What an absolute romp of a book! I loved The Devils by Joe Abercrombie. The ambitious Brother Diaz is called before a Cardinal and given the most unorthodox task of leading the little-known "Chapel of Holy Expediency" to deliver the rightful princess of Troy to her throne. His congregation, while not lacking in variety of personalities, consists of members who are neither entirely human nor holy in the church's eyes.

This was a blast. This was my first foray into Joe Abercrombie's work, and I really enjoyed his take on a ragtag bunch of misfits who encounter misfortune after misfortune. The humor was dry and never overdone, and you absolutely fell in love with these imperfect, morally questionable characters. (I would kill a man for Sunny.)

This was my first Joe Abercrombie, and I'd heard things about his writing and I have to say his character work are worldbuilding are, in fact, top notch. He fleshed out a fully believable version of the Medieval ages in just a few chapters.
I think that fans of Abercrombie will like this one a lot, I can see the potential. However, overall there was way too much crass humor for me, and after the first few they didn't land. I get that this lot is full of unorthodox, not the good guy, horny, uncouth misfits, but I didn't need that to be the primary focus of some characters dialogue. Multiple times a page is a little much for me, and it made it hard to stay focused on the story while trying to get the joke to land.
I think I'll try Abercrombie's First Law trilogy, because like I said, the magic is there, I just don't know that this was the one to convince me to love him.

The devil is in the details, and every one of them is bloody brilliant. The Devils is looking like a contender for one of my favorite books of the year. Not only does The Devils break new ground outside the familiar turf of The First Law universe, it somehow manages to carry that signature Abercrombie edge while building something wholly fresh, gloriously chaotic, and sneakily heartfelt.

“If there’s a secret . . .” “it’s to never be shy about asking the question, and never fear what the answer will be, and waste no tears over the refusals, and clutch with both hands at any flicker of warmth that can be clawed from the uncaring darkness of existence.”

Set in a warped version of late medieval Europe on the verge of collapse, The Devils introduces a continent ravaged by plague, famine, and political rot. Oh, and elves are real. Terrifying, otherworldly, and very hungry. As the world teeters toward oblivion, the fractured Church and scattered kingdoms are too busy backstabbing each other to notice the real threat creeping in from the dark. So what’s the grand plan to save it all?

Put a thief on the throne of Troy. Specifically, Alex, a cynical, silver-tongued rogue who would rather be anywhere else than playing politics or dodging assassins. To get her there, the Church assigns Brother Diaz, a mild-mannered monk who’s all wide eyes and good intentions. He’s also the only one mad (or desperate) enough to lead a group of magically bound convicts—the titular Devils—through war zones, haunted forests, collapsing cities, and literal hellfire to make it happen. And this is where the book really takes off.

“The Church is not that keen on God, in my experience,” said Baron Rikard. “They think of him much as a lawyer thinks of the law. Something to be got around.”

The Devils are the heart of this story. Each one is a ticking time bomb with a backstory soaked in blood and regret. There's Jakob the Thorn, an exhausted knight whose chivalry is just barely keeping his rage in check. Baptiste the pirate, driven more by guilt than greed. Sunny, the invisible elf who just wants to be liked. Vigga the werewolf, whose hunger is matched only by her dry sense of humor and confidence. The Baron, a polite and well-spoken vampire you absolutely do not want to cross. And of course, Balthazar Sham Ivam Draxi, a flamboyant necromancer whose ego is somehow both unbearable and completely deserved. Vigga and Sunny are new all-time favorite characters.

They’re all bound by magical oaths to follow Diaz and protect Alex, but Abercrombie doesn’t just use that as a gimmick. He digs into what it means to be forced into redemption. To fight for something better when you’ve already lost everything. These are broken people trying to claw back pieces of their humanity—and sometimes failing spectacularly. Think found family on a quest but dark.

The plot barrels forward in four big acts, each explosive, beautifully choreographed action set pieces. Whether it’s a desperate ambush in a crumbling monastery, a surreal journey through plague-devastated Venice, or a final siege that rivals anything Abercrombie’s ever written, the momentum never falters. There’s political maneuvering, religious zealotry, ancient magic, and just the right amount of deeply sarcastic commentary on all of it. And yet, what really got me was the emotional undercurrent. For all the grit and carnage, The Devils has soul. You start to care about this blood-soaked crew. You root for Alex not because she’s some chosen one (she’s absolutely not), but because she keeps trying.

