Title: The Return of the Black Company
Author: Glen Cook
First published January 1, 1997
672 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780765324009 (ISBN10: 0765324008)
Rating: 4.29
Overview
“Listen up, for I am Murgen, Standardbearer of the infamous Black Company. I bear the burden of having lost our standard in battle, but I am here to record our journey.
Croaker is gone, One-Eye is unreliable, and few of us can even read or write. I shall be your narrator as we navigate through the treacherous Shadowlands and face our inevitable fate.
Brace yourselves for the epic tale that is The Return of the Black Company, combining the novels Bleak Seasons and She is the Darkness, and continuing Glen Cook’s legendary Chronicles of the Black Company.”
About the Author
Glen Cook, a renowned author, hails from New York City but spent most of his childhood in Northern California. After completing high school, he joined the U.S. Navy and later attended the University of Missouri.
Following this, he worked at General Motors for 33 years before retiring a few years back.
Glen’s writing journey began in 7th grade when he started writing short stories.
His work was later published in a high school literary magazine. In 1968, he began writing with the intention of publishing his work.
Over time, he has written 51 books and numerous short fiction pieces.
Glen met his wife, whom he has been married to for 43 years, while attending the Clarion Writer’s Workshop in 1970.
Together, they have three sons, one of whom is an army officer, another an architect, and the third an orchestral musician. They also have several granddaughters, except for one grandson.
Glen is best known for his Black Company series, which has been translated into over 20 languages worldwide. He has also written other popular series, including Dread Empire and the Garrett, P.I. series.
His latest work, Working God’s Mischief, is the fourth book in the Instrumentalities of the Night series.
Editoral Review
Glen Cook’s The Return of the Black Company is a classic tale of fantasy and adventure that was first published on January 1, 1997. Cook is known for his gritty and dark approach to epic fantasy, and this book is no exception.
It is a continuation of the Black Company series, which began in 1984, and is set in a world where magic and sorcery are powerful forces that shape the fate of kingdoms and empires. The Return of the Black Company is a thrilling adventure story that follows the exploits of a group of mercenaries who call themselves the Black Company.
They are a band of hardened warriors who have seen their fair share of battle and are willing to fight for anyone who can pay them. The book opens with the Black Company reuniting after a long period of separation, and they embark on a new mission to secure a powerful artifact that has the potential to change the balance of power in the world.
The main characters of the story include Croaker, the Company’s physician and historian, who narrates most of the book; Lady, a powerful sorceress who leads the Company; and the Taken, a group of evil sorcerers who serve a dark lord known as the Dominator. The setting is a fantastical world filled with complex political and magical systems, and the conflicts are both internal and external, as the Black Company struggles to maintain their sense of loyalty and honor in the face of great temptation and danger.
Cook is a master of world-building and atmospheric storytelling, and his prose is gritty and visceral, with a real sense of danger and suspense. He excels at creating complex and multi-dimensional characters, and the Black Company is no exception.
The book is full of memorable and engaging characters, each with their own motivations and personalities. One of the strengths of the book is its pacing.
Cook keeps the story moving at a brisk pace, with plenty of action and intrigue to keep the reader engaged. The plot is well-structured and full of surprises, with several twists and turns that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
The themes of loyalty, honor, and survival are well-explored, and the book offers plenty of insights into the human psyche. One of the weaknesses of the book is that it can be dense and confusing at times, particularly for readers who are new to the Black Company series.
There are many characters and plot threads to keep track of, and the world-building can be overwhelming at times. Additionally, some readers may find the violence and darkness of the book off-putting, as it can be quite graphic and disturbing.
Overall, The Return of the Black Company is a masterful work of fantasy and adventure that will appeal to fans of the genre. It is a well-crafted and engaging story with plenty of twists and turns, and it offers a fascinating exploration of human morality and the nature of power.
It is also a significant work in the history of fantasy literature, and it is worth reading for anyone who wants to understand the evolution of the genre. I would give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
