The Devils by Joe Abercrombie Review: A Five-Star Fantasy Adventure

Joe Abercrombie is one of my favorite fantasy authors, so I had high expectations for The Devils. Even with those expectations, this novel delivered. Its dangerous characters, dark humor, and entertaining battles made it a book I was glad I picked up.

The First Law remains one of my favorite fantasy series, but The Devils gives Abercrombie a different world to play in—and an unforgettable group of monsters to cause trouble in it. There is plenty of violence, but the personalities and arguments between the characters are just as entertaining as the action.

In this spoiler-light review of The Devils, I’ll explain what the novel is about, what I enjoyed most, and why it earned five stars from me.

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What Is The Devils About?

Alex is a thief whose immediate concern is escaping the criminals trying to collect a debt. Her situation changes when Duke Michael of Nicaea rescues her and identifies her as the long-lost princess and rightful heir to the throne of Troy.

For someone accustomed to surviving on the streets, this is quite a change in circumstances. Alex decides to play along, wondering what she might gain from her supposed uncle. However, being identified as royalty brings dangers that make her previous problems seem small.

Meanwhile, Brother Diaz has been summoned to the Holy City. He expects recognition and an important assignment. What he receives is responsibility for the Chapel of the Holy Expediency, a secretive group whose members include dangerous criminals, practitioners of forbidden magic, and literal monsters.

Their mission is to escort Alex to Troy and put her on the throne. Getting there alive is another matter.

The journey quickly becomes a struggle for survival, with enemies determined to stop them. Alex must depend on companions who might be almost as dangerous as the people trying to kill her.

My Review of The Devils

The Characters Make This Novel Worth Reading

The cast was my favorite part of The Devils. Abercrombie has a talent for writing characters who can be terrible people and still make you want to spend more time with them.

That talent is a major reason I love The First Law, which I have included among our must-read fantasy books of all time. Here, he brings that same ability to a group whose members give you plenty of reasons to question their judgment.

Each of the devils has enough personality to carry a story of their own. I would happily read more about individual members of this group, although watching them clash is a large part of the appeal.

Brother Diaz’s assignment also creates an entertaining setup. He wants to fulfill his religious responsibilities, but the companions he must lead are hardly anyone’s idea of a respectable congregation. Putting them together gives Abercrombie endless opportunities for conflict and humor.

Dark Humor Keeps the Story Entertaining

If you are unfamiliar with grimdark fantasy, it often features brutal worlds, compromised institutions, and characters whose decisions resist easy moral judgments. Abercrombie is especially good at finding humor within those situations.

That balance worked well for me in The Devils. The world is dangerous, and the violence can be graphic, but I never felt that misery was the novel’s only purpose. There is too much personality, absurdity, and sharp dialogue for that.

I found myself enjoying the conversations between dangerous encounters as much as the encounters themselves. When a group is this dysfunctional, even a simple discussion can become entertaining.

The Action Scenes Deliver

The battles are another highlight. Abercrombie puts his characters through a variety of dangerous situations, and their different abilities give the confrontations plenty of energy.

The changing environments help, too. This is a journey where reaching the next destination rarely means anyone can relax. There is usually another threat waiting, and the group’s plans have a habit of becoming more complicated.

My main criticism is that this structure occasionally becomes repetitive. After enough enemies appear one after another, the rhythm starts to feel familiar: survive an attack, keep moving, and prepare for the next problem.

Even so, I continued to enjoy the individual encounters. The repetition was noticeable, but the action and character interactions kept it from spoiling the experience.

Do You Need to Read The First Law Before The Devils?

No. The Devils begins a separate series in a different setting, so you can read it without knowing anything about The First Law.

That makes it an option for readers who want to try Abercrombie without starting his existing books. You will encounter his dark humor, flawed characters, and violent action while entering a new story.

Readers who already enjoy his work will find plenty to appreciate, too. I came to this novel as a fan, and the cast gave me another reason to keep following his writing.

Publication and Movie Adaptation

The Devils was published in May 2025 and is the first novel in a new series.

In June 2025, Abercrombie announced that James Cameron’s company, Lightstorm, had acquired the screen rights, with Cameron and Abercrombie set to co-write the screenplay. The official announcement also included Abercrombie’s reminder that adaptations come with no guarantees.

The action and colorful cast make it easy to understand the interest in bringing this story to the screen. For me, though, the book is already worth experiencing on its own.

Is The Devils Worth Reading?

Absolutely. If you enjoy dark fantasy, dysfunctional groups, memorable characters, and plenty of action, The Devilsdeserves a place on your reading list. It also appears in our selection of standout fantasy books of 2025.

The repeated attacks occasionally made the journey feel predictable in structure, but I was consistently entertained by the characters and how they handled each new disaster.

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

I am glad I picked up The Devils. It delivered the humor, battles, and memorable personalities I hoped for, and I plan to keep reading this series.

Pick up The Devils by Joe Abercrombie on Amazon.

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