i read the blade itself for the first time... was it torture? // first law trilogy reading vlog

I FINALLY READ THIS BOOK YOU GUYS. I don't have to hold it up in TBR videos anymore XD I had so many thoughts while reading this one, and I hope you enjoy following along on my journey.
Who's your favorite First Law character?
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[@joshschwarzbauer8155]

The Dogman quickly became my favorite character in the middle of this book.

[@ToriTalks2]

He’s a fantastic character!!!

[@derrisreaditbefore]

This was great! I read First Law twice last year (the brain thing, to be sure it 'stuck'), and found what you said about West's character really intriguing. I've always loved the fact that the same words on a page can have such different meanings to readers, based purely on what the reader brings - and this is an example. For me, I love West as a character, and for a large part of this first book found him to be a very two dimensional 'good guy'. Then we get the scene that you mention, where he's violent with Ardee. THAT's the point at which he became a 'real' character to me, but I come from a history of abuse, and don't trust that *anyone* is ever that 'good' and seeing this buried rage in him made him feel like a genuine person. It also, again from my perspective, meant that I had more belief in his *wanting* to do better - he understands that the violence that's a part of him is a 'wrong' thing, and *I think* it the guilt of it that pushes him to drive himself harder - because he doesn't know how else to heal that part of himself. I also took a minute to grow to like Logen yet by the end of The Blade Itself loved him. The split between Logen and The Bloody Nine was a surprise, but a welcome one to me again, personal perspective and stuff, it made his unwillingness to form connections make sense to me. Jezal I just found annoying but that's sort of his purpose, to be the one with all the opportunities and none of the desire to use them. Bayaz intrigued me, and this early on his story seemed fairly formulaic and I wasn't all in on him yet. I adored Ardee from her first appearance, her 'gives no f*cks' attitude endeared her to me greatly! There's nothing more to say about Glokta - he's become the example for Joe Abercrombie's character creation for a reason. Glokta is simply outstanding. There are very few writers (imo) that are skilled enough to make his pov chapters a true joy to read. Anyhoo, that's my two cents.

[@derrisreaditbefore]

aaand, I completely forgot about Ferro. She's.... there.

[@ToriTalks2]

I love all these thoughts and points, Derri! I totally agree with what you said about West. I think the main reason I felt that it came out of nowhere was because we were in his head for several POV moments prior, and that’s where I would’ve given some sort of suggestion that rage was there beneath the surface. But I do agree that his understanding of what he’d done and his “this is wrong” was a powerful follow up. Let’s hope it sticks. And I’m so sorry that you’ve had to carry anything that means you can understand that behavior. 💜 you’re a treasure.

[@darkengine5931]

​@@derrisreaditbefore I just finished reading the first book and somehow West is still a 2D good guy (or "white character") from my perspective. This is not with any intended insensitivity towards domestic abuse; if such a person behaved like this in real life, then I think we must forcibly rehabilitate them and ensure it never happens again to protect members of society from potential violent outbursts in the future. It does give West a tragic flaw, yet I think conscious choices are what moves a character towards the "grey" area or ultimately "black". They have to consciously make unethical decisions while in control of their faculties and against their better moral judgment to diminish their moral standing from my view; they must be able to have done otherwise. From this perspective, West neither seemed to have any control over his behavior nor any reasonable means to have foreseen his outburst. The outburst came across to me like blind and uncontrollable PTSD rage, immediately to West's regret as he came to his senses, and of a kind incurable without intensive therapy (except in a world absent such treatment for serious mental health issues, and West strikes me as the type who would have immediately sought out such treatment had it been available). Given what he could consciously control, he did all the right things including leaving his sister while seeking her protection, including from himself. Every conscious and controllable decision he has made so far still puts him in the "Mr. Right" category to me. None of this is with any sympathy towards his outburst, mind you. I'm not approaching this whatsoever in terms of sympathy, but merely that I don't find this incident substantial enough to push him toward the "grey" category given how uncontrollable and unforeseeable it appeared. Even an abusive alcoholic has freer control than this from my perspective since they can at least choose not to drink or, if near-hopelessly addicted, still foresee that drinking will lead to regrettable actions. I just find this outburst insufficient to detract from his moral standing in the same sense that I wouldn't consider it a detraction from the virtuous nature of a heroic character if he/she commits horrible deeds while under the mind control of an evil wizard.

