I've recently read all of the Black Company Series for the first time. Let me first say that I really enjoyed these books. I have a few questions that I'm hoping someone can answer for me.....
1. What exactly happened at the end? Croaker and Shivetya (sp) changed bodies. Is everything after that an assumption? Meaning, when "the new" croaker dies, what happens to the croaker in Shivetya? I get the impression he is also able to bring Lady's powers back to what they were, is this correct?
2. I've read alot of complaints that Cook built these characters up, then you come across them in Soldiers Live, and they are dead. I understand Croaker can't see all, it's all in first person perspective. So whatever he sees, gets put in the annals. If this is true, then why do we get any story at the end of Soldiers Live with Mogaba. There were no black company members around him, or crows at times, and we still knew what he was doing? Does this make sense?
3. Was it ever told what ever happened to Sahra? Did I miss something? Was just missing, and assumed dead?
I should go back and reread the last 100 pages of Soldiers Live. I flew through it, knowing I had a new series to start.
Thanks
Ryan
> I did a search on yahoo and found a blurb about 2 new
> Dread Empire novels(release date not yet released).
> Just thought you'd like to know. Any news on when
> Buthcher's Apprentice is due out? We need to get more
> people reading Glen's books so he can quit his day job
> and devote all his time to entertaining us! Does that
> sound selfish? Oh, well.
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________
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> Yahoo! Search - Find what youÆre looking for faster
Thank you for the quick reply and for answering my questions.
I was looking at the Garrett novels, and they really don't interest me story-wise. Anyone have a different opinion on this? Black Co vs Garrett/Darkwar/Dread Empire Series?
I haven't looked into Darkwar or the Dread Empire Series at all. Anyone think these are as good / better than the Black Company novels.
I've been told to try Stephen Erickson for a War-Fantasy series.
Thanks again
> At 03:50 PM 3/8/2004 +0000, ryan.dragon@comcast.net wrote:
> >I've recently read all of the Black Company Series for the first
> >time. Let me first say that I really enjoyed these books. I have a few
> >questions that I'm hoping someone can answer for me.....
>
> Welcome to the family. :)
>
> >1. What exactly happened at the end? Croaker and Shivetya (sp) changed
> >bodies. Is everything after that an assumption? Meaning, when "the new"
> >croaker dies, what happens to the croaker in Shivetya? I get the
> >impression he is also able to bring Lady's powers back to what they were,
> >is this correct?
>
> There's some indeterminacy, as usual--whenever anyone in one of Cook's
> novels is certain about something, you need to be suspicious. The idea,
> however, is that Shivetya was made immortal, and wanted to die; an immortal
> Croaker will be able to act as the Living Chronicle--he can remember
> everyone. So presumably, Croaker as Shivetya is immortal, or practically so.
>
> And yes, Croaker is able to provide Lady with power, although the question
> as to whether she's back to full strength is left open.
>
> >2. I've read alot of complaints that Cook built these characters up, then
> >you come across them in Soldiers Live, and they are dead. I understand
> >Croaker can't see all, it's all in first person perspective. So whatever
> >he sees, gets put in the annals. If this is true, then why do we get any
> >story at the end of Soldiers Live with Mogaba. There were no black
> >company members around him, or crows at times, and we still knew what he
> >was doing? Does this make sense?
>
> Cook often shows us fragments from other characters' perspectives. In the
> early books, he tries to make it clear that Croaker heard these stories
> later and wrote/embellished them into his own account. By the time we get
> to the Books of the South he's no longer bothering with that conceit, and
> we sit in on meetings of Shadowmasters which are unlikely to have been
> reported to the Keeper of the Annals, even before the whole "floating
> vision" thing starts.
>
> As for the complaints, I find Cook's approach more true to life. Old
> friends we've been out of touch with eventually may pass on, silently and
> invisibly from our perspective, and when we hear about their passing it's
> in the same dry, quiet way. In a book (and a series) which is deeply
> concerned with remembering the dead, I think it's an important device for
> Cook to use.
>
> >3. Was it ever told what ever happened to Sahra? Did I miss
> >something? Was just missing, and assumed dead?
>
> IIRC, that's slightly ambiguous, as at one point she's thought to be dead
> but not, while at another point she may actually be dead. So she's
> probably a ghost/spirit, but I'm not sure that's 100% determinable based on
> the available evidence. Anyone have a better memory?
If you liked the Black company definately go for the Dread Empire
series. Darwar you'll either like or really not like. It was not one
of my favorites.
Mike
ryan.dragon@comcast.net wrote:
>Thank you for the quick reply and for answering my questions.
>
>I was looking at the Garrett novels, and they really don't interest me story-wise. Anyone have a different opinion on this? Black Co vs Garrett/Darkwar/Dread Empire Series?
>
>I haven't looked into Darkwar or the Dread Empire Series at all. Anyone think these are as good / better than the Black Company novels.
>
>I've been told to try Stephen Erickson for a War-Fantasy series.
