Half a War
Book Three of The Shattered Sea
Words are weapons
Princess Skara has seen all she loved made blood and ashes. She is left with only words. But the right words can be as deadly as any blade. She must conquer her fears and sharpen her wits to a lethal edge if she is to reclaim her birthright.
Only half a war is fought with swords
The deep-cunning Father Yarvi has walked a long road from crippled slave to king’s minister. He has made allies of old foes and stitched together an uneasy peace. But now the ruthless Grandmother Wexen has raised the greatest army since the elves made war on God, and put Bright Yilling at its head – a man who worships no god but Death.
Sometimes one must fight evil with evil
Some – like Thorn Bathu and the sword-bearer Raith – are born to fight, perhaps to die. Others – like Brand the smith and Koll the wood-carver – would rather stand in the light. But when Mother War spreads her iron wings, she may cast the whole Shattered Sea into darkness.
Book Details:
UK / ANZ Print Edition
Publisher: Voyager
Date: 16th July 2015
ISBN: 9780007550265
Format: Hardback
R.R.P.: £12.99
North American Print Edition
Publisher: Del Rey (Random House)
Date: 28th July 2015
ISBN: 9780804178457
Format: Hardcover
R.R.P.: US$26.00
Ebook
Publisher: Voyager (UK) / Del Rey (US)
Date: 16th July 2015 / 28th July 2015
ISBN: 9780007550272 / 9780804178471
Audiobook
Publisher: Voyager (UK)
Date: 16th July
ISBN: 9780007553587
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Reviews and Plaudits:
“What makes Abercrombie so good is the way the cut and thrust of the dialogue is every bit as dangerous as swordplay, and the clash of personal destinies matters as much as the shattering of empires. Like Game of Thrones on an adrenaline drip, this is a full-throated war cry of a novel, counterpointed by grace notes in perfect pitch.”
– The Daily Mail
“The final instalment in the Shattered Sea series is the perfect ending to an outstanding YA trilogy … Joe Abercrombie has long been the master of grim and gritty fantasy, but Half a War proves that he’s got all the skills of a master romance writer. The battles are bloody, the twists are shocking, and the deaths are heartbreaking.”
– SFX
“War reaches the boiling point in the impressive conclusion … Abercrombie piles on shocking betrayals and charges his characters a high price for vengeance in this powerful and fitting final volume.”
– Publishers Weekly
“Half a War not only continues on in the footsteps of its predecessors, but fulfills all the series’ promises in a way that rends the soul as compulsively as anything Abercrombie has written to date … There is no right reader for the Shattered Sea Trilogy, nor is there a wrong one. It a fantasy for all ages, and all times, so long as you’re emotionally prepared to have your heart ripped out. Because, despite the titles of his novels, Joe Abecrombie isn’t one for half-measures.”
– Tor.com
“The narrative, well-sprinkled with gory action and impelled by characters at this stage not just familiar, but gratifying, moves along at a brisk clip. Best of all, the relentless intrigues, plots, and schemes bubble just below the surface.”
– Kirkus
“In his Shattered Sea saga, Abercrombie has created a series that is by shades engaging, mesmerising and jaw-dropping, possessing themes and complex characters so rarely interrogated by YA fiction.”
– Sci Fi Now
“Half a War closes the Shattered Sea trilogy in style, with a war story that prioritises the characters over the action and ends well by not pulling a single punch. ”
– The Wertzone
“Joe Abercrombie does it again. Half a King is another page-turner from Britain’s hottest young fantasist, a fast-paced tale of betrayal and revenge that grabbed me from page one and refused to let go.”
– George R. R. Martin, author of A Game of Thrones on Half a King
“Full of drama and energy that doesn’t get bogged down by the complicated politics and beliefs of its world. Instead statecraft pushes the characters along one tense moment after another, reminding you that national and social politics is at its heart a mixture of old grudges and desperate pride with human costs … Abercrombie has crafted an excellent page-turner.”
– New York Daily News on Half the World