The Blade Itself
core novel 2006 First Law World
Record
| First published | 2006 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 4.22 (336,225 ratings, collected 2026-09-11) |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780575077867 |
Synopsis
The Blade Itself, the first novel of The First Law trilogy, is set in a world of warring nations on the edge of industrial change, where magic flows from a forbidden connection to a realm called the Other Side. The story follows several characters whose paths intersect amid rising conflict: Logen Ninefingers, a notorious Northern warrior fleeing his violent past after falling out with his king, who is recruited by the centuries-old wizard Bayaz; Sand dan Glokta, a crippled Union inquisitor investigating corruption within his own government; and Jezal dan Luthar, a vain young nobleman preparing for a prestigious sword tournament. Their separate stories converge as Bayaz reveals his plan to seek a powerful artifact tied to his ancient rivalry with the sorcerer Khalul, drawing Logen, Glokta, and Jezal each toward a conflict none of them fully understands yet.
Where it sits
- Universe: First Law World
- Series: The First Law (trilogy) core; position 1 of 3 in the series' recorded order
- Author: Joe Abercrombie
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings and are never conflated: a book's place in one says nothing about its place in the other.
- Publication order, within the series The First Law (trilogy): position 1 of 3: next Before They Are Hanged (2007)
Sources
← First Law World dossier · All universes
Part of the Library. Fields without an identified source are omitted, never guessed.