New Releases by Joe Abercrombie

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BUZZFEED • ALEX AWARD WINNER • New York Times bestselling author Joe Abercrombie’s thrilling series continues in the follow-up to Half a King, which George R. R. Martin hailed as “a fast-paced tale of betrayal and revenge that grabbed me from page 1 and refused to let go.” “The Shattered Seas trilogy has worked its way into a very exclusive group of my favorite fantasy novels of all time.”—James Dashner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maze Runner Sometimes a girl is touched by Mother War. Thorn is such a girl. Desperate to avenge her dead father, she lives to fight. But she has been named a murderer by the very man who trained her to kill. Sometimes a woman becomes a warrior. She finds herself caught up in the schemes of Father Yarvi, Gettland’s deeply cunning minister. Crossing half the world to find allies against the ruthless High King, she learns harsh lessons of blood and deceit. Sometimes a warrior becomes a weapon. Beside her on the journey is Brand, a young warrior who hates to kill, a failure in his eyes and hers, but with one chance at redemption. And weapons are made for one purpose. Will Thorn forever be a pawn in the hands of the powerful, or can she carve her own path? Praise for Half the World “An excellent page-turner . . . full of drama and energy.”—New York Daily News “Another entertaining burst of battle, magic and political machinations from the always reliable Joe Abercrombie . . . a thoroughgoing blast, a violent, beautiful rabbit hole of craft that is well worth disappearing into.”—Shelf Awareness “Compelling . . . [Thorn] makes Katniss Everdeen look like Dorothy Gale.”—Chicago Tribune “Splendid . . . Abercrombie has a knack for building characters with pathos and wit. . . . The fast-paced story draws readers along while setting up what promises to be an explosive final showdown.”—Publishers Weekly “Clever, exciting and unexpected.”—SFF World Praise for Joe Abercrombie’s Half a King “Half a King is my favorite book by Joe Abercrombie so far, and that’s saying something.”—Patrick Rothfuss “As in all Abercrombie’s books, friends turn out to be enemies, enemies turn out to be friends; the line between good and evil is murky indeed; and nothing goes quite as we expect. With eye-popping plot twists and rollicking good action, Half a King is definitely a full adventure.”—Rick Riordan “Enthralling! An up-all-night read.”—Robin Hobb “Polished and sharp, perhaps his most technically proficient novel yet . . . I dare you to read the first chapter and try not to turn the next page.”—Brent Weeks “Half a King can be summed up in a single word: masterpiece. It’s a coming-of-age story. It’s a Viking saga. It’s a revenge tale and family drama and the return of the prodigal son. But most of all, it’s this: a short time alongside people as weak and blundering as we are and, in the midst of it all, as heroic. Far too short a time, as it turns out. What a wonderful book.”—Myke Cole “Half a King is full of all the adventure I’ve come to expect from Abercrombie and a tenderness I never knew he had.”—Sam Sykes

Yarvi non aveva mai pensato che sarebbe potuto salire al trono. Nato con una mano deforme è inadatto al combattimento e, nel disprezzo del padre, il re del Gettland, il suo destino è diventare uno dei "ministranti", l''ordine di potenti sacerdoti consiglieri della corona. Ma, proprio la notte che precede l''ultimo esame, Yarvi e la sua maestra, Madre Gundring, sono raggiunti dalla notizia: il padre e il fratello di Yarvi sono morti, uccisi in un agguato ordito da Grom-gil-Gorm, sovrano del Vansterland, regno confinante e nemico. Adesso il re è lui. O mezzo re, per lo meno. Ma la sua vendetta dovrà essere intera. Spinto anche dal volere della madre, la bella e inflessibile Laithlin, Yarvi giura che farà giustizia contro gli assassini di padre e fratello e parte per Vansterland, pronto a dare battaglia. Ma subito cade vittima di un''imboscata e, salvatosi miracolosamente in mare, viene portato al mercato degli schiavi. Qui viene venduto per prestare servizio sulla nave capitanata da Shadikshirram, mercantessa dal cuore nero e la lingua affilata. Solo, nel mare ghiacciato, spogliato del suo lignaggio e incapace di reggere un''ascia o uno scudo, Yarvi potrà contare su una squadra di compagni improbabili e su un''unica vera arma: la sua mente. Basterà per ritornare a casa e portare a compimento la sua vendetta? Definito da più parti "il vero erede di George R.R. Martin", Abercrombie è uno dei più importanti autori fantasy delle nuove generazioni, un vero fenomeno editoriale in Inghilterra. I suoi libri, che sanno unire alla perfezione immaginazione, profondità e ironia, hanno meritato gli elogi dei principali autori di letteratura fantastica del mondo, da Rick Riordan e Robin Hobb fino a Martin stesso. Il Mezzo Re inaugura la "Trilogia del Mare Infranto", e segna il debutto di nuovi personaggi di cui è impossibile non innamorarsi, veloci col cervello e con la spada, sempre complessi e disegnati con filo misto, buono e cattivo insieme.

