Joe Abercrombie’s latest, THE HEROES, appears on Time Magazine′s “Short List of Things to Do” this week:

Here’s what to do while you wait for George R.R. Martin’s next fantasy novel: read Joe Abercrombie’s. It’s a magnificent, richly entertaining account of a single three-day battle — complete with balletic Kurosawan violence — that leaves behind no heroes, only survivors.

As a huge Kurosawa enthusiast, and the kind of guy who fast-forwards to the battle scenes in movies, let me second that. If battles are your thing, this book is for you— it’s pretty much ALL battle.

You can get a bit of background on the book with these video interviews with Joe: Part one, Part two, and Part three.

So… ready to take the field? If for some reason you are still having  doubts, let us reassure you — the Union needs you, and there’s plenty of room for new recruits. Dive into the battle here with this excerpt — just try to keep your head down.