Regular price: $24.95
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....
Minalan gave up a promising career as a professional warmage to live the quiet life of a village spellmonger in the remote mountain valley of Boval. It was a peaceful, beautiful little fief, far from the dangerous feudal petty squabbles of the Five Duchies, on the world of Callidore. There were cows. Lots of cows. And cheese. For six months things went well. Then one night Minalan is forced to pick up his mageblade again to defend his adopted home from the vanguard of an army of goblins bent on a genocidal crusade against all mankind. And that was the good news.
The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting, and bloody confrontations with ancient and implacable sorcerers. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen’s rule remains absolute, enforced by her dreaded Claw assassins. For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his squad of Bridgeburners, and for Tattersail, their lone surviving mage, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the many dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities, yet holds out.
Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught in one feud too many, he's on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian - leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies. Nobleman, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, Captain Jezal dan Luthar has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. But war is brewing, and on the battlefields of the frozen North they fight by altogether bloodier rules.
Author Mark Lawrence has won over audiences everywhere with Prince of Thorns, his exciting debut novel. Nine-year-old Prince Jorg is forced to watch as his mother and brother are slaughtered. Fleeing the palace, Jorg joins a bloodthirsty band of thugs. But he’s determined to take back what’s rightfully his, so he returns to the castle a few years later - unaware of the dark and powerful magic that awaits.
Across the mountains called the Dragon's Teeth, beyond the chill reach of the Werewind and the fires of the world's beginning, above the walls of the castle Fangdred, stands Windtower. From this lonely keep the Star Rider calls forth the war that even wizards dread, fought for a woman's hundred-lifetime love. A woman called Nepanthe, princess to the Stormkings…
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....
Minalan gave up a promising career as a professional warmage to live the quiet life of a village spellmonger in the remote mountain valley of Boval. It was a peaceful, beautiful little fief, far from the dangerous feudal petty squabbles of the Five Duchies, on the world of Callidore. There were cows. Lots of cows. And cheese. For six months things went well. Then one night Minalan is forced to pick up his mageblade again to defend his adopted home from the vanguard of an army of goblins bent on a genocidal crusade against all mankind. And that was the good news.
The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting, and bloody confrontations with ancient and implacable sorcerers. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen’s rule remains absolute, enforced by her dreaded Claw assassins. For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his squad of Bridgeburners, and for Tattersail, their lone surviving mage, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the many dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities, yet holds out.
Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught in one feud too many, he's on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian - leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies. Nobleman, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, Captain Jezal dan Luthar has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. But war is brewing, and on the battlefields of the frozen North they fight by altogether bloodier rules.
Author Mark Lawrence has won over audiences everywhere with Prince of Thorns, his exciting debut novel. Nine-year-old Prince Jorg is forced to watch as his mother and brother are slaughtered. Fleeing the palace, Jorg joins a bloodthirsty band of thugs. But he’s determined to take back what’s rightfully his, so he returns to the castle a few years later - unaware of the dark and powerful magic that awaits.
Across the mountains called the Dragon's Teeth, beyond the chill reach of the Werewind and the fires of the world's beginning, above the walls of the castle Fangdred, stands Windtower. From this lonely keep the Star Rider calls forth the war that even wizards dread, fought for a woman's hundred-lifetime love. A woman called Nepanthe, princess to the Stormkings…
After the disappointments in Li Heng, Dancer and Kellanved wash up on a small insignificant island named Malaz. Immediately, of course, Kellanved plans to take it over. To do so they join forces with a small band of Napans who have fled their home. However, Kellanved is soon distracted by a strange and dangerous ancient structure. Back in Li Heng, Dassem, now the proclaimed Sword of Hood, finds himself being blamed for a plague which leads him to a crisis of faith - and searching for answers.
It has been 20 years since the end of the war. The dictatorial Augurs, once thought of almost as gods, were overthrown and wiped out during the conflict, their much-feared powers mysteriously failing them. Those who had ruled under them, men and women with a lesser ability known as the Gift, avoided the Augurs' fate only by submitting themselves to the rebellion's Four Tenets.
