds would be appropriate.I will say that your love of the age of madness will depend on how wedded you are to the trappings of epic fantasy that the first series was draped in i always argue that joe Abercrombie real genre is satire so while the first series mocked Tolkien while at the same time did a homage then this series does the same to the kind of humanist diverse fantasy as embodied by Discworld but where that series was about hope that underneath everything we could be better then obviously this series comes at a far more cynical angle, I loved it but if you read Abercrombie because you think he is a more gritty David Gemmell then you are possibly in for a bit of disappointment there’s still violence galore but if your not familiar with Discworld or flintlock fantasy then it might appear that joe is suddenly writing a period piece, stick with it keep a open mind and I don’t think you will be disappointed.They are diverse bunch of characters, Savine Dan Glotka daughter of the most feared man in the union a rich investor in her own right she finds her confidence and Self Worth shaken by events in the book brilliant and venomous she isn’t half as formidable as her father is but then she hasn’t lost as much, Prince Orso a wastrel and drunk he is also crown prince of the union doomed, seemingly, to repeat his fathers journey. Leo Dan Brock the young lion, brave courageous and dumb. Rikke north women chiefs daughter and possessed of the long eye the ability to see the future, Gunnar Broad ex soldier who comes home to find he has lost everything in the name of progress and Clover a Northman who once bore a far more fearsome name.Joe Abercrombie is one of my very favorite authors he wrote in my opion the finest modern Fantasy novel the Heroes and gave us one of fictions best anti heroes in Sand Dan Glotka and this is magnificent and a huge return to form I had thought his last first law book red country, while still very very good, was too much a slave to western gimmicks this book is just about perfect and comes with spitting distance of the perfection that is heroes, in a book that is very much about perception and guises about who we see ourselves us versus the world and how we really are they are a lot of clever things going on for long time readers certain questions get askedPossible spoilers coming...Repeating the past is a big part of the book and joe Abercrombie novels in question while the details are very different the essence of Orso journey seem to be mirroring his father and Sand dan glotka seems to set up to follow Arch lector Sults path with talk of figure heads and taking the blame and the past making way for the new and yet, yet long time readers know that Jezral was never as self aware as Orso and long time readers know that even if he hasn’t been a POV character since the first law series that one thing that makes Glotka what he is a absolute refusal to lose as is the case in his books much of the fun to be had is reading between the lines and finding out whether you were right or wrong.End of spoilers...The worst thing about this book will be the wait for the next well written fantastically well paced and magnificent, if not always positive, Character growth this is another superb book by a master. All hail the King!

Straight off the bat I'm a true Joe Abercrombie fan. Read and loved all his books and had great anticipation for this new series.But.......This is an awful book that commences a series I have no interest in finishing.Whoever wrote the reviews 'energetic', 'thrilling' and 'witty' clearly never picked this book up.It's slow, long winded, horribly predictable and very putdownable. The characters were barely two dimensional. I was so disappointed.It's lacks pace, substance, wit and most of all action. A million miles from his wonderful norm of wit, intrigue, raging action and brutally engaging and rounded characters.Only my opinion. Longing to see Joe get this series off his plate, return to form and I'll see him again for the next series.