Does anyone read David Gemmell

katarin

i can accept people saying that DG is cliche'd in his storytelling, but I think that's the beauty of it. you always know what your getting, its like macdonalds for the brain. its enjoyable, you can skim it in a weekend if you just need to kill time.

i think the best thing about DG are his charachterisations. I may be hardpressed, from this vantage point of i-cant-count-how-many-of-his-books-read to give particulars on individual storylines, but i can recite charachter traits and talk about individual charachters for hours.

nesf

katarin wrote:

i can accept people saying that DG is cliche'd in his storytelling, but I think that's the beauty of it. you always know what your getting, its like macdonalds for the brain. its enjoyable, you can skim it in a weekend if you just need to kill time.

That is exactly why there are quite a few of his books on my shelves. In my opinion, cliched, predictable fiction most definitely has its place in the world.

Thanx 4 The Fish

I have read everything that he has written, shame we will not be getting any more from him. I have to say that I really enjoyed most of his stuff, there were a few that fell flat but then with such volume there is bound to be one or two bad apples.

As for Hobb, try reading some of her earlier stuff (when she used to write as Megan Lindholm) they are a bit raw but you can see from them that she can tell a story.

nesf

Thanx 4 The Fish wrote:

As for Hobb, try reading some of her earlier stuff (when she used to write as Megan Lindholm) they are a bit raw but you can see from them that she can tell a story.

When I read the Assassin Trilogy a good few years back I felt that she lost herself a bit in characterisation and lost focus on the story in the third book. I remember feeling that the momentum was lost. The first two books were excellent though.

This was a good few years back though, so my memory might be failing me a bit and I might be confusing the last book in that series with something else.

ixoy

Thanx 4 The Fish wrote:

As for Hobb, try reading some of her earlier stuff (when she used to write as Megan Lindholm) they are a bit raw but you can see from them that she can tell a story.

I might just do that. I do think "The Liveship Traders" told a very good story but I'm with nesf in that she can lose herself in her characters - both her greatest strength and her Achille's heel.

I wonder where she'll end up next after all this or if she'll try and venture beyond the fantasy mould. Think it would be nice to see her tackle sci-fi and bring some characterisation to that genre, where it's often lacking in favour of the Big Ideas.

Thanx 4 The Fish

She seems to re-invent herself when se goes off on a tangent, although she has had a lot of success as Hobb now so may be an easy way to break into a new genre.

pwd

David Gemmell wrote a non-fantasy book called white knight, black swan under the pseudonym Ross Harding.
It is no longer in print and existing copies cost over a grand typically apparently.

Gingervitis

Just finished Troy: Fall of Kings, and all I can say is WOW.
This is possibly the best stuff he's ever written, and given the context of his death, the ending of it is probably the most powerful thing i've read this year, and that includes HP7 and the Dark Tower. Stella did an absolutely fantastic job, and I honestly couldn't see any difference in writing styles, but seeing as he had given her the outline of the remaining chapters, there was little chance of deviation.
Sounds a bit hyperbolic, but I think the Troy series could possibly be his magnum opus. Any opinions?

Iago

pwd wrote:

I haven't read Erikson, and only read one book by Feist

correct this when you get a chance, you're missing out on fantastic worlds and stories imho. Also when you get done with Erikson, look up The Black Company by Glen cook, an older series but comparable if you like Eriksons work.

Vokes

Gingervitis wrote:

Just finished Troy: Fall of Kings, and all I can say is WOW.
This is possibly the best stuff he's ever written, and given the context of his death, the ending of it is probably the most powerful thing i've read this year, and that includes HP7 and the Dark Tower. Stella did an absolutely fantastic job, and I honestly couldn't see any difference in writing styles, but seeing as he had given her the outline of the remaining chapters, there was little chance of deviation.
Sounds a bit hyperbolic, but I think the Troy series could possibly be his magnum opus. Any opinions?

Nearly finished it - I cant say ive noticed any transition in writing styles.

I don't think its one of his best but it is very enjoyable and what you expect from a Gemmell book.

Particularly liked the

re-imagining of the Trojan Horse ploy for getting the invaders into the city (as a wooden horse filled with soilders does not seem realistic and in keeping with the rest of the book). Quite ingenious I thought!

Waylander

Funnily enough as my name would suggest I am a big Gemmell fan. Also think Feist and Hobb are very good writers. Thought Eddings first couple of series were very good too, but became a bit same ould same ould after that. Have also read books by Valerio Massimo Manfredi lately, recommend his Alexander trilogy also.

pwd

I also liked that a lot sofaking.

I thought the book started out a bit weak, but that it got better as it went along, finishing quite well.

I remember reading a paragraph about Helikaon's arm-hair glistening in the sun and thinking that bit was definitely written by a woman.