---
product_id: 17854626
title: "The Blade Itself (The First Law Trilogy, 1)"
price: "₹ 704"
currency: INR
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reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.in/products/17854626-the-blade-itself-the-first-law-trilogy-1
store_origin: IN
region: India
---

# The Blade Itself (The First Law Trilogy, 1)

**Price:** ₹ 704
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- **What is this?** The Blade Itself (The First Law Trilogy, 1)
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## Description

The first novel in the First Law Trilogy from New York Times bestseller, Joe Abercrombie. Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught in one feud too many, he's on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian—leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies. Nobleman, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, Captain Jezal dan Luthar has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. But war is brewing, and on the battlefields of the frozen North they fight by altogether bloodier rules. Inquisitor Glokta, cripple turned torturer, would like nothing better than to see Jezal come home in a box. But then Glokta hates everyone: cutting treason out of the Union one confession at a time leaves little room for friendship. His latest trail of corpses may lead him right to the rotten heart of government, if he can stay alive long enough to follow it. Enter the wizard, Bayaz. A bald old man with a terrible temper and a pathetic assistant, he could be the First of the Magi, he could be a spectacular fraud, but whatever he is, he's about to make the lives of Logen, Jezal, and Glokta a whole lot more difficult. Murderous conspiracies rise to the surface, old scores are ready to be settled, and the line between hero and villain is sharp enough to draw blood. Unpredictable, compelling, wickedly funny, and packed with unforgettable characters, The Blade Itself is noir fantasy with a real cutting edge.

Review: Absolutely fantastic audiobook - Steven Pacey brings Abercrombie's motley crew to life! - *audiobook review* This book starts off in the epic fantasy vibe - vigniettes of different characters that all come together by the end of the book into a finely-woven tale. One thread is that of Logen Nine-Fingers, a barbarian from the north - we meet him as he narrowly avoids his own death at the hand of raiders. Another thread spins from the tale of Inquistor Glockta - a former fighter held captive for two years, who had turned his broken body and skills to ferreting out whatever truth he needs to find. The last major thread comes from Jezal dan Luthar, a spoiled brat of a gentleman who thinks it may just be cool for his career if he becomes a fencing master for his country. There's a huge cast of characters, but it's no problem at ALL for the audio listener because Steven Pacey is an absolute artist at narration. The combination of Abercrombie's clean text and the skilled voice work of Pacey brings every character alive from the very beginning - you hear the fear and resignation in Logen's voice as he falls off a cliff, the pain and life-long effects of torture in Glokta's voice, and the subtle spoiled tones in Luthar as he decides what kind of man he's going to be. These people and the rest of the cast meet in the story of Bayez, first of the magi, who is headed to the Union capitol to gather resources and equipment for an expedition that is meant to save the world. It's going to be hard with Bethod's Northmen attacking from the northern part of the Union, and the barely peaceable Gurkish Empire agitating to take over parts of the southern Union. The king is barely coherent, the ruling council is corrupt, the nation is woefully underprepared for war, and the scene is set for a fantastic audiobook experience. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a compelling audiobook experience - Pacey's narration skill may even make the book easier to understand because each character has a unique voice. This is my favorite book I've read this year!
Review: Not for the squeamish - The Blade Itself is part of the "gritty fantasy" movement which has recently come to the forefront of adult fantasy literature, thanks to the highly publicized works of George R.R. Martin. Unlike "high fantasy," which is embodied in Lord of the Rings and its many clones, "gritty fantasy" doesn't follow the common formula of the unlikely protagonist versus an evil dark lord. In addition to containing lots of violence, "gritty fantasy" tends to discard simplified notions of right and wrong, favoring a more complex world where moral decisions are often muddled in shades of gray. Heroes and villains aren't easy to distinguish in these stories since everyone seems to have reasons for acting in the manner that they do. Another hallmark of gritty fantasy is the concept that "no one is safe." Because there's no single protagonist bent on saving the world, any character is expendable - adding an element of uncertainty to the story. If what I've described doesn't sound like your cup of tea, then it's unlikely you'll enjoy what author Joe Abercrombie has to offer here. However, if this type of format intrigues you, then you will likely appreciate (and very much enjoy) what you find. The Blade Itself is the first in a trilogy known as "The First Law." The story follows the perspectives of six characters throughout, but most of the story centers around the following three: a barbarian who's attempting leave behind a dark past, a crippled torturer who's best years are behind him, and an arrogant noble who's training for a sword tournament to win himself some glory. It's difficult to summarize the plot without giving too much away, but the first volume tends to act as an introductory volume to the greater story contained in the subsequent installments. Indeed, some readers have criticized this first book for seeming directionless at times, but the significance of conversations and actions aren't fully felt until later in the trilogy. That isn't to say the story isn't interesting in this first installment, because it certainly is. The reader just won't start getting a grasp for the big picture until later. Joe Abercrombie's writing style is in the same vein of a modern action thriller. Sentences are regularly short and have a conversational tone about them. However unlike most action thrillers you'll find, the characterization here is beyond good. It's simply fantastic. These aren't characters of the cookie-cutter variety. These are characters with hopes, dreams, faults, and fears. Abercrombie does an amazing job bringing the reader into his world because of his spot-on descriptions and portrayals. What's interesting to me is how effective this method is. Oftentimes we see fantasy authors who get lost in their world-building - spending ridiculous amounts of time detailing politics, history, or some obscure geography. This frequently comes at the expense of good storytelling. None of that is a problem here as Abercrombie seamlessly weaves those points through the story without overemphasis. The more you follow the plot, the greater the overall picture becomes. It's also worth noting that there are quite a few laugh-out-loud moments throughout Abercrombie's narration. Much of the humor is deadpan which works quite well with the dark themes being explored. One critique I have for Abercrombie's writing is the overabundance of swearing. First off, everyone in this trilogy swears: lords, ladies, peasants, wizards, soldiers, and even children. Secondly, the swearing is nonstop - almost whenever there's conversation. Bluntly put, it's overkill. For some readers it'll be a deal-breaker, which is really a shame. But hopefully in time, Abercrombie will come up with some alternative ways of expression. If my description of "gritty fantasy" wasn't clear enough, understand that this book is chock-full of violence. Heads roll, body parts are crushed, and graphic descriptions accompany each gruesome encounter. Some sex will be sprinkled throughout the books that follow as well. All of this is R-rated material. Keeping that in mind, it's all quite entertaining if you have the stomach for it. The Blade Itself is the beginning to a deep and interesting world, populated with some even more interesting characters. If you decide to embark on this yarn through the mud, just be prepared to get a little dirty. Bring some galoshes and you'll have great fun.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #38,106 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #7 in War Fiction (Books) #8 in Historical Fantasy (Books) #10 in War & Military Action Fiction (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 29,527 Reviews |

