Dreams of Steel (The Fifth Chronicle of the Black Company) Review

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(More customer reviews)The last "Book of the South" is really not a conclusion at all, but a segue into the four books comprising to date "The Glittering Stone." Despite arguments between earlier reviewers as to whether this book represents a departure from his earlier novels, I found this to be fairly typical Black Company fare, regardless of the introduction of Indian religion or who was keeping the Annals. Cook has previously written from multiple perspectives, and the increase here only offers the potential for a richer character development and perspective, complaints of not caring for characters other than Croaker, One-Eye and Goblin speaking more to the limitations of interest in individual readers than a desire on the part of the writer to enliven or enrich his narrative. The same might be said of the recent inclusion of Southeastern Asian mythology and religion, were Cook not so bald in his borrowings. I can think of other authors who have recently drawn from this source---Steven Erikson or more pointedly Martha Wells in "Wheel of the Infinite---who have done a far better job recontextualizing their sources. But if concerns over derivatives primarily influenced our thinking, it is doubtful any of us would be reading The Black Company.
There are other reasons one turns to this series---the delightful if by now typecast crew of scoundrels, the fast-paced and action-driven narrative and Cook's not to be undervalued ability at rapidly stringing us along through a sequence of events direct if relatively uncomplicated in their presentation. True, the author does mix it up with intrigue, but all the various plots stay relatively at the surface, what mystery that is present most often due to a lack of information than a true building of suspense. But for those moments when one wishes sheer, unadulterated avenues of escape guised as heroic fantasy, more often than not Cook delivers.
However, in this entry Cook fails to resolve his narrative even as a credible cliffhanger. Instead he summarily and loosely ties up the various threads, even while rushing leaving most of them still dangling, and, without giving too much away, introduces certain new dramatic developments from a distance, announcing them and then simply discarding them in a couple of pages. There is a sense here that the author suddenly wished to wrap up this chapter of the saga and move on to other narrative pastures, even while leaving as well as adding things hanging. The fact that a six-year hiatus followed before the author again picked up the story reinforces this conclusion. However, this is sheer speculation. All I can say is that the end of this novel is abrupt and very dissatisfying, as much so if for different reasons as the extreme cliffhanger that concluded "Shadow Games." I have come to accept that Cook plays fast and loose with his plots and characters, often resurrecting them, remining earlier storylines or conventions, or introducing elements without clear explanation or motive. Nonetheless, in the past these failings have largely been able to be submerged by the author's relative strengths in story telling and non-stop management of action. This however left me cold and questioning the author's investment in his story and audience, unavoidably raising questions as to my own continued participation.
But for the conclusion, this is typical Cook fare, with all the usual rewards and weaknesses. For that reason I have given it the same marks I've given to his previous novels, in the main not seeing a substantial shift, either for better or worse, in what is being offered. However, were I to weight the ending, this book would not be the equal, nor would "Shadow Games," of what has preceded. While I am not abandoning the series, the next book will need to prove to me that the author is once again committed to the Company.

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