Dreams of Steel

Dreams of Steel
Dreams of Steel  
Dreams of Steel.jpg
Author(s) Glen Cook
Cover artist Keith Berdak
Country United States
Language English
Series The Black Company
Genre(s) Epic fantasy, Dark fantasy
Publisher Tor Fantasy
Publication date April 1990
Media type Print (Paperback)
Pages 345
ISBN 0-8125-0210-8
OCLC Number 21347800
Preceded by Shadow Games
Followed by Bleak Seasons

Dreams of Steel is the fifth novel in Glen Cook's ongoing series, The Black Company. The series combines elements of epic fantasy and dark fantasy as it follows an elite mercenary unit, The Black Company, through roughly forty years of its approximately four hundred year history.

Contents

Plot summary

Characters in Dreams of Steel

The Black Company

  • Lady - a once-powerful ruler of the Empire of The North, now the new leader and annalist for The Black Company
  • Croaker - the Company's former Captain, now under the thrall of Soulcatcher

Taglians and Cohorts

  • Prahbrindrah Drah - crown prince of Taglios
  • Smoke - Sorcerer of Middling powers, who works for Prahbrindrah Drah
  • Radisha Drah - sister of the Prahbrindrah Drah
  • Willow Swan - originally from the town of Roses, travels to Taglios with his friend Cordy Mather. Becomes a military advisor to the Prahbrindrah Drah
  • Cordwood "Cordy" Mather - friend of Willow Swans, also part of the Drahs' military maneuvers
  • Blade - dangerous man saved from crocodiles by Willow and Cordy, now accompanies them wherever they go

Sorcerers

  • Soulcatcher - thought to have been killed, returns to seek revenge on her sister Lady
  • Longshadow - enigmatic shadowmaster that seeks to capture Lady
  • Howler - one of the original Taken, lured from his swampy domain to aid Longshadow