A Little Hatred

Look, it's Abercrombie. What can I say that's not been said already? If you like detailed plots, intricate interactions between characters, and lots (and LOTS) of blood and gore, this book'll tickle you in all the right spots. If there's a downside here, it's the same downside to all Abercrombie's books ... too many characters, and sometimes you find yourself paging back to remind yourself who this guy (or gal) is. Just pay attention, you'll do alright. TLDR: read the thing, it's honestly amazing.

I really enjoyed this trilogy. It was the first fantasy series I’ve ever read and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. What I didn’t realize was that there are 6 other books that occur prior to this trilogy, so now I’m backtracking to read those as well. Overall, a great read and would recommend!

Some foul language and unneeded and unrealistic sex scenes. The writer does seem to struggle writing female characters, particularly when it comes to intimate situations. But otherwise, great writing

I've read a lot of Joe Abercrombie and he doesn't let you down. He's just great at epic novels with a huge cast of characters. Admittedly, it was a bit loose in the beginning, where he didn't settle on any character for too long and we couldn't see the connections, but once the connections started to come, I was completely gripped.I downloaded book 2 immediately after finishing this one. Happy to recommend, take it on a plane, the flight will whizz by...

I'll be honest and say that, despite the fact that I haven't yet not loved a Joe Abercrombie book, I was a little wary of A Little Hatred, the first book in the "Age of Madness" trilogy. Oh, I expected that it would be good...but something about the idea of returning to the world of the First Law series, but following a new generation - many of whom were literally the children of characters from the first series...well, look, how many "the next generation" series like that have been worth the time? But I should have trusted Abercrombie, who delivers a story that's every bit worthy of continuing the First Law series, justifying its use of children and descendants while also telling a story that exists wholly on its own terms. As with The Blade Itself, A Little Hatred is undeniably the first part of a trilogy, and as such, it's hard to entirely evaluate without knowing Abercrombie's endgame, but even here it's evident that his conception of a new generation isn't merely the literal idea of children dealing with the legacies and shadows of their parents (legacies that are complicated by our own knowledge of those figures), but also in terms of the changes in a world that is increasingly moving into something like the Industrial age - both in terms of technology and in terms of a ruling class that sees it as a chance to make a buck. Into this, Abercrombie throws in international tensions, power struggles, old soldiers who have tried to stay on the sidelines, cutthroat businesswomen...and beneath it all, a simmering tension that feels like we're on the verge of an explosion. Abercrombie delivers a book that feels satisfying on its own, ending with a couple of serious whammies, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I was eager to see what came next and how this series earns the title "The Age of Madness."