But once in a while, an author comes along with a story that brings the thud and blunder back to thud and blunder: real characters, great action, a convincing take on magic, even a little realpolitk.
We won't even attempt to summarize the plot -- or plots, really. Suffice to say there are a variety of fascinating folks, from a barbarian named Nine Fingers to a spoiled-rotten swordsman, from an ill-tempered wizard to a sad, mad, cruel ex-swordsman turned torturer ... and they all come together in a complex but hugely satisfying story of intrigue and adventure.
Pyr, a division of the British publisher Prometheus, has released all three books of "The First Law" series at once -- and even the cover designs are cool! -- making for an easy and easy-to-access read.
Last time we saw this kind of enjoyable realism wih a sense of humor was Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series ... and that was fifteen years ago. If you like that -- and haven't care for a hell o a lot since -- then The First Law, beginning with The Blade Itself, just might be for you.
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