Troy: Fall of Kings (Troy (Ballantine Books))

Product Details

• ISBN13: 9780345477040
• Adapt: New
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Description

Outside the golden city of Troy, Prince Hektor leads the Trojan cavalry in daring raids against the forces led by his young rival, the peerless warrior Achilles. Meanwhile, burning for vengeance after the brutal murder of his wife, Helikaon commands the Trojan fleet, sowing misery and death among the Mykene navy and supply ships. But even these mighty efforts are of scant avail against the hordes of battle-hardened Mykene infantry, the Myrmidon soldiers of Achilles, and the cunning strategies of Odysseus, compelled against his heart’s urgings to aid the cause of Agamemnon.

Now, before the gates of Troy, Hektor and Achilles will find themselves inexorably drawn into a battle of champions that will decide the fate of the innocents trapped within the city walls. There, as King Priam slips into madness, Andromache–wife of Hektor, lover of Helikaon, mother, warrior, and priestess–must navigate a maze of treachery and danger to save her children and her city from the massacre about to unfold.

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Customer Reviews

great reading!!
Wonderful reading!!!!
Just don't use Amazon shipping....just buy the book from the local bookseller for the same price and begin reading immediately instead of 2 weeks later!

2010-05-27 | tikka (Oak View, CA, USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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great end of series
You need to read the previous two books to get a FULL understanding of the 3rd book. I definitely think that having his wife finish the series added a different touch to the end. What I do not know is just how much she wrote in this last of the trilogy(the author died prior to its being published). Regardless, the book has a great plot, great action, and what has made the series truly excellent, phenomenal characters! If you are going on holiday/vacation or have some time that you would like to enjoy a good novel, I highly recommend reading this trilogy. EXCELLENT!!!

2010-05-27 | soldier44 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Hektor and Achillies live on in the Hall of Heros
Gemmell's untimely death is even more of a tragedy after reading this novel and realizing that he would no longer grace us with his eloquent prose and vivid imagination. In this novel you are brisked off again to the the battle of Troy witha handful of chracters that do not limit the tale to simply the battle of Hektor vs. Achillies rather describes the struggles of two heros and their quests to represent their people and loved ones in the only honorable way they knew how to live. I don't say this often but these novels in this series can be read again and again without missing a beat.z

2010-02-02 | Hektor (Miami, Fl) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Troy: Fall of Kings Absolutely Spellbinding
I must admit, reading "Fall of Kings" was tough, knowing that the author passed away before it was finished. That was one of the reasons I held off reading the series in its entirety until December 2009. But Gemmell and his wife really deliver a top notch story and end the Troy series on an incredibly high note. In fact, if you judge a series by its conclusion, I'd give the whole Troy saga a 5.

As for Fall of Kings itself, I was totally amazed. Right out of the chute, you jump into a well told, finely crafted tale about the fall of Troy. The action never stops. The battle scenes are breathtaking. The duel between Hektor and Achilles -- awe inspiring. The treachery of Agamenon, brutal. Banokles, well, let's just say that he's every bit the hero as Druss the Legend.

I found everything about this novel well done. Everything. Even minor characters like Skorpios and Justinos.

The only minor nitpick I have with "Fall of Kings" is that we never really find out what happens to Odysseus and the men of "The Bloodhawk".

Bottom line: if you're on the fence about Gemmell's Troy trilogy, buy it! Read it! Enjoy it! You won't be disappointed, especially with Fall of Kings.

2010-01-13 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Make it six stars
This is as good a novel as I have read. I'm reluctant to call it historical fiction because it is based more on Homer and Virgil than it is on historical record. That actually enables Gemmell to embellish the story in incredible fashion. This third volume could not have completed the trilogy in any better way. There are no loose ends, and many suprises! I'll not expose any of Gemmell's wonderful twists. I class this book with Steven Pressfield's "Last of the Amazons," which I enjoyed immensely as well. Mrs. Gemmell earns special kudos for completing this important work that should end up on everyone's shelf of classics. If she created the stunning conclusion to wrap this up, she is without peer, and her husband would be extremely proud. I never knew at what point she assumed the duties. I think this book sums up David Gemmell's life. Like his characters, he lived it to the fullest. As an author, he finished with a rousing tale that will endure the test of time.

2009-12-09 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Lord of the Silver Bow (Troy Trilogy, Book 1)

Description

He is a man of many names. Some call him the Golden One; others, the Lord of the Silver Bow. To the Dardanians, he is Prince Aeneas. But to his friends, he is Helikaon. Strong, fast, quick of mind, he is a bold warrior, hated by his enemies, feared even by his Trojan allies. For there is a darkness at the heart of the Golden One, a savagery that, once awakened, can be appeased only with blood.

Argurios the Mykene is a peerless fighter, a man of unbending principles and unbreakable will. Like all of the Mykene warriors, he lives to conquer and to kill. Dispatched by King Agamemnon to scout the defenses of the golden city of Troy, he is Helikaon’s sworn enemy.

Andromache is a priestess of Thera betrothed against her will to Hektor, prince of Troy. Scornful of tradition, skilled in the arts of war, and passionate in the ways of her order, Andromache vows to love whom she pleases and to live as she desires.

Now fate is about to thrust these three together–and, from the sparks of passionate love and hate, ignite a fire that will engulf the world.