Første bind i Joe Abercrombies successerie er hårdkogt fantasy med uforglemmelige karakterer og kulsort humor. Barbaren Logen Nifingre overlever på et hængende hår en blodfejde og flygter sydpå med et spor af blod, død og ødelæggelse efter sig. Unionen har i århundreder været verdens mægtigste rige, men generationer uden fjender har ført til dekadence og selvtilfredshed. Katastrofen truer udefra såvel som indefra; Nordboerne er på krigsstien, og rigets ledelse er gennemsyret af korruption og intriger. Den forfængelige kaptajn Luthar elsker ingen højere end sig selv. Han går kun op i at flå sine venner i kortspil og drømme om hæder i den forestående fægtekamp. Den kongelige inkvisitor Glokta ser gerne Luther død. Men Glokta hader på den anden side alle: Hans nidkære arbejde med at rense Unionen for utilfredse bønder, korrupte købmænd og surmulende adelsfolk efterlader ikke tid til venner, kun ofre og fjender. Og hans blodige spor fører direkte mod magtens pilrådne centrum – hvis han da lever længe nok ... Det er voldsomt, og det er voldsomt og uforskammet underholdende.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY TIME AND THE WASHINGTON POST • LOCUS AWARD WINNER “The Shattered Seas trilogy has worked its way into a very exclusive group of my favorite fantasy novels of all time.”—James Dashner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maze Runner “A fast-paced tale of betrayal and revenge that grabbed me from page 1 and refused to let go.”—George R. R. Martin “I swore an oath to avenge the death of my father. I may be half a man, but I swore a whole oath.” Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains, and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea. And he must do it all with only one good hand. The deceived will become the deceiver. Born a weakling in the eyes of his father, Yarvi is alone in a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rule. He cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge. The betrayed will become the betrayer. Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast and the lost, he finds they can do more to help him become the man he needs to be than any court of nobles could. Will the usurped become the usurper? But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi finds that his path may end as it began—in twists, and traps, and tragedy. BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Joe Abercrombie’s Half the World. “Tremendously entertaining . . . lightning-fast and filled with a wonderful collection of rogues, villains and two-faced bastards . . . From the first chapter [Joe Abercrombie] wastes no time as the reader is swept up in a gripping tale of betrayal and revenge.”—SciFi Now “Once this plot has its teeth in you, it will not let go. . . . Abercrombie’s masterful storytelling means that everything, from the characters that you come to love and despise, to the sprawling world that is explored, is enthralling.”—Fantasy Book Review “Abercrombie’s Shattered Sea is a fantastic yet believable backdrop to Yarvi’s struggle, a vivid imaginary land.”—The Seattle Times “Intriguing characters . . . nonstop action.”—Chicago Tribune “Half a King is my favorite book by Joe Abercrombie so far, and that’s saying something.”—Patrick Rothfuss “As in all Abercrombie’s books, friends turn out to be enemies, enemies turn out to be friends; the line between good and evil is murky indeed; and nothing goes quite as we expect. With eye-popping plot twists and rollicking good action, Half a King is definitely a full adventure.”—Rick Riordan “Enthralling! An up-all-night read.”—Robin Hobb “Polished and sharp, perhaps his most technically proficient novel yet . . . I dare you to read the first chapter and try not to turn the next page.”—Brent Weeks “Half a King can be summed up in a single word: masterpiece. It’s a coming-of-age story. It’s a Viking saga. It’s a revenge tale and family drama and the return of the prodigal son. But most of all, it’s this: a short time alongside people as weak and blundering as we are and, in the midst of it all, as heroic. Far too short a time, as it turns out. What a wonderful book.”—Myke Cole “Half a King is full of all the adventure I’ve come to expect from Abercrombie and a tenderness I never knew he had.”—Sam Sykes

