What do You think about The Swordbearer (1993)?
A very weak boy finds a sword (actually, it is the other way around) which gives him physical strength and ways for vengeance. If this sounds like Elric books by Michael Moorcock, it is because I had exactly this impression. The similarity soon ends; the rest of the book is distinctively Glen Cook: bleak, gritty, full of betrayals and double-crossings. I am a big fan of Glen Cook, but this is probably his weakest book I read. It is not bad by any means, but everything else by the author is better. If you are interested in his works, read Chronicles of the Black Company, Garrett, P.I, The Tower of Fear, or even Dread Empire series first.
—Evgeny
Great novel. I've said it before, but you can really see how Glen Cook has some themes that he likes and revisits in many of his novels. There are many character parallels between this book and the Black Company series. The Toal and the Taken are very similar. Nieroda and The Lady, also very similar. Really, this was a very well-written, full story. Obviously, since its a Glen Cook novel, there are long drawn-out battle descriptions, but they're more clearly written than they were in the Dread Empire series. There seems to be a open road to a second novel, and I wonder why he didn't pursue it. I'm guessing it's because he took so many elements from this novel into The Black Company. I really enjoyed it and surprisingly enjoyed the ending - an area that seems to continuously be Cook's weak point. This novel has a polish to it.
—Joanna Marino
The further along I read in this book, the more I disliked it. Thankfully, it contained only 250 pages.There is this teen boy who wants to be a warrior, but because of infirmities suffered from polio ( yes, even in the mystical fantasy world concocted in the book, there was this very specific disease) is belittled and scorned. Cliche # 1However, danger threatens. An ancient enemy approaches, an army of awakened dead with horrible black magic (Cliche #2)destroys all in its path, including the boy's home. Fleeing the slaughter and chased by a black- robed demon, he falls into a cave where he discovers a sleeping dwarf who is the guard of a magic sword. Cliche #3A sword so powerful it makes a heroic, Arnold Swartenegger gladiator out of the weak teen. But there is a price, of course: the sword is sentient and thirsts for blood. In fact- or fantasy, that is, blood of enemies creases the sword's power over who wields it. # 4 and 5And blah, blah on for the next 200 pages. Treachery, dragon- things, blather, adamsel in danger of sacrifice, combat, blather, wandering the countryside.Rinse, lather, repeat. Not a cliche is missed. What was missed was any depth of character development. I am not sure if the book was meant for the YA audience or not, but it sure was not meant for this reader.
—Ben
