My favourite poem ever, written by my favourite poet ever.
The last few lines make up the best part (and are brilliantly narrated by Judi Dench in SkyfMy favourite poem ever, written by my favourite poet ever.
The last few lines make up the best part (and are brilliantly narrated by Judi Dench in Skyfall)
We are not now that strength Which in old days moved earth and heaven. That which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield....more
In the ruins of what was once North America, the cruel and tyrannic empire of Panem is preparing for the 74th ann“May the odds be ever in your favor!”
In the ruins of what was once North America, the cruel and tyrannic empire of Panem is preparing for the 74th annual Hunger Games, gladiatorial fights where youths from all twelve outlying districts are forced into killing each other in an arena, as punishment for a forgotten rebellion.
There is something strangely compelling about the tale of Katniss Everdeen, a poor girl from the poorest of the twelve district, and her journey to the Capitol as a tribute for the Hunger Games. After volunteering for the games to save her younger sister, she embarks on a journey that will take her through the constant fear of death and the fiery passion of love both wrapped around each other. This is one of the most famous tales of our time, and to some extent there is a reason for it.
But I have a confession to make here. Sometimes, you have to go against your most established principles even though you would prefer to stick with them. I have been thinking about this since I was in the middle of reading The Hunger Games, and I am still not sure about it, but I am going to say it anyway: the movie was better than the book.
Still, I cannot escape the notion that this opinion was caused by the terrible decision to watch the movie without having read the book first. This is something I would only have done if I had no intentions of reading the book at all, and to be honest, that was the case here. I had written off this series completely, and I did not think I would ever end up reading it. So when I came home late from work one night and noticed that the movie would be shown on TV in 30 minutes, I thought "Why not watch it? It's not like I'll ever read the book." So I ended up watching the whole thing, enjoyed it a lot more than I had expected, and after that experience decided to give the books a chance after all.
This is definitely a plot-driven novel, and that made it a rather disappointing experience to read while knowing practically everything about the plot. Plot-wise, there are very few differences between the book and the movie, those few being relatively unimportant scenes from the book which have been cut in the movie.
The other aspects of the book are not particularly impressive. The writing is mediocre, with a present tense first person narrative which was not good at all. The characters are interesting enough, but suffers from comparison with the brilliant acting in the movie, where in my opinion the characters were actually heavily improved. Because of all this, I get the feeling that the book relies on the plot as its only major strength, and that the same plot is amazing enough to take the reader's attention away from the book's flaws.
The only reason why I am giving this three stars is because it seems unfair to rate it based on a comparison with the movie adaptation, while praising that movie to the skies (I would probably give it five stars). Suzanne Collins has done a brilliant job of creating a captivating tale in a really interesting dystopian setting. So I will stick with this rating even though I am a bit disappointed, and instead expect more from the next couple of books.
That said, I also feel the need to state that I did enjoy the book too. It is an astonishing novel which has put its mark on fictional literature, and I do not regret having read it. It also raises a lot of questions that I would really like to find the answers to, and I can only hope that Collins has managed to complete that task in the sequels.
If you are one of the 17 people who have not yet read this book, I would definitely recommend it, but I would also urge you to read it before watching the movie. If you have already watched the movie, skip it....more
"The Final Days are here, priest. The prophecies given to us by the Avatar centuries ago are unfolding bBuddy read with Athena, Desinka, Gavin & Kaora
"The Final Days are here, priest. The prophecies given to us by the Avatar centuries ago are unfolding before our eyes. What you call riots are the first death throes of a society which deserves to die. The Days of Atonement are upon us and the Lord of Pain soon will walk among us."
The shadow of war has fallen on the Web. The Ousters are initiating a full-scale invasion of the central planets of the Hegemony of Man. Chaos rules in the corridors of power on Tau Ceti Center. Out of reach from the clashing empires, the artificial intelligences of the TechnoCore manipulate everyone and everything. And on Hyperion itself, where battle rages in the skies and the streets alike, the pilgrims fight desperately for their lives in the Valley of the Time Tombs.
