Annals of the Black Company

Listen, I'm not a big fan of the fantasy universes. The most I've read of any type of Fantasy type series is Steven King's, The Dark Tower. A month or so ago I was bored on a day off and wandering through my local book store when I noticed a book called The Black company. I turn the book over to see what its about and all I got was "With the black company series, Glenn cook single handedly changed the face of fantasy...blah blah." I put the book down and forgot about it. Last week I was again walking through the book store (still hadn't found a book to read) with the idea that I wanted and Epic. I'm waiting on some books to get released and it is going to be a while. I again picked up the Black Company, read the first page, and I decided to take a risk and buy it. I finished all 3 books collected in "The Chronicles of the Black Company" in a week. I even went out and picked up the next 2 installments (The Book of the South) before I was finished with the last chapter of TBC. Cook's characters are instant Classics without all the usual fantasy cookie-cutter Douche bags. Honestly, I've never felt the need to write a review before, But this series is worth my time and effort. I'm sure if you gamble on these books as I did, you will not be dissapointed. On a side note, kudos to the guy who was able to use the terms "kickassness" and "Badassery" in his review. This first collection is for sure the best read and well written of the series. Although I am enjoying the story as a whole still.

I absolutely loved these books. Lots of surprises and twists and turns. Lots of action with a wisecracking narrator. Plus no boring 5 page descriptions of people you will never hear from again (ala Robert Jordan).

The annals of the Black Company is one of my all time favorite fantasy settings and series and one that no fan of the genre should pass up. I was very excited to see this book available recently (Though I wish it were a Hardcover...) This contains the first three novels of the ~10 novel series and comprises the first major plot arc involving the introduction of the mercenary group "The Black Company", their rise to power, and their near destruction. Cook's writing style comes off as concise and to the point with dry humour and classic characters. Throughout these books you will see the characters grow in power and wisdom, changing roles within the Company as they mature. The primary character, Croaker, at times seems like a witty "every mans hero" and at others is truly inspired by greatness and heroism. The story follows him and the other black hearted criminals, wizards and odds and ends that comprise the company. Fantasy elements are at times very light making it seem very real world and dangerous, characters die, get stabbed, get sick and get crippled. At other times wizards conjure deadly magics and physics and reality are tossed out the window for massive battles of magical powers. All in all every single moment of these books is very satisfying and will leave you wanting more. Upon reading the final sentence of the final book I felt a real sense of completion, though I wished for more stories I was not unhappy with where things ended. Only complaints: Bring a hardcover! Write another book! We want to know what happens to the soldiers that lived!

The Black Company stands apart from other works in the genre. True, it's the story of an epic struggle, a rebellion against a dark sorceress, and a prophecy. But this story is told from a very human perspective. It's stripped of the grandeur and nobility found in other fantasy fiction. The characters are real in a way that most other fantasy characters aren't: you can't pin them down. In fact, it often seems as though Cook's overriding point in these novels is to keep reminding us that nobody is either purely good or purely evil. This edition collects the first three novels of the Black Company, what the stories refer to as the Books of the North. All three are told from the perspective Croaker, the physician/narrator whose selective storytelling shows us the realism of a mystical war. He admits to -- and glosses over -- the shortcomings of his brethren, and shows us his own limitations as a narrator. It feels as though Croaker is a war correspondent, intent on telling the truth, but unable and unwilling to share everything he sees and feels. The limitations Cook places on Croaker can frustrate; at times, plot twists appear out of nowhere, due to events that took place outside of Croaker's presence. But by sticking to this narrative form, Cook provides the reader with an easy way in. Before you know it, you'll have accepted Croaker's world, and you'll want more. Despite the size of this edition, the Black Company novels are a quick read. Cook doesn't waste words with frilly descriptions, and he pares his sentences down to their most basic elements. The spare writing style keeps the story moving along at a rapid clip. There isn't a phrase or sentence you can get away with skipping. I highly recommend this collection to anyone looking for something a little different from their fantasy fiction. It will disappoint fans of Robert Jordan, and leave die-hard Goodkind aficionados cold. Fans of George R. R. Martin will appreciate that no character's motives are pure, and that some plot twists come in the form of unexpected deaths. If you start reading the Black Company expecting high fantasy, you'll be let down. But if you want a breath of fresh air, this is a great starting point.

I have read this book three times in the last 15 months. I'm on my fourth time right now. I can say without a doubt, that this is one of my favorite books. It takes place in a different time in a different world where magic, creatures, and ancient evils run wild. I know it sounds like every other Fantasy book out there, but something sets this one apart. All three of these books follow the Chronicler of the Black Company Croaker as he and his misfit mercenary band of outcasts and law breakers work for the Lady. From start to finish this book will have you hooked. Wonderfully written with many plot twists, interesting and developing characters, this is a book you cannot afford to miss out on.