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The Trouble with Peace

The Trouble with Peace

Dark FantasyGrimdark
Pages
545
Published
2020
Language
English

Synopsis

Peace is proving as dangerous as war. King Orso sits on a throne ringed by knives, struggling to hold together a Union whose nobles are already choosing sides. Savine dan Glokta, her reputation in ruins after the events of A Little Hatred, still has all her ambitions and a new marriage to a man made for battle, not politics. Leo dan Brock is Lord Governor of Angland, chafing in peacetime, surrounded by men whispering that the Union's best hope is a change of king.

The middle volume of the Age of Madness trilogy is the most politically intricate of the three — a slow compression of alliances and betrayals that ends in open rebellion. Abercrombie maps the gap between what characters want to believe about themselves and what they are willing to do, and the distance narrows faster than anyone expects. A novel about the uses and limits of political idealism, told by characters who are far too intelligent to believe in it.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

DarkGrittyTenseThought-Provoking
Multiple POVsCourt IntrigueMorally GreyBetrayal
Writing5.0Impact3.0Characters5.0Plot4.0Atmosphere5.0

Genres

Dark Fantasy Grimdark Fantasy Epic Fantasy Political Thriller

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

Prince OrsoProtagonist

Now king, struggling to hold a fracturing Union together.

Savine dan GloktaProtagonist

Rebuilding her ambitions after ruin, newly married.

Leo dan BrockProtagonist

Lord Governor of Angland, restless and dangerously courted.

Stour NightfallAntagonist

The Great Wolf, Leo's foil and rival — happy to fight whoever's enemy he needs to be.

RikkeSupporting

Learning to wield her prophetic Long Eye in the North.

All characters in The Trouble with Peace

Frequently asked questions

  • Is The Trouble with Peace a standalone story?

    This novel is the second book in the Age of Madness trilogy and continues the overarching narrative from the first book, A Little Hatred. While it progresses the stories of several characters, it does not fully resolve all plotlines within its own pages.

  • How does this book connect to Joe Abercrombie's other works?

    The Trouble with Peace is set in the same world as Abercrombie's earlier First Law trilogy and features several returning characters, though it focuses on a new generation. Readers familiar with his previous books will recognize the setting and some of the political dynamics.

  • Do I need to read A Little Hatred before The Trouble with Peace?

    Yes — The Trouble with Peace picks up directly from A Little Hatred's events and characters. It cannot be read as a standalone.

  • Is there a civil war in The Trouble with Peace?

    Yes — the civil war that was building throughout A Little Hatred erupts in this volume. Much of the novel tracks how it starts, who chooses sides, and what it costs.

  • Does King Orso survive this book?

    Yes — Orso survives and his arc continues into The Wisdom of Crowds, where it reaches its conclusion.

  • Is The Trouble with Peace darker than A Little Hatred?

    Yes. A Little Hatred was setup; The Trouble with Peace is where the characters' decisions start producing serious consequences. The political violence is more immediate and the betrayals more personal.

  • How many point-of-view characters does this book have?

    The same four core perspectives as A Little Hatred — Savine, Leo, Orso, and Rikke — plus additional viewpoints including Gunnar Broad, an ordinary soldier drawn into the conflict.

  • What role does Savine play in this book?

    Savine is one of the three central protagonists. Her arc in this volume is about navigating the consequences of A Little Hatred while maintaining her ambitions in a shifting political landscape.

  • Does this book end on a cliffhanger?

    It ends with the civil war's immediate outcome resolved but the political situation highly unstable. The Wisdom of Crowds follows directly and delivers the trilogy's conclusion.

  • Is Leo the antagonist or protagonist in this book?

    Both, depending on your perspective. Leo is a point-of-view protagonist, but his choices in this volume make him functionally antagonistic to several other characters. Abercrombie refuses the easy label.

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