Readers who know the works of David Gemmell expect nothing less than excellence from this author, whose taut prose, driving plots, and full-bodied characters have won him legions of fans the world over. Now, with this first masterly volume in an epic reimagining of the Trojan War, Gemmell has written an ageless drama of brave deeds and fierce battles, of honor and treachery, of love won and lost.


From the Hardcover edition.

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Customer Reviews

great book
i am half way through with this book and if you enjoy this era of stories than this is a book you should read.

2010-05-31 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Gemmell Hits the Mark with Troy: Lord of the Silver Bow
"Troy: Lord of the Silver Bow" is a must read, even though it is by no means Gemmell's best, or even the best in his Troy trilogy. I say this as a Gemmell fan. The man introduced me to fantasy. He showed me that it's much more than dragons and wizards and witches and magic. He showed me that fantasy is legitimate literature that can be very entertaining and insightful with his tapestry of characters in the Drenai saga.

So, as great a fantasy writer as Gemmell was, I had my doubts as to whether he could pull off this Troy series and pushed it aside while I went on to other things. I mean, Homer already covered Troy in The Illiad right? What more could you possibly have to add? Especially when your niche is writing about make believe worlds.

I picked up "Silver Bow" in December just for a change of pace, and, started reading. The first third of the book validated everything I believed about Gemmell being a fish out of water in a field other than pure fantasy.

The story started off promising, but quickly bogged down. I got the sense Gemmell was sort of feeling his way through, and didn't really feel that familiar magic when I read a Gemmell book. Still, I kept with it. The characters were interesting. Helikaon, Ox, Odysseus, Argurios kept me going even though I had my doubts.

I'm glad I did. As the story unfolded, I found myself wrapped up in these people's lives, especially once we get off the Xanthos and into Troy itself. That's where the action picked up -- both the swordplay and the court intrigue. Argurios and Laodike, Kassandra, Helikaon, Priam, they were suddenly real. And the climax was unbelievable.

I do think Gemmell could've paced the book better and that it suffered as a result. It's a good tale, and absolutely worth reading, but it is hard to get into at first.

2010-01-13 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Great story!
This is the first book I've read from David Gemmell, who wrote a lot of fantasy and historical fiction--mostly the latter from what I understand--and the Troy trilogy was his swansong. Lord of the Silver Bow is the first in that trilogy.

Basically Gemmell takes the tale of Homer's Odyssey and makes a smashing good novel out of it. He knows his history very well, and it shows in the quality of the story he tells, what with knowing the background of Greece and the Mediterranean area several thousand years ago. There's probably some making-stuff-uppery in it, and if you have questions about that, ask Porter. He's the history buff. (I'm just buff.) But I digress.

The story starts with Gershom, survivor of a shipwreck, hanging out in the middle of the sea during a storm. Next chapter you meet Agamemnon, the Mykene king; he hears a prophecy from his holy men saying "beware of the horse." Since the black horse is the symbol of the warrior prince Helikaon, Agamemnon puts out a HUGE bounty on him. Next chapter you meet Helikaon, and he's pretty much a pimp. I don't think he wears a shirt more than twice in the whole story, and never when he's kicking someone's ace. Which is often. Like, a lot often.

From there the onslaught of new and wonderful characters never ceases: Argurios, the honor-bound Mykene warrior; Odysseus, the tale-spinning ugly man and friend of Helikaon; Andromache, goddess-princess betrothed the Hektor but in love with Helikaon; Hektor, who's dead; I mean the list goes on and on. Helikaon spends the whole book saving himself while trying to come to terms with the fact that he's falling in love with Andromache--an emotion he never thought he'd feel after seeing his mother dead when he was younger.

Despite it's being 500 pages long, it's a real barn-burner and a great start to a trilogy.

2009-12-16 | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 4

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Ok, but nothing spectacular - don't get the hype about Gemmell
A interesting re-imagining of the lead-up to the Trojan War, almost a complete alternate universe at points. I wish it had been labeled as such rather than "Historical Fiction" because Gemmell deviated from commonly-held "facts" quite often, sometimes seemingly for its own sake (i.e., Paris' & Helen's physical descriptions.) I eventually came to terms with my initial disappointment, but in the end I didn't find it an absorbing read. It had way more potential than it actually delivered.

The main character is the uninteresting Helikaon, sort of a mash-up between Aeneas & Achilles in valor and temperament. He's a driven man of contradictions, vengeful one moment and spouting mission statements of diversity/gender equity workshops the next. Such sentiments were clunky and phrased with too modern a tone.

Andromache here is a beautiful swan who thinks she's an ugly duck, accomplished in seducing women and handing advanced archery weaponry. She speaks her mind to powerful kings and is a walking anachronism. There was little in her characterization that was surprising once I got a sense of the author's sentiment and aims. For all her powers, mental and physical, she wasn't interesting at all and seemed to be more of a fantasy heroine than anything rooted in the ancient world. Her and Helikaon's immediate attraction had no depth, but simply was a device that yarned the gods into it and seemed to make it a matter of destiny that required no discussion or attention. Things happen, people are. Let's move on to the next scene.

Which seemed to be the problem for most of the book. The characters, with the exception of Odysseus (a fail-proof character), and Laodike and Argurios, were flat and dull. They appeared a lot and even said a lot, but I only saw them as names who spoke words and moved. There was no engaging internal activity, no brain- and soul-digging, no spark that made me care about them.

