Review of Chronicles of the Black Company by Glen Cook

Author:  Glen Cook.
Title:  Chronicles of the Black Company.
Publisher:  Tor Publishing.
Pages:  704.
Copyright:  2007 (originally 1984, 1984. 1985)

Chronicles of the Black Company is a reissue of Glen Cook's first three books, The Black Company, Shadows Linger, and The White Rose.  The story is told by Croaker, the chronicler of the Black Company.  They are a group of competent mercenaries hired by the godlike Lady to crush a rebellion against her authority.  After a group of hair raising adventures, the members of the Black Company come into possession of the infant White Rose, a female messiah who will eventually break the Lady's tyrannical reign. 

Along the way, the Lady falls in love with Croaker.  He has a hard time dealing with it.  I won't spoil anymore of the plot.  Needless to say, there are at least ten Black Company books.  You'll see lots more of Croaker, Lady, and One Eye, a crazy old wizard.

Give Chronicles of the Black Company a try.  It's different and the stories read fast.  I enjoyed them when I first read them back in the 1990s.  But the later books I found weren't as good as the first three novels.  Still, recommended.  Besides, Glen Cook is a local St. Louis writer.