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David Gemmell books

  • 06-04-2004 07:21PM
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 359 ✭✭


    i dont know if this is in the right forum(move me if not), but they are fantasy books and this is the sci-fi/fantasy forum so..
    I recently read Legend by David Gemmell, i thought it was the best fantasy book i have read in ages. where can i buy more of his stuff? Oh and where can i buy the star ship troopers orginal book and who is it by? I got Legend off a mate and i havent seen him for a while so thats why im asking u guys.


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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,562 ✭✭✭Snaga


    Read them all, well currently just about finished The Swords of Night and Day.

    You can get them in Easons, or most large bookshops. Failing that amazon have them all if you can get your hands on a credit card.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 359 ✭✭Macseamusa


    ah i see u took ur name from Legend, cool
    cheers for the info


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 931 ✭✭✭moridin


    Heh, I think Gemmell and Feist are about the only 'popcorn' fantasy authors that I like anymore.

    Just finished the latest Skilgannon book myself, nothing inventive in it in the slightest, but it was fun to read :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 559 ✭✭✭jongore


    REad lots of his stuff, some of it can get a little repetitive but overall his stuff is a good read. As was said before you can get his books in any half decent book shop.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 658 ✭✭✭xx


    Originally posted by Macseamusa
    i dont know if this is in the right forum(move me if not), but they are fantasy books and this is the sci-fi/fantasy forum so..
    I recently read Legend by David Gemmell, i thought it was the best fantasy book i have read in ages. where can i buy more of his stuff? Oh and where can i buy the star ship troopers orginal book and who is it by? I got Legend off a mate and i havent seen him for a while so thats why im asking u guys.

    Here's a thing. Buy 'The first chronicles of Druss the Legend'. Goes back to Druss growing up and becoming the 'Legend'. Fantastic read.


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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 9,832 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manach


    Gemmel is rather like a fine stout, same taste as the previous and still making you come back for more.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 139 ✭✭soiaf


    Gemmel is rather like a fine stout, same taste as the previous and still making you come back for more.

    Despite not liking stout, I agree with you completely :D
    Reading "The Swords of Night and Day" at the moment, its always good to
    read a Gemmell book, it may be a formulaic, but he does them so well!


    Oh and where can i buy the star ship troopers orginal book and who is it by?

    Robert Heinlein write the original book. Its very different to the movie, but
    quite good. I got my copy from Amazon, but I suppose you should be able
    to get it in any decent book store [or at least order it in the store].


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,191 ✭✭✭Unpossible


    The Swords of Night and Day

    isn't this the sequel to White Wolf? I didn't know it was out yet, have to get it soon as white wolf was what got me interested in Gemmell


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 128 ✭✭Q_Elexra


    Funnily enough my local Easons (Drogheda) hasn't had a Gemmell book in a while. I've bought all the ones I have in another local book shop. I'm only as far as 'Waylander II' myself (having started from 'Leagend').

    Gemmell has given me one of my top three fave fantasy/Sci-Fi characters in Tenaka Kahn. Taught he way amazing. I also think The Thirty is/are amazing.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,346 ✭✭✭Rev Hellfire


    That better not be you nicking the books I was coming back to buy in the wise owl.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 359 ✭✭Macseamusa


    is the book about starship troopers by Robert Heinlein,actually called starship troopers? cos i cant find it in the libraries in dun laoghaire rathdown area..
    anyone know where i can get it, i dont wanna buy it cos i dont have any money at the moment


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 777 ✭✭✭MarVeL


    It is indeed. I seem to remember the library in the ILAC centre had it in but I haven't been there in years so I'm probably wrong :)


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 279 ✭✭thomur


    Druss the legend, Waylander, wolf in shodow. Cant beat it


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 3,460 Mod ✭✭✭✭Black Sheep


    Macseamusa wrote: »
    is the book about starship troopers by Robert Heinlein,actually called starship troopers? cos i cant find it in the libraries in dun laoghaire rathdown area..
    anyone know where i can get it, i dont wanna buy it cos i dont have any money at the moment

    'Starship Troopers' is the sort of thing you might pick up in a large secondhand bookshop like Chapters on Parnell St - another option if you can't track it down in the library.

    It's absolutely worth reading - a true SF classic.

    If you enjoy that it'd be worth also looking at John Steakley's 'Armor' and Joe Haldeman's 'The Forever War'.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,956 ✭✭✭Doc Ruby


    Manach wrote: »
    Gemmel is rather like a fine stout, same taste as the previous and still making you come back for more.
    I for one raise a glass to that man once a fortnight regular.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,253 ✭✭✭..Brian..