What "insight" there was consisted of the repetitious -- and eventually boring -- device of flashbacks within scenes whenever a character saw or said something that prompted a memory. It didn't even have to be important for Gemmell to slip into another paragraph or 3 of pluperfect. For example, the Mykene mercenary Argurios polishes his armor for a feast, sees the missing discs on it, and recalls the battle where the damage occurred. There is no new information to be gained by this past perfect trot down memory lane. The reader has already been informed often and at great length by a dozen characters what a great and fearless warrior he is. The only reason we're told is that later he's wounded due to the absence of those discs. Quite important detail, and I think it might have been more memorable, but Gemmell's style is to line up the mechanical pieces and plow through them with pedestrian prose. It's like moving chess pieces with a checkers brain.

I'd say 95% of the book has a style that's simplistic like woah. Only a couple passages with Laodike & Queen Halysia prompted me to re-read them because they were so evocative of their inner turmoil (a rare occurrence elsewhere with other characters). Both women weren't the fantastically gifted warrior priestess/princess that Andromache was, and hence seemed more realistic and accessible.

There are several flagged "Aha!" moments of dual identities revealed where we discover that two different characters are actually one and the same, but after the first (Helikaon's assassin/stalker), the second (the Egyptian fugitive) and the third (Trojan prince traitor) seem like a dull repeat of the same ploy and further plot twists could be seen miles in advance.

In the end, there was too much I found impossible to ignore and "just enjoy it" for what it was - alternate history/fantasy marketed as historical fiction. Gemmell seemed too intent on reinventing some characters for newness's sake, going to the extent of having Paris be stoop-shouldered (!), bookish (!!) and balding (!!!), as well has having Helen be thickset, plain and unremarkable. Come on! If an author is going to reinvent the wheel in terms of Paris and Helen, then utilize them sensibly since so much of the action took place in Troy anyway. By dropping these new images for a brief glimpse but no commitment, it came across as a cheap trick.

After all this, why still 3 stars? Well, Gemmell's Odysseus is very in-character with the new twist of The Odyssey being an anthology of his fireside tales, although having so many parts of The Odyssey referred to in this manner got as repetitive as the pluperfect flashbacks. I enjoyed the meshing of Hector's battle exploits with the Hittite-Egyptian Battle of Kadesh, along with the political and martial relationship between Troy and the Hittite empire. (The utter absence of Hector until the very end (where he rides to the sudden rescue in blah fantasy genre style) was disappointing, however.

Overall, I've read far far better novels about the ancient world, and probably don't have "suitable" appreciation for his style because I'm not that into the fantasy genre, but at least I know what to expect and am prepared to be underwhelmed by the next two books. I've already started Shield of Thunder and guessed immediately that "Piria" is actually Kalliope, Andromache's ex-lover, and The Odyssey tale-dropping has shown up again on a few occasions. So the repetition continues.....

2009-10-23 | 7Rabbits (South Strafford, VT United States) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 3

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four and a half stars!
Its a real shame that David Gemmell died so young and we won't be getting any more books from him. This is a retelling of the Troy story, and probably due to this it takes 50 pages or so to get rolling, but once it does you can't put it down. Its convenient that the whole series is published so when you finish part one you can just roll on to part 2 and 3!

2009-09-17 | Lisa (Los Angeles, CA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Hero in the Shadows (Drenai Tales, Book 9)

Description

The ruined city of Kuan Hador reeks of dark mystery. Shunned by brigands and merchants alike, it is home to fearsome wild things and legends that freeze the blood--tales that speak of slavering white beasts, locked behind a powerful wall of spells, who possess an insatiable appetite for death. Millennia have passed since they were bound, and the spell of imprisonment has begun to fade. Soon the foul minions will be free to wreak a horrible vengeance against all that lives.

But no army waits to oppose them, only a ragtag group of unlikely heroes. Leading them is the mysterious Gray Man, an enigmatic figure with a blood-drenched past who has killed for principle and for payment--a man of destiny known throughout the lands of the Drenai as Waylander the Slayer . . .

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In Hero in the Shadows, Waylander, the assassin hero of some of Gemmell's earlier books, is now a middle-aged man looking for peace in a world that will, for the most part, let him alone. The crimes of his past come back to haunt him, as he finds himself responsible for a young prince whose grandfather he murdered, and as creatures of doomed legend come back to rule the world with blood and horror. An aging paladin, a loud-mouthed braggart whom a magic sword has chosen, and a kitchen girl who is unusually handy with her knives become his allies, along with a priestess who is not telling all she knows, or all she is.

Gemmell is one of the best writers of fantasy adventure--this new book is attractively gloomy in its atmosphere and has a pervading sense of the ironic. The action sequences are powerful and well visualized; Gemmell always knows how a particular sort of fight would feel. And there are no simple morals here--most of the characters, heroic or villainous, exist in the gray hinterland between dark and light, where evil acts are often performed in sorrow and good actions often have mixed motives behind them. --Roz Kaveney, Amazon.co.uk

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Customer Reviews

A Great End to the Waylander Trilogy (Spoiler Free Review)
This is Book 9 of the Drenai Tales by David Gemmell. Within the Drenai Tales is a Trilogy about a cold-blooded assassin named Waylander. The Trilogy takes place in these books:
Book 4 - Waylander
Book 5 - In the Realm of the Wolf
Book 9 - Hero in the Shadows
You really need to read Books 4 and 5 to appreciate this one.