Raised and trained in seclusion at a secret fortress on the edge of the northern wilds of the Kingdom of Ashai, a young warrior called Rezkin is unexpectedly thrust into the outworld when a terrible battle destroys all that he knows. With no understanding of his life’s purpose and armed with masterful weapons mysteriously bestowed upon him by a dead king, Rezkin must travel across Ashai to find the one man who may hold the clues to his very existence.
There have been 19 years of blood. The ruthless Grand Duke Orso is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling League of Eight, and between them they have bled the land white. While armies march, heads roll and cities burn, and behind the scenes bankers, priests, and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king.
Welcome to the world of the Instrumentalities of the Night, where imps, demons, and dark gods rule in the spaces surrounding upstart humanity. At the edges of the world stand walls of ice which push slowly forward to reclaim the land for the night. And at the world's center, in the Holy Land where two great religions were born, are the Wells of Ihrain, the source of the greatest magics.
The world is falling to the burning shadow of the Possessed and only the power of a battle mage can save it. But the ancient bond with dragonkind is failing. Of those that answer a summoning too many are black. Black dragons are the enemy of humankind. Black dragons are mad. Falco Dante is a weakling in a world of warriors, but worse than this, he is the son of a madman. Driven by grief, Falco makes a decision that will drive him to the brink of despair. As he tries to come to terms with his actions Falco follows his friends to the Academy of War.
From the international best-selling author of the Broken Empire Trilogy comes the first in a brilliant new breakout fantasy series. A searing novel set in a brand-new world, this series follows a young girl who enters a convent where girls are selected to train in religion, combat, or magic. Nona is selected to learn combat and finds herself at the center of an epic battle for empire on the outer reaches of a dying universe.
For eons, conquering dungeons has been the most efficient way to become a strong adventurer. Although not everything is as straightforward as it seems. Several questions have always plagued the minds of those who enter these mythical places of power: why are there so many monsters? Where do the amazing weaponry and heavy gold coins come from? Why does the very air fill with life-giving energies? Cal has all of the answers to these age-old questions, for a very simple reason. He is a Dungeon Heart.
Forge of Darkness takes listeners to Kurald Galain, the warren of Darkness, and tells of a realm whose fate plays a crucial role in the fall of the Malazan Empire and surrounds one of the Malazan world’s most fascinating and powerful characters, Anomander Rake. It’s a conflicted time in Kurald Galain, where Mother Dark reigns above the Tiste people. But this ancient land was once home to many a power...and even death is not quite eternal. The commoners’ great hero, Vatha Urusander, longs for ascendency and Mother Dark’s hand in marriage, but she has taken another Consort, Lord Draconus.
Peter V. Brett has won accolades from critics, fans and fellow authors alike for this riveting debut novel. The Warded Man features a world where demons stalk the night, hunting humans who have long forgotten the magic of their ancestors. But all is not lost, as some hold out hope that a savior will release humanity from the demons' terrifying reign.
A chance encounter with an ancient and mysterious object awakens a latent gift, and Wulfric's life changes course. Against a backdrop of war, tragedy, and an enemy whose hatred for him knows no bounds, Wulfric will be forged from a young boy into the Wolf of the North. This is his tale.
Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best, the most feared and renowned crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld. Their glory days long past, the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk, or a combination of the three. Then an ex-bandmate turns up at Clay's door with a plea for help - the kind of mission that only the very brave or the very stupid would sign up for.
She is the last hope of good in the war against the evil sorceress known as the Lady. From a secret base on the Plains of Fear, where even the Lady hesitates to go, the Black Company, once in service to the Lady, now fights to bring victory to the White Rose. But now an even greater evil threatens the world. All the great battles that have gone before will seem a skirmishes when the Dominator rises from the grave.
There is a weightiness to the events of The White Rose that make it feel like it could have been the last book in the series--albeit with a few loose ends here and there. And things have changed quite a bit from the feel of the first book-for better or worse. In a way, I much prefer the tone of the original, despite it's flaws.
It isn't that The White Rose isn't good, it's in fact very good. It's that it has moved so far from the cynical military fantasy that it was in the first and most of the second book. Starting with the end of Shadows Linger the series has shifted ever closer to the traditional epic fantasy. The characters, who used to be pretty rotten, have had most of their grit pruned out, and seem more heroic with every page. Well, maybe that's just character development. Croaker has also become increasingly important, and the Lady's interest in him has only increased over the years.
