Rating: 
Summary: Welcome addition to the ongoing saga of 'The Black Company'
Review: I like the others here have read and reread the first three volumes of the Black Company. I had originally been loaned the set of three by a friend. Being totally enthralled by them, I tried to buy them and could not - out of print. Determined, I wrote Tor and asked if they would relay a note to Mr. Cook. They did and Mr. Cook answered with a very warm letter and informed me he had a few hard-cover books left that had all three of the original series in one book. I ordered TWO from him, one to loan and one to keep.I still think it is one of the finest fantasy series ever written. Naturally I have purchased all the others as they came out and am just re-reading 'She is the Darkness' for the second time. I agree with the 'reader from LA' that the 'Ten Who Were Taken' are much better villains..and I also miss Croaker as the protagonist. Murgen is only OK in his first try and slightly better in his second. In my letter to Mr. Cook, I also suggested that Croaker should accidentally fall into a 'fountain of youth' of some sort, so he could maintain his relationship with Lady satisfactorily.
Rating: 
Summary: High quality Black Company stuff.
Review: I'll give this book five stars or a 10 or a blue ribbon or best of breed, whatever works to keep them coming. 470 pages and I got through it in 3 days,(part time,) tearing off chunks and hardly chewing them as I rushed through. It's unimaginable that this book could be read and truly enjoyed without having read previous "Black Company" books, but anything is possible. However, if you haven't read the early books, you're in for some good reading. The duty of the Annalist for this war-torn and again war-torn group of mercenary soldiers keeps changing hands, and each time, I am disappointed for a few pages, wishing Croaker was back at it, or Lady, or even One-eye. But now it's Murgen. (and maybe next, Sleepy.) Having accumulated a coat of grime and stink and the ache of fresh wounds and strains compounding old vicarious hurts, I settle in for more terror and humor and mystification until it is finished. As finished as it ever gets, and I return to reality, having had enough for a while. This is good writing. These people become friends and family and when they are gone, mourned, while someone new joins up and fills the space and becomes blood. I have absolutely no desire for this series to end. What is it about some of us that would have it this way? No closure, please. The beautiful, evil and crazy sorcerer sister- whoops! I almost gave it away. Join me, other Black Company addicts. Feast, then return later to pick up what was rushed through, chew it well and wait. There will be another. Like darkness, it always comes.
Rating: 
Summary: This series is now past it's expiry date
Review: I'm sorry,I just can't agree with the majority of the reviewers below. What started out as a brilliantly original series is now about as welcome as a Jew in Baghdad. I wish I had the time to review the rest of the series but I'll give my ratings here if I may before I say specifically why this book is not as good as the rest. The Black Company gets 4 stars, Shadows Linger 5 Stars (who says the middle books of trilogies are boring?), White Rose 4 stars, Silver Spike 3 stars, Shadow Games 3 stars, Dreams of Steel 3 stars and Bleak Seasons 2 stars. There was a five year break between Dreams of Steel and Bleak Seasons and it shows in the quality. I think the author was wondering where to go with the series, perhaps bored with writing it and lost whatever "spark" that drove the story. Notice with the change of narrator we not only get a change in dialogue from what is typically English English to American English (which appears to have been missed by American readers who thought the dialogue American all along), we get a dramatic switch from what was a creditable impression of a fantasy India to a terribly bad impression of the Vietnam war. Witness the gratuitous appearance of a whole load of fantasy Vietnamesae that were never even mentioned before, shoehorned in without thought so their appearance jars. Witness also the troops discussing "fragging" officers , with what ? - the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch perhaps. Witness nobody ever uses a bow or a sword any more instead ersatz fantasy firearms. Come on Mr Author credit us with some discernment. If I wanted to read a Vietnam war book I'd read Dispatches. Hell, I have read Dispatches. Don't let your influences show so much, if you were bored with the damn thing end it, if you want to write a Vietnam war story write one but an ongoing fantasy series is not the time to do it. Grief, imagine Tolkien with Panzers and you know what I feel like. My advice to new readers, read the first trilogy and Silver Spike for one of the best fantasy series ever. The weakest of mages is portrayed in such a way to make Gandalf look like an apprentice and the villains are a roleplaying gamemasters dream and make Sauron look like a kid with a catapult. The rest of the series is lame. Sorry.
Rating:
Summary: Paranoia Embodied
Review: In early Europe it was common for mercenary bands to be unable to trust their employers. In this book, no trust is possible. Everyone has an agenda that is mutually exclusive. What is even worse, there are only shades of black. The mercenaries are not good people. The employers are moderately bad people. The enemies the Black Company have been hired to fight are crazy and bad. The allies are all either crazy, evil, or both. Heaped on top of that, Croaker, the Captain, cannot draw on his subordinates for planning purposes, because there are agents of the enemy (crows) everywhere plus the subordinates may defect. This leads to a level of paranoia I have not seen before. How do you plan when all around you are suspect? Cook has done an excellent job of capturing the feel of men at war.
