Half The World by Joe Abercrombie
Joe Abercrombie makes a sweeping comeback to his magnificent
series, Shattered Seas with Half The World. A middle book in a trilogy, I am
happy to say this one trumps the first book in all measures and fronts – Joe is
by now an accomplished writer and is sitting pretty on that grim-dark throne – being an exceptionally experienced hand at creating dark worlds full of flawed grim characters. But
with this book (and so with the opening one, Half a King ) Joe really excels and outdoes his craft – in terms of pulling together a tighter plotline with little words
wasted – ripping away on the pacing front, nipping in with darker delicious turns here and
there, ending with a massive twist; The dialogs still spattered and dripping
with his acerbic wit – as cold and dark as Father Yarvi’s eyes – the action relentless and unstoppable from get-go; This one's got pretty much all of this. But into this sizzling melee, Joe throws in a gripping story that will steal our hearts: A brilliant coming-of-age tale of two teenagers – growing
up in this dark dismal Vikings world still ruled by Mother War.
Maybe this year is the year of sequels that trump a
fantastic opening book. Be it Golden Son ( that was leagues better than the
brilliant Red Rising ) or Provident Fire, which promises new heights to the
ones scaled by The Emperor’s Blades. And then this. Half The World picks up a
few years later than the events of Half a King. Yarvi is now the right hand man
of the King of Gettland. A deep-cunning minister who has to protects the
interests of his kingdom with all his political manoeuvres and careful ministrations.
But this book features not Father Yarvi – but two teenagers finding their
groove in this cruel mad world on the brink of war – under the watchful eyes of
Father Yarvi.
Thorn, a girl bristling with anger and having faced
rejection and ridicule all her life wants to choose the way of the sword and
shield. To be a fierce warrior in the manner of her father – himself one of the
esteemed ones to have crossed swords with Grom-gil-Gorn ( Breaker of Swords,
remember him from Book one?) But a training accident causes her to adjudged a
murderer and thus it takes an oath to Father Yarvi who sees the potential in
her to get free. Yarvi folds her into his Machiavellian schemes to maintain
peace with the neighbours – egged on by Grandmother Wexen, the High King has
been baying for the blood of the Gettlanders. And King Uthil ( Nothing from
Book One) is bristling to give him his due. The answer is steel. But Yarvi
wants this done his way and undertakes a journey across Half the World to get
new alliances to support his cause.
Joining Thorn and Yarvi is Brand – another teenager, a boy
torn by “his need to stand in the light” and do good. An extraordinarily strong
boy, Brand however really doesn’t understand the need for violence or war.
Having spoken up against his Master-of-arms, Brand loses his place in the Great
Raid. However along with Father Yarvi and his former training partner in the
squares Thorn, Brand sets out for a grand journey across half the world. A
journey that would bring out the best and worst in both Thorn and Brand – and
basically make them grow up much faster.
As with book-one, the epic journey that takes this
“fellowship of steel” along the river Divine down the length and breadth of the
Shattered Seas is the perfect foil for Abercrombie to expand his world. And we
realize how pitifully less we know of this magnificent world. Forged in the
past by hands unknown (Elf-relics and a whole Forbidden ciy of the Elves– now
there’s an intriguing mystery that will have me hankering for book-3 or more in
this series!) or be it the modern marvels of the wonderful First of the Cities
– a Mediterranean city, Abercrombie sets the stage to be much bigger than
Half a King.
The political intrigue is prickly, unsettling– the growing
shadow of war that looms throughout the book creates a very inclement
atmosphere. And armed with a motley set of cutthroats and brutes, Father
Yarvi’s improbable calculations come true. It is a pleasure watch this come
true against the most impossible of situations and the end results are pretty
satisfying. Yarvi is a grown man (though only a few years older than Brand or
thorn themselves, his eyes are the cold dark eyes of a man shouldering the
burden of a kingdom and having gone through the Last Door itself and come
back.) and we delight at this transformation of our favourite runt of the
litter having now grown to be its chief protector.
In terms of structure, book two is split in its narrative
between Thorn and Brand. Brand is the more thoughtful and contemplative while
Thorn is all angst, anger and bristling to get into a fight all the time. Their
complex emotional turmoil, the unlikely friendship that grows into something
more ( frankly – I loved their hesitant probing relationship blossoming. Can’t
say I didn’t see it coming but I loved it all the more) – their mind and body scarred
by the battle and forged by war, this book truly belongs to both of them.
Though I can understand why Thorn is pitched as the major of the two – a bit
like Ferro, a bit like Monza, maybe a bit of Shy – Thorn feels like an amalgam
of all Joe Abercrombie heroines. Flawed, hurt, bitter and war-like. Shaped in
the shadow of Mother War.
We see some older characters from Book One make their
comeback – Rulf, Queen Laithlin, Isiruin (the woman scorned now joins the enemy
camp) and along with some surprises that will please the readers who loved book
one. But the new additions are fun as well. The sailor band: Fror with his
multiple stories of how he got the scar, Skifr – the witch-thief who teaches
fighting to Thorn, Brand’s sister, Safrit and Koll – all of them enjoyable and
very well sketched out. The story ends with a stunning climax – a fight scene
that really grabs you by the balls and doesn’t let go until the last rasping retching
breath is drawn out.
The story of the Shattered Seas only gets better with Half
The World. Joe Abercrombie is in his peak elements here – doling out a tighter
story, cleverer, more exciting than ever and waiting to explode. I absolutely
loved it – and now with the scene set for a brilliant showdown between Father
Yarvi and his enemies, I can’t wait. A full five stars!
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