Before They Are Hanged: Tightening the Noose

‘The Blade Itself’ really took me by surprise. It hooked me in right away and refused to let go all the way until the end. Said end was my only real complain about it; it felt very underwhelming and was obvious sequel bait.

Well, now we’re here. So how is the sequel?

Surprise! It’s incredible!

In the city of Dagoska, Glokta finds himself surrounded by enemies and traitors on all sides. In the North, West prepares for the inevitable battle against Bethod, King of the North; luckily, he finds a few surprise allies who may be able to aid him. Meanwhile, Logan, Jezal, and Ferro follow Bayaz on a mysterious, dangerous journey. Twisted shadows are closing in on all sides, and nightmarish creatures are emerging world wide; will our characters be able to survive against this mysterious growing threat?

‘Before They Are Hanged’ is an excellent sequel. It expands on everything from the first book, from its characters to its world and even its scope. If you loved the first one, you’ll love this one as well.

All three of the main plot threads feel like completely different stories. Glokta’s plot is all about politics and espionage. Logan, Ferro, and Jezal’s plot is a world-spanning adventure. West’s plot is a grim military fantasy. This helps keep the book’s pacing smooth and consistent. Get tired of one thread? Take a refreshing break with another.

We get some great character development for just about every member of the cast in this book. Seeing Logan, Jezal, and Ferro put their differences aside and become friends is incredibly cathartic and satisfying. Glokta’s plot takes some wild twists and turns, and his character does the same. Then there’s West, who just gets dragged through the mud time and time again.

One of my few complaints from the first book was the world. As it focused more on developing its characters – which was the right move – we only get minor glimpses at the setting. Now, that issue has been addressed and then some. We see different countries, varying peoples, and learn a great deal about the world’s grim history. It’s fantastic work!

This is a phenomenal dark fantasy book. It’s legitimately hard to put this one down! The First Law continues to be one of the best dark fantasies I’ve read in a long time and I cannot wait to get to book three!