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This is our discussion of the story:


"Tough Times All Over" by Joe Abercrombie

This story was originally published in Rogues.

This story is part of the The Best SF&F of the Year, vol 9 (2014) group anthology discussion.

★★★★1/2
Synopsis: The main protagonist is not a single rogue but a mysterious package which is handed over from one POV to the next.

Review: It is a kind of chamber play in the city of Sipani "City of Fogs, City of Whispers" which reminds me of Renaissance Venice and which we already know from Best Served Cold (remember the House of Leisure there? Ha!). Very interesting narrative structure, not your standard diet: Abercrombie seems to have tried this style of handshaking POVs and mastered it in The Heroes. He manages it to characterize the protagonists very well in the short screen time each one is given. Besides of that it is in the author's typical raunchy narrative tone. He stood and delivered the anthology's premise!

Abercrombi tells an amusing story in the form of a hunt for a mysterious Package, content unknown, and that I can only assume contains the statue of a black falcon. Sipani is a wretched hive of scum and villainy, full of Rogues (which was the title of the anthology where this story first appeared.) Over the course of a few hours, the curious Package passes from hand to hand as villains, knowing and unknowing, steal it from each other in a relay race through the these quarters. Along the way, we meet almost every type of dishonest fantasy archetype, from the lowest street urchin to the noble drunkard to the ruthless crime boss. Each in his or her turn gets a brief personality sketch, definitely provided in thought and action. Lighthearted in structure more than execution, it's just a fun story to read. Nothin' wrong with that.

★★★★

Andreas wrote: "Sipani ... reminds me of Renaissance Venice..."

There are canals? Singing gondoliers?

G33z3r wrote: "Andreas wrote: "Sipani ... reminds me of Renaissance Venice..."

There are canals? Singing gondoliers?" Masks! Boats!

This one was fun. The first POV change caught me by surprise, which was nice. Reminded me of a "cursed object" premise TV episode, which I know I've seen on at least one series.

I was definitely more interested in the characters & different POVs than what was in the package, but I have a hard time believing none of them opened it!

I was trying to figure out how & if these individuals tied into Abercrombie's other works; I've only read The First Law Trilogy & Best Served Cold, but it's been awhile.