The Black Company novels

[Quasqueton]

OK, so I just finished the first trilogy of The Black Company.

Spoiler

Ends with the destruction of the Dominator (essence nailed to the tree), and about 5 BC troops alive (plus Darling and The Lady).

I went out to buy the next in the series and found a hiccup. The Silver Spike is the next book in the overall series, but it seems to be not actually about The Black Company. The blurb on the back suggests this book is about a "foolhardy band of thieves". But the blurb also describes the Dominator as "the maddest of the Ten Who Were Taken", so the blurb is not to be fully trusted.

I also bought Shadow Games because it seemed to be the next actual story of The Black Company (First Book of the South). Both books say, "A Novel of the Black Company" on the front cover. Which book should I read next? If the Silver Spike is not about the BC, is it necessary to read before Shadow Games? Or is it outside the core story?

Quasqueton

 

[Endur]

You can read either one.

Personally, I liked the Silver Spike better, so I recommend reading that one first.

There is a little bit of overlap in the first couple of chapters of each.

Essentially, the protagonists of the White Rose have split up. Some are in the Silver Spike, others are in Book 1 of the South. Croaker is in book 1 of the South, so that is the "official" black company novel.

The Silver Spike is a very important novel in the Black Company universe (my favorite Black Company novel after the first trilogy).

 

[drothgery]

Eh. I don't like Case anywhere near as much as the narrators for the other Black Company books, myself. And The Silver Spike is largely tangential to the Books of the South and the Books of Glittering Stone. Still worth reading, but a step below the others, IMO.

 

[argo]

Essentially The Silver Spike is there to tie up loose ends in the North. Croaker and The Lady have taken the Company south (thus beginning the story in the Books of The South) while White Rose, Raven and a few others have remained behind. Silver Spike is their story. Cronologically it happens before/simultaneously with the first book of the south.

It isn't essential that you read Silver Spike first, when I read the books I didn't even know Silver Spike existed at first, I went back and read it after I finished the Glittering Stone story-arc and I didn't miss much. However it is a good read so I wouldn't skip it either.

Later.

 

[Chaldfont]

I just finished The Silver Spike this week. I had read all the other Black Company books about a year ago and somehow missed this one. I don't think I missed anything by reading them out of order.

As others have said, its a good read--better than some of the later books I think. It definitely has more high magic in it than a lot of the other books. I recommend it.

 

[Tanager]

Like others have said, it won't matter what order you read them in.

From other threads I've seen here on the Black Company series, The Silver Spike seems to be largely hit or miss. Some people really like it, others don't. I have a theory on why but I don't want to get into it for fear of giving away spoilers to those who may not have read it.

IMO it's actually the best book in the series, but, paradoxically, I'm not sure I'd have liked it as much if I hadn't read the orginal trilogy first. I found that The Silver Spike really helped to flesh out the world outside the company, it gives a sense of scope to events and the world in general that I found lacking in the rest of the series.


hmm, now I'm gettin an urge to read them all again.

 

[Endur]

There are a lot of similarities between The Silver Spike, and the book I consider to be Glen Cook's best novel, The Tower of Fear. Of all his published novels, I think the Tower of Fear has been the best (not a black company book, but similar in that its medieval fantasy warfare based).

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

As much as I am a nutcase for The Black Company series, particularly the first three, I agree that Tower of Fear is his best. Even better is that it is a standalone.

I have been reading Steven Erikson's Malazan series and I have been struck how much it is similar so in many many ways to what Glen Cook did with Tower of Fear. Glen Cook did it all in that one book though. Distinct cultures clashing, military action, political intrigue, the importance of history on current events, rare but flashy and dark magic, and a deep focus on the commoner and low rank soldier caught in the middle, and no flowery language.

Anyway, 'nuf selling of Tower of Fear.