The Fall of Hyperion removes itself from the style of the masterpiece Hyperion and instead of a collection of short stories with a frame story, we get something a lot more similar to a traditional novel. The second book has only one real protagonist, a character who was also rather significant in the first. Other than that, there are secondary points of view written in third-person narrative through the protagonists's dreams. While very different from the first, this change in style was performed flawlessly by Dan Simmons, and while I did not, and still don't, find the protagonist particularly endearing, this was not a change for the worse.
The storyline was not as enthralling as that of the first book, unfortunately. This is war, pure and simple. And despite that, there are few actual battle scenes. Most of the time, our story takes places in equal parts on Tau Ceti Center and in the Valley of the Time Tombs. In the beginning, the switches between the two locations were praiseworthily interesting, but after a time, very little happened in either of the places. Except for general panic.
Characterisation is in my opinion not one of Dan Simmons's strengths. Even in the first book, there were no truly memorable characters. In a science fiction series an interesting setting can be just enough to keep the reader captivated for one book, but when you get to the sequels, you need to have strong characters who can hold the series on top. And I actually felt that Simmons managed this to some extent. The protagonist, while not my favourite, is an interesting character, mostly because of who he actually is. The Shrike remains an enigma. And while all three of the major powers; Hegemony, Ousters and Core; are difficult to root for, they are all incredibly to find out more about.
And there is one character who stands out from among the rest. Meina Gladstone, Chief Executive Officer of the Senate of the Hegemony of Man and arguably the most powerful human in the universe. Gladstone was a very minor character in Hyperion, but rose to the centre of the scene here in the second book. Gladstone is a sometimes ruthless political realist, but all her intentions are as noble as they get. It's amazing to watch her try to save a society crumbling in the flames of war, and remain a beacon of hope for billions of Hegemony citizens.
Writing a sequel to Hyperion must have been a difficult job for Dan Simmons, and it shows in the book. The Fall of Hyperion is just not as good as the first book. Both the beginning and the ending were up to it, but there's a rather large part in the middle where there is no plot or character development and it's more or less dreadfully boring. Some of the most important scenes in the book could also have been much more climactic if they had been written better.
Still, this was far from a bad book. The Hyperion Cantos has still got me firmly on the hook, and I am definitely excited to unveil the rest of the mysteries of the universe Simmons has created for us. His writing is extraordinary at times, and as a taste of it I'll leave you with my favourite passage from the series so far, which is very reminiscent of a certain fantasy author I've read a lot of books by this year.
In the dead city, screams echoed for another minute, growing fainter and farther away. Then there was a silence broken only by the doves returning to their nests, dropping into the shattered domes and towers with a soft rustle of wings.
The wind came up, rattling loose Perspex panes and masonry, shifting brittle leaves across dry fountains, finding entrance through the broken panes of the dome and lifting manuscript pages in a gentle whirlwind, some pages escaping to be blown across the silent courtyards and empty walkways and collapsed aqueducts.
After a while, the wind died, and then nothing moved in the City of Poets.
Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
“Have you ever dreamt? At night, with your eyes closed?... Then you know that even with eyCopy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
“Have you ever dreamt? At night, with your eyes closed?... Then you know that even with eyes closed, even in complete darkness, your mind can fill a frame for you, your soul, to observe and experience – a stage with color and atmosphere are as realistic as the visions you perceive while awake. This is how we Elders and the undead see, for we look at the world through an astral plane congruent with physical reality, where emotions are tangible shapes, and hopes, fears, and regrets collect themselves into transparent auras.”
