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The Heroes Paperback – October 21, 2011

by Joe Abercrombie (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 6,374 ratings
Goodreads Choice Award nominee
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They say Black Dow's killed more men than winter, and clawed his way to the throne of the North up a hill of skulls. The King of the Union, ever a jealous neighbor, is not about to stand smiling by while he claws his way any higher. The orders have been given and the armies are toiling through the northern mud. Thousands of men are converging on a forgotten ring of stones, on a worthless hill, in an unimportant valley, and they've brought a lot of sharpened metal with them.

THE HEROES

For glory, for victory, for staying alive.
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Previous page
  1. Book 2 of 3
    World of the First Law
  2. Print length
    592 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Orbit
  5. Publication date
    October 21, 2011
  6. Dimensions
    6 x 1.85 x 9.95 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0316193569
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0316193566
  9. Lexile measure
    690L
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Lord of the rings as directed by Kurosawa" --- Wall Street Journal.

"Magnificent, richly entertaining." --- Time

"Abercrombie never glosses over a moment of the madness, passion, and horror of war, nor the tribulations that turn ordinary people into the titular heroes." --- Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"The Heroes is an indictment of war and the duplicity that corrupts men striving for total power: bloody and violent, but never gratuitously so, it's imbued with cutting humour, acute characterisation and world-weary wisdom about the weaknesses of the human race. Brilliant." --- Eric Brown, The Guardian (UK)

"Delivered in Abercrombie's trademark witty style ... This is an action-packed novel full of brutality, black humour and razor-sharp characterisation." --- Dave Bradley, SFX (5 star review)

"It's an excellent tale and arguably Abercrombie's best book yet ... Its pace really showcases his talent for differently voiced and realistically motivated characters ... any genre fan can enjoy what's one of the best fantasy books of the past year." --- SciFi Now (5 star review)

About the Author

Joe Abercrombie is the New York Times bestselling author of Red Country and the First Law trilogy: The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged, and Last Argument of Kings. He is a full-time writer and occasional freelance film editor who lives in Bath, England with his wife and three children.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Orbit; Reprint edition (October 21, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 592 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316193569
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316193566
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 690L
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.35 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.85 x 9.95 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 6,374 ratings

About the author

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Joe Abercrombie

Joe Abercrombie

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Joe Abercrombie is a freelance film editor, who works on documentaries and live music events. He lives and works in Bath. THE BLADE ITSELF, his debut novel, is the first novel of The First Law trilogy, followed by BEFORE THEY ARE HANGED and LAST ARGUMENT OF KINGS. His new stand-alone bestseller is BEST SERVED COLD.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
6,374 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Doug Bowker
5.0 out of 5 stars One of Abercrombie's Very Best
Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2014
Verified Purchase
Arguably the best WRITTEN of any of the First Law extended series. 75% of the characters will be (and need to be, for most of it to make any sense) familiar to a fan of the series, and they often are expanded upon from the parts they may have played before (Black Dow most notably and everyone will like seeing Caul Shivers again from Best Served Cold). For sheer ingenious world building, suspense and complete WTF! moments, I guess I'd have to choose LAST ARGUMENT OF KINGS as my "favorite" of the series, but I found myself really appreciating the clever ways The Heros novel unfolds. For now it'll be my second favorite.

In THE HEROS what we have are much more subtle story lines (I know that seems hard to believe in a story of almost continuous blood-letting). But what I mean is that when the big surprises happen, they feel much more organic and less forced or for easy excitement. And though his other books also had scoundrels become somewhat redeemed, and quite a few "good guys" that went bad, this book handles the same sorts of character transformations with more nuance and believability. A number of scenes, I have to say, were just about as good as one could hope for by ANY author, and they had a dramatic, almost cinematic weight to them that really stood out.

And although I often got a guilty thrill when previous novels in the series would "pull the rabbit out of the hat" a la The First of the Magi, there were a number of times when it all felt like Deux ex Machina on Abercrombie's part (generally after having written himself into a corner). This almost never happens in The Heros and the story is better for it. Best Served Cold probably was the most guilty of using "Super Magic" to change the course of events just when things seemed most dire or stuck, and it often read like not that creative scene knock-off from the Matrix.

Another interesting aspect of the novel one will notice here is also the fact that it all takes place over around 4-5 days. Mostly in the middle 3 days actually, but it's all told via the widest panoply of characters possible, often in direct parallel. This can both be a great way of keeping you grounded as to all the action, and as opportunities for a lot of humor (in the "one mans fortune is anothers doom" kind of manner).

Bottom Line: Plenty of fun and action, more character and environmental detail to enjoy, improved writing technique, plot twists that are surprising AND believable!
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Poisoned Blade
4.0 out of 5 stars A Bloody Hill, Swords, and True Grit (Spoiler Free Review)
Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2011
Verified Purchase
Warriors meet. Arrows fly. Swords slice. Axes chop. People die. That's just how it is. Sign of the times, I reckon.

