Last Argument of Kings

The First Law: Book Three

By: Joe Abercrombie

Narrated by: Steven Pacey

Length: 27 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

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 top him. His oldest friend and his oldest enemy. It’s 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 too painful, and turned his back on soldiering for a life with the woman he loves. But love can be painful too, and glory has a nasty habit of creeping up on someone.

While the King of the Union lies on his death bed, 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. But there are risks. There is no risk more terrible, after all, than to break the First Law.

©2008 Joe Abercrombie (P)2010 Orion Publishing Group Limited

A fitting end? but not at the same level

Don't get me wrong, the book ia really good. The problem is the other two were better, and I expect more from the "last one". It's the last one of this trilogy at least.
Some of the surprises are good but easy to discover before, some are good and hard to discover before, even with some clues. Other surprises come from nowhere and that is bad. Didn't like how some of them became to be, almost "deus ex machina".
The characters continue to be great at been the worst human beings posible.

The narrator is absolutely amazing again, impresive job with the voices.

Superb

Story and narrator perfection - Steven brings so much to Joes fantastic world and the characters we love.

wow

loved this. Narration is great. helps that the story is brilliant. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys grim/dark fantasy.

Realistically good

Really well written. I loved the character growth and character stagnation. Can't say I loved the way it ended, but I understood the reasonings.

I just how I get to see more of these characters later on in this first law world. Some of them deserve a lesson...

I just can't give it a rating as good as the last one.

Steven Pacey is my hero!

Much like life, this is a bitter sweet tale. Things don't always end up the way we planned them.

You have to be realistic, as Logan would say.

Maybe not the closure you wanted

The three books are very well written. The story brings in lots of the standard fantasy elements, the dashing fighter, the unpredictable barbarian, the troubling wizard, the epic journey to uncover the mysterious artefact, and turns them on their head! The narration is wonderful, a true performance. It was often hard to believe that some of the voices were really the same person. Great direction. Some have voiced disappointment at a certain lack of closure but I found the finale well written and, though somewhat open ended, thoroughly enjoyable.

This my first

I have listened to over 100 books. This is the first time I have taken the time to write a review. The story was terrific. The narrator was fantastic. I agree the the ending could have been more complete. Still lots of fun.

funny and gut wrenching.

you love the characters then you hate them and reverse. unique plot line with actually surprising twist that don't leave you thinking "predictable".

Bookhead

How could I listen to all three books?? Hours n hours! But I couldn't put it down. What a bunch of vivid characters and twisted motivations tangling together and despite the sometimes grim and brutal content still coming together to intrigue and please the listener and draw you, willingly, on. This is an adventure epic certainly but it's the wonderful characterizations that kept me spellbound, and just when you think you've understood a character fully a new layer shade or slant emerges which forces you to reassess and look back on the motivation earlier in the story... so engaging. And the performance is masterful. Completely consistent and beautifully nuanced, a joy to listen to. And after all that story, one starts to suspect t there could never bear a satisfying ending... but all the threads are artfully collected, even more stray threads than immediately obvious, not in an 'okay need to tie it all up now' manner, but smoothly and naturally each character rounded out, and enough punch in the closing to make one smile and say "YES!" In satisfaction. What a ride. It's grim brutal and violent at times but never gratuitously so... and there are characters here you will love to keep with you just to ponder over long after the closing credits.

Hard to find a better narator and storyline

I am new to Audio books and I happened to stumble on this trilogy as my first audio book. I couldn't stop listening. Steven Pacey did such a good job I started to know the characters by the voices which drew me into the storyline. I wish this story line is longer than just a trilogy.