Just as in the modern city various architectural styles perfectly coexist, so in the works of modern writers various genres, worlds and heroes coexist without problems. One of these authors is Glen Cook. He managed to combine brutal fantasy, and reality, and ordinary people, and mystical creatures. Having sprinkled this mixture with a good portion of humor, he placed it in interesting books that are worth reading.
Who is Glen Cook?
The American writer Glen Cook was born in July 1944 in New York. The first story of The Hawk about the American Civil War he wrote in seventh grade. After school, he entered the University of Missouri. He did not have enough money to study, and he had to leave his studies. Glen went to work at the General Motors factory in St. Louis and wanted to save money and continue his studies. But fate decreed otherwise.
Glen applied to participate in a six-week course for aspiring science fiction writers, and was immediately accepted. For two years, 1969 and 1970, he participated in these workshops, and in 1970 published the Silverheels short story and the novel The Swamp Academy. In the courses, he met useful people, including those involved in publishing, but most importantly, Glen met his future wife. In 1971, she and Carol got married, and after they raised three sons.
How does it write?
Glen's fiction is unforgettable heroes, unexpected turns, dashing adventures and incredible situations. It should be noted that Cook's books are distinguished by sparkling humor. If in the first works the author did not pay much attention to the description of his characters, and they were more like creatures endowed with only certain functions, then in later works there is no trace of one-sidedness and dryness. Heroes ācome to lifeā, become bright and charismatic.
Actually, the characters and the dynamism of the plot compensate for the somewhat rude and concise narrative, consisting of sketchy details scantily scattered across the lines. A vivid example of this is āThe Adventures of Garrett.ā Glen Cook is so cleverly interweaving mythology and reality, magic and frank magic that in almost every novel the reader receives a good portion of intriguing questions, to which the author gives unexpected answers. A dynamic plot, unpredictable twists, an intriguing ending is exactly what makes fans of his work look forward to the next volume.
What is he writing about?
The first novel, The Heirs of Babylon, inspired by Wagner's opera tetralogy The Ring of the Nibelungs, was published in 1972. After a long break, Glen publishes in 1979 the novel āThe Darkness of All Nights,ā which, according to the writer, was written a long time ago, before the āHeirsā. This book was the first in a series of "Empire of Horrors." Now the cycle has nine works and continues to the present.
In 1982, the author turned to science fiction and wrote the novel The Shadow Side. Now this is the Star Catchers trilogy about blood feud and eternal confrontation. In the fire of a ruthless war between different races of ordinary and unusual people, planets burn up. The entire series is heterogeneous in both genre and plot, but in general, the world created by Glen looks logical and dignified.
In 1984, when the writer had enough good novels, he wrote The Chronicles of the Black Squad, which made him famous. The book in the style of dark fantasy about a group of mercenaries serving the mysterious Madame liked both readers and publishers. The writer did not expect to continue, but under the pressure of fans of his work gave up - the books of the "detachment" began to be published regularly, and now there are already twelve volumes in the cycle.
What else did you write?
The Glen Empire also owns the Empire of Horror series, which has more than eighteen books. But the writerās greatest success was a series about the adventures of Garrett. Glen Cook opened the series about a private detective with the book Sweet Silver-Toned Silver Blues, published in 1987. We will dwell on it in more detail, because not every character is worthy of such attention as Garrett is an ironic and slightly cynical detective in the city of Tafner, which unravels the most mysterious affairs in the kingdom, inhabited not only by humans, but also by elves, goblins and gnomes.
What is āThe Adventures of Garrettā about?
In the first novel about the detective Garrett āSilver Bluesā, the reader gets acquainted not only with the main character, but also with the city where the detective lives. The fairy-tale atmosphere from the very first lines is addictive, and the writer, with his inherent restraint in crumbs, presents information in the series āAdventures of Garrettā. Glen Cook in the readers' reviews appears as an author who, from the first lines, can intrigue the abyss of secrets and mysteries. Sometimes you have to āthink outā and āthink it outā - you really want to get to the answer faster, which is quite difficult, because the author puts the trump cards only in the final.
