Last Argument of Kings

A solid conclusion to the trilogy, Abercrombie did a nice job of bringing this story to a close with just enough loose ends for future additions. Not the place to start reading Abercrombie, but a much more active read than book two.

The end is coming. Logen Ninefingers might only have one more fight in him but it's going to be a big one. Battle rages across the North, the King of the Northmen still stands firm, and there's only one man who can stop him. His oldest friend, and his oldest enemy. It's past time for the Bloody-Nine to come home.

With too many masters and too little time, Superior Glokta is fighting a different kind of war. A secret struggle in which no one is safe, and no one can be trusted. His days with a sword are far behind him. It's a good thing blackmail, threats and torture still work well enough.

Jezal dan Luthar has decided that winning glory is far too painful, and turned his back on soldiering for a simple life with the woman he loves. But love can be painful too, and glory has a nasty habit of creeping up on a man when he least expects it.

While the King of the Union lies on his deathbead, the peasants revolt and the nobles scramble to steal his crown. No one believes that the shadow of war is falling across the very heart of the Union. The First of the Magi has a plan to save the world, as he always does. But there are risks. There is no risk more terrible, after all, than to break the First Law...

Joe Abercrombie brings The First Law trilogy to a brutal, gripping, and deeply satisfying conclusion in Last Argument of Kings. If The Blade Itself was the slow burn of introductions and Before They Are Hanged was the high-stakes adventure that put its characters through the wringer, then Last Argument of Kings is the reckoning—where every choice, every betrayal, and every ambition collides in a blood-soaked finale.

The Union is on the brink of collapse, with war raging on multiple fronts—the Gurkish lay siege to Adua, the North is in turmoil, and behind it all, Bayaz, the ever-calculating First of the Magi, tightens his grip. Last Argument of Kings delivers everything we've come to expect from Abercrombie: razor-sharp dialogue, grim humor, and characters so well-crafted they feel unsettlingly real. Logen Ninefingers walks the knife’s edge between survival and damnation as he returns home to settle old scores, Jezal dan Luthar is thrust into a position he never wanted, and Glokta masterfully maneuvers through a web of politics, blackmail, and survival. The war escalates, alliances shift, and as the dust settles, it becomes clear—heroism is a lie, power is an illusion, and those who think they hold the reins of fate are merely its pawns.

I loved this book. It was disturbingly funny in the best way—dark, witty, and cuttingly cynical. I’m so glad I gave The Blade Itself another shot and stuck with the series because it only got better. Finishing this trilogy cemented Abercrombie as one of my favorite authors, and he’s officially on my auto-read list. With The First Law behind me, I’m diving straight into his three standalone novels set in the same world and then tackling A Little Hatred to see where he takes things next.

Abercrombie doesn’t just tell stories—he dissects power, violence, and human nature with a scalpel, and Last Argument of Kings is proof that no one does grimdark quite like him.

Świetna książka, ale słabe zakończenie. Na szczęście są kolejne części, bo jakby to był finał czułbym się dość zawiedziony.

Good:
Once again the Northmen viewpoints carry this book similarly to the previous entry. By far the best book for the Inquisitor Glokta plot-lines; his chapters are consistently entertaining and engaging beyond the previous two books. The world-building and historical implications bloom and flourish and continue to bolster the plot in pleasant ways.

Bad:
Certain plot-lines are setup (i.e. Jezal becoming king) that ended up being far too predictable. (Perhaps this was intentional by Abercrombie, I'm not so sure)

Ugly:
Bloody-Nine chapters get progressively more and m0re tedious. Abercrombie seems to push his tragic-hero-ness too far and it just becomes annoying and depressing to read his viewpoints. There was no reason really for him to become king and ends up mostly just being a waste of time.

Wow, and it all comes together.

I didn’t love the first two books in the series. They were entertaining. I enjoyed the characters. But, the plot felt a bit barebones.

In this book, the characters are fantastic as ever. The plot finally picks up. My favorite aspect is how the inter-character relationships developed and changed.

This book made me tense, shocked, laughing, and also very sad. A great read.

Good overall, but I think the ending wasn't as good as It could have been. It feels like there are loose ends left on purpose.