## Images

![The Blade Itself (The First Law Trilogy, 1) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91rZ+79tHwL.jpg)

## Available Options

This product comes in different **Format** options.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Absolutely fantastic audiobook - Steven Pacey brings Abercrombie's motley crew to life!
*by N***R on September 3, 2025*

*audiobook review* This book starts off in the epic fantasy vibe - vigniettes of different characters that all come together by the end of the book into a finely-woven tale. One thread is that of Logen Nine-Fingers, a barbarian from the north - we meet him as he narrowly avoids his own death at the hand of raiders. Another thread spins from the tale of Inquistor Glockta - a former fighter held captive for two years, who had turned his broken body and skills to ferreting out whatever truth he needs to find. The last major thread comes from Jezal dan Luthar, a spoiled brat of a gentleman who thinks it may just be cool for his career if he becomes a fencing master for his country. There's a huge cast of characters, but it's no problem at ALL for the audio listener because Steven Pacey is an absolute artist at narration. The combination of Abercrombie's clean text and the skilled voice work of Pacey brings every character alive from the very beginning - you hear the fear and resignation in Logen's voice as he falls off a cliff, the pain and life-long effects of torture in Glokta's voice, and the subtle spoiled tones in Luthar as he decides what kind of man he's going to be. These people and the rest of the cast meet in the story of Bayez, first of the magi, who is headed to the Union capitol to gather resources and equipment for an expedition that is meant to save the world. It's going to be hard with Bethod's Northmen attacking from the northern part of the Union, and the barely peaceable Gurkish Empire agitating to take over parts of the southern Union. The king is barely coherent, the ruling council is corrupt, the nation is woefully underprepared for war, and the scene is set for a fantastic audiobook experience. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a compelling audiobook experience - Pacey's narration skill may even make the book easier to understand because each character has a unique voice. This is my favorite book I've read this year!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Not for the squeamish
*by J***N on January 24, 2012*