With that said, all of the Waylander books are Great. I felt that Books 4 and 5 were outstanding, and this book is Very Good. You don't have to read the Drenai Tales in order either. You won't miss out on anything if you just read books 4,5, and 9. With that said, this is one of the better Gemmell books.

The Drenai Tales
The World featured in the Drenai Tales is fairly realistic and mirrors historical legends like Ghengis Kahn. There is very little magic and many characters die from wounds suffered in battle. The books focus on how ordinary men can become heroes when placed in extreme situations. If there are 10 men with axes coming to kill you, then you must become something that can kill 10 men with axes. There are no shortcuts, no magic potions, or any trickety-tricks that are going to save you. Become something worthy of legends, or die.

Waylander
Waylander was a farmer, who's family was slain by bandits while he was away. He devoted 19 years of his life, hunting down and brutally torturing and murdering the bandits. Waylander lost all humanity and became a heartless cold blooded killer. At one point in his life, he was emotionally moved by a Source Priest, that encouraged him to employ his lethal skills for the greater good of mankind. Still ruthless, he kills to make the world a better place. He despises evil men and now helps those in need if they are worth saving. If I had to describe Waylander using a movie reference, I'd say he's a lot like a medieval version of Clint Eastwood's Gunslinger characters from Pale Rider or Unforgiven.

Hero in the Shadows
Waylander, now a very wealthy and old man, teams up with Chiatze warriors to stop a demonic invasion. He's a bit slower, but just as ruthless. Overall, I thought the book could have been paced better, but the scenes that make up the book are all very well written. There are some great scenes, some good battles, memorable characters, and some demonic enemies. There are plenty of villains that you love to hate, and good guys that are worth cheering for. It's a must read if you want to conclude the Waylander Trilogy.

If you want to cheer for a grey hero that is neither pure good nor pure evil, than you will really enjoy these books.

If you like Paladin Heroes that say, "Fiend, arm yourself and I shall challenge you to a duel of honor." Then you might not like these books. Waylander would sooner shoot the fiend in the eye with a crossbow, or slit his throat while he was sleeping.

However, Waylander is a man worthy of 3 Legendary Books.

2009-03-04 (California) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Super Reader
Waylander is getting on the elderly side, and is a retiring businessman known as Daykeyras or the Grey Man. He has some wealth and influence, and a large household.

Action calls when he rescues a young woman, whom he takes into his household, and ends up training to be a warrior.

When the joining priestess Ustarte seeks his help, he is drawn into a final battle against dark sorcery to prevent a cataclysm.

2007-08-26 | - Research Finished | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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No-one beats Gemmell!
Being an absolute fantasy-fan, I have read a lot of fantasy-books from different authors such as R.Jordan (wheel of time),G.R.R. Martin (song of ice and fire),R.Feist,T. Goodkind, etc.
For me personally there is no-one better then D. Gemmell, he has ( well he had, since he died a few weeks ago) an incredible gift to create characters,which you want to identify yourself with, which never are just "bad guys" or "good guys", but show a complexicity, which makes them very believable.
The best books are ,for me personally, the 3 volumes of Waylander, this one being the best of them.
Also excellent are the latest books of Troy.
Really a shame , that Gemmell had to die so young, my condolences to his family!

2007-08-16 (Argentina) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Another fantastic tale from Mr. Gemmell
Hero in the Shadow is the next book in the Drenai Saga, I believe it is book 9 in the series. For people who have little to no idea who David Gemmell is, you are in for a treat as you embark on this incredible journey through his plethora of novels. The first book in this saga is simply titled Legend (Drenai Tales, Book 1). It's a great read and one that starts a grand adventure. If you have not read Waylander (Drenai Tales, Book 4) and In the Realm of the Wolf (Drenai Tales, Book 5) by Gemmell you really need to at least read those two before reading this one. It will add much more depth to the main character and the demons he carries with him.

This novel actually has many plot layers to it. The main plot involves attempting to stop an invasion by demons in the land. This takes on many interesting turns and provides a brief history lesson to some things that have been mentioned in earlier books. Some of the sub-plots involve very emotional pieces such as Waylander's personal demons, Chardyn doubting his belief in the Source, Ustarte wanting to prevent deeds from happening, and a few more I won't mention due to being possibly spoilers. I think it is safe to say that no matter what type of fantasy books you enjoy there will be something in this novel for everyone. There are large scale battles, there are political underpinnings, there is the human element of striving for goals, there is revenge and retribution, but most importantly the story itself is well written and highly entertaining.

Mr. Gemmell has a knack for writing very engaging characters. Every character seems to be the most important character in the novel when they are on the page. Main characters such as Waylander and Eldicar all the way to minor characters such as Matze Chai and Lalitia. Gemmell imbues each of these characters with very real elements that allow the reader to love or hate them at the reader's discretion. Also, the character development in this novel is second to none. From where Walyander starts in the novel to where he ends up is simply fantastic. The journey the priest Chardyn undertakes in his search for believing in the Source is very good as well. Rarely in fantasy books is an author able to capture both great characters and a great plot. Mr. Gemmell has done just that in this novel.

When picking up a Gemmell book it is much like putting on a pair of old shoes, it's comfortable and you know just what to expect. While Mr. Gemmell may not write epic plots like G.R.R. Martin his novels are certainly worth while. His prose allows for an ease of reading. He doesn't use the flowery language one can expect from, say Tolkien. His books are much like he was in life, to the point and honest. If you are a fan of the fantasy genre and have not yet read a Gemmell book you are doing yourself a tremendous disservice. Take a chance and pick up Legend today and maybe you will continue on in this saga as I have. I will surely recommend these books to many fantasy fans.

