Half a War

June 29, 2015
War reaches the boiling point in the impressive conclusion to Abercrombie’s Shattered Sea epic fantasy trilogy (after Half the World). Princess Skara of Throvenland escapes master swordsman Bright Yilling, who is sent to raze her grandfather’s kingdom. She convinces King Uthil of Gettland and King Grom-gil-Gorm of Vansterland, who have made an alliance after the events of Half the World, to stop the army of the High King, who governs the land’s restless lords. Raith, a scarred soldier who still has a little mercy left in him, is assigned as Skara’s bodyguard, while returning character Koll, who is now apprenticed to Half a King protagonist Father Yarvi, must decide whether he wants to become an influential minister—and be sworn to celibacy—or stay with the woman he loves. Yarvi himself chooses to break the Ministry’s laws to get elf weapons; they may bring victory, but their magic will shift the entire world that readers have come to know. Abercrombie piles on shocking betrayals and charges his characters a high price for vengeance in this powerful and fitting final volume.

June 15, 2015
Final, independently intelligible entry in the Shattered Sea trilogy, following Half the World (2015, etc.). Previously we glimpsed the grand designs of Father Yarvi, now minister (counselor) to the Iron King Uthil of Gettland, aimed at preventing the High King and his wicked, conniving minister, Grandmother Wexen, from conquering the lands bordering the Shattered Sea and imposing worship of the One God upon unwilling subjects. Now, Princess Skara of Throvenland watches helplessly as Bright Yilling, the High King's war leader, callously kills her grandfather King Fynn, burns his halls, and lays waste to her homeland after what the king thought was an agreement turned out to be a betrayal. Escaping by posing as a slave, Skara makes her way to Gettland, where King Uthil and Queen Laithlin confer with their ally, King Grom-gil-Gorm of Vansterland, and Yarvi. Bright Yilling, they learn, has left his fleet in the supposedly impregnable harbor of Bail's Point. If, however, somebody is desperate enough to climb the cliffs, Skara knows a secret way into the fortress. Even such a daring assault won't be enough, though, to prevail against the vast armies commanded by Bright Yilling. The allies will need elf-weapons, hidden and deadly dangerous, designed to kill a god. They will come to suspect a traitor in their midst. And Skara may find herself at odds with that master of deception, Yarvi himself. The narrative, well-sprinkled with gory action and impelled by characters at this stage not just familiar, but gratifying, moves along at a brisk clip. Best of all, the relentless intrigues, plots, and schemes bubble just below the surface. Abercrombie brings his compact, adroit, and engaging trilogy to a satisfying, if seldom memorable, conclusion.

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August 1, 2015

After spending the first two books of the "Shattered Sea" trilogy vowing revenge and gathering allies, Father Yarvi is finally going to war against the High King. With monarchs Grom-gil-Grom of Vansterland, Uthil of Gettland, and new ally Skara of Throvenland, Yarvi faces the superior forces of the High King and his minister, Grandmother Wexen. The allies will dare to breach ancient ruins to get weapons that will turn the tide. VERDICT This trilogy finale includes characters from the earlier books, satsifying series fans. Queen Skara and Raith, her warrior protector, don't have quite the appeal of Yarvi (focus of Half a King) or Brand and Thorn (the stars of Half the World), but Abercrombie adds a riveting twist with his reveal of the nature of the ancient Elf magics. The action scenes are well done, as would be expected of Abercrombie (who made his name with bloody fantasies, such as the "First Law" trilogy and Red Country), but this series has toned down the violence and language to make it more approachable for teen fans as well.--MM

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2015
Warning: if you haven't read Half a King (2014) and Half the World (2015), the first two books in Abercrombie's trilogy, much of what takes place in this finale may seem incomprehensible. The story is just too big for the author to spend time bringing us up to speed, so he plunges right in, on the assumption we're familiar with the characters and story. Here's where things stand: the evil Grandmother Wexen has summoned an army to vanquish her enemies once and for all. Father Yarvi, minister to the king of Throvenland, branded a traitor and a sorcerer, is still yearning for revenge against those who took his father's life; Thorn, still learning the art of the sword, sees in the threat to Throvenland a chance to prove herself a mighty warrior. But can Yarvi and Thorn possibly hope to stop Grandmother Wexen? All in all, this is a rousing wrap-up to a trilogy that, in the beginning, felt like a YA novel but has expanded its reach to readers of all ages. A must for followers of the series and a reminder to other fantasy fans to backtrack immediately to the beginning. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Abercombie is one of the most popular fantasy authors currently working, which means that there is a swarm of readers waiting for this book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)