Abercrombies best work to date

If you could sum up Half a King in three words, what would they be?

Engaging,entertaining, awesome.

What did you like best about this story?

It's a fantasy book

Which character – as performed by Ben Elliot – was your favourite?

This would be a better question for non-fiction books

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It just sucked me in and I just did not want to stop listening.

Any additional comments?

Possibly the best work yet from this author and the narrator's performance was masterful.

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1 person found this helpful

Lacks Joe wit

Very boring characters not a patch on any of his adult stuff. Story pretty basic. Shame, love all the other stuff to death.

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Wonderful

Brillant read. I have now read this 4x and it is still great read. Mavellous

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A master craftsman at work

Disclosure - Joe Abercrombie is certainly in my top three fantasy authors each of whom seems to hit a slightly different spot in me. Reading George RR Martin is compelling and tremendously rewarding but the reader needs to pay a lot of attention and do a lot of work to keep on top of labyrinthine plot machinations where casts of thousands cavort around hundreds of locations. The plots of Mark Lawrence’s novels are perhaps more direct, but the reader needs to take time to appreciate the beauty and originality of the writing whilst picking-up on all the pithy and knowing wit employed. Joe however writes his books in a seemingly effortless style; the reader can just sit back and let the story engulf him.
Which is not to say this book is lightweight; plot is finely polished, characters have depth and locations are memorably rendered. Joe is a dextrous wordsmith and though the trademark humorous vein he usually laces his novels with is perhaps slightly muted here it still gleams through from time to time.

I was a bit worried as this was billed a s being Book 1 of a “Young Adult” trilogy - I am happy to report that I did not find much evidence of any toning down of the “grimdark” themes we modern fantasy readers have come to love.

This novel is narrated by Ben Elliot, a reader new to me. He does a pretty good job on the whole if not quite meeting the high standard set by Steven Pacey, who had read Joe’s previous audiobooks.

Through reading Joe’s blog I know he’s a whisky man; this book seems to reflect that. Sit back in your chair and relax, take a few sips of this fairly straight-forward story peopled by seemingly familiar types; without expending any effort you’ll discover the subtleties and nuances of the colourings and flavours a master distiller can produce.

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Give it a chance

This book has some not so great reviews in comparison to other Abercrombie audio books but if you approach it with an open mind and give the narrator a chance this book is incredibly enjoyable, well written and well narrated.

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Amazing

This is the first book, I made the mistake of listening to the second book then this one, although it is amazing!

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Rather gentler than normal

I’m not sure if this is aimed at a YA audience but it felt a bit soggy and not like a Joe Abercrombie book to be honest. It’s fine but not what I expect from him.

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Half and King, not Half a story!

My best listen in 2014 hand(s) down, has everything you love and expect from a Joe Abercromie novel. True to form it is never totally clear who the heroes are and if they are even heroes at all. The story has a very classic feel to it, almost like it is a re telling of an old legend or something from history. It reminded me in places of the story of Hamlet or even Spartacus - but not told at all in a dusty dry manner, (more like Conn Iggulden does it). Really cannot wait for the next instalments of this trilogy, but worth mentioning that this book requires no follow up - it does not have an end you are left waiting for the next book and stands perfectly well on its own, but you will certainly want more!

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2 people found this helpful

a dreamy, distant story. sort of slow but nice.

not my favourite Abercrombie story to date, having read 'The First Law' trilogy. however, he is an excellent writer and I'm about to get the next one.

wasn't totally sold by the performance either. found it all a bit too subtle and whispery. personally, I prefer a bit more gusto in a storyteller.

all in, worth a credit.

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Half a Book

Would you listen to Half a King again? Why?

Probably, as part of a Abercrombie binge when I revisit his work

What other book might you compare Half a King to, and why?

In common with his other books I really like the way this book romps along. In this regard I was reminded of my childhood favorite the Edgar Rice Burroughs Barsoom series, with each chapter having plenty of action.

What about Ben Elliot’s performance did you like?

hmm, I was upset initially - missing the incomparable Steven Pacey. But I got over that quickly and I soon found him more than acceptable.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

You know you're in a Joe Abercrombie book pretty much from the start, and I couldn't stop listening.

Any additional comments?

I've (of course) listened to all his other Audible books and would give 5 stars to each, this one 'only' gets a very solid 4 stars from me due to it's brevity and lack of Spacey. One other thing with this book, is that if you were to give me all his books at once to read and then put them in the order they were written I would have put this down as one of his early works, if that makes sense. It was very good but perhaps didn't quite 'grab me by the fruits' in the way his others have. Still, a very enjoyable story, head and shoulders above most of the dross fantasy out there right now and a must have for all JA fans. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

ps sorry for the title but I couldn't resist my own wittiness, even at half a book it was well worth the credit I spent on it.

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