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Shattered Sea #2
Half the World
Thorn Bathu was born to fight. But when she kills a boy in the training square she finds herself named a murderer.
Fate places her life in the hands of the deep-cunning Father Yarvi as he sets out to cross half the world in search of allies against the ruthless High King. Beside her is Brand, a young warrior who hates to kill. A failure in her eyes and his own, the voyage is his last chance at redemption.
But warriors can be weapons, and weapons are made for one purpose. Will Thorn always be a tool in the hands of the powerful, or can she carve her own path? Is there a place outside of legend for a woman with a blade?
Fate places her life in the hands of the deep-cunning Father Yarvi as he sets out to cross half the world in search of allies against the ruthless High King. Beside her is Brand, a young warrior who hates to kill. A failure in her eyes and his own, the voyage is his last chance at redemption.
But warriors can be weapons, and weapons are made for one purpose. Will Thorn always be a tool in the hands of the powerful, or can she carve her own path? Is there a place outside of legend for a woman with a blade?
366 pages, Hardcover
First published February 3, 2015
About the author
Joe Abercrombie
125 books29.7k followersJoe Abercrombie was educated at Lancaster Royal Grammar School and Manchester University, where he studied psychology. He moved into television production before taking up a career as a freelance film editor. During a break between jobs he began writing The Blade Itself in 2002, completing it in 2004. It was published by Gollancz in 2006 and was followed by two other books in The First Law trilogy, Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings. He currently lives and works in London with his wife and daughter. In early 2008 Joe Abercrombie was one of the contributors to the BBC Worlds of Fantasy series, alongside other contributors such as Michael Moorcock, Terry Pratchett and China Mieville.
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February 4, 2015
“Where do we find allies?”
Father Yarvi smiled. “Among our enemies, where else?”
This series is really good.
It was by accident that I stumbled across Half a King last year and decided to take my chances on it. I’m not a huge fan of traditional fantasy because it tends to be wordy, 1000-pages long and dense so I approach the genre with some hesitation... but it was so easy to read, fast-paced and entertaining. A little dark - just the right amount, in fact - but a whole lot of fun too.
And this sequel was possibly even better, in my opinion. We get to meet all the old characters we love, but it’s Thorn who takes centre stage and both infuriates and captivates us. There’s so much girl power in this sequel. While we're lucky that it isn't so rare anymore, I particularly like what Abercrombie has done here. As much as I love sword-wielding heroines who kick ass, I think what I love more than anything is those that surprise you. The quiet female characters without special powers or strength, who aren’t afraid to be brave and get their hands dirty when the situation requires it. This book has both kinds.
Fans of the first book will probably be surprised and pleased by the very different view we get of Yarvi in this sequel. I liked it a lot. In Half a King, we spend a lot of time looking at this world and its troubles through the eyes of Yarvi; we see his pain, his struggles and his insecurities and we find a lot of sympathy for him. In this book, he is still a complex, multi-layered character but he's also a total badass. He's funny, clever and full of surprises. I had a new level of respect for him.
I know some people don't, but I love it when sequels are completely different beasts from the first book. Half the World is just as good, but in a very different way. If I was going to offer a criticism, I think the plot in this one isn’t as well-developed as the first and it sometimes feels like the second book in a series - you know what I mean, the sense that the book is bridging the gap between parts of the bigger story. But character-wise, it’s even stronger. Old and new characters are complex, lovable, annoying and funny all at once. They surprised me more often.
Great writing, great characters, a pace that makes it hard to put the book down... I'd happily recommend this series to anyone who'll listen.
"When Mother War spreads her wings, she may cast the whole Shattered Sea into darkness."
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Father Yarvi smiled. “Among our enemies, where else?”
This series is really good.
It was by accident that I stumbled across Half a King last year and decided to take my chances on it. I’m not a huge fan of traditional fantasy because it tends to be wordy, 1000-pages long and dense so I approach the genre with some hesitation... but it was so easy to read, fast-paced and entertaining. A little dark - just the right amount, in fact - but a whole lot of fun too.
And this sequel was possibly even better, in my opinion. We get to meet all the old characters we love, but it’s Thorn who takes centre stage and both infuriates and captivates us. There’s so much girl power in this sequel. While we're lucky that it isn't so rare anymore, I particularly like what Abercrombie has done here. As much as I love sword-wielding heroines who kick ass, I think what I love more than anything is those that surprise you. The quiet female characters without special powers or strength, who aren’t afraid to be brave and get their hands dirty when the situation requires it. This book has both kinds.
Fans of the first book will probably be surprised and pleased by the very different view we get of Yarvi in this sequel. I liked it a lot. In Half a King, we spend a lot of time looking at this world and its troubles through the eyes of Yarvi; we see his pain, his struggles and his insecurities and we find a lot of sympathy for him. In this book, he is still a complex, multi-layered character but he's also a total badass. He's funny, clever and full of surprises. I had a new level of respect for him.
I know some people don't, but I love it when sequels are completely different beasts from the first book. Half the World is just as good, but in a very different way. If I was going to offer a criticism, I think the plot in this one isn’t as well-developed as the first and it sometimes feels like the second book in a series - you know what I mean, the sense that the book is bridging the gap between parts of the bigger story. But character-wise, it’s even stronger. Old and new characters are complex, lovable, annoying and funny all at once. They surprised me more often.
Great writing, great characters, a pace that makes it hard to put the book down... I'd happily recommend this series to anyone who'll listen.
"When Mother War spreads her wings, she may cast the whole Shattered Sea into darkness."
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October 10, 2015
An excellent book. It continues the tale begun in Half a King. sort of. That is, we shift to totally different point of view characters who offer us a radically different view of what is happening in this world. I feel the reader could jump right into this book without having read book 1 (Half a King) and still have a very enjoyable read. Buy why do that when reading them in order greatly increases the depth and meaning of the tale.
I greatly enjoyed the characters, the dilemmas they faced, the decisions that make for their own lives as well as for the greater crises unfolded in the plot. Characters are always the make or break for me in a tale, and these ones definitely make the tale what it is.
Grittily real, unpredictable, savage and funny. Good book.
Caveat: I consider Joe Abercrombie a friend. But even if I'd never met him, I can honestly say that I would still have loved this set of books.
I greatly enjoyed the characters, the dilemmas they faced, the decisions that make for their own lives as well as for the greater crises unfolded in the plot. Characters are always the make or break for me in a tale, and these ones definitely make the tale what it is.
Grittily real, unpredictable, savage and funny. Good book.
Caveat: I consider Joe Abercrombie a friend. But even if I'd never met him, I can honestly say that I would still have loved this set of books.
January 22, 2015
Fools boast of what they will do. Heroes do it.
Reading this book made me think of the song "Holding out for a Hero" and Joe Abercrombie delivers with a punch.
Thorn wants nothing more than vengeance for her father's death. She is in training as a warrior to serve the king. Right before she can take the oath she accidentally kills one of the 3 sparring partners her teacher has placed her against. So he labels her a killer, she is to be stoned to death.
Father Yarvi learns the truth of what happens and takes charge of Thorn-she swears her oath to him that she will do as he bids.
He gathers a motley crew and they embark on a year long journey trying to bring allies against the High King. He puts Thorn to training with Skifr to become that warrior she wants to be.
Thorn takes to her training well...
The other characters in this story are just as awesome. Joe Abercrombie has a gift for bringing his characters to life. This book gave me chills..the battle sections actually had my pulse racing. I think *gasp* that this books is even better than the first one Half a King
And for the girls...anyone ever say "You fight like a girl?" Remember this book..........and smile.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley!!!
Reading this book made me think of the song "Holding out for a Hero" and Joe Abercrombie delivers with a punch.
Thorn wants nothing more than vengeance for her father's death. She is in training as a warrior to serve the king. Right before she can take the oath she accidentally kills one of the 3 sparring partners her teacher has placed her against. So he labels her a killer, she is to be stoned to death.
Father Yarvi learns the truth of what happens and takes charge of Thorn-she swears her oath to him that she will do as he bids.
He gathers a motley crew and they embark on a year long journey trying to bring allies against the High King. He puts Thorn to training with Skifr to become that warrior she wants to be.
Skifr narrowed her eyes. "The true fighter must reckon everyone their enemy."
When do I rest, then?"
"In the songs of great heroes, do you hear often of resting?"
Thorn takes to her training well...
"Gods damn it, then, girl!" Odda sprang up from the fire. "I'll show you what a real man can do!"
Odda showed her the howl a real man makes when a wooden sword whacks him right in the groin, then he showed her the best effort Brand had ever seen of a man eating his own shield, then he showed her a real man's muddy backside as he went sprawling through a bramble-bush and into a puddle.
The other characters in this story are just as awesome. Joe Abercrombie has a gift for bringing his characters to life. This book gave me chills..the battle sections actually had my pulse racing. I think *gasp* that this books is even better than the first one Half a King
And for the girls...anyone ever say "You fight like a girl?" Remember this book..........and smile.
"I bloody hate people," she muttered.
It was hardly a good thing to say but for once Brand couldn't keep his mouth shut. "Don't worry." He dragged his blanket over one shoulder and turned his back to her. "They feel much the same about you."
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley!!!
December 31, 2016
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
4.5 stars
Last year I had a bad run of YA fantasy. A really bad run. So bad that I was seriously considering giving up YA altogether, b/c I had clearly matured past the point to being able to enjoy it.
Pfft.
And it was Half the World's predecessor Half a King that kept me from making a brash decision I would inevitably come to regret.
I am pleased to tell you that Half the World (IM humble O) has surpassed it.
Meet Thorn.
Thorn is a girl who lives in a world where women are resolutely confined to more delicate pursuits than say . . . WAR.
As children, they may be temporarily indulged in their desire to train with the boys and their wooden practice swords, but the older they get, the more discouragement they encounter, and if they persist in the stubborn hope of being the first girl in memory to take the Warrior's Oath and fight for their King, then more extreme tactics are employed to set the wayward female on a more acceptable path.
For Thorn that means facing impossible odds in her final test as a student.
But it is made clear that even should she win, there will be no place for her among the men.
But Thorn doesn't win.
It sucks, dude.
Hissing-and-growling-and-throwing-heavy-objects sucks.
And the situation isn't improved by Thorn's own surliness and sense of entitlement.
Abercrombie does an excellent job of showcasing how obstinately difficult a 16 year old girl can be, without making you hate her. Instead . . . you remember. You remember how convinced you were of your own infallibility, of how much more deserving you were of the thing that you wanted than that person over there. And then you remember how hard those lessons proved to be when you finally realized you were wrong.
B/c Thorn does learn. And it is hard.
I loved her, prickliness and recalcitrance included.
She winds up in disgrace that leads to swearing an oath to Father, yes, Father Yarvi, and Father Yarvi sees fit to have her trained by Skifr, a bizzare old woman from the far south.
And believe me when I say that "bizarre" does not even begin to cover it.
But I loved her too.
Know who else I loved?
The hodgepodge of villainous-looking crew members that Rulf assembles for the voyage Father Yarvi is leading to seek allies for Thorlby against the High King and his oppressive dictates.
Despite this initial impression, the men become family to both Thorn and Brand (don't worry, I'll get to him in a minute), and more and more my distinctly different first impression was reinforced:
I'm sure there are people out there that are absolutely horrified by the comparison, and make no mistake, this is a book written by Lord Grimdark himself, so there is nothing Disney about it, but . . . I can't help it, that's what I saw in my head. *shrugs awkwardly*
And I haven’t even gotten to Brand yet. *sighs* Suffice it to say that Brand is . . . experiencing the exact same types of things that Thorn is experiencing, but he is a softer, gentler example of adolescence, and he serves as both a wonderful foil for Thorn, and a secondary illustration of why it’s idiotic to try to shove people into gender-specific boxes.
Bottomline: It’s just really, really good. Half the World is a stellar followup to Half a King, making this is a series that should be on the bookshelves of anyone who loves fantasy. And with the next installment Half a War just a few short months from release . . . blah, blah, just read it. You’ll love it. *winks*
4.5 stars
Last year I had a bad run of YA fantasy. A really bad run. So bad that I was seriously considering giving up YA altogether, b/c I had clearly matured past the point to being able to enjoy it.
Pfft.
And it was Half the World's predecessor Half a King that kept me from making a brash decision I would inevitably come to regret.
I am pleased to tell you that Half the World (IM humble O) has surpassed it.
Meet Thorn.
Thorn is a girl who lives in a world where women are resolutely confined to more delicate pursuits than say . . . WAR.
As children, they may be temporarily indulged in their desire to train with the boys and their wooden practice swords, but the older they get, the more discouragement they encounter, and if they persist in the stubborn hope of being the first girl in memory to take the Warrior's Oath and fight for their King, then more extreme tactics are employed to set the wayward female on a more acceptable path.
For Thorn that means facing impossible odds in her final test as a student.
But it is made clear that even should she win, there will be no place for her among the men.
But Thorn doesn't win.
It sucks, dude.
Hissing-and-growling-and-throwing-heavy-objects sucks.
And the situation isn't improved by Thorn's own surliness and sense of entitlement.
Abercrombie does an excellent job of showcasing how obstinately difficult a 16 year old girl can be, without making you hate her. Instead . . . you remember. You remember how convinced you were of your own infallibility, of how much more deserving you were of the thing that you wanted than that person over there. And then you remember how hard those lessons proved to be when you finally realized you were wrong.
B/c Thorn does learn. And it is hard.
I loved her, prickliness and recalcitrance included.
She winds up in disgrace that leads to swearing an oath to Father, yes, Father Yarvi, and Father Yarvi sees fit to have her trained by Skifr, a bizzare old woman from the far south.
And believe me when I say that "bizarre" does not even begin to cover it.
But I loved her too.
Know who else I loved?
The hodgepodge of villainous-looking crew members that Rulf assembles for the voyage Father Yarvi is leading to seek allies for Thorlby against the High King and his oppressive dictates.
Thorn wondered what mountain of corpses this lot might have heaped up between them, but she wasn't one to be easily intimidated. Especially when she had no choice.
Despite this initial impression, the men become family to both Thorn and Brand (don't worry, I'll get to him in a minute), and more and more my distinctly different first impression was reinforced:
She put on her bravest face, stepped up to the biggest man she could see and tapped him on the arm.
"I'm Thorn Bathu."
"I am Dosduvoi." She found herself staring sharply up at one of the biggest heads she ever saw, tiny features squeezed into the center of its doughy expanse, looming so high above her that at first she thought its owner must be standing on a box. "What bad luck brings you here, girl?" he asked, with a faintly tragic quiver to his voice.
