Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Best Served Cold (World of the First Law Book 1)

Top positive review

Read it

Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2017

I had read Ambercombie's first trilogy and very much enjoyed it. I was a bit iffy about starting this one as from the reviews it was obvious that most of the main characters would not be a part of it. It is set in a different part of the world. I felt I might be a bit disappointed to miss the main characters - which had been quite developed, and worried there would not be a lot of time to have similar quality characters done in what is essentially a stand alone novel.

Having said all that, there was no need to worry. He does an excellent job putting together a couple new characters you quickly care about while pulling in a bunch of secondary character from the first trilogy. The fact that it is relatively a stand alone novel means it is very fast paced - actually I respect the author in not trying to pull this story out into another trilogy which he could have easily done. Definitly an enjoyable read that I would highly recommend and I look forward to reading the later books in this world.

50 people found this helpful

Top critical review

All critical reviews›

CMR

Did not enjoy

Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2019

I loved the First Law series. I particularly liked the way that the characters were multi-dimensional, with the same person being capable of both great kindness and great evil. This book just left a bad taste in my mouth. Monza is self-absorbed and malicious and doesn't ever seem to appreciate the futility of her quest for revenge. Shivers comes across as a bit naive at first but Monza's callous treatment totally destroys him. I felt very sorry for him. None of the other characters - with the possible exception of Cosca - are in any way sympathetic or interesting. Finishing this book was a struggle and I won't be re-reading it. I hope the other standalones are better.

11 people found this helpful

Sort by

Filter by

Filtered by

4 starClear filter

612 global ratings | 190 global reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From the United States

Matthew Ries

It Might Cold But Tastes Very Good

Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2021

Verified Purchase

A ruthless and paranoid Grand Duke looking to become a King believes his best general is planning to usurp him and looks to get rid of her, but he did not finish the job. Best Served Cold is the fourth book and first standalone set in Joe Abercrombie’s First Law world as the vengeful path of the betrayed has an impact for the great powers of the world.

Monzcarro "Monza" Murcatto is the notorious leader of The Thousand Swords mercenary company that has brought victory after victory to her employer, Grand Duke Orso of Talins, becoming wealthy and popular as a result. Unfortunately, too popular for Orso’s liking which results in his ordering that Monza and her beloved brother Benna being thrown down a mountain. Unfortunately for Orso, she survives the stabbing, mutilating, garroting and a brutal fall. Now Monza wants vengeance against the seven men responsible: Orso's bodyguard Gobba, his banker Mauthis, the general of his armies Ganmark, her treacherous second-in-command Faithful Carpi, his sons Prince Ario and Count Foscar, and finally Orso himself. However, she cannot do it alone, so she enlists the help of an oddball carnival of psychopaths to aid her in her quest. This includes: Caul Shivers, a Northman looking to make a fresh start; Friendly, a number-obsessed ex-convict; Castor Morveer, a self-congratulatory blowhard of a poisoner, and his constantly eating apprentice Day; Shylo Vitari, a former Practical; and last, but by no means the least, the lovable scoundrel and drunkard has-been Nicomo Cosca who Monza betrayed to become leader of the Thousand Swords. Across Styria, they systematically work their way through Monza’s list. On the way, they not only kill their targets, but poison an entire bank full of people in Westport, burn a bordello to the ground in Sipani, and play no small role in the fate of Styria as a whole. Before Monza finally kills Duke Orso himself, he reveals that his fears were well-founded, and Benna was indeed planning to usurp him without Monza's knowledge. Meanwhile, various subplots interweaver Monza’s bloody-minded violent revenge. Bayaz and Khalul continue their machinations on the grand chessboard in Styria. Caul Shivers’ moral transformation from a likable optimist to a cold-blooded killer. Through Monza’s flashbacks we learn that her reputation as a butcher of the innocent, may not be as simple as all that. And a mysterious assassin called Shenkt who has his own plans for Monza, and his own desire for revenge … against Bayaz. In the end, a pregnant Monza is Grand Duchess of Talins just as Benna had planned, one of the only stable states in Styria and fulfilling Shenkt’s plan of an independent strong leader in Styria.

Like all of Abercrombie’s books of the First Law there are no purely good characters even though there are some awfully bad ones, but Monza might turn out to be one of the more morally positive by the end of the book than any of the other characters of Abercrombie’s work. All the characters followed throughout the book are well-written and intriguing, but the most intriguing is Benna who though killed in the first chapter worked to make Monza the ruler of a city though given what he did to ruin her reputation appeared to be setting her up to be assassinated so he could take over which would be a real Abercrombie thing to do. The long game of Shenkt appears to be something interest to look forward to for the future of the world especially given who the two big supernatural players of this world are.

