Changes

Unlike a traditional collection of short stories, Abercrombie relies a little on the goodwill of the reader. A few of the adventures are more character pieces than something with a beginning, middle and an end. One set of stories that spans both fans and new readers are those starring Shevedieh and Javre. They appear in several of the tales and almost act as the spine of the book, giving you a novelette within the whole. It also helps that these two are perhaps the most likable likeable and chaotic characters in the book (Ninefingers not included). Their antics are deadly, but also have a deft touch that makes them very amusing to read about. Kind of like the ''Odd Couple'', but with more stabbing.

As a fan of ''The First Law'' books myself, it is hard to gauge how welcoming this set of stories is to the newcomer. Each short story does offer an entertaining and dark read, but if you know nought about the characters, you will miss so much of the joy and subtly in the book. It would be much better to read as many of Abercrombie's earlier works as you can before picking this up. ''Sharp Ends'' is wonderful fan service, but, perhaps by doing this, neglects the journeyman reader.