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Legend (The Drenai Saga #1)

4.22 of 5 stars 4.22 · rating details · 7,360 ratings · 328 reviews

Druss, Captain of the Axe, whose fame was legendary, had chosen to wait for death in a mountain hideaway. But mighty Dros Delnoch, the last stronghold of the Drenai Empire, was under threat from Nadir hordes who had destroyed everything else in their path. All hope rests on the skills of one man.

Paperback, 368 pages

Published 1994 by Del Rey (first published 1984)

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The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Best Heroic Fantasy

4th out of 386 books — 424 voters

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Best Fantasy Series, Trilogies, and Duologies

90th out of 966 books — 4,862 voters

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Community Reviews

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Apr 04, 2013 Jon added it · review of another edition

Shelves: epic-fantasy, fantasy, fiction, read-in-my-40s, five-star-favorites, loved-it

5 stars

My first foray into heroic fantasy left me gasping for more. Today is always a good day to die ... or live. Find the rest of my review at my blog here: http://bit.ly/10CPAn9

20 likes · like · see review

Apr 01, 2013 MrsJoseph rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, format-paperback, series, fantasy-sword-and-sorcery, fa-top-100-fantasy-books, fa-top-100-challenge, 2012-reviewed

As always, I enjoyed this book.

This isn't a book to read if you want to think. Don't read this for the prose, the characterizations or the dialogue.

Read this for Druss. For he is a badass.

If you like badasses who kill lots of people...and who just may laugh while doing it...I say to you:

Meet Druss.

http://bookslifewine.wordpress.com/20...

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 18, 2012 Kyle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

The quality of a book is generally judged by the words in it, in addition to the story. It's not just what you say, how you say it also matters.

If not a complete counter example, Legend is a book where the rule loses its effect. Legend is certainly not the best written book ever, but it is most definitely one of the best books ever written.

David Gemmell never finished school, since he was expelled at the age of sixteen, and the unrefined writing is apparent throughout the book. He struggled...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Kristalia rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: all people who love tragic, beautiful and great story of a town under a siege

Shelves: own-physical-copy, unique-stories, all-time-favorites, why-u-no-longer-u-make-me-sad, reviewed, cut-my-heart-out, this-is-a-masterpiece, best-couple-award, 6-stars, sob-fest-its-just-so-sad, adult, review-which-needs-rewriting

Final rating: ★★★★★★/★★★★★

legend

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1.This book is LEGEND-wait for it-DARYYYYYYYYYYYY!
2.Seriously, one of the best books i have ever read.
3.The book which is officially my 300th read one.
4.The type of book which i always wanted to read.
5.The one that i will never regret buying.
6.And the one which made me cry like a baby.
7.Look at that unresistable Serbian edition cover which i own:
look at that beautiful cover!!!!

Isn't it beautiful?
____________________________________________

Now, i have read a...more

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Jan 28, 2009 Mark rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone

Recommended to Mark by: Blake Kandzer

Shelves: fantasy

"Legend" by David Gemmell is a very good book. I would recommend it as a good read not for just fantasy fans, but for anyone. It does a good job of depicting the nature of heroism.

The Plot

The Drenai Empire is being invaded by the Nadir barbarian hordes, united for the first time under a charismatic warleader, Ulric.

Dros Delnoch is a fortress that guards the northern pass into the Drenai Heartlands. While it is a strong fortress, it is woefully undermanned against the massive horde that is inva...more

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Nov 20, 2012 David Sven rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

A barbarian horde led by the famous Ulrich, threatens to sweep over the civilised Drenai people. Dros Delnoch is the only fortress left standing between Ulrich and utter annihilation. An anthill in the path of a stampeding herd of elephants.

I didn’t mind this as easy, light reading. Something for the beach. At least, that’s one way to read it. Very light in terms of characterisation and character development. Light on plot elements. Light on world building and magic system. Some passable fight...more A barbarian horde led by the famous Ulrich, threatens to sweep over the civilised Drenai people. Dros Delnoch is the only fortress left standing between Ulrich and utter annihilation. An anthill in the path of a stampeding herd of elephants.

I didn’t mind this as easy, light reading. Something for the beach. At least, that’s one way to read it. Very light in terms of characterisation and character development. Light on plot elements. Light on world building and magic system. Some passable fight scenes. Most of the fighting occurs in the protracted siege with uber heroes cutting down barbarian hordes. Rinse and repeat for the next chapter – and the next and the – and then THE END. The end was just crap. And I don’t mean it ended too sad or too happy or too expected. I mean you need an ending so let’s just pull one out of our rear end right at the finish. This is coming off a little harsher than intended. It was still “good enough” to overlook a lot of the weaknesses. And it was short enough.

