The Black Company

Chronicles of The Black Company, Book 1

By: Glen Cook

Narrated by: Marc Vietor

Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

Some feel the Lady, newly risen from centuries in thrall, stands between humankind and evil. Some feel she is evil itself. The hardbitten men of the Black Company take their pay and do what they must, burying their doubts with their dead - until the prophesy: The White Rose has been reborn, somewhere, to embody good once more.

There must be a way for the Black Company to find her....

©1984 Glen Cook (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

A good story ruined by a bad narration

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

The book is great, but the narration leaves a lot to be desired.

What didn’t you like about Marc Vietor’s performance?

The narration is not awful per se (I've heard worse), but it absolutely does no service to the excellent book itself and the characters depicted in it, dragging the entire story down with it.

great book!

was engrossed from the beginning. a classic. good humor, good plot that keeps you wanting more.

loved this book

excellent production
excellent book and series. I will be getting the next books.

a mercenaries life is hard. and bosses can be evil.

Great book. So many twists and turns.

High adventure, wizardry, soldiering, war, and great story. Well crafted tale worth revisiting via Audio after i read the series years ago. Enjoyed the telling of the tale.

Great read or listen

The whole series was fantastic, the plot keeps you interested because it's not predictable. Basically a fantastic fiction.

Good story, hampered by point of view narrating...

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Down and dirty fantasy read, like a "lord of the rings" lite. It could have really used a different point of view for the story telling, or at least a more animated and more creative narrator. The story itself is fairly good, but it lacked an overall excitment the premise deserved.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Black Company?

Not just one moment, but the battles between the "18" and the "10" were noteworthy

What aspect of Marc Vietor’s performance would you have changed?

lacking and monotone, just didn't click with me, really made it hard to listen to. Only the story itself kept me interested.

Any additional comments?

If the additional stories have a different narrator, I may read on, as of now, this is the last, sad to say really.

I listen to a ton of audio books

This is one of the best series, it is gritty like Joe Abercrombie's first law series, and as well thought out as the maslan book of the fallen series, but much easier to follow, it is perform byba narrator that makes it a joy to listen to

Not what I was expecting--But in a good way

Would you listen to The Black Company again? Why?

I have listened to The Black Company twice now, and I would not be opposed to a third if I find the time. The style of the storytelling really sets it apart from books in it's genre. There is a much appreciated brevity to it. The story is the recounting of events by a nobody grunt, and thus the information that the author fails to give actually enhances the experience in my opinion. When you don't receive all the information you might expect about the Lady and her Ten who were taken, there is this extra sense of mysterious wonder--and you are right there with Croaker trying to see through the curtain of intrigue in this dark, sometimes apathetic fantasy.

What does Marc Vietor bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Mark Vietor's performance uses frequent short pauses that may take a bit of getting used to, but add an almost noir-ish quality to the storytelling. There is an inherent lethargy to his narration of Croaker that is reflective of the character and the world. Other characters are also acted with a variety of distinct voices, including the extremely challenging Soulcatcher, a character that uses a different voice with every other sentence. Vietor mostly does a great job at this, and by the end of the book, I can't imagine it being read by anyone else.

Any additional comments?

A quick list of caveats:

This book is probably better avoided if you like every event that happens in a book to unfold in detail on the page. Glen Cook has a way of summarizing events--particularly when the point of view character has no real stake in the events or no reason to be present at them. Large battles will often have less page time then scenes where characters simply play cards with each other. Also avoid if you don't like kitschy one word fantasy names like Mercy, Silent, or Raven.

Do Have a listen though if you are feeling in a rut from typical heroic fantasy, or if you like the idea of seeing a somewhat conventional fantasy told from the vantage of a relative nobody.

good concept, lacks depth

Is there anything you would change about this book?

the story and characters lack depth and you do not get a good idea of space or time through the writing. The result is a very 2D product which overall does not really engage.There is also very little humour present.

Would you be willing to try another book from Glen Cook? Why or why not?

probably not - based on this book he is an author with some good ideas but without the ability to develop them

What three words best describe Marc Vietor’s performance?

adequate but lacks any individuality

Very good lesser known book.

If you are looking for a new fantasy book that follows the accounts of a mercenary company and their trials and tribulations you will love this book.