Best Served Cold is a fantastic return by Joe Abercrombie to his First Law world that any fan of the original trilogy would enjoy.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

ADK

Ok, I guess

Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2020

Verified Purchase

I read the First Law trilogy, which came oh-so-highly recommended in a fantasy group I'm in. It was alright, I guess. There's almost zero magic in these books though, so if that's what you're looking for then you can look elsewhere.
As far as this book goes, I was mostly bored. It kind of dragged on because the main character (Monza) had a list of people she wanted revenge on and that list was a little long, but that's the entire focus of the book. I liked Shivers, but then something happened and he changed into a different person that I didn't like. And I never liked Monza, so basing a book more or less on these two at the top was pretty irritating to me.
My favorite was Cosca, followed by Friendly. I'm not sure they made it worth reading this book--maybe--but I doubt I'm going to spend the time to reread this book or any of the First Law. I think this is where I'm calling it quits with these books, which is unfortunate because of people's general obsession with them. I don't really get it. Joe is a great writer though--I've highlighted a lot of passages in his books. I just don't think I'm interested enough in grim dark to stay with him.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Jason

Solid Standalone Addition to the First Law Universe

Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2012

Verified Purchase

Best Served Cold is a stand-alone novel taking place in the same world as Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy. Although Best Served Cold does legitimately standalone from Abercrombie's other works, having read the First Law trilogy is advised to make the background world easier to comprehend. So if you haven't read Abercrombie before, you should begin with The Blade Itself, the first novel in the First Law trilogy.

Best Served Cold is a classic revenge novel focusing on mercenary Monza Murcatto's efforts to avenge her betrayal at the hands of her former employer, the Duke of Orso. Accompanying her on her mission is Caul Shivers, a vicious Northern killer set on making amends and doing the right thing, Friendly, an awkward, number-obsessed killer, two poisoners (a master and an apprentice) and Nicomo Cosca, a mercenary who played a role in the First Law trilogy. Some other characters from the First Law trilogy also make appearances of varying import. Like Abercrombie's other works, Best Served Cold is a violent, bloody book. There's also somewhat graphic sex and a lot of bad language. If that's not your style, you probably shouldn't bother. But if you've enjoyed Abercrombie's other works, Best Served Cold is definitely for you.

Overall, Best Served Cold was very entertaining. Character creation and development is always one of Abercrombie's strongpoints and the cast here is particularly strong. Monza and Shivers made for an entertaining pair of protagonists (even if Shivers' character arc was very predictable) and their interactions were often very funny. Monza is particularly well developed and her progression is rather impressive. Further, the character arc of the two poisoners - Morveer and Day - was very well handled. Friendly is more than a little awkward at times, but his constant deadpan makes for some really humorous scenes. I'm still not a Nicomo Cosca fan, but he also had his moments. The writing, as usual for Abercrombie, was crisp and effective. He's not a poet, but he can convey descriptions and dialogue as needed. Further, few write action scenes as well as Abercrombie. Abercrombie has a reputation for writing very "realistic" fantasy. I think that is true to an extent - his fighting scenes are dirty and gritty and nasty, rather than the high-minded, highly stylized fighting that so often inhabits the genre. But his characters tend to be larger than life and outlandish (though that's not a bad thing) and his plots can be a little ridiculous at times. Further, the locals featured in Best Served Cold are very well fleshed out and, in my opinion, much more interesting than anything in the First Law trilogy.

Best Served Cold is really, really violent. Even for an Abercrombie novel. The death-to-page ratio was staggering (particularly given the lack of large scale battles) and at times it really felt excessive. It sometimes felt as if Abercrombie was just killing characters for the sake of killing characters, rather than to advance the plot. Still, the important deaths were handled very nicely and some of them occurred in some very entertaining ways. Abercrombie also has the occasional habit of relying on convenient writing (usually appearing in the form of plain good luck when characters are in seemingly impossible situations). But the strength of Abercrombie's novels is the sheer entertainment value - the plot may not always develop in the most realistic ways, but it progresses in an entertaining way no matter what. Finally, although many readers claim that they are often surprised by Abercrombie's novels, I have yet to be surprised even in a small way through four books. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as the books are so much fun to read, but they seem awfully predictable.