A deadly disease of the blood known only as dyscrasia is infecting the insectan elders inhabiting the Underworld. The only one who can save them is a golem necromancer by the name of Doctor Grave. By preserving the soul of his dead Queen and merging it with the souls of the lords of the Lysis clan, Grave buys himself enough time to complete the rituals and obtain the powers and skills needed to resurrect her. But as the time draws near, the last surviving lord, Endenken Lysis, embarks upon a quest of his own.
The world-building seems a bit hurried, and suffers from the fact that the book is very short. The setting itself, however, is remarkably interesting. From the depths of the Underworld Forge to the peaks of Gravenstyne Fortress, S.E. Lindberg has managed to create a world of insects and huge birds, of harrowing diseases and rampaging hordes of undead. I would have very much liked to see what this world be like if it were much larger and more developed. But based on what we get to see here, I am quite impressed by this particular aspect.
The characters are a bunch of strange folks. No heroes, no villains and no clichés. Here is Endenken Lysis, last surviving lord of the Lysis clan and on a desperate quest for vengeance. Here is Doctor Grave, the golem necromantic surgeon whose life is devoted to the revival of his monarch. Here is Dey the artist, his mother Maeve, and Cypria and Haemarr, the last Elders of the avian and insectan races. There are not many characters appearing in the book, and few of them are above average, but overall they are quite an enjoyable bunch.
The storyline itself is where the book suffers. It fails to engage the reader, at least in my case. I was and still am very interested in the setting, and occasionally in some of the characters and their motivations, but the story was unfortunately not quite enough to make the book as good as it could have been. At times it was interesting enough, but often it was a bit boring, and while the book as a whole was rather good, this pulls it down a notch.
Under the title on the cover of the book, it says 'Graphic Sword & Sorcery', and this is indeed something like a midway point between a novel and a graphic novel. The pages are filled with sketches vividly portraying the scenes already described in writing. None of the artwork is particularly remarkable, but it does add something to the book that it could not have achieved by itself.
What is left to say is that Lords of Dyscrasia is a very well thought-out, and surprisingly innovative book. It's difficult to find any works of fantasy to compare it with, mostly because it avoids common tropes, and instead works on finding a way of its own. The main theme is the exploration of choices made by mortals and gods alike, and the consequences they have, something that is very well executed. It is pulled down by elements of plot, characterisation and world-building, but in the end it was an enjoyable read which made me interested about reading more from this world and this author. I would recommend it to everyone who wants a different fantasy experience....more
The Nicomachean Ethics is one of the greatest works of Aristotle, the famous philosopher who was really much more of a scientist than a philosopher. TThe Nicomachean Ethics is one of the greatest works of Aristotle, the famous philosopher who was really much more of a scientist than a philosopher. This is the book where he indulges in the discussion of happiness, virtue, ethics, politics, and really anything else describing the way in which human beings functioned together in the society of a Greek city-state of early Antiquity.
Especially in the field of politics, this work excels, and Aristotle puts forth a particularly interesting theory on the forms of government. According to him, there are really only three different forms of government, but each of them comes with a corresponding corrupt deviation. The finest form of government, he says, is the monarchy, the rule of one. But its corresponding deviation, which is tyranny, is the worst form of government, and the line between the two is thin and sinuous. Likewise, the second finest form of government is the aristocracy, the rule of the best. And aristocracy in its corrupted form is oligarchy, the second worst form of government. Lastly, the third finest form of government is timocracy, the rule of property-owners, which was strikingly similar to the political system already existing in Aristotle's Athens. But the corrupt form of timocracy, he says, is democracy, a system in which society has deviated into a constant squabble where everyone seeks to advance their own interests rather than the interests of the state. The conclusion seems to be that as long as long as the rulers of the state are just and competent, it is better the fewer they are. But if the rulers are unjust and incompetent, the opposite is true. To those as interested in political theory as I am, I would recommend just reading Book VIII, and skipping all the rest.
