Gemmell, David Books

Legend (Drenai Tales, Book 1)

David Gemmell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 115 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

legendary 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

David Gemmell's Legend is one of my favorite books. not only because it kickstarts the Drenai series, but also....well.....it's amazing. sorry to sound so simple about it, but i have yet to read a book that just sucked me into the pages like this (gemmell has this down to a science). all his books are quick reads....certainly i have finished some of his books in only a few days, but they all have left a lasting impression on me.

what i love most about legend (and all of his books), is the feeling that i relate to the characters....not just heroes, but also the "villains". and indeed, in other Drenai books, gemmell explores some of the villains in new light, often to such success that i start rooting for them to win.
also, he tends to write in a fashion that allows the reader to jump onto the series at any point and not be lost. Legend may be his first published works, but in the time table of the drenai, it is one of the last in the series. sound confusing? it really isnt.

give legend a shot. if you're anything like me, you'll run out and buy every copy of every book he's ever written, and swallow them up like candy.

Editorial Review:

Druss, Captain of the Axe, was the stuff of legends. But even as the stories grew in the telling, Druss himself grew older. He turned his back on his own legend and retreated to a mountain lair to await his old enemy, death. Meanwhile, barbarian hordes were on the march. Nothing could stand in their way. Druss reluctantly agreed to come out of retirement. But could even Druss live up to his own legends?

Lord of the Silver Bow (Troy Trilogy, Book 1)

David Gemmell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 36 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

He is a man of many names. Some call him the Golden One; others, the Lord of the Silver Bow. To the Dardanians, he is Prince Aeneas. But to his friends, he is Helikaon. Strong, fast, quick of mind, he is a bold warrior, hated by his enemies, feared even by his Trojan allies. For there is a darkness at the heart of the Golden One, a savagery that, once awakened, can be appeased only with blood.

Argurios the Mykene is a peerless fighter, a man of unbending principles and unbreakable will. Like all of the Mykene warriors, he lives to conquer and to kill. Dispatched by King Agamemnon to scout the defenses of the golden city of Troy, he is Helikaon’s sworn enemy.

Andromache is a priestess of Thera betrothed against her will to Hektor, prince of Troy. Scornful of tradition, skilled in the arts of war, and passionate in the ways of her order, Andromache vows to love whom she pleases and to live as she desires.

Now fate is about to thrust these three together–and, from the sparks of passionate love and hate, ignite a fire that will engulf the world.

Readers who know the works of David Gemmell expect nothing less than excellence from this author, whose taut prose, driving plots, and full-bodied characters have won him legions of fans the world over. Now, with this first masterly volume in an epic reimagining of the Trojan War, Gemmell has written an ageless drama of brave deeds and fierce battles, of honor and treachery, of love won and lost.


From the Hardcover edition.

Quest for Lost Heroes (Drenai Tales, Book 3)

David Gemmell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Super Reader 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Tenaka Khan is dead, poisoned by his own son, Jungir. He has also disposed of his brothers, and sent his sister into exile, because he has failed to produce an heir.

Some years later, due to a conflict with the local earl, both Chareos the Blademaster and a young villager named Kiall set out to look for a woman captured by slavers.

Chareos encounters his friends, the other heroes of Bel-Azar - the only battle that Tenaka Khan did not win. Beltzer the axeman, and the archers, Finn and Magrig come with them, as does the mystic tribesmen Ostas.

Asta Khan, Tenaka's shaman, is still alive, and has deceived Jungir, and is plotting his master's return. This is part of the reason Tenaka left the Heroes of Bel-Azar alive.

Chareos is also a descendant of both the Drenai, and the Nadir, like Tenaka, and just may be the Earl of Bronze.

First, they must survive a trip into a demon infested underworld, and an infiltration of the Nadir stronghold.

