Half a King by Joe Abercrombie

Half a King (Shattered Sea, #1)

by Joe Abercrombie

A classic coming-of-age tale set in a vivid and richly-imagined world from Sunday Times bestselling author Joe Abercrombie.

‘A fast-paced tale of betrayal and revenge that grabbed me from page one and refused to let go’ GEORGE R.R. MARTIN

Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea itself. And he must do it all with only one good hand.

Born a weakling in the eyes of his father, Yarvi is alone in a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rule. He cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge.

Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast and the lost, he finds they can do more to help him become the man he needs to be than any court of nobles could.

But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi’s path may end as it began – in twists, and traps and tragedy…

Reviewed by celinenyx on

3 of 5 stars

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Abercrombie is a good writer, and a great creator of flawed characters. Half a King has a fantastic beginning, but quickly descended into an adventure-type story. My issue with those is that things happen to the characters rather than the characters acting themselves. I never felt any tension, nor did the complexity of the characters truly shine. Half a King features an interesting world. I just wish we had gotten to see more of it.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 3 February, 2017: Finished reading
  • 3 February, 2017: Reviewed