Legend

[biodroid]

Welcome, Markus, hope you find the chrons comments insightful and useful. Gemmell is well respected in the chrons and not many bad words are mentioned about the late great Legend himself. Conn is an avid Gemmell reader as am I. Ask anything here and you will 99% of the time get a good response.

 

[biodroid]

I resonated with Druss' patriotic rhetoric. I enjoyed his uncompromising style.

Gemmell did not thrill me with his writing skills, but he tells a very enjoyable tale.

I don't think Gemmell would win awards for his English skills but what I liked about his style is he did not beat around the bush, he told it like it is and most of the time the situations were not pretty and they became worse sometime. I don't think you read a Gemmell book for the inspirational world building but for his excellent characterisation. Glad you like Legend, I personally did not think it was his best, I preferred The Sword in the Storm.

 

[sanityassassin]

Legend wasn't the best of DG's novels but as it was his first and he was still a little rough round the edges he is forgiven.

I have never read Robert Jordan the umteen thick tomes written never attracted me to him, GRRM I've read a couple of his books and found him to be very long winded, David Gemmell is different nice simple strait forward prose makes him very easy to read and he does tell a good tale.

 

[nj1]

Legend was the first book that got me hooked on fantasy, if anyone was thinking of trying the genre, i'd still probably still recommend it as a starting block, a good easy read, plenty of highs and lows, well written action and plenty of feeling, who could want more than that?

 

[markus]

Welcome, Markus, hope you find the chrons comments insightful and useful. Gemmell is well respected in the chrons and not many bad words are mentioned about the late great Legend himself. Conn is an avid Gemmell reader as am I. Ask anything here and you will 99% of the time get a good response.

Thanks for the welcome Biodroid much appreciated. What I liked about this book was the simplicity. I dont mean it was simplistic, I mean it was such an easy read. The story just flowed. It was easy to forgive any slight flaws because the plot and characters swept me along. There was also a frailty about Druss that made him all too human, more real if you like. He was getting old, you could almost feel his aching joints. It didnt bore me at any point, and I loved the action. Modern writers could take a leaf.

 

[biodroid]

Thanks for the welcome Biodroid much appreciated. What I liked about this book was the simplicity. I dont mean it was simplistic, I mean it was such an easy read. The story just flowed. It was easy to forgive any slight flaws because the plot and characters swept me along. There was also a frailty about Druss that made him all too human, more real if you like. He was getting old, you could almost feel his aching joints. It didnt bore me at any point, and I loved the action. Modern writers could take a leaf.

Hehe, that's the beauty of Gemmell, his characters are so real, that's what attracts so many people to his works. He makes them despicable or likable or both at the same time. You should read the Sword in the Storm, it's book 1 of the Rigante series. The main character is so well written, and all the krap that he goes through one just wonders how he came up with those feelings and emotions. Many heroic fantasy writers have been influenced in some way or another. I know Conn Iggulden (historical fictionalist) says DG was a major influence and if I am not mistaken Brent Weeks (The Night Angel Trilogy - AWESOME books -) also says DG was an influence. There are many others I'm sure who cite him as a major inspiration.

Gemmells books are easy to read, he doesn't fluff them up with overbloated text/prose whatever you call it, I am not well versed in the jargon.

 

[Boaz]

What I liked about this book was the simplicity. I dont mean it was simplistic, I mean it was such an easy read. The story just flowed. It was easy to forgive any slight flaws because the plot and characters swept me along.

Well said. I did like Erikson's first two Malazan books, but after investing my time into those two books (basically each one was like a series starter) I still did not know what was really happening. What I mean is... I understood each character and each minor plotline very well, but as to how they interrelated and connected with the plans of the gods... I was still in the dark. And I hated that feeling after investing so much time. Legend was enjoyable in it's clarity and brevity.

There was also a frailty about Druss that made him all too human, more real if you like. He was getting old, you could almost feel his aching joints.

Even though Druss' story is fantasy, he's believable. Much more believable than whatever sixteen-year-old-hero-of-prophecy-dujour that gets offered up by most fantasy writers.

Druss was a legend. He was always victorious... but it was never effortless. In his old age, he had to strive his utmost to remain on top. He really reminds me of the Toby Keith song As Good As I Once Was.

She said, "I'e seen you in here before."
I said, "I've been here a time or two."
She said, "Hello, my name is Bobby Jo
Meet my twin sister Betty Lou.
And we're both feeling kinda wild tonight
And you're the only cowboy in this place.
And if you're up for a rodeo
We'll put a big Texas smile on your face."
I said, "Girls,"

[Chorus]
I ain't as good as I once was,
I got a few years on me now.
But there was a time back in my prime
When I could really lay it down.
And if you need some love tonight
Then I might have just enough.
I ain't as good as I once was
But I'm as good once as I ever was.

I still hang out with my best friend Dave.
I've known him since we were kids at school.
Last night he had a few shots,
Got in a tight spot, hustlin' a game of pool,
With a couple of redneck boys
One great, big, bad biker man.
I heard David yell across the room
"Hey buddy, how 'bout a helping hand."
I said, "Dave,"

[Chorus]
I ain't as good as I once was,
My how the years have flown.
But there was a time back in my prime
When I could really hold my own.
But if you wanna fight tonight
Guess thouse boys dont look all that tough.
I ain't as good as I once was
But I'm as good once as I ever was.

I used to be hell on wheels
Back when I was younger man.
Now my body says, "You can't do this boy"
But my pride says, "Oh, yes you can."

I ain't as good as I once was
Thats just the cold hard truth.
I still throw a few back, talk a little smack
When I'm feelin bullet proof.
So don't double dog dare me now
'Cause I'd have to call your bluff.

