absurtiddy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kensingtonska's review
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
coniferus's review against another edition
3.0
As excited as I was for a new entry in the Black Company series, the fact that I was able to put this down halfway through for five years probably says something. Most of the book feels like the set-up, with the last quarter feeling a little more like the energy and pace of the others. It sort of addresses some questions (that no one ever asked) about Croaker, Lady and the Taken, and a period of time never referenced by anyone (explained hand-wavingly therein). I turned the last page somewhat unsatisfied, but I’m glad to have finished it.
jonmhansen's review against another edition
4.0
It's a good one, a reach back to the early days of the series, when the prose was simple, carrying the story along like an old soldier sitting in a bar, telling about the wars he fought in his youth. The problem is trying to fit it into the established narrative without upending it. Mostly succeeds, but it's not perfect.
bookmason's review against another edition
3.0
I have loved the Black Company novels for decades and had great hopes for this, but sadly though it brought back memories it lacked something.
It feels like an ending to the series, but a confusing one and the story really doesn't go anywhere. Names and faces pass through, but it nothing ever really gels.
It feels like an ending to the series, but a confusing one and the story really doesn't go anywhere. Names and faces pass through, but it nothing ever really gels.
davidscrimshaw's review against another edition
5.0
Gosh it was great to be back with the Croaker and the Black Company, especially in a time before everything was pathologically dark and horrible.
drkappitan's review against another edition
3.0
It gets three stars because I bothered to finish listening to it, but I won't be looking up his other stuff. The narrative style does not do it for me--too choppy, which is especially hard to follow in the audiobook.
carroq's review against another edition
5.0
I'm a huge fan of the Black Company series. Croaker is an awesome character, and this book is basically all about him, so I thought it was pretty fantastic. This takes place between a couple of the earlier books in the series. It touches on some events from the first book, but not enough that you'd have to read that book. This book can be confusing as hell despite that. I found that just sitting back, enjoying the story, and not worrying about where it was going helped a whole lot.
There are appearances by some favorite characters (mostly the Company wizards), some old enemies (the Taken), and some new faces. The mix of characters worked well for this story. The creepy necromancer's part of the tale works out great in the end. It seems out of place at the beginning, but the different perspective is nice. This is not a perfect book by any means, but I so enjoy Cook's writing style and, even though the Company takes a bit of a break in this book, it was great to get an opportunity to return to this setting and the characters. I'm ready for more stories about the Black Company.
There are appearances by some favorite characters (mostly the Company wizards), some old enemies (the Taken), and some new faces. The mix of characters worked well for this story. The creepy necromancer's part of the tale works out great in the end. It seems out of place at the beginning, but the different perspective is nice. This is not a perfect book by any means, but I so enjoy Cook's writing style and, even though the Company takes a bit of a break in this book, it was great to get an opportunity to return to this setting and the characters. I'm ready for more stories about the Black Company.
lanko's review against another edition
2.0
I was really up for this. It has been what? Almost 20 years since Soldiers Live? And to make thinks even better, this starts really well... but it became boring pretty quickly. Took me a month to read it. And a month was also the time to read the entire series last year.
It starts with the Company guys we all love and cherish, there is banter between One-Eye and Goblin, even the long sections of playing tonk that appeared in the other novels. The Captain, Lieutenant, Silent, Elmo, the guys are all there.
Heck, the guys even pull one on the Limper right at the beginning. Good times.
Then the plot "starts" and... it's a really non-sense one, not to mention not packed with much action, barely any military incursion and descriptions like in the previous books. Believe it or not, it's mostly focused on Croaker playing at "hard-boiled-and-violent-mercenary-but-cutesy-and-clumsy-family-man" with a fake wife and children.
Well, near the very end (at about 98%) comes the bomb and everything makes sense about this and it'll probably make you wonder a lot about some things... but still, it didn't make the story up until that point any more enjoyable to go through.
There's a backstory featuring characters back in the Domination, with the Dominator himself and some of the Senjak sisters at the front.
I think Cook totally nailed the personality of the crazy but genius mage, but I really wanted more story on the Domination, not the direction it took.
There's also some random stuff thrown in, like lots of Asian names (Kuroneko, Shironeko, Baku, etc) and clones of magical asian girls (yes, seriously) coming out of nowhere, even yukatas suddenly appear (and how does Croaker know what one is?) Or why people were using it at that place? Considering these clones are based on sisters of a certain someone, it made it even more confusing.
It all becomes focused on this, the Company itself and its other great members pretty much vanish into the background, along with the other Taken, the Domination or anything that could've been explorer.
Anyway, after almost 20 years, it was good to see some of the guys back, but at the same time wondered if they deserved a little better.
It starts with the Company guys we all love and cherish, there is banter between One-Eye and Goblin, even the long sections of playing tonk that appeared in the other novels. The Captain, Lieutenant, Silent, Elmo, the guys are all there.
Heck, the guys even pull one on the Limper right at the beginning. Good times.
Then the plot "starts" and... it's a really non-sense one, not to mention not packed with much action, barely any military incursion and descriptions like in the previous books. Believe it or not, it's mostly focused on Croaker playing at "hard-boiled-and-violent-mercenary-but-cutesy-and-clumsy-family-man" with a fake wife and children.
Well, near the very end (at about 98%) comes the bomb and everything makes sense about this and it'll probably make you wonder a lot about some things... but still, it didn't make the story up until that point any more enjoyable to go through.
There's a backstory featuring characters back in the Domination, with the Dominator himself and some of the Senjak sisters at the front.
I think Cook totally nailed the personality of the crazy but genius mage, but I really wanted more story on the Domination, not the direction it took.
There's also some random stuff thrown in, like lots of Asian names (Kuroneko, Shironeko, Baku, etc) and clones of magical asian girls (yes, seriously) coming out of nowhere, even yukatas suddenly appear (and how does Croaker know what one is?) Or why people were using it at that place? Considering these clones are based on sisters of a certain someone, it made it even more confusing.
It all becomes focused on this, the Company itself and its other great members pretty much vanish into the background, along with the other Taken, the Domination or anything that could've been explorer.
Anyway, after almost 20 years, it was good to see some of the guys back, but at the same time wondered if they deserved a little better.
voeggroll's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
It's an in-between-quel that takes place after the Battle of Charm, but before Juniper.
It's and interesting read, but ultimately shares the same fate as other stories set within stories...it doesn't change anything.
This was written some 30+ years after the original trilogy, and while it was a good read, it's hard, for me, to not feel like it was a waste of time because, again, nothing is added or taken away from what we know will come to pass.
It's and interesting read, but ultimately shares the same fate as other stories set within stories...it doesn't change anything.
This was written some 30+ years after the original trilogy, and while it was a good read, it's hard, for me, to not feel like it was a waste of time because, again, nothing is added or taken away from what we know will come to pass.