EVERY so often while enduring the daily grind, I wish for a great big sword so that I can yell 'chop off their heads' and proceed to do so.

Obviously this isn't going to make me any friends in the workplace, or on the MRT for that matter, so I just sigh and return my nose to the grindstone.

Which is why I just loved Joe Abercrombie's latest novel, Best Served Cold, because basically his central character, Monza Murcatto, just goes ahead and chops.

Best Served Cold has been described by fantasy legend George RR Martin as "a kind of splatterpunk sword 'n' sorcery Count of Monte Cristo, Dumas by way of Moorcock", and really, I have to concur. After all, if one of the best in the business writes the perfect description you'd be stupid not to use it.

In the land of Styria it's spring, and that means war. Grand Duke Orso has been battling away with his peers to take over the entire country and his most efficient weapon has been the mercenary, General Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins.

So, Monza is relatively happy – well, as happy as she ever is – when she rides up to the Grand Duke's castle for a bit of R 'n' R and a pat on the back for a job well done. Imagine her surprise then when she finds herself betrayed, battered, murdered and thrown off a very high cliff.

But Monza is too nasty to die easily and Grand Duke Orso has now made her into his deadliest enemy. What proceeds to happen is an ode to splatter movies, revenge fantasies and down 'n' dirty gritty street dramas.

Abercrombie's story is tight, twisted and beautifully grungy. There are a number of intricately drawn characters that form a kind of ensemble cast around Monza and her plans for deadly revenge.

The northern swordsman Shivers is a man with the remnants of honour, clinging to his belief that despite his murderous past he can become a 'good man'.

His disconcerting optimism is off-set by the conniving and delusional poisoner, Morveer and his equally conniving but completely realistic assistant, Day.

Monza also hooks up with her former boss – who she'd previously betrayed – General Cosca, who's spent the last 10 years or so at the bottom of a bottle. It's not entirely clear whether he's actually forgiven Monza for the betrayal, or has simply forgotten the entire incident, along with the previous 10 years.

Abercrombie also gives the reader a few side stories with a variety of competing neighbouring kingdoms, a mysterious banker – yep, capitalism is alive and well – and an assassin who may or may not be working for Grand Duke Orso.

It is the interaction between this murderous group of misfits that gives depth to Best Served Cold. Like all good action adventures, without a human touch the set pieces of chopping, hacking, poisoning, stabbing and setting on fire would quickly pale into superfluous gore.

This is fantasy with a dirty edge; there are no sweet fairies or romantic lovers – although there is a bit of raunchy sex – this is all about violence, aggression, action and getting revenge.

As her final revenge comes closer, however, Monza finds herself wondering if it's all been worth it. Is revenge really 'best served cold', or would she have been better off taking her money and running?

Best Served Cold is a roller-coaster ride of action, gore, violence and the darker side of human nature set in a grubby setting that could have been our own world in the 16th century.

Abercrombie's world is the epitome of Hobbes' quote from Leviathan, that the world before the creation of a central government was 'nasty, brutish and short'; but getting your revenge just about makes up for it.

Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie is published by Gollancz and is available from good books stores and online.