david Gemmell

[bolen]

I just read "the king beyond the gate" by David Gemmell. It really reminded me of the previous book: Legend. I like the style but does he only have one story to tell with lots of variations. Don't get me wrong I enjoy his style but if the rest of his novels all have the lone hero who faces imposable odds to gain vengeance. It seems kind of redundant. Is there a book someone would recommend by him that tells a different story.

 

[Steverooo]

Eh, I couldn't tellya the name of his one yarn that I read, but it was about some city surrounded by evil spirits, and three heroes trying to sneak some Princess out, or some0such rot... So, no, he writes about small groups of heroes trying to do other things, too!

My friend raves about Gemmel. Personally, I think "Eh"!

 

[Ds Da Man]

I think it's just a question of taste. I love Gemmell's books. I hated RJ Wheel of Time. I do think you'll find most of his books are repeatative. He reminds me of Louis Lamour, but for fantasy.

 

[Aaron L]

One story with lots of variations? Is that David Eddings in disguise? (I kid, I kid, I love Eddings in all honesty)

Never heard of David Gemmel, unfortunately

 

[Hand of Evil]

For the most part, yes - but he has some very interesting characters and he tells a good story, the Druss books are very entertaining.

 

[Wombat]

A lot of authors are like this.

Edgar Rice Burroughs claimed that he only had one plot (Boy Meets Girl, Boy Loses Girl Through Social Faux Pas, Boy Battles To Regain Girl, Boy Meets Girl, Rinse, Lather, Repeat). Gemmel & Eddings are both pretty ... predictable.

The point is to find patterns that you like, as opposed to those that you don't like.

At that point, it's all good.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Did the Gemmell you just read have a scene where an experienced adventurer explains to an inexperienced adventurer that yes, you can cook in a wooden bowl over an open fire without burning the bowl, as long as there's water in it?

I think there's a Gemmell without that scene in it, but I can't remember which one it is

-Hyp.

 

[Eosin the Red]

Gimmel has 2-3 "stories" but it is kinda like reading a John Wayne movie... They rock, he gets the girl and delivers a righteous beating/shooting to the bad guys. I love John Wayne stories and I love Gimmel books but the only one that is noticibly different is Troy Lord of the Silver Bow. There are a number of similar plot elements but most Gimmel books get an Eosin rating of 6-7 with "perks" for generally delievering the goods in the butt kicking department. Troy gets at 9 from me and is one of the best books I have read in awhile.

 

[Waylander the Slayer]

Gemmell books do tend to be formulaic in that the main characters mostly tend to be grey and they do kick ass. There is also the idea of the "source" in almost all his books. I have read ALL his books (as my name might suggest) and some of them can be mundane. The Stone of Power series and the Macedon series? are a bit different. Here are what i would consider must reads for Gemmell

1. Legend
2. Waylander
3. knights of Dark Reknown
4. Waylander II
5. Morningstar
6. Wolf in Shadow
7. Winter Warriors

 

[S. Baldrick]

Gemmell books do tend to be formulaic in that the main characters mostly tend to be grey and they do kick ass. There is also the idea of the "source" in almost all his books. I have read ALL his books (as my name might suggest) and some of them can be mundane. The Stone of Power series and the Macedon series? are a bit different. Here are what i would consider must reads for Gemmell

1. Legend
2. Waylander
3. knights of Dark Reknown
4. Waylander II
5. Morningstar
6. Wolf in Shadow
7. Winter Warriors

Great choices but I would have to add Sword in the Storm and Midnight Falcon to that list as well. I loved those books in addition to the ones that you mentioned.