There is actually another way to read this book. Though it may have been shallow in a lot of areas, the subtext was actually quite heavy thematically. This book originally started out as a project to keep David Gemmell’s mind occupied while he was being tested for cancer. With that in mind it becomes easier to see the siege of Dros Delnoch as a metaphor for a life under siege from a powerful and almost invincible enemy. Themes emerge of maintaining defiant hope in the face of the inevitable. Or clinging to life even as it fades. The inevitability of death. The afterlife.
Then there are the six walls surrounding Dros Delnoch that must be defended but eventually lost. The names of the walls also serve to reinforce stages of grief perhaps as Gemmell experienced as he was awaiting his diagnosis.

1. Eldibar (Exultation) - The initial defiance/denial of the enemy. The bravado of “we can win this.”
2. Musif (Despair) – Reality hits home as one realises ones own powerlessness.
3. Kania (Renewed Hope) – A decision is made not to give up
4. Sumitos – (Desperation) – Hope battles despair
5. Valteri – (Serenity) – Acceptance. Not despair, not hope, not giving up. But being at peace with what we cannot change.
6. Geddon – (Death) – Nothing you do on the other walls changes the inevitable.

Hmm. Maybe not so light depending on your frame of mind. In the end Gemmell was cleared. As he stood on his sixth wall it was “All good. You win. We can all go home.” Fantastic for Gemmell. With that in mind maybe the ending of the book is salvageable. In either case, the outcome had nothing to do with the way the battle was fought. But then again, maybe the fighting isn’t about the outcome.

3 stars
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Nov 06, 2012 Hanne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Hanne by: Fantasy Book Club

Shelves: fantasy-aficionados-100, fantasy, shelf-a-ton-14

This is a fast-paced and enjoyable read. I'm still on the fence whether it's 3 or 4 stars though.

There are some things about the book i really like:
The general storylines are very well constructed and well written. And although i'm normally not the biggest fan in the world of very detailed battle descriptions, Gemmell made them work for me. It was all very strategic too, like a play of chess.

Conceptually, I also liked the 6 walls concept and the psychological interpretation and naming of them....more
This is a fast-paced and enjoyable read. I'm still on the fence whether it's 3 or 4 stars though.

There are some things about the book i really like:
The general storylines are very well constructed and well written. And although i'm normally not the biggest fan in the world of very detailed battle descriptions, Gemmell made them work for me. It was all very strategic too, like a play of chess.

Conceptually, I also liked the 6 walls concept and the psychological interpretation and naming of them. Wall One, Eldibar, the wall of exultation; Wall 2 Musif, the wall of despair and so on. It just fits.

And last but definitely not least: the Party. Yes the Party! What a jawdropping moment, I couldn't believe it! The idea in itself! And actionally doing it. wow. bang. i was at a complete loss for words. Loved it! (view spoiler)

But there are also quite a few things i did not like though:
First of all the characters: Although they have depth and growth, i couldn't really connect with them. Only for Druss i was cheering, but Bowman, Orrin, Gilad, Hogun, Caessa... these characters had all the elements and potential for me to adore them, cheer for them, feel for them... and yet i didn't. I'm not sure whether this is because i just read 4 Abercrombie books and he is for me the Master of Character Building (aye, with capitals!) and I’m making unfair comparisons. But there was something missing for me.

Then both at the start and the end of the book, I had eyebrow-frowning moments: The whole saved-your-life-twice, and WHAM i never-ever want to be parted again?? seriously? either don't do the romance thing or do it well and believable. Similar issues with the epilogue. If I was the editor: scrap the epilogue and leave it to people’s imagination. I’m never a fan of that type of epilogues.

For me, this book had all the potential in the world to be excellent: storylines, context, skeletons of fabulous characters, but i wish he had taken 50 or even 100 pages more to work out those things really well.
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Dec 15, 2012 Jonathan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi-challenge, fantasy, gritty-reads, 1001-books-to-read-before-you-die

3.5 stars

It is unfortunate in many ways that fantasy is such a popularised genre right now. I think that there is a lot of potential for literary critics or for authors to look at fantasy in a literary way rather than producing books which are generic. Fun, but generic. This is what I see Legend as, a novel which is fast to read and plenty of fun but lacks the depth of some other novels. Yet it must be praised as one of the greats of fantasy for what it introduced in its old and fallen hero retu...more
3.5 stars

It is unfortunate in many ways that fantasy is such a popularised genre right now. I think that there is a lot of potential for literary critics or for authors to look at fantasy in a literary way rather than producing books which are generic. Fun, but generic. This is what I see Legend as, a novel which is fast to read and plenty of fun but lacks the depth of some other novels. Yet it must be praised as one of the greats of fantasy for what it introduced in its old and fallen hero returning again to face the day.

