Waylander by David Gemmell
Rate and review Waylander! | What does everyone else think?
Waylander, published in 1986, was David Gemmell's third book. Once again set in the land of the Drenai in which Gemmell brings us his best known anti-hero, Waylander.
The King of the Drenai is dead and troops are invading the Drenai lands killing men, women and children. The hopes of the Drenai are with one man - Waylander - the traitor who killed the King. Waylander must travel deep into Nadir lands to recover the legendary Armour of Bronze with which he can turn the tide and save the land of the Drenai.
After bringing us Druss the Legend Gemmell changes tack and brings us an anti-hero in Waylander. Strangely enough, this makes Waylander a more sympathetic character and in my opinion a far better character. A recurring theme in Gemmell's work is of the character who once had an idylic life, wife and children but evil men came and killed the character's family and all that is left are closed shells who kill without mercy. Waylander is one such man.
The men made their way to a rough-hewn chamber and placed the torches in rusty iron brackets on the granite walls.
At the centre of the twenty-strong group was a figure in armour of bronze, which caught the torch-light and seemed to blaze like fashioned flames. He removed his winged helm and two retainers erected a wooden skeletal frame. The warrior placed the helm atop the frame and unbuckled his breastplate. He was past middle age, but still strong - his hair thinning, his eyes squinting in the flickering light.
He passed the armoured breastplate to a retainer who laid it on the frame, rebuckling the straps."
Prologue: Waylander
In Gemell's debut novel Legend, he mentions the characters the Egel and Karnak as legends of distant times and the warrior monks named The Thirty play a part in both books. The events in Waylander are set before the events of Legend but as no dates are given, it is hard to say for sure when. The forming of The Thirty happens in this tale and it a very important and enjoyable part of the story, particularly the tale of Dardalion, the first warrior monk.
Chapter 13: Waylander
There is a feeling of hopelessness and despair surrounding this tale but Gemmell also shows a softer side. There are genuinely touching moments where he shows that he has a great feel for character study.
This is an entertaining story of love and redemption in a land in turmoil and ravaged by war. There are no safe places. A fast-paced adventure in which Dardalion, Danyal and Waylander all make engaging characters in a story that makes you care and holds you until the end. Gemmell near his best.
Chapter 18: Waylander
Waylander (A Drenai Novel) (Amazon.co.uk)
Author: David Gemmell
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 384
Publication date: 1986-08-21
Publisher: Orbit
RRP: £7.99
Lowest new price: £2.19
Lowest used price: £0.01
Waylander (A Drenai Novel) (Amazon.com)
Author: David Gemmell
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 384
Publication date: 1986-08-21
Publisher: Orbit
RRP: $14.45
Lowest new price: $7.22
Lowest used price: $1.73
The Drenai King is dead - murdered by a ruthless assassin. Enemy troops swarm into Drenai lands. Their orders are simple - kill every man, woman and child. But there is hope. Stalked by men who act like beasts and beasts that walk like men, the warrior Waylander must journey into the shadow-haunted lands of the Nadir to find the legendary Armour of Bronze. With this he can turn the tide. But can he be trusted? For he is Waylander the Slayer. The traitor who killed the King...
Product Description
Submit your own mini-review
Let people know what you think about Waylander. You can write your own mini-review and give the book the rating that you think it deserves. Your reviews will go towards giving Waylander its overall rating that will decide where Waylander finishes in the top 100 fantasy books of all time.
Books you may also enjoy...
A Storm of Swords 1: Steel and Snow by George RR Martin
The events in Storm of Swords overlap the ending of the second book, A Clash of Kings. I have to admit to not enjoying Clash of Kings overly, something I discovered placed me in a minority. Looking back I feel that I was a bit lazy when reading it, characters are thrown at you at a not inconsiderable rate of knots and you can either use the handy cast of characters at the beginning of the book to refresh your memory when you get lost or you can do what I did… carry on regardless hoping that everything will become clear in time. ... read the full review
Summary: A Song of Ice and Fire is the history lesson you wished you had in school.
