The Benefit of New Editions…

I must say, there’s a real benefit to new editions of books being released.

If, like me, you’re privileged enough to receive books in advance from publishers, you can get the jump on reviews and reading. This does mean, however, that there’s a sense of guilt when you find a series that you really want to read, but weren’t sent by the publisher, as the pile of freebies (please keep them coming!) starts to totter a little in the corner.

For me, this is Joe Abercrombie’s First Law series. I’ve only dipped into the first volume (The Blade Itself) and also read the intro chapter to Best Served Cold. I love his writing style, his characters, and the world he has created (not to mention the grittiness of the story).

When Joe’s books were released, I was unable to read them for a number of reasons (MA dissertations, PhD thesis and teaching come to mind), but I did manage to get a hold of the large-form paperbacks with the excellent covers and nice printing. I think I shall finally get around to them properly this year, and can justify it with the release of the third printing, with different artwork. So, never one to pass up the opportunity to adorn the site with gorgeous cover artwork, here are the two iterations of The First Law series artwork (UK editions):

Original:

And the new:

So, keep an eye out for reviews of these novels coming sometime this year. (Apologies it’s taken so long!)

With any luck, I’ll also get around to Patrick Rothfuss’s “In The Name of the Wind”, another book that has been on my shelf, pining to be read for a little over a year now. (Again, more apologies!)