No es un libro perfecto, pero si muy entretenido y un cierre redondo y satisfactorio para la saga.

TITLE Last Argument Of Kings
AUTHOR Joe Abercrombie
Genre Fantasy
Subgenre Grimdark
—
Emotional Impact 8
Characters 9
Plot 8
Worldbuilding / Magic System 7.00
Dialogue / Prose 9.00
Official Rating 8.15
Goodreads Rating 4
Date Started 2024-05-31
Date Finished 2024-06-08
—
NOTES Plot/Trope subversions were really unique, enjoyable all around, characters were charactering and the reveals that were dripfed throughout the first two books came to a head here.

TITLE Last Argument Of Kings
AUTHOR Joe Abercrombie
Genre Fantasy
Subgenre Grimdark
—
Emotional Impact 8
Characters 9
Plot 8
Worldbuilding / Magic System 7.00
Dialogue / Prose 9.00
Official Rating 8.15
Goodreads Rating 4
Date Started 2024-05-31
Date Finished 2024-06-08
—
NOTES Plot/Trope subversions were really unique, enjoyable all around, characters were charactering and the reveals that were dripfed throughout the first two books came to a head here.

It's one of the best third books in a fantasy trilogy I can remember reading. The plot twists, the subversion of expectations, and the complexity of his characters were extremely satisfying. Abercrombie is supremely talented at writing characters, which is apparent in just how much I enjoyed Glokta. The commentary on power, and how it's gained, used, and often abused was poignant. I highly recommend not only this book but the whole trilogy. The writing and wit contained therein is razor sharp which leaves you dying to turn the page. I was pleased with the ending, though some will chafe under the final cliffhanger. If you enjoy dark fantasy/grimdark/black comedy then I say it's a "must-read". An easy 5 stars.

"Fearlessness, as Logen Ninefingers had once observed, is a fool's boast."

Look, okay guys? Okay? I finished this series! And now I can (honestly) say that I've already read it when someone says I should read it. So you can stop recommending it to me!

My full thoughts about the full series was that book 2 was the best, both story-wise and pacing-wise. This book is better than book 1 to me in basically every way, but it lacks a certain something that makes it better placed than book 2 in my mind.

This book specifically had some really awesome chapters. I loved that this book shrugged off its one-character-per-chapter POV structure for certain huge events, giving us multiple perspectives of a single event within a single chapter. This allowed you to check in briefly with all your favorites to make sure everything is (more or less) okay with them and see how they fit into the larger event being told. It's a nice touch, and employed wonderfully in this book.

I have some minor hangups about a few of the minor characters in this book/series, but maybe they're addressed in the followup books or a short story. I haven't really checked. One specific example of this is (character/plot spoilers here) Queen Terez. Her attitude is a neat twist on the married to the king trope, but it didn't seem worked in very well. We get a few chapters involving it, and a conclusion (more or less) involving Glokta, and that's basically it. It didn't seem all that important to include, and while it doesn't really take away from the story, it doesn't really add anything either. Again, maybe this is addressed in later books/stories, I obviously haven't gotten that far. There's one or two other minor characters that would fit this as well.

But overall, a really enjoyable read once the series really got rolling. Glokta remains my favorite.

Overall I feel a bit underwhelmed by the series. I can't put my finger on particular flaws, I just don't feel the usual satisfaction that comes at the end of a series. No one is truly better of compared to the beginning of the book (I count the series as one book, because it feels that way) and too many are dead in vain. Not only the named characters, but also countless others - Ladisla's army, all those that have been in the way when Bayaz destroyed the Eaters.

Bayaz is definitely a far cry from Gandalf, even though in the beginning he pretends that he gives a shit about others. On its own it's a nice move - revealing in the end that he's basically the villain (well, one of them) in this world. But I'd like to also have at least some glimmer of hope for someone. As it is, everyone in Adua are left his pawns.

Ferro might be the one well off. She got what she wanted. But something tells me it will also find a way to bite her in the ass.

The ending is kind of good. Full circle and the reader can at least hope that Logan lives and is set free in a way.