She wished she had a different answer, but snapped out, "I'm sailing with you."
His face retreated into an even tinier portion of his head as he frowned.
It was either bluster or look weak and Thorn reckoned that no choice at all, so she puffed herself up and snapped out, "How did you get the scar?"
"How did you get the scar?"
Thorn frowned. "What scar?"
"That's the face the gods gave you?" And with the faintest of smiles the Vansterman went back to coiling rope.
I'm sure there are people out there that are absolutely horrified by the comparison, and make no mistake, this is a book written by Lord Grimdark himself, so there is nothing Disney about it, but . . . I can't help it, that's what I saw in my head. *shrugs awkwardly*
And I haven’t even gotten to Brand yet. *sighs* Suffice it to say that Brand is . . . experiencing the exact same types of things that Thorn is experiencing, but he is a softer, gentler example of adolescence, and he serves as both a wonderful foil for Thorn, and a secondary illustration of why it’s idiotic to try to shove people into gender-specific boxes.
Bottomline: It’s just really, really good. Half the World is a stellar followup to Half a King, making this is a series that should be on the bookshelves of anyone who loves fantasy. And with the next installment Half a War just a few short months from release . . . blah, blah, just read it. You’ll love it. *winks*
October 11, 2022
DNF at 60%.
Not going to post a full review here, but my enthusiasm for this series got pretty much zapped when the book completely changed focus on mostly new characters that I didn't much care for. I also didn't realize this was a YA book until I was already into the series, and that's really just not my thing.
Not going to post a full review here, but my enthusiasm for this series got pretty much zapped when the book completely changed focus on mostly new characters that I didn't much care for. I also didn't realize this was a YA book until I was already into the series, and that's really just not my thing.
August 4, 2019
4.5 Stars
I really enjoyed this.
As I said in my review for book one, I really love Abercrombie's writing style. It's just so...easily digestible and the pages fly by without you even realizing it. This book also offered an experience I found quite novel: Book one is basically wholly told from the POV of Yarvi. We see everything through Yarvi's eyes and witness all of Yarvi's inner thoughts and fears. THIS book is told from the POVs of Thorn and Brand and we get to see formerly first person Yarvi ONLY from the third person perspective, which I thought was pretty interesting.
At first, I found it was quite jarring. Usually your main protagonist STAYS your main protagonist throughout the entire series (especially in series like these, in my experience at least). And even when you get multiple POVs, you still get that main protagonist's POV too. So to not get that at all added a layer of intrigue I thought was neat.
I loved the story line here.
I loved Thorn (mostly).
And I LOVED Brand.
But enough "reviewing." There are thousands of better reviews on this thing already out there. Plus, I am eager to get to book three, which I have locked and loaded.
I really enjoyed this.
As I said in my review for book one, I really love Abercrombie's writing style. It's just so...easily digestible and the pages fly by without you even realizing it. This book also offered an experience I found quite novel: Book one is basically wholly told from the POV of Yarvi. We see everything through Yarvi's eyes and witness all of Yarvi's inner thoughts and fears. THIS book is told from the POVs of Thorn and Brand and we get to see formerly first person Yarvi ONLY from the third person perspective, which I thought was pretty interesting.
At first, I found it was quite jarring. Usually your main protagonist STAYS your main protagonist throughout the entire series (especially in series like these, in my experience at least). And even when you get multiple POVs, you still get that main protagonist's POV too. So to not get that at all added a layer of intrigue I thought was neat.
I loved the story line here.
I loved Thorn (mostly).
And I LOVED Brand.
But enough "reviewing." There are thousands of better reviews on this thing already out there. Plus, I am eager to get to book three, which I have locked and loaded.
June 30, 2017
Awesome book, and one of the best cover images ever.
The tidal wave of war approaches. In this 2nd volume of the SHATTERED SEA series we focus on a new pair of main characters: Thorn, an angry and violent but extremely martially-gifted 16 year old girl, and her counterpart Brand, a young man who's not so enthused about fighting but really wants to do what's right. They're both in disgrace in their society, and still-young Father Yarvi (main character from the first book, Half a King) plucks them from prison and the bar, respectively, to assist with his plans to save their country, Gettland, from its enemies. His plans require them traveling with him to make alliances with other countries, some of them far, far away (hence the title).
I'm still in awe that I like this book so much when the main character is a teenage girl who is, more often than not, so angry and bull-headed and infuriating. She's really not the kind of main character I normally favor. But she's also gritty and wounded and determined, and willing to grow and change and admit when she was wrong. Also, she's surrounded by a fantastic supporting cast.
I love the deeper, darker Father Yarvi, weaving his plans and backup plans like a master. He's grown up a lot since the first book. I think I have a serious thing for characters that can see the whole, and quietly figure out what needs to be done, while everyone else around them is kind of flailing around or so caught up in their own concerns that they can't see the whole picture. (I think it's related to my adoration for Scarlet Pimpernel-type characters.) And then he puts these plans into action, even when he has to hurt others to do it, for the greater good. He's assisted in his plans by his seriously intelligent and badass mother, who only makes a limited appearance in this book, but to extremely good effect.
Normally I would ding this book as a boo!hiss cliffhanger for leaving the bigger story hanging and forcing me to wait for another volume to get the whole story. But this story is so huge and complex that I think it requires the multi-volume approach. Plus: awesome. What else can I say?
The tidal wave of war approaches. In this 2nd volume of the SHATTERED SEA series we focus on a new pair of main characters: Thorn, an angry and violent but extremely martially-gifted 16 year old girl, and her counterpart Brand, a young man who's not so enthused about fighting but really wants to do what's right. They're both in disgrace in their society, and still-young Father Yarvi (main character from the first book, Half a King) plucks them from prison and the bar, respectively, to assist with his plans to save their country, Gettland, from its enemies. His plans require them traveling with him to make alliances with other countries, some of them far, far away (hence the title).
I'm still in awe that I like this book so much when the main character is a teenage girl who is, more often than not, so angry and bull-headed and infuriating. She's really not the kind of main character I normally favor. But she's also gritty and wounded and determined, and willing to grow and change and admit when she was wrong. Also, she's surrounded by a fantastic supporting cast.
I love the deeper, darker Father Yarvi, weaving his plans and backup plans like a master. He's grown up a lot since the first book. I think I have a serious thing for characters that can see the whole, and quietly figure out what needs to be done, while everyone else around them is kind of flailing around or so caught up in their own concerns that they can't see the whole picture. (I think it's related to my adoration for Scarlet Pimpernel-type characters.) And then he puts these plans into action, even when he has to hurt others to do it, for the greater good. He's assisted in his plans by his seriously intelligent and badass mother, who only makes a limited appearance in this book, but to extremely good effect.
Normally I would ding this book as a boo!hiss cliffhanger for leaving the bigger story hanging and forcing me to wait for another volume to get the whole story. But this story is so huge and complex that I think it requires the multi-volume approach. Plus: awesome. What else can I say?
November 8, 2023
Loved how Abercrombie played with readers' expectations at the end - all those hints about the prophecy and such a plot-twist. Can't wait to read the last book 🤩
February 17, 2015
4.5 stars
"I'm no warrior."
"Yes y'are."
"A warrior doesn't fear."
"A fool doesn't fear. A warrior stand in spite of his fear. You stood."
Brand plucked at his damp trousers. "I stood and pissed myself."
"You won't be the only one."
"The hero never pisses himself in the songs."
"Aye, well." Rulf gave his shoulder a parting squeeze, and stood.
"That's why those are songs, and this is life."
Yarvi & his crew are back, and just as awesome as ever.
Although, Half the World doesn't focus on Yarvi. Instead, while he's still a main character, the story isn't told from his point of view anymore.
Having said that, Yarvi is pulling the strings of two new characters, Thorn and Brand.
Thorn is...well, she lives up to her prickly name. Brand, however, is more of a traditional hero.
*snort*
But the world Joe Abercrombie created doesn't really have truly traditional heroes, does it?
That's the reason I love these books. The heroes are ugly, deformed, full of piss and vinegar, occasionally stupid, and always flawed.
Beautifully flawed.
Just like the last book, the journey is hard and full of unexpected twists and turns. This time, it's Father Yarvi nudging people into place, like pieces on a giant chessboard.
But even he can't foresee how and when everything will unfold.
That doesn't stop him from trying, though.
By the end of this, I loved Brand and Thorn just as much as I (still) love Yarvi.
For those of you who enjoyed the breadcrumbs the last book dropped, you know, about whether or not this takes place in our distant future? Well, there are some pretty interesting descriptions that you'll want to read in this one!
I wasn't disappointed in the least by Half the World, and I think anyone who loved the first book will probably agree with me. This is a solid second installment, and I'm looking forward to reading more about all of these characters.
I received a digital arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
"I'm no warrior."
"Yes y'are."
"A warrior doesn't fear."
"A fool doesn't fear. A warrior stand in spite of his fear. You stood."
Brand plucked at his damp trousers. "I stood and pissed myself."
"You won't be the only one."
"The hero never pisses himself in the songs."
"Aye, well." Rulf gave his shoulder a parting squeeze, and stood.
"That's why those are songs, and this is life."
Yarvi & his crew are back, and just as awesome as ever.
Although, Half the World doesn't focus on Yarvi. Instead, while he's still a main character, the story isn't told from his point of view anymore.
Having said that, Yarvi is pulling the strings of two new characters, Thorn and Brand.
Thorn is...well, she lives up to her prickly name. Brand, however, is more of a traditional hero.
*snort*
But the world Joe Abercrombie created doesn't really have truly traditional heroes, does it?
That's the reason I love these books. The heroes are ugly, deformed, full of piss and vinegar, occasionally stupid, and always flawed.
Beautifully flawed.
Just like the last book, the journey is hard and full of unexpected twists and turns. This time, it's Father Yarvi nudging people into place, like pieces on a giant chessboard.
But even he can't foresee how and when everything will unfold.
That doesn't stop him from trying, though.
By the end of this, I loved Brand and Thorn just as much as I (still) love Yarvi.
For those of you who enjoyed the breadcrumbs the last book dropped, you know, about whether or not this takes place in our distant future? Well, there are some pretty interesting descriptions that you'll want to read in this one!
I wasn't disappointed in the least by Half the World, and I think anyone who loved the first book will probably agree with me. This is a solid second installment, and I'm looking forward to reading more about all of these characters.
I received a digital arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 25, 2016
4,5/5
Mi reseña podría resumirse en que me ha encantado el libro, sin más. Tenía ganas de leer algo del autor y por eso decidí comenzar por su trilogía más juvenil. Disfruté mucho de Medio Rey, pero Medio Mundo me ha terminado de convencer por completo.
El ritmo vuelve a ser absorbente y desbordante, ya que no dejan de suceder cosas. Además el autor tiene una forma de narrar que resulta muy rápida de leer, entretenida y sobre todo muy directa. Me encontré totalmente atrapada en determinadas escenas, llenas de tensión y acción, y me resultó imposible separarme del libro en estos casos.
Ya había escuchado que uno de los puntos fuertes de Abercrombie eran precisamente los personajes, ¡y qué razón! Me ha encantado descubrir que Yarvi aún mantenía un papel tan crucial en la historia, y sobre todo, la evolución y crecimiento de sus protagonistas, Espina y Brand. Personajes por cierto, cuyos diálogos e interacciones estaban siempre cargadas de ironía, aportando un toque muy único a la historia. Y sinceramente, he quedado totalmente encantada con la relación amorosa que se va fraguando entre los dos, cómo se desarrolla y cómo el lector puede llegar a comprenderla antes que ellos dos.
Otro de los aspectos que más me ha gustado ha sido ese matiz "feminista", porque el libro está lleno de personajes femeninos que demuestran tener el mismo poder, igual inteligencia y la misma destreza en determinadas circunstancias que sus compañeros masculinos, que a menudo infravaloran sus capacidades. Toda una gran demostración de que las mujeres también tienen un papel importante y son más fuertes de lo que muchos piensan.
En definitiva, Medio Mundo me ha parecido una novela que supera a la primera parte, llena de acción, aventuras y personajes maravillosos. Es además fácil y rápida de leer, y que me hizo tanto morderme las uñas por la tensión, como reír y querer abrazar a más de un personaje. No puedo esperar a ver qué esconde Media Guerra y sobre todo, leer más obras del autor.
Mi reseña podría resumirse en que me ha encantado el libro, sin más. Tenía ganas de leer algo del autor y por eso decidí comenzar por su trilogía más juvenil. Disfruté mucho de Medio Rey, pero Medio Mundo me ha terminado de convencer por completo.
El ritmo vuelve a ser absorbente y desbordante, ya que no dejan de suceder cosas. Además el autor tiene una forma de narrar que resulta muy rápida de leer, entretenida y sobre todo muy directa. Me encontré totalmente atrapada en determinadas escenas, llenas de tensión y acción, y me resultó imposible separarme del libro en estos casos.
Ya había escuchado que uno de los puntos fuertes de Abercrombie eran precisamente los personajes, ¡y qué razón! Me ha encantado descubrir que Yarvi aún mantenía un papel tan crucial en la historia, y sobre todo, la evolución y crecimiento de sus protagonistas, Espina y Brand. Personajes por cierto, cuyos diálogos e interacciones estaban siempre cargadas de ironía, aportando un toque muy único a la historia. Y sinceramente, he quedado totalmente encantada con la relación amorosa que se va fraguando entre los dos, cómo se desarrolla y cómo el lector puede llegar a comprenderla antes que ellos dos.
Otro de los aspectos que más me ha gustado ha sido ese matiz "feminista", porque el libro está lleno de personajes femeninos que demuestran tener el mismo poder, igual inteligencia y la misma destreza en determinadas circunstancias que sus compañeros masculinos, que a menudo infravaloran sus capacidades. Toda una gran demostración de que las mujeres también tienen un papel importante y son más fuertes de lo que muchos piensan.
En definitiva, Medio Mundo me ha parecido una novela que supera a la primera parte, llena de acción, aventuras y personajes maravillosos. Es además fácil y rápida de leer, y que me hizo tanto morderme las uñas por la tensión, como reír y querer abrazar a más de un personaje. No puedo esperar a ver qué esconde Media Guerra y sobre todo, leer más obras del autor.
March 17, 2015
If Half a King was Abercrombie attempting YA with mixed success this is Abercrombie transcending the genre. The nuance of the characterisation, the immersive nature of the setting and the intelligence, subtlety and depth of this story puts most adult fantasy books, nevermind YA, to shame.
