Best Served Cold

Best Served Cold is a stand-alone novel set as a crossover from Abercrombie’s First Law trilogy, carrying some of the events and characters from the other books.

The novel presents a basic revenge plot, and if that were the extent of its value, it still would stand tall. However, Abercrombie explores the realistic toll that an obsession with revenge would take on a person, delving into the “blood will have blood” theme explored in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Does a quest for revenge (whether justified or not) result in an uncontrolled escalation of violence, or is it justice? How far is too… show more.

Who doesn’t want to right the wrongs committed against them? I try to be a grown up and move on with my life when someone antagonizes me, but sometimes I wish there was justice in the world. Who doesn’t, even if sometimes we know we are not being mature? Revenge is the ultimate ending, and Abercrombie’s clever stand-alone novel examines just how cold it really can be. It turns out, not at all. Monza has been screwed over bad. She has every reason to want to get even—which means everyone who tried to kill her needs to end up dead.… show more.

The author is a heavy hitter in dark fantasy and the title says it all, Best Served Cold. Glancing at the title, I immediately thought of revenge and this story takes the cake. Joe takes you on an adventure that you wish would not end, cold-hearted characters willing to go to any length to fulfil his story and their personal agendas. His eye for detail leads you to feel as if you are walking with each of them on their journey. Don’t expect the expected because he has an imagination to conjure the most extraordinary villains and surprising heroes.… show more.

It was really hard for me to choose which of Abercrombie’s books I’d suggest, since all of his female characters – scratch that – all of his characters in general, no matter their gender, are pretty brutal and violent. But Best Served Cold gives us the story of Monzcarro Murcatto, the Snake of Talins.

I don’t know if I can sum it up any better than Sajaam does when he says to Monza, “You were a hero round these parts. That’s what they call you when you kill so many people the word murderer falls short,” but I’ll try.

Monza… show more.