The Heroes is a stand-alone book in Joe Abercrombie's First Law Series. You'll enjoy the book more if you've read the First Law Trilogy, but it is not necessary.
(But you should.)

Story:
This isn't your typical war story with good guys and bad guys. Instead, the story is told from the perspectives of the leaders and footmen on both sides of the battle. Both sides have their flaws as well as their strenghs.

Union Soldiers from the south march to the northern border to claim a strategic landmark called The Heroes. The Heroes are a circle of giant stone slabs standing at attention atop a steep hill. Barbaric mercenaries from the north occupy The Heroes and will fight to the death to defend them. The battle lasts three unpleasant days and nobody will ever be the same.

World:
Joe Abercrombie's world is gritty and realistic. The world is muddy. The weather is terrible. Magic is powerful, but scarce. Leadership is incompetent. Battles are vicious. Men are very, very flawed. This book focuses on the border between the northern highlanders and the southern union. The lands in the north are unforgiving and the men are hardened by the constant struggle to survive. The climate in the south is much more moderate, allowing a civilization with abundant resources to thrive. The Union troops are equipped with superior armor and advanced military tactics, while the Northmen are tough, blood thirsty, and bold. However, both sides are full of incompetents, cowards, traitors, lunatics, and heroes.

Characters:
There are a lot of characters in this book. Keeping track of them all is a challenge. Luckily, there is a character list with descriptions at the front of the book. You can refer back to this if you ever get confused. The first 90 pages are dedicated to character development. They're all gritty and a bit psychotic, but very human at the same time. These definitely aren't the heroes from fairy tales. Nobody is valiant or honorable. They're just people trying desperately to survive in a bad situation.

Writing Style:
Joe Abercrombie sets the scene and the mood with short declarative sentences and 'to the point' dialogue. You get a good sense of the character's motivations and you start liking them... all of them are likeable in some way... or dislikeable in other ways. You really start to feel like you know them. The battles are the most gritty, chaotic, and exciting that you'll ever read. If I had to compare them to a film, I'd say, "Remember the first time you saw, `Saving Private Ryan.' Pure Chaos!" You feel every slash of the sword and feel pain for every death.

The story structure is interesting, too. There really isn't a long drawn out quest or an Act I, Act II, Act III. There is just character development, a battle, and reflection. It's refreshing! Although, 90 pages of character introductions is a bit overwhelming.

Also, the short descriptions help the pacing of the book, but there are quite a few parts that are hard to visualize. I had to re-read a few pages now and then so I could envision the scenes. But there are some character driven scenes in the book that remind me of classic literature or the movie `True Grit.' You'll definitely remember parts of this book months after you've read it.

Action:
There are battles, duels, assassins, more battles, tactics, and battles. These battles are gritty, gory, and violent. Heads roll, limbs fall, torsos are hacked, and many die horrific deaths in the mud. This book also takes the battles one step further. Most of all, the action is not without consequences. Characters lose their limbs, their lives, and their humanity. At the end of each day in the story, they show a map and where the north and south forces are placed. Black Dow is here, General Jaelenhorn is here, etc... It's a great way to show progression.

Maturity: Adult or Late Teen
Violence, Gore, Language, Sex... This is not for kids... or anyone who is idealistic about life.

Overall:
This book is Gritty, Exciting, Entertaining, and Dark. It has memorable yet sinister characters and visceral battles. What it lacks in pacing and description, it makes up for in style and action. If you love fantasy battles, then this book is for you.

Buy it if you love violence.
Buy it if you love shady characters.
Buy it if you enjoyed the First Law Trilogy.
Buy it if this 'story structure' sounds appealing.
Buy it if you like stories told from different perspectives.
Avoid it if you like your heroes to be virtuous.
Avoid it if you like verbose descriptions.
Avoid it if you don't like the idea of a 400 page battle.
Avoid it if you need to follow one main character through a story.
Avoid it if your fantasy needs to have elves and dragons. This book has more in common with Braveheart than Lord of the Rings.

If you enjoyed this book, check out the Blackhearts Omnibus set in the Warhammer Universe, The Black Company by Glen Cook, or Legend, Winter Warriors, The Lion of Macedon, and Waylander by David Gemmell. They all feature real men in violent battles.
12 people found this helpful
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art
5.0 out of 5 stars one of my favorite
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2024
Verified Purchase
A lot can happen in a couple days. Such thoroughly enjoyed the book. Such a simple premise yet so … enticingly written, no character is perfect in this world; there are no heroes, only people.
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Top reviews from other countries

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CapCanuk
5.0 out of 5 stars As advertised
Reviewed in Canada on February 4, 2024
Verified Purchase
Book showed up in good condition. No damage. Great series.
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m.h.
5.0 out of 5 stars as always from J.A. GREAT
Reviewed in Germany on March 29, 2024
Verified Purchase
great book to read if youre into the series.
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Reader-718
5.0 out of 5 stars I can’t believe it took…
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 3, 2023
Verified Purchase
.. so many years for me to discover this top, top quality author!

