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A review by lanko
The Silver Spike by Glen Cook
3.0
I guess a few characters needed closure when people went different paths in the last book, but bizarrely, it was the arc of the new characters that carried the book.
Let's talk about the good things first. Smeds Stahl and his gang initially didn't look like much, but they became more awesome and awesome as the story kept going. These were normal people, villagers, going bonkers on the freaking imperial army and on the Lady's wizards.
Some cunningly amazing thinking and improvisation.
On the other hand, our old timers didn't have the same level of quality to them.
Darling, Raven, Silent and Bomanz go north while the Company goes south, joined by Case.
Then a freaking love triangle happens between Darling, Raven and Silent. Silent doesn't speak. Raven is now a drunken and depressive moron. So they can't even really argue or fight. They were so ridiculous and the situation almost unbelievable that I wouldn't doubt one bit this was inspired by a real case. Not that it would make it more fun to read if it was.
Darling had some Mary Sue tendencies in the last book, like being a military genius at the age of twenty-something impressing even the most veteran members of the Company. Now here she understands politics without ever any mention of her studying, reading or being mentored in anything like that. She just picks it up in the air and suddenly has all the answers.
She never held a sword before and neither is she a strong girl, now she even swings around massive two handed swords.
Bomanz didn't appear much and Case was the only interesting guy.
What a disappointment for our old timers we spent so much time with in the previous books.
The Limper is back again, but he got defeated so easily and so many times before that it was kinda of hard to take anything he did seriously. And this time even common guys wrecked the floor with him. Though he head some brilliant moments of insanity and rage. And his fate was pretty gruesome.
Smeds and gang still managed to make the story interesting enough, but the ending was very unsatisfactory, as it really seemed to come out of nowhere.
Silent pretty much suicides in a ridiculous manner.
After this Darling and Case decide to bang and go plant potatoes for the rest of their lives.
The end.
What the actual hell?
Maybe 3* was generous, but better not to think too much of it...
Let's talk about the good things first. Smeds Stahl and his gang initially didn't look like much, but they became more awesome and awesome as the story kept going. These were normal people, villagers, going bonkers on the freaking imperial army and on the Lady's wizards.
Some cunningly amazing thinking and improvisation.
On the other hand, our old timers didn't have the same level of quality to them.
Darling, Raven, Silent and Bomanz go north while the Company goes south, joined by Case.
Then a freaking love triangle happens between Darling, Raven and Silent. Silent doesn't speak. Raven is now a drunken and depressive moron. So they can't even really argue or fight. They were so ridiculous and the situation almost unbelievable that I wouldn't doubt one bit this was inspired by a real case. Not that it would make it more fun to read if it was.
Darling had some Mary Sue tendencies in the last book, like being a military genius at the age of twenty-something impressing even the most veteran members of the Company. Now here she understands politics without ever any mention of her studying, reading or being mentored in anything like that. She just picks it up in the air and suddenly has all the answers.
She never held a sword before and neither is she a strong girl, now she even swings around massive two handed swords.
Bomanz didn't appear much and Case was the only interesting guy.
What a disappointment for our old timers we spent so much time with in the previous books.
The Limper is back again, but he got defeated so easily and so many times before that it was kinda of hard to take anything he did seriously. And this time even common guys wrecked the floor with him. Though he head some brilliant moments of insanity and rage. And his fate was pretty gruesome.
Smeds and gang still managed to make the story interesting enough, but the ending was very unsatisfactory, as it really seemed to come out of nowhere.
Spoiler
The spike contains the spirit of the Dominator. You can't touch it with your bare hands. Everybody knows this. Then Raven goes grab it. The Limper was already dealt with and no threat was nearby. He goes and grabs it with his bare hands for God knows why. Then he laughs maniacally. Then he gets a javelin in the face and dies.Silent pretty much suicides in a ridiculous manner.
After this Darling and Case decide to bang and go plant potatoes for the rest of their lives.
The end.
What the actual hell?
Maybe 3* was generous, but better not to think too much of it...