The Heroes

Are you tired of stereotypes? Have you read too many books about kids trekking down a road discovering their magical powers and somehow triumphing against overwhelming evil odds in the end? Are you tired of shallow, predictable heroes and villains? If so, you need to read this book. Actually, you need to read all Abercrombie's other books first, and then read this one.

Abercrombie throws out all the tired old cliches in fantasy and writes an ironically titled book with no heroes and no villains - just people. This book has main characters on both sides of a conflict, and none of them are clearly right or wrong. There isn't a happy ending, and everyone's problems don't work themselves out. It's dark, and it's brilliant.

Michael Page is a good narrator. He voices Gorst particularly well. He only seems bad here in comparison to Steven Pacey, who is some kind of genetically engineered government narration super weapon. The narration will throw off fans of the first three books because the accents for some familiar characters have changed, but it's not that serious.

Definitely a new story-line in the series. This book takes place exclusively in the battlefield with rare appearances and references to the favorite characters of past volumes. And given the type of fighting these Heroes are doing...don't expect to lose your hearts to them. The Heroes is just another name for a graveyard after all. I liked the grittiness and honest endings found in this book. A fitting end to a series, although I am not so sure it is a fitting end to THIS series as it feels quite out of sync with the previous books. A good listen for all the blood and gore and gristle!

I almost didn't download The Heroes based on the reviews regarding the narration. You don't get a very good idea from the preview, since it's just him reading off the character descriptions at the beginning of the book, so I tried Best Served Cold first. I found Page to be acceptable, even if his voicing of some of the characters (Cosca) was jarringly different. It's a little like each subsequent actor who has played Bond. Some aren't great, some are pretty decent, none will ever be Sean Connery. That doesn't mean it won't still be a pretty cool Bond movie. So I decided to go ahead and give The Heroes a shot too.

Very glad I did.

Yes, again there were some odd choices in voicing. Dog Man has been mentioned by others, and it was indeed an inexplicable accent. Yes, I very much missed Steven Pacey, who was exceptional. Despite that, it did not ruin what was another down and dirty, ingloriously brutal tale by Abercromie. Grey areas of morality were wide, characters were full, and he did some great stuff with action scenes. In general I love how the author is giving us different stories with different characters from throughout his world, with enough old friends and undercurrents of the big picture to keep us happy and looking forward to more.

I do miss Pacey, I do hope they bring him back for future installments, but I still found this listen to be completely worth my credit.

If you are a fan of epic fantasy you owe it to yourself to explore the amazing adventures that Joe Abercrombie has created in his books. All five of his books in audible include wonderful characters that you can't help but love and/or hate. One of my major pet peeves is when an author devotes significant portions of each book recapping what occurred in the ones before it. Mr. Abercrombie is one of the few authors who rewards the readers that follow the progression of his books, but at the same time expertly inter weaves characters, adventures, environments, etc. throughout the whole of his books. He is a true artist when it comes to the development of his characters and the amazing details he uses to create a fantasy that allows the reader to feel part of it.

I highly recommend new readers to read the books in order even though each book is written with such quality that they can be read independently. By following the series it will allow the reader to more fully enjoy the many nuances of each book. Here is the chronologic order:

The Blade Itself - 2006
Before They Are Hanged - 2007
Last Argument of Kings - 2008
Best Served Cold - 2009
The Heroes - 2011
Red Country - 2012 (this book is not yet available in the Audible library)

I can’t wait for Audible to get Red Country as Joe Abercrombie has become one of my favorite authors of all time. I recommend that you be cautious when starting one of these books because you may end up having a hard time getting things done due to not being able to stop listening.

Abercrombie is brilliant and "Heroes" is Abercrombie distilled.

This book does not have the wonderful epic sweep of the previous stories Abercrombie has set in The First Law world. There is none of the complexity of plot, and the setting is entirely circumscribed within the environs of a single, meaningless battle. In many ways it reminds one of "Matterhorn," the superb glimpse of the Vietnam war penned by Karl Mariantes. Dark and deeply cynical about the romantic ideals of combat even as it celebrates courage, comradeship and a kind of mad endurance. There is glory here, but it is not the glory of triumph or even of nobility in defeat. It consists, rather, in the persistence of humanity in the midst of the most inhumane of all our enterprises, killing for a piece of useless ground.

There is also dark laughter, insanity, shards of the ridiculous, a great deal of blood, a few unexpected shafts of light and an extraordinary menagerie of characters. All the pungent ingredients of the absurd stew of war. Abercrombie fills our gob to bursting with it as few writers can and still makes us believe him when he shows us a soul weary veteran forsaking his quiet seat by his own hearth to trudge off again into the madness.

Clearly some listeners have a problem with Michael Page's delivery and much prefer Steven Pacey. I have loved the work that each of them has done on Abercrombie's books, and this was certainly no exception.

Do you like the "Flashman" books by George Macdonald Fraser? The "Sharpe" books by Bernard Cornwell? The unflinching portrayal of combat and war in movies such as "Platoon"? Then this book is for you.

The absurdities of the functioning of large armies. The politics of conflict. The personal pettiness that affect both. I found myself laughing out loud many times at the internal monologues of hard-done-by Bremer dan Gorst, hard-bitten Corporal Tunney, and war-weary Curndon Craw.

Joe Abercrombie's dry/black humour is masterfully narrated by Michael Page as he captures the voice and sentiment of each point-of-view character.

Why are you still reading? Go get this book and start listening!

First let me say I love Joe Abercrombie ! The first law was outstanding work! one of the best fantasy series put to audio this decade!! That being said What the hell happened to the narrator that they had to go with this new guy . I mean Michael page is an ok narrator when he does his homework (which he did not do for this book! ) This is not a stand alone novel but part of a series with already established voices from the last narrator (Steven Pacey) They were great voices and he did his homework .what was he too expensive .
And so a great book gets ruined yet again .. it is sad really

I loved the way all of the characters, motivations, and decisions operated in an ambiguous gray area where there was no such thing as a pure motivation, a good man, a heroic act, or a clean decision. The fight descriptions were top notch. I found myself emotionally invested in the characters and this book took the tedium out of my Los Angeles commute. Sometimes I'd sit in my car for ten minutes after pulling into my garage waiting for a chapter to conclude. It was that good. This is why I gave it 5 stars even though the narrator was damn irritating. The publishers really need to bring back the buy who narrated the First Law series.

I agree with the other posts...

Go back to the narrator from the original 3 audio books for all future releases!

Joe Abecrombie is a remarkable writer. His words express emotions that many writers don't put into their novels. War is a horror for all, those who plan it those who fight it and those who are in the way of it. If this book doesn't turn you off to war, and the aftermaths of it nothing ever will.

People complained about Michael Page's performance, I think he did a wonderful job. Not just with the reading but switching character voices so you know who is speaking. If you enjoy Joe Abecrombie don't be put off by negative comments. These people are used to listening to Steven Pacey in Abecrombie's other books. However Michael Page also did Best Served Cold. and I believe one other, but Mr Page is wonderful. Your credit won't be wasted. (my opinion) if you feel that it wasn't enjoyable, contact Audible and they will refund your credit.

The true horror of war is depicted in many ways. In a book this long I can not just pick one.

If you have read Joe Abecrombie, this is one of his best. It is my opinion. I have read almost every other book by him except Red Country. (I am using a gift to purchase that) He is brilliant and is never afraid to show the highs and lows of humanity.