Ratings194
Average rating4.1
Springtime in Styria. And that means war. There have been nineteen years of blood. The ruthless Grand Duke Orso is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling League of Eight, and between them they have bled the land white. While armies march, heads roll and cities burn, behind the scenes bankers, priests and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king. War may be hell but for Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins, the most feared and famous mercenary in Duke Orso's employ, it's a damn good way of making money too. Her victories have made her popular - a shade too popular for her employer's taste. Betrayed, thrown down a mountain and left for dead, Murcatto's reward is a broken body and a burning hunger for vengeance. Whatever the cost, seven men must die. Her allies include Styria's least reliable drunkard, Styria's most treacherous poisoner, a mass-murderer obsessed with numbers and a Northman who just wants to do the right thing. Her enemies number the better half of the nation. And that's all before the most dangerous man in the world is dispatched to hunt her down and finish the job Duke Orso started... Springtime in Styria. And that means revenge.
Reviews with the most likes.
It's no surprise I liked this book, I've turned into a massive Abercrombie fanboy. I don't want to spoil anything so I'll just say I liked the whole thing right up until the conclusion.
This book was what I didn't know I wanted. I LOVED the cast of characters here—even when I wasn't rooting for them, I still had a blast reading about them because their interactions, banter, personalities, it's all so lively. I've also realised that I have a thing for gruesome, gritty stories, so there's that. And Monza. MONZA! MY GIRLLLL! I FUCKING LOVED HER!!!!! And also the revenge plot mixed with politics was exactly my cup of tea. Seriously, Abercrombie knocked it out of the park once again.
The ONLY thing I didn't care for in this book was Shivers—NOT because he's a badly written character or anything (because he's not)—but because preference wise I just never liked him all that much, even in the First Law trilogy. This is definitely a ‘me' thing, because if someone like Cosca were to have switched places with him or gotten his exact lines then I know I'd love it; it's just Shivers being, well, Shivers, that I for some reason could not give a damn about.
But aside from that extremely subjective nitpick, I loved everything else!!
http://fantasycafe.blogspot.com/2009/08/review-of-best-served-cold.html
Featured Series
11 primary books12 released booksFirst Law World is a 11-book series with 11 primary works first released in 2001 with contributions by Joe Abercrombie.