2007-07-10 | Beezer Review (Minnesota) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Another Fantasy Classic
I've just finished listening to the audio version and it's just as good as when I read the book. Gemmell's world and characters feel real, as if you look hard enough there are history scrolls that will verify the existence of Drenai. Hero in the Shadows gives us the final chapter of Waylander, a hero who's past includes assassinating a good king for money to finance his personal revenge of the men who murdered his wife and children. How more complex of character can you get then that?

On one level the story is about Waylander, having taken on a new name, tries to live the life of a wealthy merchant. He builds a utopia in his huge palace for learning and culture. Beginning with the opening rescue, followed by the pending invasion of an evil race expelled from the world 3K years before, violence finds Waylander and drags him back into what he does very well: Dealing death. Magic, demons, religion, good citizens, and men with frozen hearts builds the story to its final climax. As with all Gemmell stories expect that evil men may commit acts of great horror and generous sacrifice, heroes come up short or suffer terrible losses, and common people step up to be heroic.

If this is your first Waylander book, STOP, first read "Waylander" followed by "In the Realm of the Wolf." Hero in the Shadows is the final in the Waylander trilogy. Although you could read this and get a full story, but much historical context and texture will be lost. Reading this Gemmell story, you won't be disappointed. Unless you're like me and have read all his work then you have only to reread these great works. Of course, Gemmell would want it that way!

2007-03-06 | storywind (Michigan) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 5

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The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend (Drenai Tales, Book 6)

Description

He was known as Druss. The Deathwalker. Though the blood of merciless butchers coursed through his veins, he had found a fragile peace through his love for beautiful, mystical Rowena. Then came the day when Druss returned to their village and found everyone dead--massacred by slavers who had stolen the women to sell for gold. Rowena was among the missing.

Armed with only his powerful double-bladed ax, Snaga, Druss went after Rowena. His journey would carry him from the highest thrones of power to the deepest dungeons of depravity. Along the way, he would battle savage monsters and descend into terrifying lands of black magic and demons.

Yet one thing was certain. Druss would have victory . . . or death.

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Customer Reviews

great reading!!
Wonderful reading!!!!
Just don't use Amazon shipping....just buy the book from the local bookseller for the same price and begin reading immediately instead of 2 weeks later!

2010-05-27 | tikka (Oak View, CA, USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Sometimes the Best Solution to a Problem is an Axe (Spoiler Free Review)
'The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend' is the long-awaited prequel to Legend, Book 1 of David Gemmell's Drenai Series. This book takes a realistic look at the life of Druss, the man behind all of the epic ballads and sagas. The legends say that Druss rescued fair princesses from vile dragons, but this was never the case. This book details some of Druss's greatest accomplishments in 4 Parts. His quest to find his kidnapped wife Rowena, his demonic axe Snaga, the Chaos Warrior, and the battle of Skeln Pass...

Characters:
The legends depict Druss as a dashingly handsome dragon slayer and Rowena was a princess of astonishing beauty. But the truth is not as poetic as the legends. Druss is a simple man with a fairly unattractive flat face, who has a warrior's instincts and a gift when it comes to wielding an axe. He lives by a simple, but rigid code of honor and a thirst for battle. During a raid, his wife, a farm girl, was kidnapped and he travels halfway across the world to rescue her. Not for her beauty or a king's ransom, but because she is the woman that he loves.

Writing Style:
David Gemmell's Writing Style is epic. His settings are majestic, the action is fierce, and his characters are gritty and likeable. Although this book is about dispelling exaggerated sagas and tales of old war heroes, the characters and deeds are still very heroic. When you learn the truth behind the legends, the legends seem like silly fairy tales when compared to the actual events.

Pacing:
This book would have been better if it was just a "rescue the girl" story, but instead it skips around quite a bit and feels a bit rushed. The book is very good, but it just doesn't flow well and feels a bit anti-climactic.

Action:
As with all Gemmell Books, this is loaded with visceral action. There are fist fights, duels, skirmishes, castle sieges, field battles, etc... This book has just about every type of action you can imagine and it's all hard hitting and gritty.

Maturity:
This book is for adults. There's graphic violence and non-graphic sex and rape.

Overall:
I wouldn't say this is David Gemmell's best book, but if you ever wanted to know the truth behind Druss the Legend, then you will really enjoy it.

If you enjoyed this book, you should read other books by David Gemmell, especially: Legend, Waylander, Winter Warriors, The Knights of Dark Reknown, and the Rigante books! You may also enjoy the original Conan stories of Robert Howard, the fantastic Cale Trilogies by Paul Kemp, or the First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie.

2010-05-03 (California) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Druss is to fantasy, what John Wayne was to Western movies
The First Chronicle of Druss the Legend is the 6th book in David Gemmell's non-sequential series, the Drenai Saga. It's a prequel to the 1st Drenai book; Legend, and I think it's the perfect prequel because it actually enhances his Druss stories by not being in chronological order.

