The Heroes (fantasy novel)

The Heroes

200px UK cover
Author	Joe Abercrombie
Language	English
Genre	Epic fantasy
Publisher	Orbit Hardcover
Publication date	February 7, 2011
Media type	Print (Hardcover)
Pages	560 (Hardcover)
ISBN	978-0316044981

The Heroes is a fantasy novel by Joe Abercrombie, set in the same universe as his popular work The First Law trilogy. It mainly chronicles a three day battle between the Union and the Northmen, through the eyes of six characters. In internal chronology, it takes place about 4 years after Best Served Cold and 8 years after the end of The First Law trilogy.

Story

The story focuses mainly on a three-day battle between the Union and the Northmen, but also covers some events before and after the battle.

The story starts with Corporal Tunny getting charge of some recruits, Gorst composing and dispatching a letter to the King about the progress of the war upto that point (the Army has been divided into 3 parts under the commands of Generals Meed, Mitterick and J. and the Northmen under Balck Dow are retreating instead of giving battle). Gorst has developed strong feelings of attraction towards Finree, who is revealed to be married to ???. She is quite ambitious and seeks to forward her husband's fortunes through opportnities created in the war. Craw reaches _The Heroes_ with his _dozen_, and wrests control of the hill from Hardbead and his _dozen_, by coming upon them with surprise and then letting them walk away without a fight. Meanwhile, Bayaz turns up at a meeting of the Union commanders, and orders them to force a battle and resolve the war quickly. Marshal Kroy, despite his own reservations, then changes his strategy to march quickly upto and give battle at Carleon and forcing Black Dow's hands.

Calder meanwhile is chafing because his life is dependent on Black Dow's mercy and is seeking ways to get back to his former position in life. He leaves his pregnant wife Seff, to sound out his father-in-law Caul Reachey's support for him. Shivers is ordered by Dow to instruct Craw to hold the _Heroes_. Beck, dreaming of honor and glory in war, takes up his father's sword and joins up with Flood, one of Rechey's Carls. Caul Reachey refuses to stick his neck out for Calder. While Calder is going back, he is attacked by two men but saved by Deep and Shallow, who are his brother's men. The two assailants die but their companion names Tenways as the instigator of the attack, and is killed on Calder's orders. Shivers reaches the _Heroes_ and gives Dow's orders to Craw. Hardbead then returns to the _Heroes_ with about 22 men, and requests Craw to leave. Craw refuses, and a battle is fought between the two sides which Craw wins with only one casualty. However, General J's men get there soon after and Craw has to give up his position on the hill.

Characters

The six characters that account for the majority of the narration are :

• Bremer van Gorst
• Finree Brock
• Beck
• Craw
• Prince Calder
• Corporal Tunny

Union

• Bayaz
• Marshal Kroy
• Felinigg
• General Meed
• General Mitterick
• General J
• van Brist

Tunny's recruits

• Worth
• V
• Kline

Dogman

• Dogman
• Hardbead

Northmen

• Black Dow
• Caul Shivers
• Splitfoot
• Ironhead
• Golden
• Tenways
• Caul Reachey
• Shake

Craw's Crew

• Wondeful
• Yon
• Whirrun
• Flood

Shake's men

• Deep
• Shallow
• Pale-as-snows
• ???