Book · Fantasy and science fiction

Half a King (Shattered Sea, Book 1)

Name: Half a King (Shattered Sea, Book 1)
Author: Joe Abercrombie

by Joe Abercrombie

Page count, estimated reading time and reading quiz: everything to know before you start Half a King (Shattered Sea, Book 1), and the Vread challenge to get to the end.

Pages: 309
Reading time: ≈ 5 h 40 min
Checkpoints: 9
Genre: Fantasy, SF

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How long does it take to read Half a King (Shattered Sea, Book 1)?

At 309 pages, Half a King (Shattered Sea, Book 1) is a fairly long book. Expect about 5 hours 40 minutes of reading to finish it, based on 250 words per page and an average reading speed of 230 words per minute. A fast reader will go quicker; a careful read (or reading in a second language) will take longer.

At 30 minutes a day, that is about 12 days of reading. At the median pace of Vread readers, 72 pages per reading day, it takes 5 reading days. For a book of this length (250 to 399 pages), Vread readers who finish it take a median of 4.7 days between the first and the last checkpoint (Vread Reading Barometer 2026).

Reading days to finish it

30 minutes a day12 days
Vread median pace (72 pp./day)5 days

Estimates; see the method at the bottom of the page.

Prove you read it

The Vread challenge: 9 checkpoints

Checkpoint 1, page 34
Checkpoint 2, page 69
Checkpoint 3, page 103
Checkpoint 4, page 137
Checkpoint 5, page 172
Checkpoint 6, page 206
Checkpoint 7, page 240
Checkpoint 8, page 275
Checkpoint 9, page 309

In Vread, Half a King (Shattered Sea, Book 1) is split into 9 checkpoints, one every 34 pages or so. At each checkpoint, a question covers the passage you have just read: a correct answer validates the step, and your progress moves forward like a training plan.

The challenge: validate all 9 checkpoints through to the last page. No giant quiz at the end, no summary to copy out: short questions along the way that prove the book was actually read. It also works as a reading quiz to check your understanding before a test.

Also available in French on Vread.

Illustrative example

This is not a question from Half a King (Shattered Sea, Book 1): to avoid spoilers, the real questions stay in the app.

Answer in the app, one checkpoint at a time.

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Summary, quiz, reviews: frequently asked questions

How many pages is Half a King (Shattered Sea, Book 1)?

The edition listed on Vread has 309 pages. The exact count varies by edition (paperback, hardback, ebook).

How long does it take to read Half a King (Shattered Sea, Book 1)?

About 5 hours 40 minutes of reading, or 12 days at 30 minutes a day.

Is there a quiz on Half a King (Shattered Sea, Book 1)?

Yes: the Vread app has 9 reading questions on Half a King (Shattered Sea, Book 1), one per checkpoint, unlocked as you read.

Where can I find a summary of Half a King (Shattered Sea, Book 1)?

Vread does not publish summaries: the app supports reading the book itself, part by part. Checkpoint questions cover what you have just read, which makes them a good way to check you did not miss anything.