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patroklo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
3.0
bremdey's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
pietgriet2000_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
arqune's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
levit8ting's review against another edition
5.0
This one echoes the Gladiator era in Rome. Very beautifully written.
neilsef's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This is set about twenty years after the events of Sword in the Storm and revolves around Bane, the bastard son of Connovar.
The plot is briskly paced with plenty of action sequences from individual fights to full-scale battles, all of which are beautifully written in David Gemmell's descriptive writing style, there are also a fair number of emotional scenes that are powerfully written.
The characterisation is excellent, as always, with a host of new interesting characters being introduced as well as existing ones being refined.
A must-read for all Gemmell fans.
The plot is briskly paced with plenty of action sequences from individual fights to full-scale battles, all of which are beautifully written in David Gemmell's descriptive writing style, there are also a fair number of emotional scenes that are powerfully written.
The characterisation is excellent, as always, with a host of new interesting characters being introduced as well as existing ones being refined.
A must-read for all Gemmell fans.
cat_brewsandreviews's review against another edition
3.0
Gladiators, family feuding, politics and fighting; why did I not love this book the first time I read it? A really enjoyable sequel and definitely the follow-up the first book deserved. It was so interesting to see the family relationships that were and never were developed in this book. I have to mention that, as usual, Gemmell's use of gruff, old men (in this case Rage) is my favourite part of his work. Really enjoyed this one.
shimauchiha's review against another edition
5.0
There are some wonderful books you review by discussing their characters, plot and writing. Yet there are some books that are beyond that. In reviewing them, I don't talk about this twist and that character, but about what I experienced while reading them.
This is a review of the second kind.
There was one point while I was reading this that my hands started to tremble and my heart was beating so fast it actually hurt.
I had to put the book aside, calm my breathing, drink some water and watch a sitcom episode before I felt calm enough to continue reading.
I literally had to remind myself of my life, that I wasn't going to war, that I could survive the death of the characters, that they were characters.
I wasn't too successful.
I closed the book while he was riding to his death, and I considered never reading the last pages. It was so tempting. As long as I didn't read he would still be riding, sad and with a heavy heart but alive.
But I did read and I cried and mourned and grieved. My eyes are filling with tears again as I'm writing this.
That is the beauty of Gemmell. I have cried for thousands of characters, sometimes not even because they died but for their griefs. But there is something to the way Gemmel writes, or perhaps it's about his characters, their lives are more vibrant,more real. I haven't read knights of dark renown in years, yet there is one particular death in it that I can remember in all details and believe it or not, thinking about it still hurts. Same is the case with Ghost king, Legend or Echoes of the great song.
Reading Gemmel means reading about strategy and politics, wars and religions and philosophy, About whores and thieves, kings and heroes. Reading about pain and betrayal, crushing defeats and horrible mistakes. His books are in no way light reads, they are not pick me ups.
They are beautiful and wondrous and sad. They make you laugh but they make you cry harder.
Yet, they make you happy in the way great art always can. It's a twisted kind of joy, but it's joy in one of the brightest forms I've experienced.
In the way that I know when I'm dying, reading his books will never be something I'll regret spending time on. Even If I am to die in a month, a week or even a day.
This is a review of the second kind.
There was one point while I was reading this that my hands started to tremble and my heart was beating so fast it actually hurt.
I had to put the book aside, calm my breathing, drink some water and watch a sitcom episode before I felt calm enough to continue reading.
I literally had to remind myself of my life, that I wasn't going to war, that I could survive the death of the characters, that they were characters.
I wasn't too successful.
Spoiler
And when it became obvious that Conn was going to die, I was crying so hard and I was thinking that I had seen him being born, I had seen his first fights, I had seen him fall in love, I knew of his thoughts and flaws, guilts and fears and shames. I knew him better than my family or close friends and I couldn't stand to see him die.I closed the book while he was riding to his death, and I considered never reading the last pages. It was so tempting. As long as I didn't read he would still be riding, sad and with a heavy heart but alive.
But I did read and I cried and mourned and grieved. My eyes are filling with tears again as I'm writing this.
That is the beauty of Gemmell. I have cried for thousands of characters, sometimes not even because they died but for their griefs. But there is something to the way Gemmel writes, or perhaps it's about his characters, their lives are more vibrant,more real. I haven't read knights of dark renown in years, yet there is one particular death in it that I can remember in all details and believe it or not, thinking about it still hurts. Same is the case with Ghost king, Legend or Echoes of the great song.
Reading Gemmel means reading about strategy and politics, wars and religions and philosophy, About whores and thieves, kings and heroes. Reading about pain and betrayal, crushing defeats and horrible mistakes. His books are in no way light reads, they are not pick me ups.
They are beautiful and wondrous and sad. They make you laugh but they make you cry harder.
Yet, they make you happy in the way great art always can. It's a twisted kind of joy, but it's joy in one of the brightest forms I've experienced.
In the way that I know when I'm dying, reading his books will never be something I'll regret spending time on. Even If I am to die in a month, a week or even a day.
macindog's review against another edition
5.0
A cracking follow-up to Sword In The Storm. This story is about Bane, the bastard son of Connavar the Rigante king. Gemmell has again produced a master work of fantasy/history with powerful characters and believable story lines. Couldn't put it down!
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