Last Argument Of Kings: Book Three

Joe Abercrombie

June 2009 · The Blade Itself Book 3 · Hachette UK

About this eBook

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...

Ratings and reviews

A good end to a good series, and everything comes together. Bayaz' machinations are fully revealed; you finally get some idea of the Northern Logen and where his reputation came from, Jezal comes of age and things come to an end. Once more, the real meat of the story is Glokta, who continues to deliver the most intellectually stimulating story lines, and whose arc reaches a relatively satisfying conclusion. There's more than enough wiggle room for a sequel trilogy mind you, and I have no doubt that's what Abercrombie's planning. If nothing else, Ferro's ongoing adventures deserve some exploration, and West's story needs to reach a proper conclusion after he became sidelined.

The first book was good, the second book was great and the third fails only at the last. Everything wraps up slightly conveniently in a fashion that is slightly disappointing. Worth the read if you've read the others but certainly the weakest of the the three books.

There is an end to all... Even to this great series, a loot of the questions have find an answer. But still you can immagine where logen jezal ferro bayaz an glokta has gone after the trilogy event. I would love to have another trilogy to read about them all, them are now forever friends inside my mind...

About the author

Joe Abercrombie was born in Lancaster, England, studied psychology at Manchester University, and worked as an editor of documentaries and live music before his first book, The Blade Itself, was published in 2006. Two further instalments of the First Law trilogy, Before They Are Hanged, and Last Argument of Kings, followed, along with three standalone books set in the same world: Best Served Cold, The Heroes and Red Country. He has also written the Shattered Sea trilogy for young adults, the Age of Madness trilogy for old adults, and Sharp Ends, a collection of short stories. He lives in Bath, England, with his wife and three children.