Some of the reviews by fans on Amazon say this isn’t his best book so I’m very keen to read his other works as I enjoyed it and disagreed with some of the negative points reviewers put across. The world building is incredible and immersive and hooked me from the start. Having done some research on Mr Abercrombie before starting this post, I now know this is a standalone novel set in a previous world he’s created. If the ending doesn’t quite come up to scratch, I’m already happy to forgive the author because I’ve loved everything else about the book. When I’ve lacked time to get back to it for a day or so, I’ve picked it up and been immersed straight back into the story. I’ve struggled to put Best Served Cold down. If it doesn’t keep me interested, away it goes). (For the record, I used to be a ‘to the bitter end, no matter what’ reader, but nowadays I don’t have time. This means I easily lose my place in the story and if a book isn’t all that, I tend to forget about it and start a different one. Then I might not pick up the book again for a day or so. Mostly, last thing at night when I’m huddled under my duvet trying to keep warm on an English winter’s night. I wouldn’t normally review a book without finishing it, so how do I know that without actually getting to the end? Lately, I’ve not had a lot of reading time. Was? Hang on…I haven’t finished it yet! I’m three-quarters of the way through.

She’s hard, bitter, focused, messed up and she has her reasons to chase vengeance. It has a female heroine (if you can call her heroic) who is most definitely not a teenager or a Chosen One. This is epic fantasy, set in a large and vividly imagined world. ‘Whatever the cost, however distasteful the allies required, seven men must die…’ Her brother is murdered and she is left for dead. The most feared and famous mercenary in Styria, Monzcarro Murcatto, has become a shade too popular for her employer, Grand Duke Orso’s, liking. What’s it about? (No spoilers I promise, it’s on the back cover blurb). So, I paid my dues (sorry Joe, charity shop=no royalties but now I’ve found you I may be persuaded to part with cold, hard cash that lines your authorial coffers for the next book of yours I read) and took the book home. Since my fantasy withdrawal symptoms are sort of George’s fault – I’ve read (and reread) all of the A Game of Thrones books and am, like many fans, wondering if there’ll ever be a wrap-up book in the series before he, or we for that matter, expire – I figured Mr Martin owed me a good interim read. Martin on the front stating ‘This is his best book yet’. A thick tome, featuring a female warrior holding a sword and a quote from George R. Wandering into a local charity shop, I came across a copy of Best Served Cold. One of his books that is, not the author himself. Why, oh why, have I only just got my hands on Joe Abercrombie.

Joe abercrombie best served cold review