This collection is a delightful supplement to the First Law world, both for the original trilogy and the one-offs. Several characters receive backstorThis collection is a delightful supplement to the First Law world, both for the original trilogy and the one-offs. Several characters receive backstories with Abercrombie's typical bracing, sometimes frantic narration.
Fans will be delighted to see him jump from his multiple narrative styles, from the Westernish tone from Red Country to the ponderous reflections of the Northmen, to even an extremely silly (but entertaining) passage from Nicomo Cosca's "official biographer." It's a versatility not often seen among SFF writers, especially in a single collection.
The collection isn't without its weak points, though I write this as an enthusiast for Abercrombie's work. A plot loosely ties the stories together, resembling a hazy buddy cop story; it's entertaining enough, but uneven and takes a while to pull itself together. Some characters appear as an exclamation point for their stories. Others, one in particular, seem like Abercrombie never quite decided what to do with them after trying several promising arcs.
Whether this is a coda to the First Law world or if Abercrombie returns to it, Sharp Ends is a wonderful collection and should definitely be read by any fan....more