Best Served Cold

By: Joe Abercrombie

Narrated by: Steven Pacey

Length: 26 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

Springtime in Styria. And that means war. There have been nineteen years of blood. The ruthless Grand Duke Orso is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling League of Eight, and between them they have bled the land white.

While armies march, heads roll and cities burn, behind the scenes bankers, priests and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king. War may be hell but for Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins, the most feared and famous mercenary in Duke Orso's employ, it's a damn good way of making money too. Her victories have made her popular - a shade too popular for her employer's taste.

Betrayed, thrown down a mountain and left for dead, Murcatto's reward is a broken body and a burning hunger for vengeance. Whatever the cost, seven men must die.

©2010 Joe Abercrombie (P)2010 Orion Publishing Group Limited

Delicious

Another triumph by the best current writer of epic fantasy. From the first page Joe Abercrombie's Best Served Cold is a deliciously sordid tale of revenge, murder, cowardice, triumph and trial.

The narrative is pacey and very well constructed. The scenes each build upon each other as the book progresses. The book is also on funny. There are many moments when you can't help but laugh (and then feel guilty for laughing).

The main characters are each triumphant yet flawed; dogged yet weak; hateful yet at the same time likeable. Although none of the characters are typically heroic, you can't help but sympathise with them, notwithstanding how despicable they can be.

Michael Page is excellent.

One of my top 10 audiobooks of the last 12 months. The book caused me to laugh, sympathise, despise the violence, root for the under dog, hate the hero whilst at the same time willing her to victory...a simply delicious book.

Not Abercrombie’s best, but a good read. Excellent narration.

Abercrombie’s portrayal of autism spectrum character Friendly is very interesting. The betrayal/revenge trope is satisfying as usual,
and as usual J.A. throws you into the grit and filth of a violent pre-industrial city and a tale of extremes. His dark humour and easy familiarity with the gory truth of violence is a strange mix. The characters are varying degrees of despicable, with the exception of the exploited Friendly white just wants to go back to the order of life in jail, yet you’ll find yourself warming to them, then cheering them on. Not his best, but better than most adventure out there these days.

Another amazing story by Joe Abercrombie.

After finishing his 4th book, I can clearly say he is one of my favourite writers of all time. His character development and dialogues are so realistically crafted and so entertaining to read/listen to.

Best Served Cold's premise might sound like a cliche revenge story, but the story is full of twists and turns.

The narration by Steven Pacey is simply flawless!

I might be addicted now and can't wait for the next book!

Awesome

What did you love best about Best Served Cold?

It takes a hold of you from the first few minutes and does not let go until it's over.

amazing story and performance

Steven pacey once again delivers an incredible performance that digs into the grit of Abercrombies work. this series and world get better and better with each work

the love is in the details.

Joe Abercrombie can write. He plays mas with the English language. His characters are truthful, more honest than the humans populating the earth at this moment. and in their honesty they become better. Some characters are honest from the beginning some get more honest as the story progresses... just as in real life. Terrific themes. All young men should be made to read the books of the FIRST LAW world, where men and women come in different packages but are no less for that

Gritty and funny

Violent, graphic, see-saw of a revenge story. Good stuff again. Now we know all about Styria

not for all tastes

Found this book a bit too gruesome for myself. The underlying story is quite interesting for the more hardened listeners.

Rise fall and rise again

Too long. The characters got hard to back near the end. But the world is still really captivating.

It was fine

Totally fine book. Interesting plot developments even if some were kind of predictable. Pretty much none of the characters were likeable though, and for such a long listen, you really need at least one person to root for.