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  • Last Argument of Kings

  • The First Law: Book Three
  • By: Joe Abercrombie
  • Narrated by: Steven Pacey
  • Length: 27 hrs and 3 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (6,731 ratings)
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Last Argument of Kings cover art

Last Argument of Kings

By: Joe Abercrombie
Narrated by: Steven Pacey
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Summary

The end is coming.

Logen Ninefingers might only have one more fight in him, but it’s going to be a big one. Battle rages across the North, the King of the Northmen still stands firm and there’s only one man who can top him. His oldest friend and his oldest enemy. It’s time for the Bloody-Nine to come home.

With too many masters and too little time, Superior Glokta is fighting a different kind of war - a secret struggle in which no-one is safe and no-one can be trusted. His days with a sword are far behind him. It’s a good thing blackmail, threats, and torture still work well enough.

Jezal dan Luthar has decided that winning glory is too painful, and turned his back on soldiering for a life with the woman he loves. But love can be painful too, and glory has a nasty habit of creeping up on someone.

While the King of the Union lies on his death bed, the peasants revolt and the nobles scramble to steal his crown. No-one believes that the shadow of war is falling across the very heart of the Union. The First of the Magi has a plan to save the world. But there are risks. There is no risk more terrible, after all, than to break the First Law.

©2008 Joe Abercrombie (P)2010 Orion Publishing Group Limited

What listeners say about Last Argument of Kings

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

I miss it already.

Just finished the 3rd in the First Law Trilogy. Where do i go now? Dammit but that was good. Didn't Adams have 5 books in his Hitch Hickers trilogy? Had a listen to Heroes but you'd miss the magic and skill of Pacey. I might just have to read that one. Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie, say he's a damn fine writer.

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31 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The trilogy gets better

I need to review this trilogy in a oner....

Initially, I found the first book too slow. Too much scene setting and character building for me - I needed more action and kept waiting for it all to come together. However, having completed the trilogy, I now understand why the first book was like it was - and it certainly has its place.

Loved the second book - all good action and great pace.

Third book (this one) - again great story, and lots of pace, BUT, it ends with too many loose ends. Whilst I get why it ended like it did, I needed more.....I was left feeling as though there needs to be a 4th book where the wrongs can be righted and the bad get their come-uppance.

I'm a massive fan of epic fantasies, and this is just that. It's got loads of action, lots of battle scenes, and plenty of blood and swearing. Not really a "girlie" book (although I have to caveat that with an "I'm a girl and thoroughly enjoyed it" statement). All the characters are well developed, and fairly complex. Interesting how my feelings towards each of them changed as the story progressed and I got to know them better. Is it bizarre that my favourite characters turned out be a torturer and a schizophrenic killer???

If you're a fan of epics, and have a reasonably strong stomach, then this is highly recommended.
But if you start with book one, be prepared to go through all three, and then still feel like you haven't got to the end...

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Savour This Like a Fine Wine

A series that makes you check back to the Audible website in the vain hope that there might somehow be just one more book that has magically appeared. Between Abercrombie and Pacey this has been a genuinely remarkable journey. The previous reviews of the first two books have said it all; great characters, great narration, great humour and of course a great story.

The only question that remains is whether this third and final installment (not counting the First Law World series which is not really a full continuation) finishes it off well enough to be a suitable ending. For me it does. That said there is a genuine wrench and the very end does come as a bit of a shock. There is definitely a feeling that this world is going to keep living and a sense that the reader is missing out on the ongoing saga. However, I think the way that this ends, especially for Logan himself is perfect. After all, you can say one thing about Logan Ninefingers, he is a legendary figure. No mistake.

All of the favourite characters remaining from the previous two books get their moments in the sun. The relationships between them continue to intrigue, amuse and delight up to the end. Abercrombie once again gets to demonstrate his unique approach to romantic encounters along with many other things and Pacey once again delivers a masterclass.

When I finished this it really was incredibly tempting to hop straight over to the First Law World series because incredibly it seems to have received just as good a reception as this. But no, I will give it some time because like a fine wine or gourmet meal these need to be savoured rather than simply devoured.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Splendid finale to a fine trilogy

What a super trilogy and I am very sorry that after 70 hours of listening it's all over.

Well if you are reading this I assume that you have read/listened to parts 1 and 2 (also on audible if you haven't and do listen in order) and want to know if part 3 measures up to the high standards as before. the answer is resoundingly yes. There is a lot more action in part 3 but the same strengths apply - very good writing, excellent plot and characters and quite brilliant narration by Stephen Pacey. I wont give a hint of how it all ends as that might spoil things; suffice it to say that the ending is quite in keeping with what has gone before!

A five star listen without a doubt.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great trilogy

I really enjoyed this trilogy - excellent writing and flawed characters whose lives you feel compelled to follow. However huge praise must also go to the narrator, who plays no small part in giving the world and its characters life. If only there was more to come about the Bloody-Nine......or is there???

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

not your typical fantasy novel

This book takes gritty realism to the fantasy genre. The point-of-view characters are all flawed in just the ways you'd expect of them living in this excellently described corrupt land. It manages to make heroes of of the vain, the uncaring and the bullies. Some struggle with their nature, trying to be better people, but never quite having the chance to.

It is a fantasy world devoid of the usual black and whites, and instead populated by utterly refreshing shades of grey.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

disappointing

say one thing for Joe Abercrombe's writing.. say its repetitive

first book - amazing, loved almost every character, especially ferro

second book - equally good with a terrible ending!

this book - ferro, my fave character (although playing a big part at the end) is barely mentioned. also ive never read a book where ive ended up hating almost every single character to the point where i played this on double speed through most of it. and the ending was terrible.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

awful ending

awesome narration, amazing characters but completely ruined by a terrible ending where nothing is resolved and the writer basically gets bored mid paragraph and draws a line under it. has ruined the trilogy for me

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

grim"A"cing

I am use to rambling long epics (wheel of time being one that immediately comes to mind) and for this series to actually finish in 3 books was a novelty, but I was left wondering if this was a little rushed towards the end - there were so many paths that this book could have taken and at the end I was left with the feeling that the easiest route may have been taken.
All that said - a very enjoyable listen and good narration [except for the narrators "grimAcing"] which got very very annoying in this trilogy and make me wince each time the word was said.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Dissapointing

Despite a great performance by Steven Pacey as with the previous two books in the trilogy, I found myself dissappointed with the ending to this series. The first two books were great. Gritty, dark and harsh. This last book though just left me with a sour taste in my mouth and feeling unsatisfied. I appreciate the authors attempt to show us things don't always end happily ever after but this ending just felt too bleak, losing some great character development potential along the way.

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4 people found this helpful