Just because something is fun or popular doesn't mean it can't have some deeper idea behind it. I refer to Jurassic Park for instance as a book which is entertaining and yet has the idea about how man should not play at being God. Admittedly this idea is done better in Frankenstein, much as the dystopian elements of The Hunger Games (media control, rebellion, lies and deceit) are done better in 1984. However I think since we still don't learn from those books we keep needing new reiterations on those subject matters. I think that modern fantasy should learn from this to reflect upon similar subjects that humans need reminding about.

Legend follows a war, showing how characters adapt and develop according to difficult circumstances and reflects on how one man, a 'legendary' figure, can inspire others. All interesting enough however it was done better in previous books and mythology. I recognise that this might sound like I'm doublethinking about fantasy since The Lord of the Rings has ideas done well in previous myth. My argument would be that Tolkien's work is a unique mixture of ideas and far grander than this book which appears written for entertainment only. I think Legend could have been far more. A look at how legends are made and a deeper look at character's psyches. And in many ways it was this.

Yet at the same time the novel relied upon (and added to) the fantasy clichés of the heroic fantasy novel. The romance was one of the weakest wish fulfilment romances I've read in fantasy. And I have read plenty of weak romances in fantasy. And yet, still it features as one of the 1001 novels to read before you die. Perhaps it is because this is a tale which outlives its narrative, much as its main character outlives his own physical body.(less)

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Apr 13, 2011 Dan Schwent rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

The Nadir army heads for Dros Delnoch, a keep guarding a mountain pass. Druss the Legend comes out of retirement for one last battle. But even with Rek the baresark and the earl of Delnoch's daughter help Druss and eleven thousand men stand up against an advancing army many times their size?

I'll be honest with you. My brother pushed this on me almost a year ago and I wasn't in a hurry to read it. I've read a few David Gemmell books before and it takes a special book to get me to read Tolkien-esq...more

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Jan 26, 2013 StoryTellerShannon rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-reviewed, fantasy-scifi, action, owned

Disappointing; writing started good in the prologue but contemporary dialogue brought it down some; not enough happening; mediocre to poor characters at best; two antagonists fell in love too soon; not believable; too much introspection on the part of the main character for about 45 pages; too much exposition; too much said that wouldn't have been said by people who lived in that time! And, worse, it was explained in dialogue. Check out how George Martin does it!)

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Dec 01, 2012 Todd rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

This is not your typical escapist fantasy, though you can lose yourself in it late into the night. Gemmel's Legend is a well constructed military fantasy. It makes for an excellent introduction to a series and reads as a great stand alone novel.

Legend was the product of thoughtful themes and a stirring story. The story seemed so-so at first, a bit vanilla. But then it started growing these themes like roses, and they were beautiful, and had painfully sharp thorns. I'm really big on a story bein...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Max rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi-fantasy

Legend was David Gemmell's first book, and in my humble opinion, his masterpiece. The book tells the story of Druss and his trusted ax Snaga. Druss is the most famed warrior in the land of Drenai, but he has significantly aged while living in his reclusive mountain home. When a letter comes from an old friend foretelling an attack on the stronghold of Dros Delnoch by the savage nomads to the north, Druss decides to pick up his ax and test himself one more time.

The story that follows shows both t...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

The five star rating is of course a matter of taste.

David Gemmell is (was) one of the most gifted writers of this type of fantasy ever. It's hard to compare him to anyone else as he's sort of in a class by himself. Some compare him to Glenn Cook (whom I also like) but there are only "some" similarities. I suppose if I must come up with a "tag" I'd call Gemmell's work "heroic fantasy", sometimes "dark". While it would be incorrect to say his heroes "always" die, it is true to say that if the stor...more

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Dec 21, 2011 Tracey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, mercenaries

According to Wikipedia (without citation), David Gemmell originally began Legend while being tested for cancer. It was a straightforward metaphor: Dros Delnoch represented him, beleaguered by a formidable foe, the Nadir standing in for the cancer. Perhaps the doctor who was able to tell him he did not, after all, have cancer was a crusty old man who felt obliged to keep tending patients because in some way he was the only one to do it.

But that is, of course, just conjecture. The title, Legend,...more According to Wikipedia (without citation), David Gemmell originally began Legend while being tested for cancer. It was a straightforward metaphor: Dros Delnoch represented him, beleaguered by a formidable foe, the Nadir standing in for the cancer. Perhaps the doctor who was able to tell him he did not, after all, have cancer was a crusty old man who felt obliged to keep tending patients because in some way he was the only one to do it.

But that is, of course, just conjecture. The title, Legend, now pertains not only to Druss, renowned hero of past wars, but to the book itself. It is a giant in the genre, a benchmark and milestone for what are now several solid fantasy tropes.

My first Goodreads status update was:
"P. 14, and I'm already in awe. The prologue: epic, and the 1st chapter was like a textbook on show-don't-tell. I now know Rek and the others - and about the coming war - and never once did DG come right out and TELL me any of it. It was indirect and through dialogue and I should probably take notes it's that bloody good. Except: head-hopping. No wonder I can't break the habit when my examples are writers like this."

