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Summary: Hero in the Shadows
Review: In Hero in the Shadows, Waylander, the assassin hero of some of Gemmell's earlier books, is now a middle-aged man looking for peace in a world that will, for the most part, leave him alone. The crimes of his past come back to haunt him, as he finds himself responsible for a young prince whose grandfather he murdered. Then as creatures of a doomed legend come back to rule the world with blood and horror. An aging paladin, a loud-mouthed braggart whom a magic sword has chosen, and a kitchen girl who is very extraordinary must??? How does Gemmell do it ? I highly recommend this book. Two thumbs way up over here. This book was a true epic fantasy book.
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Summary: Waylander's final adventure
Review: Ive read a TON of books in my life and this ranks easily in the top ten fantasy novels ive ever read. This book has it all. An awesome hero and a very twisted villian. Gemmell surpasses the other waylander novels by far.
Rating:
Summary: simply awesome
Review: Ive read a TON of books in my life and this ranks easily in the top ten fantasy novels ive ever read. This book has it all. An awesome hero and a very twisted villian. Gemmell surpasses the other waylander novels by far.
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Summary: Just some thoughts
Review: Let me start by simply saying this was a very enjoyable read. It was also the first book by David Gemmel that I have ever read. I like action in my fantasy books; killing, pillaging, and a few interesting "accidents", Gemmel delivers. There are some well written scenes in this book that actually had me reareading sections, the opening scene comes to mind. There is plenty of action throughout the book in a pace that matches his writing style; a scene develops realtively quickly carries into the meat of an encounter and becomes calm. Its alot like river rafting, a great set of rapids to get your blood pumping and then a lull to let you calm back down before another set. David Gemmel also manages to sneak some character development in on me, and truth to tell I didn't really mind. Perhaps my only major complaint is the cast of characters, one character in particular plays a pivotal role in the book, but he is developed almost inconsequentially as a minor character. I guess we could attribute this to his style, I have found similar examples of this in one of his other books. The book does a great job of presenting a group of diametric morals and someone trying to walk the middle ground. Waylander is a great character, a compilation of hero and anti-hero mixed together in a confusing jumble, yet he remains identifiablely human. Some of the other characters are present, I think, so the series could be spun off. Although, none of the secondary characters have enough presence to have me rushing right out and buying their first novel. All in all, I was most disappointed with the length of the book. It could have been longer. Of course, I would probably say the same thing if it had been twice the length, and I think that says it all, IMHO.
Rating:
Summary: Hero in the Shadows
Review: Mr Gemmell has done it again! As always, this book is very well written with great plot development. The pathos of Dakeyras will touch all who have lost something. I hope this book does not mean there will be no more waylander tales as Dakeyras is, without a doubt, Gemmell's most complex and engaging character. I started reading Mr Gemmell's works six years ago and have yet to be disappointed. He is one of the few writers around who holds true to the spirit of "heroic fantasy" in the tradition of Robert E Howard and Edgar Rice Burroughs. Read this book and then give it to your son.
Rating:
Summary: Simply fantastic
Review: The header says it all. As a reader of fantasy for 22 years I have been witness to some wonderful writers, and teams of writers with their own unique view of their worlds. Yet never before has a writer so changed my idea of what a book should be. In Gemmel's book the sun shines on a world that is not much different from a dark age earth. The magic is decidedly low tech compared to others(A usual complaint with me). However, Gemmel uses the world as a backdrop to tell a story of sorrow, betrayal, life, and in the end, final redemption of a man so wrought with bitterness and self-loathing that you love him just for his courage to go on. It is a story of courage in the face of reality. Waylander comes alive as a man, not just a character, his lessons learned in the series are lessons all people learn in real life. Gemmel's deft handling of Waylander's...harsh personal side is sometimes dark, allways unexpected, and occasionally laced with a personal angst as well as a bit of humor. The story flows well from start to finish and the finish...my oh my! When books end these days it is all too normal to see the easy ties to another sequel, the loose ends ready to be brought to the forfront for more sequels.. Gemmel closes the book on his characters with a resounding thud and in a way that makes you want to grasp the author's hands and force him to open the book again and write more. The closing is epic, personal, and as all the books in the series, filled with emotions that sometimes catch your breath but allways leave you spellbound in the shadow of Gemmel's sheer storytelling ability. There is nothing bad to be said about the entire series of Waylander books. The character breathes, bleeds, and feels the choices he makes as scars on his heart. Read at your own risk. You will never be the same.
