Half The World

Abercrombie kicked off his Shattered Sea series with the award-winning Half a King, but his second novel approaches true mastery. Half the World picks up many years after the first, featuring some crossover characters but working perfectly as a standalone. Thorn Bathu is the new protagonist, and she presents a familiar dilemma. She was born to be a warrior, but she was also born female. Though she can train with the rest of the boys, she will never be one of them, and that's only made worse when she's branded a murderer. Abercrombie's foray into YA is a slightly more lighthearted take than his usual taste. But only slightly. Thorn's story is one of failure, learning to accept infallibility, accepting she isn't perfect. There's a deep exploration of morals through Brand, a naive warrior who tries not to kill. It's a divergence from the usual gore and killing off main characters, but that somehow makes it feel more intelligent. Together, Thorn and Brand must travel the world, convince allies, and start a war. Read if you like: Heroines, Vikings, young adult.

Books in Shattered Sea Series (5)

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