Joe Abercrombie’s Best Served Cold is coming to a cinema near you, or so we hope. Plans for a live-action adaptation of the novel are underway. Abercrombie will write the script, with Deadpool’s Tim Miller directing.
Whenever someone asks me to describe Abercrombie’s First Law Universe, I always say, “It’s Game of Thrones, but better.”
Abercrombie’s books have all the complexity of a Game of Thrones novel but none of the pointless padding.
The protagonists are every shade of grey you can imagine. You want to like them, but they break your heart at every single turn. Logen Ninefingers is easily the most tragic fictional character I have ever encountered.
Last Argument of Kings, the third First Law book, was a great finale to the best trilogy of novels I have ever read. But it also left a lot of loose threads.
But when Last Argument of Kings first came out in 2008, it left some of us dissatisfied because the story felt incomplete. And rather than closing those loose plot threads, Abercrombie diverted from the original story to write three standalone books set in the First Law world but exploring a new cast of characters.
I went into Best Served Cold hoping to catch a glimpse of the characters I knew. And Abercrombie showed me enough to satisfy my curiosity. But surprisingly, those cameos were the least interesting aspect of the novel.
To this day, Best Served Cold is still one of the best fantasy novels I have ever read. I was in awe of Abercrombie’s ability to introduce a new cast of characters in the sixth novel in his series and to make me care about every single one.
And now, Abercrombie is working on an adaptation, and I could not be more excited. The book follows Monza Murcatto, Grand Duke Orso’s most accomplished mercenary. Monza’s fortunes take a nasty turn when she becomes a little too popular for Orso’s liking.
Driven by envy and fear, the Duke betrays Monza, leaving her shattered body at the bottom of a mountain. But Monza’s thirst for vengeance won’t let her rest.
Fueled by white-hot rage, she rejects the grim reaper’s offer of a quick death, picks herself up, gathers a motley crew of allies, and sets off on a mission to kill seven men.
You are not wrong if you think that synopsis sounds like every revenge story you have ever read or watched, but this is Joe Abercrombie. First, nothing is quite what it seems, and the revelations you get along the way will force you to question the righteousness of Monza’s quest.
Secondly, Monza is an awesome protagonist. She puts you in that middle ground where you can’t decide whether her actions are justified or if she has gone too far. But unlike many grimdark protagonists, Abercrombie gives you plenty of reasons to root for her.
Her crew of allies is just as distinct and engaging. If you read the First Law books, Caul Shivers undergoes a surprising transformation in Best Served Cold. If you are new to this world, he is the beefy, gravelly-voiced badass you want to see in a gritty, action-packed adventure.
The setting will engross you. Abercrombie tells you just enough to stir your imagination without bogging you down with pointless details, which is where George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones fails.
Best Served Cold is far more grounded than Game of Thrones. Magic exists, but it does not play a prominent role, which is concerning because I can see Hollywood ruining the finale with a flashy CGI-heavy battle that does not fit Abercrombie’s vision.
I have some hope because Abercrombie is writing the script. But I don’t trust Hollywood to give him the freedom he needs to produce the best possible adaptation.
mbjjnr8@gmail.com
Source: The Observer
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