or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering
Sell Us Your Item
For a $0.88 Gift Card
Trade in
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Tell the Publisher!
I'd like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Color:
Image not available

To view this video download Flash Player

 

Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga [Paperback]

Stephen Davis
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (100 customer reviews)

List Price: $14.99
Price: $11.93 & FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $3.06 (20%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Want it Tuesday, May 21? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Hardcover --  
Perfect Paperback, Deluxe Edition $7.19  
Paperback, April 8, 2008 $11.93  
Mass Market Paperback --  
Unknown Binding --  
Image
Save on Popular Books This Summer
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more.

Book Description

April 8, 2008

The members of Led Zeppelin are major deities in the pantheon of rock gods. The first and heaviest of the heavy metal monsters, they violently shook the foundations of rock music and took no prisoners on the road. Their tours were legendary, their lives were exalted—and in an era well known for sex and drugs, the mighty Zeppelin set an unattainable standard of excess and mythos for any band that tried to follow them. They were power, they were fantasy, they were black magic. No band ever flew as high as Led Zeppelin or suffered so disastrous a fall. And only some of them lived to tell the tale.

Hammer of the Gods is the New York Times bestselling epic saga of the hard reign of Page, Plant, Jones, and Bonham—a spellbinding, electrifying, no-holds-barred classic of rock 'n' roll history that has now been updated to include the continuing adventures of the band.


Frequently Bought Together

Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga + When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zeppelin + Light and Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page
Price for all three: $44.43

Buy the selected items together


Editorial Reviews

Review

“Incredible.” (Village Voice )

“One of the most notorious rock biographies ever written.” (Chicago Tribune )

From the Inside Flap

Led Zeppelin was the hottest, hardest, horniest, most hedonistic group in rock history. Their parties defined 60s and 70s excess, their concerts were long, loud and thrilling. Based on interviews and behind-the-scenes stories, here is the truth behind the genius of Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and the late John Bonham. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 432 pages
  • Publisher: It Books; Reprint edition (April 8, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0061473081
  • ISBN-13: 978-0061473081
  • Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (100 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #32,771 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stephen Davis is America's preeminent rock journalist and biographer, having written numerous bestsellers on rock bands, including the smash hit Hammer of the Gods. He lives in Boston.

Customer Reviews

Very funny, and well written. Robert J. Benjamin  |  21 reviewers made a similar statement
I laughed out loud many times during the reading of the book. Bill R. Moore  |  10 reviewers made a similar statement
I haven't made it all the way through the book, and yet I'm compelled to write a review on it. S. Watkins  |  2 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
82 of 87 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Dark comedy May 18, 2000
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This is the first unauthorized Led Zeppelin biography to emerge in the wake of the band's demise. The road-fever antics of the band and it's crew are told here with aplomb: Richard Cole driving his Harley down the corridor of the Hyatt House in LA, Jimmy Page courting a 14 year old groupie, John Bonham's insatiable appetite for booze and carnage, hotel destruction and wild orgies are all well documented. These stories are pretty funny, if sensational and embellished for comedic effect.

But from the mid '70s onwards, a dark cloud followed the band. From Robert Plant's near fatal car accident in 1975 and his son's death in 1977, Page's descent into heroin addiction in 1976, and ultimately Bonham's fatal vodka binge in September, 1980, the Zeppelin saga certainly has a tragic side.

This book is fairly uneven in that Davis documents Zeppelin's timeline fairly meticulously until 1975, and then he seems to be rushing to get to the end. He also fails to acknowledge that Zeppelin became an erratic live act from 1977 onward due to the deteriorating health of Page and Bonham. Davis would have you believe that in spite of the excessive substance abuse, Zeppelin remained in top form, and there is plenty of recorded evidence to refute that. Having Richard Cole as a primary source tends to undercut the credibility of the book as well. That said, it is obvious that Davis certainly respects Zeppelin's musical accomplishments, and ultimately that is the point. Zeppelin may have overindulged, but the music is what the band will be remembered for.

