Summary: Superior Glokta is on a mission to defend Dogoska, a city about to be
attacked by the Ghurkish. With few soldiers, weak walls, and a government who refuses to work
with him, Gloka must act quickly or die trying. Bayaz, Logen, Jezal, Ferro, and a few others
have set out on a quest for The Seed, a powerful yet mysterious stone that Bayaz claims can
solve all their problems. The only problem is, it’s on the opposite side of the world, and many
dangerous obstacles lie ahead of them. Finally, Colonel West has been put in charge of
defending the Union from the North–but the prince that leads them might cause more trouble
than the opposing army.
Somebody: Bayaz, Glokta, Colonel West
Wants: Bayaz wants to obtain The Seed, a magical artifact that will solve all his
problems. Gloka wishes to defend Dogoska from the Gurkhish. Colonel West simply wants to
survive working with Prince Ladisla.
But: Bayaz has to travel a long distance to reach The Seed, and the further he gets, the
more dangerous the road becomes. Glokta faces ignorance and arrogance from the Dogoskan
people, who give him a difficult time when trying to defend the city. On top of that, he doesn’t
have enough money or men to hold against a strong attack, and time is closing in on him.
Colonel West’s army is attacked by the North unexpectedly, and only he, the prince, and a few
other men make it out alive. They are saved by a group of Northmen, and head off to defend
Angland from Bethod’s forces.
So: Bayaz’s group travels on, fighting all assortments of creatures and narrowly avoiding
death several times. Glokta makes a deal with a bank, and gains more than enough money to
support their soldiers and the walls, in exchange for his cooperation with them in future
endeavors. Colonel West and Prince Ladisla are led through Angland by the Northmen, but after
Colonel West gets fed up with the prince, he throws the man off a cliff.
Then: Bayaz finally arrives at Edge of the World, where The Seed is said to be.
However, The Seed is not there, and their whole mission was in vain. After weeks of fighting,
Dogoska is nearly lost, but Glokta gets a summons from the Arch Lector to return to Adua for
unknown reasons. Colonel West and the Northmen battle Bethod and his men, and narrowly
attain victory, though at a steep cost.
Opinion: Before They Are Hanged is absolute perfection for what it aims to accomplish.
Every plotline is filled with conflict, from West attempting to deal with the stupidity of royalty to
Glokta dealing with the stupidity of democracy. Tensions are always high, and the pace never
slows until the very end of the book. The characters are engaging, and more importantly,
constantly changing. Their whole worldview is put at stake, and their growth is some of the best
I’ve ever seen.