One aspect that diverged from Abercrombie's usual fare was the setting. I've always considered world-building to be Abercrombie's Achilles Heel (The Union/Renaissance Europe, The Wild West in Red Country and Gurkhal/generic evil Islamic Empire were all particularly terrible) but in this I found his take on a Viking era Scandinavia in the midst of a post-apocalyptic version of our world (the subtle hints to which were brilliantly done) to be incredibly immersive. The violent, gritty and chaotic Viking world of the Dark Ages is a perfect fit for Abercrombie (reminiscent of his previous best setting, The North) while other cultures; Kalyiv (Kiev, Medieval Russia), The First of Cities (Constantinople, The Byzantine Empire) and The Steppe People (the err...Steppe People) were deftly and richly drawn in their brief appearances. I also found the references to the 'Elf' artefacts and the 'Breaking of the World' to be especially intriguing. What exactly happened to tear the world apart like this?
This book was fronted by 2 strong leads. Thorn is a copy of Shy South who was a copy of Monza who was a watered down version of Ferro (I'm not the only one who thinks Abercrombie is really reliant on the tough, stubborn warrior-woman trope am I?) but at least the characteristic immaturity makes more sense in a teenager than a grown-ass woman. She's also by far the most likeable and engaging incarnation so far. Even with my cynicism about Abercrombie's over-use of the character type though Thorn's brilliantly written snarky dialogue, badassery, endearing stubbornness and occasional intelligent introspection made her really easy to root for. (Note: While it's more a side-note than anything I did find her fighting skills to be eye-rolling a lot of the time. I was willing to write it off as a YA-ism but given Abercrombie's otherwise consistent portrayal of a realistic world everywhere else throughout this book it was jarring that a teenage girl with a preference for not wearing armour and duel wielding a sword and axe (everyone's favourite unrealistic combat trope) was able to easily beat heavily armoured, fully grown men who had been training their entire lives as warriors.) For me Brand is the real star of this one. After reading Abercrombie's 6 main works last year I was frustrated by his chronic over-use of scarred, cynical warriors as MC. As such Brand's good-hearted, naive noob is a massive breath of fresh air and I really appreciate how Abercrombie has stepped out of his comfort zone here.
The secondary characters in this one were also great. After being underwhelmed by him in his role as lead character in the last one Yarvi was awesome in this one. The numerous descriptions of him as a 'deep cunning man' were borne out by his intelligent and morally ambiguous plotting, the scope and subtlety of which is unmatched in most adult fantasy books. Queen Laithlin was also an awesome character. I really appreciated how Abercrombie was able to show that a woman in this universe doesn't have to be a warrior to be powerful and dangerous (in this regard she reminded me of my favourite Abercrombie female character and one of my favourite characters in general, Finree from 'The Heroes'). Skifr was an interesting character although she sometimes fell too neatly into the aging, mysterious mentor trope. I also found the training regime that she used to turn Thorn into Rambo jr. to be really cliched and kind of unbelievable (it doesn't seem possible to make all that much forward progress when you're training is only done in short periods of time in between exhausting rowing on an arduous journey). The cast was also filled out by countless other likeable and interesting characters: Rin, Brand's loving sister with a genius for metalworking (sidenote: it's been a while since I read about it but iirc her method of producing awesome swords was the same used to produce the legendary Damascus steel irl during the Viking era, which, if true, is an awesome touch). Rulph, the sturdy, reliable former pirate from the last book. Fror, the veteran warrior who's explanations for his horrific scarring are always hilarious.
The plot in this one was filled with awesome adventure, devious plots and some great action (a battle scene featuring a shield wall was particularly memorable). Overall the plot of this one captured the best elements of YA; a fun, enjoyable adventure with plenty of likeable characters and combined it with some of the best elements of dark, adult fantasy: believable world-building, flawed, realistic characters and morally complex situations without any obvious good or bad. Despite a bit of mild swearing and quite a bit of violence this was definitely a lot more child-friendly than Abercrombie's previous work. The tone was also more lighter and more positive than his previous work (even Half a King which overall was much more YA than this) with things working out fairly well for the heroes. For me Abercrombie has surpassed any of his previous work by managing to write an intelligent, morally ambiguous story without having to rely on swearing, gore and a series of bad things happening to the heroes to make it 'grimdark'.
There is one aspect of his writing that returns although I would prefer it didn't; awkward 'romance' scenes. While these aren't as graphic as some of his other scenes (this being YA and all) Abercrombie reminds us why he is the 'King of Romance' with lines like: "Her lips were scummy, and her mouth was sour, and he didn’t care." For the most part I really like Abercrombie's gritty, cynical style however there are a few parts where I think the 'grit' is badly done. The sex scenes are definitely one of those aspects. In addition to some being especially uncomfortable to read (Jezal-Ardee remains the worst) pretty much all the other ones are also really awkward (the only exception I can think of is Calder and his wife at the start of 'The Heroes'). tbh if your sex life is as unpleasant, confusing and snot-filled as seemingly everyone's in Abercrombie's world..you're doing it wrong :D
Overall this was a gripping read that has completely changed my view of Abercrrombie's ability to write YA. After being disappointed by his last attempt the expert characterisation, immersive setting and mature, intelligent plot of this one has reminded me why Abercrombie is one of my very favourite authors working at the minute and left me genuinely psyched to read the final instalment of this trilogy.
One aspect that diverged from Abercrombie's usual fare was the setting. I've always considered world-building to be Abercrombie's Achilles Heel (The Union/Renaissance Europe, The Wild West in Red Country and Gurkhal/generic evil Islamic Empire were all particularly terrible) but in this I found his take on a Viking era Scandinavia in the midst of a post-apocalyptic version of our world (the subtle hints to which were brilliantly done) to be incredibly immersive. The violent, gritty and chaotic Viking world of the Dark Ages is a perfect fit for Abercrombie (reminiscent of his previous best setting, The North) while other cultures; Kalyiv (Kiev, Medieval Russia), The First of Cities (Constantinople, The Byzantine Empire) and The Steppe People (the err...Steppe People) were deftly and richly drawn in their brief appearances. I also found the references to the 'Elf' artefacts and the 'Breaking of the World' to be especially intriguing. What exactly happened to tear the world apart like this?
This book was fronted by 2 strong leads. Thorn is a copy of Shy South who was a copy of Monza who was a watered down version of Ferro (I'm not the only one who thinks Abercrombie is really reliant on the tough, stubborn warrior-woman trope am I?) but at least the characteristic immaturity makes more sense in a teenager than a grown-ass woman. She's also by far the most likeable and engaging incarnation so far. Even with my cynicism about Abercrombie's over-use of the character type though Thorn's brilliantly written snarky dialogue, badassery, endearing stubbornness and occasional intelligent introspection made her really easy to root for. (Note: While it's more a side-note than anything I did find her fighting skills to be eye-rolling a lot of the time. I was willing to write it off as a YA-ism but given Abercrombie's otherwise consistent portrayal of a realistic world everywhere else throughout this book it was jarring that a teenage girl with a preference for not wearing armour and duel wielding a sword and axe (everyone's favourite unrealistic combat trope) was able to easily beat heavily armoured, fully grown men who had been training their entire lives as warriors.) For me Brand is the real star of this one. After reading Abercrombie's 6 main works last year I was frustrated by his chronic over-use of scarred, cynical warriors as MC. As such Brand's good-hearted, naive noob is a massive breath of fresh air and I really appreciate how Abercrombie has stepped out of his comfort zone here.
The secondary characters in this one were also great. After being underwhelmed by him in his role as lead character in the last one Yarvi was awesome in this one. The numerous descriptions of him as a 'deep cunning man' were borne out by his intelligent and morally ambiguous plotting, the scope and subtlety of which is unmatched in most adult fantasy books. Queen Laithlin was also an awesome character. I really appreciated how Abercrombie was able to show that a woman in this universe doesn't have to be a warrior to be powerful and dangerous (in this regard she reminded me of my favourite Abercrombie female character and one of my favourite characters in general, Finree from 'The Heroes'). Skifr was an interesting character although she sometimes fell too neatly into the aging, mysterious mentor trope. I also found the training regime that she used to turn Thorn into Rambo jr. to be really cliched and kind of unbelievable (it doesn't seem possible to make all that much forward progress when you're training is only done in short periods of time in between exhausting rowing on an arduous journey). The cast was also filled out by countless other likeable and interesting characters: Rin, Brand's loving sister with a genius for metalworking (sidenote: it's been a while since I read about it but iirc her method of producing awesome swords was the same used to produce the legendary Damascus steel irl during the Viking era, which, if true, is an awesome touch). Rulph, the sturdy, reliable former pirate from the last book. Fror, the veteran warrior who's explanations for his horrific scarring are always hilarious.
The plot in this one was filled with awesome adventure, devious plots and some great action (a battle scene featuring a shield wall was particularly memorable). Overall the plot of this one captured the best elements of YA; a fun, enjoyable adventure with plenty of likeable characters and combined it with some of the best elements of dark, adult fantasy: believable world-building, flawed, realistic characters and morally complex situations without any obvious good or bad. Despite a bit of mild swearing and quite a bit of violence this was definitely a lot more child-friendly than Abercrombie's previous work. The tone was also more lighter and more positive than his previous work (even Half a King which overall was much more YA than this) with things working out fairly well for the heroes. For me Abercrombie has surpassed any of his previous work by managing to write an intelligent, morally ambiguous story without having to rely on swearing, gore and a series of bad things happening to the heroes to make it 'grimdark'.
There is one aspect of his writing that returns although I would prefer it didn't; awkward 'romance' scenes. While these aren't as graphic as some of his other scenes (this being YA and all) Abercrombie reminds us why he is the 'King of Romance' with lines like: "Her lips were scummy, and her mouth was sour, and he didn’t care." For the most part I really like Abercrombie's gritty, cynical style however there are a few parts where I think the 'grit' is badly done. The sex scenes are definitely one of those aspects. In addition to some being especially uncomfortable to read (Jezal-Ardee remains the worst) pretty much all the other ones are also really awkward (the only exception I can think of is Calder and his wife at the start of 'The Heroes'). tbh if your sex life is as unpleasant, confusing and snot-filled as seemingly everyone's in Abercrombie's world..you're doing it wrong :D
Overall this was a gripping read that has completely changed my view of Abercrrombie's ability to write YA. After being disappointed by his last attempt the expert characterisation, immersive setting and mature, intelligent plot of this one has reminded me why Abercrombie is one of my very favourite authors working at the minute and left me genuinely psyched to read the final instalment of this trilogy.
June 30, 2024
"Gli sciocchi si vantano di ciò che faranno, mentre gli eroi lo fanno."
Questo romanzo è furore, ma anche una celebrazione al cambiamento. Thorn una ragazza, un fuoco inestinguibile. Brand un ragazzo da emulare.
Alcuni anni sono passati dagli eventi narrati nel primo romanzo e la situazione politica dei regni del Mare Infranto stanno subendo una svolta che metterà a rischio la vita di molti.
Abercrombie torna prepotentemente nell' olimpo con un romanzo d'avventura, sangue ed emozioni. Perfetta dimostrazione che il suo fantasy può essere annoverato tra i migliori senza dover ricorrere a trovate con i fuochi d'artificio. Tornano i personaggi che bucano le pagine ed è come averli accanto, con le loro personalità granitiche e il loro carisma che rimane impresso a fuoco nella memoria. Anche stavolta Joe non manca, attraverso la violenza, di rappresentare la follia dell' uomo e della guerra.
Se il primo romanzo era una pioggerellina primaverile, questo è una tempesta di fulmini.
-------------------------------
"Fools boast of what they will do, while heroes do it."
This novel is furor, but also a celebration of change. Thorn a girl, an unquenchable fire. Brand a boy to emulate.
A few years have passed since the events narrated in the first novel and the political situation of the kingdoms of the Shattered Sea is undergoing a change that will put the lives of many at risk.
Abercrombie returns forcefully to Olympus with a novel of adventure, blood and emotions. Perfect demonstration that his fantasy can be counted among the best without having to resort to fireworks. The characters who pierce the pages are back and it is like having them next to you, with their granite personalities and their charisma that remains imprinted in the memory.
Even this time Joe does not fail, through violence, to represent the madness of man and war.
If the first novel was a spring drizzle, this one is a lightning storm.
Questo romanzo è furore, ma anche una celebrazione al cambiamento. Thorn una ragazza, un fuoco inestinguibile. Brand un ragazzo da emulare.
Alcuni anni sono passati dagli eventi narrati nel primo romanzo e la situazione politica dei regni del Mare Infranto stanno subendo una svolta che metterà a rischio la vita di molti.
Abercrombie torna prepotentemente nell' olimpo con un romanzo d'avventura, sangue ed emozioni. Perfetta dimostrazione che il suo fantasy può essere annoverato tra i migliori senza dover ricorrere a trovate con i fuochi d'artificio. Tornano i personaggi che bucano le pagine ed è come averli accanto, con le loro personalità granitiche e il loro carisma che rimane impresso a fuoco nella memoria. Anche stavolta Joe non manca, attraverso la violenza, di rappresentare la follia dell' uomo e della guerra.
Se il primo romanzo era una pioggerellina primaverile, questo è una tempesta di fulmini.
-------------------------------
"Fools boast of what they will do, while heroes do it."
This novel is furor, but also a celebration of change. Thorn a girl, an unquenchable fire. Brand a boy to emulate.
A few years have passed since the events narrated in the first novel and the political situation of the kingdoms of the Shattered Sea is undergoing a change that will put the lives of many at risk.
Abercrombie returns forcefully to Olympus with a novel of adventure, blood and emotions. Perfect demonstration that his fantasy can be counted among the best without having to resort to fireworks. The characters who pierce the pages are back and it is like having them next to you, with their granite personalities and their charisma that remains imprinted in the memory.
Even this time Joe does not fail, through violence, to represent the madness of man and war.
If the first novel was a spring drizzle, this one is a lightning storm.
February 7, 2015
4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/02/07/y...
You gotta hand it to Joe Abercrombie. Knocking it out of the park on his first venture into Young Adult territory could be seen as a fluke, but when he nails it again for a second time, it’s clearly a testament to his writing skills and versatility. This author is a master when it comes to storytelling, whether he’s writing for teens or adults.