"Você não vai conseguir parar de virar as páginas." – George R. R. Martin, autor de A guerra dos tronos Nesta ardilosa sequência de O poder da espada, o futuro da União está em três frentes de batalha – e nenhuma delas parece nem perto da vitória. Sand dan Glokta se tornou o todo-poderoso de Dagoska e tem de impedir que ela seja tomada pelos inimigos – tarefa difícil em uma cidade com muralhas decadentes e escassez de soldados. Além disso, o ex-torturador também precisa desvendar uma conspiração no conselho governante e salvar a própria pele. Enquanto isso, nas terras congeladas de Angland, o coronel West tem pela frente uma complicada missão: proteger o príncipe herdeiro no campo de batalha e evitar que a inexperiência e a arrogância dele levem todos para a morte. Ao mesmo tempo, Bayaz, o Primeiro dos Magos, lidera uma expedição que cruzará o continente até a borda do Mundo. Passando por terras amaldiçoadas e esquecidas no passado, ele precisa encontrar a Semente – uma relíquia do Tempo Antigo que poderia pôr um fim à guerra, ao exército de comedores que se multiplica no Sul e aos bandos de shankas que atacam no Norte. Nessa trama inteligente e de personagens complexos, antigos segredos são revelados, batalhas sangrentas são travadas, inimigos mortais são perdoados – mas não antes de estarem na forca.

‘A fast-paced tale of betrayal and revenge that grabbed me from page one and refused to let go’ GEORGE R.R. MARTIN Read the first seven chapters of Joe Abercrombie’s fantastic new book!

An anthology of all original stories written to honour the memory of one of Britain''s greatest fantasy authors. Determined warriors, hideous creatures, wicked sorceries, tricksy villains and cunning lovers abound as fantasy''s finest imaginations do their best... and their worst. James Barclay reveals the origins of The Raven, Adrian Tchaikovsky unveils new aspects of the realm of the Apt, Tanith Lee, Joe Abercrombie, Storm Constantine, Stan Nicholls, Juliet E McKenna and more weave their magic as only they can. Produced in cooperation with the David Gemmell Awards, Legends will, in part, act as a fund-raiser for the awards. Steel yourself, throw caution to the wind, and dare to enter the realm of Legends

För Monza Murcatto är nåd detsamma som feghet och en vän bara en potentiell fiende. Att ha henne som fiende rekommenderas inte … Krig må vara ett helvete, men för Monza Murcatto, den mest fruktade och firade legosoldaten i storhertig Orsos armé, är det ett väldigt bra sätt att tjäna pengar på. Hennes segrar har gjort henne populär – lite för populär för storhertigens smak. Förrådd, slängd utför ett stup och lämnad som död, har Monza bara en sak kvar att leva för: Hämnd. För att lyckas anlitar Monza Styrias minst pålitliga fyllo, Styrias mest förrädiska giftblandare, en massmördare besatt av siffror och en barbar som bara vill göra det rätta. Deras uppgift – att mörda sju av Styrias mäktigaste män.

Helden zwischen Gut und Böse, Action wie im Kino und spannend bis zum Schluss Jenseits der Grenze zum Königreich der Union beginnt das Land der Gesetzlosen. Ein Land, in dem jeder sich selbst der Nächste ist und in dem nur das schnellste Schwert oder die härteste Faust überlebt. Doch nun wurde hier Gold gefunden, und im großen Sturm auf die einst verlassenen Berge treffen Tausende Goldsucher, zwei rachedurstige Nordmänner, eine Bande von Mördern und die Agenten des Königreiches zusammen – und Blut, Gold und Tränen fließen in Strömen ...

A New York Times bestseller! They burned her home. They stole her brother and sister. But vengeance is following. Shy South hoped to bury her bloody past and ride away smiling, but she''ll have to sharpen up some bad old ways to get her family back, and she''s not a woman to flinch from what needs doing. She sets off in pursuit with only a pair of oxen and her cowardly old step father Lamb for company. But it turns out Lamb''s buried a bloody past of his own. And out in the lawless Far Country the past never stays buried. Their journey will take them across the barren plains to a frontier town gripped by gold fever, through feud, duel and massacre, high into the unmapped mountains to a reckoning with the Ghosts. Even worse, it will force them into an alliance with Nicomo Cosca, infamous soldier of fortune, and his feckless lawyer Temple, two men no one should ever have to trust . . . Red Country takes place in the same world as the First Law trilogy, Best Served Cold, andThe Heroes. This novel also represents the return of Logen Ninefingers, one of Abercrombie''s most beloved characters.

