The First Law Books in Order
Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy (2006-2008) asked what would happen if fantasy heroes were as damaged as real people. The answer: they'd be a crippled torturer who misses his old job, a barbarian trying to stop killing, and a spoiled nobleman who's never faced hardship. None of them improve much.
The original trilogy follows these three through a war against the mysterious Gurkish Empire. There are wizards. There are duels. There's an ancient prophecy. But Abercrombie treats the genre's usual elements with something approaching contempt. The wise old wizard might be the villain. The climactic battle might be meaningless. The prophecy might be a lie someone made up for political reasons.
Three standalone novels followed, set in the same world but years later. Then came a second trilogy (2019-2021) featuring the original characters' children, who are just as damaged. The books are brutal and funny in equal measure. Abercrombie has a good ear for dialogue and no patience for characters who deserve their fates.
The series helped launch a wave of "grimdark" fantasy in the 2010s. Critics who dislike it find the cynicism exhausting. Fans appreciate that Abercrombie commits to his worldview rather than hedging. Bad decisions have consequences. Good intentions cause disasters. The best you can hope for is surviving with fewer scars than you expected.