Half the World is the follow-up-but-not-really-a-direct-sequel to Half a King, which introduced readers to the land of Gettland and a young prince with a crippled hand named Yarvi. A man grown now, Prince Yarvi has become Father Yarvi, a trusted minister to Gettland’s king, and is no longer the main focus; instead, that torch and its responsibilities have been passed on to sixteen-year-old Thorn Bathu, a girl with a fierce heart and a fighter’s spirit.
Determined to one day avenge her father, Thorn has been training for years to become a warrior of Gettland, only to fail on the day of her testing and be condemned to death for the accidental killing of a fellow student. When a young warrior named Brand speaks up on her behalf, Thorn is spared from execution only to be swept up along with Brand into an ambitious political plot devised by the cunning Father Yarvi, which sees the three of them and a ragtag crew embarking on an exciting but dangerous diplomatic mission across half the world.
For a society that worships a goddess referred to as Mother War, you would think they’d be more open and accepting of female warriors, but apparently not. It’s an uphill battle all the way for Thorn Bathu to prove herself to her teacher, her peers and even to her own mother, whom Thorn suspects had always wished for a daughter more into sewing and pretty dresses. But Thorn is who she is, and I can’t say I would have preferred it any other way. Not that kickass heroines are in short supply when it comes to the YA genre, but take any of the female protagonists in any of the more popular books in the genre these days, and I guarantee you Thorn will make every single one of them look like fluffy kittens. When I say Thorn is a tough girl, you definitely get a tough girl. That’s mainly because Abercrombie simply does not hold back when it comes to his characters; if he feels that a fight scene calls for his protagonist getting a knife through the cheek…well, she’s getting a knife through the cheek (“Ouch, sorry about that, Thorn, but it builds character!)
Not that Abercrombie is infallible. One thing to note is that there was not a full-blown romantic subplot in Half a King like there is in Half the World, and when it comes to writing a YA romance and a teenage girl’s perspective, he manages admirably though not without unintentional awkwardness. Scenes where Thorn is kicking ass and taking names seem to come naturally, but where her softer feelings for Brand are concerned (playing mental games of he-loves-me-he-loves-me-not, feeling jealous of other girls, appreciating the virtues of his well-toned backside, etc.) that’s when you sense that Abercrombie may be feeling a bit out of his comfort zone. It’s not too distracting; the moments where Thorn almost acts like a completely different person are more amusing than they are truly problematic. However, this does make Brand the more consistent character, and I sometimes found myself enjoying and looking forward to his chapters more than Thorn’s.
Story-wise, I also found the twists and turns in Half the World to be somewhat tamer and more predictable than in Half a King, though this might have something to do with the fact that we now know the character of Father Yarvi well enough to “expect the unexpected”. Nevertheless, I sailed through this novel loving every page of it, but the highlight was without a doubt the last few chapters that led up to and culminated in the stunning climax. For you see, fight scenes are a bit of a Joe Abercrombie specialty. Once the action starts, it’s impossible to tear your eyes away. The final showdown was one such sequence, with the suspense keeping you on the edge of seat until the moment of reckoning. As climaxes go, that was close to perfection. Before the ending, I was already pretty set on rating Half the World a solid 4 stars, but that one amazing scene alone made me bump it up to 4.5.
One thing is clear, though – the scene is now set for the next and final book of the trilogy. Seeing as how things have progressed so far, Half a War promises to be even more intense and exciting. I can’t wait.
You gotta hand it to Joe Abercrombie. Knocking it out of the park on his first venture into Young Adult territory could be seen as a fluke, but when he nails it again for a second time, it’s clearly a testament to his writing skills and versatility. This author is a master when it comes to storytelling, whether he’s writing for teens or adults.
Half the World is the follow-up-but-not-really-a-direct-sequel to Half a King, which introduced readers to the land of Gettland and a young prince with a crippled hand named Yarvi. A man grown now, Prince Yarvi has become Father Yarvi, a trusted minister to Gettland’s king, and is no longer the main focus; instead, that torch and its responsibilities have been passed on to sixteen-year-old Thorn Bathu, a girl with a fierce heart and a fighter’s spirit.
Determined to one day avenge her father, Thorn has been training for years to become a warrior of Gettland, only to fail on the day of her testing and be condemned to death for the accidental killing of a fellow student. When a young warrior named Brand speaks up on her behalf, Thorn is spared from execution only to be swept up along with Brand into an ambitious political plot devised by the cunning Father Yarvi, which sees the three of them and a ragtag crew embarking on an exciting but dangerous diplomatic mission across half the world.
For a society that worships a goddess referred to as Mother War, you would think they’d be more open and accepting of female warriors, but apparently not. It’s an uphill battle all the way for Thorn Bathu to prove herself to her teacher, her peers and even to her own mother, whom Thorn suspects had always wished for a daughter more into sewing and pretty dresses. But Thorn is who she is, and I can’t say I would have preferred it any other way. Not that kickass heroines are in short supply when it comes to the YA genre, but take any of the female protagonists in any of the more popular books in the genre these days, and I guarantee you Thorn will make every single one of them look like fluffy kittens. When I say Thorn is a tough girl, you definitely get a tough girl. That’s mainly because Abercrombie simply does not hold back when it comes to his characters; if he feels that a fight scene calls for his protagonist getting a knife through the cheek…well, she’s getting a knife through the cheek (“Ouch, sorry about that, Thorn, but it builds character!)
Not that Abercrombie is infallible. One thing to note is that there was not a full-blown romantic subplot in Half a King like there is in Half the World, and when it comes to writing a YA romance and a teenage girl’s perspective, he manages admirably though not without unintentional awkwardness. Scenes where Thorn is kicking ass and taking names seem to come naturally, but where her softer feelings for Brand are concerned (playing mental games of he-loves-me-he-loves-me-not, feeling jealous of other girls, appreciating the virtues of his well-toned backside, etc.) that’s when you sense that Abercrombie may be feeling a bit out of his comfort zone. It’s not too distracting; the moments where Thorn almost acts like a completely different person are more amusing than they are truly problematic. However, this does make Brand the more consistent character, and I sometimes found myself enjoying and looking forward to his chapters more than Thorn’s.
Story-wise, I also found the twists and turns in Half the World to be somewhat tamer and more predictable than in Half a King, though this might have something to do with the fact that we now know the character of Father Yarvi well enough to “expect the unexpected”. Nevertheless, I sailed through this novel loving every page of it, but the highlight was without a doubt the last few chapters that led up to and culminated in the stunning climax. For you see, fight scenes are a bit of a Joe Abercrombie specialty. Once the action starts, it’s impossible to tear your eyes away. The final showdown was one such sequence, with the suspense keeping you on the edge of seat until the moment of reckoning. As climaxes go, that was close to perfection. Before the ending, I was already pretty set on rating Half the World a solid 4 stars, but that one amazing scene alone made me bump it up to 4.5.
One thing is clear, though – the scene is now set for the next and final book of the trilogy. Seeing as how things have progressed so far, Half a War promises to be even more intense and exciting. I can’t wait.
March 27, 2023
4.5 Stars
"Fools boast of what they will do. Heroes do it"
Falling in line with the previous book in this series, Half the World takes you on an intense journey, full of twist and turns. While Father Yarvi, plays an important role, helping 'push' characters into place, this story isn't told from his POV. Instead we get Thorn, she young and surly, a woman in a world dominated by men, she is training to be a warrior. While Thorn is a little rough around the edges, I loved her character. And Brand, he is a good guy, always trying to do the right thing no matter the cost. When hard times fall on Thorn and Brand, Father Yarvi steps in. Thorn and Brand have trained together for years, it isn't until they find themselves in Father Yarvi's service that they begin to bond.
"When Mother War spreads her wings, she may cast the whole Shattered Sea into darkness."
I don't want to say much more, this story should just be experienced. The world building is excellent, and the characters, I cannot rave enough about them, they are complex and flawed, I enjoyed every minute of this one. I can't wait for more.
*ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
"Fools boast of what they will do. Heroes do it"
Falling in line with the previous book in this series, Half the World takes you on an intense journey, full of twist and turns. While Father Yarvi, plays an important role, helping 'push' characters into place, this story isn't told from his POV. Instead we get Thorn, she young and surly, a woman in a world dominated by men, she is training to be a warrior. While Thorn is a little rough around the edges, I loved her character. And Brand, he is a good guy, always trying to do the right thing no matter the cost. When hard times fall on Thorn and Brand, Father Yarvi steps in. Thorn and Brand have trained together for years, it isn't until they find themselves in Father Yarvi's service that they begin to bond.
"When Mother War spreads her wings, she may cast the whole Shattered Sea into darkness."
I don't want to say much more, this story should just be experienced. The world building is excellent, and the characters, I cannot rave enough about them, they are complex and flawed, I enjoyed every minute of this one. I can't wait for more.
*ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
July 5, 2017
I enjoyed Half the World more than I enjoyed Half a King. I'm not sure if that is because it was a better book or if it is just because I'm now more familiar with Abercrombie's writing style and with what to expect from his stories.
The big change in this second instalment instalment of the Shattered Sea series was the change in POV. The first book was told entirely from Yarvi's POV while this second instalment bounces between the POV's of Brand and Thorn. I felt like this was a smart choice by Abercrombie. Brand and Thorn definitely did not have the wits of Yarvi but they turned out to be a likeable pair and showed good growth over the course of the story and that made them easy characters to root for. Most of the best characters from the first book were back as secondary characters and it was good to glimpse them through different eyes.
The story was set a few years after the end of the first book. Yarvi is now a minister and set on finding allies for Getland's potential upcoming war with the High King. He takes disgraced young warriors Thorn and Brand along for the journey!
The story was enjoyable enough. There was a good mix of action and intrigue and Abercrombie managed to avoid the dull start and awful ending that tainted Half a King.
All in all I felt like this was a solid improvement on the first book in the series.
Rating: 4 stars.
Audio Note: I took a while getting used to some of the accents John Keating chose for some of the characters but once I did I enjoyed his performance of this well enough.
The big change in this second instalment instalment of the Shattered Sea series was the change in POV. The first book was told entirely from Yarvi's POV while this second instalment bounces between the POV's of Brand and Thorn. I felt like this was a smart choice by Abercrombie. Brand and Thorn definitely did not have the wits of Yarvi but they turned out to be a likeable pair and showed good growth over the course of the story and that made them easy characters to root for. Most of the best characters from the first book were back as secondary characters and it was good to glimpse them through different eyes.
The story was set a few years after the end of the first book. Yarvi is now a minister and set on finding allies for Getland's potential upcoming war with the High King. He takes disgraced young warriors Thorn and Brand along for the journey!
The story was enjoyable enough. There was a good mix of action and intrigue and Abercrombie managed to avoid the dull start and awful ending that tainted Half a King.
All in all I felt like this was a solid improvement on the first book in the series.
Rating: 4 stars.
Audio Note: I took a while getting used to some of the accents John Keating chose for some of the characters but once I did I enjoyed his performance of this well enough.
July 25, 2022
Segunda novela de la trilogía El mar quebrado, y si la primera me gustó esta la ha superado.
La historia está contada a través de dos de sus protagonistas, Espina y Brand en una trama dura, violenta y con unas escenas de batallas vívidas y llenas de tensión. Los personajes están muy bien perfilados, son complejos, carismáticos y crecen a lo largo de la novela, mencionando en especial a sus personajes femeninos, a los que dota de mucha personalidad. El romance se integra con mucha muy naturalidad y resulta coherente.
La ambientación es magnífica, con unas descripciones sencillas y efectivas.
La narración es ligera, adictiva y con toques de humor y ternura.
La historia está contada a través de dos de sus protagonistas, Espina y Brand en una trama dura, violenta y con unas escenas de batallas vívidas y llenas de tensión. Los personajes están muy bien perfilados, son complejos, carismáticos y crecen a lo largo de la novela, mencionando en especial a sus personajes femeninos, a los que dota de mucha personalidad. El romance se integra con mucha muy naturalidad y resulta coherente.
La ambientación es magnífica, con unas descripciones sencillas y efectivas.
La narración es ligera, adictiva y con toques de humor y ternura.
February 22, 2015
6 Deep Cunning Stars
Buddy Read with Athena (Shardbearer), , Steven, Michelle, Kristen and Jessica playing along.
I thought I loved Half a King...and I did but only half as much a Half the World.
Since I can't drop Half a King to 2.5 stars because that would be ridiculous and I can't give Half the World 9 stars because 5 is the highest I guess I'll settle for 6 Deep Cunning Stars
Joe Abercrombie has a great way with characters. He is one of those fantasy writers that aren’t afraid of flawed people, motives and moralities. I have found that his stories are driven much more by the characters in them than the actual plots and this is no exception to that rule but the story and plot line are very good and well developed as well.
Characters:
It has been three years since the event of Half a King and there are many characters old and new to be found. I was worried I would be disappointed by the story shifting to new people but I found that I liked the addition of Thorn and Brand to an older and wiser Father Yarvi’s entourage.
Thorn the strong willed teen with a chip on her shoulder and vengeance in her heart could have easily bugged me with her stubbornness and general attitude of it’s her against the entire world. Instead of me rolling my eyes at her, I found that I understood where she was coming from and I watched her transformation from someone who could brawl like a man into a clever and deadly killer.
Thorn went from this
to
Over time and with the help of an unusualJedi trainer she becomes one of the most deadly women alive and someone that songs are sung of. But she is always human, always flawed and forever trying to find her way.
Brand has dreamed of being a warrior for Gettland for as long as he can remember. He has dreamed of glory, serving his country and doing good.
He is so shocked to find that the leaders he has longed to serve for so long might be fallible too.
Brand is the character that tries to do the right thing no matter the cost to him. He is the character that is a hero without trying to be a hero. I loved his character and even though he makes mistakes along the way he is always looking out for those he cares for. He is reluctant to fight but is a terror when he does.
The growth of Brand and Thorn is amazing over the course of the story. They fought and trained with one another for years but didn’t become friends until they had to row a boat across Half the World in Father Yarvi’s service. The development of their relationship and the way each of them sees the other was heartwarming and the little inkling of romance I missed in Half a King.
Father Yarvi is a deep cunning man and JA tells us this all the time. I believe it though. He is a little darker in this installment and he is on a mission. He might have taken the oath to be a Father but he is still working to fulfill the oath he made to avenge the death of his own. How far will he go though?
Yarvi is taking some calculated risks and putting a lot of pieces in play, it will be interesting to see who he is willing to sacrifice in order to fulfill the one oath he seems set on keeping.
