1
of
1
Before They Are Hanged
Series: First Law Trilogy
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still
learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Summary
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$5500
Unit price
/
Unavailable
International Supplier
This title is in-stock with overseas suppliers. While it is not available locally, we fly books in weekly from the US and UK to our Auckland warehouse for immediate dispatch.
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER
Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 2-3 weeks
Found a better price? Request a price match
Before They Are Hanged
$5500
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
This novel is ideal for readers who enjoy dark fantasy filled with intricate characters, political intrigue, and gritty warfare. Fans of epic quests and morally complex stories will find much to appreciate in Abercrombie's richly crafted world.
Latest News
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visits Hero HQ 🇳🇿📚
It was an honour today to welcome Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to visit Hero HQ.
New Releases to add to your TBR this week (6th October)
With some huge new novels for Fiction, some incredible memoirs and cookbooks, plus some new...
Review: Threshing Day
Our Book Hero Ambassador @NZBookTokGirl is back with her latest read, and this time it’s...
Story to Screen - 7/10/2026
The Story to Screen Report is back! Sacha has rounded up the latest news from...
Why Two-Player Games Deserve a Spot on Your Shelf
You don’t need a whole group for a great game night! Amelia shares some of...
See more
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
The second novel in the wildly popular First Law Trilogy from New York Times bestseller Joe Abercrombie.
Superior Glokta has a problem. How do you defend a city surrounded by enemies and riddled with traitors when your allies can by no means be trusted, and your predecessor vanished without a trace? It's enough to make a torturer want to run—if he could even walk without a stick.
Northmen have spilled over the border of Angland and are spreading fire and death across the frozen country. Crown Prince Ladisla is poised to drive them back and win undying glory. There is only one problem—he commands the worst-armed, worst-trained, worst-led army in the world. And Bayaz, the First of the Magi, is leading a party of bold adventurers on a perilous mission through the ruins of the past.
The most hated woman in the South, the most feared man in the North, and the most selfish boy in the Union make a strange alliance, but a deadly one. They might even stand a chance of saving mankind from the Eaters—if they didn't hate each other quite so much. Ancient secrets will be uncovered. Bloody battles will be won and lost. Bitter enemies will be forgiven—but not before they are hanged.
First Law Trilogy
The Blade Itself
Before They Are Hanged
Last Argument of Kings
For more from Joe Abercrombie, check out:
Novels in the First Law world
Best Served Cold
The Heroes
Red Country
Series: First Law Trilogy
View all-
Tim's PickThe First Law Trilogy
Embark on an enthralling journey into the heart of darkness with the First Law Trilogy, a captivating series by renowned author Joe Abercrombie. Delve into a world teetering on the edge of chaos, where sinister plots unfurl, ancient rivalries ignite with a vengeance, and the demarcation between hero and villain blurs to a perilous thin line. Through a labyrinth of...Paperback$10600Elsewhere:$12000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Before They Are Hanged
The second novel in the wildly popular First Law Trilogy from New York Times bestseller Joe Abercrombie. Superior Glokta has a problem. How do you defend a city surrounded by enemies and riddled with traitors when your allies can by no means be trusted, and your predecessor vanished without a trace? It's enough to make a torturer want to run—if...Paperback$5500Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
The Blade Itself
The first novel in the First Law Trilogy from New York Times bestseller, Joe Abercrombie. Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught in one feud too many, he's on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian—leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies. Nobleman, dashing officer, and paragon of...Paperback$5500Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Last Argument of Kings
The final novel in the First Law Trilogy by New York Times bestseller Joe Abercrombie. Logen Ninefingers might only have one more fight in him—but it's going to be a big one. Battle rages across the North, the king of the Northmen still stands firm, and there's only one man who can stop him. His oldest friend, and his oldest...Paperback$5900Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780316387354
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 08 September 2015
Country: United States
Imprint: Orbit
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 43.0mm
Width: 150.0mm
Height: 226.0mm
Weight: 703g
Pages: 560
About the Author
Joe Abercrombie is the New York Times bestselling author of The Heroes, Best Served Cold, Red Country and the First Law trilogy: The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged, and Last Argument of Kings. He is a full time writer, and occasional freelance film editor, who lives in Bath, England with his wife and three children.