I rate the book highly; I consider it required reading for a fantasy fan. But while it inspired me to read the rest of the first three Drenai novels, there I stopped, and there I'll stay stopped for a little while. One reason was sheer overload. The body count in my reading was growing exponentially, with great battles and villages razed and soldiers, civilians, men, women, children, horses, and anything else writers felt like throwing in dying in their thousands throughout the book(s). In smallish doses I can manage this. I'm more cynical than I'd like to be, but when this sort of thing is unrelenting over several books that I start longing for fluffy puppies and buttercups and a complete absence of epicness and rotting corpses. This isn't to say that David Gemmell's writing is humorless; the characters exchange banter that is genuinely funny. The problem is that – this being war – so many of the characters you laugh with in one chapter are so very, very dead a few pages later. Still, Legend was the beginning of a re-read of Gemmell's books, and – slowly, parceled out over time – I look forward to making my way through the rest of my collection. Interspersed with comfort reads, of course.
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Dec 04, 2007 Doc Opp rated it 5 of 5 stars

The plot is simple. The characters archetypes. The world not terribly unique or innovative. And yet... when you put this book down, you feel inspired to do good, and like anything is possible if you work for it. This is the first of the Gemmell books I ever read. Since then, I've read nearly everything he's written. Every single one has been an engaging, inspiring, and all around fantastic read. And for the life of me I can't figure out why, because none of the elements that comprise it are all...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Ron rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, ebook

Excellent! Typical adventure tales exceptionally well told. The characters and plot improve as the book progresses. Few technical glitches, even good production quality (few typos), which is sadly no longer then norm. Just enough depth to raise it above the usual pop corn for the brain.

A very good read.

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Dec 19, 2012 Evgeny rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

The Drenai Empire (good guys) is threatened by barbarians horde from Nadir (not-so-good guys) where a leader emerged who managed to unite almost all the tribes and wants to conquer his neighbors. The neighbors are not prepared: they have small army and not enough competent commanders. The first fortress which happened to be in the way of barbarian contest is Dros Delnoch; if I understood correctly this is the only fortress capable of delaying the conquest of the Empire. If it falls, the rest wil...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Rodney rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Druss, the Legend! What more can be said of this larger than life character, who arrives at the might fortress Dros Delnoch to help the out numbered defenders keep back the wave of Nadir tribesman trying to break thru to Drenai lands. The defenders need only hold the fortress for a mere three months. Druss comes to their aid, aging, and with the knowledge that it had been fortold he would die at Dros Delnoch. Determined to prove the prophecy wrong Druss arrives at the walls and gives hope to the...more

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Dec 15, 2012 Cass rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 100-must-read-books, i-highly-recommend

This book is brilliant. It is one of my top 5 fantasy books.

I was introduced to it when my brothers best friend, a fabulous story teller, retold the story to me on a long car ride. He got me hooked.

I think listening to a 16yo soon-to-join-the-army bloke tell the story showed me what it is about.

It is about the fantasy of being that Druss. Reading the book is about getting into a teenage boys head space. To be that strong and calm and down right legendary. To be that awesome. This book is about...more

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Nov 22, 2011 Simon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Right so while trying not to give spoilers.

Legend is by far the best book I have ever read. It is not the best written, it was David Gemmell's first novel after all, but it had the heart of a great novel, the book changed the way I look and think about many things.

I found all of the characters very likeable, not necessarily in that I thought they were "nice" people but in that they had a wide scope and were believable.

Druss was a truly convincing character, and I thing David Gemmell's flawed...more

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May 11, 2013 Lucinda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Classic sword and sorcery at its very best by a champion storyteller.

Similarly to Abercrombie, David Gemmell’s heroic take and grittiness is uniquely identifiable and brilliantly executed. This impressive story is fueled on adrenaline and electric tension, taking its readers on a thrilling journey and unforgettable adventure. Heartbreaking, poignant and soul searching this is an evocative, beautifully written saga by a masterful writer and author who leads the way in fantasy.

LEGEND is the stor...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Ryan Miller rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Ending makes this book stand out. Most of the characters die! Yes I know that sounds depressing and not worth the time to read this. But I promise you it's exactly the opposite.

This books is pretty middle of the road. You've got plenty of standard tropes here. The Gentleman Thief who's more noble that he'd ever be willing to admit. The fearful main character turned hero. The warrior princess (duchess) who learns to let her steely guard down in order to experience love. The veteran commandee...more The Ending makes this book stand out. Most of the characters die! Yes I know that sounds depressing and not worth the time to read this. But I promise you it's exactly the opposite.