Yarvi is still a smart and interesting character and he is most definitely straddling the line between good/evil and light/shadow.
The Journey
Well like any good journey it is fraught with danger and peril. As the crew journey to find allies among enemies and Yarvi must me more cunning than the High King and Grandmother Wexxen if he is going to save Gettland.
Sometimes when there is a lot of traveling I get bored but the way it is set up with the different cities in this world and the time building comradery on the ship, because we all know how close oarmates become, I enjoyed it. There is plenty of time wheeling and dealing with foreign powers and trying to survive life threatening experiences that the story just flew by.
Overall
I liked this so much more than Half a King, which I totally adored. Was it the addition of a little bit of a romance? Or having Yarvi be a little older and teetering between good and evil? Or all the other crazy cool world building and characters? I’m not sure maybe it was all of the above. There just seemed to be a better blend of everything in this story. Plenty of surprises along the way and since it is JA you know that not every character will make it out alive. Nothing is ever guaranteed so I was nervous for my favorite characters many times in the story.
Buddy Read with Athena (Shardbearer), , Steven, Michelle, Kristen and Jessica playing along.
I thought I loved Half a King...and I did but only half as much a Half the World.
Since I can't drop Half a King to 2.5 stars because that would be ridiculous and I can't give Half the World 9 stars because 5 is the highest I guess I'll settle for 6 Deep Cunning Stars
Joe Abercrombie has a great way with characters. He is one of those fantasy writers that aren’t afraid of flawed people, motives and moralities. I have found that his stories are driven much more by the characters in them than the actual plots and this is no exception to that rule but the story and plot line are very good and well developed as well.
Characters:
It has been three years since the event of Half a King and there are many characters old and new to be found. I was worried I would be disappointed by the story shifting to new people but I found that I liked the addition of Thorn and Brand to an older and wiser Father Yarvi’s entourage.
Thorn the strong willed teen with a chip on her shoulder and vengeance in her heart could have easily bugged me with her stubbornness and general attitude of it’s her against the entire world. Instead of me rolling my eyes at her, I found that I understood where she was coming from and I watched her transformation from someone who could brawl like a man into a clever and deadly killer.
Thorn went from this
“She is wretched. She is all pride and anger. She has too much confidence and too little. She does not know herself.”
The figure pushed back her hood. A black-skinned old woman with a face lean as famine and hair shaved to gray fuzz. She picked her nose with one long forefinger, carefully examined the results, then flicked them away.
“The girl is stupid as a stump. Worse. Most stumps have the dignity to rot quietly without causing offense.”
to
Over time and with the help of an unusual
Brand has dreamed of being a warrior for Gettland for as long as he can remember. He has dreamed of glory, serving his country and doing good.
He is so shocked to find that the leaders he has longed to serve for so long might be fallible too.
Brand stared in sick disbelief. He’d been sure among all those lads someone would speak, for they were honest enough. Or Hunnan would tell his part in it, for he was a respected master-at-arms. The king or the queen would draw out the truth, for they were wise and righteous. The gods wouldn’t allow such an injustice to pass. Someone would do something. Maybe, like him, they were all waiting for someone else to put things right.
Brand is the character that tries to do the right thing no matter the cost to him. He is the character that is a hero without trying to be a hero. I loved his character and even though he makes mistakes along the way he is always looking out for those he cares for. He is reluctant to fight but is a terror when he does.
The growth of Brand and Thorn is amazing over the course of the story. They fought and trained with one another for years but didn’t become friends until they had to row a boat across Half the World in Father Yarvi’s service. The development of their relationship and the way each of them sees the other was heartwarming and the little inkling of romance I missed in Half a King.
“I don’t like the look of him,” she muttered to Brand.
He peered at her over the rim of his cup. “You don’t like the look of anyone.”
She’d never had any objection to the look of Brand at all, but she kept that to herself. “I like his look less than most, then. One of those people with nought in them but hard stares and hard words. Face like a slapped arse.”
He grinned into his ale at that. “Oh, I hate those people.”
She had to grin herself. “Beneath my forbidding exterior I’ve got hidden depths, though.”
“Well hidden,” he said, as he lifted his cup. “But I might be starting to plumb ’em.”
“Bold of you. Plumbing a girl without so much as a by your leave.”
He blew ale out of his nose, fell into a coughing fit and had to be clapped on the back
Father Yarvi is a deep cunning man and JA tells us this all the time. I believe it though. He is a little darker in this installment and he is on a mission. He might have taken the oath to be a Father but he is still working to fulfill the oath he made to avenge the death of his own. How far will he go though?
“...I have an oath to keep.”
Her smile faded. “I didn’t think you took your oaths that seriously.”
“This one I do,” said Father Yarvi.
“Will you break the world to keep it?”
“I hope it won’t come to that.”
Yarvi is taking some calculated risks and putting a lot of pieces in play, it will be interesting to see who he is willing to sacrifice in order to fulfill the one oath he seems set on keeping.
Yarvi is still a smart and interesting character and he is most definitely straddling the line between good/evil and light/shadow.
The Journey
Well like any good journey it is fraught with danger and peril. As the crew journey to find allies among enemies and Yarvi must me more cunning than the High King and Grandmother Wexxen if he is going to save Gettland.
Sometimes when there is a lot of traveling I get bored but the way it is set up with the different cities in this world and the time building comradery on the ship, because we all know how close oarmates become, I enjoyed it. There is plenty of time wheeling and dealing with foreign powers and trying to survive life threatening experiences that the story just flew by.
Overall
I liked this so much more than Half a King, which I totally adored. Was it the addition of a little bit of a romance? Or having Yarvi be a little older and teetering between good and evil? Or all the other crazy cool world building and characters? I’m not sure maybe it was all of the above. There just seemed to be a better blend of everything in this story. Plenty of surprises along the way and since it is JA you know that not every character will make it out alive. Nothing is ever guaranteed so I was nervous for my favorite characters many times in the story.
February 5, 2017
Decir que este segundo libro me ha gustado es quedarme corta. Los nuevos personajes son increíbles y están muy bien caracterizados, así mismo como Yarvi y su mundo!
February 3, 2015
Joe Abercrombie's Half the World is half again better than Half a King which got less than half the attention it deserved.
March 9, 2016
Half the World by Joe Abercrombie was half good. I loved the addition of Thorn Barthu as a new protagonist; she is one tough bitch, and one this series desperately needed. However, I found Brand to be nothing but bland and boring. Also, there wasn’t enough of Farther Yarvi in this book. At points he felt like furniture, despite the fact that he was the mastermind behind the whole adventure. Without the addition of the hostile, bad tempered and brutal fighting Thorn Barthu, I may have stopped reading the series at this point; her toughness saved it all for me.
"Why the mad hair, girl?"
"Because damn you," growled Thorn, "that's why."
She’s one tough girl, and one who undergoes a lot of character development. She begins the novel as a relatively unexperienced warrior in training, and by the end she is bold enough to challenge the best of them. She goes toe to toe with the mighty warlord, and gives as good as she gets; she faces down many men and has them running in fear; she defends a princess and earns a name: she becomes a warrior of the Shattered Sea. I like her character. She has developed in a believable and well-paced way, which is quite surprising considering how short this novel is. She has come far through her vigorous training with a very mysterious character. For me, she has saved the novel, and gave me a reason to actually read the next book.
The problems
So I like Thorn, but I found Brand very weak. He is physically strong, but emotionally he is quite vulnerable and a little bit of a doormat. This seems a little odd to me considering the world he is in. He has been raised by warriors and has trained amongst warriors, yet he doesn’t really have a warrior’s heart. The most exciting thing he does in the novel is haul a boat up a hill. This is no exaggeration; this was literally his moment of heroism in the story. Yawn. The main problem with him is that he undergoing a romance with Thorn. Yes, Thorn. I found this unbelievable. Surely, a woman like her would be attracted to a real man, a man with the strength to match her own? This part of the plot for me just felt silly, and considering how it ends in the next book makes it look even more stupid.
In addition to this, I wanted to see a little bit more of Farther Yarvi. Yes, he is in the plot. Yes, he is a major character in the story. But, I was disappointed not to have him as a point of view character. I feel that this series needs its strong warrior (Thorn) but it also needs to be narrated by the farther of lies; it needs to be narrated by a person who represents the scheming side of the Shattered Sea. I think the novel would have been stronger because he too would have undergone a large amount of character development. I mean, he has already, but if he was a central point of view character then it would be felt more deeply. Overall, I did like this, but I feel like it could have been better.
The Shattered Sea
1.Half a King- An enjoyable three stars
2.Half the World- A fair three stars
3.Half a War- A good warmongering 3.5 stars.
"Why the mad hair, girl?"
"Because damn you," growled Thorn, "that's why."
She’s one tough girl, and one who undergoes a lot of character development. She begins the novel as a relatively unexperienced warrior in training, and by the end she is bold enough to challenge the best of them. She goes toe to toe with the mighty warlord, and gives as good as she gets; she faces down many men and has them running in fear; she defends a princess and earns a name: she becomes a warrior of the Shattered Sea. I like her character. She has developed in a believable and well-paced way, which is quite surprising considering how short this novel is. She has come far through her vigorous training with a very mysterious character. For me, she has saved the novel, and gave me a reason to actually read the next book.
The problems
So I like Thorn, but I found Brand very weak. He is physically strong, but emotionally he is quite vulnerable and a little bit of a doormat. This seems a little odd to me considering the world he is in. He has been raised by warriors and has trained amongst warriors, yet he doesn’t really have a warrior’s heart. The most exciting thing he does in the novel is haul a boat up a hill. This is no exaggeration; this was literally his moment of heroism in the story. Yawn. The main problem with him is that he undergoing a romance with Thorn. Yes, Thorn. I found this unbelievable. Surely, a woman like her would be attracted to a real man, a man with the strength to match her own? This part of the plot for me just felt silly, and considering how it ends in the next book makes it look even more stupid.
In addition to this, I wanted to see a little bit more of Farther Yarvi. Yes, he is in the plot. Yes, he is a major character in the story. But, I was disappointed not to have him as a point of view character. I feel that this series needs its strong warrior (Thorn) but it also needs to be narrated by the farther of lies; it needs to be narrated by a person who represents the scheming side of the Shattered Sea. I think the novel would have been stronger because he too would have undergone a large amount of character development. I mean, he has already, but if he was a central point of view character then it would be felt more deeply. Overall, I did like this, but I feel like it could have been better.
The Shattered Sea
1.Half a King- An enjoyable three stars
2.Half the World- A fair three stars
3.Half a War- A good warmongering 3.5 stars.
February 17, 2015
2/17/15: Now Available!
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
5 Stars!
This book was simply amazing! I was completely enchanted by this story from the first page until the very last word. I was so excited to get my hands on an early copy of this book because I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Half a King. I had really high expectations when I started this book and I was a little fearful that this book wouldn't be able to compare to the first book in the series. This book is just as awesome as the first in the series.
I believe that this story is best experienced as the story is being read so I am not going to give any of the plot away in this review. Joe Abercrombie has created one of the most likable, fierce, and kick ass female characters that I have encountered. Thorn has been kissed by Mother War and is more a warrior than most men that hold that position. She fights for a chance to do what she feels in her blood but is met with resistance. After a few twists of fate, she finds herself serving Father Yarvi. Brand is another main character in this story who I loved Brand just as much as I loved Thorn. Brand is a quiet man who is willing to do the right thing despite what it may cost him.
The writing in this story was excellent. I felt for all of the characters. I experienced their anger, their fear, and their joy. I cheered for them when things went well and my heart broke a little when things didn't go so well. The fact that I felt of these emotions while reading this story is really a credit to the author. I loved the world that this story is set in and some of the visual images that come to mind from this world are just amazing. The pacing of the story was perfect with enough building of characters between the action scenes. I even found myself being completely amused by some of the dialog between the characters. Everything is this book is perfectly balanced.
I do think that this book could be read as a stand alone novel as the story contained in this book is complete. On second thought though, the first book is absolutely incredible so I don't know why anyone would want to skip it so I would recommend that readers read this story in order. Many of the characters from the first book are back in the sequel as fans of the series will be happy to note. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. I think that everyone really should give this series a try - it really is that good. This is only the second book by Joe Abercrombie that I have read and both books have been amazing. I plan to read much more by this author in the future.
I received a copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group via Net Galley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
5 Stars!
This book was simply amazing! I was completely enchanted by this story from the first page until the very last word. I was so excited to get my hands on an early copy of this book because I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Half a King. I had really high expectations when I started this book and I was a little fearful that this book wouldn't be able to compare to the first book in the series. This book is just as awesome as the first in the series.
"Fools boast of what they will do. Heroes do it"
I believe that this story is best experienced as the story is being read so I am not going to give any of the plot away in this review. Joe Abercrombie has created one of the most likable, fierce, and kick ass female characters that I have encountered. Thorn has been kissed by Mother War and is more a warrior than most men that hold that position. She fights for a chance to do what she feels in her blood but is met with resistance. After a few twists of fate, she finds herself serving Father Yarvi. Brand is another main character in this story who I loved Brand just as much as I loved Thorn. Brand is a quiet man who is willing to do the right thing despite what it may cost him.
"A fool doesn't fear. A warrior stands in spite of his fear. You stood."
The writing in this story was excellent. I felt for all of the characters. I experienced their anger, their fear, and their joy. I cheered for them when things went well and my heart broke a little when things didn't go so well. The fact that I felt of these emotions while reading this story is really a credit to the author. I loved the world that this story is set in and some of the visual images that come to mind from this world are just amazing. The pacing of the story was perfect with enough building of characters between the action scenes. I even found myself being completely amused by some of the dialog between the characters. Everything is this book is perfectly balanced.
"Your trouble is you make everyone's trouble your trouble."
I do think that this book could be read as a stand alone novel as the story contained in this book is complete. On second thought though, the first book is absolutely incredible so I don't know why anyone would want to skip it so I would recommend that readers read this story in order. Many of the characters from the first book are back in the sequel as fans of the series will be happy to note. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. I think that everyone really should give this series a try - it really is that good. This is only the second book by Joe Abercrombie that I have read and both books have been amazing. I plan to read much more by this author in the future.
I received a copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group via Net Galley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
February 2, 2015
MY VIDEO REVIEW OF THIS SWEET AWESOME BOOK IS NOW LIVE!!!!
Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB5k5...
Transcript:
Guys, it can't get any more Viking than this.
