The First Chronicle of Druss the Legend by David Gemmell
The First Chronicle of Druss the Legend is the sixth book in David Gemmell’s non-sequential series, the Drenai Saga. It’s a prequel to the first Drenai book, Legend, and I think it’s the perfect prequel because it actually enhances his Druss stories by not being in chronological order.
Renegade soldiers turned slavers massacre a mountain village and take Druss’s wife, the seeress, Rowena. Desperate and enraged, the young country bumpkin takes up a battle-ax (inherited from his infamous grandfather) to begin a quest that will take him across half the world and last over seven years. Druss fights slavers, pirates, wars, outlaws, demons, and Death itself to rescue the love of his life. Thus is how legends are born.
There’s nothing fancy about Gemmell’s books. They’re just simple, solid, good reads about heroes who live and die by their own codes of honor. If John Wayne ever did a sword-and-sorcery movie, Druss would’ve been a perfect role for him.
Drenai — (1984-2004) Publisher: Druss, Captain of the Axe, was the stuff of legends. But even as the stories grew in the telling, Druss himself grew older. He turned his back on his own legend and retreated to a mountain lair to await his old enemy, death. Meanwhile, barbarian hordes were on the march. Nothing could stand in their way. Druss reluctantly agreed to come out of retirement. But could even Druss live up to his own legends?
Looking forward to reading the review.
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