Rating: 
Summary: Cook traces back to his roots..
Review: Following up on the storyline as established in She is the Darkness, Cook really gets back into character (so to speak) by duplicating the style he used in White Rose.Told from both first person and third person perspective, this book involves the reader in a plot of intrigue, deception, and general mayhem, relying on the reader's intuition and understanding of previous events, evoking thoughts seldom generated by other authors of this genre.
Rating: 
Summary: Bless Glen Cook's writing!
Review: For 20 years I've read Glen's work, dating back to A Shadow Of All Night Falling, the first Dread Empire book (a series as good as this, but long out of print and expensive to find). The Black Company was the first series besides Moorcock's Elric to depict a less-than-pleasant set of heroes, and Cook took it to the extreme. Yet, the Black Company are friends. Old friends, and their story has always been compelling, even when mired as if in the delta of the river Taglios sits astride. A good friend recently likened the new book to a river journey down the delta, with the tale wending to and fro, and he was dead-on. Simply put, I'm glad Glen is back with the company, and I eagerly await "Soldiers Live (And Wonder Why," the next chapter of the annals. Now if only we can get him to write a new Dread Empire...Bragi's been away too long.
Rating:
Summary: MANY QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED IN COOK'S LATEST MASTERPIECE.
Review: Forgive me, Glen! I had to leave off a star because I was crushed at the anticlimactic end to the search for Khatovar. I spent the last few years yearning for the return of Croaker, Murgen, et. al, only to have Sleepy dismiss them out of hand at the end of the book. I respect that time marches on (like the Company), but the old guard should've had a more satisfying fate than they received. On the other hand, I've loved these characters for years--I rather feel like I've been in the Company myself--and I will be there when the next installment hits the shelves.
Rating:
Summary: Boy does he love to leave us hanging these days ...
Review: Great book. Love 'em all really, but all the earlier ones seemed more self contained. You know ... end of the book ties up most loose ends. Now he seems to be getting into the Saga mode -- ever since the "glittering stone" ones started. But I really love how he puts a sense of quasi-realism back into sci-fi, killing off even heros sometimes.
Rating:
Summary: Is there a better series of novels with heroes this nasty?
Review: I am always surprised when a new Glen Cook novel hits the stands. Outside of the success of his "Garrett" novels (which are a lovely blend of Raymond Chandler meets J.R.R.), he has to be the most overlooked writer in the fantasy genre. His "Dread Empire" series of novels (of which there were seven (7) published) combined political machinations with big-time wizardry, meddling immortals and believable ordinary characters (with ordinary flaws) into a grand mesh set on a world scale. He had planned at least two more novels in the series but poor sales forced its "retirement". Let us all hope that this does not happen with The Black Company. My greatest fear is that the latest book will be the last and the story will not yet be finished. Water Sleeps is another example of Glen's gritty storytelling at his best! Best of all, there is room for more novels with the hooks and unanswered questions that he leaves us with! The presence of Croaker and Lady (or lack of presence would better describe it) is the one thread that has bound the entire series together. Having them restored will allow Mr. Cook to tantilize us with further tales - should enough people purchase the novels - and also allow for the development of the newest wizard in the group - Murgen's son. Write on.
Rating:
Summary: Is there a better series of novels with heroes this nasty?
Review: I am always surprised when a new Glen Cook novel hits the stands. Outside of the success of his "Garrett" novels (which are a lovely blend of Raymond Chandler meets J.R.R.), he has to be the most overlooked writer in the fantasy genre. His "Dread Empire" series of novels (of which there were seven (7) published) combined political machinations with big-time wizardry, meddling immortals and believable ordinary characters (with ordinary flaws) into a grand mesh set on a world scale. He had planned at least two more novels in the series but poor sales forced its "retirement". Let us all hope that this does not happen with The Black Company. My greatest fear is that the latest book will be the last and the story will not yet be finished. Water Sleeps is another example of Glen's gritty storytelling at his best! Best of all, there is room for more novels with the hooks and unanswered questions that he leaves us with! The presence of Croaker and Lady (or lack of presence would better describe it) is the one thread that has bound the entire series together. Having them restored will allow Mr. Cook to tantilize us with further tales - should enough people purchase the novels - and also allow for the development of the newest wizard in the group - Murgen's son. Write on.
Rating:
Summary: Black Company - The Next Generation
Review: I do not give 5 stars to almost anything so you have to take my word that this is a worthy addition to the Annals. I stayed up till 1 last night finishing the book in single sitting. No spoilers, but we find out a LOT of answers in this book, get to meet several people who are clearly going to be a big part of the futrue of the Company and no, it's not the end of the Annals <g>
Rating: 
Summary: A rather strange ending...
Review: I found this series to be absolutely riveting for the first 3 novels, entertaining but less enjoyable in the next 2, and then the last 3 just got bizarre. Glen Cook's writing style changed each time different character took over as Annalist. Clearly, imo, Croaker could tell a tale. Once they started this "ghosting" thing, the novels were no longer as interesting. That mechanism just didn't thrill me. Also, seeing Goblin and One-Eye reduced to what they became was hard to watch. And, Silent was sorely missed in all the books of the south. There are times I wish I never read past the first 3 books, because those were excellent.
Rating: 
Summary: Not worthy of Glenn Cook's authorship
Review: I have to admit this book was a page turner but only because I was so anxious to find some trace of Cook's previous writing style. Though I have become accustomed to Cook adding new characters and relegating old ones to the background, I am particularly disappointed with his treatment of One Eye, Goblin and Soulcatcher. Has he grown tired of these characters and indulged in some pettiness by portraying them in manners inconsistent with past storylines? Mr. Cook's writing style also contains more profanity and sexual inuendo than before. I am no prude but this all adds up to a significant departure from previous Black Company novels. It bears more resemblance to his writing style in the "Garrett" series (ie; "Petty Pewter Gods"). Please Mr. Cook, examine your writing style and how this latest installment is a glaring departure from previous volumes and not for the better. Thank You.
Rating:
Summary: Revealing but Depressing to an extent.
Review: I readily absorbed the huge dose of answered questions and history of the Realm. Spoilers ahead... My dissapointments were the fact that Croaker and Lady had relatively nothing to do with the book at all, except for being there stuck on the plain, white crow notwithstanding. I gave four stars only because I felt let down by the ending, as it related to Lady and Croaker, who after all were the main reasons anyone travelled up the plain anyway, in my oh so humble opinion. After putting this book down I felt like I won Lotto, but my dad who picked the numbers for me died.
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