Before They Are Hanged vs This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Fantasy
Before They Are Hanged
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The second novel in the wildly popular First Law Trilogy from New York Times bestseller Joe Abercrombie.  Superior Glokta has a problem. How do you defend a city surrounded by enemies and riddled with traitors,…
This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me
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Outlander meets Game of Thrones in this blockbuster new epic fantasy series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author duo Ilona Andrews.\ \ When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy, and naked in a gutter, it doesn't take…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- Before They Are Hanged has the widest readership — 232893 ratings behind its score.
- Before They Are Hanged runs the darker storyline; This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me stays the lighter read.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| Before They Are Hanged | This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.4 (232893) | — |
| Hardcover | 4.3 (1545) | 4.2 (117) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (942) | 4.5 (534) |
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Reception
| Before They Are Hanged | This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 232893 | 534 |
| Editions | — | 3 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | — |
| Want to read | 68038 | — |
| Reading it now | 8899 | — |
| Written reviews | 12274 | — |
| Wikipedia attention | 38432 | — |
| Pages | 581 | 480 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Before They Are Hanged or This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me?
This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me has the higher combined reader rating across sources (This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me 4.4/5, Before They Are Hanged 4.4/5).
Which is shorter to read: Before They Are Hanged or This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me?
This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me (480 pages, ≈ 8 h 53 m); Before They Are Hanged (581 pages, ≈ 10 h 46 m).
Which is harder to read: Before They Are Hanged or This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Before They Are Hanged: Moderate; This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me: Moderate.