Renegade soldiers turned slavers massacre a mountain village and take Druss's wife, the seeress, Rowena. Desperate and enraged the young country bumpkin takes up a battle-ax, inherited from his infamous grandfather, to begin a quest that will take him across half the world and last over seven years. Druss fights slavers, pirates, wars, and outlaws, demons, and Death itself to rescue the love of his life. Thus is how legends are born.

There's nothing fancy about Gemmell's books. They're just simple, solid, good reads about heroes who live and die by their own codes of honor. If John Wayne ever did a sword-and-sorcery movie, Druss would've been a perfect role.

2008-01-15 | Reviewer for fantasyliterature com (North Carolina, USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Super Reader
The beginning of the story of the Silver Slayer. Details of Druss' warrior father, and his search for his wife Rowena, who has been kidnapped by slavers.

This event turns a mountain woodsman into the most fearsome warrior the Drenai have seen, as he holds the line at Skeln pass with his friend Sieben, and the help of the Thirty.

It also details the development of his iron cide, the Way, and the influence a couple of teachers had on his skills and philosophy.

Very good stuff.

2007-08-26 | - Research Finished | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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The Origin of the Legend!
Druss the Axeman, the Captain of the Axe, the Silver Slayer, Deathwalker, these are the names legend has given him. Druss the Legend is an indomitable warrior, armed with the great battle axe, Snaga. Snaga the Sender, the Blades of No Return, an axe possessed by a demon that gives it the power to cut anything and makes the wielder almost unbeatable.

The first book telling of Druss was called Legend. It told of Druss in his sixties, called to defend his homeland against an invasion of barbarian hordes. It tells of his death and hints and his past. He is an unstoppable warrior with an iron code. He will not do evil, nor stand still while evil is done. His world is black and white and he has little tolerance for those that attempt to paint it in shades of grey. He is a man that has lived a life of violence, but has no remorse for it. He is a warrior without peer and a friend that will never flinch or falter.

The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend tells the story of his beginning. Druss is a young man, recently married to Rowena. He lives in a small mountain village on the frontier of Drenai. He is not popular in the town. The people fear him for his great size and temper. Rowena is the only person he has ever allowed close to him and he loves her dearly.

While he is working in the mountains felling trees, the village is attacked by bandits. Everybody is killed but the young women, who are gathered as slaves. Druss uses his axe to defend himself and a young woman and they are the only survivors. He returns in time to find his dying father, who tells him where to find a family heirloom hidden in the house for Druss has a secret. He is the grandson of Bardan the Slayer. Bardan's axe and armor are hidden in his father's house.

Druss is devastated by the loss of his wife. He dons Bardan's armor, grabs the axe and heads off to the rescue. Before he can leave the town, he encounters Shadak the Hunter, whose son was slain by the same raiders. Shadak offers to help him, and in so doing gives Druss his own code for life. "Never violate a woman, nor harm a child. Do not lie, cheat or steal. These are things for lesser men. Protect the weak against the evil strong. And never allow thoughts of gain lead you into the pursuit of evil." Druss adopts this code as his own and it lays the foundation for his actions for the rest of his life.

Druss follows the slavers and in a nighttime raid, they attack and he kills nineteen of the raiders, freeing the women. But his wife is not among them. She was taken by the raider's leader Collan to Mashrapur. Druss continues to Mashrapur to find her. In Mashrapur, he enters a fight contest and fights Borcha, the local champion. He meets Bodasen, a Ventrian General who is in the town to hire mercenaries to fight a war. Bodasen sets up a meeting between Collan and Druss to get Rowena back, but Collan reneges on the deal and Druss gets severely wounded. Collan is killed but Rowena is taken away on a ship. Druss finds out later that the ship is sunk by pirates under the employ of the Empire of Nashaan. Nashaan is fighting Ventria and Ventria is losing badly. Druss decides that Nashaan is his enemy and he decides to fight for them.

Druss fights for Ventria, becoming the Emperor Gorben's champion. Druss leads attack after attack and his status as a warrior grows, but the killing gives the demon that possesses Snaga power. The power of the axe drove his grandfather insane and it is starting to get to Druss, too. Druss' iron code and indomitable will hold the madness at bay and Druss uses the power to lead the defeat of Nashaan's armies.

Along the way he finds out that his wife is not dead, but suffers from amnesia. His hunt begins again. He finally finds her, but with her memory loss, she has married the General of the last Nashaanite army, Michanek. In the final battle, Michanek dies and Rowena attempts suicide. A priest saves her from the poison but her spirit is lost in the netherworld. Druss enters the netherworld to bring her back. Ultimately it leads to a confrontation with the demon in the axe. Druss defeats the demon and Snaga is no longer possessed. Rowena and Druss are reunited after seven years and they return home.

The last part of the book tells the story of Druss in his forties, standing with his countrymen against the Empire of Ventria. The Ventrian Emperor, Gorben, has been given a sword that is possessed by another demon, but has given in to the insanity. He has attacked and invaded the other countries and has turned into the same kind of evil that Druss helped him defeat years earlier. Druss stands against the Empire, fighting men that he calls friends. Druss and a handful of warriors defeat the Ventrians at Skeln Pass in a battle reminiscent of the Spartans defeating the Persians.

This book is more a series of short stories than a whole story. Each part is a self contained whole the only common thread is Druss' search for Rowena. The last part seems a bit abbreviated, but still it does what it meant to do, which is tell the back story of Druss. I enjoyed the book and recommend it along with all the Drenai Tales series. Gemmell's world is richly created and inhabited by wonderful characters. I actually feel saddened when I reach the end of his books, because I want more to read. Gemmell died last year, so there will be no more Drenai Tales written.

