This is the sixth novel by Joe Abercrombie set in his gritty renaissance style fantasy world. Following on from 2011s The Heroes, which pitted north against south in a bloody battle, Abercrombie has taken a new twist. We're heading out west. Oh and for the fans and Logan is back...
Red Country moves away from the usual epic fantasy yarn set in a pseudo-Europe, its packed up its belongings and headed out across the plains. Written in the style of a western, it captures the struggle and the demise of the new frontier of Abercrombie's world. Red Country takes place in the same world as the First Law trilogy, although it's a stand-alone novel that is accessible for first-timers
The story follows Shy, a young woman with a dark past, who returns to her homestead to find the farmhand dead and her brother and sister have been carried away. So she heads off into the unmapped wilderness with her cowardly step father Lamb, a man who has his secrets. Its a story of revenge and redemption, common themes of the western genre and the other usual staples are here to, wagon trains, heards, natives and gritty frontier towns. If reading you are reminded of classic Clint Eastwood westerns then your not far off as the plot at times resembles the film "Unforgiven".
Logan is back but he's not the only one, Nicomo Cosca the drunken mercenary captain, we should hate but all love also makes a welcome return. Its a credit to Abercrombie that these characters fit so well into the new setting, the inward looking Logan particularly. The characters are very human in their motives and this makes compelling reading, you cant help but want to follow the characters on their individual journeys as well as the story as a whole. Its a world full of people trying to do the right thing but what is the right thing?
It feels in the reading of this book that Abercrombie loved to write it. It has all the usual grim humour and fantastically choreographed fight scenes we've come to love and expect. Abercrombie manages to find room for a bit of heart amongst all the blood and swords this time and that helps the narrative. The backdrop is an ever present theme, although it doesn't weigh down the plot it keeps it nicely grounded in a gritty way (there were times after reading I wanted to wash the plains dust off myself) . While not quite surpassing The Heroes it was a great read that has me wanting to know what and where Abercrombie is heading next.
Recommendation: "Young fella, if you’re looking; for trouble I’ll accommodate ya" Read it
If you like the darker characters from George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" I would recommend a trip through Abercrombie's world.
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