[@blacknbluecollarreader]

Loved the vlog style of this video!! We got to relive some excellent moments. Awesome video Torri!!

[@ToriTalks2]

Thanks so much for watching, Dan! It was super fun to film.

[@KaydianBladebreaker]

Enjoyed your video. It takes until the end of book 3 for all the pieces to fit together. Since I'm book 7, it's hard to remember where book 1 ends, because the story all blurs together into one epic tale. But as you point out, Abercrombie's characters make it all worth while. Hope you get there soon.

[@ToriTalks2]

Hey thanks for watching! I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how Abercrombie wraps it all up at the end. I'm currently in the middle of book 2!

[@mikemollman1869]

This series is tough. I'm a plot first guy and I'm still trying to find it after the first two books. The characters are great, but yeah, I need more. At some point I'll break down and read the third book.

[@ToriTalks2]

I'm usually very heavy on characters as a reader, but usually I find that really good characters drive their own plot, and I found quite a few of the main POVs to be more reactive in this book, which is perhaps why it feels less plot driven.

[@readbykyle3082]

"I have never heard anybody say anything about Ferro" I've read the books and I forget about her sometimes 😂 Love this vlog! The intro had me rolling 🤣

[@ToriTalks2]

Lol! Yeah she's not my favorite. I'm glad you enjoyed the vlog! It was super fun to film!

[@Paul_the_Bookworm]

I think even Abercrombie forgot she exists

[@AnithaGadeReads]

What a fantastic vlog! It was fun watching this. I completely agree with what you said about West and Logen. My thoughts on characters changed throughout the trilogy.

[@ToriTalks2]

Thank you for watching! I’m definitely interested to see how and if my opinions change as I continue!

[@BookishChas]

This was so much fun Tori! Glokta is awesome! I absolutely loathe Jezal. 😂

[@ToriTalks2]

Glokta IS awesome! And Jezal needs an attitude adjustment. 🙃

[@nickprocter1560]

Superb video Tori. The vlog format is great and a very interesting review. I enjoyed hearing your views and insights.

[@ToriTalks2]

Thanks so much Nick!

[@masonmclaughlin7905]

Glokta is a top 5 fantasy character. Just casually ignore his profession but he seems like a good time

[@ToriTalks2]

😂😂😂 agreed

[@ToriTalks2]

😂😂😂 agreed

[@darkengine5931]

Just finished the first book and I enjoyed it reasonably well, but I also felt like I mostly read the longest set of character introductions ever and still without really understanding all of them that well (especially given some key events that unfolded towards the end like West's outburst and Logen revealing that he has a split personality). Something that bothered me a bit, even though my favorite stories are character-dominated, is that most of our protags seem to lack a strong sense of agency so far beyond basic survival. They all seem relatively aimless on their own, more reactive than proacive, and relegated to strict followers in groups. Such seems the case with Logen seeming rather aimless until he encounters Bayaz and seems to almost blindly follow his lead. Ferro is quite a bit more rebellious but still helplessly relegated to a follower by the time she encounters Yulwei and later Bayaz. Glokta, while very cunning, seems to ultimately be a puppet (and knowingly) for the Inquisition and Arch Lector Suit. The Dogman just follows Threetrees' lead. West does seem like he has the potential to become a very independent leader carving his own path, yet I'll have to read the subsequent books to find out. Jezal was actually my favorite character to read about (from his POV or others) even though he's the least interesting and most stereotypical to me. It's because he has the most clearly-defined goals and conflicts I could deduce formed independently through his own volitions. He has ambitions to climb up the ranks but is also lazy and debaucherous in nature, falls in love with the one woman who belittles him and shows no admiration for his noble status (despite admiration and status being his ultimate desire), looks down upon almost everyone but is riddled with self-doubts, etc. He also makes the most independent choice to train hard despite absolutely hating it. Even though his desires are mostly narcissistic in nature, he still has those ambitions to pit his personal desires strongly at odds against the events that unfold. Glokta was my favorite character as well in an absolute sense, and I loved to read his inner reflections whenever the narration was told from his POV. Yet it was Jezal who really engaged me most. I'm hoping we get more of that sense of agency and conflict in each protag in the subsequent books. They're all interesting characters for sure, but I'm not getting the impression yet that most of their motives (beyond basic survival in dangerous situations) are so well-established and conflicting with the events that are unfolding to engage me so much yet in what's happening to them to invest me beyond just learning who they are.