I liked a lot of things in the book, but somehow I can't say I love it. In some places it definitely wasn't a satisfying read, I had to suffer through them (and not in a good way).

Not sure I will continue to other books in this world. I'll need to be in a very particular kind of mood to feel the need to go back there.

Throws all the momentum away from the second book. If I say anything else about this it's gonna be how every fantasy book YouTuber (except for Mike we love you) is a fucking idiot 

When they say Abercrombie wrote these books without a strong plot, they really mean it.
I love all of the characters in this series despite how frustrating it was to read from their POVs. I just really need a stronger plot for it to be a full 5 star. I felt like the book went on a bit too long after the biggest climax. Yes, there were still reveals but I could not say that all of them were satisfying. There are some loose threads left for other books in the series I presume.  Also, the whole magic system is so minuscule and underexplained, and as a reader that loves having it all laid out, it left me frustrated in some moments. 
All in all, I was engaged the whole time enjoying the ride but it just didn't quite hit all of the marks for my taste.

Podría decir que es mejor que ‘Antes de que los cuelguen'. ‘El Último Argumento de los Reyes' es brutal, está lleno de acción exquisitamente bien descrita, pero no por eso deja de contar una excelente historia que culmina magníficamente la trilogía de ‘La Primera Ley'.

Me quito el sombrero, Joe Abercrombie. Bravo.

5/5

Generally, this wrapped up the story threads for the series quite nicely.

If I had a wish for these books, it would be that the three main characters had a stronger role in their own destiny, rather than being manipulated by Bayaz Even Logen Ninefingers, who seems the least affected by this, made most of his mistakes due to his possession by the Bloody Nine so I can't really credit or fault him for any of it. It makes the overall character development a little disappointing.

The greatest moments for me were watching Glotka's intelligence, mercilessness, and vulnerability at play.

A strong finish to the trilogy that I didn't find as engaging as the first two books but I loved all the same. 

Abercrombie still showed his mastery of character development and wrapped the various story lines up well. 

Some twists I saw coming but others like the first magi being in control of the bankers I did not 

Overall - amazing. I can't wait to read the other books in the universe. 

"I don't deserve this." he breathed.
"No one gets what they deserve."

I don't think there was a moment when I was reading this and didn't wish that HBO had chosen to adapt this series and not GoT for TV. I think that's enough of a recommendation honestly. It's constantly said that this is a landmark series and I can't agree more. I loved every single second and once I burn through a little more of my backlog, I will pick up The Age of Madness Trilogy.

This is the third and final book in The First Law Trilogy, it is the culmination of two books worth of setup and plotting. The pacing is relentless, and the narrative never slows down. While this keeps the reader engaged, it also leaves little room for reflection or breathing space between intense moments. Some may find this approach exhausting, as the story moves from one harrowing event to another. In this reader's opinion, we've had two books to stew and this is the pot boiling over as it ought to. Given the pace, Abercrombie's ability to maintain tension and keep readers on the edge of their seats became a standout feature of the book.

The story is divided into several interconnected plotlines, each following different characters and factions as they maneuver for power and survival. Abercrombie masterfully handles the multiple story arcs, providing a balanced blend of action, intrigue, and character development. In many ways, this book is the inverse of the first, with our parties breaking apart and the individual stories of our characters reaching their culmination.

“Say one thing for Logen Ninefingers, say he's a cunt”

“This is how most of us go, isn't it? No final charge. No moment of glory. We just ... fall slowly apart.”

Last Argument of Kings

“I have my answers already.” Then why do I do this? Why? Glokta leaned slowly forwards across the table. “We are here for our amusement.”

This was a great read. My favorite book of the trilogy. Great characters, great dialog and plenty of action. I would rate this 8.5/10 on my 1 to 10 rating scale.

“Rules are for children. This is war, and in war the only crime is to lose.”

What is there to say at this point? Maybe that this book delivered even more than I expected. My jaw dropped at the beginning with unbelievable plot twist. Then again at the end when I was wondering if



Now I can see the work of ‘Lord Grimdark'. While the first two books were mild imho this one dives right into the dark, the gritty, the bloody. I kind of criticized previous books for having such a big grimdark reputation while having very little of grimdark content. Well, here the reputation is deserved.

