The Return of the Black Company

I liked the original books the best, but these definitely kept me interested. If you're looking at this page I'd recommend it!

It is stylistically different from the earlier books and takes a few pages to get used to but not a bad read

Excellent value, this double volume of Glittering Stone has the first two books in this part of the series (assuming you know about North and South) book 1 is Bleak Seasons and the book 2 is She Is The Darkness. Two books for one price. I just recently finished the Books of the North and South (Empire of Lady & Khatovar) and found the Glittering Stone to feel a bit different from the previous Black Company stories. A big part of that being the use of Murgen as narrator instead of Croaker (he's missing/dead?).

This is a reprint of the first half of the Glittering Stone saga. If you have not read the original Black Company series, the characters and plot may prove overwhelming. I'd recommend you start with the first novel, the Black Company. You won't be disappointed. The Black Company (Chronicles of The Black Company #1) Glenn Cook is one of the great fantasy writers. His style is as rich in imagery as any modern author I can think of - in a good way. His novels are chock full of humor and drama. And the world of the Black company is as imaginative as it is disturbing. One of my favorite settings. Great world. Memorable characters. Outstanding plot. And writing so inventive that it trumps all the other aspects of Cook's novels. I highly recommend it.

"Bleak Seasons". The Black Company is under siege inside Dejagore with their leader Croaker probably dead. Murgen takes charge at a time when the Shadowlander horde assaults them and treachery from inside the company and from other trapped groups insidiously attack them from within the city. Their situations is perilous and their trust in Murgen as their leader is shaky as he has been their chronicler annalist; an expert on their history but not ever in charge. "She Is the Darkness". Croaker, the sorceress Lady, and the Black Company are in trouble as they are diverted from their enemy to battle other evil entities. This leaves them vulnerable to the malevolent Shadowmaster Soulcatcher, Howler and the Stranglers as they set a diabolical trap to eradicate the Black Company and their sorcery practitioner allies. These are reprints of the first half of the Glittering Stone saga. Each tale is entertaining for fans who have read previous entries (see the omnibus CHRONICLES OF THE BLACK COMPANY and BOOKS OF THE SOUTH); newcomers will find it a bit difficult to understand what is going on. Still these are enjoyable military fantasy thrillers as the Black Company tries to simply survive against overwhelming odds. Harriet Klausner