THE CHRONICLES OF THE BLACK COMPANY: Book 1: The Black Company; Book 2: Shadows Linger; Book 3: The White Rose; Book 4: Book of the South 1: Shadow Games; Book 5: Book of the South 2: Dreams of Steel; Book 6: The Silver Spike [Paperback]

Glen Cook (Author), Keith Berdak; (Illustrator)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Tor Books; paperback / softback edition (1984)
• ISBN-10: 0812533704
• ISBN-13: 978-0812533705
• ASIN: B000NRVGZI
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (171 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,939,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not your usual Fantasy...Dark and Action-Packed, November 11, 2000

By 

"rhamnusia2" (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Black Company (Chronicles of The Black Company #1) (Mass Market Paperback)

Some may have a problem with the fact that THE BLACK COMPANY is told from the viewpoint of characters with a somewhat evil background, but I found it to be totally refreshing. After so many fantasy novels with trite "goody goody" characters that rot your teeth, Glen Cook, creates a very unique group of mercenaries that have their own code of honor and rich history.

Admittedly, at first, I was confused by the strange feeling of being in the trenches with the soldiers, instead of the royal gardens with the king, but soon after I really enjoyed Cook's realistic characters. Think of how many soldiers fight in the epic wars almost all fantasy novels include. How many authors actually describe the soldiers feelings and reasons for their choice of joining the ranks of good or evil?

All in all, this book and the whole series, is a fun and gritty read with tons of battle scenes. It is a definite needed break from some of the recent attacks of gigantic fantasy sagas. One of the most amazing things about the book was that I felt that I knew the characters without being told all that much, instead I was able to pull from the characters' actions all I ever needed to know. To me that is the mark of wonderful storytelling.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Military action in a fantasy setting, January 21, 2001

By 

Greg "Reviewer for fantasyliterature com" (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Black Company (Chronicles of The Black Company #1) (Mass Market Paperback)

Military action in a fantasy setting

The Black Company is not for the softhearted. They're a hard-core mercenary unit and whatever honor they may have had in their long-history has been all but lost (Put it this way, at least they draw the line at killing children). Now it's all about getting a paycheck and take it from a former soldier the military jargon and attitude is down pat. Ya' gotta love that. It takes a few chapters to get used to, because you get most of what's going on from the conversations. Croaker, the medic and the keeper of the companies' annals tells the whole story. There's a few writing flaws and a little too much sorcery going around for my taste, but there's enough intrigue and plot twists to keep you hooked. Also this is the first book, I hear the other stories are even better.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great series... different than the normal epic fantasy, January 23, 2004

By 

Christopher Nash "Fantasy Fanatic" (Whiteman AFB MO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Black Company (Chronicles of The Black Company #1) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is the first installment of a series of Black Company novels and it also happens to be the best. Cook easily conveys a 'you are there' sense of first-person realism that eludes so many of today's fantasy authors. He is content to weave a masterful, fast-paced, and addictive plot--one driven by deep character developement and rich, flavorfull dialogue--and leaves mundane descriptions of the local flora and fauna to the readers imagination. Afterall, once you've seen one 'Boars Head Inn,' you really have seen them all. The bottom line? If you are looking for a Tolken-esk experience, forget it. Cook's Black Company is all about plot and action. It's a hard-boiled, pan-fried look at life in a brotherhood of mercenaries as the men strive to meet the obligations of their duty, their employers, and their stomachs, and still get out of town alive. Cook's primary villains have vast reserves of magical power at their command, but don't expect any high-brow, mumbo-jumbo approach to magic in THIS book. The mages found in 'The Black Company' are frighteningly powerful, and they wield that power with a casual brutality that underscores their no-nonsense approach to world domination. Yes, THIS IS IT fantasy fans! This is the breath of fresh air we have all been looking for! 'The Black Company' is a raw and invigorating departure from classic fantasy. It's hard, it's gritty, and once you start reading, you WILL NOT be able to stop until you have completed the entire series! Buy it now, worry about the addiction later.