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  • Before They Are Hanged

  • The First Law: Book Two
  • By: Joe Abercrombie
  • Narrated by: Steven Pacey
  • Length: 22 hrs and 38 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (1,513 ratings)

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Before They Are Hanged

By: Joe Abercrombie
Narrated by: Steven Pacey
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Publisher's Summary

Bitter and merciless war is coming to the frozen north. It's bloody and dangerous, and the Union army, split by politics and hamstrung by incompetence, is unprepared for the slaughter that's coming. Lacking experience, training, and in some cases even weapons, the army is scarcely equipped to repel Bethod's scouts, let alone his elite forces.

In the heat-ravaged south, the Gurkish are massing to assault the city of Dagoska, defended by Inquisitor Glokta. The city is braced for the inevitable defeat and massacre to come... but a plot is festering to hand the city to its besiegers without a fight, and the previous Inquisitor of Dagoska vanished without trace. Threatened from within and without the city, Glokta needs answers, and he needs them soon.

And to the east, a small band of malefactors travel to the edge of the world to reclaim a device from history - a Seed, hidden for generations - with tremendous destructive potential. A device which could put a end to war, to the army of Eaters in the South, to the invasion of Shanka from the North - but only if it can be found, and only if its power can be controlled.

©2007 Joe Abercrombie (P)2010 Orion Publishing Group Limited

What listeners say about Before They Are Hanged

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Outstanding

The perfect combination of author and voice. Abercrombie delivers something truly original in a genre saturated with bland tropes and predictable characters. This trilogy is bursting with flawed heroes, dark humour and unexpected turns.
Steven Pacy's interpretation is masterful. Distinctive accents and voices bring the characters to life and perfectly captures Abercrombie's taste for dark and bloody irony.

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6 people found this helpful

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Quite simply, the best audiobook I've listened to.

Even better than the first book, I've read many books over my time but this is one of my favourites. Joe Abercrombie is a talented author and I find him to have his very own unique style which I appreciate. I often find myself finding similarities between authors, but Abercrombie stands on his own pedestal. The characters have developed amazingly well in the second book as well as the story and the pace makes you not want to put it down. Quite simply this is a masterpiece imo and this is the first time I've written a book review. I just had to!

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1 person found this helpful

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BEST ever - it will stay with you!

I had read the First Law series and now I listened to it and loved it even more than the first reading. Book 2 is where it all happens - it's all action, and interaction and questing and exactly where you'll fall completely in love with the first law world and the characters. It's too good! It's grimdark, raw, well-written (wonderfully narrated) fantasy to love!!!

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Character development is excellent

The characters really come into their own in this book. You get to know them like they're your own friends. And what a narrator! Love this series

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fantastic

absolutely amazing read. performed fantastic. loved every second. follows perfect on from book one. interesting to see where three takes us now

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Great book

Checked this out because of Joshua Greene from YouTube saying it was one of the best performances in a modern fantasy novel. The narrative leaves a few but not many things to be desired but the narration is second to none

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a very good book

Don't normally post my opinions on books but this one (and the narrator performance) was one of the best I ever listened to, including other Joe Abercrombie books. Great characters who are refreshingly conflicted and complex, and a great story

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Great book, even better narration.

Steven Pacey is an amazing narrator, I will definitely be seeking out more Joe Abercrombie books narrated by him after I finish the 3rd book.

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Narrator is amazing

What the title says. The book is good but the style and skill of narration takes it to another level.

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awesome narration and story

loving the series thus far
easy to listen to
great variation in voice and just a generally fun story

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