The Blade Itself is the first in the series and introduces us to a motley crew of characters. We see snippets of their interactions and lives as they go about their business, and yet I felt at the end I still didn’t really know the full story of why they were doing what they were doing. I’m hoping the threads will be pulled together a little during the next part.
Perhaps the most interesting character to me was Glokta. A former soldier who was taken prisoner, tortured and who has then become a master torturer. Though he seems a deeply unpleasant man, there were hints that there’s another side to him and I was intrigued to learn of his relationship with West.
Another character that was interesting was Logen Ninefingers, a brute of a man. When first encountered he’s running from attack, but soon finds himself travelling with Bayaz, the man who claims to be the First Magi. Definitely someone who I think we’ll learn more about as the series continues, Bayaz seems to have magic and the uncanny ability to destroy an enemy with minimal effort. He’s either a great con artist or a man down on his luck, but he’s certainly someone to watch.
The least interesting character in this book was Captain Jezal, a spoiled and selfish character who’s grown accustomed to having things his own way. Though keen to be a fencing champion, his other habits mean he’s not been putting in the effort required of a true champion. However, events of the book start to see him shift a little and become a little less shallow. His horror at being caught up in Bayaz’s journey at the end of the book suggests that this could be of significance to him and his future.