------two paragraphs of preamble----- 
 In recent years there has been a trend in heroic fantasy toward a certain realism - which, being fantasy, some people find rather odd. First it began to show the brutality of close combat in graphic terms (lead very much by writers such as the late David Gemmell), perhaps following a re-discovery of Robert E. Howard's Conan and violent 1970s and 80s movies such as the Dirty Harry films (Clint Eastwood type lone avenger characters fit rather well into fantasy settings). More recently still, this has been combined with a social realism far removed from the bucolic ideals of Tolkein and C.S. Lewis. 
 The problem is, much of it is truly awful. Until my mid teens I was a huge fan of fantasy literature, but began to tire of the multi-volume epics full of bad writing hung on the same plot over and over again (for reference see Robert Adams' Horseclans books and John Norman's actually offensive Gor Saga; and when I say "see" I don't suggest you actually read them unless you're a masochist. Of course, if you're a masochist and female John Norman would quite like to meet you). I occasionally dip back into the field in the hope of finding the old magic, sometimes with joyous discovery like George R. R. Martin's truly magnificent A Song of Ice and Fire series, but mostly regretfully (writers such as Steven Erikson who seem to think that swearing and violence constitute a rounded character). From what I'd heard about Joe Abercrombie I had feared that he'd fall into the latter category, but when recommended to me by a friend who (usually) steers me right my hopes were raised and, while still somewhere between the two, he is far closer to Martin. 
 -------actual review------- 
 We are introduced to a fairly standard fantasy world; a dominant empire (technologically late middle ages but in feel more like the British Empire under Victoria) beset variously by Northern barbarians and dark heathens on its borders. We are introduced also to a set of disparate characters: Logen Ninefingers, huge scarred Northern warrior who is growing tired of the constant killing; Glokta, a former fencing champion and war hero who, after being broken and mangled in an enemy's torture chambers returned to become a feared Inquisitor; Jezal, an arrogant young noble Lieutenant; Maljinn, a feral warrior woman consumed by thoughts of revenge; Bayaz, ancient if rather hale and hearty sorcerer, to name some. Through the course of this first book in the trilogy we get to know the characters and some of them join together in our traditional questing group. It actually took quite a long time for this to happen - not that the book was at all slow, but it was almost half way through the 500-odd pages when I realised that the plot had only just kicked in. This was a surprise as these books are generally plot driven, but Abercrombie had done such a good job at building the characters and world that I had been engrossed. 
 Okay, for characterisation we're not talking Joseph Heller here, but the characters are well drawn with fairly realistic motivations and excellent individual voices. While the narrative voice is third person, in the individual chapters it is tweaked toward that of the character who is central at that point, allowing for some of the insight and empathy that you would get from a first person view. Abercrombie also shows his skill in the superb way he manages the tone; he can move from humour to chilling horror in a couple of sentences, and his descriptions of the adrenaline, fear and brutality of close combat are excellent. 
 At the close of this first volume threads of plot are being exposed and the tapestry of the setting growing. A war is starting in the North, although most of the main characters are heading in the opposite direction. I don't expect quite the complexity or intrigue of A Song of Ice and Fire, but it's a more than acceptable interlude while I'm waiting. 
 Other superior fantasy I'd recommend: 
 KJ Parker - Scavenger Trilogy 
 Robin Hobb - Assassin Trilogy 
 KJ Bishop - The Etched City 
 China Mieville - Perdido Street Station