If Half the King was awesome, Half the World was twice as that. If Half the King blew my mind away, Half the World exploded it to smithereens. I'm not sure how Joe Abercrombie did it, and honestly, I'm kinda scared to know, but somehow, he managed to make the second book of this amazing series even better than the first. Who knew?! Especially since Half the World unravels teh plot through the point of views of two people, and neither of them Yarvi, who was the hero in Half the King and 95% of the reason why it was so fucking kick ass. I don't know about you, folks, but it's kind of hard to topple a cripple who has the mind and wisdom of a cunning old man.
So who are these characters? Meet Thorn, a teenage girl with a heart of a warrior, maybe even THE warrior. If Yarvi's strength is his brain, this girl's strengths is her brawn. She's a beast in the battlefield and that's what I love about her. She starts as a snarling, growling, selfish heroine and turns into a snarling, growling, kick-ass knife-wielding Viking, and it can't get any better than that. Then there's also Brand, a teenage boy who believed he wanted to be a warrior, but is a good man at heart - a guy who keeps thinking what good is it to be good if it yields unfortunate consequences? But does them all the same because that is simply him.
So there's Yarvi, the brains, who is more in the background, but a major part of the story nevertheless. And there's Thorn, the muscle; and there's Brand, the heart. A stunning combination that may seem pretty whack at first but results to a beautiful narrative of glory, deceit, and lastly, courage.
I hope I don't seem cheesy and that I'm making you guys SALIVATE FOR THE BOOK.
Now, see, this book is more... character-driven, than plot-driven, I find. Obviously, there is some plot going on, but when I read it, it was more about the transformation of both Thorn and Brand and how they became the people they were at the end of the book, and how the events that happen help shape them into the individuals they will become- and trust me, many of them are pretty blood-pumping. I absolutely adored all three of them, and the side characters as well, and by the end of the book, I kept rolling over and over on my bed because I couldn't keep still because of my growing excitement! This may not be about Yarvi anymore, but the action is just as great, if not greater, than the previous book.
And I can't praise the writing enough. It is EXQUISITE. It is ATMOSPHERIC. It's BRILLIANT. You can really feel the Viking atmosphere through the words and the surroundings and world-building.
You want Vikings? You want to see glory? You want to see the tension and the calm before the storm? This book fits all of the above, and you can't get anything better than this.
Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB5k5...
Transcript:
Guys, it can't get any more Viking than this.
If Half the King was awesome, Half the World was twice as that. If Half the King blew my mind away, Half the World exploded it to smithereens. I'm not sure how Joe Abercrombie did it, and honestly, I'm kinda scared to know, but somehow, he managed to make the second book of this amazing series even better than the first. Who knew?! Especially since Half the World unravels teh plot through the point of views of two people, and neither of them Yarvi, who was the hero in Half the King and 95% of the reason why it was so fucking kick ass. I don't know about you, folks, but it's kind of hard to topple a cripple who has the mind and wisdom of a cunning old man.
So who are these characters? Meet Thorn, a teenage girl with a heart of a warrior, maybe even THE warrior. If Yarvi's strength is his brain, this girl's strengths is her brawn. She's a beast in the battlefield and that's what I love about her. She starts as a snarling, growling, selfish heroine and turns into a snarling, growling, kick-ass knife-wielding Viking, and it can't get any better than that. Then there's also Brand, a teenage boy who believed he wanted to be a warrior, but is a good man at heart - a guy who keeps thinking what good is it to be good if it yields unfortunate consequences? But does them all the same because that is simply him.
So there's Yarvi, the brains, who is more in the background, but a major part of the story nevertheless. And there's Thorn, the muscle; and there's Brand, the heart. A stunning combination that may seem pretty whack at first but results to a beautiful narrative of glory, deceit, and lastly, courage.
I hope I don't seem cheesy and that I'm making you guys SALIVATE FOR THE BOOK.
Now, see, this book is more... character-driven, than plot-driven, I find. Obviously, there is some plot going on, but when I read it, it was more about the transformation of both Thorn and Brand and how they became the people they were at the end of the book, and how the events that happen help shape them into the individuals they will become- and trust me, many of them are pretty blood-pumping. I absolutely adored all three of them, and the side characters as well, and by the end of the book, I kept rolling over and over on my bed because I couldn't keep still because of my growing excitement! This may not be about Yarvi anymore, but the action is just as great, if not greater, than the previous book.
And I can't praise the writing enough. It is EXQUISITE. It is ATMOSPHERIC. It's BRILLIANT. You can really feel the Viking atmosphere through the words and the surroundings and world-building.
You want Vikings? You want to see glory? You want to see the tension and the calm before the storm? This book fits all of the above, and you can't get anything better than this.
May 30, 2020
Half the world takes us on quite a journey albeit not as entertaining as the one offered by the first instalment of the Shattered Sea trilogy. One thing I discovered (hell yes, Captain Obvious!) that the Shattered Sea
is in fact Baltic Sea
after an apocalyptic event that "shattered" our civilisation. In this sense Abercrombie's world is very akin to Mark Lawrence's Broken Empire.
But in my reading, I didn’t pitch Abercrombie against Lawrence (or any other fantasy or YA author for that matter), I pitched Abercrombie against Abercrombie for only this seemed fair. He held his ground, but it was a close match.
In Half the World we meet some old friends and make some new. Yarvi, or Father Yarvi now, gathers a crew in order to set out on a journey that will allow him to find allies for Gettland alienated by High King’s machinations, and, ultimately, fulfil his oath to avenge his murdered father. They go across the sea, up the Divine (Dvina) and down the Denied (Dnieper) River, through Kalyiv (Kiev), to the First of Cities (Constantinople). It is quite a journey.
The burden of the narrative is carried by two new voices: Thorn and Brand. Thorn is a daughter of a knight killed in a duel by the fearsome Grom-gil-Gorm. Becoming a warrior, a Chosen Shield, is the sole purpose of her life. Tough life in the men’s world. But to be honest, Thorn is not really a woman in the making.
After an incidental and inadvertent murder she commits when pitched against an impossible odds, she is sentenced to be stoned and promptly recused by none other than Father Yarvi who sees in her a perfect tool to implement all his deep-cunning plans. You have a cut-board of your typical badass, kickass heroine, not really comfortable with all things female. Very much like Disgraceling and the lot of them, but overall more likeable.
Brand is a man who wants “to stand in the light”. There is inherent goodness to him. A desire to make this ugly world a tad better place. Brand works hard to take care of himself and his younger sister in the absence of their parents, and after work, he goes off to the training square, because this is what every respectable young man in Gettland does. Becomes a warrior worthy of a place in King’s raid, that is. And Brand nearly does, but in the final moment, his own goodness stands in the way. He becomes an outcast on the way to self-annihilation but, luckily for him, Father Yarvi has other plans. Thus they both embark on a journey with him and on their respective personal journeys from larvae to butterflies.
I couldn’t help it but the comparisons with Monza and Shivers from Best Served Cold came unbidden.
Thorn is Monza in her youth, not yet broken and jaded. Socially awkward (“at starting fights she was an expert, but all other etiquette was a mystery), something of an outsider (“merry-making has never made Thorn especially merry, though”) but a killing machine through and through.
“I am the storm.”
“As yet, more of a drizzle,” said Skifr.”
This is where my first objection to Half the World makes a stand. I was sorely disappointed in Abercrombie ideas of character development in this instalment of the Shattered Sea. In the previous book, Yarvi was tried and prove himself to be worthy in the smelter of life. He has marked himself as the gold of the highest quality. Thorn, instead of coming to terms with her femininity and her place in the world, just shrugged the silly notion off
“Thorn shrugged. “I am not an expert on pretty. Girls neither for that matter.”
“You are one, aren’t you?”
“So my mother tells me.” She added in a mutter, “Opinion’s divided.”
I agree with Mogsy that getting a knife in a cheek is best what Abercrombie has to offer in terms of character development (this and frequent blowing snot through your nose, preferably during emotionally tense moments). Brand, on the other hand, does not develop one jot in my opinion (at least he is not destroyed like Shivers if that counts for something). He is just there like a prop for the romance, one of the worst ever I read in YA and/or fantasy. Honestly, the romance is awful. I do not even see a rationale for it. It’s like an editor convinced Abercrombie that romantic subplot is a must-have feature if he attempts to write YA. And so, Joe tried, bless him. Tried and failed miserably to the detriment to the whole novel.
My final objection concerns the plot. It is not that the plot design roughly repeats the beaten track of the previous instalment (although it does), it is that in comparison to the masterful twists and feints of Half a King storytelling, it borders on plot conveniences. There are far too many shortcuts in Half the World to my liking.
All in all, pleasant but not outstanding. If you feel the first book in the series already took you outside of your comfort zone, stop right there (as it is a perfect standalone) and do not continue with the series. If you find YA/fantasy your daily bread, be prepared for bread with no butter on it.
Also in the series:
1. Half a King ★★★★☆
3. Half a War ★★★☆☆
is in fact Baltic Sea
after an apocalyptic event that "shattered" our civilisation. In this sense Abercrombie's world is very akin to Mark Lawrence's Broken Empire.
But in my reading, I didn’t pitch Abercrombie against Lawrence (or any other fantasy or YA author for that matter), I pitched Abercrombie against Abercrombie for only this seemed fair. He held his ground, but it was a close match.
In Half the World we meet some old friends and make some new. Yarvi, or Father Yarvi now, gathers a crew in order to set out on a journey that will allow him to find allies for Gettland alienated by High King’s machinations, and, ultimately, fulfil his oath to avenge his murdered father. They go across the sea, up the Divine (Dvina) and down the Denied (Dnieper) River, through Kalyiv (Kiev), to the First of Cities (Constantinople). It is quite a journey.
The burden of the narrative is carried by two new voices: Thorn and Brand. Thorn is a daughter of a knight killed in a duel by the fearsome Grom-gil-Gorm. Becoming a warrior, a Chosen Shield, is the sole purpose of her life. Tough life in the men’s world. But to be honest, Thorn is not really a woman in the making.
After an incidental and inadvertent murder she commits when pitched against an impossible odds, she is sentenced to be stoned and promptly recused by none other than Father Yarvi who sees in her a perfect tool to implement all his deep-cunning plans. You have a cut-board of your typical badass, kickass heroine, not really comfortable with all things female. Very much like Disgraceling and the lot of them, but overall more likeable.
Brand is a man who wants “to stand in the light”. There is inherent goodness to him. A desire to make this ugly world a tad better place. Brand works hard to take care of himself and his younger sister in the absence of their parents, and after work, he goes off to the training square, because this is what every respectable young man in Gettland does. Becomes a warrior worthy of a place in King’s raid, that is. And Brand nearly does, but in the final moment, his own goodness stands in the way. He becomes an outcast on the way to self-annihilation but, luckily for him, Father Yarvi has other plans. Thus they both embark on a journey with him and on their respective personal journeys from larvae to butterflies.
I couldn’t help it but the comparisons with Monza and Shivers from Best Served Cold came unbidden.
Thorn is Monza in her youth, not yet broken and jaded. Socially awkward (“at starting fights she was an expert, but all other etiquette was a mystery), something of an outsider (“merry-making has never made Thorn especially merry, though”) but a killing machine through and through.
“I am the storm.”
“As yet, more of a drizzle,” said Skifr.”
This is where my first objection to Half the World makes a stand. I was sorely disappointed in Abercrombie ideas of character development in this instalment of the Shattered Sea. In the previous book, Yarvi was tried and prove himself to be worthy in the smelter of life. He has marked himself as the gold of the highest quality. Thorn, instead of coming to terms with her femininity and her place in the world, just shrugged the silly notion off
“Thorn shrugged. “I am not an expert on pretty. Girls neither for that matter.”
“You are one, aren’t you?”
“So my mother tells me.” She added in a mutter, “Opinion’s divided.”
I agree with Mogsy that getting a knife in a cheek is best what Abercrombie has to offer in terms of character development (this and frequent blowing snot through your nose, preferably during emotionally tense moments). Brand, on the other hand, does not develop one jot in my opinion (at least he is not destroyed like Shivers if that counts for something). He is just there like a prop for the romance, one of the worst ever I read in YA and/or fantasy. Honestly, the romance is awful. I do not even see a rationale for it. It’s like an editor convinced Abercrombie that romantic subplot is a must-have feature if he attempts to write YA. And so, Joe tried, bless him. Tried and failed miserably to the detriment to the whole novel.
My final objection concerns the plot. It is not that the plot design roughly repeats the beaten track of the previous instalment (although it does), it is that in comparison to the masterful twists and feints of Half a King storytelling, it borders on plot conveniences. There are far too many shortcuts in Half the World to my liking.
All in all, pleasant but not outstanding. If you feel the first book in the series already took you outside of your comfort zone, stop right there (as it is a perfect standalone) and do not continue with the series. If you find YA/fantasy your daily bread, be prepared for bread with no butter on it.
Also in the series:
1. Half a King ★★★★☆
3. Half a War ★★★☆☆
June 12, 2020
Τρίτη φορά λοιπόν που διαβάζω και το δεύτερο βιβλίο της σειράς, το οποίο είναι και το αγαπημένο μου! Η αλήθεια είναι πως από αυτό το reread περισσότερο ανυπομονώ για το 3 το οποίο και δεν έχω ξαναδιαβάσει και το οποίο ξεκινάω άμεσα!
Όσο αναφορά τώρα αυτό το βιβλίο αφήνω τις προηγούμενες σκέψεις μου:
2η Ανάγνωση:
5/5 γιατί τα καλά βιβλία συνεχίζουν να είναι καλά και στη 2η ανάγνωση!
Η Θορν είναι γεννημένη πολεμίστρια. Αλλά επειδή είναι κορίτσι πρέπει να προσπαθεί δυο φορές πιο σκληρά από τους υπόλοιπους για να καταφέρει να κερδίσει μια θέση στο στρατό του βασιλιά. Όταν όμως την κατηγορούν για φόνο, τα όνειρα της γκρεμίζονται και για να σωθεί αναγκάζεται να βρεθεί στην υπηρεσία του Πατέρα Γιάρβι.
Εν τω μεταξύ η Γκέτλαντ βρίσκεται στα πρόθυρα του πολέμου με τον Υψηλό Βασιλέα που εξουσιάζει τους πάντες στην Τσακισμένη Θάλασσα. Γι' αυτό το λόγο λοιπόν, ο Γιάρβι θα πρέπει να ταξιδέψει μισό κόσμο μακριά, μέχρι την Αυτοκρατορία του Νότου, ώστε να βρει συμμάχους. Μαζί του στο δύσκολο αυτό ταξίδι θα πάρει την Θορν, αλλά και τον Μπραντ, έναν φιλήσυχο πολεμιστή που προσπαθεί πάντα να μένει στο φως κάνοντας το σωστό.
