3 Reasons Why Dragon Never Sleeps is a book.

1. Title - The Dragon Never Sleeps is a title of a collection of pages about the same topic. Books have titles so it must be a book. Oddly enough, you see the title and you might think that this is another fantasy novel, but it's actually Sci-Fi! Once you see the cover you'll get a better idea of what the dragon supposedly is. I'm not normally one for reading Sci-Fi novels. I like to stick to playing video games about space or watching movies about aliens. But, while a little out of the box, it was a refreshing story based on a similar concept.

 

2. Author - Glen Cook is an author, and since he wrote this then one would believe that it's a book. Author's write books! He also did a good job in using the aforementioned title for this book. I've already read the Black Company by Cook and found it more than enjoyable. This single novel still feels like Glen Cook even though the story and imagery are far removed from the fantasy aspect of the Black Company novels. It's not the novel I would recommend if you were going to try Glen out. It's unique.

3. Words - Authors write..... you get a collection of words about the same topic and you'll potentially end up with a book. Maybe an article, poem, or some other wierd thing, but this is a book and we're going to stick to that. Glen Cook did a good job on keeping the book engaging, but it also felt very disjointed. There is so much happening throughout the 250 pages that it's tough to feel the actual scope. Maybe that's what he was going for, but in such a small book years can sometimes get lost. Especially in the epic space battles, world jumping, and character development. 

So there you have it - my 3 reasons why this book was a book. Leah noticed that it appears that doing lists is the popular thing to do on a blogs. So being the most popular person on earth, I just had to try it out. =\ I doubt that you'll ever see me do another list like this. It's not very engaging(but are any of my posts?) and isn't that enlightening either. But, if you don't get the joke, or anything else just take away that Glen Cook is best enjoyed in the Black Company series and not the Dragon Never Sleeps. It's good, but confusing.

R - 6 out of 10. It would make a great movie trilogy with a little more meat added. It's definitely worth reading if you're a Glen Cook fan. Take your time re-reading certain areas that don't make enough sense. Be thankful that we don't have space travel on this type of scale.

-D

Some book series shouldn't end!

"Four years passed, and no one died."

I love Glen Cook's novels! In a way, I'm sad that I completed The Black Company series and have to move on to a new series. After eleven books you would think that you would be relieved and ready to read something else. I am going to miss the anticipation of waiting for the next one to come out, or which characters doing what, and even what's going to happen at the end.

Soldiers Live is is the last book in the Black Company epic series ( I shouldn't say that it is definitely going to be the last. Glen Cook said he'd like to write a couple more Black Company novels, but he has other contracts). This is the last book that follows the original members from the very first book. After so many pages, you really get to know Croaker, One Eye, Goblin, and all the newcomers. Glen Cook really threw in some twists and turns to this one. The action at the beginning of the book is quick and to the point - one page chapters will do that - with a little "empire building" at the middle and back to non-stop action for the conclusion.

I might say that this is one of the best written books in the eleven book series. The first book takes a little time to warm up to his style. Soldiers Live reminds me more of Book two than any other book in the series. It's well written; abrupt at points, but that's the whole ordeal you get to deal with. It makes the book exciting. Glen Cook makes it easy to follow. You aren't bogged down with so many characters that one chapter has you attempting to remember who's who and where you are.

All in all, Glen Cook did an excellent job of bring story and characters front and center. The only thing that might be missing is a more detailed ending. And I stress "might"! It's an excellent book. I'm going to miss the emotion you felt even though this was about a bunch of amoral soldiers. I'm sure I've said this before, but if you're going to pick up a Fantasy series for the first time you should probably pick this one up over Williams, Tolkien, and even.... Jordan! If you enjoy Cook then you'll find yourself enjoying those guys just as much.

"Is is immortality of a sort.

Memory is immortality of a sort.

In the night, when the wind died and silence rules the place of glittering stone, I remember. And they all live again."

-D

Rating: 9 of 10 caffeinated beverages! It's too good. I am half tempted to start the whole series over again tonight. *sigh*

Water Sleeps - Glen Cook

"In those days the Black Company did not exist."

I started reading Glen Cook early last year when we came across the first two omnibus books during a Borders B2G1 sale. He has quickly jumped up into my top 5 list for Fantasy writers and competes with Robert Jordan, Joe Abercrombie, and Tad Williams for that elusive top spot. I'm sure most fantasy writers are just chomping at the bit to know who's at the top..... I bet with my vote they go from no-names to best sellers. *sarcasm* But, I have to say that he has created a fantastic epic with incredible depth. We're heading up my Glen Cook reading for the year with books nine and ten from the Black Company storyline.

Glen Cook writes from the perspective of the keeper of the Annals of the Black Company. Water Sleeps find Sleepy as the keeper since the horrible fate which befell the Company in the previous book. Each new Annalist writes in a different manner. It's become a little subtle in the last couple iterations, but each one has their own feel. Book One starts off with Croaker, who's rough around the edges and reminds you that this is a troop of soldiers. This write-it-how-you-say-it approach to dialogue gives you a sense that these guys are just normal. I'll admit that the first few chapters of the first book gave me pause on if I really liked the series. Once I got past that, it sunk in and you could see the genius behind the writing.

Cook also brings a deep sense of the land and people that fill the book. You see the influence of Eastern religions - primarily Indian gods and sects - on the different cultures in the current books. Each character will act on their station in life and belief system. This isn't something that's always brought up with fantasy novels.Even magic is not your normal run-of-the-mill D&D type stuff you would expect. There's magic in this realm; It's not controlled by the worship of some god. It is also pretty darn potent, but incredibly humorous!

Water Sleeps by Glen Cook is the ninth book and currently available new in omnibus with book ten. If you are interested in picking up the Glen Cook books I would highly recommend starting at book one. It will not make enough sense to pick up this book and find yourself so far from it's origins(and yet so close) that you aren't able to enjoy a fantastic story. Good and Evil is relative. Be prepared to walk Neutral more than anything else.

Rating: 8 of 10 caffeinated beverages! Yes, my highest rating, thus far! Please don't start with this book. And anyone looking for a different read that hasn't touched on Fantasy yet, but wants to.... take up Glen Cook and The Black Company. I don't believe you can go wrong with Cook's perspective. ---- Also expect to be reading the review for Book Ten coming up in the next few weeks sandwiched somewhere between Tad Williams, Robert Jordan, and Treasure Island.

"But don't be surprised if I don't feel as generous when light and warmth return to the world. Darkness always comes, but the sun also rises."

-D