Best Gemmell book?

[Brian G Turner]

He's certainly written a lot since Legend - but which is actually his best work so far?

I know Legend was pretty defining, but did he use his best creative energy there - even if it might have been a little raw - or has he simply gone from strength to strength since? If so, which work stands as his best so far?

 

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

Come on, Gemmelites. The man has a huge bibliog and I'd sure like some help on where to start!

 

[cymric]

Waylander all 3 of the books are very good and waylander is such a great character

 

[dwndrgn]

Is Waylander the title of the first book in that series? I may be getting a new book tomorrow and that would be something I might be interested in.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

Knivesout - I have read every single Gemmell novel, some I have read twice and some thrice. The Drenai Tales are probably his most popular starting with the fanyasy classic 'Legend'.

However, my favourite series by Gemmell are the Rigante Tales. This series comprises of four books, Sword in the Storm, Midnight Falcon, Ravenheart, and Stormrider. Jaim Grymauch features in Ravenheart, and in my opinion is the greatest character ever created in a work of heroic fantasy. Now there is a possible thread in the making.

 

[cymric]

if u are in the UK then the first book is simply waylander or mabeye waylander 1. If u are in the states the first book is listed simply as wylander, the second book is called Wolf in the shadows, the thrid is entitled Hero in the Shadows. In the UK they just go waylander1-3

 

[Tyrion]

Knivesout - I have read every single Gemmell novel, some I have read twice and some thrice. The Drenai Tales are probably his most popular starting with the fanyasy classic 'Legend'.

However, my favourite series by Gemmell are the Rigante Tales. This series comprises of four books, Sword in the Storm, Midnight Falcon, Ravenheart, and Stormrider. Jaim Grymauch features in Ravenheart, and in my opinion is the greatest character ever created in a work of heroic fantasy. Now there is a possible thread in the making.

i agrre with Lacedaemonian jaim gymauch is the best character but i am split to his best work either ravenheart or legend

 

[scalem X]

It may sound weird, but I started with 'a hero in the shadows' (never read more than one book)

The story of how I managed to do this goes as follows: I was reading the first part of Robert Jordan's 'The wheel of time' when suddenly I realized I was on a trip to Africa with my parents. We were in Swaziland when I finished the book

(I was born in Swaziland)

and fortunately I managed to find a bookstore, unfortunately (or fortunately for the die-hard Gemmel fans) they didn't have any book of Jordan. I had to choose something else and I chose 2 Books in a hurry (pended most of my time searching for 'The wheel of time's' second book). The first was 'Hero in the shadows' and the second was 'meditations on middle earth'. I finished mome (meditations on...) on the aircraft back and afterwards reread 'hero in the... '

during examination period.

 

[ArkeL]

I also started rading his books from a Hero in the shadows and then got hooked on Waylander character and bought 1st Waylander and from then on I read some other books including Waylander 2 In the realm of the Wolf which was my favorite so far I really enjoyed that book but I'm also enjoying Legend of Deathwalker right now!

 

[Brian G Turner]

Hi Arkel, and welcome to the chronicles-network.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

I have just purchased signed copies of David Gemmell's graphic novels, A Wolf in Shadow and Legend! Wow! Beautiful artwork and great stories, obviously. Wolf in the Shadow was great.

 

[ArkeL]

Thanx I, Brian! Glad to be here!

 

[Mark Robson]

Wolf in Shadow was my favourite... and I've read almost everything he's written. Legend got me hooked, Waylander was brilliant, but Wolf in Shadow was just different somehow. This is a big statement when you consider that, in my opinion, Gemmell is one of the most formulaic writers around. For most writers this would be a problem as, if you've read one, you've read them all. With Gemmell, however, the formula is such a winning one that it doesn't seem to matter. He could write a hundred more books and they'd continue to be successful and loved, because he is just so good at reinventing a similar storyline with different characters and a slightly altered background in a way that is so readable. He certainly has me coming back for more and more.

 

[Seth God Of Chaos]

Personally i think the best work hes ever done was either legend or winter warriors -yet another drenai book- but truth to tell all his books are fairly similar " big army sieges fort little army heroically fights them off" winter warriors however is quite different involving demons trying to destroy our world -his second favourite plotline.


HAIL DRUSS, REK, SERBITAR, THE REST OF THE THIRTY, VIRAE AND ULRIC A.K.A TALISMAN an old comrade of druss's

thats right druss saved the nadir people and was repayed with death

although in his case it might actually have been considered a blessing

 

[SilverLady]

I have to say that The King Beyond The Gate was a pretty important one for me, but I dont think I could say that any one book of his was my fav. Love 'em all!

 

[jenna]

Legend is one of my all time favourite books, and it's easily my fave Gemmell one. i also liked the Lion of Macedon books. i know they're not a particularly popular choice. am i the only one who enjoyed them??

 

[bnelson]

I'll never forgive my friend for holding out as long as he did on this piece of book advice. Stumbled across Legend on his shelf, he read it once and forgot about it. Woe for him, he had the tip of an iceberg dipped in gold on his shelf. Nothing I have read from Gemmell has left me disappointed, just striving to find an excuse for the wife to spend yet more money at the book store.

On topic I would have to say that Ravenheart was my favorite, however there is not much seperation between any of these novels.

 

[jenna]

i agree. i know that any time i pick up a Gemmell book it's going to be good. i don't think the guy is capable of writing a bad novel!

 

[chartreuse]

Definitely the Waylander series. The characters were so well developed, and I liked each book better than the first.

 

[Adramalek]

for me white wolf is good,.... but I also liked Waylander.... to me is the realism, for ex. if you read anithing from R.A. Salvatore.... noone eats, the notion of love go hand and hand with stupidity...... so gemmel was my solution,... the caracters have an opinion closer to reality, about subjects such as love, duty, honor..... plus the stories are more enjoyable for those of us who have been military..... and know the true hardships of conflicts..... to me his vision of Skillganon the Damed is great,,,and when you read anithing from Druss,.... you just smile, cus you see that old Master Sgt. talking, or that old Lt. Cournel,.... that was such a simple, but deadly S.O.B......... to me, that's what Gemmell brings out from caracters..... because am tired of freacking Dritzz,.... never wanting to get laid, or not even finding a godamm whore... Waylander would put two bolts on Du' Urdens head,... steal his coins,... and go get laid..... then charge Dritzz's own friends a furtune to find the assasin..... he is GREAT