With exception of Jezal there is no character left who could be considered good or morally gray. Sure they do good, or try to do good but in the end even the book asks: “Does the devil know he is a devil?” It's still nowhere close to Malazan but it finally earned the moniker.

Simply put, phenomenal end to a phenomenal trilogy.

10/10

This book was awesome. I love more or less every single character even though they can be stereotypical sometimes. Gloktas inner monologues are amazing, also due to Steven Paceys wonderful narration. The ending is surprising considering this is the end of a trilogy, so I guess I'll just have to move directly onto the next one.

I am gushing over this book. This series is definitely a top 5 for me and this book is probably my favorite book after Storm of Swords so far. The characters are some of my favorite I've ever read. Glokta's daily pain and inner monologue was just perfect. The way he writes battles scenes is some John Gwynne level amazingness!! I wish it didn't end on such a cliffhanger though

Amai, dit was een heel onverwacht, maar eigenlijk best wel passend einde van deze trilogie.
Toegegeven, deze las een stuk trager dan het vorige deel en soms had ik nood aan wat andere lectuur, waardoor ik toch dubbel zo lang aan dit laatste deel las in vergelijking met het vorige deel. Wat absoluut niet wil zeggen dat dit niet goed was, maar het speelde wel wat op mijn gemoed.

Ook al bleek deze serie een pak humoristischer te zijn dan ik had verwacht voor een zogenoemde grimdark fantasy, toch was het nog heel grimmig, bloederig en deprimerend. Vooral in dit laatste deel krijgen we een paar opdoffers te verwerken en werd het aantal actiescènes exponentieel opgedreven. Hierdoor had ik af en toe wel eens een kleine pauze nodig om op adem te komen.
Uiteindelijk vond ik dit echt wel een heel slim en uniek einde voor de trilogie, eentje waar ik tegelijkertijd tevreden mee ben, als mij doet hongeren naar meer.

“You have to be realistic about these things.”

Net als bij het vorige deel, gaat dit boek verder waar boek 2 eindigde en racet daarna meedogenloos doorheen choquerende onthullingen om te eindigen met duistere, ietwat hol aanvoelende conclusies.

Natuurlijk, met een genre dat onheilspellend ‘grimdark‘ wordt genoemd, verwachtte ik me nu niet meteen aan een vrolijk en gelukkig einde, maar toch kon ik niet nalaten te hopen. En Abercrombie speelt zo goed met die hoop, voedt en koestert het, om het dan wreed en onverbiddelijk van een klif te gooien.

“Round and round in circles we go, clutching at successes that we never grasp, endlessly tripping over the same old failures. Truly, life is the misery we endure between disappointments.”

In deze finale wordt de cirkel van het verhaal in elke mogelijke zin gesloten, wat zowel frustrerend als geniaal is.
We leren meer over de motieven van onze personages, we worden ingewijd in een aantal schokkende geheimen en we zijn getuige van zowel de opkomst als de ondergang van personages.

Doch blijft ook veel onbeantwoord of vaag, maar dit heeft uiteindelijk weinig invloed op de uiteindelijke boodschap van het verhaal, wat voor mij eigenlijk vooral weerspiegelt hoe futiel en onbelangrijk het individu is.
Het maakt me dan wel nieuwsgierig naar de overige boeken in de overkoepelende reeks, waar hopelijk nog meer vragen worden beantwoord.

“Travel brings wisdom only to the wise. It renders the ignorant more ignorant than ever.”

Ultiem, ook al voelde dit laatste boek een beetje hol en erg desolaat aan, ik vond het nog steeds geweldig.
Ja, het zou gemakkelijk zijn om te zeggen dat ik er een hekel aan had, omdat het niet leverde wat ik gewoonlijk van een einde verlang. Er zijn geen grote overwinning (behalve voor de grote manipulator), geen gelukkige conclusies, geen triomferende helden. En toch was het zo passend en perfect. Een echt opgewekt en gelukkig einde zou waarschijnlijk als een groter verraad hebben gevoeld dan het moedeloze einde dat ons werd voorgeschoteld.
En ik moet zeggen, die slotscène was zowel eindeloos wreed als hilarisch. En slim ook.