After the tragic death of one of Garrett's associates, a huge inheritance was suddenly discovered. The hunt immediately began for wealth. And Garrett helps the family of his comrade to understand what is happening. As soon as he figured out this matter, and at the same time he met with his past, as in the next book - āGolden Hearts with a Wormholeā - he was instructed to find and return Raver, the son of the Lady. Here, the reader will meet with the characters from the first novel, and with new characters.
The list of books on the adventures of Garrett by Glenn Cook is quite impressive, to date, he has fifteen works. In Cold Copper Tears, published in 1988, the third novel of the cycle, Garrett will become acquainted with the cults of his hometown. A shrine disappears in one of the churches, a detective searches for it, but finds out about the revival of the forbidden cult. āIn hoary pewter sorrow,ā released in 1989, one of Garrett's former co-workers turns to him for help. The inhabitants of Stantnorās mansion, the heirs of the general, die a mysterious death, and the detective goes to the rescue.
Ominous Brass Shadows, released in 1990, will become a place for the detective to hunt for the mysterious Book of Visions. In Blood Iron Night 1991, brutally killed black-haired girls, and Garrett investigates a string of mysterious murders. Deadly Mercury Lies was the seventh novel in this series and was published in 1994. The womanās request to find her missing daughter dragged the detective into a story related to an ancient book that keeps the secret of treasures.
When is the finale?
In 1995, the eighth book of Glenn Cook about the adventures of Garrett - "Pitiful lead gods." She will tell readers about two pantheons of forgotten gods who will entrust themselves to a detective - he will have to determine which of them has more rights to own the last temple. The Heat of Shadow Steel, the ninth novel in the series, was published in 1999. Here, the detectiveās hometown is torn apart by the struggle of several societies, and the detective finds himself in an unexpected binding. The tenth book, Evil Cast Iron Heaven (2002), tells how a resourceful detective against his will was made the bodyguard of Kip Brouse. Before Garrett manages to get used to the new role, Kip is abducted by some unknown creatures.
Glenn Cookās novel about Garrettās adventures of āWhispering Nickel Idolsā was released in 2005 and introduced readers to Penny. She suddenly appeared in Garrettās house, didnāt communicate with anyone and left the house without warning anyone, and after her departure there was only a basket with many kittens left. The eleventh book, Cruel Zinc Melodies, was published in 2008. In it, the author spoke about the daughter of a famous brewer of the city. She came to the detective for help - everyone began to attack their workers: giant spiders and ghosts. And Garrett gets down to business. How else? After all, not every business promises a mug of delicious and free beer.
Another novel about the adventures of Garrett - āGilded Brass Bonesā - was released in 2010. From it, the reader learns how to survive, the detective will have to give up family happiness, and at the same time find out who tried to kidnap his beloved girlfriend and best friend. Shadow Thieves (2014) will tell how the rush hour came in the detectiveās career. Customers lined up to him with a request to find the right box. The fifteenth, so far last, novel about Garrettās adventures, āInsidious Bronze Vanity,ā was published in 2013. The detective was going to forever connect his heart with Strafa Algarda. But from love, even from true, only troubles.
What do they say?
Readers have different views on the work of Glenn Cook, but agree on one thing: a series about Garrett "addictive." These are interesting books to read. The main thing is to start, and it is impossible to stop. The simplicity and fascination of the plot captivates. Charming heroes and sparkling humor of the author. The main character is excellent: a private and honest detective with a good portion of humor and excellent fists. He never despairs, soberly assesses himself and others, and unforeseen situations in which he constantly finds himself. According to grateful readers, the author created a memorable not only the main character. Minor characters are also very bright personalities, albeit not playing a special role, but giving stories a special charm and charm.
What else is involved in Cook's books? The world that Glen created. As follows from the reviews, the author skillfully combined the realities of the modern metropolis and the once harsh reality of the gangster, all this was plentifully flavored with fantasy, and the result was a fascinating and funny series that does not let you get bored and always cheers you up.