> But at the same time, I'm glad it's over in its current form.
Is it over in its current form? Suvrin has expressed much interest in keeping Company tradition...he will pick a new annalist, and the tradition would continue. Cook has many options here...he can assume the disembodied narrator, and delve into company past, he can continue the annalist voice...the possibilities are endless. Or, he could do both, and dovetail them together once in a while. My hopes for the future of the series remain bright, regardless of where it goes...I haven't been disappointed so far, and don't think I will be.
Personally, since it appears that *most* people enjoyed the books of the North more than the South, Cook should focus there.
As others have mentioned, the Domination would be perfect. Hell, even George Lucas has gone back and explained how things came to be. Wouldn't everyone like to know how Limper got that scar from Shifter? Who was the woman that became Shifter's staff? A novel (or group of novels) with chapters from each of the well-known Taken's viewpoint...how they tried to stay out of the clutches of the Dominator...how Lady and the Dominator got together...what the Taken did to catch the eye of the Dominator. The old saying is "Hold your friends close, but your enemies closer." Perhaps they were warring with the Dominator for domination, so to speak.
And who wouldn't want to see the playboy that was the Limper in his early days. Can you image him partying in Opal, making ties with Raven's great-great-great grandfather (and making time with Shifter's woman)?
Properly executed, such a series would appeal to current readers through references in the early books. We would spend time on this list trying to figure out which Taken so-and-so becomes, before the end of the series. New readers would go through the series and then want to move on to the "old" series. Like Star Wars, the series should end some years prior to the existing books...probably when the original White Rose puts down the Dominator and his minions.
And, like The Silver Spike, a separate book could be written that brings Croaker into the Company and up to Beryl. Maybe even two viewpoints...the previous Annalist, talking about how this new kid has promise, and taking him under his wing. This has the potential to be a trilogy as well, with One-eye being recruited.
Okay, Glen...you've got six more books to write. I can wait 12 to 18 years to see it finished. How about everyone else?
