The Devils by Joe Abercrombie – a review
The Devils is the most recent release from renowned grimdark master Joe Abercrombie. It’s the start of a new series that keeps all of the excellent storytelling from his previous novels but infuses a ridiculous sense of humour that will have you laughing out loud.
Synopsis:
Europe stares into the abyss.
Plague and famine stalk the land; monsters lurk in every shadow and greedy princes care for nothing but their own ambitions. Only one thing is certain: the elves will come again, and they will eat everyone.
Sometimes, only the darkest paths lead towards the light. Paths on which the righteous will not dare to tread . . .
And so, buried beneath the sacred splendour of the Celestial Palace, is the secret Chapel of the Holy Expediency. For its congregation of convicted monsters there are no sins that have not been committed, no lines that will not be crossed, and no mission that cannot be turned into a disastrous bloodbath.
Now the hapless Brother Diaz must somehow bind the worst of the worst to a higher cause: to put a thief on the throne of Troy and unite the sundered church against the coming apocalypse.
When you're headed through hell, you need the devils on your side.
If you loved Abercrombie’s previous grimdark work, then you are sure to love The Devils. While it does have some slapstick humour about it, it’s so much more than that. We follow the reluctant Brother Diaz, as he is tasked by the church to lead its rag-tag band of ‘Devils’ in their mission to deliver the long-lost heir to the throne Princess Alexia Pyrogennetos to take her rightful place on the Serpent Throne of Troy. For me, it was a story of found family (think Firefly or The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet), of courage in the face of annihilation and an exploration of faith.
We have; Werewolf, Vigga Ullasdottr; Balthazar Sham Ivam Draxi, a pretentious magician with a grossly inflated sense of self-importance; Jakob of Thorn, an immortal, yet battle-broken warrior; Sunny the sometimes-invisible Elf; Baron Rickard, an ancient and charming Vampire and Baptiste: A pirate and jack of all trades.
Along the way this band of unlikely heroes has to fight against all manner of monsters and magical forces to ensure the safe delivery of their charge, forging strong bonds that bring them closer together along the way.
Abercombie’s character is development is excellent, and I felt truly invested in each and every one of them. My personal favourite, Vigga (a ‘proper’ Norse Werewolf), initially comes across as very black and white and a cold-blooded killer, but she developed into one of the most endearing characters and shows she has a heart after all.
It has plenty of twists and turns along to the way to keep the reader engaged but is never rushed and the worldbuilding is excellent.
Whether you’re new to Abercrombie or Grimdark fantasy, or a hardcore fan of the darker side of the fantasy genre in general, then I’m confident you will find something you love when you read The Devils, and I guarantee it will have you laughing out loud as you do.
“You spend years illuminating manuscripts,” said Baptiste, working off one boot, “and singing hymns, and tending the monastery gardens, but all anyone wants to talk about is the one time you fucked a werewolf.”
The Devils is out now in Hardback and book 2 is expected next spring.
Grimdark: a subgenre of speculative fiction (particularly fantasy) with a tone, style, or setting that is particularly dystopian, amoral, and violent. The term is inspired by the tagline of the tabletop strategy game Warhammer 40,000: "In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war.