“We are all the prisoners of our own flaws.”

If you’re here for the usual Abercrombie flavor—razor-sharp dialogue, moral ambiguity, characters who feel like they’ve lived ten lifetimes—you’ll get all of that and more. But The Devils adds something new to his arsenal: hope. Not cheesy or clean-cut, but messy, hard-won hope.
So yes, I adored this book. I devoured it. And I’m already dreading how long I’ll have to wait for the next one. Pre-order it. Tattoo it on your soul. Whatever you need to do—just don’t miss this one.

Give me that cozy, found family except everyone is incredibly murderous.

Sweet Saint Beatrix, The Devils was so much fun!! It was an absolute rip-roaring adventure from page 1 and has that classic Abercrombie grim dark feel.

Brother Diaz finds himself a new job - escorting a thief turned princess to Troy to retake the throne and become empress. And for protection? How about a group of devils enslaved by the church. What could go wrong with a werewolf, vampire, magician, elf, and undead knight?

Abercrombie’s character work is always top notch and this is no exception, although I would say these characters definitely don’t take themselves too seriously. There’s a more lighthearted tone to this work with more added humour among the viscera.

I adore Abercrombie’s character work! He could write the most objectively unlikable characters and I would still read a trilogy about them. The found family in this band of “monsters” is so fun and I felt such genuine fear any time they were approached. The fights were brutal and gory to the point where I would start to feel sick. This is what the standard for grimmdark fantasy should be.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first foray into Joe Abercrombie's work, and I was not disappointed. I have always heard good things, and some of his other books have been on my TBR for a hot minute, but something about the description of this one really hooked me. The Devils is the first of a new series, The Devils, and is a vicious good time!

The story is set in an alternate medieval Europe where Brother Diaz is summoned to the Sacred City for a new assignment. It turns out not to exactly be what he was hoping for, though. It seems he is now in charge of the Chapel of Holy Expediency, which is a dark, disowned branch of the Church full of murderers, and monsters including a werewolf and a necromancer. Together this rag-tag group must escort a princess across the continent to her new throne unharmed. But they will face other monsters along the way who want to kill her and taker her throne.

There is A LOT going on in this book, but it is an absolute blast to read. There are multiple POVs in the book, and each chapter has a distinctive voice. There are also lots of fun twists and turns (and tantalizing hooks) throughout the 500-pg adventure, and the foreshadowing is top notch. And there's plenty of violence! I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy!

If you love fantasy novels and are looking for your next big fantasy read, look no further! The Devils will take you on a truly dark and gritty wild ride!

I will definitely be recommending this one!

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Books, and Tor Publishing Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up The Devils on May 13, 2025.

God damn it, was this a fantastic start to Joe Abercrombie's latest series. We are SO BACK with another band of misfits joining forces under unfortunate circumstances to deliver someone safely to the City of Troy. What could go wrong? (Everything).

I love how Joe's books always introduce the most fascinating, off-the-wall characters, and The Devils was no exception. We have an immortal knight who showers everyone with bits of gruff wisdom while complaining about being alive so long. A werewolf who's always itching to come out and find the good meat. A magician (not sorcerer!) who is definitely not a narcissist (but introduces himself by full name at every meeting). An aloof vampire who loves waxing poetic after drinking blood. An invisible elf who uses her powers for very slight inconveniences that end up getting them killed (Sunny is my favorite, argue with the wall). And finally, the jack of all trades who uses her quick wit and experience to enlighten others and raise the mood.

This band of devils accompanies Pious Brother Diaz and newly returned Princess Alexia back to Troy, and of course, chaos ensues. I just couldn't put this book down, and now that I know it's the beginning of a series, not a standalone, I'm itching to get my hands on Book 2. Definitely pick this up if you love humorous dialogue, found family vibes, and elaborate casts of characters!

The Devils was such a fun read and I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did. A story about a squad of various monsters, a priest and a thief journeying to reclaim a lost kingdom is such a wild concept for a story.

This is the second series I’ve read from author Joe Abercrombie with the First Law trilogy being the first. Say what you will about Abercrombie but he writes characters incredibly well. I also think that his storytelling has improved so much in this story.