2007-03-17 (oklahoma City, ok United States) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Legend (Drenai Tales, Book 1)

Product Details

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• Fettle: New
• ISBN13: 9780345379061

Description

Druss, Captain of the Axe, was the stuff of legends. But even as the stories grew in the telling, Druss himself grew older. He turned his back on his own legend and retreated to a mountain lair to await his old enemy, death. Meanwhile, barbarian hordes were on the march. Nothing could stand in their way. Druss reluctantly agreed to come out of retirement. But could even Druss live up to his own legends?

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Customer Reviews

Legend
Legend held my attention, but was not one of the best fantasy books I have read. I would not recommend it to anyone who does not like gore in their reading.

2010-07-25 | Fantasy reader (Missouri) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 3

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Boring
Quite a few writers have developed the epic theme of the "good but unlikely" versus the "evil and powerful" with dynamic and compelling worlds and characters. Within a few pages, Legend seemed to me to plod over the same territory without the promise of adding much that was fresh and engrossing. I usually give an author a good chance to get going, but regretfully could not force myself to go on.

2010-06-06 | body eclectic (Iowa) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 1

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One of the best action fantasy novels
Legend doesn't have too much depth, but for 300 pages of fast paced action and great heroic fantasy it can't be beat. David Gemmell was the first fantasy author I started reading when I was 13 and I've probably read this book 15 or 20 time since. One of his best and one of my favorite books of all time.

2010-02-04 (Chicago USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Setting the bar for heroic fantasy
I was fortunate enough to discover David Gemmell's "Legend" shortly after it's publication. I was drawn to the original cover - which many might consider grey and bland. The cover depicted a old man in armour - Druss, kneeling before the distant walls of an immense fortress. Later covers have veered more towards the mass-produced sterotypical fantasy covers. If this had been the case back then I may not have even picked the book up!

Druss is an iconic character. He has the strength and confidence of a Conan but he has his vulnerabilities. He is afflicted with arthritis and has all but given up on life until he emerges from his mountain top retreat to defend the final Drenai stronghold, Dros Delnoch, against the Nadir hoardes.

The main plot is essentially a classic last stand - Gemmell later revealed his fascination with the 300 Spartans - a heroic gesture in the face of insurmountable odds. Whilst there are numerous memorable characters in the book - Rek, Serbitar (the albino abbot of the thirty)and well sketched out minor characters (particularly on the walls of Dros Delnoch), Druss is the focal point for the book, a compelling character - brave, mighty, and utterly dependable. Gemmell stated in interviews that Druss was based on his childhood protector, and indeed he does convey the impression of a gnarled and tough father/uncle.

There are a lot of familiar elements in the book - Serbitar had shades of Elric - but this are welcome tributes, deftly handled and made original.

A feature that first appears in "Legend" but is a mainstay of Gemmell's work is the interplay between gritty realism and magic. Some of the characters can travel in the spirit, there is a realm called The Void which is essentially a grey and eternal underworld where heroes still roam, pursued by demons; there are dark stygian sorcerors with the ability to create horrific hybrids -Joinings; and yet there are also moments when characters die and glimpse the reality of their own oblivion through despairing eyes. This dichotomy is never resolved-the fantasy and the pessimistic realism are held in tension. Gemmell, however, appears to favour the romantic, the ultimate redemption of his characters and, even where the battle is lost, the triumph of good over evil.

"Legend" is the first of many truly great fantasy works from one of the finest writers in the genre ever to have lived.

2009-11-09 | Conrad Levy (UK) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Satisfying read
Exciting, beautiful, and verging on profound. Full of blood and battle, but also humanity and compassion.

2009-11-05 (New York, NY) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Sword in the Storm (The Rigante Series, Book 1)

Description

Fierce and proud, the Rigante dwell deep in the green mountain lands, worshiping the gods of air and water, and the spirits of the earth. Among them lives a warrior who bears the mark of fate. Born of the storm that slew his father, he is Connavar, and tales of his courage spread like wildfire.

The Seidh--a magical race as old as time--take note of the young warrior and cast a malignant shadow across his life. For soon a merciless army will cross the water, destroying forever the timeless rhythms of life among the Rigante.

Swearing to protect his people, Connavar embarks on a quest that will take him into the heart of the enemy. Along the way, he receives a gift: a sword as powerful and deadly as the Seidh who forged it. Thus he receives a name that will strike fear into the hearts of friend and foe alike--a name proclaiming a glorious and bitter destiny . . .

Demonblade.

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Customer Reviews

Epic Blend of Characters and Action
This is Book 1 of 4 of David Gemmell's Rigante Series. The story focuses on the rise of a young Rigante Warrior named Connavar as the ruthless Army of Stone encroaches on his borders and threatens his people. The Rigante are based on the Celts and the Army of Stone is largely based on the Roman Empire. Connavar is a heroic character, but he is also flawed and conflicted to the point where it feels like you know him personally. It is easy to cheer for him as he struggles through his trials and triumphs. All of the characters have very strong personalities and halfway through the book, you start feeling like you grew up in the Rigante Village.

Because this is a Gemmell book, there is plenty of great action. From fist fights, to duels, to ambushes, to large scale wars, Sword in the Storm has everything. And all of the action is top notch.

