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David Gemmell


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#1 Vortigern

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Posted 06 May 2008 - 03:04 PM

For any of you lot out there who like a decent fantasy read, I would very much recommend David Gemmell. He's an English writer, acclaimed on the front of every one of his books as "Probably the best living writer of heroic fantasy" and it's an accolade well-deserved. He is, now, unfortunately deceased, but has left behind plenty of literature. I would suggest starting with the early stuff, particularly the book called 'Legend'. The basic premise is as follows:

The Drenai, the heroes of the novels, are a struggling nation, and under serious threat from the Nadir, a nomadic people recently brought together by a mighty warlord by the name of Ulric. However, the only way from Nadir land to that of the Drenai is through the Delnoch mountains, where there is only one pass big enough to accommodate an army. Long in the past, a Drenai general ordered the construction of a mighty six-walled fortress, the Dros, to block the pass after he received a vision telling him of the invasion far in the future. But the garrison has been depleted as a gesture of goodwill to try and keep the Nadir at bay, which has failed, leaving the Drenai with only around a thousand soldiers and ten thousand volunteers, farmers and the like, who have come the defence of their homes. They are trying to withstand an army of half a million savage warriors, born to kill, but they are led by the heroes, who are awesome. Read it yourself and find out who they are.

Others of David Gemmell's books I would recommend include:
Waylander
Hero In The Shadows
The King Beyond The Gate
Quest For Lost Heroes
(maybe) White Wolf (this one isn't quite as good, and is the first book where the hero and protagonist isn't a Drenai, but it's still worth a read.)

Enjoy.
I hope I am a good enough writer that some day dwarves kill me and drink my blood for wisdom.

#2 some_weirdGuy

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Posted 06 May 2008 - 11:03 PM

yes, im actually re-reading his books now...

also, one of his stand alone books, darkmoon, is very good
(its where i got my inspiration for the 'guidesmen' in my rpg, although, my guidesman are good guys, the daroth are not...)

honestly cant be bothered typing up a big thing

basically

there were 3 ancient races, Eldarin, Oltor, and Daroth. 2 were peaceful, but one, the daroth were not, the daroth slaughtered the Oltor, but one day the daroth just disappeared. vast desert where their cities and armies once stood.

a thousand years later humans, of the four duchies, are waring over the Eldarin pearl, trying to use its great power, and discover its secrets.
then one day, the spirit of an Eldarin comes forth, pleading with Sirano, the current possessor of the pearl, to stop, but he does not listen. the pearl is finally 'cracked' (not literally, mind you)


but it did not bring power, immortality, or any other gifts, instead, a great moon rises over the desert, a dark moon, and with it a tidal wave of shadow... and where the desert once stood a valley now appears, with a great city in the morning sunlight.

the daroth are back, immune to swords and spears, powerful and nearly immortal. all they want is the destruction of humankind.

only 3 heroes can stop them(of coarse, i mean, what story would it be if the hero's weren't needed?)
Karis, one of the greatest strategists of the day, Tarantio/Dace, deadliest swordsman(he has two spirits, so you know he has to be cool :p ), and Duvodas the healer, a student of the Eldarin


------------

like i said, great book, like all of his other books, but if you want just a stand alone then this is very good

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#3 Vortigern

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Posted 07 May 2008 - 04:05 PM

I agree, he wrote a very good one called Knights Of Dark Renown. The idea there is that there's this kingdom where there used to be an order of 9 knights which distributed justice and stood up for the weak and needy, but one day they tried to rid the world of evil by defeating it at it's source, and they all disappeared. But one of them didn't ride out, and he went into hiding in disgrace and worked as a mercenary. Then, a few years later, 8 Red Knights come and corrupt the world, and cause suffering all over the place, and become advisors to the king. They're the old knights, but corrupted by the evil world that they tried to destroy. And then the surviving good knight has to recreate the good order, but all he has to do it with are a load of peasants and bandits and a renegade duke. It's a good read.
I hope I am a good enough writer that some day dwarves kill me and drink my blood for wisdom.

#4 some_weirdGuy

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Posted 08 May 2008 - 05:49 AM

cool :p

haven't read that one, ive read most of the drenai series(though not all of them, haven't read any after quest for lost heroes, except the last one, hero in the shadows)

also i have read his other series the Rigante ones, they are very good to

he is a really great writer :p

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#5 Vortigern

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Posted 08 May 2008 - 10:14 AM

Yeah, the Rigante ones were good. I think the best of those would have to be Stormrider, because the setting is so much different to anything else. Like, Sword in the Storm and Midnight Falcon are set in a world that may as well be the same as the Drenai world, except with a bit more magic, whereas Ravenheart and Stormrider have guns and knights and politics and stuff, which is always awesome.

Have you read any of the Jon Shannow series? I've been meaning to get around to reading them, but so far I just haven't had the time, or been able to find any. If you have, are they any good?
I hope I am a good enough writer that some day dwarves kill me and drink my blood for wisdom.

#6 some_weirdGuy

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Posted 10 May 2008 - 12:33 AM

never heard of that series till now lol

so no, haven't read it

if you end up reading it you should put something up here on it and i'll see if it sounds good

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