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A review by lynmars79
The Many Deaths of the Black Company by Glen Cook
4.0
I liked Sleepy's chronicle, and the idea of her playing a long game. Her own observation of it being a struggle between powerful women was an interesting one; in the first series, women were few and far between, and discounted even. There were 3 major female characters in the first Black Company novel, but over time their prominence has increased, and the respect of the men earned.
The increased magic being so common bothered me slightly, as I feel it did Croaker in the final book; the Black Company is "spoiled" by the various magical aids they've gained over the years. Tobo's Hidden Shadows are reminiscent of the critters from the Plain of Fear that attached themselves to Darling. The reliance on the magic posts, clothes, carpets, creatures, and so on pulled the story away somewhat from nitty gritty fantasy--but on the other hand, it's not much different from modern armies making use of available technology.
The final march back to Taglios feels like a war of attrition, and many characters die (as the name indicates). There's also still the Daughter of Night to deal with--and emotions factor into that as well as some other old enemies and friends.
New Company members are made, many familiar folks are lost, the Annals continue in the hands of two young wizard converts. By the end, only one person from the original novels is left free and standing; another is left in half-sleeping suspension, and the third..."puts down the pen" in a highly fantastical manner that makes sense for him. Croaker's nearly-religious devotion to the Company comes second only to his thirst for knowledge and truth in history.
The entirety of the series defies many common tropes and conventions of fiction, and the last novels are no exception to that; it makes for a refreshing change of pace, some unpredictability, and managed to choke me up as the last words came across the page.
"Soldiers live. And wonder why" indeed.
If Cook does continue the series again--as rumors indicate--then the Black Company will be very different from this original series. I'm all right with that, in the end, but it will take a long time before the attachments to Croaker and his old gang fade.
The increased magic being so common bothered me slightly, as I feel it did Croaker in the final book; the Black Company is "spoiled" by the various magical aids they've gained over the years. Tobo's Hidden Shadows are reminiscent of the critters from the Plain of Fear that attached themselves to Darling. The reliance on the magic posts, clothes, carpets, creatures, and so on pulled the story away somewhat from nitty gritty fantasy--but on the other hand, it's not much different from modern armies making use of available technology.
The final march back to Taglios feels like a war of attrition, and many characters die (as the name indicates). There's also still the Daughter of Night to deal with--and emotions factor into that as well as some other old enemies and friends.
New Company members are made, many familiar folks are lost, the Annals continue in the hands of two young wizard converts. By the end, only one person from the original novels is left free and standing; another is left in half-sleeping suspension, and the third..."puts down the pen" in a highly fantastical manner that makes sense for him. Croaker's nearly-religious devotion to the Company comes second only to his thirst for knowledge and truth in history.
The entirety of the series defies many common tropes and conventions of fiction, and the last novels are no exception to that; it makes for a refreshing change of pace, some unpredictability, and managed to choke me up as the last words came across the page.
"Soldiers live. And wonder why" indeed.
If Cook does continue the series again--as rumors indicate--then the Black Company will be very different from this original series. I'm all right with that, in the end, but it will take a long time before the attachments to Croaker and his old gang fade.