Magic is largely based on folklore and druidic beliefs. There are no armies of fireball throwing mages and magic missiles, but there are prophecies, healing magic, and hexes that foreshadow events.

The pacing is atypical. It skips around in a few places and lingers in others, but this added to the story. At no point did this book feel like a stereotypical fantasy yarn. Instead, the pacing, characters, and events really do a great job at pulling the reader into the world.

Overall, Fans of Epic Fantasy should read this book. The Rigante and Army of Stone do parallel the Celts and Romans, but at no point does this feel like a history book. It feels more like Braveheart vs. The Roman Empire with a little magic behind the scenes.

Gemmell Fans, should buy this book. It's got great characters, action, story... I enjoyed it more than most of his Drenai books.

If you like heroic fantasy with great action and light magic, then you will love this book. If you absolutely need Dragons, Mages, Orcs, Gelatinous Cubes, Trolls, etc... it may be too light on fantasy for you.

2009-05-02 (California) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Awesom
A friend told me about the Rigante series thinking I would not like it. I didn't want to go and buy the books at full price incase I really didn't. I got a great deal on all the books in the series and I absolutely love it. The characters are amazing and so is the storyline. It is fantastic fantasy writing.

2008-07-18 | ensorace223 (Alpha, IL) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Good SF Fantasy Action and Interesting Characters
This is the first book that I have read by David Gemmell. I understand he died last year. I love SF fantasy and was looking for a new author. The story involves Connavar who is the "Sword in the Storm." When he was a baby, his father is killed while running away in battle and he is lovingly raised by his stepfather, Ruathain and his mother. After learning of his father's "cowardly" act, he develops a need to prove that he is not coward and finds himself in many situations that test him. His life is influenced periodically by the Seidh, who are a magical race that have taken an interest in his fate. The story is well written with great character development. Even minor characters are well thought out and believable. The action and adventure is engrossing and the fights and battles against his adversaries are great. Instrumental in the development of his character, philosophy and fighting/thinking skills is his friendship with the older traveler, Banouin. There is even some military strategy (which I normally intensely dislike), but in this book I found it quite interesting and not overly detailed or militaristic. The military strategies were logical and flowed well without getting bogged down into too much detail. The trials and tribulation Connavar experiences and the heartbreak in his life all contribute to developing a well-rounded main character, one you can root for to win the eternal fight of good and evil. In this case, evil is the Stone army, a fearsome empire that has been unstoppable in it's efforts to conquer other lands. What is interesting is that there is a lot of gray areas in most of the characters; they are not just black and white and are not all evil or all good, they have flaws. I found MANY characters in this book I liked and became easily engrossed in the land and it's people.

This book is the first book in the Rigante series and I definitely plan on reading the subsequent books. I definitely recommend this book and author.

2007-11-19 | readaholic (Dallas, TX) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Super Reader
Connavar grows up fatherless, as his father died in the weather that gave him a nickname, the Sword in the Storm.

When the Seidh race takes an interest in the boy, a weapon is forged for him. This gives him a new name : Demonblade.

Connavar, because of his upbringing is a troubled and not overly psychologically stable individual, but does have heroic qualities.

2007-08-26 | - Research Finished | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 3

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A new world from Gemmell, same great storyteller.
Sword in the Storm is the first book in David Gemmell's Rigante series. Mr. Gemmell is most known for his Drenai series, most notably Legend. Mr. Gemmell has a knack for story telling that allows for a solid combination of both story telling and great characters, this book is no exception. Fans of Gemmell will notice some similarities between this book and the Drenai series, but make no mistake they are vastly different books, and series. This book takes more time to develop due to the fact that it's a larger plot and encompasses more people and places.

As with every other Gemmell book I have read this book contains plenty of action. Gemmell is one of the best in the fantasy genre for describing a fight, either a sword fight or a fist fight.

The general plot of this book centers on a young barbarian of the Rigante people. The first book follows him as he grows up into a man who becomes famous first among his own people and then gradually others. It follows his trials, and there are many, as well as his successes. The major subplot of this book is the impending invasion by the people of Stone who are across the ocean. While this subplot does not get fully explored in this book it is quite obvious how it sets up for the second booking what the Rigante will face and the challenges that lay ahead for them.

Again, as with the other books I have read by Gemmell, he has once again created memorable characters. All the characters from Connavar, to Banouin are fantastic. Each character has flaws, they are not all powerful, never do wrong like some modern fantasy characters are. Gemmell's characters have a way of touching some part of the reader, each character serves a purpose as they take the reader through the story. I believe the true strength of Gemmell's books are the wonderful characters and this book follows that mold very well.

As I mentioned earlier, Gemmell is most known for the book Legend and the series that spawned. Fans of that book, and series, will most likely enjoy this as well. However, I feel it needs to be noted that readers should not go into this book expecting the same flow as the Drenai books. This book has a much more Celtic feel than his other books. It's a much more engaging read that requires more attention from the reader than the Drenai books. That's not to say the Drenai books are bad books, in fact I enjoy they quite a bit, it's just they are different than the Rigante books and people expecting the same may be slightly disappointed by that.

I would strongly urge any fantasy fan to give this book a shot. Certainly fans of Gemmell should read this without worrying about it. They will find many things they enjoy. This is certainly a worthwhile read, and I look forward to continuing the series.

2007-01-22 | Beezer Review (Minnesota) | Helpful Votes: 3 | Rating: 4

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