This was my first [Joe Abercrombie](https://app.thestorygraph.com/authors/ed45bc4e-a871-45b7-bdf4-39b91508b934) book, I hadn't read any of his books before. I've often seen his books adorning bookshelves at friends houses and local bookshops. The First Law series intrigued me but coming off the back of finishing Brandon Sandersons Stormlight Archive series, a whopping 282 hours of audiobooks, I wasn't read to commit to a new multi-book series yet. I needed a pallet cleanser. Along came [this YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdGb3TRbIVQ) of Brandon interviewing Joe about his new book, The Devils. Ten minutes into the talk, I'd used a LibroFM audiobook credit and downloaded the book - I was ready to go! Joe has crafted a beautifully deep grimdark fantasy world for us to explore. Complex magic systems are replaced with complex religious zealotry, decades of schisms creating mystery, depth, and opportunity for wonderful storytelling. As the world hangs on the edge of the abyss, The Devils takes us on an adventure across Europe. In true grimdark fashion, the communities the group meet are in rough shape as plagues, famine, and all manner of monsters condemn their existence. A larger danger lurks, dwarfing even the scariest monsters - The Elves. It's foretold they will attack again and they'll leave no human intact. The story was both fast and slow paced, narrative arcs in The Devils could have been cleaned up for a tighter story. Sometimes a good side quest and tangent is just what the reader needs, so it's hard to criticise this. The Devils leaves us with plenty of unanswered questions, I'd be surprised if there wasn't a followup (or three) in the works. I'd recommend this book, it's a solid 4.5/5. ----- You can find out more about the book on [StoryGraph](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/1320b35c-eb36-4bae-a616-7fe0bbbcc659). I’m trying to push myself as both a reader and a writer this year by writing a review for the books I've read. You can find all the books I've read this year on [[2025 reading]]. #books #bookreview