This is the first book in a new sub-series of his Black Company series
(will he live long enough to finish it?). It takes place shortly after
the events of _Soldiers Live_, the 4th title of the Glittering Stone sub-series. There are two basic threads. The first is focused on the
Black Company which had moved back to the camp/city it had resided in at
the start of _Soldiers Live_. This is recorded by the diary entries of
Akrana and Shukrat Voroshk (two teenage girls that the Black Company had acquired from another world during _Soldiers Live_). Being cousins and teenagers, the entries contain a significant amount of sniping at each
other.

The other thread is the musings of Shivetya New (as he refers to himself
- at the end of _Soldiers Live_, Croaker and Shivetya changed bodies,
thus Croaker is now an immortal with near-divine power and Shivetya is
an old man). Why did Shivetya do this? It appears that he had plans, but
did he survive Shukrat going all Warthog on him on the last page?

As for the Black Company thread, people are plotting against the Black Company, but the only significant attacks were blocked. The Lady returns
to her home world to the site where the two plot threads of _Port of
Shadows_ merged. We have to wait for another book to find out what she
is up to.

Shievtya New does a deep dive into the timeline of the Domination,
discovering much of the events of the Domination thread of _Port of
Shadows_. BTW, I wonder if somebody has forgotten the reveal of the
Lady?s true name in chapter 58 of _The White Rose_; I hope it wasn?t
Glen Cook.

--
"We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."
Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_. ?-----------------------------------------------------
Robert Woodward robertaw@drizzle.com

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

I just finished it. It started a little slow but it picked up. I REALLY
think I have to go back an reread Soldiers Live and Port of Shadows.

I also just finished a Black Company short story, Cranky Bitch. No
question, I liked this one. It has "the old Brothers" as they are
referred to on the escape from Juniper. The Lieutenant, Candy, Otto,
Silent, One Eye, Goblin, Darling, and of course Croaker. I like the
cynical, sarcastic tone in which Cook writes Croaker.

See comments below:

On 12/30/25 22:06, Robert Woodward wrote:

This is the first book in a new sub-series of his Black Company series
(will he live long enough to finish it?).

I have the same question. And, is he doing most of the writing or is he getting help from a ghost writer?

It takes place shortly after
the events of _Soldiers Live_, the 4th title of the Glittering Stone sub-series. There are two basic threads. The first is focused on the
Black Company which had moved back to the camp/city it had resided in at
the start of _Soldiers Live_. This is recorded by the diary entries of
Akrana and Shukrat Voroshk (two teenage girls that the Black Company had acquired from another world during _Soldiers Live_). Being cousins and teenagers, the entries contain a significant amount of sniping at each
other.

The other thread is the musings of Shivetya New (as he refers to himself
- at the end of _Soldiers Live_, Croaker and Shivetya changed bodies,
thus Croaker is now an immortal with near-divine power and Shivetya is
an old man). Why did Shivetya do this? It appears that he had plans, but
did he survive Shukrat going all Warthog on him on the last page?

As for the Black Company thread, people are plotting against the Black Company, but the only significant attacks were blocked. The Lady returns
to her home world to the site where the two plot threads of _Port of
Shadows_ merged. We have to wait for another book to find out what she
is up to.

Shievtya New does a deep dive into the timeline of the Domination, discovering much of the events of the Domination thread of _Port of
Shadows_. BTW, I wonder if somebody has forgotten the reveal of the
Lady's true name in chapter 58 of _The White Rose_;

I had the same question. Silent spoke her name. That little anomaly
still has me confused. Maybe it is addressed in the next book.

There was a little too much introspection by New S. but that is probably
just me.

I hope it wasn't Glen Cook.

Me too! He's got too much left to do to check out now.




--
----------------

Dave Scruggs
Senior Software Engineer - Lockheed Martin, et. al (mostly Retired)
Captain - Boulder Creek Fire (Retired)
Board of Directors - Boulder Creek Fire Protection District (What was I thinking?)

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

In article <10j432m$15803$1@dont-email.me>, BCFD 36 <bcfd36@cruzio.com>
wrote:

<SNIP!>

Shievtya New does a deep dive into the timeline of the Domination, discovering much of the events of the Domination thread of _Port of Shadows_. BTW, I wonder if somebody has forgotten the reveal of the
Lady's true name in chapter 58 of _The White Rose_;

I had the same question. Silent spoke her name. That little anomaly
still has me confused. Maybe it is addressed in the next book.

I have 2 speculations* on what happened. However, both require that
Credence became Soulcatcher.

*Speculation 1 - a contingency spell resulted in one of the older Senjak sisters being overwritten; Speculation 2 - their mother did something
sneaky and the names that they were known by weren't their true names,
but were switched around.

--
"We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."
Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_. ?-----------------------------------------------------
Robert Woodward robertaw@drizzle.com

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)