Re-read this again and still thoroughly enjoyed it. What Legend does nicely is manage to balance the heroic and humanity of its many well-drawn, distinguished, and very memorable characters, while providing a strong pace against a rich background.
As became Gemmell's signature, morality is relative, and this is underlined here in that warriors on opposing sides cannot be denigrated to simple ideas of good and evil, merely in opposition.
Despite this being a debut novel, and Gemmell later having said he'd do a few things differently, really this remains probably his strongest novel that he wrote - it is so filled with passion and imagination, yet manages to avoid being self-indulgent with itself in the way some fantasy novels can become.
Overall, one of the best yet under-rated fantasy novels, that remains enjoyable and easy to read (and re-read!) even 35+ years after it was first published.
As became Gemmell's signature, morality is relative, and this is underlined here in that warriors on opposing sides cannot be denigrated to simple ideas of good and evil, merely in opposition.
Despite this being a debut novel, and Gemmell later having said he'd do a few things differently, really this remains probably his strongest novel that he wrote - it is so filled with passion and imagination, yet manages to avoid being self-indulgent with itself in the way some fantasy novels can become.
Overall, one of the best yet under-rated fantasy novels, that remains enjoyable and easy to read (and re-read!) even 35+ years after it was first published.
