Abercrombie, Joe -- The Blade Itself
"Gritty" epic fantasy, or a take-down of the epic fantasy genre, if you
like. I didn't like, because the grit (or take-down) involves making all
the characters either unlikeable or outright disgusting. Everybody is
treated with contempt. My favorite scene was the
exploring-ancient-magical-temple set piece. Which is to say, as soon as
the focus went back to the characters, I stopped enjoying the book
again. There are two sequels, but I will be happier imagining that the
orcs destroy civilization and then rocks fall.
Books I have acquired recently
All the books I own