LA PRIMERA LEY: LIBRO I El inquisidor Glokta, convertido en un cínico tullido tras su paso por las cárceles de los enemigos de la Unión, es ahora a su vez un eficaz torturador capaz de extraer cualquier información de un criminal o de quien decidan sus superiores... El capitán Jezal dan Luthar no ha hecho en su vida nada más peligroso que desplumar a sus amigos jugando a las cartas y soñar con la gloria de vencer en el certamen de esgrima. Pero se está fraguando una guerra, y en los campos de batalla del Norte la lucha se rige por normas mucho más sangrientas... Logen Nuevededos, infame bárbaro de pasado sangriento, acaba de perder a sus amigos y está decidido a abandonar sus tierras y dirigirse al sur, pero los espíritus le advierten que le busca un Mago de los Viejos Tiempos... Sus historias se entrelazan en una fantasía negra repleta de acción y personajes memorables.

LA PRIMERA LEY: LIBRO II El Superior Glokta tiene un problema. ¿Cómo defender una ciudad rodeada de enemigos y minada por la traición? Los hombres del Norte han cruzado la frontera y han entrado a sangre y fuego en territorio de la Unión. Para detenerlos no bastará con el ejército del Rey... Bayaz, el Primero de los Magos, conduce a un heterogéneo grupo de aventureros en una peligrosa misión por las ruinas del pasado... "Antes de que los cuelguen" ha sido elegido el libro favorito de los lectores de SFFWorld.com y estuvo entre los finalistas del SFSite en 2007.

Tres hombres. Una batalla. Ningún héroe Cuentan que Dow el Negro ha llegado al trono del Norte sobre una montaña de calaveras. Mientras, el rey de la Unión ha decidido que hay que pararle los pies y sus ejércitos ya han invadido el Norte. Miles de hombres están convergiendo en un antiguo círculo de rocas -los Héroes-, en un valle anónimo que se convertirá en escenario de una de las batallas más sangrientas que el Norte ha presenciado. Al mismo tiempo, los dos bandos están infestados de intrigas, rencillas y envidias, que hacen el final imprevisible... "Abercrombie ha llegado en poco tiempo a la cumbre de la fantasía heroica... "Los Héroes" es una brillante y vertiginosa novela en la que una devastadora y absurda batalla muestra a los supervivientes tal como son realmente... Con frecuencia resulta sombría, pero sólo porque es honesta." SF Reviews "Un extraordinario y entretenido relato de una batalla de tres días -coreografiada como una película de Kurosawa- que no deja héroes tras de sí; sólo supervivientes." Lev Grossman, Time Magazine ""Los Héroes" es una denuncia de la guerra y de la duplicidad de los hombres que aspiran al poder absoluto... Brillante. " Eric Brown, The Guardian

THE FIRST LAW trilogy is a fantasy masterpiece, now available in a stunning box set. It''s a perfect gift for fans of A GAME OF THRONES; a must-have for fans of Joe Abercrombie; and a great way for new readers to discover one of the most highly acclaimed fantasy trilogies of the past decade.

Le tocsin de la guerre résonne aux portes de l''Union. L''armée du monde libre, inexpérimentée, semble inconsciente du danger qui la guette. Face à elle, sur le front du Nord, les barbares de Bethod se chauffent d''un tout autre bois... Au sud, les forces du Gorkhul se massent au pied de la cité de Dagoska. Alors que la ville bouillonne des préparatifs de la bataille, Glotka découvre une conspiration visant à livrer la ville à l''ennemi sans combat. Menacé à chaque instant, l''Inquisiteur a besoin de réponses, et vite. Pendant ce temps, la poignée de héros réunie par Bayaz progresse vers le bord du Monde. Le Mage espère y trouver la Graine, une relique jadis responsable de la destruction d''un empire et, peut-être aujourd''hui, l''unique voie de salut pour l''Union...