Midnight Tides by Steven Erikson
After decades of internecine warfare, the tribes of the Tiste Edur have at last united under the Warlock King. There is peace – but it has been exacted at a terrible price: a pact made with a hidden power whose motives are at best suspect, at worst deadly. ... read the full review
Summary: Never have I been left in such awe by an author's imagination.
The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson
The Bonehunters sees us rejoining the Malazan Fourteenth Army, under the command of Adjunct Tavore Paran. Sha’ik is supposedly dead, the army of the Whirlwind in tatters, and the last survivors making for the refuge fortress city of Y’Ghatan under the leadership of Leoman of the Flails. ... read the full review
Summary: Brilliant, captivating, astounding and mind blowing.
Also in this sub-genre...
- A Storm of Swords 1: Steel and Snow by George RR Martin
- Midnight Tides by Steven Erikson
- The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson
- Reaper’s Gale by Steven Erikson
- Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson
- Dust of Dreams by Steven Erikson
- Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson
- Legend by David Gemmell
- Blood Of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski
- Nightchild by James Barclay
- Cry of the Newborn by James Barclay
- The Two Pearls of Wisdom by Alison Goodman
- Dawnthief by James Barclay
- Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson
- A Game Of Thrones by George RR Martin
- A Clash Of Kings by George RR Martin
- Gardens Of The Moon by Steven Erikson
- The Black Company by Glen Cook
- House Of Chains by Steven Erikson
- Last Argument Of Kings by Joe Abercrombie
- Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud
- Noonshade by James Barclay
- Elfsorrow by James Barclay
- Shadowheart by James Barclay
- Demonstorm by James Barclay
- Shout for the Dead by James Barclay
- Ravensoul by James Barclay
- Shadows Linger by Glen Cook
- The Ascendants of Estorea by James Barclay
- The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
- Wolf In Shadow by David Gemmell
- The Last Guardian by David Gemmell
- Waylander II by David Gemmell
- Glammenport by Kevin Lane
- Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis
- Night of Knives by Ian C Esslemont
- Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie
Book of the Month
Apartment 16 by Adam Nevill
Some doors are better left closed . . . In Barrington House, an upmarket block in London, there is an empty apartment. No one goes in, no one comes out. And it’s been that way for fifty years. Until the night watchman hears a disturbance after midnight and investigates. What he experiences is enough to change his life forever.
Latest interviews
Interviews plus question and answer sessions with authors, narrators and publishers.
Must-reads
The following reviews are of books that begin the very best fantasy series available.
Competition: Win a signed copy of Graham Hancock's Entangled
Graham Hancock is the author of The Sign and the Seal, Fingerprints of the Gods, Keeper of Genesis, Heaven's Mirror, Supernatural and other bestselling investigations of historical mysteries. His books have been translated into twenty-seven languages and have sold over five million copies worldwide. Written with the same page-turning appeal that has made his non-fiction so popular, Entangled is his first work of fiction. We have five signed copies of Entangled to give away as prizes. Email us the answer to the following question and the lucky winner, chosen at random, will receive a copy of the book, signed by the author.
Special Feature: Fantasy Book Review talks to the Book View Cafe
Book View Cafe is a cooperative site created by a group of writers - including internationally renowned authors Katharine Kerr, Ursula Le Guin and Vonda N. McIntyre - who want to take advantage of the internet's possibilities for reaching a wider audience and to distribute their work directly to their readers. The Book View Cafe is a place where you can find free, original fiction plus the authors' best and out-of-print work for a fee. Fantasy Book Review spoke to Book View Cafe member, science fiction author and memoirist Chris Dolley in February 2010.
Special Feature: Understanding the author of Alice in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll, the elusive author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, has been the subject of enduring fascination for the past hundred years. The destruction of many major documents about his personal life by his descendants has only magnified the mystery. Jenny Woolf's biography, published to coincide with the release of the new Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland film, lays waste to the myths and suspicions that have obscured Carroll's reputation by placing him firmly in the context of his own time.
