Half the World, the second fantasy novel in Joe Abercrombie's Shattered Sea series, brings all the goods his readers long for: visceral, violent action scenes, realistic political alliances and backstabbing, subtle character development and plot twists galore.
Yarvi, the deeply cunning main character of the first novel, returns as the minister of Gettland. He is charged with sailing the seas and employing his considerable powers of persuasion to bring allies to Gettland's side as war threatens. He takes two young ones under his wing: Thorn, a girl "touched by mother war" and a natural-born killing machine thwarted by society's view of gender, and Brand, a huge house of a young warrior with a heart of gold.
As is common in an Abercrombie book, nothing is as it seems and it's hard to trust anyone. The settings are vast, varied and alive with color, stink and substance. One action sequence is as brutal and heartbreaking as anything Abercrombie has accomplished in previous novels. Meanwhile he handles Brand's and Thorn's coming-of-age journeys with emotionally satisfying tenderness. Few fantasy writers have the capacity to jar readers with intense violence and then pluck at their heartstrings a few sentences later, some that Abercrombie does repeatedly.
Half the World remains true to the standard Abercrombie has set for himself, an entertaining read that stands firmly on its own, despite being the second in a series. It's a thoroughgoing blast, a violent, beautiful rabbit hole of craft that is well worth disappearing into for a few hours or days. --Donald Powell, freelance writer