Summary: Logen Ninefingers was once the most feared man in the North. But now, he is
presumed dead. He must brave the harsh wilderness and face many challenges to even have a
chance of returning home, although with his fate at the hands of a mysterious wizard, nothing is
for certain. Jezal Dan Luther is one of the greatest fencers in Adua, but with his heart distracted
by a lover, and his hatred towards training, he is unsure of whether he even wants to fence any
longer. Glokta is a swordsman turned crippled torturer whose goal is to get to the heart of
corruption in the government, although with enemies around every corner, he may have more
trouble than he first expected.
Somebody: Logen Ninefingers, Jezal Dan Luther, Glokta
Want: Logen wants to survive long enough to return to the North and reunite with his
friends. Jezal wants to win the The Contest, and to date Ardee, the sister of one of his best
friends. Glokta wants to please the Arch Lector, while at the same time figuring out what is
going on in the government .
But: Logen finds himself alone in the harsh wilderness. Jezal’s hopes of winning The
Contest begin to dwindle due to his lack of effort in training, and his chances with Ardee start to
slip because of her confusing affection towards him. Glokta’s crippled state, abundance of
enemies, and untrustworthy master all serve as roadblocks to him in his quest for justice.
So: Logen teams up with a mysterious wizard named Bayaz, who promises to return him
to the north in return for assisting him in a vague quest. Jezal gives up on chasing after Ardee,
and focuses all his strength and energy into training for The Contest. Glokta is able to expose
some of the corruption in the government, but soon turns his eyes to Bayaz, who he believes to
be a fraud.
Then: Bayaz reveals to Logen his true intent, which is to go on a hunt for a magical
stone that can save the world. With Bayaz’s help, Jezal wins The Contest, although for reasons
unknown to Jezal he is forced to join Bayaz on his quest. Being proved wrong with his
suspicions of Bayaz, Glokta turns back to his hunt for corruption, which leads him to one final
clue: Look into the banks.
Opinion: The Blade Itself is a masterful start to the First Law Trilogy. Its characters are
unique, believable, and most importantly incredibly fun to watch. The style is both immersive
and fast-paced, and Abecrombie manages to make every character’s perspective feel special.
While the character’s didn’t change too much over the course of this novel, it sets a great
baseline for how they will change in the future.
While this book is amazing, it definitely isn’t for everyone. If you don’t like grimdark
fantasy, this book isn’t for you. However, if you want to dip your toes into the waters of grimdark,
I strongly recommend this novel.