The Age of Madness series consists of three books: A Little Hatred, The Trouble with Peace, The Wisdom of Crowds. It is also part of Joe Abercrombie’s First Law universe, but it is hard for me to place exactly when this story takes place in relation to the rest because it was a very long time ago that I read them. Suffice to say, though, The Age of Madness fits perfectly within Abercrombie’s grimdark theater.
Grimdark
The Wisdom of Crowds (Age of Madness #3) by Joe Abercrombie
With a great story, a great cast of characters, and tragic character arcs throughout, this is a riveting finale to a fitting trilogy. I wish to return to this world once again and am sad it’s ending.
Chaos. Fury. Destruction.
The Great Change is upon us…
Some say that to change the world you must first burn it down. Now that belief will be tested in the crucible of revolution: the Breakers and Burners have seized the levers of power, the smoke of riots has replaced the smog of industry, and all must submit to the wisdom of crowds.
With nothing left to lose, Citizen Brock is determined to become a new hero for the new age, while Citizeness Savine must turn her talents from profit to survival before she can claw her way to redemption. Orso will find that when the world is turned upside down, no one is lower than a monarch. And in the bloody North, Rikke and her fragile Protectorate are running out of allies… while Black Calder gathers his forces and plots his vengeance.
The banks have fallen, the sun of the Union has been torn down, and in the darkness behind the scenes, the threads of the Weaver’s ruthless plan are slowly being drawn together…
Review: The Wisdom of Crowds (The Age of Madness #3) by Joe Abercrombie
e Age of Madness trilogy. The Wisdom of Crowds started off at such a heightened state of terror that it caused my neck to prickle with anxiety from the beginning. This novel takes off at breakneck speed and does not let up. It might be one of the most brutal Abercrombie books that I’ve read. Honestly, this whole trilogy took off into a level of brutality that is a completely new flavor than the previous novels. That’s saying something— Abercrombie is well known for his unbridled savagery in his writing. It was chaotic, messy, heartbreaking, and a hell of a ride
Review: The Mad Trinkets by Cameron Scott Kirk
Synopsis Five otherworldly metal trinkets. Six former brothers in arms, one a madman who will stop at nothing to use the power of the trinkets to wreak his vengeance upon the land. When the renowned warrior Brynhild Grimsdotter and her biographer, William Barding, rescue a young girl chased down by King Bruwaert’s men, they find […]
Review: The Blacktongue Thief (Blacktongue #1) by Christopher Buehlman
This book is absolutely *hilarious*, mostly in a darkly comedic sort of way mind you. Truly, I found myself chuckling right from the first pages at Kinch’s snark and commentary. Sometimes I caught myself laughing really loud too and that was definitely what I wanted as a low effort read these days.
Review: Seven Deaths Of An Empire by G.R. Matthews
So if you truly enjoy a conspiracy, politically driven fiction Roman novel, Seven Deaths Of An Empire is an impressive addition to your list and fans of Roman times and grimdark will get a blast with this book.
Review: Seven Deaths of an Empire by G. R. Matthews
This book has all the makings of a great fantasy. Big battles, political intrigue and magic systems. But somehow it doesn’t get bogged down in all this. Matthews writes battle scenes with ease and with a grace that is hard to find elsewhere. I usually get a bit confused in battle scenes and just hope that at the end an overview is given of who beat who and who is still alive. However Matthews uses one of our characters to describe battles in a way that is easy to follow. You know what is happening, you can follow the beats and it just worked so well for me.
Review: The Shadow of The Gods (Bloodsworn Saga #1) by John Gwynne
of soil in front of her wooden built dwelling. She dug up little holes for laying vegetable seeds, but as she lost herself into the peaceful endeavor, a rat-sized butterfly landed on the soil—a few feet away from her. She glanced at the large multi-colored wings and appreciated its beauty. Abruptly, the butterfly shifted to expose its body and revealed a set of enormous claws and an odd opening filled with sharpened teeth. The creature flew directly at her neck and sunk its jaw into her jugular.
Review: The Unbroken (Magic of the Lost #1) by C.L. Clark
didn’t. In fact, I was thoroughly surprised with this book. C.L. Clark drags you into a rich world filled with political intrigue and a slew of raw relationships in between opposing characters.