‘Abercrombie heeft een van de beste epische fantasyreeksen van de laatste jaren geschreven. Hij is een schrijver die niemand mag missen.’ Junot Díaz, auteur van Zo raak je haar kwijt Er is maar één persoon die de koning van Het Noorden nog kan tegenhouden: zijn oudste vriend en vijand, Logen Negenvinger. De oude held heeft nog kracht voor één strijd en dit gaat hem worden. Superior Glokta moet een heel ander soort gevecht leveren. Een geheime strijd waarin niemand veilig is en iedereen een vijand. Gelukkig is hij een meester in bedreiging, afpersing en omkoping. Kapitein Jezal dan Luthar heeft besloten dat het slagveld hem te gevaarlijk is, en probeert een rustig leven op te bouwen met de vrouw van wie hij houdt. Maar de koning van de Unie ligt op sterven, het volk komt in opstand en de edelen verdringen zich om de macht over te nemen. Er is een plan om de wereld te redden, maar daar zijn risico’s aan verbonden. En er is geen risico zo groot als het overtreden van de Eerste Wet...

They say Black Dow''s killed more men than winter, and clawed his way to the throne of the North up a hill of skulls. The King of the Union, ever a jealous neighbour, is not about to stand smiling by while he claws his way any higher. The orders have been given and the armies are toiling through the northern mud. Thousands of men are converging on a forgotten ring of stones, on a worthless hill, in an unimportant valley, and they''ve brought a lot of sharpened metal with them. Bremer dan Gorst, disgraced master swordsman, has sworn to reclaim his stolen honour on the battlefield. Obsessed with redemption and addicted to violence, he''s far past caring how much blood gets spilled in the attempt. Even if it''s his own. Prince Calder isn''t interested in honour, and still less in getting himself killed. All he wants is power, and he''ll tell any lie, use any trick, and betray any friend to get it. Just as long as he doesn''t have to fight for it himself. Curnden Craw, the last honest man in the North, has gained nothing from a life of warfare but swollen knees and frayed nerves. He hardly even cares who wins any more, he just wants to do the right thing. But can he even tell what that is with the world burning down around him? Over three bloody days of battle, the fate of the North will be decided. But with both sides riddled by intrigues, follies, feuds and petty jealousies, it is unlikely to be the noblest hearts, or even the strongest arms that prevail. Three men. One battle. No Heroes.

" Dies ist die atemberaubende Geschichte von Logen, dem Barbarenkrieger, der eigentlich nur seine Ruhe haben will - wenn er nicht ständig um sein Leben kämpfen müsste. Und die Geschichte von Grossinquisitor Glokta, der eigentlich durch nichts zu erschüttern ist - bis er auf eine lebende Legende trifft, die in seiner Stadt eine magische Intrige spinnt, und die das ganze Reich zu erschüttern droht ... Der junge britische Autor Joe Abercrombie gibt der Helden-Fantasy im Stil von Stan Nicholls und James Barclay ein neues Gesicht: Zwiespältige Charaktere, spannende Abenteuer und eine gute Portion Humor machen sein Romandebüt " "Kriegsklingen" " zu einem aussergewöhnlichen Fantasy-Erlebnis. Mit Bonusmaterial! "

Der Meister der modernen Abenteuer-Fantasy Die Söldnerin Monzcarro Mercatto hat alles, was sie sich wünschen kann: einen Geliebten, Geld im Überfluss und Ansehen beim Volk von Styrien. Dem Großherzog ist ihr Erfolg jedoch ein Dorn im Auge, und so lässt er sie kurzerhand beseitigen – denkt er. Doch Monzcarro überlebt wie durch ein Wunder und kennt nur noch ein Ziel: Rache. Nach seinem triumphalen Erfolg mit den Romanen um den Barbaren, den Inquisitor und den Magier kehrt Joe Abercrombie in „Racheklingen“ erneut in die fantastische Welt seiner Helden zurück. Action, Spannung und Humor garantiert!