Πραγματικά μια από τις καλύτερες σειρές που έχω διαβάσει!!
Πολύ καλοί χαρακτήρες, συμπαθέστατοι ήρωες και μισητοί εχθροί. Συνωμοσίες, δολοπλοκίες, όρκοι εκδίκησης και παιχνίδια εξουσίας. Υπέροχες ατάκες, δράση, ανατροπές και πολύ καλή εξέλιξη της ιστορίας! Πραγματικά απολαυστικό!
Επίσης μου άρεσε που είχαμε διαφορετικούς πρωταγωνιστές από το προηγούμενο! Με αυτό τον τρόπο μπορούσαμε να δούμε τα γεγονότα και από μια άλλη οπτική.
Συγκριτικά βέβαια, εγώ προτιμώ τον Γιάρβι κι ας ήταν λίγο κακούλης (για να μην πω σατανικούλης). Εγώ μια αδυναμία του την έχω! ;p
Και επειδή αυτή ήταν η δεύτερη φορά που το διαβάζω, έχω να πω πως ήταν εξίσου καλό με την πρώτη φορά! Γιατί, ναι εντάξει, μπορεί να ήξερα τι γίνεται, αλλά δεν βαρέθηκα στιγμή! Και επειδή δεν είχα αγωνία για το τέλος μπόρεσα και έδωσα προσοχή στις λεπτομέρειες!
Τώρα σειρά έχει ο Μισός Πόλεμος!
1η ανάγνωση: 5/5
**η άποψη μου για όλη τη σειρά εδώ: https://wordpress64426.wordpress.com/...
Όσο αναφορά τώρα αυτό το βιβλίο αφήνω τις προηγούμενες σκέψεις μου:
2η Ανάγνωση:
5/5 γιατί τα καλά βιβλία συνεχίζουν να είναι καλά και στη 2η ανάγνωση!
Η Θορν είναι γεννημένη πολεμίστρια. Αλλά επειδή είναι κορίτσι πρέπει να προσπαθεί δυο φορές πιο σκληρά από τους υπόλοιπους για να καταφέρει να κερδίσει μια θέση στο στρατό του βασιλιά. Όταν όμως την κατηγορούν για φόνο, τα όνειρα της γκρεμίζονται και για να σωθεί αναγκάζεται να βρεθεί στην υπηρεσία του Πατέρα Γιάρβι.
Εν τω μεταξύ η Γκέτλαντ βρίσκεται στα πρόθυρα του πολέμου με τον Υψηλό Βασιλέα που εξουσιάζει τους πάντες στην Τσακισμένη Θάλασσα. Γι' αυτό το λόγο λοιπόν, ο Γιάρβι θα πρέπει να ταξιδέψει μισό κόσμο μακριά, μέχρι την Αυτοκρατορία του Νότου, ώστε να βρει συμμάχους. Μαζί του στο δύσκολο αυτό ταξίδι θα πάρει την Θορν, αλλά και τον Μπραντ, έναν φιλήσυχο πολεμιστή που προσπαθεί πάντα να μένει στο φως κάνοντας το σωστό.
Πραγματικά μια από τις καλύτερες σειρές που έχω διαβάσει!!
Πολύ καλοί χαρακτήρες, συμπαθέστατοι ήρωες και μισητοί εχθροί. Συνωμοσίες, δολοπλοκίες, όρκοι εκδίκησης και παιχνίδια εξουσίας. Υπέροχες ατάκες, δράση, ανατροπές και πολύ καλή εξέλιξη της ιστορίας! Πραγματικά απολαυστικό!
Επίσης μου άρεσε που είχαμε διαφορετικούς πρωταγωνιστές από το προηγούμενο! Με αυτό τον τρόπο μπορούσαμε να δούμε τα γεγονότα και από μια άλλη οπτική.
Συγκριτικά βέβαια, εγώ προτιμώ τον Γιάρβι κι ας ήταν λίγο κακούλης (για να μην πω σατανικούλης). Εγώ μια αδυναμία του την έχω! ;p
Και επειδή αυτή ήταν η δεύτερη φορά που το διαβάζω, έχω να πω πως ήταν εξίσου καλό με την πρώτη φορά! Γιατί, ναι εντάξει, μπορεί να ήξερα τι γίνεται, αλλά δεν βαρέθηκα στιγμή! Και επειδή δεν είχα αγωνία για το τέλος μπόρεσα και έδωσα προσοχή στις λεπτομέρειες!
Τώρα σειρά έχει ο Μισός Πόλεμος!
1η ανάγνωση: 5/5
**η άποψη μου για όλη τη σειρά εδώ: https://wordpress64426.wordpress.com/...
December 14, 2015
Situada un tiempo después de “Medio Rey”, la guerra contra el Alto Rey está cada vez más cerca y el Padre Yarvi necesita reunir aliados para que Gettlandia pueda combatir. Así, Espina, una chica bendecida por la Madre Guerra y Brand, un chico que sueña con ser guerrero, terminan siendo reclutados por el Padre Yarvi y encaminados en una gran aventura en busca de aliados para Gettlandia, que los llevará por innumerables peligros y viejos conocidos.
Si bien Medio Rey me gustó mucho, con Medio Mundo ya me he enamorado de la trilogía. En este segundo volumen, que tenemos narrado a través de dos puntos de vista (Espina y Brand) la historia es aún mejor, aunque un poquito más predecible. La progresión y madurez que vamos observando en nuestros dos protagonistas es una delicia. Además la presencia del romance, llevado de una forma natural y gradual, sin que sea un elemento importante en la historia, es una gozada. Además nuestros dos protagonistas son un dúo dinámico muy bueno, con chispa, y que hacen que un giro de tuerca a los roles tradicionales de la fantasía salga aún mejor.
Adoro la forma de narrar de Abercrombie. Ligero, rápido de leer, adictivo, divertido, con capítulos cortos y llenos de diálogos y pensamientos simplemente geniales e ingeniosos, y sobre todo, muy reales. Y como no, los dos puntos fuertes que siempre se dicen de Abercrombie: sus personajes, de nuevo de 10, no existe un personaje plano en su historia y eso siempre es de agradecer, por no decir ya el valor de los personajes femeninos. Y en segundo lugar, su forma de escribir escenas, descripciones directas, crudas, con escenas de lucha que inundan la imaginación de cualquier lector.
Desde aquí no puedo más que recomendar que os pongáis ya con esta trilogía. Yo estoy deseando ya que llegue Enero, que se publique Media Guerra y poder conocer cómo se va a cerrar toda la historia. Por su historia y sus personajes, por su calidad narrativa, es una obra que no me voy a cansar de recomendar. Si os gusto Medio Rey no lo dudéis, y si aún no habéis caído en las fauces de Yarvi, ya estáis tardando.
Si bien Medio Rey me gustó mucho, con Medio Mundo ya me he enamorado de la trilogía. En este segundo volumen, que tenemos narrado a través de dos puntos de vista (Espina y Brand) la historia es aún mejor, aunque un poquito más predecible. La progresión y madurez que vamos observando en nuestros dos protagonistas es una delicia. Además la presencia del romance, llevado de una forma natural y gradual, sin que sea un elemento importante en la historia, es una gozada. Además nuestros dos protagonistas son un dúo dinámico muy bueno, con chispa, y que hacen que un giro de tuerca a los roles tradicionales de la fantasía salga aún mejor.
Adoro la forma de narrar de Abercrombie. Ligero, rápido de leer, adictivo, divertido, con capítulos cortos y llenos de diálogos y pensamientos simplemente geniales e ingeniosos, y sobre todo, muy reales. Y como no, los dos puntos fuertes que siempre se dicen de Abercrombie: sus personajes, de nuevo de 10, no existe un personaje plano en su historia y eso siempre es de agradecer, por no decir ya el valor de los personajes femeninos. Y en segundo lugar, su forma de escribir escenas, descripciones directas, crudas, con escenas de lucha que inundan la imaginación de cualquier lector.
Desde aquí no puedo más que recomendar que os pongáis ya con esta trilogía. Yo estoy deseando ya que llegue Enero, que se publique Media Guerra y poder conocer cómo se va a cerrar toda la historia. Por su historia y sus personajes, por su calidad narrativa, es una obra que no me voy a cansar de recomendar. Si os gusto Medio Rey no lo dudéis, y si aún no habéis caído en las fauces de Yarvi, ya estáis tardando.
August 4, 2019
★★★☆☆½
Here we have the 2nd book in yet another YA trilogy. Apparently, the days of the standalone story are coming to an end. But who can blame the folks pushing this trend, when the sheer number of things pulling at a kid’s attention nowadays is approaching critical mass? Considering we’ve entered into the Golden Age of Television, with bigger and badder movies by the season, plus all the amazing console games, and nonstop distractions from social media, texting, and mobile apps. Then you somehow still have to find the time for homework, sports, and exercise. It’s a wonder any kid would choose to pick up some lame ass book for “entertainment purposes.” And reading for leisure, much like baseball, religion, smoking, prostitution, drug-muling, murder for hire, etc. etc., is another in a long list of activities which need to target the younger generation in order to develop those long-term patrons. So whenever an author finds himself with the rare opportunity to reel a kid into his story, he better set that hook deep, then string ‘em along for as long as possible.
I thought the first book did an excellent job at that. Hell, I’ve told so may readers who’ve sworn off of YA, “Wait, give it one more chance. Try Half a King see what you think.” I really loved that book, for the most part, but this one failed to reel me in. Originally, I blamed myself because this clearly contained many of the same elements as book one:
That highly quotable writing style:
❅The moment you pause will be the moment you die…
❅The best place to sheathe a blade is in your enemy’s back…
❅“Fools boast of what they will do. Heroes do it.”
A likable cast of characters:
❅She was used to wearing a brave face, however scared she was. But Death is a hard mistress to face bravely. The hardest.
❅He flashed a yellow wolf-smile and she saw his teeth were filed across the front with killer’s grooves.
❅“He’s yet to realize that the more you learn the more you understand the size of your own ignorance.”
A decent storyline:
❅“In time, she will send half the world against us. If we are to resist her, we need allies”
“Where do we find allies?”
Father Yarvi smiled. “Among our enemies, where else?”
Barring the dreaded, teen angst:
❅In that look she saw her silly bloody hopes as twisted and broken as she’d left that Lowlander’s arm, and it was no one’s fault but her own. She shouldn’t have let herself hope, but hopes are like weeds: however often you root them out they keep on springing up.
Aside from the typical miscommunication of feelings, thankfully this book eschews many of the common YA tropes. But, even so, it’s not without its problems.
First, mine and probably everyone’s favorite character from the first book, Yarvi, is relegated to a side character in this one. He’s wiser, more mature, and more standoffish, as he leads our ragtag group on a long journey to gather up allies in their imminent battle with the High King. Most of the narrative follows two of the younger crew members.
Second, I’m still not sure you can even consider this fantasy. While there are numerous references to elves and even a few elven relics, there’s still not much in the way of magic, so what you’re left with is a relatively simplistic medieval tale (think wooden boats, horses, swords, armor, bow & arrows, etc.).
My main problem though is that everything just seems a little too lightweight. There’s a great deal of training, a bit of travel, one minor battle, a disappointing duel, some manipulation and scheming . . . and that’s about it. Don’t get me wrong, the story is once again well-told and well-written, with another colorful cast of characters, but there just isn’t too much to it.
However, to end on a positive note, I would like to say kudos to Mr. Abercrombie for not only writing believable but also some truly badass female characters. Thorn in this book and Ferro in the First Law series could tear most men to shreds.
Half a King (Book One): ★★★★☆½
Half the World (Book Two): ★★★☆☆½ rounded down
Here we have the 2nd book in yet another YA trilogy. Apparently, the days of the standalone story are coming to an end. But who can blame the folks pushing this trend, when the sheer number of things pulling at a kid’s attention nowadays is approaching critical mass? Considering we’ve entered into the Golden Age of Television, with bigger and badder movies by the season, plus all the amazing console games, and nonstop distractions from social media, texting, and mobile apps. Then you somehow still have to find the time for homework, sports, and exercise. It’s a wonder any kid would choose to pick up some lame ass book for “entertainment purposes.” And reading for leisure, much like baseball, religion, smoking, prostitution, drug-muling, murder for hire, etc. etc., is another in a long list of activities which need to target the younger generation in order to develop those long-term patrons. So whenever an author finds himself with the rare opportunity to reel a kid into his story, he better set that hook deep, then string ‘em along for as long as possible.
I thought the first book did an excellent job at that. Hell, I’ve told so may readers who’ve sworn off of YA, “Wait, give it one more chance. Try Half a King see what you think.” I really loved that book, for the most part, but this one failed to reel me in. Originally, I blamed myself because this clearly contained many of the same elements as book one:
That highly quotable writing style:
❅The moment you pause will be the moment you die…
❅The best place to sheathe a blade is in your enemy’s back…
❅“Fools boast of what they will do. Heroes do it.”
A likable cast of characters:
❅She was used to wearing a brave face, however scared she was. But Death is a hard mistress to face bravely. The hardest.
❅He flashed a yellow wolf-smile and she saw his teeth were filed across the front with killer’s grooves.
❅“He’s yet to realize that the more you learn the more you understand the size of your own ignorance.”
A decent storyline:
❅“In time, she will send half the world against us. If we are to resist her, we need allies”
“Where do we find allies?”
Father Yarvi smiled. “Among our enemies, where else?”
Barring the dreaded, teen angst:
❅In that look she saw her silly bloody hopes as twisted and broken as she’d left that Lowlander’s arm, and it was no one’s fault but her own. She shouldn’t have let herself hope, but hopes are like weeds: however often you root them out they keep on springing up.
Aside from the typical miscommunication of feelings, thankfully this book eschews many of the common YA tropes. But, even so, it’s not without its problems.
First, mine and probably everyone’s favorite character from the first book, Yarvi, is relegated to a side character in this one. He’s wiser, more mature, and more standoffish, as he leads our ragtag group on a long journey to gather up allies in their imminent battle with the High King. Most of the narrative follows two of the younger crew members.
Second, I’m still not sure you can even consider this fantasy. While there are numerous references to elves and even a few elven relics, there’s still not much in the way of magic, so what you’re left with is a relatively simplistic medieval tale (think wooden boats, horses, swords, armor, bow & arrows, etc.).
