Joe Abercrombie is best known as the author of The First Law series, and he's put together an outstanding body of work over the previous two decades. Dubbed "Lord Grimdark," Abercrombie has developed a reputation as one of the premiere authors in the grimdark fantasy subgenre, known for morally ambiguous characters, historically rooted world-building, and subversion of classical fantasy norms. The First Law universe is often noted for its A Song of Ice & Fire book series, which Abercrombie has cited as a chief influence on his fiction.

Though The First Law has been around for some time, there's no better time than now to dive into the author's work. His original trilogy has been expanded on with the sequel Age of Madness trilogy, multiple standalone, and a plethora of short stories. One of his standalone novels, Best Served Cold, has had a feature film in the early development stages with Rebecca Ferguson attached as the star. Not to mention, in 2025, Joe Abercrombie will release The Devils, the first novel in a brand new dark fantasy trilogy with no relation to the world of The First Law.

10 Sharp Ends

Goodreads Rating - 4.13

As a collection of short fiction set in Joe Abercrombie's The First Law world, Sharp Ends is always going to vary for the reader by their favorite and least favorite stories. It's a must-read for lovers of that universe, with stories involving characters like Logen Ninefingers, Shy South, Bethod, and more. With that in mind, Sharp Ends has some enjoyable works, but it loses the advantage of one of Joe Abercrombie's greatest skills: slow-burn character development.

Because of this, Sharp Ends relies heavily on the foundational knowledge of The First Law universe, leaving many of the stories to feel like supplementary material rather than narratives of their own. Highlights include Made a Monster, which examines Bethod and Logen's relationship before the original First Law trilogy, and Small Kindnesses, which introduces some fresh characters to the mix and offers one of the best standalone tales in the anthology.

9 The Blade Itself

Goodreads Rating - 4.21

The Blade Itself is the typical starting point for Joe Abercrombie's work, as it's the first book in the original First Law trilogy. In that sense, the Goodreads score is bound to be significantly lower than the rest of the series, given that it's the trial run for most readers. But while The Blade Itself may be unfairly represented by this number, compared to other books, it's also reasonable to say it's not the most exciting novel Abercrombie has written, as it carries the burden of introducing the ensemble and the world.

some highlights include the development of the three main POV characters, Logen, Jezal, and Glokta, as well as the general humor and wit with which Abercrombie paints his world.

The First Law trilogy doesn't pull many punches in keeping a veil over its plot, and The Blade Itself may leave readers with a substantial amount of confusion. The entire cast of characters is spread around the world, and while they're fascinating to explore, it's difficult to find meaning in the narrative until the cohesion of the third volume ties everything together. Still, some highlights include the development of the three main POV characters, Logen, Jezal, and Glokta, as well as the general humor and wit with which Abercrombie paints his world.

8 Red Country

Goodreads Rating - 4.31

Red Country is the third and final novel in what Abercrombie has described as The Great Leveller trilogy, a collection of standalone narratives in The First Law universe. Unlike its predecessors, Red Country is often described as a Western, embracing aesthetic elements of the classic genre with Abercrombie's usual taste for violence and complex characters. Because of the lawless nature of the Far Country, Abercrombie's generally impressive action sequences are even more intense than usual.

With that praise in mind, Red Country finds itself on the lower end of Abercrombie's titles and the weakest of the standalone novels. It's got everything one would hope for from an Abercrombie book in its brutality and grittiness. Still, much of the enjoyment of this book is contingent on the reader's feelings for the Western genre, and Shy South is arguably one of the weaker protagonists the author has written in this universe.

7 Best Served Cold

Goodreads Rating - 4.23

The first of Joe Abercrombie's standalone in The First Law series, Best Served Cold may not have the highest Goodreads score, but it's an iconic book, and there's no question as to why it's going to be the first piece of his work to be adapted. Best Served Cold is an action-packed, bloody revenge story set in The First Law universe, which feels like the epitome of Joe Abercrombie's skillset in the form of a standalone novel. Consider John Wick or Kill Bill in grimdark fantasy form.

Monza Murcatto is one of Abercrombie's best leads, and it will be a ton of fun to hopefully see Rebecca Ferguson bring her to life on the big screen. The action and revenge narrative is enforced by Abercrombie's consistently powerful character work, making Best Served Cold one of the most intense fantasy book experiences available.

6 The Heroes

Goodreads Rating - 4.34

The Heroes is an outstanding follow-up to the original First Law trilogy, involving a mix of characters readers already know with some fresh faces. After the North followed Logen to the Union in Last Argument of Kings, they end up in conflict once again, with the novel shifting between figures on both sides of a new war. As a narrative concept, the idea of a novel following three days of a climactic battle is incredibly fun, offering many of Abercrombie's usual elements in a riveting new format.

