Red Country by Joe Abercrombie
Red Country by Joe Abercrombie, First Law World Series Book #6
Introduction
Shy South has many problems. Her farm was burned by bandits and the bandits took her younger sister and brother away across the Far Country. Their farmhand, Gully, was hung until dead. She must decide if she is up to the task to track down and rescue her siblings. Her only help comes from her cowardly stepfather named Lamb, though he has secrets that could help her in her quest. She must fight tribal members who live in the Far Country who are called Ghosts, a mercenary captain bent on obtaining the rumored treasure of the Ghosts and the remnants of an ancient empire as well if she is to achieve her objectives.
Summary
The author brings his grimdark mentality to a mix of fantasy and western tropes in this novel. The story starts in Shy’s hometown of Squaredeal. Her and Lamb search for Shy’s siblings, Pit and Ro, in the town of Averstock. They join a sort of wagon train, called a Fellowship, that’s headed to the mountains where there are rumors of gold. They try to avoid the Ghosts hunting them and the mercenary force lead by Nicomo Cosca, who is employed by the Union to seek out the rebel named Conthus.
Cosca’s lawyer named Temple joins the wagon train as it heads to the mining town of Crease. They must pass the Old Empire bridge that crosses the Sictus river. Cosca follows them and believes that the Ghosts are hiding a huge treasure. The final showdown is at the Ghost city of Ashranc where Shy gets the chance to achieve all that she wants.
Recommendation
I question whether Shy should be the main viewpoint character in this novel. Lamb is the character who changes the most. He is the one who drives the action. Maybe my opinion is colored by having read the previous book in the First Law World called Best Served Cold. In that book, the main viewpoint character was named Monza. She seeks revenge against the men who left her for dead. Her character was more intriguing to me than Shy and in comparison Shy is a pale shadow of her.
I would have liked to read the book with Lamb as the main viewpoint character, but Red Country is about Shy’s journey to save her siblings. It was an interesting attempt at putting western themes into the First Law World and well worth reading. However, I am more looking forward to reading the second First Law Trilogy, which the author is working on at this time.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of Red Country by Joe Abercrombie, First Law World Series Book #6
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13521459-red-country
This is a link to my review of Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan, The Powder Mage Series Book #1.
This book is similar in tone and grittiness to Red Country. The book is a gunpowder fantasy. There are three main characters. The book opens with the story of Adamat. He is a retired detective. His magical gift is a perfect memory. Tamas is the second main character, a wise leader of men. He is a powder mage, a person that can use gunpowder as magical dust to heal oneself or to manipulate bullets. The third main character is Tamas’s son Taniel. Taniel is a powerful powder mage, the action hero of the story. He uses gunpowder as a narcotic. His reaction to snorting gunpowder is a cross between snuff and cocaine. This is a link to my review.