I’ve been thinking on the matter of ‘who is the author similar too?’.
There’re a vast array of authors I’ve read & revered over the years, mmm.
Well, let’s see: if you took David Gemmell. Frederick Forsyth & Don Winslow, got them to choreograph a perfect blend of their works & then apply them onto a map of the circle of the world; Inc. The Union, The North & all of the other locations in this particular world, well, this is what you get - Joe Abercrombie & his quite excellent, brilliant writing!

The standards of this work really are of the highest quality. I can be a fussy, grumpy reader, sometimes and am not shy of saying what I think in a review. So, only fair I say it loud here for Hero Joe & his work.

The World building, the plot, characters - yes, all amazing and brilliant as one would always wish for in an excellent book. The true gold I found in this particular volume is in the ‘Internal Dialogue’ narratives. Gold!
The humour is so sharp, the irony, parody, the comedy, self evisceration by characters to a level really does deserve more recognition. For instance; Bremer Dan Gorst/Finree (when Bremer is happy about a letter he receives), this has to be one of the funniest things I have read in a long time! I nearly wet myself and the laughter was really hurting me!

This is some of the best writing in the genre I’ve read to date. As I mentioned before, the mix of authors I would use to describe the culmination of this authors work here, really does indicate the high standards of his books. I cannot tell you all enough, out there, how much you all need this in your lives! Yes, it’s that good on so many different levels. There are real and important lessons and messages to take away about the horrors, futility and waste of conflict. There’s the panoramic view of a soldiers life in all its pain, waste and death and glory and, and, and…

There’s philosophy, psychology, sociology and every other ology. Loyalty, betrayal, cowardice and, you know what? There’s something of everything to educate, Inform and entertain a reader, but most of all; reading the whole collection of books this author has written (chronological order), is like a whole eco-system of life, but from an imaginary world with many and vast amounts of real life wisdom and experience. This is its very own self-contained ‘thing’ that provides you with such a vast amount of sheer content. Invest in this and read it multiple times.

I don’t keep up with articles on T.V & Movies etc. but I’d like to think an adaptation of this is in the works, it’d be truly amazing.

If you want to be entertained, and all of the other experiences I mentioned, buy all of these books and treasure them, talk about them with family, friends etc it’ll be one of the best things you ever did.

Mr Abercrombie, I thank you, heartily & thoroughly for the hours of entertainment, laughter, hilarity, profundity, nudity, oddity, validity, idiocy, at times, tendentious subjectivity and utter brilliance. Thank.You!
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Alfiogiuliosanti@gmail.com
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastico
Reviewed in Italy on November 22, 2022
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Fantastico
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Nilda Brandao
5.0 out of 5 stars Recomendo sem medo
Reviewed in Brazil on January 1, 2019
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Dando continuação à minha fase “livros que sangram” continuo lendo Joe Abercrombie e seu mundo da primeira lei.
The Heroes acontece coisa de uns 5 anos depois que o Barca Negra dá sumiço no Nove dedos e se torna o Rei no Norte. Cachorrão se junta com a União e entram em guerra contra os nortistas, a batalha acontece na montanha conhecida como The Heroes.
O livro todo conta três dias dessa batalha.
Sangue não falta, violência também não. Momentos heróicos e momentos de pura covardia? Também tem!
Acredito que o mais legal desse livro seja seu enredo.
Numa guerra, o fato predominante é que nos vemos torcendo para um dos lados, o autor da história a conta de forma que nos faz tomar partido de algum lado e torcer por ele, sofrer com ele, etc.
Obvio que Joe Abercrombie não ia deixar as coisas assim tão fáceis para nós leitores. Não existe como tomar um partido, ou torcer por um lado, porque em cada um dos lados, tem personagens que a gente aprendeu a gostar. E mesmo os personagens novos (destaque para o back, adolescente nortista que sonha em ser o grande herói como nas histórias e ganhar um nome, como os grandes nortistas tem) tem defeitos e qualidades que nos faz simpatizar com eles. O pior é quando acontece um confronto entre dois personagens, de lados opostos, que a gente gosta... vai torcer para quem?
Abercrombie tem esse jeitinho todo meigo e especial de nos tirar completamente da nossa zona de conforto. Não basta ser sangrento e violento, tem que ser sem partido, pra você não ter nem a desculpa de que está torcendo pelos mocinhos.
Leitura obrigatória para quem gostou da trilogia a Primeira Lei. Até porque é impossível não querer saber o que aconteceu com nossos amados-odiados personagens.
Recomendo sem medo.
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