Last Argument of Kings

The First Law: Book Three

By: Joe Abercrombie

Narrated by: Steven Pacey

The end is coming.

Logen Ninefingers might only have one more fight in him - but it's going to be a big one. Battle rages across the North, the King of the Northmen still stands firm, and there's only one man who can stop him. His oldest friend, and his oldest enemy. It's past time for the Bloody-Nine to come home.

With too many masters and too little time, Superior Glokta is fighting a different kind of war. A secret struggle in which no-one is safe, and no-one can be trusted. His days with a sword are far behind him. It's a good thing blackmail, threats and torture still work well enough.

Jezal dan Luthar has decided that winning glory is far too painful, and turned his back on soldiering for a simple life with the woman he loves. But love can be painful too, and glory has a nasty habit of creeping up on a man when he least expects it.

While the King of the Union lies on his deathbead, the peasants revolt and the nobles scramble to steal his crown. No-one believes that the shadow of war is falling across the very heart of the Union. The First of the Magi has a plan to save the world, as he always does. But there are risks. There is no risk more terrible, after all, than to break the First Law...©2008 Joe Abercrombie

Critic reviews

Highly recommended - a funny, finely-wrought, terrifically energetic work of high fantasy. Seek it out (Joe Hill)

LAST ARGUMENT OF KINGS signs off the trilogy on a high, interspersing breathless skirmishes with thriller-like moments. You should always end with the best. Wow them in the final act... get them on their feet applauding when the curtain falls. LAST ARGUMENT OF KINGS is the textbook example of this theory in practice

Breathtaking moments, great characters and grim laughs

"Put together a terrific cast of characters ... add in magic, war, plots within plots and you have a positive feast for the ears." 20 August 2010 (Kati Nicholl)

Over & All...

Pretty good series....
Last book was good, ending?
Well, like I said earlier Pretty Good series.
Narrator, was fairly good. But like all of us... He had his moments.

Enjoy :-)

pretty good

What made the experience of listening to Last Argument of Kings the most enjoyable?

There are quite a few cliff hangers in this series and they keep you interested till the end.

Would you be willing to try another book from Joe Abercrombie? Why or why not?

Yes, he seems to get better and better as he writes

Which scene was your favorite?

Logan and Ferrow (did I spell this right?) fighting the practicles in the streets

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes it was

Any additional comments?

I listened to this series because reviews seemed to say that it was just as good as A Song of Ice and Fire, but it wasn't. Don't get me wrong, this is a very good series, however the characters (not near as many) and the plot wasn't as complex as George R Martins story.

gripping story, absolutely superb narration

What did you love best about Last Argument of Kings?

Steven Pacey knows how to tell a story! His inflection, modulation, pitch...it was constantly changing with the narrative, at all of the proper places. I had read the entire trilogy before discovering audible.com, and I loved all of the books as well. Pacey has definitely done it justice!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Last Argument of Kings?

For me, when one of the main characters of the story unwittingly commits a great atrocity against a dear friend...his having to live with it afterwards...

What does Steven Pacey bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Steven Pacey's modulation is outstanding: he is loud when he needs to be loud, pensive when he needs to be pensive; he seasons the story with wit, terror, and visceral emotion...he gives his characters their own voices, so that a dialogue can be followed without the narration stating who is currently speaking. He truly brought the story to life.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me laugh at times, and wince at others...The First Law trilogy is both whimsical and very dark. Joe Abercrombie doesn't gild the lily when describing battles or human nature...

Any additional comments?

All three of the audio books are superb, and I have listened to them more than once.

Good story. Well read.

Very good story even if it is derivative at times. The voice acting is consistent and professional. Some characters sounded like well known actors e.g Bethod was Richard Burton. But this was only a minor distraction.

Great ending!

Would you listen to Last Argument of Kings again? Why?

Probably not because I don't tend to re-listen to books,

What did you like best about this story?

The characters and plot build up to a great ending.

Have you listened to any of Steven Pacey’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Great, just like the previous books.