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Bleak Seasons by Glen Cook is the "Sixth Chronicle" of the Black Company series and the first novel in the Books of Glittering Stone tetralogy. It is the debut of a new Annalist, Murgen, who experiences mental displacement from both time and space.

Plot summary[]

Murgen, the Black Company's Annalist and standard-bearer, suffers from the emotional trauma of the Siege of Dejagore. During that time, the Company experienced a bloody schism, and Murgen found himself the leader of the "Old Crew" faction. Four years later, his spirit has become mysteriously untethered from both his own body and time itself, and jarring seizures are forcing him to relive the bloodshed and misery of the siege. He is afflicted with bizarre nightmares, and his chronicles flicker unpredictably in space and time as he struggles to maintain sanity.

The framing narrative of Bleak Seasons begins 4 years after the Siege of Dejagore, and details events such as a Strangler ambush at the Palace of Taglios. Murgen's disturbing flashbacks explore the events within Dejagore that transpired mostly unseen during Dreams of Steel, including the introduction of the Nyueng Bao people and a more detailed treatment of Mogaba's treachery. The chronicle ends with the tremors of an earthquake that has devastated enemy lands farther south of Taglios.

From the back cover[]

Let me tell you who I am, on the chance that these scribblings do survive... I am Murgen, Standard-bearer of the Black Company, though I bear the shame of having lost that standard in battle. I am keeping these Annals because Croaker is dead, One-Eye won't, and hardly anyone else can read or write. I will be your guide for however long it takes the Shadowlanders to force our present predicament to its inevitable end..."


So writes Murgen, seasoned veteran of the Black Company. The Company has taken the fortress of Stormgard from the evil Shadowlanders, lords of darkness from the far reaches of the earth. Now the waiting begins.

Exhausted from the siege, beset by sorcery, and vastly outnumbered, the Company have risked their souls as well as their lives to hold their prize. But this is the end of an age, and great forces are at work. The ancient race known as the Nyueng Bao swear that ancient gods are stirring. The Company's commander has gone mad and flirts with the forces of darkness. Only Murgen, touched by a spell that has set his soul adrift in time, begins at last to comprehend the dark design that has made pawns of men and god alike.

Global publication and translation history[]

In addition to the editions listed in the infobox at the top of this article, Bleak Seasons also appeared in the following formats and translations.

Gallery of omnibuses[]

All of the omnibuses in which Bleak Seasons is known to have appeared are shown in this gallery. See Books of Glittering Stone for more details.

Single volumes and novel pairs[]

Bleak Seasons was also published in the following single-volume editions, novel pairs, translations, and formats. They are listed in order of publication, earliest first; some reappearances of the same translation may be grouped together.

Polish[]

Polish Bleak Seasons 1997 front
  • Title: Ponure lata
  • Page shown: Front cover
  • Author: Glen Cook
  • Language: Polish
  • Translator: Jan Karłowski
  • Publisher: Rebis
  • Pub date: 1997; republished 2003
  • Cover art by: Oliviero Berni
  • ISBN: 9788371204081 (paperback)


Russian (1997 AST Dragon Age Chronicles)[]

This edition was part of the publisher's Dragon Age Chronicles (Век Дракона Хроники / Vek Drakona Khroniki) series.

Russian series Век Дракона Bleak Seasons 1997 front
  • Title: Суровые времена
  • Page shown: Front cover
  • Author: Глен Кук (Glen Cook)
  • Language: Russian
  • Translator: Дмитрия Старкова (Dmitry Starkov)
  • Publisher: АСТ (AST) and Terra Fantastica
  • Pub date: 1997
  • Cover art by: Luis Royo
  • ISBN: Hardcovers: 5-15-000484-7 (ACT); 5-7921-0145-0 (TF)


Russian novel pair (2000 AST Golden Fantasy)[]

This single hardcover containing both Bleak Seasons and She Is the Darkness was part of the publisher's Golden Fantasy series (Золотая серия фэнтези / Zolotaya seriya fentezi).

Russian series Zolotaya fentezi BS SItD pair 2000 front
  • Title: Суровые времена. Тьма (Bleak Seasons & She Is the Darkness)
  • Page shown: Front cover
  • Author: Глен Кук (Glen Cook)
  • Language: Russian
  • Translator: Дмитрия Старкова (Dmitry Starkov) Bleak Seasons only
  • Publisher: АСТ (AST) and Terra Fantastica
  • Pub date: 2000
  • Cover art by: Gary Ruddell (upper); Luis Royo (lower); unknown (left)
  • ISBN: Hardcovers: 9785170034307 [5-17-003430-X] (ACT); 9785792103511 [5-7921-0351-8] (TF)


French (2003 L'Atalante)[]

Bleak Seasons (L'Atalante 2003) Cover

See also the back cover art

  • Title: Saisons funestes
  • Page shown: Front & back covers
  • Author: Glen Cook
  • Language: French
  • Translator: Alain Robert
  • Publisher: L'Atalante
  • Pub date: 18 March 2003
  • Cover art by: Didier Graffet
  • ISBN: 9782841722327 (paperback [broché])


Lithuanian[]

Lithuanian Bleak Seasons front
  • Title: Niūrūs laikai
  • Page shown: Front cover
  • Author: Glen Cook
  • Language: Lithuanian
  • Translator: Anita Kapočiūtė
  • Publisher: Eridanas
  • Pub date: 2006
  • Cover art by: Clyde Caldwell
  • ISBN: 9789986971283 (paperback) [ISBN-10: 9986971284]