Editorial Review:

The Drenai stronghold had fallen. Now blood-hungry Nadir hordes spread desolation and despair across all the lands...
...even tiny Gothir, where slavers seized a young girl while the villagers looked the other way--all but the peasant boy Kiall. His unlikely rescue attempt would lead across the savage steppes and on through the Halls of Hell. The youth would face ferocious beasts, deadly warriors, and demons of the dark; he would emerge a man--or not emerge at all.
But Kiall would not face these dangers alone. Heroes out of legend joined his quest: Chareos the Blademaster, Beltzer the Axeman, and the bowmen Finn and Maggrig. And one among their company hid a secret that could free the world of Nadir domination. That one was the Nadir Bane, the hope of the Drenai. That one was the Earl of Bronze.
Thus did a search for a stolen slave girl become a quest that would shake the very world.

Waylander (Drenai Tales, Book 4)

David Gemmell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 36 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Classic Gemmell 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Waylander is typical Gemmell. A great warrior - Waylander - with a mysterious and angry past is pitted against the hoard. This time the Nadir, magical and dark priests, and nether-beasts stalk Waylander in his quest to recover mystical armor that has been hidden until the chosen one comes for it. Even his friends are tempted by the bounty on his head. Waylander must hurry, however, as the clock is ticking for his brethren being sieged in their mountain stronghold. Murder, mystery and mayhem follow Waylander, for it is well known that he is the man who killed the king, and was once deadliest man in the land... But now he is getting older...

A great story and a crucial lead up to the Legend of Deathwalker - the finest of all Gemmell books.

Relic113

Editorial Review:

All of Waylander's instincts had screamed at him to spurn the contract from Kaem the cruel, the killer of nations. But he had ignored them. He had made his kill. And even as he went to collect his gold, he knew that he had been betrayed.
Now the Dark Brotherhood and the hounds of chaos were hunting him, even as Kaem's armies waged war on the Drenai lands, intent on killing every man, woman, and child. The Drenai soldiers were doomed to ultimate defeat, and chaos would soon reign.
Then a strange old man told Waylander that the only way to turn the tide of battle would be for Waylander himself to retrieve the legendary Armor of Bronze from its hiding place deep within a shadow-haunted land. He would be hunted. He was certain to fail. But he must try, the old man commanded--commanded in the name of his son, the king, who had been slain by an assassin...
Waylander was the most unlikely of heroes--for he was a traitor, the Slayer who had killed the king...

Wolf in Shadow (The Stones of Power)

David Gemmell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A heroic fantasy western done by one of the greats! 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

I became an instant David Gemmell fan after reading the last book in his 'Stones of Power' series, and have not looked back since. Every single book he has written has more or less been fantastic. None however overshadow this classic book which I highly suggest to all who read this.

'Wolf in Shadow' takes place in the far-flung future where an accident has toppled the earth, nearly destroying life and turning most of the world into a wastland. It has also released the magical Sipstraasi stones back into the world. Civilisation has worked it's way up to horse and buggies, but there exists a great evil who has built a satanic army thirsting for dominance.

There also exists The Jerusalem Man, a noble gunslinger who walks the world searching for the city of the Bible. This is Jon Shannow, one of Gemmell's greatest creations. He is a good man, but a hardened violent one who's morality is edged with a murderous quickdraw. And when he meets with Abaddon, lord of Hell and the mysterious gaurdians of the Sipstraasi, it creates one of sci-fi's under-appreciated jewel's.

Gemmel, as he is known to do, writes a strong adventure book but lines it with deep philosophical debates on the nature of evil and morality, one of those rare books that'll keep you turning pages and thinking as well.

Just a great novel from a great writer.

Editorial Review:

"Gemmell . . . keeps the mythic currents crackling."

--Publishers Weekly

John Shannow, The Jerusalem Man, lived in a world that had toppled on its axis. Civilization had been replaced by ruthlessness and savagery. Relentless in his quest for peace, Shannow followed a path that led only to bloodshed and sorrow.

