I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie Series: The Devils #1
Published by Tor Publishing Group on May 6 2025
Genres: Fantasy
Format: ARC, Hardcover
Source: Netgalley
Goodreads
Holy work sometimes requires unholy deeds.
Brother Diaz has been summoned to the Sacred City, where he is certain a commendation and grand holy assignment awaits him. But his new flock is made up of unrepentant murderers, practitioners of ghastly magic, and outright monsters, and the mission he is tasked with will require bloody measures from them all in order to achieve its righteous ends.
Elves lurk at our borders and hunger for our flesh, while greedy princes care for nothing but their own ambitions and comfort. With a hellish journey before him, it's a good thing Brother Diaz has the devils on his side.
Can you believe in all my time reading fantasy, I have not read anything by Joe Abercrombie? It baffles me as to why I waited so long … but I am so glad that this book was my first impression. Thank you to Tor Publishing Group for sending me both the physical ARC and the Netgalley one!
One of my favourite things about this book is the cast of characters. We are introduced to such a quirky, vicious, and downright hilarious crew! I found myself laughing out loud during many of their conversations (as well as their inner dialogues). Each voice was distinct and brought its own spice to the story, leaving no dull moment. But underneath those rough exteriors, readers get to see some genuinely sweet souls who are just trying to find their place in the world. This is clearly a “found family” story, and I loved seeing each character grow as the story progressed.
The plot moves at an extraordinary pace, as we travel across reimagined medieval Europe to stop the Elvish invasion. Abercrombie does not shy away from some truly violent scenes. As I’m a fan of carnage in my books, I was quite impressed with the level of detail. But it may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
I also loved the worldbuilding. In this, Abercrombie did a superb job. The way medieval Europe was transformed into a place I could very well believe existed is a masterclass. There was never a moment where I felt removed from the story.
Now, would I say this is a grimdark story? Not really. It was far more humorous than I was expecting and the loveable nature of the characters lightened the tone considerably for me. Did I still enjoy the novel? Absolutely!
Overall, I had a blast reading this novel. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series – and I’m moving The First Law trilogy to the top of my TBR pile!