The most interesting thing about the book, however, is that the writing is absolutely terrible. Not the language, mind you, but the style in which the book is written. What is truly incredible is that the writing here is exactly how an average academic writer today would write his or her books. On one hand, that made this book ridiculously boring to read. On the other, it was really interesting because it proves how much modern academics owe to the legacy of Aristotle. And that they should find another source of inspiration, since for instance Plato was a far better writer than his most famous pupil.
I would recommend this book only to those particularly interested in philosophical, political and ethical theory, and even then I would suggest just opening the book and reading the parts that sound interesting to you instead of attempting the dreary business of reading it as a whole....more
Deep in the shady sadness of a vale Far sunken from the healthy breath of morn.
Hyperion...
Imagine a universe where the Earth has been destroyed and huDeep in the shady sadness of a vale Far sunken from the healthy breath of morn.
Hyperion...
Imagine a universe where the Earth has been destroyed and humanity is spread out across hundreds of planets. Combine the artful poetry of John Keats with a science fiction retelling of the Canterbury Tales. Add tons of references to the myths and legends of the three Abrahamic religions, and what you have is Hyperion. A masterpiece of literature.
Seven pilgrims come together aboard the treeship Yggdrasil to make a journey to the remote planet Hyperion, outside the authority and jurisdiction of the Hegemony of Man. Each and every one of them has been specifically chosen by the Church of Final Atonement to undertake a pilgrimage to the enigmatic creature known only as the Shrike. And each and every one of them has been chosen because of a personal connection with the planet itself. Thus begins a quest to uncover the lost secrets hidden within the Valley of the Time Tombs, a place from which no pilgrim has ever come back alive.
This book deserves to be hailed alongside the greatest works of science fiction. While Dan Simmons’ writing is not something memorable in itself, he certainly makes up for it with the creation of his characters, his setting and most importantly his story.
The most fascinating part of the book is definitely the mystery of the Time Tombs themselves, huge structures that supposedly move backwards through time, originating in a distant future. Thus the book explores the concept of time itself, and the unforeseen consequences the effects of the Tombs have had and will have on the pilgrims' lives and the universe as a whole.
Hyperion is more a collection of short stories with an overarching frame story than an actual novel. That structure is part of what makes the book so much of a joy to read. Every chapter has one of the pilgrims tell his or her tale to the others in order to share information that will be vital for their survival and the success of their mission. And each tale brings the group closer to the Valley of the Time Tombs, where the Shrike is waiting for them.
The Priest, the Soldier, the Poet, the Scholar, the Detective, the Consul and the Templar. All of them with a with a story to tell and a part to play.
Still singing loudly, not looking back, matching stride for stride, they descended into the valley.
Rat Queens, Vol. 1: Sass & Sorcery takes place in the small town of Palisade and is a humourous tale of monster-slaying mercenary gangs, involving mosRat Queens, Vol. 1: Sass & Sorcery takes place in the small town of Palisade and is a humourous tale of monster-slaying mercenary gangs, involving mostly violence and killing and drinking booze. Lots of booze. And lots of violence too.
The main characters are Hannah the Elven mage, Violet the Dwarven fighter, Dee the Human cleric and Betty the Goblin thief. Together they form the merry band known as the Rat Queens, and spend their time fighting monsters in the outskirts of the town and getting drunk in the local tavern. But suddenly a mysterious killer starts targeting the mercenary gangs of Palisade...
While this was not exactly a literary masterpiece, I must say I liked it a lot. Both the characters and the plot were hopelessly one-dimensional and there was nothing complex about this at all. But it's a comic, after all! I jumped into it expecting only great entertainment for a Sunday night, and I got what I wanted. This was an awesome break from the epic fantasy I usually read, and one of the more enjoyable comics I've read lately. Recommended to anyone who enjoys reading fantasy and comics....more
A dramatic sci-fi love story set in a galaxy at war. The drawings are beautiful, the humour is great, and the characters are just awesome.
The story anA dramatic sci-fi love story set in a galaxy at war. The drawings are beautiful, the humour is great, and the characters are just awesome.
