Legend by David Gemmell

I have a special place in my heart for this book. This review is due to a reread. I'm years older than I was when I read this first. It's impact is much greater now. I totally relate to the shadow of death and loss that lies over every page. The message that everything we do is done despite or because of that shadow is enormously powerful and Gemmell delivers that message like very few others. His characters are never cutouts. If you're a man he makes you think about what it takes to be a man - the farmer, noble, warrior etc. all come to life in this book. When a character says "all men die" it makes perfect sense in this story because its both the point and beside the point at the same time. I agree with those other reviewer who loved this book too.

Having read all of Jordan, Weiss & Hickman, Feist and of course Tolkien I was starving for something new. Happily I picked up Legend as an impulse at the library. Sixteen hours later I was forever changed and hopelessly addicted to GEMMEL's brutal and brilliant style of writing. With worlds and characters that we've all been to and met somewhere before in our life. GEMMEL makes you identify with every character and feel as if you had always known them. I have now read every work of GEMMEL, just finished the swords of night and day. Each new work is filled with beauty and cunning. Each is in it's own right a masterpiece.

First this is probably the best book that I have ever read in my life, and having read Lord of the Rings that is saying something. Where Lord of the Rings keeps you interested and enthralled when reading Legend I became totally immersed in the story. An unbeatable fortress and an old man that has never been beaten but also the story of how Gemmell himself battled cancer. The idea of this one old man and the spirit and willingness to fight and die that he instills in others is amazing and after sadly returning to reality after finishing the book I find that I can just pick it up and read it over and over again. A truly inspiring story.