Legend by David Gemmell

Rating 9.5/10

Superb heroic fantasy from the fire-side storyteller.

Legend was David Gemmell's first novel. Published in 1984, it has become a world-wide best-seller and is the beginning of Gemmell's Drenai saga.

Druss is a legend who's life stories are told everywhere. He has shunned a life of comfort and wealth in favour a solitary life spent on a mountain bordering the clouds. He is sixty years old and death awaits him when he receives a request of help from the defenders of the fortress of Dros Delnoch.

The Nadir are conquering all before them, as did the Drenai in years past. All that stands before them and victory is the fortress, protected by six outer walls and the stronghold of the Drenai empire. If the fortress falls, so do the Drenai...

The is the kind of book that the term fire-side reading was invented for. This book is far from perfect, this was Gemmell's first foray into the realm of writing fantasy and his skills are from as honed as they would later become. But this is where it all began, the book in which Gemmell stamped his trademark on the fantasy genre. This showed just how enjoyable heroic fantasy could be and in Druss, invented an unforgettable figure able to overcome insurmountable odds.

A shadow fell across Druss's eyes, the sun died in the heavens and the mountains receded into mist. Pain clamped Druss's mighty chest, soul deep, and he almost fell.
'Proud mortal!' hissed a sibilant voice through the veils of agony. 'I never sought you. You have hunted me through these long, lonely years. Stay on this mountain and I guarantee you two score more years. Your muscles will atrophy, your brain will sink into dotage. You will bloat, old man, and I will only come when you beg it.
Chapter 5: Legend

This is a wonderful heroic fantasy with great characters and way of describing landscapes and setting moods that fully immerses the reader in the world of the Drenai. The characters are given just the right amount of back history, not too little and not too much. There is a pleasant mixture of action, suspense and plot and these all merge together to create a story that is rich and satisfying.

As the dawn sky lightened on the morning of the third day, the first realities of apocalypse hammered home on the walls of Dros Delnoch. Hundreds of ballistae arms were pulled back by thousands of sweating warriors. Muscles bunching and knotting, the Nadir drew back the giant arms until the wicker baskets at their heads were almost horizontal. Each basket was loaded with a block of granite.
Chapter 20: Legend

This is not Gemmell's best but surely his most important, a great place to start if you have not read any of his work before and a great blend of sword, sorcery and heroism. A MUST read for any heroic fantasy fans.

Purchase options

Paperback/hardback (Amazon)

Kindle ebook (Amazon)

Nick from South Africa

10-stars

This book changed my life in so many ways, saved my life when I was on the brink of madness and brought me into a world of fantasy. Druss became more than a Legend to me. So did Rek and Virae and everyone else in this book. Thank you to a legend for creating legends. A more brilliant book has yet to be written.

2012-08-20 | Have Your Say

Arthas from Australia

10-stars

Best book I have ever read. It has all the elements of an aswsome book and I have to read again and again or I don't feel satisfied.

2012-08-09 | Have Your Say

Theo from Durban, South Africa

10-stars

A truly epic tale which I just have to return to at least once a year. I even tell it my children quite often around the fire in our back yard. Minus the gory details of course :)

2012-04-30 | Have Your Say

Ron from Birmingham, UK

10-stars

Superb. Anyone who reads this book would surely read Gemmell's other books, a brilliant read.

2012-03-01 | Have Your Say

Chris from Ardrossan, Ayrshire

10-stars

Not the best book I've ever read, but for some reason I need to read it again every few months. I can't fault the story or characters in any way. Also, the more Gemmell books you read, the more you will grow to love Legend.

2012-03-01 | Have Your Say

Allan from Bridgend

9-stars