[@ToriTalks2]

I totally agree with you on the lack of agency, and I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on the next two books. Jezal was also my favorite character to read in terms of character arc! Despite Glokta being closer to an archetype I typically enjoy reading.

[@darkengine5931]

​@@ToriTalks2Cheers and I'll try to keep you posted! I definitely loved Glokta the most just in the absolute sense of what makes a compelling character. I also love when a character's inner thoughts blatantly contradict their outward actions, and Glokta is exemplary in that regard. One thing that surprised me, being completely new to grimdark, is that the protags weren't quite as dark (so far, anyway) as I imagined they'd be. Even Glokta doesn't seem all that nefarious given the context of his setting and backstory. I haven't had a sense yet where any of them have encountered an ethical dilemma where they so consciously made the most unconscionable of decisions, maybe in part because they're still largely reactive. If I compare it to ASoIaF (which is the only other grimdark fantasy I'm familiar with), so many of even the central POV characters I was rooting for make the most immoral decisions (ex: Jaime pushing perfectly innocent Bran out the window) that can't be morally justified whatsoever in any context, and sometimes flip between antag and protag, in ways that subverted my ideas of what good and evil even mean in the context of that world. I began to disturbingly root for characters I perceived as most competent with almost complete disregard for their ethics and even had moments where I was in such a state of suspense rooting for two or more characters pitted against each other on opposite sides. This series doesn't seem so dark to me yet in that respect that I'm questioning what right and wrong even mean in the relative context of the world. Not necessarily a bad thing but it's a bit different from what I expected. Are there any grimdark books you've encountered and could recommend to me that are particularly dark in this amoral respect?

[@georgitrichkov1640]

What an amazing video! I would want to watch such vlogs for any of the First Law books. And, oh, Tori... I am currently on book 10, and... I'm so happy for what you have in store for you...

[@ToriTalks2]

Thanks so much for watching! I’m actually finishing up my Vlog for book 2 today! I’m so excited for the rest of the books! I’ve been told that Heroes is going to be right in my wheelhouse 🔥 Which one was your favorite so far?

[@georgitrichkov1640]

Awesome! Cannot wait to watch it! Weirdly enough, I was told the same of The Heroes, which turned out to be my least favorite, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it. Long topic on why that was. So far, I've 2 books in the series that absolutely blew my mind - Last Argument of Kings and The Trouble with Peace - books 3 and 9 respectively. I'm currently 30% into The Wisdom of Crowds, and will see how the conclusion stacks up against the rest. I also loved Before They Are Hanged quite a lot - watching your vlog for TBI and knowing a lot of your questions get answered there had me very excited to see your reaction to it as well. The thing is, there isn't a single book that I didn't like - consistency is sky high with Joe for me.

[@Mister_Sosotris]

Welp. *adds to TBR* 😆

[@ToriTalks2]

🤘🏻😂

[@BrianBell7]

Completely great vlog-style book review experience! I appreciate how much time you clearly put into editing, music / sound, videography, etc.. it's noticed! I hope you start Before They Are Hanged (I rated 4 stars) soon because then you are all that much closer to my favorite book in the trilogy, The Last Argument of Kings (easily 5 stars from me, hands down)

[@ToriTalks2]

Hey Brian, thanks so much! I appreciate the kind words, the vlogs take the most work but I'm the most proud of them. I look forward to continuing the series!

[@BohemianPaul]

I did buy the book but still on my tbr.

[@ToriTalks2]

It was on mine for a long time.