I had such a great time in this world of The Devils. I love these characters and this world and I’m patiently waiting for more from this world. Excellent start to a new series!

This took me WAY too long to get through, but I had such a good time with it! This was my first Joe Abercrombie novel, and I loved the writing so much. This was dark, hilarious, and grotesque, but this was written absolutely beautifully. I'm so upset I haven't picked up one of his novels before this and cannot WAIT to read more of his!

I have never read a book by Joe Abrecrombie, but was always highly recommended by friends to pick up one of his books. After hearing so much buzz about this new installment, I decided to give his writing a try. And let me just say, I was pleasantly surprised! Usually I'm not too big a fan of books that tease the genre by putting a witty spin to the plot, but, somehow, Joe Abrecrombie was able to do so without taking away from the overall core lesson of the story. Every character was unique and enchanting in their own way, keeping me laughing and turning the page into the wee hours of the night. There is a lot of world-building that goes into this book, but the writing makes it very easy to follow and immerse yourself in. I would very much recommend this read for long-standing and new fantasy readers!

Loved that this is quintessential D&D campaign in book form, with the adventuring party of misfits (an elf, a wizard, a knight, a fighter, a monk tho not the D&D kind, and a vampire - that's new) escorting a princess to her birthright, complete with battles, romance, and long, long travel to the destination. Didn't like the humor and gore tho, but can totally see fans of the author's previous work would love this one too!

THIS WAS AN ABSOLUTE DELIGHT 💋 Dark, Sexy, Funny and adventurous. I can't remember the last time I fell in love with a whole cast of characters.

Thank you to Tor for sending me a copy in exchange for a review. This has in no way impacted my rating.

Alex is swept up into the adventure of her life after being a young woman surviving the streets of the holy city when she suddenly finds herself the princess of a very convoluted political plan to bring peace to troy. She just has to make it there alive first. Escorted by a rag-tag team of outlaws consisting of a vampire, a werewolf, a magician (don't call him a wizard or you won't hear the end of it) and an elf; all under the care of an in-over-his-head monk and a gold tooth woman with the aires of puss in boots.

I love the pope (something I never thought I would say) and the comedy was pure gold. Each chapter almost felt episodic as they find themselves in shenanigans after shenanigans. The best part for me was that each character's voice was unique. They had such a range of attitude and flare. Laughing out loud is an understatement. Abercrombie really hit a home run in the entertainment category. Though I wouldn't call this a comedy, it has comedic moments galore. I am obsessed, can't wait for the next one and need to read everything Abercrombie has ever written. Truly a fantastical gem.

I had not read a Joe Abercrombie book before this one, but had seen so many posts about this one coming out soon that I was intrigued. I try not too read too much of the synopsis beforehand and that was absolutely the best idea. I was so blown away with The Devils! It’s the most perfect mix of Suicide Squad and the most unhinged D&D campaign ever. The mix of POVs for the group is so well blended and always seems to be the right character for the scene. I grew to love every one of the group and by the end you really get more of a sense of who they are and are growing into, but with enough backstory left undiscovered to keep you interested in what I’m hoping is going to be a series. The book kept me laughing and engaged in the action scenes (which I tend to want to gloss over). I absolutely loved the whole book, start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley & TorBooks for letting me read and review this novel.

I have to thank Tor and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this early. When I heard Joe Abercrombie had a new book coming out, I was curious. When I heard it was a dark, medieval adventure I was excited, as a particularly invested fan of this setting and genre. But honestly, nothing could have prepared me for how good it was going to be. I've read Abercrombie's other work - not all of it, but enough to know that he has an impressive grasp on character work and plot development. Is it weird to describe a book as cinematic? Doesn't matter, this one is. I also wasn't expecting it to be so funny, or clever, or surprising...But it's more than entertaining; there are no weak characters and I expect you'll get attached to all of them, regardless of which turns out to be your favorite. There really isn't a lot to complain about here, barring personal preferences and expectations. 5/5 stars, will be purchased for my shelf, will listen to the audiobook, will recommend to everyone I know, and I'm already hoping for a sequel even in the wake of a satisfying conclusion.

4.5 - Thoroughly enjoyed!

I had high expectations going into The Devils. It took me a little while to get into it but once I did I was blown away.

The quality of his writing is undeniable. The character work alone would have been enough for me to rate this highly. It was darkly humorous, high stakes, action packed, and beautifully cinematic.