Best Served Cold warrants a very solid four stars. It's a highly entertaining adventure fantasy rife with violence, mayhem, and a generous helping of humor. It isn't brilliant literature by any means, but it's an awful lot of fun and, if you don't have a weak stomach, it's well worth your time if you. To reiterate, although Best Served Cold can and does standalone, readers are much better off completing Abercrombie's First Law trilogy before tackling Best Served Cold.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Ennui

Really should be 3-1/2 stars for me

Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2014

Verified Purchase

I've been reading more dark fantasy, and while I do enjoy it, I struggle with that part of me that wants heroes, dammit! This book is set in the same world as the First Law books, which is bleak and grim. Did I like it? Yep, but it was bordering on the edge for me. I kept hoping someone, anyone, would find some sort of redemption or step outside of their character and do something heroic but then, this is Joe Abercrombie's world and heroes are few and far between.

The story follows Monza Murcatto, a mercenary captain at the top of her game who develops a taste for vengeance. Life is brutal in this world, and Monza is most definitely of this world, so the quest for vengeance is harsh, brutal and bloody. What was interesting is that as the story progresses, the POV seems to shift between what the character is telling us happened and how they feel about it, to brief glimpses of what actually happened and what was behind those events. Throughout the book you start to see more clearly how someone can interpret an event and act on that knowledge when what was actually happening would have provoked a different response. (I'm describing this poorly but I can't figure out a way to explain it without giving away too many spoiler-ish details).

There was a saying used throughout the book - "mercy equals cowardice" - and that pretty much sums up the bleakness of this world. As the book progressed, it did seem as if that saying came true more often than not, simply because the world almost required a certain lack of compassion in anyone with a smidgen of desire to survive. Betrayal seems to be de rigueur. Coin is king. Honor doesn't exist. This is a dark and depressing world. There were glimmerings of hope, though, by the end.

Among other characters brought over from the First Law series, Best Served Cold brought back Nicomo Cosca from First Law in all his sartorial splendor, along with the Northman Shivers, Practical Vitari, and others. While this is classified as a standalone book, I think reading the First Law series would help give background to a lot of what is happening.

Wish Ammy would let us do 1/2 stars - this was better than 3 (It's Okay) but ... 4 stars it is, then.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Judah

Bloody Well Done

Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2012

Verified Purchase

First book by Abercrombie I've read, and only after I finished, did I realize it is part of a shared world with other works by the same author. Didn't matter... this one easily stands alone.

It's about war, treachery, revenge, how a man changes himself, and entirely driven by character perspectives. See, normally these type of stories that skimp on world-building and have a vast political backdrop are hard to make interesting. Not this one. "Best served cold" gets personal. The reason it succeeds is Abercrombie has distinct character voices, egotistical, macabre, inappropriately funny, and often treacherous.

The plot is good, happens in a orderly fashion with plenty of twists, but what kept me reading were the distinct character voices. I will read more from the author in the future. I should mention the book has a great deal of swearing and violence... but it is about war and revenge and soldiers. Those trappings add style, but be warned this one isn't for the squeamish.

Helpful

Cheryl B. Dale

NICE READ

Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2013

Verified Purchase

Abercrombie's heroine this time is Monza Murcatto, a noted mercenary who's brought her employer Duke Orso too many victories.

Afraid of her influence with the public, he betrays her and her brother. He and six other men see her stabbed, beaten and thrown down a mountain to die, saved only because she falls on her brother's body.

But someone rescues her and half-way heals her. Revenge consumes her. Luckily she has a hidden fortune to call upon. Because someone's going to pay.

I was a tad disappointed. This isn't the best of Abercrombie's stories. Monza does a few too many stupid things and there's a lot of dwelling on torture and injuries. Yes, I know this is his trademark, but after a while it gets boring.

It's always been the people who intrigued: Logan Ninefingers (the Bloody Nine who can't control his battle rage and slaughters even friends) and Sand dan Glokta (the public servant who forces his broken body out of bed each morning to torture and scheme, but who's still able to mock himself and his masters) and Bayaz (the First of the Magi who has his own plans for control of the countries)...I could go on but won't.

Monza isn't nearly as colorful a character as some of the others. But it's a nice read just because it's one of Abercrombie's.

Helpful

B. McCarthy

Joe Abercrombie's take on Kill Bill--minor spoilers

Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2009

Verified Purchase

The plot of Joe Abercrombie's latest effort will sound more than a tad familiar to fans of Tarantino's martial arts flick homage: a female warrior is left for dead, betrayed by her employer and those she considered colleagues, only to make a miraculous recovery, become consumed by revenge, and come up with a plan to take out her would-be murderers one by one.

There is of course more to it than that, but the inspiration is obvious, and that's not a bad thing. Abercrombie's previous effort, the First Law Trilogy, was often praised as a Tarantino-esque take on fantasy, and this time it's no different. Best Served Cold is just as gruesome, gritty, and intense as the First Law books, and it is also set in the same world as the trilogy.

