The Tyranny of the Night - (Instrumentalities of the Night) by Glen Cook (Hardcover)

About the Book

The launch of a sweeping new fantasy adventure series, from the author of the popular "Black Company" novels

Book Synopsis

Now in trade paperback: The Tyranny of the Night is the start of a fantasy epic from Glen Cook, the creator of the Black Company, rich as history and deep as the night sky.

Welcome to the world of the Instrumentalities of the Night, where imps, demons, and dark gods rule in the spaces surrounding upstart humanity. At the edges of the world stand walls of ice which push slowly forward to reclaim the land for the night. And at the world's center, in the Holy Land where two great religions were born, are the Wells of Ihrain, the source of the greatest magics. Over the last century the Patriarchs of the West have demanded crusades to claim the Wells from the Pramans, the followers of the Written. Now an uneasy truce extends between the Pramans and the West, waiting for a spark to start the conflict anew.

Then, on a mission in the Holy Land, the young Praman warrior Else is attacked by a creature of the Dark--in effect, a minor god. Too ignorant to know that he can never prevail over such a thing, he fights it and wins, and in so doing, sets the terrors of the night against him.

As a reward for his success, Else is sent as a spy to the heart of the Patriarchy to direct their attention away from further ventures into the Holy Lands. Dogged by hidden enemies and faithless allies, Else witnesses senseless butchery and surprising acts of faith as he penetrates to the very heart of the Patriarchy and rides alongside their armies in a new crusade against his own people. But the Night rides with him, too, sending two of its once-human agents from the far north to assassinate him.

Submerged in his role, he begins to doubt his faith, his country, even his family. As his mission careens out of control, he faces unanswerable questions about his future. It is said that God will know his own, but can one who has slain gods ever know forgiveness?

Review Quotes

"Timely and timeless...The author of the 'Black Company' series brings a stark realism to his tales of imaginary lands." --"Library Journal" (starred review) on "The Tyranny of the Night"
"A complex and compelling tapestry...It is a powerful fantasy, combining a fast-moving plot with an introduction into this world of patriarchal schism, greedy churchmen and nobles, and cynical soldiers bent on survival." --"VOYA" on "The Tyranny of the Night
""The thing about Glen Cook is that with "The Black Company" he singlehandedly changed the face of fantasy--something a lot of people didn't notice and maybe still don't. He brought the story down to a human level, dispensing with the cliche archetypes of princes, kings, and evil sorcerers. Reading his stuff was like reading Vietnam War fiction on peyote." --Steven Erikson, author of "Gardens of the Moon," on "The Tyranny of the Night" "Cook's talent for combining gritty realism and high fantasy provides a singular edge."
"--Library Journal "on "Water Sleeps"
"Cook provides a rich world of assorted races, cultures, and religions; his characters combine the mythic or exotic with the realistic, engaging in absorbing alliances, enmities, and double-crosses."
"--Publishers Weekly "on "Bleak Seasons"
"Sheer page-turning fun!"
--Robin McKinley on "Bleak Seasons"

"A complex and compelling tapestry...It is a powerful fantasy."

"Timely and timeless... The author of the ' Black Company' series brings a stark realism to his tales of imaginary lands." --"Library Journal" (starred review) on "The Tyranny of the Night"
"A complex and compelling tapestry... It is a powerful fantasy, combining a fast-moving plot with an introduction into this world of patriarchal schism, greedy churchmen and nobles, and cynical soldiers bent on survival." --"VOYA" on "The Tyranny of the Night
""The thing about Glen Cook is that with "The Black Company" he singlehandedly changed the face of fantasy-- something a lot of people didn't notice and maybe still don' t. He brought the story down to a human level, dispensing with the cliche archetypes of princes, kings, and evil sorcerers. Reading his stuff was like reading Vietnam War fiction on peyote." --Steven Erikson, author of "Gardens of the Moon," on "The Tyranny of the Night" "Cook's talent for combining gritty realism and high fantasy provides a singular edge."
"--Library Journal "on "Water Sleeps"

"Cook provides a rich world of assorted races, cultures, and religions; his characters combine the mythic or exotic with the realistic, engaging in absorbing alliances, enmities, and double-crosses."
"--Publishers Weekly "on "Bleak Seasons"

"Sheer page-turning fun!"
--Robin McKinley on "Bleak Seasons"

"A complex and compelling tapestry.It is a powerful fantasy."

"Timely and timeless.The author of the Black Company' series brings a stark realism to his tales of imaginary lands."

About the Author

The author of many novels of fantasy and science fiction, including the bestselling Chronicles of the Black Company series, GLEN COOK lives in St. Louis, Missouri.