This books is pretty middle of the road. You've got plenty of standard tropes here. The Gentleman Thief who's more noble that he'd ever be willing to admit. The fearful main character turned hero. The warrior princess (duchess) who learns to let her steely guard down in order to experience love. The veteran commandeer lamenting the loss or real disciplined soldiers needed in the upcoming battle. And the Barbarian hero who galvanizes a nation. Yep there are NO surprises in the characters here. The main plot isn't overly original. A kingdom is about to be overrun by an empire of savages. They are hopelessly outnumbered. Chance of success is slim and should they lose an era of darkness will envelope the land.

So what's the big deal? Even with good writing this shouldn't merit a 5 star rating. But here's the gem that makes this story different. The characters in this story and not fighting to win the day. They don't hold any illusions that they are going to succeed. Like the Spartans at Thermopile they intend to go down swinging. This mentality changes EVERYTHING. The defenses are set up with redundancy so that when they finally fail, and they will, there is a fallback position. The legendary hero isn't there to turn the tide, he's there to die and not go quietly into the night! The characters continually seek to bolster each other up to keep fighting and not just give up. Instead of celebrating victories you see character satisfied that they lived one more day and morning those that didn't. It's a character study on how theses standard troupes would respond in the face of certain doom.

And I think there needs to be more of this. The doomed fortress in stories sometimes needs to fall. Otherwise where's the tension? When you win just because you're on the side of good, that gets a bit boring. The ending here was disappointing. There's a bit of magic throughout the story. Mostly it just counters the opposition. But suddenly at the end it kick in big time. Seems a cop out. Shades of the ending of the Dark Tower series. There was so much potential for some major valor in the tunnel, you didn't need the ghosts. And the final resurrection seen? No. That was lame.

That said... I'm sticking with 5 stars here. If you are a sword and sorcery fan you need to read this book.
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Mar 09, 2013 Lisa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: sffbc, read-ebooks

I have to admit I do not understand the appeal of this novel. It was at best, mediocre. Perhaps at the time it was ground breaking, but I am not sure why.

Pros
1) Druss, as the aging warrior, is an interesting premise.
2) The section of the novel describing the preparation of the siege was engrossing.
3) Some minor characters (e.g. Gilad, Craessa) were very interesting. I would have liked to see fewer and better developed characters.

Cons
1) the characters of Rek and Virae made major decisions with n...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Michael J. Fox rated it 3 of 5 stars

If I could sum this book up in one word, that word would be 'meh'. It's alright. It's not bad. It's undeniably, distinctly average. A friend recommended it to me with great expectation and perhaps that's what led to my severe underwhelmed feelings towards it.
Perhaps it is also that I read this book in 2011ish, and I've read so many fantasy books since, but it all seemed so generic. At the time, it may have been beyond it's years but now it just seems like another half-ass fantasy novels where...more

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Oct 23, 2012 FantasyWereld rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: volwassenen

In de week van 22 oktober tot 28 oktober is het Sword & Sorcery week op http://www.fantasywereld.nl! Neem snel een kijkje voor recensies, een interview en andere leuke verrassingen tijdens deze themaweek.

Recensie Legende:
De nomadenstammen van de Nadir zijn voor het eerst sinds tijden geschaard onder één vlag, die van Krijgsheer Ulric. Door omliggende landen binnen te vallen weet hij de oorlogszuchtige Nadir aan zich te binden en tevreden te houden. De Drenai zijn tot nu toe altijd buiten sch...more In de week van 22 oktober tot 28 oktober is het Sword & Sorcery week op http://www.fantasywereld.nl! Neem snel een kijkje voor recensies, een interview en andere leuke verrassingen tijdens deze themaweek.

Recensie Legende:
De nomadenstammen van de Nadir zijn voor het eerst sinds tijden geschaard onder één vlag, die van Krijgsheer Ulric. Door omliggende landen binnen te vallen weet hij de oorlogszuchtige Nadir aan zich te binden en tevreden te houden. De Drenai zijn tot nu toe altijd buiten schot gebleven, onder andere door handelsovereenkomsten en donaties. Toch kunnen ook zij zich uiteindelijk niet onttrekken aan de strijdlustige ogen van de Nadir, die nu ook een invasie beginnen tegen de Drenai. De vestiging Dros Delnoch, gelegen in een belangrijke bergpas, is het enige obstakel dat de Nadir tegenhoudt. Dit immense fort, ook wel Egels Waanzin genoemd, is echter vrijwel verlaten omdat de Drenai hun militaire macht juist aan het afbouwen waren.

Roegnak de Doler, ook wel Roek genoemd, staat samen met slechts tienduizend verdedigers op de muren om de horde Nadir te weren. Hierbij is hun hoop gevestigd op de legendarische Druss, die in zijn jonge jaren de bijnaam Doodsbode heeft gekregen. Nu slijt hij zijn laatste dagen in eenzaamheid. In een visioen heeft deze legendarische bijlvechter nu te horen gekregen dat hij de keuze heeft te sterven op de muren van Dros Delnoch, of als een seniele oude man te eindigen. Hierop pakt Druss nog eenmaal zijn strijdbijl op om de Nadir tegemoet te treden. Maar wat heeft een zestigjarige man nog te bieden?

