Lord of the Silent Kingdom

I'm a sucker for the way Glen Cook tells a story. I have been ever since the Ken Kelly cover paintings attracted me to Reap the East Wind and An Ill Fate Marshalling, 20 years ago. I flipped through Reap the East Wind, and was so enthralled that I spent the next few weeks scouring all the used bookstores in my area, until I had found copies of the orginal three Dread Empire novels. I didn't know it yet, but what made me enjoy the Dread Empire books were things that became trademarks in Glen Cook's writing. Even as the narrative voice changes from series to series, certain elements are aways present. The characters talk in a "realistic," down to earth way, and they behave as people do in the real world. This extends to military campaigns, which in Cook's worlds always seem to occur in the ways that true veterans recount in their memoirs. People die, sometimes even important personalities. The language is sparse, and neither the reader nor any character is usually fully in the know of what is going on. Also, there's often more "telling" than "showing." While some reviewers have considered this a fault, to me it is an element of Cook's personal style. The lack of flowery language and absence of an omniscient viewpoint throws off some would-be readers of Cook. I think it is worth the effort to read a decent chunk of one of his books, and thereby discover whether or not he is for you. I accept that certain readers will simply never enjoy what Cook does. But for those who have bought in to Cook's way of telling a story, Lord of the Silent Kingdom is some of his best work. All of what makes his work enjoyable can found in abundance, as the story begun in The Tyranny of the Night progesses (other reviews cover the specific plot points, for those who want spoilers). It needs to be stated at this point, however, that Lord of Silent Kingdom will only be rewarding to experienced readers of Cook's material. At a minimum, the preceding volume, The Tyranny of the Night, must be read for the present story to make any sense. Even then, the reader will be more entertained if they have read further into Cook's back catalog. Then, there will be a comforting familiarity in recognizing that Else Tage is like Bragi Ragnarson and Croaker in rising from simple soldier to military commander. That Titus Consent and Ferris Renfrow are like Michael Trebilcock in their way of gathering crucial intelligence and getting the impossible done. And that the squabbling nobles in Brothe are like the squabbling nobles in Kavelin and Taglios. Yet with these recognizable similarities comes a host of new characters and situations, so that Lord of the Silent Kingdom is not at all predictable. I saw an interview with Cook from a few years ago, in which he admitted that work on the book was progressing slowly, and that it was turning out not at all as he had expected. One gets the feeling that Cook himself was surprised at the twists and turns in the story, as it took on a life of its

Thankfully Cook's publishers have allowed him to step away from his proven intellectual properties of the Black Company and Garrett. I thoroughly enjoy those series, but it is amazing to see how witty and how imaginative this man is. I agree with an earlier reviewer that a few "out of time" dialogs exist, but they should not detract from the brilliantly woven story. Cook's character development is as good as anyone writing. His pacing and style create a fast-paced imagery and identifiable characters. I read this book craving the next page, while dreading that it was brining me closer to the end.

As with all of Glen Cook's novels, Instrumentalites of the Night is a departure from standard fantasy fare. There are few, if any, ultra-good, or ultra-evil characters. There are no "you hold the only key" characters who must rise from obscurity to defeat an all-powerful enemy. Cook's stories are filled with very real characters who must deal with their very real lives. Living in a world where very few people are as bad, or as good, as they may seem. Lord of the Silent Kingdom seems almost a retelling of actual history, rather than a work of fiction. His honest portrayal of individuals makes them that much more believable. He has created a world, and let his characters walk it. Great Fiction.

This is book two of a series. The first book, _The Tyranny of the Night_, was a heavy slog for the first 150 pages. In contrast, _Lord of the Silent Kingdom_ was a page-turner. Piper Hecht is the Captain General of the Patriarch's army. Unfortunately, the Patriarch, Sublime V, is a megalomaniac who honestly believes that the rest of the world's sole purpose is to gratify his wants. Hecht establishes something not seen since the downfall of the old Brothen Empire, a professional army led by professional officers. At one point in the book, Hecht's army is laying siege to a city. Even though the army is small, it goes about its task in a methodical, competent manner. Eventually, almost inevitably, the city is conquered with minimal loss of Hecht's men. Soldiers are different from warriors. A soldier makes war because that's his job. A warrior makes war for glory. Unless it is incompetently led or suffers other problems (lack of supplies, facing overwhelming odds, etc.), an army of soldiers will usually defeat an army of warriors. Hecht, who is extremely competent and who can pick competent subordinates, proves this adage several times. Hecht's personal life is also shown. He's got a mistress and picks up stray children, giving him an instant family. He's a three-dimensional character with likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. He's also got problems. People and gods (aka Instrumentalities of the Night) are trying to kill him. Personally, I'm a bit confused as to why the gods are after him. Yes, he discovered, almost by accident, how to kill a god. But now the information is general knowledge. Other than for revenge, there's little point in killing him now. However, the gods as described in the series are not the most intelligent or mature folks around. Near-omniscience and godlike powers do not a wise being make. I enjoyed this book and am eagerly waiting for the next installment.

Glen Cook is the most underated fantasist working today. He has changed the face of fantasy and here he excels again. (Don't read this without the first installment you will be lost.) This is a fabulously complex entirely new world: new rules, new magic, new "gods" same old deal for soldiers. He is so good at weaving great human characters. Soldiers you would want at your back, or drinking with you at a rowdy bar. Villains you wouldn't leave alone with your dog. All caught up in huge swirling events that draw out the best in the good and the worst in the bad. But sometimes which is who is hard to see. He is great at showing the good in the bad but competent, and the foibles of the heroes with feet of clay. Cynicism abounds. Politicians are always seen with the jaundiced eys of the long since disillusioned. Another great hero in Piper Hecht. An indomitable man who just wishes everybody would just leave him the hell alone, but of course they won't. That's why this is so much fun. This is not a predictable same old same tale. Don't turn your back on anyone! Once again Cook draws you into his world and once again it is something to behold. Have fun.