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Chronicles of the Black Company [Paperback]

Glen Cook
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (115 customer reviews)

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Book Description

November 13, 2007
Darkness wars with darkness as the hard-bitten men of the Black Company take their pay and do what they must. They bury their doubts with their dead.
 
Then comes the prophecy: The White Rose has been reborn, somewhere, to embody good once more…
 
This omnibus edition comprises The Black Company, Shadows Linger, and The White Rose—the first three novels in Glen Cook's bestselling fantasy series.

Frequently Bought Together

Chronicles of the Black Company + The Books of the South: Tales of the Black Company (Chronicles of the Black Company) + The Return of the Black Company
Price for all three: $37.07

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"With the Black Company series Glen Cook single-handedly changed the face of fantasy--something a lot of people didn't notice and maybe still don't. He brought the story down to a human level, dispensing with the cliché archetypes of princes, kings, and evil sorcerers. Reading his stuff was like reading Vietnam War fiction on peyote." --Steven Erikson, author of Gardens of the Moon

About the Author

Glen Cook lives in St. Louis, Missouri.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 704 pages
  • Publisher: Tor Books; First Ed Thus edition (November 13, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0765319233
  • ISBN-13: 978-0765319234
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (115 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,203 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
114 of 119 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Realistic fantasy December 10, 2007
By Magin
Format:Paperback
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.
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42 of 45 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars If You've Read Erickson But Never Read Cook... April 19, 2009
Format:Paperback
I had already begun Steven Erickson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series (which bears an obvious and admitted debt to Cook's works) prior to delving into this omnibus. I knew that the two series shared similarities, but knew precious little of the Black Company before I began.

Those similarities are pretty evident: both write in a rather clipped style and much attention is paid to military conflict. There are also some pretty big differences. Cook seems not at all interested in world building--city and town names are given with little detail given to where they are in relationship to each other and there is no map included with the book. In a lot of fantasy, a lot of the story is the journey; here, much of the journey is simply summarized. In the world of the Black Company, these details are not as important as the people who undertake them.

I also found the characters in Cook's world to be much more three-dimensional. This isn't a knock on Erickson, since he is juggling many more characters, but there are certain archetypes that show up in Malazan that serve the same function but in different portions/time periods of the world (comic relief, mysterious old god, etc.).

There was also a romantic thread that ran through all of these three books that started out as coloring and then blossomed into a major plot strand that I particularly liked, as it allowed the hard men and women who inhabit these books a chance to be more human.

I think both Erickson and Cook's works are worthy reads for anyone who enjoys fantasy: both write conflict-heavy page-turners that you'll being racing through to see what happens next. If you're looking for something epic and complicated, then Erickson is your man; if you're prefer something more straightforward and self-contained, then this omnibus is for you. Fans of one author who have never read the other are hereby encouraged to do so.
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24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Gritty and real fantasy setting December 17, 2007
Format:Paperback
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!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars best series ever
Once a year I read the entire series. It's that good. I wish they would make it a movie. It's lord of the rings on steroids
Published 12 hours ago by John reiter
4.0 out of 5 stars It's okay
I've only read the Chronicles of the Black Company and may try some more of Mr. Cook's other books about the Black Company but what I've read so far wasn't exactly what I was... Read more
Published 13 days ago by oncewas
5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptionally well-told story
The Black Company isn't perfect, a lot of which owes to its somewhat special style of writing, like a diary rather than a truly descriptive story. Read more
Published 14 days ago by Grimgor
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic read
I read the Black Company when it was published in the 80s. Now I am giving to my teenage nephews to enjoy.
Published 14 days ago by jsoul
4.0 out of 5 stars read few books written in that way
enjoyed it thouroughly , not the run off the mill fantasy book .will keep a eye out for second installment
Published 14 days ago by phil smith
5.0 out of 5 stars WILL READ EVERY YEAR FROM NOW ON...
I bought the first omnibus after it was suggested to me and just finished reading the third book. This is honestly one of the best series I've ever read and I've decided to collect... Read more
Published 19 days ago by Little Dot in West Texas
5.0 out of 5 stars A brillaint world setting
Glen Cook has created a great bunch of characters you can get into and believe in and put them into a brilliant world setting. I have read this entire series several times.
Published 21 days ago by S. Dennis
2.0 out of 5 stars Just not good
For some reason I just couldnt get into this book. Author doesnt do a great job of introducing the characters and giving me a reason to care. Gave up after 100 pages.
Published 22 days ago by Pasquale F. Buffolino
4.0 out of 5 stars Nice compilation
I like it when these older books in a series are compiled into sets. I wasn't sure about these books when I first started reading them, the authors style takes some getting used to... Read more
Published 22 days ago by bbarber
4.0 out of 5 stars A dark world
Most of modern fantasy environmnets are violent. But this world is dark and unforgiving. Human nature here expose its worst. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Bernardi Francesco
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affordable black company #8 book or 7&8 omnibus?
http://www.amazon.com/Return-Black-Company-Glen-Cook/dp/0765324008/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272392369&sr=1-2
Apr 27, 2010 by N. Dulis |  See all 2 posts
Black company omnibus by Tor?
That seems to be what's happening, they have the books of the south coming in in June 2008 (plus the Silver Spike) and I would presume that late this year or early next year we'll see the Books of the Glittering Stone. I'm waiting more for the two books in the series that Glen said he still... Read more
Apr 21, 2008 by Matthew Van Opens |  See all 4 posts
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