Once you start it, you won't be able to switch it off!
How does it compare to similar audio books?
Excellent
How does it compare to audio works by the same author?
Excellent
Advantages:
Gives insight into the creation of Druss, the hero of Gemmell's first novel, Legend
Disadvantages:
Although it's a prequel, it needs to be read AFTER Legend
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Legend was the first novel written by David Gemmell, the undisputed King of Heroic Fantasy, and this is the story of how Druss the Legend was created. For those that haven't read Legend and know nothing of Druss, he is known among the people of his world by various names: Deathwalker, The Captain of the Axe and Silver Slayer to name but a few.
The story opens with a young Druss, felling trees in the mountain village that has become his home. He is a taciturn young man, with no understanding of others humour, which leads him to take offense when others tease him. Due to his prodigous strength this makes him feared by the people of his community, especially when he breaks anothers jaw simply because the man said that he was lucky to be married to Rowena, as he wouldn't mind bedding her. This leads to a converstaion with his father Bress, who Druss despises as a coward, due to his father backing away from most confrontations.
While Druss is working, raiders come to the village and slaughter the menfolk and take the young women as slaves, among them being Druss's wife, Rowena. Some of the slavers enter the woods, but Druss kills them with his felling axe and races back to the village only to discover that the raiders have gone, and his father bleeding to death in the street. His father tells him about a secret compartment in their home, and there Druss discovers Snaga the Sender, the butterfly shaped blade of his grandfather Bardan, a man of evil whose reputation Bress had been trying to live down since he was a boy. Taking up the axe, he sets out to catch the men, and re-claim his wife. So begins the life of Druss the Legend.
This book is one of the most outstanding Heroic Fantasy novels that I have ever read. The hero of the story is a simple man, but unknown to him in the beginning, he is a born warrior and natural leader of men. His journey sees him travel across the globe, fighting those that stand in his way (that are evil) and earning the friendship of others along the way. Early in the story he meets Sieben, a Saga poet with very little moral, and it is through Sieben's poetic works that the Legend is born, much to Druss's chagrin.
Such is the nature of man, that during the early parts of the story, Druss fights in the Lentrian Army, but at the end, fights against them in defence of his homeland. He has very little loyalty, but this is not a bad thing, as Druss always fights for what he believes is right, and most of the time wins.
Although this book is a prequel to Legend, I think it is important to read Legend first, and then read this book. They, along with most of Gemmell's novels, can be read alone, without reading any of the other Drenai novels, but I feel that the best way to read about Druss, is along the route that the author took. There is a follow up to this novel, called the Legend of Deathwalker that I will write an opinion about, and that also requires that you read Legend first.
***
Cheers - Craig
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