The story and the setting were not as developed and interesting as the concept and the characters, and as a beginning it felt a bit too chaotic. Nevertheless, I look very much forward to reading the next issues....more
“The surest way to keep a secret is to make someone think they already know the answer.”
The tyrant God Emperor has returned to Buddy read with Athena!
“The surest way to keep a secret is to make someone think they already know the answer.”
The tyrant God Emperor has returned to the sands of Dune. The universe that was once ruled by Houses Corrino and Atreides have fallen into chaos and is controlled by dozens of bickering factions. The Bene Gesserit and the Tleilaxu struggle for power, but their ambitions are contested by billions of humans returning from the Scattering. But on the surface of Dune, a small girl might be able to break the balance when she finds that she is able to control the mighty sandworms themselves.
Heretics of Dune is a giant improvement from the last book in the series, God Emperor of Dune. There are more characters, more hidden motives and overall a more interesting storyline. Still, there is much separating even this book from the three brilliant masterpieces of the Great Dune Trilogy. The epic feel is still gone, old boring characters are recycled, and even Frank Herbert's impressive pieces of social criticism are fewer and far between than they once were.
While I enjoyed reading this book, I demand more from this series. What it needs is a breath of fresh air, and I don't know if Herbert was capable of providing that. But Dune is still one of my favourite series of all time, and my aim to read everything still stands....more
This is my review for not just this omnibus edition consisting of the last two books, but for the entire series. ------------
In the beginning, there waThis is my review for not just this omnibus edition consisting of the last two books, but for the entire series. ------------
In the beginning, there was the Black Company. In the end, the Black Company remains, relentless and unyielding, refusing to surrender to the jaws of death.
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If you’re actually intending to read all of this, then I would urge you to pour a cup of coffee or tea and make yourself comfortable. This will be the longest review I’ve written, complete with tons of quotes to make it even longer. Still not dissuaded? Well then, in my very last review of the Chronicles of the Black Company, let me indulge in my passion for storytelling and begin by telling you a little story...
In those days the Company was in service to the Syndic of Beryl... - The Black Company
Once upon a time in the city of Beryl in the north, the tale of the last of the Free Companies of Khatovar began. To me it feels like an eternity has passed since those days. Since the days when Croaker was the Company physician, Lady was the dark sorceress with supreme power over the world’s greatest empire, and fabled Khatovar was just a distant dream.
Like an avalanche of memories, the tale grew in the telling. The Black Company was recruited by the villainous Soulcatcher. It fought alongside the Ten Who Were Taken, the most powerful wizards of their time. It stood against the Dominator, the darkest shadow ever to fall upon the world. It became an instrument for the fulfilment of the prophecy of the White Rose. And it journeyed south to find its roots in the lost city of Khatovar. All the while people lived and died, new members joined and rose in the ranks, and the Company went ever onward.
The books must be written. The truth must be recorded even if fate decrees that no man ever reads a word I write. The Annals are the soul of the Black Company. They recall that this is who we are. That this is who we were. That we persevere. And that treachery, as it ever has, failed to suck the last drop of our blood. - Water Sleeps
Even though the Black Company is led by a Captain, at its heart there is always an Annalist. Some of them get appointed to the job while others take it upon themselves in times of crisis. The style of the series changes for each one. There are those who value writing long sentences and beautiful words, and there are those who insist on merely recounting facts in a direct manner. All are different, and all provide a different touch to the Annals they leave behind.
The one thing that all the books have in common, is that they are written from the viewpoint of a soldier, a member of a mercenary company in the service of whoever pays the most. And that is the greatest achievement of Glen Cook in writing this series; the fact that you get a fantasy series written not about larger-than life heroes and the classical clichéd archetypes of the genre, but about ordinary people struggling to get by in a world of darkness and despair. Steven Erikson, author of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, once stated that Glen Cook was the first fantasy author to bring the story down to a truly human level.
