Ross Hardy

Laura and I were entirely bowled over when our incessant badgering of our lovely friends at Gollancz resulted in their giving us an ARC copy of The Devils by Joe Abercrombie. Having now finished the book, I can say confidently you're in for a real treat when it drops in May 2025. Some thoughts:

• This is by far his funniest book
• Be prepared to welcome some iconic characters into the fantasy zeitgeist
• This is also by far his most Abercrombiest book
• It reads like a chaotic D&D campaign
• The first 25% is a bit of a mess
• I had a great time

Another strong Pratchett novel with a bit of a saggy middle and more parentheticals than I like. “But Ross, you're reading a Pratchett! Why would you complain about the parentheticals?” Well, I like them, but I'm not sure we needed the donkey up a minaret. That plotline wasn't really going anywhere now was it. Still, an enthusiastic thumbs up.