The Blade Itself is part of the "gritty fantasy" movement which has recently come to the forefront of adult fantasy literature, thanks to the highly publicized works of George R.R. Martin. Unlike "high fantasy," which is embodied in Lord of the Rings and its many clones, "gritty fantasy" doesn't follow the common formula of the unlikely protagonist versus an evil dark lord. In addition to containing lots of violence, "gritty fantasy" tends to discard simplified notions of right and wrong, favoring a more complex world where moral decisions are often muddled in shades of gray. Heroes and villains aren't easy to distinguish in these stories since everyone seems to have reasons for acting in the manner that they do. Another hallmark of gritty fantasy is the concept that "no one is safe." Because there's no single protagonist bent on saving the world, any character is expendable - adding an element of uncertainty to the story. If what I've described doesn't sound like your cup of tea, then it's unlikely you'll enjoy what author Joe Abercrombie has to offer here. However, if this type of format intrigues you, then you will likely appreciate (and very much enjoy) what you find. The Blade Itself is the first in a trilogy known as "The First Law." The story follows the perspectives of six characters throughout, but most of the story centers around the following three: a barbarian who's attempting leave behind a dark past, a crippled torturer who's best years are behind him, and an arrogant noble who's training for a sword tournament to win himself some glory. It's difficult to summarize the plot without giving too much away, but the first volume tends to act as an introductory volume to the greater story contained in the subsequent installments. Indeed, some readers have criticized this first book for seeming directionless at times, but the significance of conversations and actions aren't fully felt until later in the trilogy. That isn't to say the story isn't interesting in this first installment, because it certainly is. The reader just won't start getting a grasp for the big picture until later. Joe Abercrombie's writing style is in the same vein of a modern action thriller. Sentences are regularly short and have a conversational tone about them. However unlike most action thrillers you'll find, the characterization here is beyond good. It's simply fantastic. These aren't characters of the cookie-cutter variety. These are characters with hopes, dreams, faults, and fears. Abercrombie does an amazing job bringing the reader into his world because of his spot-on descriptions and portrayals. What's interesting to me is how effective this method is. Oftentimes we see fantasy authors who get lost in their world-building - spending ridiculous amounts of time detailing politics, history, or some obscure geography. This frequently comes at the expense of good storytelling. None of that is a problem here as Abercrombie seamlessly weaves those points through the story without overemphasis. The more you follow the plot, the greater the overall picture becomes. It's also worth noting that there are quite a few laugh-out-loud moments throughout Abercrombie's narration. Much of the humor is deadpan which works quite well with the dark themes being explored. One critique I have for Abercrombie's writing is the overabundance of swearing. First off, everyone in this trilogy swears: lords, ladies, peasants, wizards, soldiers, and even children. Secondly, the swearing is nonstop - almost whenever there's conversation. Bluntly put, it's overkill. For some readers it'll be a deal-breaker, which is really a shame. But hopefully in time, Abercrombie will come up with some alternative ways of expression. If my description of "gritty fantasy" wasn't clear enough, understand that this book is chock-full of violence. Heads roll, body parts are crushed, and graphic descriptions accompany each gruesome encounter. Some sex will be sprinkled throughout the books that follow as well. All of this is R-rated material. Keeping that in mind, it's all quite entertaining if you have the stomach for it. The Blade Itself is the beginning to a deep and interesting world, populated with some even more interesting characters. If you decide to embark on this yarn through the mud, just be prepared to get a little dirty. Bring some galoshes and you'll have great fun.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent
*by J***4 on July 28, 2026*

By the end of the book, really, nothing much as actually happened. Sure there were some fights and a lot of intrigue but I have no idea what the overarching plot of the trilogy will be 1/3 in. But I loved every second of it. All POV characters are interesting and well written, even the ones I don’t personally like are done well enough that I care about what their fate will be. A certain sign of good writing. Can’t wait to read the next one.

## Frequently Bought Together

- The Blade Itself (The First Law Trilogy, 1)
- Last Argument of Kings (The First Law Trilogy, 3)

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*Product available on Desertcart India*
*Store origin: IN*
*Last updated: 2026-08-21*