When it comes to the actual writing, these books are written exactly the way you would expect from the Annals of a mercenary company. There is little of the eloquence and grandeur found in the books of authors like J. R. R. Tolkien and Guy Gavriel Kay. There is mostly directness and simplicity, but there is also a lot of beauty to be found in that simplicity if you know where to look. And like this review is an example of, there are dozens of great quotes to be found while turning the pages.
An old, tired man. That is what I am. What became of the old fire, drive, ambition? There were dreams once upon a time, dreams now all but forgotten. On sad days I dust them off and fondle them nostalgically, with a patronizing wonder at the naivete of the youth who dreamed them. - The White Rose
The Chronicles of the Black Company was always Croaker’s tale. Other members of the Company have taken up the annalist’s pen from time to time, and one might argue that the protagonist of the series is the Black Company itself, but the most important character was always Croaker. He began in the first volume as the young and rash Company physician and annalist whose love for a wicked sorceress came to fruition. He later turned into a brilliant strategist and a military dictator, and in the end he goes back to his former role, and scribbles down the final volume of this wondrous story. The nostalgia is almost overwhelming.
Croaker, however, is not the character that truly made me love this series. That award goes to Lady. The Lady of the Tower. Her journey is even more astonishing than that of Croaker. Hundreds of years ago, long before the Black Company was even formed, Lady was the wife of the Dominator, the tyrannic ruler of the North and the original master of the Ten Who Were Taken. She was defeated and buried alive along with her husband long ago, but when a band of cultists tried to revive them both she betrayed him, left him in his dark tomb, and seized all power for herself. The most powerful sorceress ever to walk upon the earth, she rules her empire with an iron fist and sees everything with the Eye of Truth. Until the Black Company arrives, and her life is changed forever.
Death and despair are what we endure all our lives. This world is all one of pain and loss illuminated only briefly by moments of happiness and wonder. We must live for those times, not bemoan their passing. - She Is the Darkness
The relationship between Croaker and Lady was probably one of my favourite aspects of this series (I’m probably a secret romantic somewhere deep inside). It starts out with a young physician creating sexual fantasies in his mind about the Company’s enigmatic mistress, but after decades of war and a common history, it grows into so much more. Direct and sometimes brutal, it fits the tone of the series particularly well, and in the end it is definitely among the most fascinating and rewarding love stories in the fantasy genre. So to those looking for romance, this series has that as well!
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It would take lots of time to write about all the great characters this series has to offer, but with so many wonderful men and women, I would love for you all to get to know them at some point. Soulcatcher, the most powerful of the Ten Who Were Taken. Raven, the mysterious northern nobleman who murdered his own wife to join the Company. One-Eye and Goblin, the wizard friends who are constantly jabbing at each other. Mogaba, a high-ranking member of the warrior class of Gea-Xle. Darling, a mute farm girl with a great destiny. Narayan Singh, the living Saint of the Deceiver cult. There are heroes and villains and everything in between, and they all deserve your time.
Those who form it come and go but the Company is forever. Every brother, great or small, is a snack just not yet snapped up by the devouring maw of time. - Bleak Seasons
The time of the old members of the Black Company is soon to come to an end. A new generation is being readied to take up the mantle and the banner of the skull. Those who made up the Black Company of old are either gone or old enough to retire from soldiery forever. But in the Annals of the the Black Company, where their deeds have been written down by masters of the craft, they will never be forgotten.
In the night, when the wind dies and silence rules the place of glittering stone, I remember. And they all live again. - Soldiers Live
Well then, a question arises. After all the three and four-star ratings for the separate books (there was even a two-star rating), how can I possibly justify giving five solid stars to the series as a whole? Have I just had a fit of irrational generosity? No, the thing is that I’ve decided to present the series with the only rating it deserves, instead of the rating I would have to give it if I were to pick the average of my book ratings. Each of the books can be considered a relatively small piece in a much greater puzzle, and in the end all the pieces come together, leaving a result that is surprisingly close to perfection despite the flaws of each individual piece.
