Legend (Drenai Tales, Book 1) Author: David Gemmell Publisher: Del Rey Published Date: October 1, 1994 Review based on: Mass Market Paperback Review Date: March 10, 2004 Reviewer: garbagetool

Overall: 4 Lasting Appeal: 4 Plot: 2 Characters: 3

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?

Legend is the first novel Gemmell wrote in his Drenai Saga. Luck happened to be with me as Legend was my first experience to Gemmel. I found this book to be very enjoyable. Despite the little plot shown, what we get here are pretty distinct characters. An army of less than 10,000 must face off against a barbarian horde of 500,000. What I liked about this novel is while Gemmell introduces us to a slew of characters, he keeps each pretty distinct from each other. I really enjoyed the struggle each character goes through knowing that each minute they spend on the wall could easily be their last. What makes this novel stand out from most is that it doesn't try to cover up the costs of war. There's no last minute gambit or strategic plan, this novel is a pure slaughter. How can 10,000 stand against 500,000? The answer is that they can't. In conclusion I recommend this novel to those who enjoy hack and slash type fantasy novels with specific details like troop training and morale lifting. It is a great novel for those who want to get into David Gemmell's works. However the downside is that the rest of Gemmell's novels follow the same themes and pacing. After two or three, the stories do get repetitive and not as enchanting.