Spanish[]

Spanish Bleak Seasons (La Factoria) front
  • Title: Estación de penurias. Un libro de La Compañía Negra. Primer libro de Piedra reluciente
  • Page shown: Front cover
  • Author: Glen Cook
  • Language: Spanish
  • Translator: Antonio Calvario Márquez
  • Publisher: La Factoría de Ideas
  • Pub date: December 2006 (paperback); December 2014 (e-book)
  • Cover art by: Jan Patrik Krasny
  • ISBN: 9788498002577 (paperback); 9788490185407 (e-book)


French (2008 J'ai lu)[]

The same French translation previously published by L'Atalante (seen above) was republished by J'ai lu in smaller paperback format [poche]. The first reprints featured cover art by Johan Camou (left), which was replaced years later by the more abstract art of Slava Gerj (right) when the publisher did a cover refresh.
Bleak Seasons (J'ai Lu 2008) Cover Slava Gerj Jai lu Bleak Seasons front

  • Title: Les Annales de la Compagnie Noire 7: Saisons funestes
  • Page shown: Front cover
  • Author: Glen Cook
  • Language: French
  • Translator: Alain Robert
  • Publisher: J'ai lu
  • Pub date: 11 March 2008
  • Cover art by: Johan Camou (left); Slava Gerj (right)
  • ISBN: 9782290008188 (small paperback [poche])


Russian novel pair (2008 AST Dragon Age 2)[]

This single hardcover containing 2 novels was part of the publisher's Dragon Age 2 series (Век дракона 2 / Vek Drakona 2).

Russian series Vek drakona 2 BS SItD pair 2008 front
  • Title: Суровые времена. Тьма (Bleak Seasons & She Is the Darkness)
  • Page shown: Front cover
  • Author: Глен Кук (Glen Cook)
  • Language: Russian
  • Translator: Дмитрия Старкова (Dmitry Starkov) Bleak Seasons only
  • Publisher: АСТ (AST); АСТ Москва (AST Moscow); Хранитель (Guardian); Харвест (Harvest)?
  • Pub date: 2008
  • Cover art by: Luis Royo
  • ISBN: Hardcovers: 978-5-17-049549-8 (ACT); 978-5-9713-7665-1 (АСТ Москва); 978-5-9762-6728-2 (Guardian); 978-985-16-4844-9 (Harvest?)


Bulgarian[]

Bulgarian 7 Bleak Seasons front
  • Title: Мрачни времена: Първа книга за Блестящия камък (Хрониките на Черния отряд VII)
  • Page shown: Front cover
  • Author: Глен Кук (Glen Cook)
  • Language: Bulgarian
  • Translator: Светлана Комогорова (Svetlana Komogorova)
  • Publisher: Лира Принт (Lira Print)
  • Pub date: 2009
  • Cover art by: Nicholas Jainschigg
  • ISBN: 9789548610711 (paperback)


Persian[]

The image in the center of this publication's cover was adapted from artwork of the computer game Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor by Monolith Productions / Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

Persian Bleak Seasons cover
  • Title: مجموعه گروهان سياه کتاب ششم (فصل حزن)
  • Page shown: Front cover
  • Author: Glen Cook
  • Language: Persian
  • Translator: آيدا کشوري (Aida Keshvari)
  • Publisher: کتابسرای تندیس، (Tandis Publishing)
  • Pub date: 2017
  • Cover art by: [Image from Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor game]
  • ISBN: 9786001823053 (paperback)


Chinese[]

Chinese Bleak Seasons front
  • Title: 黑色佣兵团 6 荒芜岁月
  • Page shown: Front cover
  • Author: 格伦·库克 (Glen Cook)
  • Language: Simplified Chinese
  • Translator: 赵梓铭 (Zhao Ziming)
  • Publisher: 国际文化出版公司 (International Culture Publishing Company)
  • Pub date: May 2023
  • Cover art by: (unknown)
  • ISBN: 9787512514485 (paperback)


Hungarian (forthcoming)[]

Hungarian Tuan Bleak Seasons
  • Title: Zord Évszakok
  • Page shown: Front cover
  • Author: Glen Cook
  • Language: Hungarian
  • Translator: (info forthcoming)
  • Publisher: Tuan
  • Pub date: (Expected release in 2024)
  • Cover art by: (info forthcoming)
  • ISBN: 9789635891177 (paperback)



Audiobooks[]

English audiobook[]

Audible Bleak Seasons
  • Title: Bleak Seasons
  • Author: Glen Cook
  • Language: English
  • Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
  • Length: 13 hours 12 minutes
  • Format: Audible digital audiobook
  • Publisher: Audible Studios
  • Pub date: 31 August 2010
  • Cover art by: Nicholas Jainschigg
  • ISBN: (ASIN: B0041JKDRQ)


Russian audiobook[]

Russian audio Soyuz Bleak Seasons
  • Title: Суровые времена
  • Author: Glen Cook
  • Language: Russian
  • Narrated by: Всеволод Кузнецов (Vsevolod Kuznetsov)
  • Length: 10 hours 13 minutes
  • Format: MP3 download
  • Publisher: СОЮЗ, Покидышевъ и сыновья (Soyuz, Pokidyshev and Sons)
  • Pub date: June 2022
  • Cover art by: (unknown)
  • ISBN: 4066338970909
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