Kevin's Watch

SRD said 'On the surface, David Gemmell's Hero in the Shadows has everything a fan of heroic fantasy could desire...But the book also has something more a quality which raises Gemmell's achievements to a much higher level: an empathetic and convincing grasp of the complexities and conflicts of real human beings. As a result, Hero in the Shadows has true power and poignancy.'

ok so i put that on i suppose 'cos Gemmell is my favourite author I want to share the experience with you people with the obvious good taste that you (members of this sight) have. if you want to listen to my advice i would say don’t get Hero in the Shadows first because it is the third book of the Waylander series here’s an order I would read them:

Waylander
Waylander II
Hero In the Shadows
Legend
First Chronicles of Druss The Legend
Legend of Deathwalker
The King Beyond the Gate
Quest For Lost Heros
Winter Warriors

That’s just the books he has written in the Drenai Saga there are more for example Dark Moon is worth a read but I’ll i recommend you read the Drenai first

Stay Safe

Spence
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King Beyond the Gate is one of the best novels I've ever read, Legend is a wonderful book - I've just finished the latest David Gemmell book White Wolf - which is O.K (and has the added bonus of featuring Druss - not as the main character but still..) I think I've read pretty much all of his work and he would be my second or third favorite author - SD is always on top and sometimes Roger Zelazny is second.
Anyone who likes G.R.R Martin would love Gemmell (I think)

I'm another person who likes Gemmell. His Drenai stories are my favorites, being in general an amazing mix of fast-paced action, magic, unconventional and believable characterization, and surprising plot twists with even a little humor. Rigante books were also good but a little too melancholic and character-based for my taste. I was totally surprised and floored by Legend, which was the first book by Gemmell I read, and particularly liked Hero in the Shadows, which is my favorite by Gemmell.

My least favorite was Ironhand's Daughter. Sigarni was such a Mary Sue, particularly towards the beginning.

alright...game on!

very well wanderers of the night..blasphemers of virtue and right....you have ALL (except a few) committed sacrilage against this mighty tome....YOU ESPECIALLY VAIN!!!...."The Day All Noms Die" That is so perhutolio to the extreme! Nom was a BRILLIANT character...he was the only creature in the land, that had the might, courage tenacity and pelotas...to devour a RAVER and succeed in quelling its evil existence....it was also NOM who was able to release Honninscrave from said raver....finally bringing his tortured soul peace.....reuniting him with his kindred......it was NOM who submitted to Covenants GREAT WORTH.....and returned to help him in his time of need.....so HOW DARE YOU?! say that all NOMS must die one day?..how dare you.....you are not a friend of the land...and deserve not the title you could never presume to earn or merit....for such deeds are beyond you..... I HAVE SPOKEN....

HEAR ME PEOPLE OF ITHICA (and the land) I AM HERE ONLY TO SPEAK THE TRUTH AND TO PRESERVE THIS GREAT WORK THAT HATH SAVED MINE OWN SOUL!!!

i am a learned man..do not tempt my wrath....i will retaliate..with words of might..and girth..and glory......i acknnowledge my missplaced allusion to Ulyesses and his homeland....i am of a fickle mind and find such things possessing of great entertainment value..aka...funny....hmph! yes......i am a troubled mind and am at this moment saying this aloud....but i assure you.....do not speak unkindly or untruth upon the names..and deeds of those great inhabitants of the land...for i shall return if such things are said again......i have reviewed this board....and it has fallen from grace...(as in Les Miserables...stars) ........it is not what it once was.....please....dont not do this anymore...research what you say.....speak not such blasphemy.....thank you all......

but be warned.......i will return if need be.....

"We Suffice" "Outcast Unclean" "YOU are the white gold" "Do not hurt where holding is enough"

"Melenkurion Abatha Duroc Minas Mill Kabal"

Err, yeah. Deja vu.

birdandbear wrote:Err, yeah. Deja vu.

Indeed...

Back to the subject...,

I have just finished the latest Drenai book - and you just won't believe the Epilogue. Anybody want a spoiler??
It is just fantastic and it just shows how much i'm into these books because I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. The book is called White Wolf and its set about 10 years before Legend, has anyone else read it?

im readin' it now not up to druss yet only got it yesterday oh and spoiler me

im readin' it now not up to druss yet only got it yesterday oh and spoiler me

yeah that was me keep forgetting to log in sorry

So its at the end of the book and Skillganon has been carrying around a locket throughout the book with a piece of his dead wifes hair, in the hope that he will find the Temple of the Resurrectionist and bring her back to life, well..,

Spoiler

Cut to ten years later and Skillganon is in the tent of Ulric at the walls of Dros Delnoch the day that Druss dies, apparantly he had saved Ulrics life some years earlier and in return he's asking for some of Druss's hair and his axe!!

BobLind wrote:if you want to listen to my advice i would say don’t get Hero in the Shadows first because it is the third book of the Waylander series here’s an order I would read them:

Waylander
Waylander II
Hero In the Shadows
Legend
First Chronicles of Druss The Legend
Legend of Deathwalker
The King Beyond the Gate
Quest For Lost Heros
Winter Warriors

That’s just the books he has written in the Drenai Saga there are more for example Dark Moon is worth a read but I’ll i recommend you read the Drenai first

[/i]

I totally agree regarding the readings. You have overlooked some absolute gems though:


the sipstrassi tales
wolf in shadow - introduces the Jon Shannow character. This book is related-to but different-from the next 2 in the sipstrassi series
Ghost King
Last Sword of Power
The latter 2 centre around Culain LanceLord one of Gemmels deadliest and most engaging characters.

There are a whole host of similar-type one-off Gemmels in between. I remember Knights of Dark Reknown and Echoes of the great song being particular favourites.


Lion of Macedon series
Lion of Macedon
Dark Prince
I highly recommend these 2. They are quite different to his drenai tales, though they still live and breathe gemmel style. Set in ancient greece.


Rigante Series - I've recently finished these and they are a more in-depth style of Gemmel. He creates a community(ies) around the characters, rather than letting the central characters run the story for him. Very engaging, i highly recommend. I think he creates my favourite character in the 2nd book in this series. I wont spoil you'll know exactly who I mean when you read it. absolutely DEADLY. hehe
Sword in the Storm
Midnight Falcon
Ravenheart
StormRider

Prince of Amber wrote: Back to the subject...,

I have just finished the latest Drenai book - and you just won't believe the Epilogue. Anybody want a spoiler??
It is just fantastic and it just shows how much i'm into these books because I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. The book is called White Wolf and its set about 10 years before Legend, has anyone else read it?

I bought White Wolf - Book one of the damned about 2 weeks ago. I need some more spare time to get started on it.

cheers,

vile.

Yup - I've read all of those. I think Boblind was just pointing non-Gemmell fans in the direction of the Drenai books as an apperitif (sp?) The order which he has put down is in order of the timeline and not how Gemmell wrote them. Once people have read the Drenai books, I think they'll be hooked and will progress to all the great books you have mentioned. Maybe we should start a separate Gemmell topic away from the main Covenant board - we could then warn new fans away from the lesser Gemmell books (Ironhand's Daughter anyone?)