Rating:
Summary: Simply fantastic
Review: The header says it all. As a reader of fantasy for 22 years I have been witness to some wonderful writers, and teams of writers with their own unique view of their worlds. Yet never before has a writer so changed my idea of what a book should be. In Gemmel's book the sun shines on a world that is not much different from a dark age earth. The magic is decidedly low tech compared to others(A usual complaint with me). However, Gemmel uses the world as a backdrop to tell a story of sorrow, betrayal, life, and in the end, final redemption of a man so wrought with bitterness and self-loathing that you love him just for his courage to go on. It is a story of courage in the face of reality. Waylander comes alive as a man, not just a character, his lessons learned in the series are lessons all people learn in real life. Gemmel's deft handling of Waylander's...harsh personal side is sometimes dark, allways unexpected, and occasionally laced with a personal angst as well as a bit of humor. The story flows well from start to finish and the finish...my oh my! When books end these days it is all too normal to see the easy ties to another sequel, the loose ends ready to be brought to the forfront for more sequels.. Gemmel closes the book on his characters with a resounding thud and in a way that makes you want to grasp the author's hands and force him to open the book again and write more. The closing is epic, personal, and as all the books in the series, filled with emotions that sometimes catch your breath but allways leave you spellbound in the shadow of Gemmel's sheer storytelling ability. There is nothing bad to be said about the entire series of Waylander books. The character breathes, bleeds, and feels the choices he makes as scars on his heart. Read at your own risk. You will never be the same.
Rating:
Summary: One of Gemmell's best
Review: This book ends the Waylander series, and sets the stage for the later stories of Nogusta and Skilgannon. Gemmell fills in some of his world's history, telling the origin of Ustarte and the meldings that figure in many books. But the heart of the book is Waylander, now aged and rich, still haunted by the deaths of his wife and children. He has settled near a ruined city that begins to breed monsters. In the ensuing fight, Waylander encounters Niall, the grandson of the king he had killed for hire in the berserker years after his family died. Guilt and the dreamed forgiveness of the king lead him to protect the boy.
Waylander is a stock figure for Gemmell (and for many myths) -- the steely and uncanny fighter, tormented, given to battle fugue, seeking redemption, holding power but deploring it, the Eternal Hero. Gemmell can draw this character better than any other writer I know, and his exploration of the dark side of heroism is unrelenting. The philosophy may not run deep, but it certainly has impressive relations, from Gilgamesh to Cuchulain to Shane. (Lighten up! It's just a fantasy novel!)
Gemmell usually centers his novel around his tormented heroes, but surrounds them with a varied and interesting ensemble.The best side characters in the novel are the samurai-like warrior Kysumu and his "burden" Yu Yu, an oaf with a stolen sword and a surprising role to play. Reeva is one of Gemmell's sympathetic women fighters; though she shares his talents, she is determined not to become the monster she sees in Waylander.
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Summary: Hero in the Shadows has great protagonists
Review: This book has a bizarre mix of extremely interesting characters with funky quirks and very unique problems of their own. For instance, Matze Chai, a rich merchant, finds emotions to be foolish, and uncivilized, and following a horrific magical torture session suffering from intense boils on his skins meets up with rescuers and complains that his tea has not been served, as if nothing happened. Another character, a trained swordsman is an ascetic and hardly speaks. Thrown him in with another character that is something of a clown and then good ol' Waylander and you get one hell of a strange, but hair-adventure.
Rating:
Summary: Best Ever
Review: This is the best time I've had reading in a long time! I've read most all of DG's books -- enjoying them all. But by far I've enjoyed this the most! What makes this book stand out is the rich character development of not only Waylander, but of the villans, minor characters, etc.
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