Perspective shifting continues in Shadows Linger, which this time around give us some much wanted insight into the back story of the Lady and her empire. In fact, the most interesting part of the book this time around are the messages containing the decoded history of the wizard Bowmanz.
Other than all that, there's more fun antics with One-Eye and Goblin, some interesting but strange new creatures and characters, and ship-baiting galore between Croaker and you know who. Oh and the continued deconstruction of Raven is always so very tickling.
Not much new to be said about the performance. Marc Vietor is still the perfect Croaker. Enjoy his narration while it lasts.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Glenn Cook is considered one of the original standard bearers of the grimdark fantasy subgenre. The first three books of his Black Company series were written in the 1980s, and while likely cutting edge at the time, they have since been eclipsed by far more complex and well written stories. This series still offers an original take on the overarching fantasy genre, not following the Tolkien style storylines that so many fantasy authors of this era did, it presents a confused world of dark magic and mysterious characters. However, the plot, character development, and world-building may lack the depth to satisfy readers more used to modern tales such as those written by George R R Martin and his ilk. Marc Vietor brings this series to life with his reading style. He rarely confuses character voices, and it is my guess that had I read these first three books (which comprise one, complete story arc) instead of listening to them, I would have been thoroughly disappointed considering the high praise The Black Company series receives from so many online fantasy series reviewers. All in all I recommend checking out these stories and doing so by listening to them as Mark Vietor has performed them here. However, anyone who has read anything in the grimdark or larger fantasy genres that was written in the past decade will need to temper their expectations in order to find enjoyment.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This is a satisfying conclusion to the first three books of the north. The only problem is that it leaves you wanting more. Then again, that's not a bad thing.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
What did you love best about The White Rose?
I liked the characters and the story is full of twist and turns
What did you like best about this story?
The action and the way the story line fits and it gets real interesting near the end
What about Marc Vietor’s performance did you like?
Mr Vietor is a first rate reader and his performance is outstanding All his characters are well done and very interesting
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Many, liked both the action and the serious personal side of the characters
Any additional comments?
Look forward to reading additional books
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Already have book 4 and 5 ready to go, great fantasy novel series with pretty epic powers and characters.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
this story keeps getting better and better with each book. I can't believe the things that happened.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Raced through the final book of this trilogy. A terrific finale as all pieces come together.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Great listen, nothing to complain about. Story, narrator, and writing are all fantastic. A world easily lost in with compelling and full characters.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
the timeline changes in the beginning were confusing but once the story started going it was riviting.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I appreciated the narrators consistent use of voices and I liked how they differed enough to be recognizable. Good Talent. The story is a good one. Glen cook is a good, gritty-military, fantasy writer.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
A fantastic ending to the initial trilogy of the Black Company. Trilogy endings can sometimes be a bit underwhelming but it certainly wasn’t an issue here.
Story – 5/5
The White Rose, in my opinion, incorporated some of the best bits from each of the first 2 novels. It took the large scale epic fights and battles against overwhelming forces from the first, and the split narration/character building from the second. Glen Cook has developed something special here, and I would recommend all fantasy fans to read it.
The fights, the discoveries and build-up were all told masterfully. GC’s concise, but rich, writing allowed for a great pace, but an easy to follow story. Some may say that he doesn’t describe things enough, but I personally found this refreshing. He just gives you what you need to keep the story flowing smoothly.
The fantasy elements are quite different from what I am used to. These, along with the grey moral areas and strong military point of view, are what help to make this series stand out. As this was written in the ‘80’s, you can tell that it has influenced a lot of modern fantasy since, and it definitely doesn’t incorporate the Tolkien clichés that seems quite common in this genre
I expected a lot from the ending, and I got more. It gives good enough closure if you want to stop here, or have a break from the Black Company for a while. If you enjoyed it as much as me though, you will be left wanting more, and I will not be delaying to download book 4.
Performance – 4.5/5
Marc Vietor turned out to be an excellent narrator. All of character acting was distinguishable and I felt that throughout the trilogy, he aged each of the characters voices (to represent the many years that the trilogy spanned), which a really nice touch. His narration also suits the dark tone of the story.
Don’t be put off if you didn’t enjoy him hugely in the first novel. I had some issues, but found that he grew on me as I continued to listen.
Overall – 5/5
1 of 1 people found this review helpful