Rating: 
Summary: She Is The Darkness
Review: Most everything in this novel is a mixed bag, beginning with the new annalist, Murgen. At his best, Murgen gives some interesting new insight into old characters (especially Croaker), and does a fair job of recording events. At his worst, he's too self-involved to report anything beyond his own misery. A misery Cook fails to sell to the reader, so it quickly becomes annoying. The sad part is, Croaker points this out near the end...which I guess was Cook's way of saying, "I'm sorry, I know it sucks." Another problem with the novel is Smoke. His unique perspective takes most of the suspense out of the story. In order to surprise the reader, Cook is forced to invent one weak excuse after another for why Smoke's ability failed. That gets old, fast. What little suspense remains concerns Croaker's plan for marching their army, in winter, to certain doom against Mogaba's forces. The outcome of that is so pathetically lame it can't help but come as a surprise. The high point of the novel is Soulcatcher. She's one of the most colorful villains to appear in any fantasy novel, and she really shines here. Even though most of her attempts at revenge are senseless and feeble, she at least has some success. That's a welcome change from the "All Powerful Idiots" that called themselves the Shadow Masters. If you're a fan of the series, the novel is worth reading just for the glimpses of Soulcatcher. The problem with Soulcatcher is that her true name is in Croaker's annals; figuring it out is a simple process of elimination. There were four sisters; Lady is Dorotea; the Dominator tried to disarm Lady using both Ardath and Sylith; the Dominator knew the true names of the original Taken, so he wouldn't have used Soulcatcher's true name on Lady; that leaves just Credence. End of Soulcatcher. There are other nagging flaws, but over-all, this is the best of the "Glittering Stone" saga (but that's not saying much). The ending is a real shocker.
Rating:
Summary: Best of the Worst
Review: Most everything in this novel is a mixed bag, beginning with the new annalist, Murgen. At his best, Murgen gives some interesting new insight into old characters (especially Croaker), and does a fair job of recording events. At his worst, he's too self-involved to report anything beyond his own misery. A misery Cook fails to sell to the reader, so it quickly becomes annoying. The sad part is, Croaker points this out near the end...which I guess was Cook's way of saying, "I'm sorry, I know it sucks." Another problem with the novel is Smoke. His unique perspective takes most of the suspense out of the story. In order to surprise the reader, Cook is forced to invent one weak excuse after another for why Smoke's ability failed. That gets old, fast. What little suspense remains concerns Croaker's plan for marching their army, in winter, to certain doom against Mogaba's forces. The outcome of that is so pathetically lame it can't help but come as a surprise. The high point of the novel is Soulcatcher. She's one of the most colorful villains to appear in any fantasy novel, and she really shines here. Even though most of her attempts at revenge are senseless and feeble, she at least has some success. That's a welcome change from the "All Powerful Idiots" that called themselves the Shadow Masters. If you're a fan of the series, the novel is worth reading just for the glimpses of Soulcatcher. The problem with Soulcatcher is that her true name is in Croaker's annals; figuring it out is a simple process of elimination. There were four sisters; Lady is Dorotea; the Dominator tried to disarm Lady using both Ardath and Sylith; the Dominator knew the true names of the original Taken, so he wouldn't have used Soulcatcher's true name on Lady; that leaves just Credence. End of Soulcatcher. There are other nagging flaws, but over-all, this is the best of the "Glittering Stone" saga (but that's not saying much). The ending is a real shocker.
Rating:
Summary: This series should be bigger than the Wheel Of Time!
Review: Of course I haven't read this yet, since it hasn't been released...but I'd like to say some things about the series. (And I'm sure this book will be as good as the rest were).
An excellent read, though it might be confusing if you haven't read the rest of the Black Company series. No all-powerful characters. Characters you can relate to on some level. This isn't some flowery fantasy ala Eddings. It can be brutal. There is no definite line between Good and Evil...just like in our reality. An excellent series...get them all: The Black Company / Shadows Linger / The White Rose / The Silver Spike / Shadow Games / Dreams Of Steel / Bleak Seasons / She Is The Darkness (to be released Fall 1997)
Rating:
Summary: The most under rated author I've ever seen.
Review: One of Glen Cook's interesting habits is to plant seeds in early books in a series that only flower in later books. I have not read this particular book yet but I have found all of his books VERY entertaining. He is one of three writers whose work is consistently good enough that I will buy hardbacks just because his name is on it. My only complaint is that he can't write fast enough.
Your Kirkus review by-the-by is pretty worthless. It reflects rather poorly on you. You can do better than that.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Fantasy!
Review: Picking this book up on a whim, I found inside an absolutely addicting story. Though I have not read the previous books in this series, I had no difficulties following the storyline. In fact I will be seeking the previous books, as well as eagerly awaiting the next book in the series. I can not wait to find out what happens next to Murgen and the Black Company.
Rating:
Summary: woohoo!!
Review: The Black Company books have to be one of the best fantasy series' currently available. The latest installation is not a disappointment (although the ending made me grind my teeth, since I'm sure the next book won't be out for some time). I feel obligated to say that it's apparent that Kirkus Reviews read only selected pages of this book - and had a hard time understanding the intrigue - and if you read their review really hard it'll ruin a wee surprise. As far as where the Company's food comes from...that's actually mentioned multiple times, so Kirkus skipped a few hundred pages. Cook pays attention to little things like logistics.. he is writing about a merc company, and it wouldn't be realistic without discussing things like starving, foraging, ditch digging, stinking, blood, death, more stinking, more starving... But it's not all dreary death and destruction! Cook's subtle wit brings relief from Murgen's house of pain and the hell of the Shadowlands. If you read the earlier books, I'd suggest you go back and read them again.. and if you haven't read any of them.. buy them all today and read them this weekend! It's worth the lack of sleep and human contact. =
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