Was this review helpful to you?
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Zep Read - even despite inaccuracies April 15, 2004
By G. YEO
Format:Perfect Paperback
Stephen Davis isn't a Zep expert, but this book was spot on in its release at a time when Zep didn't exist anymore back in the mid-80s. I remembered reading it and going wow! This is Led Zeppelin! It is a fun read, but take it with a pinch of salt...much of it is attributed to Richard Cole. The book has never been endorsed by the band, but it's the stuff of what legends are made of. Even Plant admitted in a Musician interview that he didn't much remember what went on in the seventies...if even a portion of what's written here is true - then it makes sense why!

This book did much to promote the legend and legacy of Zep - warts and all...

Was this review helpful to you?
29 of 32 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Don't read while on the toilet . . . March 9, 1998
By A Customer
Format:Mass Market Paperback
An awesome book. Stephen Davis's unauthorized biography of the 70's biggest rock band displays both his wonderful storytelling style (and ability to fudge the truth) and just how great and weird a band Led Zep was. After reading this book, you'll get the picture why Zeppelin still to this day has an unmatched aura of chaos and mystery that is genuine and not cheesy in the way that many current bands try to project a fake and corny image (i.e. Metallica). Even Robert Plant has said the book has done much to enhance the band's legacy. One flaw of the latest edition of "Hammer" is that the new chapter takes away from the books previous ending (the classic Plant quote that ends the Live-Aid chapter). Still, this book covers all the bases from the inspiration for their songs ("Trampled Underfoot" was a takeoff of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition") to the infamous hijinx and backstage debauchery (a drunken Bonzo taking the mike at a Deep Purple concert and announcing to the audience that the guitarist "can't play for %#@!") that made Zep the nightmare of inn keepers around the globe.
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars for the Zep fan
I had heard of this book for years but hadn't got around to it.If you are a big Zeppelin fan and want some behind-the- scenes stuff this covers a lot of ground.
Published 12 days ago by billito
5.0 out of 5 stars A gift for my 17 year old
Wonderful chance to get insight to one of her favorite bands. She loves the 60's & 70's music. Thank you
Published 29 days ago by Jeanette Ketchey
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Read about Led Zeppelin
I found this somewhat gossipy yet informative. It is worth the purchase and spending the time to read. Wish there were some childhood pictures of the group.
Published 2 months ago by Quality First
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!
Gave this to a musician friend/band mate for Christmas and although he owned it years ago, he said reading it again was a remarkable experience and that he was delighted to find... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mia
5.0 out of 5 stars A very interesting and easy read
I have always loved listening to Led Zeppelin. There is a certain mystique about the music, lyrics, and even the members of the band. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Bryan Clark
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible Story!!
A perfect story for the one time biggest rock band in the world. Would suggest to anyone interested in music history.
Published 5 months ago by adarknight81
1.0 out of 5 stars Seller Rip-Off
My wife bought this book on my account for my birthday knowing I am a massive Led Zeppelin fan. This is a Ł7.99 paperback book(and cheaper elsewhere) sold at Ł24.99. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Steve
2.0 out of 5 stars I don't have a "Whole Lotta Love" for this book
I'll make this short and sweet and try not to "Ramble On". Ok, I'm sorry, I'll stop doing that.
I haven't made it all the way through the book, and yet I'm compelled to write... Read more
Published 9 months ago by S. Watkins
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic bio for an iconic band
As I recently got back into Led Zeppelin, I came across the Perfect Paperback (I thought they only still made those for romance novels and true crime stories) version and started... Read more
Published 11 months ago by M. Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars Tribute to the Ultimate Hard Rock Band
After recently reading the book by Duff on Guns and Roses I was told it didn't hold a candle to this book of Led Zeppelin. Well, I disagree. Read more
Published 14 months ago by R. Spell
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews


Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Forums

There are no discussions about this product yet.
Be the first to discuss this product with the community.
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 





Look for Similar Items by Category