Glen Cook "The Adventures of Garrett": all books in the series, main characters, reviews

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Just as different architectural styles perfectly coexist in a modern city, different genres, worlds and heroes coexist without problems in the works of modern writers. One such author is Glen Cook. He managed to combine both cruel fantasy, and reality, and ordinary people, and mystical creatures. Sprinkling this mixture with a good dose of humor, he placed it in interesting books worth reading.

Who is Glen Cook?

American writer Glen Cook was born in July 1944 in New York. He wrote his first story, The Hawk, about the American Civil War, in the seventh grade. After school he entered the University of Missouri. There was not enough money for education, and he had to leave his studies. Glen went to work at the General Motors plant in St. Louis and dreamed of saving money and continuing his education. But fate decreed otherwise.

Glen applied for participation insix-week course for aspiring science fiction writers, and was immediately accepted. For two years, 1969 and 1970, he participated in these seminars, and in 1970 he published the story Silverheels and the novel Swamp Academy. On 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 later raised three sons.

How does he write?

Glen's fantasy is unforgettable characters, unexpected twists, 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 only with certain functions, then in later works there was no trace of one-sidedness and dryness. The characters come to life, become bright and charismatic.

Actually, the characters and the dynamism of the plot compensate for the somewhat rough and concise narrative, consisting of fragmentary details sparingly scattered along the lines. A prime example of this is The Adventures of Garrett. Glen Cook intertwines mythology and reality, magic and outright magic so deftly that in almost every novel the reader gets a good portion of intriguing questions to which the author gives unexpected answers. A dynamic plot, unpredictable twists, an intriguing ending - exactly what makes fans of his work look forward to the release of the next volume.

What does he write about?

The first novel "Heirs of Babylon", inspired by Wagner's opera tetralogy "Ring of the Nibelungs", was published in 1972. After a long break, Glen published in 1979 the novel "The Darkness of All Nights", which, according to the writer, was written long ago, even before the "Heirs". This book was the first in the Empires of Horror series. 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 it is the Starcatchers trilogy about blood feud and eternal confrontation. In the fire of a ruthless war between different races of ordinary and unusual people, planets are burning. The whole series is heterogeneous both in genre and in plot, but in general, the world created by Glen looks logical and dignified.

In 1984, when the writer had enough good novels to his credit, he wrote The Chronicles of the Black Squad, which made him famous. The book in dark fantasy style about a group of mercenaries serving the mysterious Lady was liked by both readers and publishers. The writer did not count on a sequel, but under the pressure of the fans of his work, he 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?

Glen's Peru also owns the "Empire of Horror" cycle, which has more than eighteen books. But the biggest success of the writer was a series about the adventures of Garrett. Glen Cook opened the private detective series with Mellifluous Silver Blues.published in 1987. We will dwell on it in more detail, because not every character is worthy of such attention as Garret - an ironic and slightly cynical detective in the city of Tufner, who unravels the most mysterious cases in a kingdom inhabited not only by people, but also by elves, goblins and gnomes.

What is The Adventures of Garrett about?

In the first novel about detective Garrett "Silver Blues", the reader gets acquainted not only with the main character, but also with the city where the detective lives. The fabulous atmosphere from the very first lines draws you in, and the writer, with his inherent restraint, bit by bit presents information in the cycle "The Adventures of Garrett". Glen Cook in the readers' reviews appears as an author who from the first lines can intrigue with an abyss of secrets and mysteries. Sometimes you have to “think” and “think” - so you want to get to the clue faster than the detective, which is quite difficult, because the author lays out the main trump cards only in the final.

After the tragic death of one of Garrett's associates, a huge inheritance was suddenly discovered. The hunt for we alth immediately began. And Garrett helps his friend's family figure out what's going on. As soon as he de alt with this matter, and at the same time he met with his past, as in the next book - "Golden Hearts with a Wormhole" - he was instructed to find and return Raver, the son of the Lady. Here the reader will meet both the characters from the first novel and new characters.

The list of books about the adventures of Garrett by Glen Cook is quite impressive, today itcontains fifteen pieces. In Cold Copper Tears, published in 1988, the third novel in the series, Garrett will be introduced to the cults of his hometown. A shrine goes missing in one of the churches, the detective is looking for it, but learns about the revival of a forbidden cult. In Gray Tin Sorrow, released in 1989, one of Garrett's former colleagues turns to him for help. The inhabitants of the Stantnor mansion, the general's heirs, die mysterious deaths, and the detective goes to the rescue.

The Sinister Brass Shadows, released in 1990, will be the detective's hunting ground for the mysterious Book of Visions. In the 1991 Blood Iron Night, black-haired girls are brutally murdered, and Garrett investigates a string of mysterious murders. Deadly Mercury Lies was the seventh novel in the series and was published in 1994. A woman's request to find her missing daughter dragged the detective into a story related to an ancient book that holds the secret of the treasure.

When is the final?

In 1995, Glen Cook's eighth book about the adventures of Garrett, "Pitiful Lead Gods", was published. She will tell readers about two pantheons of forgotten gods who will entrust themselves to the detective - he will have to determine which of them has more rights to own the last temple. Dark Steel Heat, the ninth novel in the series, was published in 1999. Here, the detective's hometown is torn apart by the struggle of several societies, and the detective finds himself in an unexpected bind. The tenth book, "Angry Cast Iron Skies" (2002), will tell how a resourceful detective againsthis will made Kip Brose's bodyguard. Before Garrett can settle into his new role, Kip is kidnapped by some unknown creatures.

Glen Cook's novel about the adventures of Garrett "Whispering Nickel Idols" was released in 2005 and introduced readers to the girl Penny. She unexpectedly appeared at Garrett's house, did not communicate with anyone and left the house without warning anyone, and after her departure, only a basket with numerous kittens remained. The eleventh book, Cruel Zinc Melodies, was published in 2008. In it, the author spoke about the daughter of a famous city brewer. She came to the detective for help - everyone and sundry began to attack their workers: both giant spiders and ghosts. And Garrett takes over. How else? After all, not every business promises a mug of delicious and free beer.

The next novel about the adventures of Garrett - "Gilded Brass Bones" - was released in 2010. From it, the reader will learn how the detective, in order to survive, will have to give up family happiness, and at the same time find out who tried to kidnap his girlfriend and best friend. "Shadow Thieves" (2014) will tell how "rush hour" has come in the detective's career. Customers lined up to him with a request to find the right box. The fifteenth, and so far the last, novel about Garrett's adventures, The Insidious Bronze Vanity, was published in 2013. The detective was going to forever unite his heart with Strafa Algarda. But love, even true love, is nothing but trouble.

What are they saying?

Readers have different attitudes towards the work of Glen Cook, butthey agree on one thing: the Garrett series is “addictive”. These are interesting books worth reading. The main thing is to start, and it is impossible to stop. Captivating simplicity and fascination of the plot. Charming characters and sparkling humor of the author. The protagonist is excellent: a private and honest detective with a good dose of humor and excellent fists. He never despairs, he soberly evaluates himself, those around him, and unforeseen situations that he constantly finds himself in. According to grateful readers, the author created memorable not only the main character. The secondary characters are also very bright personalities, although they do not play a special role, but they give the stories a special charm and charm.

What else attracts you 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 gangster reality, richly flavored all this with fantasy, and the result was an exciting and funny series that does not get bored and always cheers up.