The Chronicles of the Black Company is, in the end, one of my all-time favourite fantasy series. To be able to come along on the grand journeys of this ragged band of mercenaries has been a wonderful literary experience. These are not the most skillfully written books ever published. They do not have the most enchanting story either. There is just something about them. Something that makes me want more. Something that makes me want to read them again from the beginning as soon as possible. And that mysterious something is why I would not hesitate to call this series a true masterpiece, and an astounding achievement by a man who changed the fantasy genre forever.
That is all I have to say about this wonderful series. All that remains is to finish this review by giving you one final quote written by the great Croaker…
There were dreams. I remembered everyone who had gone before me. I remembered the places and times. Cold places, hot places, weird places, always stressful times, swollen with unhappiness, pain and fear. Some died. Some did not. It makes no sense when you try to figure it out. Soldiers live. And wonder why. - Soldiers Live
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This is one of two reviews I have done for this series. The introductory one can be found here....more
3.5 stars (based on my individual ratings for all three books)
The heart is stilled but the corpse stumbles on. The Company is dead in fact but not in 3.5 stars (based on my individual ratings for all three books)
The heart is stilled but the corpse stumbles on. The Company is dead in fact but not in name. And we, O merciless gods, stand witness to the power of names.
After decades of fighting in the dark empire of the north, the huge and devastating battle at the Tower of Charm, and the awakening of an ancient evil in the Barrowland, the Black Company turns south in a quest to find its mysterious origins and the long lost city of Khatovar.
Shadow Games tells the story of the journey south from the Barrowland, through Charm and Opal, and eventually to the city of Taglios in the far south. Croaker and his companions come closer to their final destination than ever before, but in their path stands a new and dark empire formed by the mysterious Shadowmasters, great sorcerers of unknown origin. Left with no choice but to stay put, the Black Company takes on a contract for the rulers of Taglios, to defend the city against the evil sorcerers and their armies, and marches forth to a climactic battle outside the city of Dejagore.
In Dreams of Steel, the great battle of Dejagore is over, with devastating consequences for the last of the Free Companies of Khatovar. The infamous black battle standard disappears in the following chaos and confusion, and several key members of the Company are lost. The battle delivers Taglios from the jaws of its enemies, but the Shadowmasters still pull the strings in secret. And all the while, greater evils arise from the darkness...
These two books were thoroughly enjoyable to read, and I would have to say that they are my favourites in this series so far, even better than the first trilogy. Cook’s simple writing style is still as delightful as it was in the beginning of the series. Croaker is still an excellent protagonist and narrator, and also develops into a much stronger character in this second part than in the first. And the Lady takes the step up from being the most fascinating character in this series to becoming one of my favourite fantasy characters ever.
The setting is another remarkable aspect of these two books, and a much more interesting one than the northern empire. With a landscape of everything from desert to jungles, years divided into rain and drought seasons, a polytheistic religion with hundreds of gods and a powerful priesthood, a society shaped by its caste system, and names like Dejagore, Prahbrindrah Drah and Narayan Singh, it is pretty obvious that this land is loosely based on India. I’ve been looking for an Indian fantasy setting for some time, and this one was particularly well developed.
The Silver Spike, however, was unfortunately quite disappointing both compared to the other books and in itself. It is a spin-off novel about those of the Company who chose to stay behind in the northern empire. When a gang of petty criminals get their hands on the Silver Spike, holding the essence of the Dominator, all hell breaks loose as all the wizards in the north with the slightest desire for power attempts to get their hands on the spike and the dark magic within it.
So far, The Silver Spike is definitely the weakest book in the Black Company series in my eyes, simply because there was nothing interesting about it. Neither story, characters, writing nor setting were comparable to the other books, and it just left me aching to get back to Croaker and the Lady and the main story.
