The First Law

This is what Gritty Fantasy should read like. It’s got scenes in them that I want to reread the books just to get to.

on HN, 2020

It's dark fantasy. Emphasis on dark. Feels like real life, except less victimology. I find the darkness a palate cleanser, excellent for when I have to deal with the realities of people and their burning desire to avoid responsibility for their own actions.

on HN, 2020

I particularly liked that many of the characters who would traditionally be the bad guys are treated sympathetically, and their 'badness' is motivated by their personal circumstance and experience.

on HN, 2020

They're quite dark but surprisingly funny and maybe the most readable novels I've ever read. Absolute page-turners.

on HN, 2018

I highly recommend First Law, one of the better fantasy series I've ever read.

on HN, 2022

Think about how The First Law series is different than Lord of the Rings. Now think about how our relationships and trust in those in authority have changed in between the publications of those two series.

on HN, 2016

The audiobooks in the series are incredibly good — in fact, I've recently just been reading anything that the narrator (Steven Pacey) has done in the past.

on HN, 2021