David Gemmel begon in 1976 met het schrijven van Legende, nadat hij werd gediagnosticeerd met kanker. Om zijn gedachten te verleggen schreef hij het verhaal over de belegering van Dros Delnoch als symbool van zijn strijd tegen de ziekte. Gemmel zelf was het fort en zijn verdedigers, constant onder belegering. Het einde van het boek liet hij afhangen van het einde van zijn strijd. Met dit in je achterhoofd wordt het lezen van de overwinningen en tegenslagen op de muur van Dros Delnoch en de onverzettelijkheid van Druss de Legende nog eens extra betekenisvol.

Sword & Sorcery in pure vorm
Gemmels Kronieken van de Drenai zijn echt pure Sword & Sorcery verhalen. Ze bieden volop actie, een interessante wereld en voldoende obstakels voor de helden. De schrijfstijl is ontzettend vlot en neemt de lezer als een razende mee door de actie. De diepte van Legende zit hem echter in de personages. De helden in dit boek kennen als geen ander hun eigen tekortkomingen, maken fouten en hebben twijfels. Zo tobt de legendarische Druss met zijn leeftijd. In zijn jeugd was hij onverslaanbaar, maar nu zijn lichaam steeds meer dienst weigert moet Druss zijn twijfels van zich af proberen te zetten. Het gehele leger van de Drenai kijkt namelijk op naar hem en zullen bij zijn falen alle hoop verliezen.

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Oct 20, 2012 Yoon-Ji rated it 4 of 5 stars

http://www.theinkgobbler.blogspot.com/

Fantasy novels hardly ever let you down. The rich, expansive world woven from the strands of the author's imagination, the super sophisticated manner of speech (almost like Yoda but far less cryptic), and the larger-than-life yet still relatable characters with names you can't really pronounce, these all are what I consider the key elements of any great fantasy series. David Gemmell was a genius in this field, brandishing his pen--or keyboard, what have you-...more http://www.theinkgobbler.blogspot.com/

Fantasy novels hardly ever let you down. The rich, expansive world woven from the strands of the author's imagination, the super sophisticated manner of speech (almost like Yoda but far less cryptic), and the larger-than-life yet still relatable characters with names you can't really pronounce, these all are what I consider the key elements of any great fantasy series. David Gemmell was a genius in this field, brandishing his pen--or keyboard, what have you--in all its heroic glory. After falling in love with the magical storytelling in his "Troy" series, I knew my experiences reading Mr. Gemmell's works weren't over. Last week, I was feeling in the mood for some full-blown fantasy, complete with heroes and wars and such, and picked up "Legend"--and boy, I sure wasn't disappointed!

Dros Delnoch is preparing for a siege, and every single soldier doesn't have any illusions of the outcome: the walls will fall. It's only a matter of how long they can hold out against the rapidly approaching Nadir army. Only one man can boost the spirits of the defenders and show the attackers that they're facing a force to reckon with: Druss, a true hero who has become a legend with his bravery and mighty fighting prowess. Now, though, he is old and tired, but is determined to die with his axe Snaga in his hand. With him stands Regnak, a romantic coward who finds himself going to Dros Delnoch for his love of Virae, the Earl of Delnoch's ferocious daughter. Together, they will fight against overwhelming odds, even in the face of death, sorrow and loss.

As always, Mr. Gemmell's characters pretty much make the story. Each and every one of the characters, no matter how minor they are, add to the heroism that is so central to "Legend". For example, Gan Orrin, who lacked his own men's respect, showcases his bravery by joining in on the soldiers' vigorous training, and, though he is hardly physically up to par with the others, perseveres until the very end. Through characters like Orrin and Rek (which is short for Regnak), Mr. Gemmell shows that the most ordinary of men can become legendary heroes.

I actually found that pretty much all the characters were in some way likable, even Ulric, the warleader of the Nadir, who was meant to be the antagonist of the novel. I particularly liked Bowman, whose wit and humour that came with being an outlaw was masterfully coupled with the sense of honour he possessed. Mr. Gemmell presents his reader with a wide range of characters--from the Yoda-like Vintar (toldja the flowery language came from somewhere!) to the seductive yet troubled Caessa--all of whom make readers invested and create the world we see in "Legend".

And this is where one of my not-so-good points come in. One of the other key elements in any fantasy novel is the world. In "Legend", however, readers are pretty much confined for the most part to Dos Delnoch, which, to my imagination, is comprised of walls and walls and more walls. I think I would've felt the Drenai nationalistic pride more if I'd actually seen more of the people and the places they lived in. I also wish I'd seen more than just walls. There's great potential for a fantastic, huge world that really pulls in the reader and makes him imagine that he's really there, but unfortunately it just wasn't exploited enough.

