The
Black Company is the subject of an excellent series of fantasy novels (referred to by the clever appelation 'The Black Company series', which begins with a book entitled
The Black Company) by the ever-underappreciated
Glen Cook. The last of the Free Companies of
Khatovar (I will not explain the meaning of this phrase--discovering it is an important
MacGuffin in the books), it is a
mercenary company with a long and storied history. They're about the most feared fighting force in their world they inhabit, mostly because of their famous trickery and highly effective and demoralizing use of minor
sorcery (of which the books include many fascinating examples), as well as the requisite on-field prowess.
The books are written from the point of view of the
Annalist, who keeps the records of the company's actions, and reads sections from old annals at company meetings. As the occupant of this position changes, so does the
narrator and narrational style, but most are written from the point of view of the company's doctor,
Croaker.
The series consists of the following works:
The Black Company
The Books of the South
The Books of Glittering Stone
Additional
Omnibus
Short Fiction
(Information taken from the Glen Cook Fan Page, http://www.xmission.com/~shpshftr/GC/GC-Home.html, accessed on 11/26/2000)
Notable characters include
Croaker, the
Lady,
Goblin,
One-Eye,
The Ten Who Were Taken (particularly
The Limper and
Soulcatcher),
Murgen,
Thai Dei,
Lisa Daele Bowalk, and
Sleepy. This is a fabulously incomplete list.