My first David Gemmell book and absolutely loved it !
It's been many years since I've found myself sitting up in bed until after midnight but this book did this for me.
Characters are well developed, all have their flaws. The enemy are also quite well developed characters and quite likable despite being the bad guys.
I'll be reading the rest of this series and more Gemmell in the future. ( )

Call me old man but I will always enjoy a story about heroes that are human, never perfect but fallible, people of exquisite will, capable of fantastic and sometimes terrifying feats, powerful enough to lead but also at times so dark when seeking vengeance for spilled blood or tarnished honor and reputation.

When Game of Thrones started lots of my friends were taken by its presentation of people who are just that - people fighting for their lives and legacy. There were no[t that many] high magic creatures, like trolls or wizards spewing lightnings from their hands, orks or gnomes or giant worms (zombies aside since they are present in entire fantasy world as undead creatures), no highly moral elves or pure heroes like Aragorn. There are no clear distinction between good and bad (like for example in Aragorn's kingdom or Rohan where there is clear split between good and bad guys), everything is in the grey zone.

And supernatural forces and magic - they are basically neutral and deadly for both parties. They are more like deities of ancient times, walking amongst humans, testing them (sometimes in the most inhuman ways) and depending on the outcome either blessing people or ruining them totally.

I was like ..... yes? This is like something new? I grew up on books about Melnibone, Elric, Hawkmoon, Shannara, Black Company, and especially Prince Valiant stories that for me have many similarities with Connavar's story.

What is common with all these books - heroes are not pure, they are people that either found themselves doing terrible things and wanted a change (Elric), are heroes fighting against evil empires (Hawkmoon) or people seeking glory (Valiant and Connavar), starting on the path where they are tested by forces unknown and their good and bad sides are brought to surface with consequences they will have to live with.

Of all of the above Connavar and Valiant are very similar characters. Capable, smart, seeking the glory (Connavars first meeting with Seidh's where he declares he wants glory is so much like Valiant's meeting (at the very start of his story) with the witch from the marshes where she tells him he will have glory but will never know peace in his life) and thrown into battle where they show good and bad qualities (same as Connavar Valiant is aiming to destroy the king who exiled his father and his court from the mystical Thule and Valiant is as bloodthirsty as one can be and equally stubborn when pride is in question).

While I like high fantasy with heroes that are without peer and any shortcomings, stories like this about Connavar make greater impression on me - these are stories of true men and women, people caught in the situations where no-one is safe, wars, famine, destruction, warlords roaming and destroying everything they cannot control, petty jealousy and inter-fighting splitting close friends and bringing them into tragic conflicts and confrontations, people falling into frenzy and rage that destroy both their enemies but also their closest ..... basically when you think of it this is the building block of the epic fantasy - be it Nibelung or Greek mythology. In works of fantasy I think it is more intriguing to see how our heroes conquer their own inner demons than see them fighting the embodiment of evil in the story (main antagonist, aka The Baddie). This inner victory (of course coupled with the victory over the evil in the story) is the most difficult one - victory from which our hero might not get out alive but for sure he will find peace or true purpose in life and become wise.

This is why I liked Connavar - he is real, youth, impulsive but again aware that he must learn and needs to protect what he loves, horrified by the true nature of war but not afraid to use his skills and knowledge to defend his own. Quick on the sword and rage but also trying to control his emotions.

He is a human being, with all the flaws and good sides. And this is why he seems more real to me than any pure hero from high fantasy stories (like for example Aragorn).

This is why I like Gemmell's stories (and those I mentioned above) - they are stories about people like us, above ordinary for sure, but again very much like people like us thrown into extraordinary circumstances. What would happen when unexpected would happen, when everything would be turned on its head, should we fight against it or just flame out like candle flame in strong wind?

Additional value of Gemmell's works is that they resonate more as time goes by - believe me, your experience when reading this book when you are 18 or when you are 30 or 40 will not be the same. As time goes by with every re-read I am understanding Connavar's (and, when we are talking about him, Valiant's) actions ever more.

Highly recommended for fans of hero fantasy. ( )

DNF at like 72%

Fun world, interesting magic, but a super plain plot.

Also the book is just overtly sexiest. I can’t comprehend someone thinking that every females character arc ending in boosting up the main character at their own detriment was good writing… ( )

El morador del palacio del Hombre Gris es, tal como indica el nombre, una persona hosca, reservada, de aspecto imponente a pesar de encontrarse en plena madurez. Tras esa apariencia huraña se esconde Dakeyras, más conocido por los Drenai como Waylander el Destructor. En compañía de un grupo de personajes dispares (un espadachín dedicado por completo a su arte, un picapedrero y una campesina experta en el lanzamiento de puñales), tendrá que enfrentarse a unos poderes descomunales, brujos y demonios de la antiquísima ciudad de Kuan Hador, largo tiempo confinados en otra dimensión, cuya intención es sumir las tierras conocidas en una orgía de sangre y destrucción.

Ahh the Rigante! A noble and strong race of warriors connected to the earth through gods and magic. Frigging great series The Rigante series. Spanning generations and will be readable for that long. ( )