    Gemmel is an excellent writer, I love his books. My only criticism is he rushes through fight scenes.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,920 ✭✭✭AnCapaillMor


    Loved him but found he rushed the endings, you're reading the book and you know there's only a few pages left and you're going no way is he going to finish it by the end of the book and he does. The only one that had a long ending was troy and i think the wife finished that off.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 10,140 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tenger


    Doc Ruby wrote: »
    I for one raise a glass to that man once a fortnight regular.

    I absolutely love Gemmell. I have kept all the books and they get a read every year or 2. I love the stout analogy, I have always viewed them like an old film I like to watch at Xmas, for nostalgia reasons.

    My first 2 Gemmel books were Waylander and Legend. Legend is wonderful.

    I would love to see a TV/film version done. Along the lines of the Sharpe TV show, it is popcorn fantasy but the formulaic layout would suit TV I think.


    "OK, we got the drunken wrestler, the dour crackshot bowman and the old broken blademaster, lets find an untested farmhand with a heart of gold and we are all set for our quest"


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,407 ✭✭✭Cardinal Richelieu


    There was talk of a film of Legend(would need a name change not to be mistaken with Tom Cruise movie) but that seems to have died away.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 267 ✭✭Tom


    Lion of Macedon is one of my all-time favorite books and the Troy trilogy is certainly worth a read.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,956 ✭✭✭Doc Ruby


    Tom wrote: »
    Lion of Macedon is one of my all-time favorite books
    Yeah he was at or near the peak of his craft when he wrote that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 351 ✭✭Tyler MacDurden


    There was talk of a film of Legend(would need a name change not to be mistaken with Tom Cruise movie) but that seems to have died away.

    Frightened me there for a moment, thought Cruise had been cast as Druss :D

    I've heard rumours of this for years, apparently Ron Perlman was in the running to star at one stage. Would be awesome if done properly, like Helm's Deep (times six).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,415 ✭✭✭✭Trojan


    I've heard rumours of this for years, apparently Ron Perlman was in the running to star at one stage.

    Perfect casting!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71 ✭✭Elothar


    He was and still is my favourite author of all time. Yes sometimes the plots could be a little formulaic but his characters were absolutely marvellous creations! I regularly re-read his whole collection every couple of years and prefer to see it as meeting up with old friends rather than drinking stout (which is disgusting! ;P).


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 10,140 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tenger


    Elothar wrote: »
    ....I regularly re-read his whole collection every couple of years and prefer to see it as meeting up with old friends rather than drinking stout (which is disgusting! ;P).

    Each to their own...some Ventran red perhaps?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71 ✭✭Elothar


    I'm more a kind of 'Girly-Pops' kinda guy. So make mine a strawberry Daiquiri. ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,390 ✭✭✭Patser


    Recently read his Troy trilogy and really enjoyed them. I tend to like historical fiction books - Pressfield Scarrow Cornwell's Sharpe - so maybe the grounding in the Troy mythology helped.
    Only the Kassandra character had any supernatural abilities.

    How does his other work compare. Do his fantasy books veer more towards realism
    or are they more magical with Dragons, Wizards etc.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 780 ✭✭✭seklly


    I read most of his books years ago, it's a pity he never got to write the war of the twins book, was looking forward to that one!


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,559 CMod ✭✭✭✭Nody


    Patser wrote: »
    How does his other work compare. Do his fantasy books veer more towards realism
    or are they more magical with Dragons, Wizards etc.
    There is some magic but magic in general is more at the level of the witch who can see the future in the woods rather than fireball throwing combat wizard of unimaginable might decimating armies. In general it's about men and women fighting it out with swords with the odd witch on the side line giving advice with a ting of mythical beings (i.e. giants/vampires etc. rather then fire breathing dragons) every so often.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71 ✭✭Elothar


    Was looking forward to the Twins book meself Seklly. It's a pity we'll never get to read any new Gemmell! :(

    @Patser: Gemmells style I find is fairly realistic. A portion of it is based on mythology of one sort or another, the Arthurian legend, The Greek/Trojan war but it's all his own style. Most people would describe it as 'Heroic Fantasy'. As in it's based more around individual hero's and their motives and actions. There is magic, as Nody said, some Shaman based, others psychic based and the odd traditional magic based too. He's most definitely worth reading and re-reading and re-reading and...I think you get the point! ;)


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