Plot-wise, the action of the battles and the temporary peace-times were well-balanced. I was really able to see the development of different relationships amongst the characters during the latter, and see the sword-singing, blood-roaring heat of the fighting. This is probably just me, since I'm sort of a romantic, but I just wish there'd been a little more focus on the romance in the story rather than fights, wars and battles, and then more fights, wars and battles. I think the "Troy" series did a really good job in this aspect--I still swoon over the crazy but incredibly beautiful romance between Helikaon and Andromache! But I digress. Maybe I'll write a separate review for "Lord of the Silver Bow". It's that amazing!

Since "Legend" was Mr. Gemmell's first novel, the storytelling is not as smooth and flowing, but is still effective in presenting to the readers the great characters and the events of the story. Trust me, it only gets better from here!

Overall, I enjoyed "Legend", and it really is a great heroic fantasy novel. What made it all the more interesting was when I was reading about David Gemmell, and learned that he wrote this novel when he was being diagnosed with cancer. Though I can't say whether the battle between the Drenai and the Nadir was a metaphorical for his fight with cancer, the knowledge of this made it all the more poignant. I would definitely check out Mr. Gemmell's other works--it will stay with you for years.

Rating: 4/5(less)

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May 24, 2012 Andrea Santucci rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, recensiti-sul-blog, letture_2012, top_letture_2012

Recensione completa qui: http://ilsociopatico.wordpress.com/20...…

Posso capire perché questo romanzo è considerato un capolavoro del genere. L'angoscia dell'assedio, la sensazione di claustrofobia, di disperazione, di ineluttabilità sono molto evidenti per tutto il corso della storia e diventano ancora più intense nell'ultimo terzo del libro, quando l'assedio vero e proprio ha luogo.

Ciò detto, per quanto mi riguarda questo romanzo non è affatto un capolavoro. Ha troppi difetti perché io possa co...more

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Apr 05, 2012 Johnny rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

If one were to say that Legend contains dark sorcery, extra-sensory mental abilities, and a modicum of miracles, it would lead to the wrong conclusion. Legend does have all three of those supernatural elements, but it is several chapters into the book before one encounters the mental abilities, even further before one encounters the dark nature of the sorcery, and still further before one encounters the “miracles.” And frankly, none of these three elements appeared in ways that I expected or wer...more If one were to say that Legend contains dark sorcery, extra-sensory mental abilities, and a modicum of miracles, it would lead to the wrong conclusion. Legend does have all three of those supernatural elements, but it is several chapters into the book before one encounters the mental abilities, even further before one encounters the dark nature of the sorcery, and still further before one encounters the “miracles.” And frankly, none of these three elements appeared in ways that I expected or were used in the plot in quite the way I expected. In fact, I can honestly say that while I was expecting certain deaths and even apprehensive for the characters and agonizing over the impending doom they were facing, I felt like David Gemmell dealt honestly with issues of what it means to live, much less to die. Yes, Legend even leaves room for faith and deals with some of the paradoxical nature of faith, but it is not any particular faith as we encounter it in the real world. It is merely a transcendental approach to life that seemed appropriate to the novel’s universe. And though some have called this heroic fantasy or military fantasy, I would prefer to label it as a compelling story that unwinds both as expected and not quite as expected. There don’t seem to be any “cheap” Hollywood moments, though there are many which are larger than life.

The entire novel deals with the siege of a fortress city on the edge of a civilized empire. The outnumbered defenders are constantly fighting off waves of barbarian tribes coming at them. As such, the story involves the discovery of leadership, honor, meaning, tactics, and politics. The whole milieu resonated with a truth far beyond the fantastic nature of the plot. Yet, the characters are larger than life. Can the old hero known to the barbarians as “Deathwalker” and for whom the book uses the eponymous title Legend stand against the tide once again? Can the “general” (gan in the book) become more than the nepotistic appointment that placed him at the confluence of events? Can a “berserker” learn to become a tactician? Can men of faith find their answers? Is love worth it, even if it is shared only for a short time before an inevitable separation at death?

