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jessealejandro's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
exterus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
absurtiddy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
shipwrecked_alien's review against another edition
2.0
"Next year in Khatovar..."
I think at this point I like the idea of the Black Company better than the story itself. Or maybe I'm just overly nostalgic for the first trilogy. I miss the Ten, I miss the rebel sorcerers, most of all I miss Croaker as annalist. I can see why the change of narrator was necessary and it's interesting to get someone else's perspective, but after 670 pages of Murgen whining about his wife I just can't take it anymore.
Bleak Seasons was a confusing mess (yes, it's supposed to be confusing, but it annoyed me more than making me courious about what's going on) and She Is the Darkness was just an endless repetition of Murgen going through the motions which made the whole second book feel more like one man's personal diary than the annals of a band of mercenaries. Again, it's supposed to be this way and there is a rather funny scene where Croaker tells Murgen that he doesn't like his books. I'm harboring some faint hopes that we might get Sleepy as narrator for the next book. Maybe....
Side note: When did the Howler become my favourite character? The poor guy has turned into such a sad little blob, it's kinda funny.
I think at this point I like the idea of the Black Company better than the story itself. Or maybe I'm just overly nostalgic for the first trilogy. I miss the Ten, I miss the rebel sorcerers, most of all I miss Croaker as annalist. I can see why the change of narrator was necessary and it's interesting to get someone else's perspective, but after 670 pages of Murgen whining about his wife I just can't take it anymore.
Bleak Seasons was a confusing mess (yes, it's supposed to be confusing, but it annoyed me more than making me courious about what's going on) and She Is the Darkness was just an endless repetition of Murgen going through the motions which made the whole second book feel more like one man's personal diary than the annals of a band of mercenaries. Again, it's supposed to be this way and there is a rather funny scene where Croaker tells Murgen that he doesn't like his books. I'm harboring some faint hopes that we might get Sleepy as narrator for the next book. Maybe....
Side note: When did the Howler become my favourite character? The poor guy has turned into such a sad little blob, it's kinda funny.
sylvane_spectre's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
argent_'s review against another edition
5.0
There isn't much I can say that will surprise Glen Cook's readers. If you are this far into the series, you should know that this omnibus follows the same style as the previous ones. The only notable difference is that we get to see Murgen as the main viewpoint character, and Cook does some interesting things with that.
wmhenrymorris's review against another edition
This series just keeps getting better. The switch in narrator/Annalist takes some getting used to after spending all those pages with Croaker, but it's a good switch and a needed one really since Murgen brings a different point of view and an additional (strong) back story in to the mix. A lot happens -- some of it expected, some not. And there's enough change in relationships, situations and alliances to keep everything from going stale.
Content warning: these two novels have more instances of rough language than the previous Black Company novels. Or so it seemed to me.
Content warning: these two novels have more instances of rough language than the previous Black Company novels. Or so it seemed to me.
mrsjenniferwheeler's review against another edition
3.0
I really didn't like this one as much as the previous 2 omnibuses. I'm disappointed in the switch of viewpoint from Croaker & Lady to Murgen. There were a lot of flashbacks to incidences that had already occurred in the previous books, but told from Murgen's view inside Dejagore. So the the reader knows exactly what is going on already and is just waiting for the character to catch up to current events. And then when he does, said events aren't as fast-paced or interesting as the reader has grown accustomed to. So all-in-all this instalment gets a big "meh" from me. I hope the next one is better.