Joe Abercrombie’s second book in his fantasy trilogy The First Law is a real cracker.

http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/Joe-Abercrombie/Before-They-Are-Hanged.html

This book has been awarded 8.9 / 10 and has entered the top #100 at #6 alongside Steven Erikson’s Memories of Ice and Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea Quartet … not too bad a book then from the Lancaster lad.