The Devils

Laura and I were entirely bowled over when our incessant badgering of our lovely friends at Gollancz resulted in their giving us an ARC copy of The Devils by Joe Abercrombie. Having now finished the book, I can say confidently you're in for a real treat when it drops in May 2025. Some thoughts:

• This is by far his funniest book
• Be prepared to welcome some iconic characters into the fantasy zeitgeist
• This is also by far his most Abercrombiest book
• It reads like a chaotic D&D campaign
• The first 25% is a bit of a mess
• I had a great time

Well, finally, a new trilogy by Joe Abercrombie, this time different, yet still similar in his signature fashion. The differences lie in the setting and a more action packed package. Instead of a fantasy land with some magic, this one is set in an alternate Europe with considerably more magic. Everything else feels familiar; a collage of morally gray characters (more black than gray, but alas), including an old, grumpy figure full of regrets yet indifferent (and who hates stairs), a piece-of-shit character destined for royalty, a rough barbarian constantly at risk of slipping into mindless frenzy, and the inevitable puppet master pulling strings by the book’s end. There are a few fresh faces, but you get the idea; Joe kept one foot on firm Father Earth while dipping the other into the unexplored waters of Mother Sea.

I’m not saying it’s bad, quite the opposite. I think he struck a sweet spot between the familiar and the new; it’s how he did it that bothers me.

Someone on Reddit wrote that it feels like your favorite alternative band playing more mainstream, pop-ier songs, and I couldn’t agree more. Joe’s usual writing thrives on suspense, gradual unfolding, and satisfying character development, culminating in a crescendo of plot twists. Here, the buildup is rushed, and once the story kicks off, it’s just action scene after action scene. Don’t get me wrong, they’re good (the only thing that I can say against his writing is that he does not do it as often as I would like to),but the relentless barrage grows grating. The inner monologues and multi-POV scenes are there, but they are a shadow of what I’ve come to expect from this beutiful man. I miss the long bridges, the witty verses, and so on. Choruses are fun,but a chorus among choruses just becomes noise. Ok enough of this shitty analogy of mine.

Another gripe is the dialogue in some places. I don’t know how else to put it, but at times, it feels… "Marvely"? That "Okay, that just happened" vibe. Multiple times a character lists off all the bizarre events in a way that feels cheap and unnecessary.

Still, I hold high hopes for the sequel (mainly because Abercrombie’s books are among the few joys of my life… but we all know how it is with hope). I’m glad he’s trying something new—the worst thing an author can do is write the same book over and over (or kill someone, but that’s beside the point). His first trilogy installments are always the weakest, but they walk so the second can run, so the third can leap up and hits you in the face until you forget which way is up and which one is down, and he makes it makes enjoy every second of it.

For now, there’s nothing to do but hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

Cheers.

DNF