Deus Misereatur

Half the World by Joe Abercrombie My rating: 3 of 5 stars Left dangling with anticipation in “ Half a King , ” many readers will be delighted that Joe Abercrombie’s soon-to-be-released 384 page hardback, “Half the Word” is about to see the light of day. In this new work the author picks up a few old friends who are drawn into perilous adventures with new oar-mates, forged together by sweat, fear, fighting and savagery, into a family of sorts. Their exploits take them through half the world, creating much needed, but unlooked for, alliances for Gettland, while overcoming obstructions, conflicts, and vows for revenge. “Half the World” revolves around a young teenage girl, Thorn Bathu, who has vowed to one day kill Grom-gil-Gorm, the Breaker of Swords and Maker of Orphans, and the killer of her father. The determination runs deep in her blood, and drives her every waking and sleeping moment. She trains in Master Hunnan’s school with this ambition in mind, only to be set up for failu...

Half a King by Joe Abercrombie My rating: 5 of 5 stars Surprises come in different shapes and sizes. In literature there are those that come out of the sky interrupting the flow of the story, and then there are those that simply fit. They are unseen and thoroughly unexpected, but once they explode onto the scene it is obvious they match the texture, flow and rhythm of the tale. Joe Abercrombie’s soon-to-be-released 352 page hardback, “Half a King” is an adventure that is chock full of such wonders. This is a delightfully entertaining, entrancing saga that will charm and win many readers, from the tweens to those in their prime. It is a story of tragedy, treachery, high adventure, and deep friendships expressed with captivating style and clearheaded urgency. “Half a King” revolves around a young prince named Yarvi, who is not a “whole man” because he was born with a crippled, malformed hand. Yarvi’s lack makes him a prime candidate to be trained as a minister, part of a network of...