The protagonist, Monza, and her team of felons she gathers for her quest of vengeance journey throughout Styria; a country oft-mentioned in the First Law books but not featured until now, Styria is much like pre-unification Italy, and is brilliantly realized and a welcome addition to the First Law world.

I loved that Abercrombie decided to continue using his First Law setting after the trilogy concluded, and even though this is a standalone novel in theory, the reader really should go through all of the trlogy first before starting this, as many characters in Best Served Cold, including some main characters, played major roles in the trilogy. I won't spoil the returning characters for you. It was also cool that just through conversation we learn what happens to most of the characters who don't return in BSC. But most importantly, BSC continues the on-going conflict between the two factions in the First Law world whom control different nations and use them against each other in a secret war, something that readers of Abercrombie's previous works will definitely appreciate. Events which happen in BSC will be sure to play important parts in later works in Abercrombie's setting, and I wouldn't be surprised if we see many of BSC's characters in future works; one main character who is introduced in this book and is tied to a huge shocker at the book's climax comes to mind.

BSC is not without it's flaws. While the six Point of View characters are all very well developed and complex, and all not so much good or bad as they are gray, there are two, including the one I mention above and Friendly, a ex-con whose obsession with numbers never really becomes more than a gimmick, who could have had more done with their storylines. A lot more.

I personally didn't have a problem with the violence, though some might. There is a lot of collateral damage, i.e. innocent deaths, that may bother some readers. There are also some sex scenes that are probably way too graphic for many readers...and coming from me, that means something, because I like sex scenes as much as the next guy. But Abercrombie overdoes it this time. Other reviewers have said and now I'm saying it. It's too much, dude.

Other than that, BSC is just a fun, violent read. I'd probably even rank it as my 2nd favorite Abercrombie book, after Before they are Hanged.

Can't wait to see what Abercrombie has in store for us next in the First Law setting. He's definitely one of the most entertaining modern fantasy writers to read today.

Helpful

G. Frome

Not up to the trilogy standard

Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2019

Verified Purchase

But I still gave it a four. Though sometimes it dragged. At least for me...The personalities and dialogue were very good. It was just that a lot of times things were repeated. And then he went into a lot more detail about battles (too much for me) and he sometimes described settings a lot more than I was interested in. So there were boring spots and things repeated. Still good. The trilogy is quite a bit better though and I will read the next First Law book.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Buckshot

Great new read.

Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2009

Verified Purchase

OK, I am supposed to be reviewing "Best Served Cold". I will. First though, If you haven't read the first law series, I highly recommend it. I noticed it when I ordered "cold", so I bought that too. Excellent, and as a three book series, gives a much more in depth development of charachters, and plots. (yes, PLOTSSS!) Best served cold reaches into the first law series for much of the background, and I'm not sure what the take would be without all the background. I found it slightly labored at times, but found it to be a can't put down book. OK, the lawn didn't get mowed this weekend. One thing about Abercrombie, he is quite realistic in some of his concepts of bodily harm. Characters with the snot beat out of them never really heal completely, and the mental affects of maiming and torture are much closer than a lot of books, fantasy or no. Buy the "First Law" trilogy, and then read "Best Served Cold", and I eagerly await the continuation of either work. He has lots of places to go, and I hope he does.

Helpful

RoMo

Rating: 4. 5 While in essence a cliched ...

Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2015

Verified Purchase

Rating: 4.5
While in essence a cliched revenge novel, this book really hits you hard. The characters are very interesting and gray. If you are a Game of Thrones fan, then this book and other First Law books are for you! I found this book to be of higher quality than the First Law Trilogy's. The writing is of the same (high) standard, but the pacing, characterization, and exposition are much, much stronger. Be warned, this is not a novel for the faint of heart. If sex (one scene involving Shivers is particularly horrid), brutal torture, or grisly boodshed offend you in the slightest, look elsewhere.
All in all, I think Abercrombie has really matured as a writer.
As a note, you aren't required to have read the other First Law novels, but it will help you understand the overarching story of powerful forces duking it out.

Helpful

Need customer service? Click here

‹ See all details for Best Served Cold (World of the First Law Book 1)

5 star		67%
4 star		24%
3 star		7%
2 star		2%
1 star		1%

Best Served Cold (World of the First Law Book 1)

›

Customer reviews

Customer reviews

Best Served Cold (World of the First Law Book 1)

Top positive review

Top critical review

Filtered by

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From the United States

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

Best Served Cold (World of the First Law Book 1) › Customer reviews

Customer reviews

Best Served Cold (World of the First Law Book 1)

Top positive review

Top critical review

Filtered by

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From the United States

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

Best Served Cold (World of the First Law Book 1)

›

Customer reviews