Abaddon, the Lord of the Pit, sought to plunge mankind into a new Satanic era. His Hellborn army spewed forth from the Plague Lands with an unholy force stemming from human sacrifice. For it was the blood of innocents that fueled the corrupted Sipstrassi Stones of Power--the source of Abaddon's might.

But the Hellborn made a fatal mistake--they took the woman who had stolen Shannow's heart. He would move Heaven and Earth to save her or he would die trying.

Last Sword of Power (Stones of Power)

David Gemmell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Could not put the book down. Neither will you. 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Book Two is great in it's own right as is Book One. Interpreting Arthurian legend, this story focuses on Cormac, son of the Blood King, Uther Pendragon. Cormac grows to manhood and becomes a warrior under the tutalage of the Lance Lord. He seeks life and love even to the extend of traveling Hell itself. A new "god" seeks to conquor Britain and it's up to Cormac and the heroes, much older now, from the first book to stop the horror and blood. As with other Gemmell stories, some of the characters you've grown to respect and love (or hate) will die in an attempt to stand on the side of good....and they might not succeed. Unlike the Drenai series, this story claims roots in Earth's history and legends of ancient Western culture.

One of Gemmell's gifts is telling a story of adventure and fantasy while exploring shades of good and evil within a person. Good people will do terrible things in fits of anger or perceived need for the greater good, and bad people will inexplicably or deliberately do an act of kindness that makes a difference.

Someday a movie director will turn one or all of David Gemmell's books into a movie series that will rivial LOTR and Harry Potter. This book will be a smashing hit! Read it and you'll find it satisfying, while hungering for more of D.G. books.

Editorial Review:

BLOOD KING
The Goths followed a bloodthirsty new leader, one who sought to open the Gates of Hell: Wotan. His immortal power stemmed from human sacrifice and dark sorcery, and no sword could touch him. He rode the winds on a leather-winged steed, while his armies cut a deadly swath across the northern kingdoms. Even death's icy hand could not stop them.
Only Uther Pendragon could save Britannia. To do so he must wield his birthright--Cunobelin's blade, the legendary Sword of Power.
But Uther was chained in Hell, the sword lost in swirling Chaos. All hope lay with the warrior known as Revelation, with the magic of the Sipstrassi Stones, and with Anduine, a blind girl possessed of arcane powers. Only if these unlikely allies united could they hope to stop the invincible foe before the world plunged into darkness.

Winter Warriors (Drenai Tales, Book 8)

David Gemmell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 33 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

David Gemmell has a talent for fantasy tales of heroism and villainy that feature characters who, while sympathetically flawed, are almost superhumanly good at what they do. Often these people are warriors: finely drawn, emotionally complex, and struggling with their individual human challenges against the backdrop of epic events.

The heroic figures here are three Drenai soldiers, Nogusta, Bison, and Kebra, whose services have been rejected by their king because they are no longer young. However, while these old friends might be a tad past their best, they are still very good indeed, and when they are called upon to protect the infant heir to the throne, the little prince could not be in better hands. In the midst of flight and eventual, desperate battle against the forces of the demon lord Anharat, they fight not only a human army and a band of demon riders bent on the heir's death but their own doubts about their ability and worth. Gemmell is particularly deft at describing fine gradations of the friendship between the three men, including the subtleties of liking, of loving, and of the different strengths that come with age. Winter Warriors is both a fast-paced fantasy adventure and a powerful story of living and dying well. --Luc Duplessis

Hero in the Shadows (Drenai Tales, Book 9)

David Gemmell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 36 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In Hero in the Shadows, Waylander, the assassin hero of some of Gemmell's earlier books, is now a middle-aged man looking for peace in a world that will, for the most part, let him alone. The crimes of his past come back to haunt him, as he finds himself responsible for a young prince whose grandfather he murdered, and as creatures of doomed legend come back to rule the world with blood and horror. An aging paladin, a loud-mouthed braggart whom a magic sword has chosen, and a kitchen girl who is unusually handy with her knives become his allies, along with a priestess who is not telling all she knows, or all she is.