I ain't as good as I once was
But I'm as good once as I ever was.
Maybe not be good as I once was
But I'm as good once as I ever was.

Druss did go out as good as he ever was.

 

[Connavar]

Even though Druss' story is fantasy, he's believable. Much more believable than whatever sixteen-year-old-hero-of-prophecy-dujour that gets offered up by most fantasy writers.

Druss was a legend. He was always victorious... but it was never effortless. In his old age, he had to strive his utmost to remain on top. He really reminds me of the Toby Keith song As Good As I Once Was.


Thats why i admire Gemmell for his stories. Even the legends are old guys that work hard to only appear victorious. Not some 16 year old prodigy hero.
Like he said in an interview : "in most of my worlds, any triumph by good is going be temporary.”

And then he is criticized for being violent because he doesnt write happy ever type fantasy.

 

[Patrick Mahon]

Having just finished reading Legend, I have to say that what I liked most about it was the explicit acknowledgement that even heroes can be afraid before a battle. And not the formulaic approach which often appears in heroic fantasy, where there is a throwaway exchange between the hero and a newbie: the hero says he's afraid ('and anyone who says they're not is a liar', or some such) but there's no evidence to back up his assertion. In Legend, several of the main characters don't just say they're scared - we watch them as they shiver with fright, or think about running away, and so on. This makes the heroes much more human, and - for me, at least - makes their subsequent heroic actions that much more admirable.

 

[Connavar]

Rek was practicly a coward before.

Read more Gemmell, he wouldnt be popular without characters that people like for those reasons. He doesnt do heroic,shining hero characters. He does gray,real characters.

 

[drush9999]

I agree, I think that's where Gemmell shines the most is the cast of characters in each book, and not just the excellent fight and battle scenes.
His characters stand out, and make you care for them. If I read a book and don't care for anyone in the story, I don't usually last long before getting bored with it. Not so with Gemmell books which I can lap up in a couple of nights

 

[slashandburn]

Ok, newbie making his first post.

Maybe if you had a Scottish accent you'd rhyme it with ruse... I'm not sure.

I am Scottish and always read it as rhyming with bus. It just seemed to fit with the characters BS-free attitude; his name is as simple and to the point as he is.

Certainly David Gemmell's plots are sometimes a little formulaic but his characters are without doubt his strong point. They are all fallible in one way or another but come through in the end and often at great cost to themselves. I think a key part of this was his belief that anyone can become a better person than they are, often attributed to his Christian beliefs.

Personally this resonates with me much better than say Conan the Cimmerian (as much as I love Robert E. Howard) who is just an unstoppable power house with all the personality of mashed potatoes.

 

[Tansy]

I like Gemmell's heroes, his style is simple but effective. You just wade straight into the story and off it goes and the characters do appear to be real, I've only read a few the Druss ones amongst them but they were fun

 

[Colbey Frost]

The first fantasy book i read and i still go back to it. R.I.P

 

[Tansy]

Oh and I say Druss as in Bus and I am northern

and yes Gemmell is much missed

 

[Geddon's Wall]

I agree with Tansy. Druss as in bus. Legend was my first foray into fantasy when SF dried up. Like so many, Legend is always at the top of the pile ready to re-read (again!))

 

[Boaz]

Just finished Legend again.

I know this was Gemmel‘s first book. Yet I feel even more critical of his writing style. I know it is his fantasy world, so he can do whatever he likes, but his blending of 20th century scientific jargon with ancient cultures seems bizarre. It is anachronistic, and it breaks my train of thought. It also seems that this could’ve been written in serial form for a magazine. For example, numerous characters get introduced later in the book, and then die quickly. Nogusha, Togri, and others should have been introduced earlier. They seem as afterthoughts. Also, his naming of his characters does not seem to follow linguistic patterns. Drenai names can come from any linguistic background. Nadir names can come from any Asiatic step culture or Japanese.

All that being said, it is a highly enjoyable story. Gemmell knew how to get from the start to the middle and then to the finish. I think it is against conventional wisdom, but he moves through numerous characters, thoughts and brief conversations in scenes. Sometimes this covers four or five separate conversations over the course of a page. This rapid fire spot check on different characters actually worked well!

I am a huge fan of Middle-earth and of A Song of Ice andFfire. I like histories, appendices, maps, heraldry, secret organizations, political, intrigue, and big, big, big stories with hundreds of characters and elves, and dwarves, and orcs, and wizards. Legend has almost none of this. It has been stripped down to its embarrassed essentials. And it works.

And once more for all of you, Druss rhymes with juice… as in the orange juice that he rubs into his palms and across his brow… As in his life, blood that still flows… As in his passion to live.

 

[Glaysher]

but his blending of 20th century scientific jargon with ancient cultures seems bizarre.

There is a reason for the blending.

 

[Boaz]

I think I remember reading that his stories all are from a forgotten past or unknown future earth. And with your comment @Glaysher it then seems appropriate when Rek and Drusstell Vintar and Serbitar that they don’t understand the words spoken to them.

 

[The Big Peat]

A lot of the things seen as weaknesses or against conventional wisdom are precisely why I love Gemmell's books.

I love how he boils back the tale to the bare essentials. I love how he introduces characters when he needs them rather than putting down layer after layer of foreshadowing and introductions that would slow the story to a crawl. Tsubodai's and Musar's scenes are some of my favourite in the book - we don't need tons of story behind them to appreciate what happens to them. I'm a lore junkie, but it's great to see a book that treats them as options. Sometimes the complexity of beef wellington is what you want, and sometimes the simplicity of a well cooked steak is what you want.

As for the way his scenes sweep through PoVs... wish that was in fashion. Wish I could do it as well.