Legend (David Gemmell)

I have to say this was one of my favourite books when I was younger - just read it again recently and I still loved it. Sure it's cliched but it definately sweeps you along for the ride. Sure he always wrote the same book over and over but this was his first and close to his best...I'd go with his Jon Shannow novels before this though

Would've got four stars if it wasn't for the godawful ending.

Good, but in a cliched kind of way.

A good yarn. But why does Gemmell always write the same good yarn?

I liked it but to be honest I don't remember much about it beyond that I enjoyed it so it couldn't have had that much of an impact on me. I seem to remember a few annoying plot issues that I argued over too. I think it'd make a good film though.

I'm a paid-up member of the Gemmell fan club, and have been since the first edition of Legend hit my library shelves many years ago. I have voraciously consumed all his work since, and it seems he's hit on the winning formula from the beginning. If it ain't broke, he shouldn't start fixing it now. What Gemmell does best is psychological and physical pain, edgy and flawed heroes, and grand old high fantasy done in a low fantasy style. Take a moment and find out what prompted Gemmell to write Legend the way he did. You'll see the reason why it's so emotionally affecting.

And I have to agree with Graham here - Peter Jackson, if you're reading - FILM THIS NEXT.

The book that sealed my fate as a Zulu comparator. A film of this would make the Helm's Deep stuff in Peter Jackson's film of "The Two Towers" look like a minor skirmish. I love it!

The Alamo meets King Arthur - a Western in a Fantasy setting.
The most gripping seiges put to paper!