Drenai Series.... published or chronological?

jimbling

Right, so I've been advised that this is a pretty good fantasy series and would like to get started.

The thing is, I'm not sure whether I should read in the order they were published or in the chronological order of events.
Anyone know did the author purposefully put them in the order published, or did he just write prequels etc at a later point.

From people who have read them, what format would you suggest reading them?

AnCapaillMor

As in gemmills books? Chronological forget about it. There's 3-4 characters\books set in the drenai era. all within different times, some post drenai, some during. go by what the wiki says, there was drenai tales volumes(3 volumes covering all the dreani stuff) once but i tried for them and couldn't find them anywhere.

Obviously start off with Legend.

Black Sheep

First of all, I'd suggest published order over chronological order. In the case of Gemmell's books you probably aren't going to run into spoilers, as such, but there are historical links between characters in the books (characters are often ancestors / descendents of others in later books).

So I'd say go out and buy the anniversary edition of 'Legend' and start from there. I envy you not having read it before!

As far as omnibus editions for the Drenai novels go : You can usually find copies of 'Drenai Tales' editions in Chapters on Parnell Street. Good value, plus they have interesting introductory essays.

katarin

There are a few big Gemmell fans who donates to the Secret Book and Record Store (whatever it's called these days), just up from Tower Records. I got the whole Drenai Series there for about £3 a book and when I go back I find that they've got even more in.

I agree, read in the published order. I would reccomend finishing the Drenai series (starting with Legend), and when that's done, starting on the two Skilgannon Books of the Damned (technically contemporeneous with Legend but that gets a bit ****ed later on). After that, read Rigante (arguably the best, though - in my humble opinion - so worth holding out for). If you want a recommendation for what books to skip, I have only one: Don't bother with Hero in the Shadows. It's weak.

Ronanc1

I'd suggest published order thats how i read them and fell in love with them, either way shouldnt matter though

Paddy Samurai

jimbling wrote: »

Right, so I've been advised that this is a pretty good fantasy series and would like to get started.

The thing is, I'm not sure whether I should read in the order they were published or in the chronological order of events.
Anyone know did the author purposefully put them in the order published, or did he just write prequels etc at a later point.

From people who have read them, what format would you suggest reading them?

Published date is the way to go.
Enjoy your in for a treat.




Drenai series:

1. Legend (1984)
aka Against the Horde
2. The King Beyond the Gate (1985)
3. Waylander (1986)
4. Quest for Lost Heroes (1990)
5. In the Realm of the Wolf (1992)
6. The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend (1993)
7. The Legend of Deathwalker: Chronicles of Druss the Axeman (1996)
8. Winter Warriors (1997)
9. Hero in the Shadows (2000)
Drenai Tales (omnibus) (1991)


http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/g/david-a-gemmell/