Favourite Book By David Gemmell

[drosdelnoch]

Thought that it might be a good one to get everyone warmed up with and its going to be a mega chat as to be honest with 30 titles to pick from it could end up fists at dawn over a bottle of the Old Lentrian Red. (Can't you tell where my votes going already. LOL)

Anyway, which is your favourite book by David and why?

For me its Legend, and whilst many would say that its perhaps not his best or that his later titles had more skill behind them I have to stick to his first book. I think its the passion behind the writing that gets me everytime, the fact that whilst he was waiting for test results he threw himself into this world full tilt and brought out the heroes who were scared of the dark but faced it anyway.

The way that ol Druss stalked the walls of Dros Delnoch delivering death until his own time and the way he wouldn't give in until the last. Yep, for me its the passion with which the book comes across that really still sells it to me and I think I read it around four times a year for the sheer enjoyment I get from each scene within. Damn I wish I could write like that.

[Crashhot]

Although I have a soft spot for most of his books, Waylander, Legend & Knights of Dark Renown Stick out in My Mind.

However My Favourite Is the Lion of Macedon, I Didn't like the Second One so Much but I liked the Way That It Tidied up Some of the Loose Ends, the First One Was Just Brilliant.

[Andrew Guile]

Legend will always be my first and my favourite but I do recall a sense of awe and wonder when I first read Waylander. To open a book about heroes to read that the protagonist is an assasin who killed a/the King ...great stuff. Seems simple but that's what he did best.

DG's work is as far flung from...say 'hard' sci'fi and all it's myriad complexities, as any fantasy/fiction could be. His stories were simple and about simple people who would stand up when it mattered. They were about family, love and loyalty; the most powerful motivators the human race has. That's why they hit home so true.

Andrew.

[Raithe]

I agree with you about Druss, you could feel the power behind the character as you read the book. I find it hard to pick a favorite. Legend is up there for sure. Waylander as well, the conflict within so to speak. Again written well you can feel it.

[Peter Elliott]

This is really tough, My first read was Legend and i love all the Drenai books. I also love the Rigante , Troy, and Macedon novels, but my favorite are the Skilgannon books . I cant put my finger on why but i read these books more than any other DG books i have .

[wild_ice]

Keith McArdle said:

I have to say Waylander is my favourite book of DG. It was the first book of David's I ever read and although all of his books had an impact on me, seeing as Waylander was the first book of his I had ever read, and the first story I had ever read written in that way, it had the greatest impact of them all.

My favourite character strangely enough though, would have to be Viruk.

Wild Ice, now THAT would be an awesome class! When I was at school we studied the 'wonderment' *cough* of shakespeare and the rapier like wit of some sombre, miserable 18th century poets.

But to study a DG book would be great!

That's the great thing about being 'a mature student' - other than the age. We can sit at the front and be all knowing and talk about 'quests for lost hero's in literature and ' where ever a hero walks a legend is started' - i've been throwing in as many DG related lines as I can and as we are now looking at fantasy genres, Legend is the book to read - or at least that is what I persuaded the lecturer!

[Raithe]

Actually had a class in high school called "Fantasy and Science Fiction Literature", unfortunately it was before DG's books became well known in the US (this is mid 80s). However it was the best english class I ever had. The teacher was a fantasy/scifi nut and got the school board to allow it as an elective. He also hosted a RPG every other Saturday night. So I joined. Anyway we studied The Hobbit, Sword of Shanara and Canticle for Lebowicz.
Never had another class like it.

[wolfshead]

A hard question since I love all of Davids book

However If push came to shove,, The Lengend of Deathwalker I would have to say.

[Nicholas Braam]

Hard to pick a favourite novel of David's... have read every single one many many times over. The one that i keep going back to and that always fills me with a feeling of indomitable strength and will would be Legend. The way in which David created characters that while flawed, u coudlr eadily identify with them. How each person is made up of shades of gray.. even the evil characters have something int hem that u like.

[Drenai Twin]

Like most I like all of David's books. If I'm forced to choose it would have to be the 'Ancient Greece' books - Lion of Macidon/Dark Prince and the Troy trilogy.

Parmenion gets my vote as 'best character'.

[Waylander]

Just find it too hard to answer this one. I love them all.

[Xenphon]

The book that introduced me to the marvellous universe of David Gemmell's books was Swords of Night and Day, and truth to be told, I stand by that book as the one I like the best. There's something great about Skilgannon that I have yet to see in the other characters, maybe because it was the first book I read about him. Anyhow, that is my favorite book, if I am forced to choose one, for we all know how many great book Gemmell wrote.

Swords of Night and Day was different in the way that Skilgannon has never been a 100% good guy, like Druss for example, but he has his darker sides. Also, he has such an aura around himself and just how he behaved that is bound to get readers to like him. He is my favorite character, as you probably understand.

[Axis]

I haven't read many Gemmell titles (yet) but i would have to say that Legend is my favourite. I've read Legend, Dark Moon, White Wolf and The Swords of night and day.
I found that Legend is my favourite because it constantly kept me reading. Gemmell did a fantastic job writing the book, and i couldn't put it down.
That being said, there are still a ton of Gemmell books that I plan to read, so I might have a new favourite a little later on.