Logen Neuf-Doigts, le barbare le plus redouté du Nord, a finalement vu sa chance tourner: son dernier combat risque bien d''être celui de trop. La perspective de ne laisser - à ses ennemis hilares qu''une poignée de mauvaises chansons ne l''enchante guère; aussi, quand les esprits lui révèlent qu''un mystérieux mage l''attend au Sud, se met-il en route. Après tout, qu''a-t-il de mieux à faire ? Jeune et fringant officier, le capitaine Jezal dan Luthar n''a rien de plus dangereux en tête qu''arnaquer ses amis aux cartes, s''enivrer et remporter le tournoi annuel d''escrime. Mais la guerre gronde, et les batailles qu''on livre sur le front du Nord ne s''interrompent pas au premier sang. Tortionnaire accompli, l''Inquisiteur Glotka ne rêve que de voir l''arrogant capitaine tomber entre ses mains. Mais lui ou un autre... Glotka déteste tout le monde: obtenir des aveux de traîtrise à longueur de journée laisse peu de place à l''amitié. Sa dernière enquête pourrait bien le conduire droit au coeur du gouvernement corrompu... si toutefois il vit assez longtemps pour la suivre. Alors que de funestes complots sont sur le point d''être révélés, que des querelles millénaires remontent à la surface, la ligne qui sépare les héros des traîtres est assez fine pour faire couler le sang.

Springtime in Styria. And that means war. There have been nineteen years of blood. The ruthless Grand Duke Orso is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling League of Eight, and between them they have bled the land white. While armies march, heads roll and cities burn, and behind the scenes bankers, priests and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king. War may be hell but for Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins, the most feared and famous mercenary in Duke Orso''s employ, it''s a damn good way of making money too. Her victories have made her popular -- a shade too popular for her employer''s taste. Betrayed, thrown down a mountain and left for dead, Murcatto''s reward is a broken body and a burning hunger for vengeance. Whatever the cost, seven men must die. Her allies include Styria''s least reliable drunkard, Styria''s most treacherous poisoner, a mass-murderer obsessed with numbers and a Northman who just wants to do the right thing. Her enemies number the better half of the nation. And that''s all before the most dangerous man in the world is dispatched to hunt her down and finish the job Duke Orso started. . .

''As brilliant as its predecessor'' SF REVU Bitter and merciless war is coming to the frozen north. It''s bloody and dangerous and the Union army, split by politics and hamstrung by incompetence, is utterly unprepared for the slaughter that''s coming. Lacking experience, training, and in some cases even weapons the army is scarcely equipped to repel Bethod''s scouts, let alone the cream of his forces. In the heat-ravaged south the Gurkish are massing to assault the city of Dagoska, defended by Inquisitor Glokta. The city is braced for the inevitable defeat and massacre to come, preparations are made to make the Gurkish pay for every inch of land ... but a plot is festering to hand the city to its beseigers without a fight, and the previous Inquisitor of Dagoska vanished without trace. Threatened from within and without the city, Glokta needs answers, and he needs them soon. And to the east a small band of malefactors travel to the edge of the world to reclaim a device from history - a Seed, hidden for generations - with tremendous destructive potential. A device which could put a end to war, to the army of Eaters in the South, to the invasion of Shanka from the North - but only if it can be found, and only if its power can be controlled ...

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 stop him. His oldest friend, and his oldest enemy. It''s past 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 far too painful, and turned his back on soldiering for a simple life with the woman he loves. But love can be painful too, and glory has a nasty habit of creeping up on a man when he least expects it. While the King of the Union lies on his deathbead, 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, as he always does. But there are risks. There is no risk more terrible, after all, than to break the First Law...

Logen Neuf-Doigts, le barbare le plus redouté du Nord a finalement vu sa chance tourner : son dernier combat risque bien d''être celui de trop. La perspective de ne laisser à ses ennemis hilares qu''une poignée de mauvaises chansons ne l''enchante guère ; aussi, quand les esprits lui révèlent qu''un mystérieux mage l''attend au Sud, se met-il en route. Après tout, qu''a-t-il de mieux à faire ? Jeune et fringant officier, le capitaine Jezal dan Luthar n''a rien de plus dangereux en tête qu''arnaquer ses amis aux cartes, se mettre minable et remporter le Tournoi annuel d''escrime. Mais la guerre gronde, et les batailles qu''on livre sur le front du Nord ne s''interrompent pas au premier sang. Tortionnaire accompli, l''Inquisiteur Glotka ne rêve que de voir l''arrogant capitaine tomber entre ses mains. Mais lui ou un autre, Glotka déteste tout le monde : obtenir des aveux de traîtrise à longueur de journée laisse peu de place à l''amitié. Sa dernière piste de cadavres pourrait bien le conduire droit au cœur du gouvernement corrompu... si toutefois il vit assez longtemps pour la suivre. Alors que de funestes complots sont sur le point d''être révélés, que des querelles millénaires remontent à la surface, la ligne qui sépare les héros des traîtres est assez fine pour faire couler le sang !