Half a Kind and Half the World

Title: Half a King
Author: Joe Abercrombie [Website][Twitter][Facebook]
Publisher: Del Rey
Series: The Shattered Sea, Bk 1
ISBN: 9780804178419
Length: 333 pages
Obtained: Free at C2E2

Why this book?:

Not only was it free, but I was hooked from the description.

Comments:

I started the very evening that I received it, and finished the next day.  The protagonist is someone I immediately wanted to succeed, but is he really a good guy?  Who cares?  Because I was rooting for him anyway.  It's the underdog thing, I guess.

I have since read the 2nd book, Half the World as well.

Title: Half the World
Author: Joe Abercrombie [Website][Twitter][Facebook]
Publisher: Del Rey
Series: The Shattered Sea, Bk 2
ISBN: 9780804178426
Length: 363 pages
Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

I read and enjoyed the copy I received (free!) of Half a King (Bk 1) at C2E2, so I had to continue with the series.

Comments:

Generally, I'm not incredibly fond of primary characters switching within a series.  Half a King focused on Yarvi.  Half the World focuses on Thorn.   But this turned out to be more of an introduction to new characters, rather than a leave-taking of old.  I liked Thorn, despite her snarly self.  And Yarvi, who drew me into the series in book 1 (along with other characters), was still in this book.  So while he was no longer the central character, he was still an important part of the story.  I am both eager and nervous to read the third book, Half a War, due out this July 2015.

Moving on...

None of the characters in the two books I've read so far are entirely good, and most are not entirely bad.  Like real life (though more fantastically), everyone has their strengths and weakness.  This can make likeability somewhat ambiguous.  I was left deciding I did like so and so, but oh, how I wish he/she wouldn't make this choice, act in this way, or say that thing. 

Oh, and by the way, aren't the covers for both of these books striking?