Dreams of Steel (The Fifth Chronicle of the Black Company) (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "Many months have passed..." (more)
Key Phrases: glittering stone, Black Company, Year of the Skulls, Jahamaraj Jah (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Sheer page-turning fun--indeed, sometimes I turned the pages so quickly in the heat of adventure that I had to turn back again to see what actually happened!"--Robin McKinley, author of The Hero and the Crown
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Review

"Sheer page-turning fun--indeed, sometimes I turned the pages so quickly in the heat of adventure that I had to turn back again to see what actually happened!"
--Robin McKinley, author of The Hero and the Crown

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1St Edition edition (May 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812502108
• ISBN-13: 978-0812502107
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #512,791 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 6 in The Black Company Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Standard Cook Outing Marred By Sloppy Ending, May 13, 2001

By	Elyon (Mesilla, New Mexico) - See all my reviews

The last "Book of the South" is really not a conclusion at all, but a segue into the four books comprising to date "The Glittering Stone." Despite arguments between earlier reviewers as to whether this book represents a departure from his earlier novels, I found this to be fairly typical Black Company fare, regardless of the introduction of Indian religion or who was keeping the Annals. Cook has previously written from multiple perspectives, and the increase here only offers the potential for a richer character development and perspective, complaints of not caring for characters other than Croaker, One-Eye and Goblin speaking more to the limitations of interest in individual readers than a desire on the part of the writer to enliven or enrich his narrative. The same might be said of the recent inclusion of Southeastern Asian mythology and religion, were Cook not so bald in his borrowings. I can think of other authors who have recently drawn from this source---Steven Erikson or more pointedly Martha Wells in "Wheel of the Infinite---who have done a far better job recontextualizing their sources. But if concerns over derivatives primarily influenced our thinking, it is doubtful any of us would be reading The Black Company.

There are other reasons one turns to this series---the delightful if by now typecast crew of scoundrels, the fast-paced and action-driven narrative and Cook's not to be undervalued ability at rapidly stringing us along through a sequence of events direct if relatively uncomplicated in their presentation. True, the author does mix it up with intrigue, but all the various plots stay relatively at the surface, what mystery that is present most often due to a lack of information than a true building of suspense. But for those moments when one wishes sheer, unadulterated avenues of escape guised as heroic fantasy, more often than not Cook delivers.

However, in this entry Cook fails to resolve his narrative even as a credible cliffhanger. Instead he summarily and loosely ties up the various threads, even while rushing leaving most of them still dangling, and, without giving too much away, introduces certain new dramatic developments from a distance, announcing them and then simply discarding them in a couple of pages. There is a sense here that the author suddenly wished to wrap up this chapter of the saga and move on to other narrative pastures, even while leaving as well as adding things hanging. The fact that a six-year hiatus followed before the author again picked up the story reinforces this conclusion. However, this is sheer speculation. All I can say is that the end of this novel is abrupt and very dissatisfying, as much so if for different reasons as the extreme cliffhanger that concluded "Shadow Games." I have come to accept that Cook plays fast and loose with his plots and characters, often resurrecting them, remining earlier storylines or conventions, or introducing elements without clear explanation or motive. Nonetheless, in the past these failings have largely been able to be submerged by the author's relative strengths in story telling and non-stop management of action. This however left me cold and questioning the author's investment in his story and audience, unavoidably raising questions as to my own continued participation.

But for the conclusion, this is typical Cook fare, with all the usual rewards and weaknesses. For that reason I have given it the same marks I've given to his previous novels, in the main not seeing a substantial shift, either for better or worse, in what is being offered. However, were I to weight the ending, this book would not be the equal, nor would "Shadow Games," of what has preceded. While I am not abandoning the series, the next book will need to prove to me that the author is once again committed to the Company.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, just different, February 19, 2000

By	Silverhammer (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews

Take the other reviews of this book with a grain of salt. Yes, it's a bit slower and yes, the narrative is split between more characters, but it's written that way for a reason. 'Shadow Games' and 'Dreams of Steel' taken together are meant to be a transition between the old Company of the "Books of the North" trilogy and the new Company of the "Glittering Stone" trilogy.

The Company is scattered and nearly ruined after their defeat at Dejagore, so DUH! of course it's going to take them time to get their act together. (Be glad that they pull it off in just one book.) Everyone is still alive and kicking -- Croaker, Lady, One-Eye, Goblin, Murgen, Mogaba, even a few of the Taken -- but they're all changed for the experience.

And that's the whole point: things change -- including the Black Company. If you're expecting the same old same old missions and schemes from the first book, you'll be disappointed. We already know who they are and how they operate, so it's time for them to take on something new.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic Black Company, November 21, 2000

By	J. Enright "Mystic" (Seguin, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I`ve read some reviews that were less than glowing about this title. But in a series that runs through ten volumes some effort has to be expended to hold all the plot lines together. The first few times I read Tolkien's Two Towers, it was my least favorite volume of the Lord of the Rings. Because it mostly just maintianed a multitude of plot lines. Over the years, Two Towers has become my favorite. Dreams of Steel has a similar function in the Black Company series. It tells a necessary part of the story. It also demonstrates Cook's ability to develop a character. Lady may not have been the ideal analyst, but then, neither would One Eye. So Dreams of Steel is presented as the work of a less than perfect chronicler. Dreams of Steel is a great read and an important part of a great epic tale. I recommend it for any Glen Cook / Black Company fan.