David Gemmell was a British author of heroic fantasy. His breakout novel was Legend, a story of honor, redemption, and the power of hope and legacy. He went on to write over thirty novels between 1984 and his death in 2006. His final work was finished by his wife, Stella, and published in 2008.
He's also the namesake of the David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy.
That's right, it's a frickin' battle axe.
I first read Quest for Lost Heroes in middle school and went on to devour every Gemmell book I could get my hands on. Gemmell's writing is fast paced, action packed, and full of flawed heroes. His strength is in those character archetypes. He somehow reaches into the Akashic Records and pulls up the essence of a particular archetype, then shades it onto the pages with a deft hand.
My challenge to unfamiliar readers is to pick up a copy of Legend and read it. If you can stop yourself from picking up more books by this master of fiction, well, I worry for the state of your soul.
For those inclined, here's a list of his works in chronological order.
I haven't read much of Gemmell's work, but I'm pretty sure I read "Legend" in high school. I need to look through my library when it's unpacked and verify.
ReplyDeleteI don't recall much about it but I do remember enjoying it, if it is indeed the story I'm thinking about.