After reading the two first books, I was convinced that this omnibus would be better than the first. Unfortunately, reading the last book changed my mind about that. Still, there’s no denying that the Chronicles of the Black Company has turned into one of my favourite fantasy series, and I am definitely excited about continuing with the series.
I'll end this review with my favourite quote from this series so far:
"In the night the winds die and silence rules the place of glittering stone." ...more
Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
"Thousands of years ago, something came out of the sky that changed the course of human hiCopy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
"Thousands of years ago, something came out of the sky that changed the course of human history. Testimonies abound of these ‘angels’ and their hybrid offspring, the ‘Nephilim’ giants. These mighty ‘gods’ quickly rose to power, and the ancient world came alive with industry and culture. Many consider this period in history to be the ‘dawn’ of our civilization. People who lived as hunters and gatherers for hundreds of thousands of years suddenly began settling in one place, cultivating the land and even governing themselves. They invented irrigation, the wheel, protective armor and algebra. They somehow acquired knowledge of our solar system that even modern technology wasn't able to confirm until the 1970s. Most importantly, they began to read and write. Yet an undercurrent of terror was spreading like wildfire, carrying whispers of ‘djinn,’ ‘daeva’ and ‘demons.’"
Back in present day, Nadia Adeire, CEO of BEACON, a successful company based on charity for victims of natural disasters, is kidnapped from her Manhattan office while working through her holidays. She is taken by a mysterious group of people wearing strange masks to a desolate location in Saudi Arabia, kept prisoner and interrogated for days. This book is the story of that interrogation.
The kidnappers believe Nadia to be the newest incarnation of Lilith, the notorious demoness from old Jewish legends. They also suspect that she is heavily involved with an impending terrorist attack that will stun the entire world. While faced with the relentless questioning of her interrogators, Nadia recounts the story of her grandmother Helene, who recently passed away and who was obsessed with the legends of Lilith...
The story of The Hidden Ones is told from three different points of view: Nadia herself in present day, Lilith 5,000 years ago, and Helene as a young girl in 1948. Nadia's POV mostly just provides a frame for the rest of the story, and the interrogation takes place for the entire length of the book, something that unfortunately makes Nadia's chapters quite boring at times. The other two POV's are a lot more interesting, especially Helene. Even those chapters occasionally struggled to keep my attention, but all in all I felt that this method of storytelling, with three different protagonists in three different periods of time, was well executed.
Both the story itself and the characters featured in it have both their positive and negative sides. On the positive side, the story is both innovative and quite fascinating, providing interesting explanations to mysteries of history, religion and fairytales alike, like the legends of Gilgamesh and his famous quest for eternal life, the biblical Deluge, and a lot of others. In Lilith and Helene, we also get two really interesting characters. On the negative side, none of the other characters are interesting to read about at all; they're one-dimensional and it doesn't feel like they add anything to the story. Also, despite a traumatising kidnapping and the threat of a terrorist attack, it doesn't feel like much is happening to cause great excitement. Somehow, it feels like Nadia's story is completely detached from the threats to the world, possibly because she spends almost the entire book being interrogated by her kidnappers.
When it comes to the writing, the word 'flawless' is the first that comes to mind. That doesn't mean I'll go around quoting from this book for the rest of my life, only that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the way this book was written, and that everything seemed to be done in a completely professional manner.
My opinion about this book is certainly influenced by the fact that this is not the kind of book that I normally tend to read. There is too much of the paranormal for my taste, but that does in no way mean that the book was bad. Only that I didn't like it as much as I could have.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, I think I would. Especially if you enjoy reading paranormal books, urban fantasy, or even thrillers and crime fiction. It is quite easy to see that both the series and the author have a lot of potential here, especially because the book seemed to be gradually improving all the way from the beginning until the end. That certainly bodes well for the rest of the series, and even this book was interesting enough that I will most likely continue reading the sequels as well....more
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