Book review
Written by Joe Abercrombie
Gollancz hardback
Release date 20 March 2008

The Union is in disarray. The King is on his deathbed, both of his sons have been killed, the Northmen have united and in the south the Gurkish are arriving in large numbers. Logen Ninefingers and Jezal dan Luthar find out the hard way just how bad things can get when a continent tears itself apart…

Joe Abercrombie has, in relatively little time, established himself as a great fantasy writer, able to hold his own alongside other British writers such as Steph Swainston, China Mieville and Richard Morgan.

Abercrombie’s talent for developing believable characters and changing the tone and voice of each chapter according to the point of view is a joy to read. Although he takes familiar fantasy staples, he manages to avoid coming off as a cheap hack reinventing Tolkien. The hardest part of the first two books was choosing a favourite character from the ‘ensemble cast’ of misfits trying to survive the massive events shaking the Union. The most gruelling part of the last book is hoping they all survive ‘til the last page.

Being the last book of a trilogy you’d rightly expect there to be some big set pieces: invasion, apocalyptic magic use, desperate last stands and open war all feature heavily, and are deftly dealt with across the broad map of the Union and the Northlands.

Strangely, Last Argument of Kings seems to rob both its reader and the protagonists of a peaceful ending. In fact by the end of the book you can’t help but wonder if certain characters are any better off than when the first book started. What have they suffered for? Maybe we will find out in following books? Den Patrick

VERDICT: 8/10
A solidly written finale, rich with Abercrombie’s trademark dark humour and great dialogue, that finishes with a decidedly downbeat ending.