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The Blade Itself

Joe Abercrombie

Ages 16+

Readers rate it 4.1 (2.2K on Hardcover)

536 pages · Released 2007

Content report card

What's inside

High confidence

LGBTQ+ themes

What it offers

Educational value

A note for parents

The Blade Itself is a grimdark fantasy novel featuring morally compromised antiheroes, graphic violence, and torture scenes. The book is intentionally dark and cynical, with few traditional heroic values or role models, making it unsuitable for younger teen readers. While well-written and character-driven, it demands maturity to engage with its bleak worldview and adult content.

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From the publisher

Inquisitor Glokta, a crippled and increasingly bitter relic of the last war, former fencing champion turned torturer extraordinaire, is trapped in a twisted and broken body - not that he allows it to distract him from his daily routine of torturing smugglers. Nobleman, dashing officer and would-be fencing champion Capt... Inquisitor Glokta, a crippled and increasingly bitter relic of the last war, former fencing champion turned torturer extraordinaire, is trapped in a twisted and broken body - not that he allows it to distract him from his daily routine of torturing smugglers. Nobleman, dashing officer and would-be fencing champion Captain Jezal dan Luthar is living a life of ease by cheating his friends at cards. Vain, shallow, selfish and self-obsessed, the biggest blot on his horizon is having to get out of bed in the morning to train with obsessive and boring old men. And Logen Ninefingers, an infamous warrior with a bloody past, is about to wake up in a hole in the snow with plans to settle a blood feud with Bethod, the new King of the Northmen, once and for all - ideally by running away from it. But as he's discovering, old habits die really, really hard indeed . . . . . . especially when Bayaz gets involved. 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 Glotka, Jezal and Logen a whole lot more difficult . . .

Shelved under

  • Antiheroes
  • Diverse Characters
  • Character driven
  • Strong Character Development
  • Unloveable Characters
  • Weak Character Development
  • A mix driven
  • Loveable Characters
  • Not Diverse Characters
  • Plot driven
  • audiobook
  • Adventurous

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ISBN 9780575079793 · Orion