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Legend 9780345913777 Books

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Legend 9780345913777 Books

Epic. Action. Legends. Magic. It's all here and more. An outstanding read. Just as good to listen to. I've done both now. When the writing is good enough to make you want to have the story again, you know you have fallen upon a great story. I chose to listen the second time through. Both ways, the writing and emotion are so vivid and clear that it is easy to see it all.

After reading a little about Mr. Gemmell, I understand even more why this book drew me in like it did. His favorites are Louis Lamore, J. J. R. Tolkein, and Stan Lee. I have come to appreciate Lee in the last 20+ years. I have been a fan of Lamore and Tolkein far, far longer. I had thought of them during the reading. Similarities, not duplications. I even pictured how this would look as a movie with the influence of Stan Lee! When I read a brief biography by Mr. Gemmell's publisher and read about his favorites, I laughed out loud! Something I try to avoid when I'm sitting alone. Then again, it does keep people guessing!


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Legend 9780345913777 Books Reviews

I've read this book at least 5 times and it never fails to disappoint. Druss, Rek, Orrin, even the freaky albino are rich, vibrant characters that leap off the pages at you. Its on these pages that an immovable force meets an immovable object and his name's Druss. Gemmells stories always inspire me to be a better bloke, the protagonists journey always has parallels to real life albeit with slightly more interesting backdrops. Having a code, standing your ground and not being afraid to go against the popular tide are a few of these meta-themes that always inspire me. Skillgannon, Waylander, Bane - all of them awesome characters but perhaps the best of them all is Druss and this is his best story. If I could give it 6 stars I would.
Against all prior expectations I found myself wholly absorbed by this novel and I could not put it down. The writing was deceptively simple but grew on me more and more with each page turned. Truly an engrossing heroic fantasy, with skilful development of the characters & the relations between them. But I should also add the following about the prose be warned that parts of it are quite poor, like this example from chapter 7 - even David Eddings never managed this

“Druss slipped Snaga from its sheath, his broad hand curling round its black haft. Dorian attacked!
And died.
He lay on the ground, head half-severed from his neck. Druss hammered Snaga deep into the earth, cleansing the blade of blood, while Pinar stood in stunned silence.”

But the novel also contains beautiful Tolkien-esque prose like this first paragraph of chapter 9

“The forest had an ageless beauty that touched Druss’ warrior soul. Enchantment hung in the air. Gnarled oaks became silent sentinels in the silver moonlight, majestic, immortal, unyielding. What cared they for man’s wars? A gentle breeze whispered through the interwoven branches above the old man’s head. A shaft of moonlight bathed a fallen log, granting it momentarily an ethereal splendour. A lone badger, caught in the light, shuffled into the undergrowth.”

During his lifetime Gemmell openly admitted his debut’s literary shortcomings, yet never sought to edit or improve them in any way. Somehow they contribute to the otherworldly awesome underdog quality of the book, further cementing its status as a cult classic.
Gemmell knows his ‘real human’ history and you can detect its influence throughout the story, just like you can when reading George RR Martin’s high fantasy. ‘Legend’ is written in a grounded, unassuming style, an economical prose also used by Gemmell’s hero Louis L’Amour.
*****SPOILERS *****

One reviewer of Gemmell's work described it as a mix of REH and David Eddings. The similarities between Gemmell and Eddings are fairly obvious; Howard, not so much. However, "Legend" is still an entertaining read.

The Bad

There's a lack of character consistency that I just couldn't reconcile. For instance, Rek's transition from man full of self-doubt to embodiment of heroism wasn't very smooth (or, if I'm being honest, terribly believable). Druss's fixation (delusion?) with Death is equally distracting, given that one vision with Death involves Druss apparently powerful enough to make a deal, but another vision involves Death monologue-ing about how Druss's legend is finished. Don't get me wrong Druss and Rek are interesting characters. I just wasn't sold on how specific portions of their character progression/development was handled.

Also, major plot points seem randomly inserted as opposed to deliberately, purposefully presented. Seems like what passes for magic in this world are more like psychic powers, with no magical items. Then suddenly, the trappings of the Earl of Bronze come along. And ghosts help hold a tunnel for a while. And the Sathuli show up when the ghosts vanish. These events are interesting, but they seem to come out of nowhere. And not the 'nowhere' that is careful, planned surprise; it's more like the 'nowhere' that stems more from writing oneself into a corner.

The Good

Given it's subject matter (war, a siege), "Legend" is light and engrossing. Gemmell routinely makes great observations about human nature, peppers his conversations with good banter, and at times paints some very clear, borderline poetic, action sequences. The Sathuli and Nadir are believable, interesting antagonists. Also, the Thirty are a pretty cool idea.

The Takeaway

"Legend" is a good read for genre fans who enjoy their stories focused on the camaraderie, sacrifice and action that inevitably occur during times of war. Also recommended for fans of David Eddings.

"He is a man steeped in evil."

"It's funny, he thought, how different people view the same event. Bregan can't see how they can take Delnoch. I can't see how they can fail."

"Ah, but Druss, not all men are you. I will not criticize your principles if you do not try to graft them onto me. I have no time for them. A pretty hypocrite I would be as a robber outlaw with principles."

"Life, he knew, broke many men. Some as strong as oak withered as their wives died, or left them, as their children suffered or starved. Other strong men broke if they lost limb or, worse, the use of their legs or eyesight. Each man had a breaking point, no matter how strong his spirit. Somewhere, deep inside him, there was a flaw that only the fickle cruelty of fate could find. A man's strength was ultimately born of his knowledge of his own weakness, Druss knew."
Epic. Action. Legends. Magic. It's all here and more. An outstanding read. Just as good to listen to. I've done both now. When the writing is good enough to make you want to have the story again, you know you have fallen upon a great story. I chose to listen the second time through. Both ways, the writing and emotion are so vivid and clear that it is easy to see it all.

After reading a little about Mr. Gemmell, I understand even more why this book drew me in like it did. His favorites are Louis Lamore, J. J. R. Tolkein, and Stan Lee. I have come to appreciate Lee in the last 20+ years. I have been a fan of Lamore and Tolkein far, far longer. I had thought of them during the reading. Similarities, not duplications. I even pictured how this would look as a movie with the influence of Stan Lee! When I read a brief biography by Mr. Gemmell's publisher and read about his favorites, I laughed out loud! Something I try to avoid when I'm sitting alone. Then again, it does keep people guessing!