Red Country is yet another masterpiece by Uncle Joe, as I like to call him. Another much-needed dose from the First Law world. At this point, I feel addicted to his work, much like I was to sugar when I was a kid.
Book Review: Red Country
- Author: Joe Abercrombie
- Series: First Law #6
- Publisher: Orbit
- Format: 469 pages, Kindle Edition
- First published: October 18, 2012
- ISBN: 9780316214445 (ISBN10: 0316214442)
- ASIN: 0316214442
- Language: English
- Available in digital format: Yes
Plot
The story takes us to the Far Country, where, as is often the case in the First Law world, there are no real laws—only the rule of well-honed steel. Abercrombie introduces us to Shy and her adoptive father, Lamb. After striking a successful deal selling her farm’s produce in the town of Fairdale, Shy returns home to find that her younger brother and sister have been kidnapped and taken deep into the Far Country.
Naturally, our protagonists set out to rescue them, leading them far, far into the untamed wilderness. Along the way, they encounter ghosts, rebels, the Inquisition, and much more—but I won’t spoil anything beyond that.
Characters
The main story revolves around Shy, who may seem like a simple farm girl at first glance but is actually a sharp trader with impressive combat skills and a dark past. I really liked her as a character. She and her adoptive father, Lamb (whom I won’t say much about to avoid spoilers), are memorable figures who shine with depth and compelling backstories.
Then there’s Temple, another lead character who constantly wavers between good and evil, morality and bad decisions. He’s well-developed and likable, and until the very end, you’re left wondering which side of him will win out.
And, of course, we can’t forget the infamous mercenary Nicomo Cosca, whom we already know from Last Argument of Kings and Best Served Cold. Here, he is even more ruthless and greedy—just the way I like him.
My Thoughts on Red Country
To be honest, the beginning of Red Country felt a bit slow for me, but after about 80–90 pages, Joe Abercrombie grabbed me by the ear and didn’t let go until the very end. The book kept me on edge through the last chapter, and each twist became more unexpected than the last. Compared to his other books, the battles here aren’t as frequent, but they are more than enough to make you taste the metallic tang of blood as you read.
Without a doubt, I give this book 5 stars, and I will definitely keep exploring more of Uncle Joe’s work.
Final Verdict
This is a fantastic addition to the First Law world, and if I were you, I wouldn’t miss it.
A New York Times bestseller!
They burned her home.
They stole her brother and sister.
But vengeance is following.
Shy South hoped to bury her bloody past and ride away smiling, but she’ll have to sharpen up some bad old ways to get her family back, and she’s not a woman to flinch from what needs doing. She sets off in pursuit with only a pair of oxen and her cowardly old step father Lamb for company. But it turns out Lamb’s buried a bloody past of his own. And out in the lawless Far Country the past never stays buried.
Their journey will take them across the barren plains to a frontier town gripped by gold fever, through feud, duel and massacre, high into the unmapped mountains to a reckoning with the Ghosts. Even worse, it will force them into an alliance with Nicomo Cosca, infamous soldier of fortune, and his feckless lawyer Temple, two men no one should ever have to trust . . .
Red Country takes place in the same world as the First Law trilogy, Best Served Cold, andThe Heroes. This novel also represents the return of Logen Ninefingers, one of Abercrombie’s most beloved characters.
