pingie

Hey Scarecrow,

I’m really surprised that you’ve never heard of David Gemmell since he’s been a part of the fantasy genre for quite a while. His first novel was Legend, part of the ongoing Drenai Tales, which was written in 1984 and still in print today because of its popularity I supposed. I would recommend reading Legend first just so you can get a feel of Mr. Gemmell’s writing and see if you like it or not, but some of his later work is so much better. Most of his work revolves around settings that are similar to Britain, Rome and such while the characters resemble Saxons, Angles, Romans and such…other work revolves around apocalyptic times.

He has written some fantastic fictions that I think are enjoyable to read. His characters are likable with great personalities. Most of his stories involve questioning choices, religions, consequences, predestination, politics and such. His books are divided into different tales of which these are the most popular; Drenai Tales, Sipstrassi Tales, and Rigante Tales. He has written other fictions as well that are not associated with these tales. I like all his novels but here I’ll recommend what I feel are his best and most entertaining novels…

For the Drenai Tales: Waylander, In The Realm of the Wolf, Winter Warriors, Hero In The Shadows, and Swords of Night And Day
-Gemmell has a knack for giving his characters great personalities, very humanistic at times and in these novels they stand out very well.

For the Sipstrassi Tales: Wolf In Shadow, The Last Guardian, Bloodstone
-The series is set in an apocalyptic time with a bit of fantasy thrown in. Its story revolves around a lone stranger only known as the Jerusalem Man who is perhaps the deadliest warrior alive according to the brigands and warmongers who cross his path and live to tell the tale. Just some great story-telling with a few twists and turns…set in a modern apocalyptic age, so expect guns and such.

For the Rigante Tales: Sword In The Storm, Midnight Falcon, Ravenheart, Stormrider
-These novels resemble Braveheart and Gladiator in terms of settings and characters, hence the Romans, Anglo-Saxons feel throughout the books.

If you read Legend and thought it was okay, then I would suggest go ahead and read any book from the Drenai Tales and so forth…but if you didn’t like Legend, I still think you should try a book from one of those tales I mentioned. Have fun reading… =)

Eric F

I'm reading Tad Williams' War of the Flowers right now and love it.

I've pretty much given up on GRRM ever finishing this series. If and when he does I'll read it, otherwise plenty of other stuff to read.

msdmoney

Saw this on Barnes and noble and thought it was interesting. Never heard of zimmerguides before. I wonder if it's supposed to come out when A Feast for Crows comes out, because they have this listed and not A Feast for Crows.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/boo...75447920&itm=1

msdmoney

http://www.georgerrmartin.com/
Martin has updated his page with the latest about his book and his views on the election. Come on Martin, we don't care to hear your political views just write your book.

Noonan

Yeah, reading that load of crap makes me not want to read the book when it is finished...if that day ever comes.

GreenMonkey

Glad to see an update.

bdshort

I hate extreme political views like that... but I love his books, and can't wait to read A Feast for Crows... whenever that happens to be...

Alvis

Oh, puh-lease.

Just finish the damn book, already. Although his little tirade has kind of made me not want to read it, but I'm sure I'll get over it.

Scarecrow

A new update posted yesterday...


I notice he put 2004, but it was really posted yesterday

pingie

I do hope that the book will be out this year, sooner than later. I've been keeping up on it at George R.R. Martin website. I really get a kick out of reading samples from his book. Last I check, the sample was The Prophet. Thanks for the update though Scarecrow.

JasonF

I've been intentionally staying away from the samples so I don't know too much before the book is published.

Once a hard publication date is announced, I'll begin the reread of the first three. I've got to remind myself who's still alive, who's dead, and who's somewhere between alive and dead after waking up in a river with their throat slit.

pingie

I know what you mean JasonF. I've read A Song of Ice and Fire three or four times already, but now I've forgotten most of what's going on with the characters and such. So most likely when A Feast for Crows come out, I might just reread the other books. And I can't help myself with the samples. I just have to read them!

Eric F

Wow, this thread still alive?

Even when this book comes out it won't be the end of the series, probably end in another cliffhanger, so why bother?

He really needs to take a cue from Gene Wolfe, who won't release a book in a series until they're all done.

GreenMonkey

You just summed up the Fantasy book scene. Everything is a series

Alvis

I believe Martin has planned this as a 7 book series, and I hope he sticks to that, unlike series such as Left Behind and Wheel of Time which have gone on far too long. I do want the books to be good, but at this rate will he finish the series? How old is Martin?

Scarecrow

There's always hope that once he gets past whatever brick walls he's having with Crows that the final two will come out in a more timely fashion.


Well, I can always hope.

Scarecrow

IIRC it's six. A Dance with Dragons and The Winds of Winter being the other two titles to follow Crows.


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SiberianLlama

I really really hope that after Feast for Crows that Martin pulls a Neal Stephenson or a Stephen King and knocks out those last two books quick.

I loved the fact that the entire Baroque Cycle by Stephenson (3 books) was released within 18 months (I think). Each book 6 months apart.

Noonan

Martin just updated his site with a new sample chapter from Feast for Crows. Still no word on a release though.

Scarecrow

Looks like the same sample that's been there awhile. I think he just updated it with an illustration.

Eric F

Think he'll be done by 2015?

Scarecrow

Don't know if he'll ever finish. If the final books come out I'll gladly read them, but I've pretty much given up wondering if/when "Crows" will come out. There's plenty of other good stuff out there until then. Erikson, Cook, Donaldson, Hobb, etc.

Eric F

Like I said early on, there are authors who won't release book a series unless they are all finished. Gene Wolfe is one of them (and is brilliant).

AuntiePam

Ditto this. I read Assassin's Apprentice a couple of months ago and liked it. I couldn't decide whether to get the rest of Hobb's books. Apprentice was published in 1995 or so, and sometimes a series deteriorates over time, either the storytelling or the writing.

I had Legends II but hadn't read Hobb's story yet. It was published 7 or 8 years after Apprentice, and I thought maybe the short story would give me a clue about Hobb -- if she kept up the quality. And whaddyaknow, the story was stupendous. I bought the rest of the trilogies and have been reading them ever since.

I'm looking forward to sampling some of the other Legends writers, but I'm about half-scared to fall in love with more fantasy series.

Eric F

Robin's Hobb stuff is great.

Read in this order:

Farseer Trilogy
Liveship Traders
The Tawny Man

I made the mistake of going right from Farseer to Tawny Man because they are the same characters, but Liveship Traders is an essential link inbetween and furthers the plot.