White Wolf by David Gemmell

If you’ve read David Gemmell’s previous works, you’ll like White Wolf, the first novel of The Damned. There are two main qualities that make this book outstanding. First, book has valuable morals that may be applied to life. Second, the novel has interesting characters – each with different personalities, each with their own disturbing past, and each with their own conflict.
The story starts with an angry mob attacking a monastery. Unfortunately for them, one of the priests was the former legendary general and swords master, Olek Skilganon. Unable to contain his violent nature, he kills several of the people. Because of this, the abbot asks him to leave the monastery. In this scene, Gemmell asks his readers, for what purpose do people hate each other? Why do they kill? The author’s answer, conveyed through the actions of Skilganon, is that humans can’t help themselves – it is within their nature to mass exterminate. Another scene is when riders massacre helpless refugees. Skilganon, without hesitation, intervenes. Why? Here, Gemmell teaches his readers that sometimes, no matter the odds, the righteous course of action must be done.
There are two protagonists in the story. First, there is Olek Skilganon. He was a former general and an extraordinarily gifted swordsman. As a general, in order to quell a revolt, he was ordered to kill every man, woman, and child in a city. For this, he became known as The Damned. Tiring of his duty, he leaves the army, his country, and the woman he loves. Indeed, Gemmell has made Skilganon a very interesting character. Using flashbacks, Gemmell shows his readers the early part of Skilganon’s life. Second, there is Druss. Appearing in prequels, he plays a secondary role. In the story, his aim is to free his friend’s child. But why would he travel hundreds of miles, risking his life, just to free a child. Again, the philosophy remains. No matte the odds, the righteous course of action must be carried out. Gemmell says through his characters, “Probability cannot explain morality.”
Even if Gemmell’s books are a bit repetitive, they are still a fascinating read. I enjoyed this book just as much as the rest and I will do my utmost to read all his books. This book was absurdly awesome and I recommend it to all high school students and adults. Perhaps it is even Gemmell’s greatest work of times.

I picked up my first David Gemmell book two years ago because a friend recommended it to me. That book was Lion of Macedon. Since then I have read nearly every David Gemmell book and there is only one word for it, brilliant. White Wolf is no exception with an engaging plot and intriguing characters. It follows the tale of two heroes, Druss, an aging Drenai axeman, and Skilgannon, the best swordsman of the age, who embark on an adventure for different reasons. While Gemmell's books tend to be repetitive, they are fun hack'n'slash fantasy novels.

This book deals with certain events in the life of two Drenai heroes Olek Skilgannon and Druss the Axeman. 2 legends with very different fighting styles

Olek Skilgannon was a former general and an extraordinarily gifted swordsman. As a general after many successful campaigns he quelled a revolt in a city and ordered the execution of every man,woman and child there. For this act he was named The Damned. Not able to deal with what he had done Olek leaves his kingdom and wanders as a lone traveller. He suspects an old enemy of his may still be alive and decides to remedy that situation.

Druss is the Drenai hero, The Axeman who enters into the story at a point before his greatest feats but still a legend in the land he travels. Druss's aim is to free a child that was captured from a friend of his.

Olek and Druss's paths converge, they find that their objectives are one and the same and what transpires is among Gemmels best fights ever. Happily he doesn't put in much confusing philosophy. All in all a very fine book