The Blade Itself

You know how we have “TV adaptations” of books and video games nowadays? Well, The Blade Itself is like a book adaptation of an action-adventure video game, and it sucks.

Abercrombie subverts nothing. The characters are unoriginal, no better developed than mere archetypes. The world feels like a shallow reflection of our own, since the author probably inundated himself with too much TV and video games to be able to create a truly original setting. The plotline is so bad, that this book is making me consider anger management.

Oh, and this is “dark?” I'm sorry, did you go from reading F. Scott Fitzgerald or Jane Austen to foray into fantasy, and you're surprised that people have to make difficult decisions in life? Because that's the only possible way you might consider this excuse of a book “dark.”

The core problem is that Abercrombie never gave me a reason to care. Why is your story better than the others, sir? Are your characters original and insightful, with unique stories and worldviews? No. Instead, we get “haughty, noble womanizer who falls in love with commoner,” “interrogator who was once famous swordsman,” and “barbarian who beats up a ton of people.” Wow. And how about the plot? “There's a big war coming, and both sides are actually proxies for larger forces! Long-preparing evil has made its move and we have to defeat it!” Delightful, truly.

Maybe Steven Erikson just spoiled all other fantasy for me, but The Blade Itself is just trash.