Did you ever admire the chaplains in earlier eras who could both fight and pray? Perhaps, they are like the holy warriors in Legend who claim, “We are all weapon masters here. We seek the perfect death to counterpoint the perfect life….There will be no joy in our hearts as we slay the enemy, for we love all life.” (p. 44) I also liked the interplay between two of these mysterious clerics about lifelong learning. “’Ever the scholar, Father Abbot.’ ‘As long as the world has pupils, Master Priest.’” (p. 128) Indeed, the same abbot offers a marvelous word of wisdom to one of the more surprising protagonists in the book, Regnak (aka Rek): “To have may be taken from you; to have had never.” (p. 62, but the emphasis is mine) At another time, the wise abbot reminds the stalwart defenders that: “For life to have meaning, there must be a purpose. A man must pass something on—otherwise he is useless.” (p. 321)

The language of Legend is powerful and so are the thoughts which undergird them. A very surprising source (I dare not say whom without spoiling the book) states: “…a leader must know all the weapons of war. And there are many which owe nothing to the lance and sword, the bow and the sling. The word steals men’s souls, while the sword kills only their bodies. Men see me and know fear. It is a potent device.” (p. 314)

Indeed, the book offers some interesting perspectives on Legend itself. “When I die, he thought, everyone will mourn for Druss the Legend. But who will mourn for me?” (p. 133) Since those two thoughts are navigated by the famous Druss himself, that is a fascinating question. Or what about this interchange between the nemesis and the “legend?” “’You have done this to me, Deathwalker,’ he said, ‘For your heroics have made me the dark shadow.’ In all legends…there were bright heroes and dark, dark evil. It was the fabric of each tale.” (p. 313)

Frankly, Legend surprised me and stunned me, inspired me and encouraged me. It was brutal and beautiful, savage and sophisticated. It was one of the books that felt like I needed to attend a funeral when I completed it. It made me care that much.
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Mar 11, 2012 Jacey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, dark-fantasy

Yes, I know, this book is nearly thirty years old, so how come I've never read it before – or any David Gemmell books, for that matter? I guess I've resisted the obvious ones, Gemmell, Jordan, Eddings etc., but despite my reservations, I enjoyed this very much – or most of it, at least. What did I enjoy most? The characterisation. Lovely studies of even the most minor characters.

For starters there's Rek, a professional coward, whose life is turned around by a sudden impulse to rescue Virae, a fe...more Yes, I know, this book is nearly thirty years old, so how come I've never read it before – or any David Gemmell books, for that matter? I guess I've resisted the obvious ones, Gemmell, Jordan, Eddings etc., but despite my reservations, I enjoyed this very much – or most of it, at least. What did I enjoy most? The characterisation. Lovely studies of even the most minor characters.

For starters there's Rek, a professional coward, whose life is turned around by a sudden impulse to rescue Virae, a female warrior, sure of her sword arm, but less sure of her feminine side. From there Rek ends up heading towards a siege which is impossible to win. Also heading there is Druss, the titular legend, old warrior well past his sell-by date, but with just one last desperate battle in him as long as his bad knee holds up. It's a battle he knows he can't survive, and probably doesn't even want to.

Minor characters are three dimensional: Orrin, a nicely drawn study of a man promoted above his level of competence and experience, but who turns himself round to become a worthy commander under Druss' influence; Gilad and Bregan, cannon-fodder, farmers from the same village, but very different in temperament.

The story itself is simple enough. Dros Delnoch is a fortress that plugs the only pass through which half a million Nadir warriors are massing to invade. It's the mightiest fortress ever built, but its defenders are too few, and totally demoralised. Hold at all costs is the order that's been sent out and this book is about the long battle during which the six massive walls are falling inexorably to weight of numbers.

I said I enjoyed most of it. And I did, even though books about long battles don't usually thrill me... the problem was the ending. Deus ex machina. The result of the battle is decided by something external which hasn't been foreshadowed, though it could so easily have been. But this was David Gemmell's first book which, warts and all, is a jolly good read

Recommend? Yes if you like your fantasy well characterised with a side order of blood, heroism and military tactics.
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Mar 10, 2012 Donovan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Having loved Robert E. Howard's Conan books and movies, it wasn't surprising that I would enjoy David Gemmell's character Druss and his adventures throughout the Drenai series. For me it is all about Druss - everything else is just extra detail about the universe this character lives in. What an awesome and fun character. If you enjoy tales of barbarians, far off exotic lands, friends, betrayals and fight upon fight upon fight being small and epic then you'll love this series.
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About David Gemmell

David Andrew Gemmell was a bestselling British author of heroic fantasy. A former journalist and newspaper editor, Gemmell had his first work of fiction published in 1984. He went on to write over thirty novels. Best known for his debut, Legend, Gemmell's works display violence, yet also explores themes in honour, loyalty and redemption. With over one million copies sold, his work continues to sel...more

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Books by David Gemmell

The King Beyond the Gate (Drenai Saga, #2)

The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend (Drenai Saga, #6)

White Wolf (Drenai Saga, #10) (The Damned, #1)

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Quotes from Legend

“What will you do now?'

I think I will become a monk and devote my entire life to prayer and good works.'

No,' said Rek. 'I mean, what will you do today?'

Ah! Today I'll get drunk and go whoring,' said Bowman.” — 48 people liked it

“By nature of definition only the coward is capable of the highest
heroism” — 17 people liked it

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Legend (The Drenai Saga #1)

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