The Swordbearer by Glen CookMy rating: 8.5 of 10 stars
This is dark fantasy at it's core. No doubt about it. There is no hero, per se. There are goals and objectives and our main character will do anything to achieve it. Excelent!
But some things are just too damn confusing. Sometimes I can't really figure it out who is talking or why they are saying the things they are saying. It's a confusing tale.
The Swordbearer begins with giving us a lesson in history, geography and mythology which is nice but if I hadn't a book where I write the characters names and places and special events I would be at loss.
Almost no descriptions, a crude writing language (probably on purpose) but it confuse me. And the names of places and characters? Most of them are pure gibberish.
On the other end of the spec you've got a bleak, gritty, betrayals and almost near suffocating book.
Glen Cook is a odd duck. In one side you've got a great dark fantasy story but in the other you don't involve too much because most of the book alianates you with his characters and names and narration.
The Sword and the Boy reminds me of Elric but that's where the similiraties end. Don't forget this book was written 30 years ago. Most of the fantasy you read noawadays didn't exist - Sven Erikson, Robert Jordan, George RR Martin and others
****
"You want to stay alive, Sword or no, you'd better learn this lesson. You get your enemies, any way you can. Fight Fair, play the brave chevalier, and your're going to get your gut spilled."
*****
"-You fight fire with fire in this world. You don't see these Ventimiglians counting scruples do you
- If you sink to their level, we're no better than they are.
-What gives you idea that you are? Human is human boy..."
****
"Theis, no. I couldn't.
-What?"
-Kill men while they're sleeping."
-Best time. They don't fight back. You remember who they are? They could be the men who tortured your mother. Aren't you hungry? They have more than horses. Boy your age usually eats a ton of fodder a day.
Gathrid needed no reminder .His navel was griding against his backbone. But to kill men over something to eat...He was not that hungry.Not yet."
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