David Gemmell’s 1984 debut novel Legend told the blood-and-thunder story of an aging warrior’s heroic defense against all odds and the inspiring example of his leadership and self-sacrifice — it also catapulted Gemmell onto the bestseller lists for the next two decades and brought him an international renown outside of his native UK. With over a million copies sold across his more than thirty novels, Gemmell’s fast-paced tales of hard-bitten adventurers, greying brawlers, duty-bound warriors, and reimagined dark fantasy versions of ancient conflicts resonated with a ready public hungry for stories in the classic vein of moral conflict and human striving.
Gemmell’s grim — but never grimdark — visions of fantasy adventure are pulse-pounding tales of sacrifice, honor, and fate, written with a straight-ahead gusto and appreciation for both the best and worst of human nature: a legacy of imagination and heart that renders him forever a legend of heroic fantasy fiction.
