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The Black Company

Book 1 in the series:The Black Company

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The Black Company is a gritty military fantasy novel that follows the exploits of a mercenary band in service to a powerful sorceress known as the Lady. The story is narrated from the perspective of Croaker, the company's physician and annalist, providing a unique viewpoint of the conflicts between the Lady and the rebels who oppose her. The book delves into themes of loyalty, survival, and the blurred lines between good and evil in a world where mercenaries must navigate treacherous alliances and deadly battles.

Characters:

The characters are complex and morally ambiguous, with the protagonist serving as a conflicted medic whose perspective adds depth to the narrative.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is direct and sparse, favoring a journal-like format that captures the gritty reality of war without elaborate descriptions.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative follows the Black Company, a mercenary group, as they navigate a brutal magical war and serve a powerful sorceress known as the Lady, reflecting a morally ambiguous landscape.

Setting:

The setting occurs in a grim, war-torn world rife with magic and conflict between dark powers.

Pacing:

The pacing can be brisk, with moments of rapid action interspersed with slower, reflective sections.
Lightning from a clear sky smote the Necropolitan Hill. One bolt struck the bronze plaque sealing the tomb of the forvalaka, obliterating half the spell of confinement. It rained stones. Statues bled....

Notes:

The Black Company was published in 1984 and is the first book in a series by Glen Cook.
It is considered one of the first examples of gritty fantasy, influencing modern authors like Joe Abercrombie.
The story follows a mercenary company engaged in a war filled with magic and moral ambiguity.
The narrative is told from the first-person perspective of Croaker, the company medic and annalist.
Major characters include wizards like One Eye and Goblin, along with the enigmatic Raven.
The officers of the company, the Lieutenant and the Captain, are only referred to by their ranks and not by names.
Two notable female characters are the Lady, a powerful sorceress, and a mute orphan named Darling.
The series touches on themes of brutal war and camaraderie among soldiers, depicting a harsh reality without the standard fantasy tropes like elves and dwarves.
Glen Cook's military background in the Navy adds authenticity to the portrayal of combat and soldiering.
Cook does not shy away from killing off major characters, which adds to the story's unpredictability.
The series has been collected into an omnibus edition called Chronicles of the Black Company, which includes the first three books.
There is a notable lack of detailed world-building, as the reader learns about the world alongside the characters.
The magic system is described as less intricate than some modern fantasy, focusing instead on practical uses of sorcery.
The storyline features a blend of military tactics and magical battles, often characterized by dark humor.
Cook's writing style is terse and direct, aiming to immerse the reader in the action and the mindset of a soldier.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings for The Black Company include themes of violence, war, death, and moral ambiguity, as well as mentions of sexual violence.

From The Publisher:

Some feel the Lady, newly risen from centuries in thrall, stands between humankind and evil. Some feel she is evil itself. The hard-bitten men of the Black Company take their pay and do what they must, burying their doubts with their dead.

Until the prophesy: The White Rose has been reborn, somewhere, to embody good once more. There must be a way for the Black Company to find her...

So begins one of the greatest fantasy epics of our age-Glen Cook's Chronicles of the Black Company.

Ratings (78)

Incredible (11)
Loved It (24)
Liked It (27)
It Was OK (8)
Did Not Like (7)
Hated It (1)

Reader Stats (217):

Read It (82)
Currently Reading (5)
Want To Read (104)
Did Not Finish (4)
Not Interested (22)

1 comment(s)

Did Not Like
1 month

Not a fan of this - my cons (and not everyone else’s) are that I do not like first person narratives in Fantasy - it seems to lose any suspension of disbelief, and becomes kind of ridiculous sounding when you read the words - also, not a fan of the whole nick-naming thing - Once in a while, maybe, but the entire group has a nickname, and nothing that makes anyone stand out - I felt nothing for any of the characters - when one of the company dies, I was very unmoved at the event - all in all I read this because it is filed under Classic Fantasy, but this is one that will not remain on my shelves nor will I proceed with this series - I am extremely disappointed, but there are a million books in the world, and I have more to go.

 

About the Author:

Born in 1944, Glen Cook grew up in northern California, served in the U.S. Navy, attended the University of Missouri, and was one of the earliest graduates of the well-known "Clarion" workshop SF writers. Since 1971 he has published a large number of SF and fantasy novels, including the "Dread Empire" series, the occult-detective "Garrett" novels, and the very popular "Black Company" sequence that began with the publication of The Black Company in 1984. Among his SF novels is A Passage at Arms.

After working many years for General Motors, Cook now writes full-time. He lives near St. Louis, Missouri, with his wife Carol.

 
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