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Best Served Cold

Best Served Cold

Dark FantasyGrimdark
Pages
912
Published
2009
Language
English

Synopsis

Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins and the most feared mercenary captain in Styria, has made her employer Duke Orso too powerful and too nervous. He has her thrown off a mountain. She survives. Seven men are responsible. All seven will die.

Set three years after the First Law Trilogy in the warring city-states of Styria — a Renaissance Italy reimagined through a grimdark lens — Best Served Cold follows Monza as she assembles the most disreputable crew imaginable: a Northman seeking redemption who finds none on offer, an obsessive ex-prisoner who counts everything and kills with methodical efficiency, a poisoner of questionable loyalty, and the drunken, brilliant, thoroughly unreliable Nicomo Cosca. What begins as a straightforward revenge narrative becomes a sustained interrogation of what revenge actually costs and whether it delivers what it promises. Standalone and readable without prior First Law knowledge, though readers of the trilogy will recognise familiar faces in unfamiliar circumstances.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

DarkGrittyTenseAdventurous
RevengeMorally GreyBetrayalAnti-HeroMultiple POVs

Genres

Dark Fantasy Grimdark Fantasy Adventure

About the author

J
Joe Abercrombie

Joe Abercrombie (born Joseph Edward Abercrombie, 31 December 1974 in Lancaster, Lancashire) is an English fantasy novelist. He was educated at Lancaster Royal Grammar School and read psychology at the University of Manchester, then moved to London and joined a television post-production company before going freelance as a film editor, cutting documentaries, music videos and concert films. He began writing The First Law in 2002, and the trilogy — The Blade Itself (2006), Before They Are Hanged (...

Characters

Monza MurcattoProtagonist

The Snake of Talins, a mercenary captain bent on avenging her betrayal.

Orso (Styria)Antagonist

Grand Duke of Talins, Monza's former employer, who orders her death and sets off her revenge.

Caul ShiversSupporting

A Northman who came south hoping to become a better man.

Nicomo CoscaSupporting

A drunken, brilliant, thoroughly unreliable mercenary.

FriendlySupporting

An ex-convict who counts everything and kills with methodical calm.

All characters in Best Served Cold

Frequently asked questions

  • Do I need to read the First Law Trilogy to enjoy Best Served Cold?

    No — it works as a fully standalone novel with its own complete cast and story. Readers of the trilogy will recognise some recurring characters and get additional context, but no prior knowledge is required.

  • Is Best Served Cold as dark as the First Law Trilogy?

    In terms of violence and moral bleakness, yes — arguably more so in places. The revenge plot is deliberately excessive, and the book is honest about the ugliness of what Monza is doing and who she has to become to do it.

  • Who is the main character of Best Served Cold?

    Monza Murcatto, a mercenary captain seeking revenge against the seven men who ordered her death. The book is told primarily through her perspective, with additional chapters from other crew members.

  • Is Best Served Cold a standalone novel?

    Yes — it has a complete beginning, middle, and end set entirely within Styria. It is set in the same world as the First Law Trilogy but does not require familiarity with those books.

  • Does the revenge plot have a satisfying conclusion?
  • Are there characters from the First Law Trilogy in this book?

    Yes — Nicomo Cosca, Friendly, and several others appear, and the world's history with Bayaz and the Union is referenced. These connections add texture but are not necessary for understanding the story.

  • Is Best Served Cold more action-focused than the trilogy?

    Yes, considerably. The trilogy is primarily a political and character study; Best Served Cold is closer to a thriller with a clear mission structure. It moves faster and is more plot-driven.

  • Does Best Served Cold have a happy ending?
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