Winter Warriors [Hardcover]

David Gemmell (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Bantam Press (1956)
• ASIN: B000M66Z2O
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)

More About the Author

David Gemmell was born in London, England, in the summer of 1948. Expelled from school at sixteen, he became a bouncer, working nightclubs in Soho. Born with a silver tongue, Gemmell rarely needed to bounce customers, relying instead on his gift of gab to talk his way out of trouble. This talent eventually led him to jobs as a freelancer for the London Daily Mail, the Daily Mirror, and the Daily Express. His first novel, Legend, was published in 1984 and has remained in print ever since. He became a full-time writer in 1986. His books consistently top the London Times bestseller list.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gemmell does it again..., September 24, 2003

By 

-- "--" (Gondor, IN) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Winter Warriors (Drenai Tales, Book 8) (Mass Market Paperback)

Once again, David Gemmell leads us into the harsh yet fantastic world of the Drenai. The book is "Winter Warriors," and it showcases Gemmell's steadfast refusal to try to fix something that just isn't broken. If you're familiar with previous Drenai novels, the themes should be familiar - three old soldiers (a master swordsman with a tragic past, a bowman whose eyes are failing him, and a hulking brute with more heart than brains) find themselves embroiled in a quest to save Queen Axiana and her unborn son from the hordes of demons who seek them out. If the unborn king is sacrificed... yep, you guessed it, the world enters an age of unending darkness, and all mankind will suffer.

It's true, you could fault Gemmell's cast of characters for being too archetypical, and bearing more than a passing resemblance to previous characters in the Drenai series (compare Nogusta of "Winter Warriors" to Chareos in "Quest For Lost Heroes," or Bison to Beltzer in the aforementioned tome)... but be that as it may, each and every principle character in "Winter Warriors" is a living, breathing, flesh-and-blood human being, and few fantasy authors can achieve such a claim. Each man and woman behaves in a realistic, believable fashion, and comes out of the adventure dramatically changed by the experience. In an attempt to wow you with magical doo-dads, action set pieces, and enigmatic creatures, most fantasy authors forget to inject humanity into their work - but not David Gemmell. "Winter Warriors" is a deeply human story, no matter what demons or magical spells come into play. The action works because you genuinely care about the people fighting for their lives... and if you know David Gemmell, you know too that no hero is immortal.

I can find few faults in "Winter Warriors," to be quite honest. Granted, the premise is not very original, and the plot sometimes gets a little bit convoluted. Yes, "Winter Warriors" mimics the same themes of previous Drenai books (see "Legend" and "Quest For Lost Heroes," to name but a few), but I'm not sure that qualifies as a fault. It's very moving, inspirational stuff packed with at least as much drama as action. I just don't get tired of desperate men, underdogs by all accounts, standing up for what they believe in against seemingly insurmountable odds in the David Gemmell vein. If more of us lived our lives like Nogusta, Chareos, or Druss the Legend, I think this world would be a better place. Can I truly pay Mr. Gemmell a higher compliment than that?

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Musings on Winter Warriors, March 2, 2000

By 

Dale Rippke "zeteticist" - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Winter Warriors (Drenai Tales, Book 8) (Mass Market Paperback)

I have read all of the Drenai novels written by David Gemmell and I can assuredly say that this is one of his best books set in this world. While the plot is somewhat similar in style to his QUEST FOR LOST HEROES, the execution shows that he has grown considerably as an author. It is a tightly plotted novel that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster and leave you wanting more. Add to this some of Gemmell's best dialogue in ages and you have a book worthy of space on your bookshelf. You will revel in the exploits of Kebra, Nogusta, Bison, as well as Antikas Karios and Dagorian as they attempt to stop a demon-lord from plunging the world into darkness. I can't recommend this book enough.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant piece of heroic fantasy, June 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Winter Warriors (Paperback)

Gemmell has a gift - he writes stunningly good fantasy which is gritty and realistic. There is no airy-farie whiff about his work, and no long, over-complicated backstory either (such as in the Wheel of Time). Gemmell keeps the story going at a blinding pace.

The ancient Drenai empire, once besiged from all sides, has been saved by the armies of its warrior king, and now he has marched onward to glory. However, his newly-taken empire is full of strife and tretchery ... and dark sorcery.

A Demon King is attempting to return his people to the world, and destroy humanity. To do so, he only has to kill the unborn child of the warrior-king. That child's only defence is three old men, discarded by their lord: Nogusta the Swordsmen, Kebra the Bowman, and the slow but sure Bison. In their hands rests the fate of the world.

This is a tale of sheer brilliance. Each of the characters is clearly defined and explored throughout the book, and we care about all of them, even the Demon Lord. It's a great story, and Gemmell is a great writer. Well worth and look for any fantasy reader.