Joe Abercrombie, The First law, and maps in books

[RobA]

I'm currently reading "The Firsr Law" trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. I am thoroughly enjoying it! It was recommended to my son by his English teacher in high school as a good read for students that aren't that challenged by "grade level appropriate" material. (She contacted my by phone first and asked for permission, indicating the language is strong, the F-bomb is often used, along with other "common" language...)

...But no map...

I googled and found this one made by a fan:
http://fc13.deviantart.com/fs40/f/20...Scubamarco.jpg

and then found a link in a forum to a post "Maps. Craps?" in Joe Abercrombie's blog on why he doesn't like maps in some types of fantasy. There are 44 pro- and anti-map comments posted there already.

-Rob A>

[Ramah]

I read those books. They were quite a slog for me to get through actually, I didn't enjoy them half as much as I wanted to. Hardly a sympathetic character among them and nothing much at all happened in the first book. The third book was certainly the best but still a bit, meh.

But yeah, they could seriously do with a map in them. Hard to visualise where everything is in the books and the guy who drew that must have taken a lot of licence when drawing it.

[TBF]

The first law trilogy(wich actually consists of four books) is a great collection of books, but, in my eyes, that books are no challenge to The Song of Ice and Fire or to Malazan Book of the Fallen.

[tilt]

Loved the books - and HATED that there wasn't a map, not even a bad one... and yep, read his view on maps too. The worst sin however is that he actually have had a map made for the separate story "Served Cold", which does continue with a few characters from the trilogy, but only used it in bit and pieces to start each chapter and as background for the cover - and it was a beautiful map too... tsk tsk...

oh - and a fifth book "The Heroes" should be released first quater 2011

[Gidde]

After skimming those comments, I'm baffled. How can anyone read fantasy and never look at the map???? I get downright angry (to the point of disinterest in the books) when I can't figure out where everything is taking place.

[Diamond]

After skimming those comments, I'm baffled. How can anyone read fantasy and never look at the map???? I get downright angry (to the point of disinterest in the books) when I can't figure out where everything is taking place.

Yep, ditto. There's no greater sin than a lack of a map in a fantasy novel. ...Although sometimes I swear, if I see another Shelly Shapiro map I'm gonna scream.

[rdanhenry]

The worst sin is not the lack of a map in the published novel; it is when the author clearly did not bother to have a map for himself.

[Gidde]

Haha well said, rdanhenry; it was that sin that led me to the guild in the first place! You should (well, shouldn't, actually) see the horrid discontinuity in travel times etc. in my half-finished book.

[ravells]

I read Joe Abercrombie's blog...I think he must have seen the light. I was in a bookshop the other day and found a fantasy book with a beautiful map on the cover. It worked - It made me pick the book off the shelf and browse through it and then buy it. It was 'Best Served Cold' by Joe Abercrombie. In the blog he mentions talking to a publisher, Simon Spanton who was also not a map fan, but this is the same publisher who ran 'The Steel Remains' map competition. So I think they've both been converted now!

[a2area]

Yeesh.. a fantasy novel with no map?! I don't think I have ever purchased a fantasy novel that didn't have a map.. and I REALLY prefer any history book I buy to at least have one map!