The Black Company is a series of dark fantasy books written by American author Glen Cook. The series combines elements of epic fantasy as it follows an elite mercenary unit, the Black Company, through roughly forty years of its approximately four-hundred-year history.

Stories

Novels

The Books of the North

Spin-off

The Books of the South

The Books of Glittering Stone

Interquel

Forthcoming

Omnibus editions

Science Fiction Book Club hardcover omnibus editions

Tor Fiction softcover omnibus editions

Short stories

On The Long Run

The short stories of the On The Long Run arc all take place within the first 4 years of the 6-year gap between Shadows Linger and The White Rose. They are published out-of-order, as the most recently published stories occur before the earlier three. "Shaggy Dog Bridge" and "Bone Eaters" were republished in The Best of Glen Cook, where "Chasing Midnight" first appeared.

Pre-pub novel excerpts

Four other short stories were published but later reappeared as chapters within subsequent novels: "Tides Elba", "Smelling Danger", and "Bone Candy" were collected and reworked into the novel Port of Shadows.

Plot summary

The series follows an elite mercenary unit, The Black Company, last of the Free Companies of Khatovar, through roughly forty years of its approximately four-hundred-year history. Cook mixes fantasy with military fiction in gritty, down-to-earth portrayals of the Company's chief personalities and its struggles. The main chronology spans nine novels, which can be grouped into three sections: The Books of the North recount the Company's dealings with the Empire of Lady; The Books of the South follow the Company on its journey back to its beginnings in Khatovar; Glittering Stone sees the Company achieve victory over its employer's enemies, and move on to its destiny. A spin-off novel, The Silver Spike, follows events concerning former members of the Company and one of its adversaries. Port of Shadows, an interquel, describes forgotten events which took place between The Black Company and Shadows Linger. And, the short stories of the On The Long Run arc all take place during the first 4 years of the 6-year gap between Shadows Linger and The White Rose.

In other media

In 2017, it was reported that a television show based on the Black Company was under development, with David S. Goyer as executive producer. Eliza Dushku was to produce and play The Lady, with episodes airing on The CW and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television. As of 2022, there have not been further updates on the television show's progress. Green Ronin Publishing published The Black Company role-playing game in 2004. In 2024, Arc Dream Publishing announced their plans to develop a new role-playing game based on the series.