Also by Joe Abercrombie
View all-
20% offThe Devils
Europe stares into the abyss. Plague and famine stalk the land, monsters lurk in every shadow, and greedy princes care for nothing but their own ambitions. Only one thing is certain: the elves will come again, and they will eat everyone. Sometimes, only the darkest paths lead towards the light. Paths on which the righteous will not dare to tread......Paperback$2000Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Trouble With Peace
CONSPIRACY. BETRAYAL. REBELLION. Peace is just another kind of battlefield... In a world where unrest spreads like a plague, The Trouble With Peace by Joe Abercrombie unveils the subtle and overt battles waged in the quest for power. This second instalment in the gripping Age of Madness trilogy plunges readers into a land on the cusp of transformation, where society...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
13% offA Little Hatred
WAR. POLITICS. REVOLUTION. THE AGE OF MADNESS HAS ARRIVED . . . In A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie, we are ushered into a world on the brink of an industrial revolution, where the old ways clash violently with the new. The novel sweeps us onto the battlefields of the North, where the next generation of would-be heroes struggle against...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Tim's Pick
The First Law Trilogy
Embark on an enthralling journey into the heart of darkness with the First Law Trilogy, a captivating series by renowned author Joe Abercrombie. Delve into a world teetering on the edge of chaos, where sinister plots unfurl, ancient rivalries ignite with a vengeance, and the demarcation between hero and villain blurs to a perilous thin line. Through a labyrinth of...Paperback$10600Elsewhere:$12000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
16% offThe Age of Madness Trilogy
From New York Times bestselling author Joe Abercrombie, the Age of Madness trilogy is a revered epic fantasy series where the age of the machine dawns, but the age of magic refuses to die. This box set contains the completed trilogy: A Little Hatred, The Trouble with Peace, and The Wisdom of Crowds. "A master of his craft." -- Forbes...Paperback$10300Elsewhere:$13900Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Blade Itself
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie is a gripping and darkly humorous fantasy novel that plunges readers into a world of brutal conflicts and complex characters. Set in the war-torn land of The Union, this tale of cunning politics, intense battles, and vivid personalities weaves an unforgettable narrative that captivates from the first page. Inquisitor Glokta, the tormented and disfigured...Paperback$2500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Last Argument Of Kings
Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie is a gripping and masterfully woven tale of conflict, ambition, and power. As the epic conclusion to the First Law Trilogy, this novel delves deep into the lives of its complex characters, each facing their own personal battles in a world teetering on the brink of chaos. Logen Ninefingers, known for his ferocity...Paperback$2200Elsewhere:$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Best Served Cold
In Best Served Cold, Joe Abercrombie crafts a gripping tale of betrayal, vengeance, and survival in a brutal, war-torn world. At its heart is Monza Murcatto, also known as the Snake of Talins, a ruthless and formidable mercenary who has earned the title of the most feared and respected warrior in the employ of Grand Duke Orso. Blood and victory...Paperback$2200Elsewhere:$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Half the World
Half the World ‘Grabbed me and refused to let go’ George R.R. Martin. Thorn Bathu was born to fight. But when she kills a boy in the training square, she finds herself named a murderer. Fate places her life in the hands of the deep-cunning Father Yarvi as he sets out to cross half the world in search of allies...Paperback$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Half a King
A classic coming-of-age tale set in a vivid and richly-imagined world from Sunday Times bestselling author Joe Abercrombie. ‘A fast-paced tale of betrayal and revenge that grabbed me from page one and refused to let go’ - GEORGE R.R. MARTIN Half a King follows Prince Yarvi, who has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first, he must...Paperback$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Before They Are Hanged
A bitter and merciless war is engulfing the frozen North, with the Union army caught unprepared in the path of a bloody onslaught. The army, divided by internal politics and crippled by incompetence, lacks the necessary experience, training, and even basic weaponry to fend off Bethod's minions, let alone his elite forces. In the heat-ravaged South, the situation is equally...Paperback$2200Elsewhere:$2499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Half a War
A classic coming-of-age tale set in a vivid and richly-imagined world from Sunday Times bestselling author Joe Abercrombie. ‘Joe Abercrombie is doing some terrific work’ – GEORGE R.R. MARTIN WORDS ARE WEAPONS Princess Skara has seen all she loved turned to ashes. She is left with only words. But the right words can be as deadly as any blade. ONLY...Paperback$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow
More from Sci-Fi & Fantasy
View all-
New ReleaseOther Worlds Than These
I wanted to go back to Mid-World, which was always the Territories by another name - Stephen King This is Stephen King and Peter Straub's epic and unforgettable finale to the Talisman Trilogy (including the novels The Talisman and Black House) and a wrapping up of the fate of the worlds in King's iconic, fiercely beloved Dark Tower epic. It...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseThe Sixth Nik
Daniel Kraus, 2026 Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Angel Down and soon-to-be-a-film Whalefall, returns with The Sixth Nik, a galaxy spanning, genre-blending scifi literary horror, for fans of Ursula K Le Guin and the Alien franchise. Deep into space, far past the triworld outposts, beyond range of the lethal trollbot internet, soars The Sickness: a ship woven from biomatter and capable...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseMassif
Caught me a mountain Rode it to the stars It's business as usual for Ship Leader Parnell Shi-Sawahla and the crew of the corvette Sassafras. Ride a Massif to a new system, fight the enemy, repeat. For more than two hundred years, humans have been hitching rides on these sentient, starfaring mountain ranges, colonising planets and exporting an on-again, off-again...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseHe Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer
He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer Book Two in Shirtaloon's wildly popular LitRPG series. The path from retail middle management to interdimensional wizard adventurer wasn't easy, but Jason Asano is settling into his new life. Now, a contest draws young elites to the city of Greenstone, competing for a grand prize. Jason must gather a band of companions if he...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseScion
‘Scion’ is an electrifying sci-fi thriller that follows a contract killer tasked with protecting a scientist from assassination, only to find himself in the crosshairs. My name’s Azure. I kill rich idiots for a living. All completely legal, of course, even if it does still make the old-fashioned crowd a bit uncomfortable. Once the ultra-wealthy realised they had a way...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Project Hail Mary
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, the SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Martian, offers a gripping new adventure in hard science fiction. With endorsement from notable figures such as Barack Obama and a slew of five-star reviews, this novel promises a thrilling and intellectually stimulating journey. Ryland Grace, a lone astronaut, finds himself on a...Paperback$2399Elsewhere:$2400Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
10% off
The Strength of the Few
The highly anticipated follow-up to The Will of the Many—one of 2023's most lauded and bestselling fantasy novels. The Hierarchy still call me Vis Telimus. They still, as one, believe they know who I am. But with all that has happened—with what I fear is coming—I am not sure it matters anymore. I am no longer one. I won the...Paperback$2600Elsewhere:$3800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Red Rising
The first book in the incredible New York Times bestselling series Darrow is a Helldiver, toiling beneath the surface of Mars. As a member of the Red caste, he performs grueling labor in the belief that his sacrifice will enable future generations to one day inhabit the surface of the Red Planet. The Reds are humankind's lowest caste, living in...Paperback$2200Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Crossroads of Ravens
THE GLOBAL PHENOMENON RETURNS... Every legend has an origin - and Geralt of Rivia's begins here. In this brand-new chapter of Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher series, follow Geralt in his earliest days as a Witcher, as he faces monsters and humans alike. Discover the untold stories and encounters that shaped the iconic character known today. Crossroads of Ravens brings readers into...Paperback$2899Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Wind and Truth
The long-awaited explosive climax to the first arc of the Number One New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive. Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson sees Dalinar Kholin challenge the evil god Odium to a contest of champions with the future of Roshar on the line. The Knights Radiant have only ten days to prepare, and the sudden ascension of the...Paperback$3100Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Ministry of Time
One of the 18 best novels of the year for the Sunday Times A book of the year for the New York Times, Guardian, Independent, Evening Standard, Spectator, Red, NPR, Vanity Fair, People, Slate, Advocate, Sydney Morning Herald, Globe and Mail, Den of Geek, Good Housekeeping, Goodreads, NetGalley and Smithsonian Magazine 'A sparkling delight' Observer 'Make room on your bookshelves...Paperback$2399Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Assassin’s Apprentice
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb marks the beginning of an extraordinary adventure in the rich and immersive world of the Six Duchies. Set against the backdrop of a kingdom teetering on the brink of civil war, this gripping tale introduces readers to FitzChivalry Farseer, a royal bastard whose existence threatens the stability of the crown. When the crown prince's secret...Paperback$1900Elsewhere:$2299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
Sci-Fi & Fantasy lists from the team
Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!
-
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listSci-Fi & Fantasy
Fran’s Top 10 Fantasy Reads
Dive into cozy worlds, or bewitching scams! Here are 10 titles of fantasy that Fran is in love with! Do you have...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Amelia's listSci-Fi & Fantasy
The Empyrean Wing & Claw Collection
With Threshing Day finally here, we thought we'd make it easy to find all the beautiful editions in the The Empyrean: Wing...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listSci-Fi & Fantasy
Romantasy reads that deserve more hype
For everyone who's read the Fourth Wings, the ACOTAR, even the Quicksilvers - if you're now looking for your next romantasy obsession,...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listSci-Fi & Fantasy
Have you tried... Dark Romantasy?
Dark Romantasy or Dark Fantasy Romance - it's a combination of everything you love about romantasy, with some extra morally grey characters,...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listSci-Fi & Fantasy
Lizzy's Favourite Standalone Fantasy and Romantasy Reads
For when you're in the mood for fantasy or romantasy but don't want to commit to a long epic series!View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listSci-Fi & Fantasy
Are you looking for a cozy romantasy read?
You're in luck. Here's a whole bunch of them ready to warm you up and sooth the soul. You should also check...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Shirl's listSci-Fi & Fantasy
10 Sci-Fi Novels that won both the Nebula and Hugo Awards
Discover ten of the greatest science fiction novels ever written each recognised with both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. These awards are...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listSci-Fi & Fantasy
Fantasy Special Editions we are lusting after
It's no secret that here at Book Hero we love a special edition - preferably one with sprayed edges, beautiful artwork, and...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Edd's listSci-Fi & Fantasy
2026 Hugo Award for Best Novel Finalists
Every year at the World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), members vote on the best Science Fiction or Fantasy works of the previous...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Edd's listSci-Fi & Fantasy
Sci-Fi and Fantasy Special Editions
With physical books making a comeback in recent years, there are more gorgeous special editions out there than ever before. Here’s a...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listSci-Fi & Fantasy
Lizzy's Cozy Fantasy Reads
Life can be cold and harsh, so why not escape into the comforting pages of a cozy fantasy novel for a while?...View the list