Of the three standalone books in The First Law universe, The Heroes has arguably the strongest character development, as it covers the varying perceptions of war among a terrific ensemble. The title itself summarizes the irony behind this book, reinforcing a thematic idea about war that was prevalent in the original trilogy: war is scarcely heroic, and those who are truly heroes aren't often credited for it.

5 Before They Are Hanged

Goodreads Rating - 4.35

Before They Are Hanged is the middle book of The First Law trilogy, which benefits significantly from grouping the majority of its characters. Readers of this series have been challenged with a complicated set of characters, and the second volume prompts them to dive deeper into the cast's vulnerability. Maybe Jezal dan Luthar can turn his life around for the better. Maybe Logen and Ferro can find peace in each other. Maybe Glokta has a softer heart than he lets on.

When thrown into the thick of the action, characters like Major West and Jezal are more accessible. Compared to people like Crown Prince Ladisla, Bayaz, or Arch Lector Sult, these characters suddenly become easy to root for. Before They Are Hanged challenges its reader to sympathize with criminals, killers, and more within the framing of a perfectly crafted grimdark setting. To one's surprise, that sympathy comes easier than they might expect.

4 A Little Hatred

Goodreads Rating - 4.45

2019's A Little Hatred introduces audiences to The Age of Madness trilogy. While it's fantastic and worthy of immense praise, the Goodreads scores are inflated by the fact that they've had far less readership than the original First Law books, which is often the case the deeper one goes into a series. With that in mind, A Little Hatred has a higher score than Last Argument of Kings, but it's not as emotionally impactful of a story.

A Little Hatred builds upon the foundation of The First Law trilogy, preparing readers for an even more rewarding saga.

Though that may be the case, A Little Hatred is still a phenomenal story and one of Abercrombie's best. Jumping forward in time and setting doesn't always work in high fantasy. For example, Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn era 2 series wasn't as successful as its original trilogy. A massive aesthetic change, along with a shift in characters, can be jarring. A Little Hatred builds upon the foundation of The First Law trilogy, preparing readers for an even more rewarding saga.

3 Last Argument Of Kings

Goodreads Rating - 4.34

Last Argument of Kings might have a lower score than its predecessor and A Little Hatred, but there's great value in Joe Abercrombie's first trilogy ending. The third volume aptly concludes its major character arcs with immense emotional weight and also lays the foundation for much more to come. It's one of his most visceral literary experiences, leaving readers with a heavy feeling that justifies the merits of Abercrombie's cynical take on fantasy.

There are few fantasy series that pose characters with such indefinite moral standings

At the start of The Blade Itself, it would be hard to fathom feeling tremendous sorrow for Jezal dan Luthar, ionate hatred for Bayaz, or such confusion about Logen Ninefingers. There are few fantasy series that pose characters with such indefinite moral standings that digesting the events of Last Argument of Kings becomes an experience in and of itself. Abercrombie's trilogy is a masterful, sophisticated exploration of character, with a treat of a fantasy world to bolster it.

2 The Trouble With Peace

Goodreads Rating - 4.6

An accomplishment that's worth noting for The Trouble with Peace is that, with a 4.6 rating on Goodreads, it's one of the highest-rated books on the platform altogether. Of course, attaching a score value to a novel is arbitrary to a degree, but it speaks to the mass love readers have for these stories. The fact that his books seem to get better and better as they progress is beyond impressive, and The Trouble with Peace affirms the quality of the second trilogy's fresh character ensemble.

Just as Before They Are Hanged solidified the original First Law cast, book 2 of The Age of Madness takes the newcomers from the previous installment and elevates them to the center of the spotlight. This book demonstrates Abercrombie's character work at its peak, with Savine dan Glokta being an extraordinary highlight as the torch es down to her. Once again, the middle book sees Joe Abercrombie perfectly set up the finale without detracting from its individuality.

1 The Wisdom Of Crowds

Goodreads Rating - 4.6

Choosing between the final two books of The Age of Madness series is a nearly impossible choice. Ultimately, the ending of the series is the big winner, but both books are undoubtedly incredible works of contemporary fantasy. This book solidified Joe Abercrombie's second trilogy as his masterwork and is one of the defining achievements of the grimdark genre, with the author distinguishing himself with the sheer quality of his prose and his distinctive characterizations.

As one would expect from the final book of a trilogy, The Wisdom of Crowds is the darkest component of the saga, allowing Abercrombie to work with what he's strongest at. The book is packed with harrowing tragedy, complete chaos and destruction, and beautifully written action. Yet, all throughout, each POV character is undergoing an incredible transformation, leaving the reader with a sense of awe at how far they've grown throughout the series. This is The First Law author Joe Abercrombie at his best.