Name: Last Argument of Kings
Rating: 4.3090646094503375 (1037 reviews)
ISBN: 9781409111467

Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie | SansFiction

§Synopsis

The King of the Union lies on his deathbed, the peasants revolt, and the nobles scramble to steal his crown. No one believes that the shadow of war is about to fall across the heart of the Union. Only the First of the Magi can save the world, but there are risks.

§Our take

This is where the trilogy's quiet manipulation gets revealed and paid off. The long scheming of the magus Bayaz, planted in the first book, finally shapes everyone's fate, and at least one reviewer found some of the revelations properly surprising. The Bloody-Nine, the inquisitor and the vain young officer each get a last arc, and none of them is flattened to make it work.

The ending is the real argument. Abercrombie set out to write fantasy with no black-and-white morality, where nobody sees themselves as the villain, and he doesn't cheat at the finish. Some readers say the ambiguity is the point. Others think the cynicism goes a step too far. Expect a busy last stretch, a few loose threads, and a lot of battle in the second half. Don't expect a happy ending.

§Themes

No clean victory: The trilogy rejects a neat heroic payoff, which fits Abercrombie's aim of morally unclean characters.
The long con: Bayaz's scheming, planted from the first volume, comes due and shapes what happens to everyone.
Power and weakness: Forum readers single out the philosophical edge the book brings to both.
War swallows intrigue: The political plotting and dark humor give way to large-scale combat as the book goes on.

§How it was received

The trilogy's scheming pays off, and its returning characters do not leave the stage unchanged. Even enthusiastic reviewers admit the ending is bleak and some threads stay loose. One dissenting reviewer found the cynical finish a step too far compared with the lighter opening.

§Read it if

You've read the first two books and want the payoff for all that scheming
You like endings that leave you arguing about what they meant
You enjoy gritty fantasy where nobody is quite the hero

§Skip it if

You haven't read The Blade Itself and Before They Are Hanged. This is not a starting point.
You want a conventional, triumphant resolution, or you tend to skim long battle sequences

§Before you start

Reading experience: It's the trilogy's longest book, and the final stretch gets crowded, especially once the battles take over.
Reading order: Book 3 and conclusion of The First Law trilogy, after The Blade Itself and Before They Are Hanged. Best Served Cold (2009) is a later standalone in the same world.
Content notes: Large-scale war violence and brutality; Torture and blackmail storylines; Grim, morally bleak resolution; Adult content throughout the series.

§Common questions

Can you read Last Argument of Kings on its own?: No. It resolves the three-book arc and assumes you know the characters and their histories. Start with The Blade Itself.
Does Last Argument of Kings have a happy ending?: Not really. Readers advise against expecting one. The ending is bleak and ambiguous, and fans disagree on whether that's brilliant or too cynical.
Is it the last First Law book?: It closes the trilogy. Best Served Cold followed in 2009 as a standalone set in the same world.

Sources

§Genres

adulte1adventure1aventure1fantasy1fantasy fiction1fiction1guerre1

§Moods

dark2medium-paced2adventurous1challenging1emotional1funny1mysterious

§Tags

#a mix driven1#character driven1#diverse characters1#loveable characters1#plot driven1

§About the Author

Joe Abercrombie

48 books in catalog

Joseph Edward Abercrombie is a British author of epic fantasy books and a film editor. He is the author of The First Law and The Age of Madness trilogies, as well as other fantasy books in the same setting, and a trilogy of young adult novels. His novel Half a King won the 2015 Locus Award for best young adult book.