The Blade Itself (The First Law: Book One) Abercrombie, Joe

I emailed Joe Abercrombie before I read this book, I'd seen it in the book shop and read the first two pages but had no cash to buy. I had not read any fantasy for a decade preferring to read histories and enjoying them.This first two page encounter so fired me I had to look him up and contact him. Being a Robert E Howard fan I asked him if the book could deliver the sound of axe biting into bone that I so missed in current fantasy. All he said was "yes, I can give you bones and blood". He gave it alright and much more. Logen Ninefingers cuts a bloody swath through all he pits himself against. All set against a background of politics, war, treachery and betrayal. Heavy with a history of ancient monarchy along with Logen's own tragic and triumphant life it is a story that draws you in with its potential.I would like to think that Conan would be one of Logen's ancestral tribesmen.