It seems that the good Lord would have me learn some patience. Otherwise, why would He have made the air traffic at London Heathrow so interminably bad that it delayed our departure by a full hour? As a result, I find myself waiting for Cathay Pacific's 10 pm flight to Manila, instead of the earlier 4:30 pm flight that I so wanted to catch. By the time I get home, my boys will be asleep. Grr!
Yet, not all is lost. Whilst I was in Merrie Old England (and I ask my English friends for my gruesome attempt at approximating British banter, but barely bearable alliterations always have been a weakness of mine), I read the second book of Joe Abercrombie's The First Law series, Before They Are Hanged. As I wrote earlier, Abercrombie, in his inimitably British way, what with the deliciously dark, subversive bent he brings to a brand of humorous epic fantasy that seems to have interred itself with the decomposing wit of David Eddings, is a marvelous read. Here's the synopsis that the publishers provided at the back cover:
"We should forgive our enemies, but not before they are hanged." Heinrich Heine
Superior Glokta has a problem. How do you defend a city surrounded by enemies and riddled with traitors, when your allies can by no means be trusted, and your predecessor vanished without a trace? It's enough to make a torturer want to run – if he could even walk without a stick.
Northmen have spilled over the border of Angland and are spreading fire and death across the frozen country. Crown Prince Ladisla is poised to drive them back and win undying glory. There is only one problem – he commands the worst-armed, worst-trained, worst-led army in the world.
And Bayaz, the First of the Magi, is leading a party of bold adventurers on a perilous mission through the ruins of the past. The most hated woman in the South, the most feared man in the North, and the most selfish boy in the Union make a strange alliance, but a deadly one. They might even stand a chance of saving mankind from the Eaters. If they didn't hate each other quite so much.
Ancient secrets will be uncovered. Bloody battles will be won and lost. Bitter enemies will be forgiven – but not before they are hanged.
Pick it up. The darkly comic was never this...comic. Imagine Ricky Gervais doing Lord of the Rings and you just might have Before They Are Hanged.
Photo Credits:
Picture of Before They are Hanged comes courtesy of Amazon U.K..
3 comments:
Glad you made it back from London safely. The book looks interesting. I will have to add it to my book list!
Hey Tweet! Nice to hear from you too. Any luck with Tom's search for the perfect private practice? We're praying that it all works out for you guys. :-)
Thank you for your prayers! It has been quite challenging for Tom to find a great practice to work in. His biggest criteria is that the people are great to work with and no back-stabbing as what it is like in many places. He has several interviews lined up. Wohoo! I will post a blog entry when I have more news. =)
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