The Devils

The Devils, Book 1

By: Joe Abercrombie

Narrated by: Steven Pacey

'Abercrombie is in a class of his own' JOE HILL
'An unholy delight' PIERCE BROWN
'Hilarious, profound, tragic, and so thrillingly paced' NICHOLAS EAMES
'An incredibly fun, incredibly action-packed and, by the end, incredibly affecting book' TAMSYN MUIR

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 . . .

And so, buried beneath the sacred splendour of the Celestial Palace, is the secret Chapel of the Holy Expediency. For its congregation of convicted monsters there are no sins that have not been committed, no lines that will not be crossed, and no mission that cannot be turned into a disastrous bloodbath.

Now the hapless Brother Diaz must somehow bind the worst of the worst to a higher cause: to put a thief on the throne of Troy, and unite the sundered church against the coming apocalypse.

When you're headed through hell, you need the devils on your side.©2025 Joe Abercrombie (P)2025 Orion Publishing Group Limited

Best audiobook in years

Absolutely love this, Abercrombies best work since The first law trilogy.

He has added variety and depth to the characters with humour added into the mix which is a welcome change from the relentlessly grim tone of previous stories.
Superb reader too.

Abercrombie is back!

I was scared it wouldn't live up to The First law. But this is fantastic and equally good. Each character is amazing and the narrator is amazing. In love with the book. The humour is on point as well.

Stop. Download. Listen

This is an epic start to an amazing series for which I have been waiting impatiently…but oh, so worth the wait. Joe, you did it again. I tried so hard to make it last but simply had to listen to it super quick as it was enthralling!

Thank me later but DONT MISS THIS BOOK

The characters

Absolutely incredible. At one point got a little repetitive with the flow but still a most epic listen! Steven and Joe strike again !

Loved it! Great characters and excellent story

What a satisfying story filled with the best characters I've read in a very long time.

Steven Pacey is as brilliant as ever.

Fantastic action and characterisation

Loved everything, apart from the fact that it had to come to an end. Joe has outdone himself.

Familiar beats in a new setting

As a long time fan of Joe Abercrombie (and Steven Pacey’s performance of his works) this was precisely what I wanted. Familiar but different enough to be fresh. Grim and gritty and full of flawed characters trying and failing to redeem themselves. Plus some twists and surprises as ever. If you’re a fan you won’t find much especially new but if you’re a fan that’ll be just fine. If you’re not a fan, I think you’re missing out on something pretty great.

Ok

This was so familiar after reading his earlier books but lacked something for me. I just couldn't get interested in the characters.
It also reads as an ongoing cynical view of organized religion. I'm not a huge fan of it (O R) myself but it's just tiring to continually listen to. It was like one big (well written) complaint. I really enjoyed the first law trilogy, red country, the heroes etc and have listened to them all many times. This just didn't work for me.

You HAVE to listen to this!

The Devils is a wickedly fun ride—packed with sharp humor, instantly lovable rogues, and that signature grit only he can deliver. The characters are chaotic, charming, and completely addictive. But the real magic? Steven Pacey’s narration. He brings every voice to life with perfect nuance and wit, turning a brilliant book into an unforgettable experience. Abercrombie and Pacey are an unbeatable team—no one else does dark fantasy this well or this funny.

Funny, fast, clever

The audible book was great! The dream team- Joe Abercrombie and Steven Pacey always blow it out the water, I’ve listened to every story they do together.

The story is great, the world building, the characters, the murderous fun and games. Hilarious, ruthless, and very entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now I have a book hangover.