Best Swordsmen of David Gemmell's works

[The Lion of Macedon]

Hey I'm starting this poll/thread on the best 10 DG swordsmen, couldn't go any more than that because of the poll limit sorry!
Have fun I look forward to seeing the results.

 

[Menion]

Has to be Skilganon, i mean Decado died at the end of "The Swords of Night and Day" and also in " The King beyond the Gate"...well iguess he choose to in this one but still,
anyway Skilgannon died when he was old the first time he died,
he didnt die the second time.

SKILGANNON RULES!!!!

 

[3 swords]

I say its Rage, he is just so good.

 

[nj1]

After much deliberation I went for Skilgannon, tho I was close to picking Decado (Icekiller)for a while.

My problem was this - It's been a while but wasn't Skilgannon aided by the Swords? If so was he as good without them?

 

[Senta23]

I've recently reread all of DG's books and this would be my list of swordsmen in order.

Decado Ice Killer

Dace (better than Tarantio)

Antikas Karios (beat seven soldiers before defeating the dreaded Krayakin)

Decado Reborn (Skilgannon admitted he was better)

Skilgannon

Michanek

Kysumu

Tenaka Khan

Boranius

Nogusta

Rage

Samildanach

Senta

Plenty of others but i'm too tired to start sorting them

 

[Batman316]

Skilgannon, has to be. Even if he had the swords.

 

[The Lion of Macedon]

I've recently reread all of DG's books and this would be my list of swordsmen in order.

Decado Ice Killer

Dace (better than Tarantio)

Antikas Karios (beat seven soldiers before defeating the dreaded Krayakin)

Decado Reborn (Skilgannon admitted he was better)

Skilgannon

Michanek

Kysumu

Tenaka Khan

Boranius

Nogusta

Rage

Samildanach

Senta

Plenty of others but i'm too tired to start sorting them

I still haven't read all of DG's books... i think I've read about 29 or so of his 33(ish?) I also had tons of other names in my head when I made this, but, alas you can only have so many poll answers . If I could have, I would have written down EVERY single swordsman, special or not, that appear in DG's books, that way we'd really have some interesting debates. I'm quite disturbed that no one voted on Hektor or Achilles... But I guess thats the point of a poll; excepting everyone elses opinions.

But I'm confsed by one thing; why did you put Boranius so far down on the list? He was just as skilled, if not more skilled than, Skilgannon, Skilgannon only beat him the first time because another soldier threw a spear at Boranius, and the second time he threw him into a rage enough to blunt his swordsmanship(I know this is a critical part of a swordsmans skill but Boranius was mutilated by that point, making it easier for skilgannon to break Boranius's 'Illusion of elsewhere')

 

[The Lion of Macedon]

After much deliberation I went for Skilgannon, tho I was close to picking Decado (Icekiller)for a while.

My problem was this - It's been a while but wasn't Skilgannon aided by the Swords? If so was he as good without them?

But what about Decado the reborn? Skilgannon even admitted that he was better and that he didn't take several chances that he had to kill skilgannon during their duel.

 

[Senta23]

But what about Decado the reborn? Skilgannon even admitted that he was better and that he didn't take several chances that he had to kill skilgannon during their duel.

Skilgannon is not as great in TSONAD as he was in White Wolf. His timing, reflexes, balance and co-ordination are all slightly off due to the body not having been in the condition that he would of had it in. After all, it was only a farmer I believe that inhabited the body before Skilgannon was brought back.

 

[Senta23]

I still haven't read all of DG's books... i think I've read about 29 or so of his 33(ish?) I also had tons of other names in my head when I made this, but, alas you can only have so many poll answers . If I could have, I would have written down EVERY single swordsman, special or not, that appear in DG's books, that way we'd really have some interesting debates. I'm quite disturbed that no one voted on Hektor or Achilles... But I guess thats the point of a poll; excepting everyone elses opinions.

But I'm confsed by one thing; why did you put Boranius so far down on the list? He was just as skilled, if not more skilled than, Skilgannon, Skilgannon only beat him the first time because another soldier threw a spear at Boranius, and the second time he threw him into a rage enough to blunt his swordsmanship(I know this is a critical part of a swordsmans skill but Boranius was mutilated by that point, making it easier for skilgannon to break Boranius's 'Illusion of elsewhere')

To be honest, I find it hard to justify ranking entirely fictional charcters alongside what we're led to believe was one of the greates warriors of all time

As to my list, aside from the top 4 you could put any other member of my list in random order. I just feel that the 2 Decado's, AK and Dace were the best of the best. But after that, i'm not going to comlain if someone wants to rank prime Nogusta ahead of prime Rage. Or Boranius ahead of Kysumu, etc etc. All great swordmasters with little to choose between really.

 

[Threddy]

I went Skilgannon. I think I'm biased though because the Skilgannon books were the first I read and my favourites I think.

 

[Threddy]

Senta

Are we not told in Waylander II that Angel would have beaten Senta?

 

[Ady Hall]

Yikes. Decado the original all the way.

May the source find you, DG, whereever you are!

 

[Senta23]

Are we not told in Waylander II that Angel would have beaten Senta?

No. Both men confide to Miriel that they would only seek to disarm each other should they fight. Angel knew he was Senta's father and Senta knew the only gladiator that could possibly of beaten him was Angel, even though Angel was past his prime. But both men were exceptional swordsmen. Angel even toys with a Sathuli Silver Sabre champion. But it's left open to interpretation as to who was the better of the two.

 

[Threddy]

No. Both men confide to Miriel that they would only seek to disarm each other should they fight. Angel knew he was Senta's father and Senta knew the only gladiator that could possibly of beaten him was Angel, even though Angel was past his prime. But both men were exceptional swordsmen. Angel even toys with a Sathuli Silver Sabre champion. But it's left open to interpretation as to who was the better of the two.

Ah yes... I remember now.

 

[Culain]

It's culain. He beat the best there was the best there is and the best there ever will be! This fella was the Greek god of war. And he was Lancelot as well. C'mon guys!?

 

[dreamhunter]

Looks like the poll has only offered the leading guys in each story, e.g. Achilles & Hector in Troy.

I've only read the Troy series, but I must say I was fascinated by DG's version of Aeneas. I must say that Aeneas, to me, seemed to be the one who could still remain ice cool in the most critical of crisis situations.

A cold killer, if you like. But a heroic type, not your average villainish sort, like.

Which is what I would prefer to have as my character, if I were a swordsman myself.

DG's Aeneas was much less athletic than either Achilles or Hector. But then, to a swordsman, a superman physique is not the most important thing. It's your deftness with your blade that counts, doesn't it?

 

[Boaz]

Skilgannon or Decado, does it matter? Druss would split both their skulls before breakfast.

 

[dreamhunter]

Provided Druss didn't meet Aeneas a.k.a. Helikaon somewhere, underestimated him, and was stupid enough to challenge him.

Aeneas would have coolly sliced Druss's throat with his first draw out of his scabbard, while Druss's blade would still be hanging there ... high up in the air.

 

[Connavar]

Seeing as he was a hardcore berserker too i would say Aeneas wouldnt survive killing Druss even if he was good enough

You need to read Druss stories to know he wasnt about sword,ax wielding ability, he was pure killer in the battlefield.