My main problem though is that everything just seems a little too lightweight. There’s a great deal of training, a bit of travel, one minor battle, a disappointing duel, some manipulation and scheming . . . and that’s about it. Don’t get me wrong, the story is once again well-told and well-written, with another colorful cast of characters, but there just isn’t too much to it.
However, to end on a positive note, I would like to say kudos to Mr. Abercrombie for not only writing believable but also some truly badass female characters. Thorn in this book and Ferro in the First Law series could tear most men to shreds.
Half a King (Book One): ★★★★☆½
Half the World (Book Two): ★★★☆☆½ rounded down
March 14, 2017
It was ok but it's definitively weakest Abercrombie's book. Like previous book it lacked that bloody edge First law book seem to have but I found book 1 overall much more interesting. Here pace is too slow and book dragged on despite being short, more things happen in 100 pages of average First law book than in entire Half the Worlds.
Three stars isn't low rating and this book wasn't bad especially for YA standards but my expectations from Abercrombie are the highest and I recently finished his Red country so I can even more feel huge contrast and quality drop between First law and Shattered Sea.
Three stars isn't low rating and this book wasn't bad especially for YA standards but my expectations from Abercrombie are the highest and I recently finished his Red country so I can even more feel huge contrast and quality drop between First law and Shattered Sea.
April 15, 2016
4.5 stars
I've found my new fantasy fix.
Half A World is just as good as its predecessor. Taking place a good while after Half A King, it is narrated by two new characters: Thorn and Brand. Yarvi and the old gang appear, but this is obviously, utterly their story.
Ever since she was a child, Thorn has dreamed of being a warrior and avenging herself on the man who killed her father. So despite convention, she toughs it out on the training grounds until she accidentally kills a trainee. Brand speaks up against her execution and he's booted off the war line, too.
Two ex-soldiers thirsting for glory. What do you think happens next? Hint: it involves Father Yarvi.
I absolutely loved Thorn. She reminds me of Katsa from Graceling without the weird misogynistic undertones. She can kick some serious ass, but never looks down on women who wear dresses or prefer words over weapons. Although she's brash and far from eloquent, she's never defiant to the point of stupidity.
Her journey from Girl Who Can Throw A Few Punches to Captain Badass is amazing. Skifr, her mentor, is amazing.
Brand grew on me. I didn't like him at first. He seemed like a dullard with boring morals. But his journey at sea tests his courage and moral compass. He fleshes out into a character whose actions and thoughts and I can nod at and think, "Yes, I might have done that, too."
Together, Thorn and Brand are like Katniss and Peeta. You can imagine how composed I was when reading their interactions.
One complaint I have is the writing. It doesn't seem as polished as Half A King. I'm already on the final book, Half A War, and the writing's fabulous there, so it's just a one-time thing.
I'm also a little disappointed with how Isruin is treated. In the previous book, she swore revenge on Yarvi and I admit I was praying this book would be a continuation of her story. She's a fascinating and complex character, and I hope we see her again in the final book.
I leave you with this scene. Because Skifr is awesome.
My review of Half A King
My review of Half A War
"Thorn nodded, frowning. "I am the storm."
"As yet, more of a drizzle," said Skifr. "But we are only beginning."
I've found my new fantasy fix.
Half A World is just as good as its predecessor. Taking place a good while after Half A King, it is narrated by two new characters: Thorn and Brand. Yarvi and the old gang appear, but this is obviously, utterly their story.
Ever since she was a child, Thorn has dreamed of being a warrior and avenging herself on the man who killed her father. So despite convention, she toughs it out on the training grounds until she accidentally kills a trainee. Brand speaks up against her execution and he's booted off the war line, too.
Two ex-soldiers thirsting for glory. What do you think happens next? Hint: it involves Father Yarvi.
I absolutely loved Thorn. She reminds me of Katsa from Graceling without the weird misogynistic undertones. She can kick some serious ass, but never looks down on women who wear dresses or prefer words over weapons. Although she's brash and far from eloquent, she's never defiant to the point of stupidity.
Her journey from Girl Who Can Throw A Few Punches to Captain Badass is amazing. Skifr, her mentor, is amazing.
"You must be quicker to strike and quicker when you do. You must be tougher and quicker when you do, you must always look to attack, and you must fight without honor, without conscience, without pity. Do you understand?"
Brand grew on me. I didn't like him at first. He seemed like a dullard with boring morals. But his journey at sea tests his courage and moral compass. He fleshes out into a character whose actions and thoughts and I can nod at and think, "Yes, I might have done that, too."
"If we can't hurt the shepherds, we'll have to hurt the flock."
"It wasn't sheep did this, nor shepherds neither. It was warriors."
Together, Thorn and Brand are like Katniss and Peeta. You can imagine how composed I was when reading their interactions.
[Thorn:] "I'm selfish."
[Brand:] "You're... ambitious, I like that."
"I'm bitter."
"You're funny. I like that too."
She rubbed gently at her scarred cheek. "I'm ugly."
Anger burned up in him then, so hot it took him by surprise. "Who bloody said so? Cause first they're wrong and second I'll punch their teeth out."
"I can punch 'em myself."
One complaint I have is the writing. It doesn't seem as polished as Half A King. I'm already on the final book, Half A War, and the writing's fabulous there, so it's just a one-time thing.
I'm also a little disappointed with how Isruin is treated. In the previous book, she swore revenge on Yarvi and I admit I was praying this book would be a continuation of her story. She's a fascinating and complex character, and I hope we see her again in the final book.
I leave you with this scene. Because Skifr is awesome.
"Your first lesson. Always be ready. If I can hit you, you deserve to be hit."
[...]
Thorn clambered to her knees, shaking out her throbbing arm, to find her old friend Brand standing over her, a sack on his shoulder and a grin on his face.
Skifr grinned back. "Funny, eh?"
"Little bit," said Brand.
Skifr slapped him across the face and he tottered against a post... "Are you teaching me to fight?"
"No. But I see no reason you shouldn't be ready too."
My review of Half A King
My review of Half A War
February 3, 2021
The second book in the Shattered Sea Trilogy but no middle book syndrome showing here at all. Abercrombie brings back some of the best characters from the first book and introduces new favourites as well.
One of this author’s greatest talents is writing characters, good and bad, warts and all. His females are always rough and tough and in this book the main character’s name, Thorn, says it all. Father Yarvi is back from book one and is still totally delightful and just as untrustworthy as ever. Brand is introduced as a romantic foil for Thorn. As romantic as Abercrombie ever gets anyway.
The story tells of perilous journeys, a lot of political skulduggery, treachery, and friendship. The action is continuous and there is never a good moment to put the book down. Really enjoyable and I still have book three to look forward to.
One of this author’s greatest talents is writing characters, good and bad, warts and all. His females are always rough and tough and in this book the main character’s name, Thorn, says it all. Father Yarvi is back from book one and is still totally delightful and just as untrustworthy as ever. Brand is introduced as a romantic foil for Thorn. As romantic as Abercrombie ever gets anyway.
The story tells of perilous journeys, a lot of political skulduggery, treachery, and friendship. The action is continuous and there is never a good moment to put the book down. Really enjoyable and I still have book three to look forward to.
January 25, 2015
Abercrombie returns magnificently with Half the World, a tale full of cracking action, mystery and intrigue, and blood soaked adventures.
Sometimes a girl is touched by Mother War. Thorn is such a girl. Desperate to avenge her dead father, she lives to train and fight. But after being accused of murder she is inadvertently swept up in the schemes of Father Yarvi, who is crossing the world to find allies against the ruthless High King. Beside her is Brand, a young warrior who hates to kill. A failure in his eyes and hers, he will have only once chance at redemption. Lessons will be learnt. Hard lessons. Lessons in blood and deceit.
I have been looking forward to this sequel for so long, and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest! Half the World is a rollicking tale of conflict, politics, and romance that is a wonderful follow up to Half a King. Fast paced and easily accessible, Half the World unfolds like a beautiful and blood soaked Viking epic (albeit geared towards a younger market) that is building to an amazing conclusion in book three.
Like all Abercrombie books, Half the World incorporates many typical elements of his writing. It has wit in spades... grimy violence.. plot twists and betrayal... and a driven and character focused narrative. In fact, one of Abercrombie's greatest talents as a writer is his ability to portray flawed and layered characters, and this is again highlighted in Half the World.
An example of this is Thorn. At first she is depicted as your typical heroine... brash... strong... and full of piss and vinegar. But as the story unfolds we see her vulnerability and deep insecurity come to the forefront as she desperately tries to find validation on the battlefield. This weakness added an incredible depth to her character, and it was fascinating to see her question herself and her place throughout the book as she was exposed to the wider world.
Brand, another one of the protagonists, is also brilliantly flawed and broken. He is a warrior who hates to kill in a world where strength and violence are celebrated. He struggles with this shame and failure everyday, and Thorn views him as weak and useless. His relationship to Thorn is incredible well depicted, and their later romantic tension and conflict is a major highlight of Half the World. Abercrombie portrays these two young adults realistically. Both struggle with their place in the world, both are angst ridden and confused, and both make plenty of mistakes with each other as they are exposed to the harsh reality of the world around them. Half The World is as much a coming of age story as it is a political and adventure story, and it makes for a fantastically interesting tale.
This brings me to Yarvi, arguably my favourite character of the book. Father Yarvi is older and wiser in Half The World. He has grown into his role as a politician and diplomat, and he now displays a very hard and pragmatic ethos. He is neither good or bad in this story, just realistic and aware of the dire threat that the High King poses to Gettland. Playing the puppet master, he manoeuvres people and kingdoms around like a master as he desperately seeks to bring allies to Gettlands cause. I absolutely adored how he was portrayed in Half the World, especially since I knew full well how he became (from Half a King) who he is now. He, like all of Abercrombie's characters, displays a dark side that occasionally surfaces in Half the World, and his brand of 'gunboat diplomacy' was blood soaked and magnificent to behold.
The world building, like in Half a King, was again brilliant, rich, and full of context. I could literally taste the salt and earthiness in the air at times, and I loved how Abercrombie described and took me out into the wider universe he created through the travels of Yarvi, Thorn, and Brand. The great mystery of the Elves, and their Elf magic, still lingers throughout this book, and it was fun to pick up on all of the clues that were littered throughout the story. I can't wait to see this mystery revealed, and how the events of Half the World unfold in the future!
All in all Half the World is a fantastic sequel to Half a King. It will probably not satisfy those who were disappointed with Half a King, or those who yearn for Abercrombie to return to the days of The Blade Itself, but it will definitely enthral younger readers and those who loved Half a King.
Abercrombie has, with Half the World, delivered a fast paced and adventurous tale of action, mystery, and blood that is easily accessible to new readers and fans alike. One of my reads of the year so far... highly recommended!
4 out of 5 stars.
smashdragons.blogspot.com.au
A review copy was provided.
Sometimes a girl is touched by Mother War. Thorn is such a girl. Desperate to avenge her dead father, she lives to train and fight. But after being accused of murder she is inadvertently swept up in the schemes of Father Yarvi, who is crossing the world to find allies against the ruthless High King. Beside her is Brand, a young warrior who hates to kill. A failure in his eyes and hers, he will have only once chance at redemption. Lessons will be learnt. Hard lessons. Lessons in blood and deceit.
I have been looking forward to this sequel for so long, and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest! Half the World is a rollicking tale of conflict, politics, and romance that is a wonderful follow up to Half a King. Fast paced and easily accessible, Half the World unfolds like a beautiful and blood soaked Viking epic (albeit geared towards a younger market) that is building to an amazing conclusion in book three.
Like all Abercrombie books, Half the World incorporates many typical elements of his writing. It has wit in spades... grimy violence.. plot twists and betrayal... and a driven and character focused narrative. In fact, one of Abercrombie's greatest talents as a writer is his ability to portray flawed and layered characters, and this is again highlighted in Half the World.
An example of this is Thorn. At first she is depicted as your typical heroine... brash... strong... and full of piss and vinegar. But as the story unfolds we see her vulnerability and deep insecurity come to the forefront as she desperately tries to find validation on the battlefield. This weakness added an incredible depth to her character, and it was fascinating to see her question herself and her place throughout the book as she was exposed to the wider world.
Brand, another one of the protagonists, is also brilliantly flawed and broken. He is a warrior who hates to kill in a world where strength and violence are celebrated. He struggles with this shame and failure everyday, and Thorn views him as weak and useless. His relationship to Thorn is incredible well depicted, and their later romantic tension and conflict is a major highlight of Half the World. Abercrombie portrays these two young adults realistically. Both struggle with their place in the world, both are angst ridden and confused, and both make plenty of mistakes with each other as they are exposed to the harsh reality of the world around them. Half The World is as much a coming of age story as it is a political and adventure story, and it makes for a fantastically interesting tale.
This brings me to Yarvi, arguably my favourite character of the book. Father Yarvi is older and wiser in Half The World. He has grown into his role as a politician and diplomat, and he now displays a very hard and pragmatic ethos. He is neither good or bad in this story, just realistic and aware of the dire threat that the High King poses to Gettland. Playing the puppet master, he manoeuvres people and kingdoms around like a master as he desperately seeks to bring allies to Gettlands cause. I absolutely adored how he was portrayed in Half the World, especially since I knew full well how he became (from Half a King) who he is now. He, like all of Abercrombie's characters, displays a dark side that occasionally surfaces in Half the World, and his brand of 'gunboat diplomacy' was blood soaked and magnificent to behold.
The world building, like in Half a King, was again brilliant, rich, and full of context. I could literally taste the salt and earthiness in the air at times, and I loved how Abercrombie described and took me out into the wider universe he created through the travels of Yarvi, Thorn, and Brand. The great mystery of the Elves, and their Elf magic, still lingers throughout this book, and it was fun to pick up on all of the clues that were littered throughout the story. I can't wait to see this mystery revealed, and how the events of Half the World unfold in the future!
All in all Half the World is a fantastic sequel to Half a King. It will probably not satisfy those who were disappointed with Half a King, or those who yearn for Abercrombie to return to the days of The Blade Itself, but it will definitely enthral younger readers and those who loved Half a King.
Abercrombie has, with Half the World, delivered a fast paced and adventurous tale of action, mystery, and blood that is easily accessible to new readers and fans alike. One of my reads of the year so far... highly recommended!
4 out of 5 stars.
smashdragons.blogspot.com.au
A review copy was provided.
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