Where to start?

[dustinzgirl]

So we went tot he used book store yesterday and I read some gemmel pages, and was interested. So, what should I buy first? Seems like he has a lot of books!

 

[Jason_Taverner]

Legend, his first book. After that waylander then maybe first chronicles of Druss. Really any order but start with Legend is my only advice

 

[Jack]

Really any order but start with Legend

Personally - Legend was not that great, personally have yet to understand quite why everyone loves it? Waylander is a good start but he has a load of stand alone books, that and his Drenai novels (Main series) are hard to get in the right order as they tend to jump generations and places.

 

[izzy667]

Simply buy all of them, if you get the chance. Gemmells works are simply addictive. But I recomed the Drenai saga in following order: Waylander, Waylander 2 (in the realm of the wolf), Waylander 3 (hero in shadows), The first chronicles of druss, Legend of deathwalker, Legend, King beyond the gates, Quest for lost heroes, Winter Warriors,........ here you have the chronological order in wich I find the books best understood....

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

Well it depends on your tipple really.

If you want post apocalyptic fantasy with guns then try "Wolf in Shadow"
If you're more into 'historical' alternative fantasy then try Lion of Macedon (Greek/Alexander) or "Ghost King" (Roman Britain)
If you just want 'original world' fantasy then try "Waylander" or "Legend"

For an interesting standalone I recommend
Echoes of the Great Song (Atlantis type clone)
Knights of Dark Renown (King Arthur type clone)
Dark Moon

You know with Gemmell you're going to get a well paced story with decent characters and a ripping yarn so it's all good

 

[geordie bob]

got to be legend its his best book but there all good

So we went tot he used book store yesterday and I read some gemmel pages, and was interested. So, what should I buy first? Seems like he has a lot of books!

​

 

[geordie bob]

my personal favorites are white wolf and the swords of night and day about a very strong character called skillgannon the damned

 

[the_faery_queen]

legend. it was his best.

 

[Nesacat]

I started with Legend simply because it was the first one that I found in the store. It's part of the Drenai series of books. I then went on to read Waylander; The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend; The Legend of Deathwalker: Chronicles of Druss the Axeman; Winter Warriors and Hero in the Shadows. These are all part of the Drenai books and most deal with a single larger-than-life character.

Have also read the two Hawk Queen books The Ironhand's Daughter & The Hawk Eternal, which are about a teenage girl who survives a terrible battle that all but destroys her people. She's the only one left to represent the line of kings and she goes on to become Queen in turn.

The last two books of his that I read were Lion of Macedon and it's sequel Dark Prince. Set in ancient Greece and tells the tale of Parmenion and the child who is to become Alexander the Great.

I love Gemmell's books and they are always wonderful when you feel a little down. The books are filled with larger-than-life men and women who brave terrible odds and somehow endure. I have found however, that I am not able to read to many of his books back to back and it then gets a bit too much.

 

[sanityassassin]

I started with Ghost king and was hooked from there any Gemmell book could be read alone but Legend was his first book and properly the best place to start but his Drenai series does jump along the time line quite a bit some would say to read in order of the time line but it is not really necessary but all his works are a good read

 

[ladyflorange]

First one I read was Ravenheart and I was completely hooked, despite the fact that it's the middle of a series. Personally I think that the Rigante series are the strongest, closely followed by White Wolf and the Swords of Night and Day.

 

[drosdelnoch]

Theres always something magical with your first gemmell book and also with the first read of all of his novels.

I started with Legend and its one that many people recommend as its sheer enthusiasm behind it are obvious and work well. Cracking read. Personally I always advise reading them in chronological order, I love that. However others recommend reading them in the order written, its a case of personal choice.

THe most common series recommendations are usually Drenai or Rigante, its really a case of what you fancy and a hard choice, whilst the later of the Rigante novels may not be to everyones tastes as it has guns and cannons yet there is a moment in Ravenheart that chokes everyone. Its classic Gemmell and one of the scenes that rate as his most powerful.

Just have a read of the backs, see what you fancy and ask some questions. However if you do go for the Shannow series read in sequence as otherwise some surprises are ruined and its really a good series to enjoy.