I enjoyed the chemistry between the characters so much. If you love Sevro (from Red Rising) - you're going to love Vigga. I found myself gleefully smiling at her antics. I love feral characters so much. But really, each of the characters was so fully realized and 3 dimensional to me.

I usually find myself tuning out during high action scenes, battles and whatnot. But I never found myself doing that while reading this book. I was engaged and along for the ride the whole time. The pacing, the descriptions, kept me riveted.

I'm assuming from the way it ended that there will be more to come? If so, I'm excited. I will be recommending this book to my customers and my community on Instagram and I have already preordered a physical copy.

Thank you for the opportunity to read early!

When Brother Diaz gets summoned to the Sacred City, he believes he's about to be bestowed a grand commendation. While he is assigned a holy mission, it's not one he was expecting. Alex has spent years in the gutter, honing her talents as a thief. After landing in a scrap, Alex gets saved by a strange man claiming to be her uncle, who has come to find her because she's the long-lost princess of their land. To ensure Alex's safety on the journey back to her homeland, the Pope enlists Brother Diaz and a group of murderers, magicians, and monsters to accompany her. This ragtag group of devils has one mission: get Alex to Troy by any means necessary.

I've never read anything by Abercrombie before, so I couldn't wait to pick this up. I thought the premise was fun. I love any time a group of misfits have to join forces for a common goal. I liked watching all the different personalities butting heads and having to work together. But because we're following such a large cast of characters and so much happens, I found it difficult to connect to any of them, though there were a few I liked more than others. The story is also quite long, so I worried it'd feel drawn out, but that wasn't the case. Abercrombie's writing was action-packed and a nice blend of humor and violence. I thought some plot points were obvious, but I enjoyed it overall.

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
The plot centers around a long-lost princess returning to her kingdom. Alex is a street urchin whisked away from the Holy City of Carthage to Troy where she is to be installed as the Empress. The trip is fraught with peril.
Alex’s entourage is comprised of a werewolf, an undying warrior, a vampire, a jack-of-all-trades, and a necromancer. The entourage is a special task force of the Church of the Circle, and they are tasked by the Pope to see Alex is crowned.
This is a superb quest tale with tons of action, perfidy, treachery, and vast disappointment.
I really enjoyed it and recommend it highly.

Abercrombie fans like myself will delight in this non-stop action fantasy that turns history on its head and empowers rogue fantasy characters to be their best or worse selves while battling unabashed evil.

The Devils delivers a whirlwind of fast and bloody action. While this can be enticing for plot progression, it often leaves very little room for character development, which is unfortunately what happened with this book.

The novel’s tone is dominated by its lowbrow humor, never missing an opportunity to go for cheap laughs (we're talking poop and fart jokes...). Although I found some of the jokes amusing, the nonstop onslaught of awkward humor became overbearing after awhile and it made me lose interest in the book while I was reading it. I was getting "the ick" as the kids say.

Despite an interesting premise, The Devils just did not work for me. Abercombie's backlist has so many gems and I was more than surprised that this ended up being a dud for me.

I will likely try his work again in the future but, if there is a sequel, I am unlikely to read it.

I’ve been a big fan of Abercrombie since the release of The Blade Itself. Throughout the second instalment of the First Law series, it was an honour to witness Abercrombie hone his craft. The Devils demonstrates Joe’s sharp-as-a-blade writing style, keeping the same charm and exquisite battle sequences First Law readers will know and love, with just a dash more hope and whimsy. The Devils is extremely accessible for high-fantasy. Set in another, more medieval earth dimension, there is little to no world building readers will need to digest before strapping in for this absolute thrill ride. With that said, the magic system may take a beat to get your head around.

The Devils follows the story of lost princess Alex and her ensemble cadre of apocalyptically powerful (albeit unwilling) caretakers as they try to return her to the royal seat of Troy. This reads like a Brothers Grimm edition of Anastasia, dosed with Acid. It has extremely clever exposition, and even better character development. Sunny and Viga were standouts for me. Delving into themes of sin, absolution and self-determination, The Devils was a 5/5 read for me with almost unmatched entertainment value. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to get into Fantasy. There’s even a little spice for the romance girlies. Although, Joe Abercrombie’s particular flavour of spice may not be for everyone. Enjoy!