[@thatsci-firogue]

Glad to see Logen (mostly) won you over. Personally he's my favourite character of the trilogy. Honestly, Farro is so one note I almost never think about her outside of a few awesome moments.

[@ToriTalks2]

I did like Logen a lot. He's a great character. The ending was a bit out of nowhere and I'm not a fan of the idea of it being an "identity switch to a killer". But we will see what happens in the next book!

[@thatsci-firogue]

@@ToriTalks2 i see where you're coming from. That aspect of Logen was spoiled for me going in (I didn't know it was a spoiler at the time)

[@ToriTalks2]

@@thatsci-firogue That's a bummer! I'm not a big anti-spoilers person but stuff like that is definitely something you'd want to find out for yourself, I would imagine.

[@madisongoodyear5040]

Bahhh!! Tori, this is so fun to watch.

[@ToriTalks2]

I'm so glad that you're enjoying it!

[@thefairylibrarian3282]

My thought reading the book were very similar to yours. Love Ardee! That conversation between Glokta and West might be my favorite scene in the book. Logen eating the flower was adorable 🥹. And i agree that the thing with Logen at the end came out of nowhere. I was so confused

[@ToriTalks2]

Yeah the Bloody Nine is an unnecessary and underdeveloped plot element imo. I'm glad you read it! Do you plan to continue?

[@thefairylibrarian3282]

@@ToriTalks2 I definitely plan to continue. I don't know if i will be able to this year as my reading plans are way too ambitious already, but i am curious how it continues

[@thefairylibrarian3282]

@@ToriTalks2 I also understand from that comment that the Bloody Nine thing doesn't get important later on in the series?

[@ToriTalks2]

@@thefairylibrarian3282 It's hard to explain without spoilers. But I don't feel like it was handled correctly/well.

[@jennthebookwyrm5484]

I had also started this book knowing/hearing that Glokta was a great character and I was also feeling the resistance about liking his character. I don't like over-hyped things. But he quickly becme my favorite character. I loved Logen as well, probably earlier on than you did, but for similar reasons. On the surface, you can look at this book (and the whole trilogy for that matter) as a semi-typical fantasy. You've got the barbarian type, the wizard type, the side-kick apprentice, the preening swordsman, etc. But there is nothing typical about these characters or this story. I did like Ferro. I do agree that she was a little 2D compared to the others. But given his spectacular ability to write fully fleshed out 3D characters, I did not see Ferro as a failure to be able to write a good character, but rather her flatness or 2D-ness felt far more deliberate and gave me a sense that I needed to watch her. That she was important somehow. Otherwise, why would we be fussing with her POV? Loved the vlog. I always appreciate your insights!

[@ToriTalks2]

Logen is really growing on me in this second book. I liked him in book one but I'm loving him in book two. He's awesome. I totally agree with your point on the semi-typical fantasy that starts with a lot of common tropes and then sends them in a death spiral XD I know a few people who like Ferro now, and I enjoy hearing the other perspectives on her, and I definitely think I'm disliking her less in book 2. She's still not a favorite but she's more palatable for me this time around. Thank you for watching and reading along with me!

[@esmayrosalyne]

Been looking forward to this vlog and you did not disappoint!! I love this vlog style video, you give the best updates 🤩 Sounds like we had a very similar reading experience, I remember having the exact same reactions to things as you did. And totally feel you on experiencing all the mixed emotions about Glokta hahah. Also, Ardee is the freaking best and I honestly wish we would've gotten some of her POV chapters. Very curious to see how you'll feel about the next two books, I have a feeling you are gonna really appreciate some of the character choices and plot directions. Bayaz is also just fascinating, I am always glued to the page when he makes an appearance. So, how many times is book 2 gonna appear on the monthly TBR? Hahha, hope you can get to it sooner rather than later. Enjoy the wild ride!

[@ToriTalks2]

Lol thanks so much Esmay! I definitely want to get to the next two books, I don’t like having open series that I haven’t finished. I’m glad you enjoyed the Vlog!!!

