Book · 2006
The Blade Itself
by Joe Abercrombie
A crippled torturer, a vain swordsman, and a berserker haunted by his own alter ego get pulled into a war none of them understand yet.
What does Reddit think of The Blade Itself?
The single most-repeated image across these excerpts isn't a plot point, it's Logen Ninefingers' alter ego. The ↑757 comment marks 'when the Bloody Nine makes his first appearance in The Blade Itself' as a specific, real moment worth flagging on its own, and the ↑765 and ↑917 comments both return to the same character to make a point about barely-contained menace: 'not often unhinged, but when he is, oh boy.' r/Fantasy keeps slotting the trilogy into comp lists with Malazan and Dungeon Crawler Carl (↑782), which puts it in the grim, structurally ambitious end of the genre rather than the approachable end. What's less settled is closure: the ↑896 comment is still asking, unanswered in the thread, when there's more to come, 'sorely missing it currently.' Nobody displayed here argues the trilogy itself is unfinished business in the plot sense. The wanting is emotional, not structural.
Community feedback & reader fit
Themes
- · The Bloody Nine as the character everyone actually talks about, more than plot or theme
- · Filed alongside Malazan and Dungeon Crawler Carl as grim, structurally ambitious epic fantasy
- · A fanbase still asking for more, years after the original trilogy wrapped
- · One of r/Fantasy's most-repeated series, but rarely reviewed in isolation
Common praise
- + The ↑757 comment treats 'when the Bloody Nine makes his first appearance' as a moment worth flagging on its own, the kind of scene people remember years later.
- + r/Fantasy groups it with Malazan and Dungeon Crawler Carl (↑782), serious company for a trilogy now approaching twenty years old.
- + The ↑896 comment is still checking for more content years after the original trilogy wrapped, which reads less like a complaint than an admission it never let go.
Common criticism
- − None of the top-upvoted excerpts here actually critique the writing, character work, or plot directly, so the criticism side of the ledger is thin.
- − One adjacent comment (↑834) raises a 'no concluding sub-arc' complaint about long fantasy series generally, worth noting but not confidently pinned to this specific trilogy.
Who it's for
Come here for grim, morally compromised viewpoint characters, not one clean-cut hero; the Bloody Nine's berserker turns (↑765, ↑917) are the reference point people keep reaching for. If Malazan or Dungeon Crawler Carl already worked for you, r/Fantasy treats this as the same shelf (↑782). New to grimdark and want reassurance the tone lightens up? That's not really what's on offer here, based on what gets quoted. And if you're the type who still checks a series' subreddit years after finishing it, the ↑896 comment suggests you'll have company.
Mentions over time
Top subreddits
- r/Fantasy 14,329
- r/suggestmeabook 4,034
- r/booksuggestions 2,293
- r/printSF 339
- r/horrorlit 167
- r/YAlit 32
- r/RomanceBooks 14
- r/TrueLit 9
Which Reddit comments matter for The Blade Itself?
The most relevant excerpts across the subreddits where this book is mentioned — opinionated, argued takes first, then top-upvoted mentions. Click through to read the full thread.
“The First Law fits this I think. He's not often unhinged, but when he is, oh boy...
“When if ever can we expect a continuation of the first law? Sorely missing it currently and debating a re read!
“I think the main problem with the series so far is the lack of a concluding sub-arc. You can have a long series, even an unfinished one, but recommend it if there is some closure at some point. You can recommend **Wheel of Time** or **ASoIaF** and people can drop out after Book 3 in both series if t…
“Malazan, First Law, and Dungeon Crawler Carl
“The Bloody Nine in the First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie goes into a true berserker rage at times and really gets a bit nutty at times. Great, gritty series!
“Yeah, Sanderson has his lane and he's not really changing. Nor should he. He is what he is, and he's there for when you want that. It's been wildly successful for him. Approachable, fun, structured stories. The "MCU" of the genre is such a great comparison. You'll have tons of people wishing it cou…
“When the Bloody Nine makes his first appearance in The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie.
“First law. It’s just so good
“For me, too many authors treat sex as some earth-stopping cosmic breakthrough. It just comes off as too much. And then there is whatever Rothfuss did. But I actually enjoyed the sex scenes in The First Law world. Abercrombie treats sex scenes as a fact of life, as it should be.
“Most of Abercrombie's First Law (especially the later books) and Malazan BOTF does that, highly recommend both if you haven't already tried those.
“The First Law practically only has awkward sex. Say one thing for Logen Ninefingers, say he's a lover.
“Sanderson always gets hyped for his magic systems, but his portrayal of three different forms of mental illness throughout the **Stormlight** is really freaking well done. **First Law** actually has really great (if subtle) lore and worldbuilding, IMO.
“I mean The Green Bones Saga by Fonda Lee is extremely solid throughout. It maintains a strong narrative thread and pace the entire time and finishes strong. Abercrombie’s works for this as well. The Age of Madness trilogy is far more solid throughout than the First Law trilogy where he was still fi…
“I'd go for Joe Abercrombie's First Law
“You don't really get to see it develop but Bayaz and Khalul in the First Law's rivalry is so great they literally form their own nations to wage war against each other. They were both apprentices to a demi-god and things just spiral from there.
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Readers also mention
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Guides featuring The Blade Itself
Ranked best-of lists and editorial guides where this book's tracked mentions place it.
The Blade Itself — frequently asked
Who is the Bloody Nine in The Blade Itself?+
He's Logen Ninefingers' berserker alter ego, and it's the single most-cited detail across these threads. The ↑757 comment marks his first appearance in The Blade Itself as a specific moment worth flagging, and the ↑765 and ↑917 comments both describe the character as controlled menace until he suddenly isn't, 'not often unhinged, but when he is, oh boy.'
Is The Blade Itself as dark as Malazan?+
Reddit puts them in the same category rather than ranking them. The ↑782 comment lists 'Malazan, First Law, and Dungeon Crawler Carl' together as a single grouping, no hierarchy attached. That places The Blade Itself in serious, structurally ambitious company, but none of the displayed excerpts argue over which one is grimmer.
Is there more coming after The Blade Itself and the First Law trilogy?+
Depends what you mean by 'more.' The original trilogy that starts with The Blade Itself has an ending, but the ↑896 comment is still asking about a continuation years later, 'sorely missing it currently,' which reads as a fan checking in on a universe rather than reporting an actual cliffhanger.
Does The Blade Itself get criticized much on Reddit?+
Not directly, at least not in what's displayed here. The closest thing to a critique is a general gripe (↑834) about long fantasy series lacking a concluding sub-arc, and it's not clearly pinned to this trilogy specifically.