What to say about The Devils. I had been looking forward to reading this novel for a very long time since Petrik Leo reviewed it before its official release. Despite my anticipation and high expectations, I was blown away.
If this is to be your introduction to Joe Abercrombie, don't read it expecting something representative of his other work; start with The First Law trilogy if you want a more "authentic" experience. That said, if you're looking for something light-hearted, with a hilarious story and characters that don't take themselves too seriously, and yet told in masterful prose and with a clear command of the time period and the subject matter, then please pick this up.
I would liken it to some of my favorites, only this book stands alone and any comparison would be insulting. To say that this book is about a band of misfits going on a journey would be preposterously reductive. Said misfits and all impossibly compelling and endearing. There was not a single character whom I wasn't rooting for. Every dog has its day, each character arc is protagonist material, and you recognize bits of yourself in every one, though I doubt you're at all like most of the characters at your core.
Religion, human nature, and the fantasy genre are all mercilessly parodied in this novel, among others, and I loved every second of my reading experience. If I had to boil down what made this book so appealing to me into one thing, it would be the blend of deep, multifaceted characters/interactions/arcs and compelling storyline (all of which I would expect in a much more dramatic and dark talk) with a light-hearted, highly witty, and satirical writing style. It shouldn't work (and I suspect if anyone else had attempted it, it wouldn't have), and yet it does, and how.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not mention how beau-ti-ful this book is. I'm not a big fan of books from The Broken Binding because they almost all have painted edges, ugly font, and cheap paper. This book is the opposite: very high quality paper, beautiful font, hardcover, gorgeous art (cover and inside), and lovely deckled edges.
The sheer beauty of this book rivals that of most Folio Society editions in my opinion, and that's as high praise as I can give. One of the few books currently sold on 鶹 that might top this one in terms of aesthetic appeal is The Master and Margarita (look at the different versions on here, you'll know the one). I read this book outside in the sun with sunscreen on and smudged the cover a tad, and I'll buy another copy as a collector's item, that's how much I love this book (inside and out).
Whoever you are, you owe it to yourself to add this to your book collection!
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A cast of characters you won’t soon forget!
I love my Fantasy served up with a side of humor, and this one certainly has it! Added to the witt, this book is dark, gritty, fast paced and contains an unhealthy amount of vulgarity and violence 😝. “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘴𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵, 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦.” I can’t even begin to describe how rich this cast of characters is; dripping with personality and steeped in charm. This morally grey group includes a horny werewolf, a monk with questionable values, a narcissistic sorcerer (I mean magician 😝) that specializes in necromancy, a geriatric vampire, an orphan thief, a pirate, a cursed knight and an invisible elf. Travelling across the land to claim the throne of Troy carries an element of found family, some love connections, and even some heartfelt and touching shared moments. The world building was pretty good, but I kind of got lost in all the characters shenanigans to pay attention as much as I should have 😜. “𝘚𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥’𝘭𝘭 𝘬𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩.” My only regret? Why did it take me so long to read any of Joes books?! 😱. I cannot WAIT to get my hands on the sequel, and definitely plan on listening to The Devils audiobook as a refresher since I’m sure I missed a lot! This has definitely become a top favorite for the year 🙌
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- Reviewed in Canada on June 27, 2025Verified Purchase
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- Reviewed in Canada on May 24, 2025Verified Purchase
This is a review on the physical condition of the book, NOT the story.
Damaged jacket, and some physical flaws. Decent condition overall.
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Markus BükerReviewed in Germany on July 18, 2025
Ұßپ!
Verified Purchase - Frank DamanReviewed in the Netherlands on July 19, 2025
Very good but room for improvement
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Juan LuisReviewed in Spain on May 15, 2025
Edicion maravillosa
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El embalaje es bastante pobre, no trae nada para proteger el libro. Aun asi ha llegado en muy buenas condiciones hasta España. Si te gusta el autor, con este libro no puedes fallar.Juan LuisEdicion maravillosa
Reviewed in Spain on May 15, 2025
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- Lechat P.Reviewed in France on July 12, 2025
Oh God
Verified Purchase - Pat BReviewed in Australia on July 27, 2025
Another group of bad characters to know and love
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