What next for Joe Abercrombie?

[Brian G Turner]

Joe is looking at putting a new trilogy together, so I thought it might be fun to speculate on what sort of content we could expect to find in it.

My first thought is to wonder how much industrialisation may play a role in it: we've seen gunpowder being tested (albeit a single example) in The Heroes, and in Red Country we see a suggestion of industrialisation taking place at the frontiers.

Question is: we know industry has existed in history (I'm thinking of Roman steel mills) but is it possible that Abercrombie is flirting with taking us into a post-Renaissance fantasy at some point soon?

I can't help wonder at that, or whether I'm mis-reading his intentions.

Anyway, a spoiler-free thread to explore what Joe could do in his trilogy.

(Feel free to throw in wild ideas - they might inspire him! )

 

[thaddeus6th]

I think there were several centuries between cannons being used and useful guns being equipped to men, in real life, but obviously with fantasy that time could be compressed as much as possible.

I also can't remember how useful or not the cannons in The Heroes were, so they might need some fine-tuning. I'd be a bit surprised if the next trilogy had tons of guns about.

However, I agree with your general assessment of how the tech's going. Some chap [I'm woeful at names, which is both annoying and mildly worrying] in Red Country set up a firm.... with something higher tech than usual medieval stuff. A steam/coal-powered furnace, or something like that, I think.

Magic does seem to be waning as technology rises.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I was sort of hoping someone would say "Logen. In a spaceship."

 

[Dante DiBenedetto]

Personally, I hope he goes back in time.

The ending of RED COUNTRY set some very interesting things in motion regarding the past. I'd really like to hear more about the world in the olden days.

I can't say I'm looking forward to an industrial/steampunk set of stories from him, but knowing Joe, it's going to be brilliant either way.

 

[Ice fyre]

I am minded to think a trilogy exploring the Gurkish. We have seen the puppet masters at work in the books, but the shadow war behind the scenes is still only hotting up. I cant see the Gurkish giving up on getting Bayaz in chains and the whole of the south in thrall to them.

I think it remains to be seen, but Styria has some life left in it as well. Not read red country yet but Heros was wonderful.

 

[Plank]

I am minded to think a trilogy exploring the Gurkish.

I agree, and would love to see more of this explored.

What I liked about Red Country is that the "edge" of the world that we saw in the original trilogy and stand alones was pushed and we saw what was, for lack of a better word, beyond.

 

[Senta23]

I'm just waiting for the confrontation between Logen and Bremer. What an epic fight that would be!!

 

[kromanjon]

I hope Abercrombie leaves Logen alone from now on. Since the first trilogy I waited for his return eagerly but after Red Country I'm not sure I knew what I wanted. He got some good scenes, sure, but I left it feeling a bit sour, like he'd been shoehorned it as fanservice (beacuse that's what I wanted).

Still I trust Abercrombie to write good books no matter what characters he uses but perhaps a new trilogy would mean new characters this time. I know he has a thing of making bit characters into main characters later on but perhaps it's time to start fresh again and see what happens.

 

[doglim]

Is the trilogy based in the same world? Has that been confirmed?

If so, I would prefer to see knew characters as well. Always enjoy a good few references chucked in for fans to recognise, but would be very happy to see something set way in the future (of the First Law era).

However, Logen in a spaceship would be exceptional.

 

[Rolynd]

I think Joe confirmed in his blog that he's contracted for another 3 books in the first law world, when he confirmed they would be a trilogy.

I feel that the story of the Union isn't finished. Rebellion against the union will be an important part I think.

 

[Ice fyre]

The Northern rebellion was a smokes screen. A jaunt for Bayaz, a chance to test his new weapons in a limited engagement. Also to see how the Union army performs under stress. No, I think the next chapter in this story will be a quest to deal with the Gurkish, apart from the huge magical potential, they dont really have much going for them.

To me the Gurkish arent down and out yet, but they are going to face some trying times, their agents have been rebuffed in the north and Styria. The advantage of huge armies is nullified against fully functional cannons, so now its down to the magic.

 

[Menion]

What next?
On his blog he said... "I’ve been writing some short stuff set in the First Law World:

Some Desperado is a Shy South story appearing in Martin & Dozois’ forthcoming cross-genre, multi-author anthology extravaganza Dangerous Women, further details of which GRRM has now announced, due to be published in the US December 3rd.

Tough Times all Over is a chunky 12,000 word story set in Sipani, the City of Fogs and Whispers, and featuring several familiar faces, due to appear in Martin and Dozois’ other forthcoming heavyweight cross-genre anthology Rogues, publication details for which we’re still awaiting.

Skipping Town is old school sword and sorcery for a forthcoming anthology of original stories in honour of David Gemmell, hopefully due later this year and featuring my hilarious odd couple pairing of Shev and Javre, Lioness of Hoskopp, the female Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Kinda.
Then we’ve got three other stories more closely related to the First Law and due (possibly, maybe, probably) to appear in new editions of the trilogy.

A Beautiful ******* is told from the point of view of Quartermaster Salem Rews, and focuses on that daring fencing champion, infamous romancer, and dashing hero of the Union, Colonel Sand dan Glokta, and his attempts to defend a certain bridge in dusty Gurkhul…

Hell documents the fall of Dagoska from the point of view of a young and idealistic acolyte by the name of Temple.

Made a Monsterfocuses on the attempts of Bethod to finally end his spiralling feuds, bring peace, and pass on something to be proud of to his sons. The squabbling chieftains of the North are always hard to deal with, but the worst obstacle is on his own side – his terrifying champion, the Bloody-Nine…
Further details on where you can get hold of these as I have them. But additionally there will at some stage be a collection of all my short stories set in the First Law world, including these six. My rough guess on that (and it really is rough) is mid 2015."

 

[The Bloody Saint]

Just to breath life into a somewhat of old thread....

I certainly would love to read an elaboration on what going on with Ferro, who last time we met in The Last Argument of Kings was quite developing first degree of madness. Will she turn up as female form of the double-souled Logen/the Bloody Nine? And the bone deep hatred and revenge she swore against Gurkish who put slavery upon her childhood, don't we want to know how it turn out?

Come to that, Gurkish is so far a dark country we know only several sentences about. It is by its own a wide world to Joe to adventure.