Joe Abercrombie is an English fantasy author, born in Lancaster in 1974, best known for “The First Law” trilogy and the further novels set in the same world. His most recent novel, “The Devils” (2025), opened a new series, and its sequel “The Heretics” is due in May 2027.
Abercrombie went to Lancaster Royal Grammar School and studied psychology at Manchester University. He made tea at a television production company before becoming a freelance film editor, work that left him time to return to a story he had first thought of as a student. He began “The Blade Itself” in 2002 and finished it in 2004. After a year of rejections, Gillian Redfearn of Gollancz bought the book in 2005 and published it in 2006. “Before They Are Hanged” and “Last Argument of Kings” completed the trilogy over the next two years, and in 2008 he was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer.
Three standalone novels followed in the same setting: “Best Served Cold” (2009), “The Heroes” (2011) and “Red Country” (2012). He returned to that world again with “The Age of Madness” trilogy (2019 to 2021), which takes place during an industrial revolution. His shorter fiction is collected in “Sharp Ends” (2016) and “The Great Change (And Other Lies)” (2023), and the story “Tough Times All Over” won a Locus Award.
In 2013 HarperCollins acquired three books aimed at younger readers, published as the Viking-influenced “Shattered Sea” trilogy. The first, “Half a King”, won the 2015 Locus Award for best young adult book.
Tor announced in 2022 that it had bought a new trilogy at auction. “The Devils” was released in May 2025, and the following month James Cameron’s production company acquired the rights, with Cameron and Abercrombie to write the script together. In August 2026 Abercrombie reported on his website that “The Heretics” had been copy edited and that he was drafting the third book. He has also written episodes of the Netflix animated anthology “Love, Death & Robots”, including “Mason’s Rats”.
Publication Order of The First Law Books
| The Blade Itself | 2006 |
| Before They Are Hanged | 2007 |
| Last Argument of Kings | 2008 |
Publication Order of First Law World Books
| Best Served Cold | 2009 |
| The Heroes | 2011 |
| Red Country | 2012 |
Publication Order of The Age of Madness Books
| A Little Hatred | 2019 |
| The Trouble With Peace | 2020 |
| The Wisdom of Crowds | 2021 |
Publication Order of Shattered Sea Books
| Half a King | 2014 |
| Half the World | 2015 |
| Half a War | 2015 |
Publication Order of The Devils Books
| The Devils | 2025 |
| The Heretics | 2027 |
Publication Order of Short Story Collections
| Sharp Ends | 2016 |
| The Great Change (And Other Lies) | 2023 |
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