The Blade Itself

The Blade Itself (2006) by British author Joe Abercrombie is the first volume in his First Law trilogy. It falls squarely into the high fantasy literary genre, and like much of the genre, its scope is appropriately epic, covering a broad swath of settings and characters. Set primarily in the capital city of Adua, the narrative also ventures into in the cold, mountainous Northern lands as well as the arid South. It includes the standard genre tropes of magic, battle, and court intrigue, and it also explores a variety of socially relevant themes, such as the Futility of War and The Vilification of the Cultural “Other.”

In 2008, Abercrombie became a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. The Blade Itself is his debut novel, and his subsequent works have earned him a respected place amongst modern-day fantasy writers.

This guide refers to the 2007 Gollancz edition.

Content Warning: The source text features references to suicide, suicidal ideation, domestic abuse, and enslavement, which this guide describes.

Plot Summary

As the novel opens, Logen Ninefingers, the Warlord of the North, battles a horde of bestial, humanoid creatures called Shanka and is separated from his clanmates when he falls into a raging river.