[@johnmauro1230]

Excellent video, Tori! I fully agree with all of your opinions and analysis. I'll add that Ferro was one of my favorite characters (after Glokta). Overall this was a four-star read for me (five stars for characters, three stars for other elements of the book).

[@ToriTalks2]

Hey John! I noticed you had some love for Ferro, so I'm curious, what is it about her that you really enjoyed? I'd love to hear a different perspective.

[@johnmauro1230]

@@ToriTalks2 My thoughts on Ferro: "In a testosterone-heavy cast of characters, I felt like The Blade Itself was missing a strong female voice. Enter Ferro Maljinn, a former slave who is hell-bent on revenge. Ferro makes her appearance in the second half of the book. She was an absolute delight, written with a vibrancy that practically pops off the page."

[@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD]

POVs and they meet!!! Yes! I'm getting that in The Dragon's Path (Dagger & Coin)... add that to your list! You're making me want to reread the whole 2 series. 😅

[@ToriTalks2]

LOL! Yes I LOVE when main povs meet. I get excited about it. XD I'll definitely check The Dragon's Path out.

[@zkinak2107]

Great vlog! I apologize if this is a strange question, but is the your bed frame antique? 😅 The headboard was stunning to look at and it gave off strong fantasy vibes 😂

[@ToriTalks2]

Lol! Not a weird question. It's not antique, but it definitely makes a statement. XD It was a wedding gift from both sets of parents when we got married. We picked it for the fantasy vibes for sure!

[@zkinak2107]

@@ToriTalks2 oh very cool! I’m a sucker for that shade of wood accompanied by the branch like design. It reminded me of a couple of my parents old furniture pieces they have around their house. Anyway 10/10 aesthetic! 👍😂

[@eugenemurphy6037]

Great take!

[@ToriTalks2]

Thank you!

[@graemew2600]

Enjoyed this. I only started reading Abercrombie recently, and I think Id go along with everything you’ve said. The Blade is pretty much a character study, but also an attempt to subvert tropes - that becomes more apparent as the series continues. I suspect joe wrote a lot of this with his tongue planted firmly in his cheek. Don’t know what others think, but I felt a large part of the second book was a massive piss take on a very familiar classic fantasy

[@ToriTalks2]

Interesting! I'm really curious to see the other two books and even past that in the series. I definitely am here for some subverted tropes!

[@AndrewsWizardlyReads]

Lol The intro😂

[@ToriTalks2]

😂😂😂

[@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD]

KITTIES❤❤❤❤❤

[@ToriTalks2]

They are so helpful during these vlogs!

[@adamborst]

I put off reading these books because of all the hype about the characters and the characters and the characterization of the characters. It just put me off. However, after reading the first trilogy plus one standalone, I can understand and somewhat get on board. I'm down for hearing your opinions of the characters and if the technique(s) used given your writing experience. As a layman I think the characters are very well fleshed out and continue to get more and more layered through the trilogy. Thanks for the video!

[@ToriTalks2]

Hey Adam! Thanks for watching! I definitely plan to keep going with the trilogy, I'll finish it this year. I think that several of the characters are quite fleshed out, particularly our main three, Glokta, Jezal and Logen. There were a couple others that I thought needed some work, but this is also a debut novel and I think a perfect example of "if this is where he started, imagine where he's at now!" So I'm really looking forward to the next books.

[@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD]

"At some point...." hopefully sooner than it took for you to read this one. 😅😂❤

[@ToriTalks2]

I promise XD I'll finish the trilogy this year.

[@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD]

👏👏💗

[@EricMcLuen]

Logen is a great character but you know what you are going to get - likely a fight, some light comedy and witty banter. You have no idea what Glokta will do or have done to him and I found him much more interesting. Agreed Ferro is pretty 'standard'. At least Jezel slowly gets less annoying.

[@ToriTalks2]

Agreed. Logen is a good grounding character, Glokta is the intrigue, and Jezal is... Jezal. XD

[@currangill430]

Never heard Abercrombie pronounced like that 😂

[@ToriTalks2]

Always a first time for everything ;)

[@currangill430]

@@ToriTalks2 Facts 😂 It threw me but got used to your mispronoucation ;)