The Last Argument of Kings - First Law #3 - by Joe Abercrombie

The best fantasy books are the ones that tie all loose ends well enough, the ones where the author has a vision from the start and is determined to reach it.

Abercrombie masterfully achieves that in The Last Argument of Kings, the final book in the First Law trilogy. This book checks all the grimdark boxes and exceeds expectations with the surprises it pulls on the readers.

After they return empty-handed from their quest in Before They Are Hanged, Bayaz, Ferro, Jezal, and Logen all go their separate ways. Logen decides to rejoin his old group in the north to fight Bethod, while Jezal absconds from the violent life of the army to stay with the woman he loves. Still, Bayaz and Ferro are determined to punish the Gurkish and win the great war whatever the cost.

A significant aspect of the First Law trilogy is that every installment is vastly different from the other ones. The focus in this book shifts again towards Adua, the impending war with the Gurkish, and the conniving lords who want to seize the throne.

Finally, we get to know more about Bayaz’s past, an aspect that we have always had doubts about in the previous books. The twists and turns Abercrombie weaves in The Last Argument of Kings are astounding and insightful at the same time. The reader cannot help but turn the page to figure out the motives of certain characters.

There is no main protagonist in this series; all characters are equally well fleshed out, and the story focuses on grey morality, which adds a layer of realism to the novel. As in the real world, the right decisions are hard to make and, sometimes, morality is subjective; there are really no right or wrong decisions, only convenient ones.

The Last Argument of Kings succeeds in tying all the loose ends left from the previous two volumes while maintaining its signature grimdark flair. It also achieves what any good fantasy novel does, namely, the use of minor details and clues, which the author left in the other installments, to reach a satisfying conclusion. While the ending is not all rainbows and unicorns, it is pleasantly apt.