“ Because the vast majority of men would far rather be told what to do than make their own choices. Obedience is easy.”

Last Argument of Kings is the third and final book in the First Law trilogy. But it really doesn't feel all that final. Boasting an absolutely stellar continuation of a really good trilogy, this books ending fell a little flat for me, as it lacked a lot of the closure that I'd been hoping for, instead leaving the world open for further stories. Despite this, the book manages to deliver consistently character writing, much like the previous two entries, and finally begins to really feel like what you'd expect when you hear the term Grim Dark.

I started this book off the heels of Before They Are Hanged, which had left me a little bit underwhelmed with it's ending but still really excited for where the story was going to take these characters. And I have to say, despite the rough ending of BTAH, this book recovers with startling grace, almost instantly regaining my full interest once again, and actually enhancing my view of BTAH's ending, which still surprises me even now.

The stark difference between this book and The Blade Itself is also really funny to me, as TBI had almost no substance to it's plot, instead being entirely focused, this book is filled to the brim with plot, so much so that it could have been it's own trilogy. Which might make the book sound bloated, and as though it skips over a lot, which was something that I had actually worried about, but I didn't find that to be the case, with Abercrombie showing off how skilled an author he is, by managing to have a breakneck pace that still manages to feel like it's giving the reader the opportunity to stop and smell the roses.

I think the way that he uses those pauses in pace to build tension is absolutely masterful, because it not only affords him the chance to focus more on the characters for a while, but it also lets him build a slight panic in the reader by really emphasizing just how much trouble our characters are really in.

I've touched on it a couple times, but I think that this is his best book in terms of character growth. Or, if I'm being more honest, the lack of it. After all, you have to be realistic about these things. And the fact of the matter is, is that none of these characters truly grow as much as they, or you, would like to believe.

And the thematic resonance of this is beautiful. It finally establishes the tone of the series, that we'd seen echoed throughout Logen and Glokta's stories, one of a man desperate to change, and the other of a man who would like to change, but realized he had to be realistic about the likelihood of it. In many ways, the trilogy wasn't actually about the central events, instead it was the battle between these two ideas. The idea that you could change vs the idea that you are what you are, and you needed to get on with it. So while we see the end of the Northern and Gurkish conflicts, we actually end up seeing a third war come to a close as well. That of these two ideas. The character that most displays this is in fact Bayaz, as he undergoes a phenomenal shift in this book, and I'm very excited to read Age of Madness just for him.

As always, the character voices are fantastic, with every PoV leaping off the page, feeling like they have a defined history that's informed every opinion that they have, and it's strengthened even further in this book, because by this point we actually know almost all of those reasons, with a few more coming to light throughout.

A small criticism that I would have is that I think the final battle slightly overstays its welcome, going on a bit too long. It ends up totaling almost 250 pages, and though the conflict was really engaging, towards the end I felt myself burning out pretty hard on it, and was glad to finally see the battle done. I don't know if that was purposeful by Abercrombie, so that we could relate to the characters who were also extremely exhausted, but it just didn't really click for me as much as I would have liked.

The biggest criticism I have is the ending. I didn't love it. Everyone I'd talked to said that the ending was fantastic, and that it left them with a strong sense of closure. But to me, it read like sequel bait. Every single characters story ends without real closure, which again, is a theme within the books, that closure is a lie we tell ourselves to try and ignore the traumas of the past. But that didn't make it any less satisfying for me to not get proper endings for most characters. I loved the stripping of hope that the ending undertook, with the mask of positivity finally slipping off entirely, but I just wish that we would have gotten actual endings for at least one character. We don't even get a proper ending for Logen, who seemingly dies on the last page.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with the book, and despite my misgivings, would still definitely give it a 5/5, especially following my realization of the conflict of ideas going on in the background. I highly recommend the series, but would warn you that you're not really signing up for a trilogy, you're signing up for a Realm of the Elderlings style universe, where multiple trilogys will make up a greater whole. At the moment that sits at 3 and a short story collection, but likely with more on the way.