Half a King

I really like this book, which is a surprise to me in some ways: I'm not the biggest fan of YA in general, and I remember being somewhat unimpressed when I read it in the past, but I found it really impressive on re-read. It's a well-constructed plot with well thought-out characters in a very interesting fantasy world, and some pretty solid prose. This is the only Joe Abercrombie book that I've read, but I can see why he has such a positive reputation in the fantasy world. One thing that I find genuinely very impressive about this book is the main character, Yarvi: as the book goes on he becomes less sympathetic, something that I don't typically enjoy in fantasy books, but it works very well here. You're so invested in the plot by the time his true darkness begins to show that you have to see how it ends. One that I'm pleasantly surprised to recommend.