Gemmell is one of the best writers of fantasy adventure--this new book is attractively gloomy in its atmosphere and has a pervading sense of the ironic. The action sequences are powerful and well visualized; Gemmell always knows how a particular sort of fight would feel. And there are no simple morals here--most of the characters, heroic or villainous, exist in the gray hinterland between dark and light, where evil acts are often performed in sorrow and good actions often have mixed motives behind them. --Roz Kaveney, Amazon.co.uk

Ghost King (Stones of Power)

David Gemmell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 23 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Another Classic Quality Gemmell Story 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I've read all of David Gemmell's books except for the Stones of Power series. Book One is another gem. Loosely Arthurian, Prince Thuro, later self-named Uther Pendragon, is a teen hunted by the assasins of his father. He learns to become a man and a leader of warriors seeking justice on two separate worlds (dimensions). Unlike the Drenai series, this story claims roots in Earth's history and legends of ancient Western culture.

One of Gemmell's gifts is telling a story of adventure and fantasy while exploring shades of good and evil within a person. Good people will do terrible things in fits of anger or perceived need for the greater good, and bad people will inexplicably or deliberately do an act of kindness that makes a difference. This story is no exception, or is exceptional as a Gemmell story--and for that I am grateful. Uther, Culain, Korrin, Goroien, and Gilgamesh are some to watch in this vein.

David Gemmell past away in July, which means a great loss to the fantasy genre of complex warrior heroes. He is one of my fantasy heroes I will sorely miss, except when I reread his stories. Ghost King is another classic that you will find a good story, lessons on living life humbly and straight forward, sacrifice, and of course heart pounding adventure.

Editorial Review:

Chaos and terror stalked the realm. The king had been slain by traitors, and the sword of power had been lost beyond the Circle of Mist. Armies of Saxons, Angles, Jutes, and Brigantes cut a gory swath across the land, led by puppets of the ruthless Witch Queen--whose minions included dark, bloodthirsty creatures and a savage, undead warrior.
All hope lay with young Thuro--in whose veins flowed the blood of kings. He would have to defeat the Witch Queen's monsters and travel to the land of the Mist, there to seek a ghostly army. And the only one who could prepare Thuro to achieve his birthright was the mountain warrior Culain, the one man who knew the queen's deadly secret . . .
The legend of the mystic Stones of Power begins with a tale of blood and glory, of love and betrayal, as a boy must come of age amidst the seemingly impossible quest to become the High King.

The Swords of Night and Day: A Novel of Druss the Legend and Skilgannon the Damned (A Novel of Skilgannon the Damned)

David Gemmell

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Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Even in death, Skilgannon the Damned’s name lives on. Now, as an ancient evil threatens the Drenai heartlands, he returns.

A thousand years after they fell in battle, two heroes -- Druss and Skilgannon -- are revered throughout the war-torn lands of the Drenai where men and women live in abject fear of the Joinings, abominable meldings of man and beast, and of their mistress the dark sorceress known as the Eternal. None can stave off these ruthless foes. But what if the soul of a hero could be called back from the void, his bones housed again in flesh? An ancient prophecy foretold that Skilgannon would return in his people’s darkest hour. To most, this is a foolish hope, but not so to Landis Kan. For years Kan searched for the tomb of Skilgannon the Damned. And at last, he found it, gathered up the bones and performed the mystic ritual.

But the reborn hero is an enigma; a young man whose warrior skills are blunted and whose memories are fragmented. This Skilgannon is a man out of time, marooned in a world as strange to him as a dream, remote from all he knew and loved. Or nearly all. Before bringing Skilgannon back, Landis Kan had experimented with other bones in the hero’s tomb. That ritual resulted in a surly giant who possessed astounding strength, but no memories. To Kan, he is a dangerous failure. To Skilgannon, this giant represents their last hope.

As the ageless evil of the Eternal threatens to drown the Drenai lands in blood, two legendary heroes rise again.


From the Trade Paperback edition.