Horror Book Reviews
More Details...Price: $6.99 |
Title: Winter Warriors (Drenai Tales | Book 8) |
|
Review of Winter Warriors (Drenai Tales, Book 8)
- Winged demons gather, silent and unseen, above the city of Usa, their talons long and sharp. Their purpose is clear, as is the prophesy: Upon the deaths of the three kings, the demon riders of the Krayakin will become flesh, free to slake their thirst with human blood - and the stench of evil will cover the land.
Two of the kings are already dead. For the prophesy to be fulfilled, spreading carnage across the world, the Demon Lord must sacrifice the third king: Queen Axiana's unborn child.
When Emperor Skanda disbands his army, the pregnant queen takes flight, pursued by the Lords of the Undead. All hope lies with three ancient heroes, though discarded by the emperor, they are still Drenai soldiers: Bison the giant, Kebra the bowman, and the great swordsman Nogusta - the Demon Lord's greatest foe. But will these warriors - once the best in the land - be enough to stem the tide of gruesome horror that threatens to envelop the world?
Product Description
- David Gemmell has a talent for fantasy tales of heroism and villainy that feature characters who, while sympathetically flawed, are almost superhumanly good at what they do. Often these people are warriors: finely drawn, emotionally complex, and struggling with their individual human challenges against the backdrop of epic events.
The heroic figures here are three Drenai soldiers, Nogusta, Bison, and Kebra, whose services have been rejected by their king because they are no longer young. However, while these old friends might be a tad past their best, they are still very good indeed, and when they are called upon to protect the infant heir to the throne, the little prince could not be in better hands. In the midst of flight and eventual, desperate battle against the forces of the demon lord Anharat, they fight not only a human army and a band of demon riders bent on the heir's death but their own doubts about their ability and worth. Gemmell is particularly deft at describing fine gradations of the friendship between the three men, including the subtleties of liking, of loving, and of the different strengths that come with age. Winter Warriors is both a fast-paced fantasy adventure and a powerful story of living and dying well. --Luc Duplessis
Amazon.com
[ Back to Homepage | Back to Horror Movie Reviews Index ]
HellHorror.com not responsible for reviews/comments and they may be removed at any time.
Submit Comment
Login / Join/Register for a free account
Comments for Winter Warriors (Drenai Tales | Book 8)
- Posted on 2007-08-26
Super Reader
A book that does not contain any of Gemmell's major heroes, but instead focuses on three aging men, warriors all. Nogusta the Swordsman, Kebra the Bowman, and bison. This hearkens back quite a lot of Quest for Lost Heroes, but the underlying theme is a bit different.
The warriors set out to rescue the unborn child of a woman, and end up confronting demons and a man they have taken over, in a heroic last stand.
Score: 4
- Posted on 2007-01-26
Flawed heroes, great story - perfect combination.
Winter Warriors by David Gemmell is a continuation of the Drenai saga. In fact this is book number eight in the series. Like most Gemmell books you do not need to read all the books before reading this book. There are some references that have read the prior books will make more sense, but it is by no means mandatory to read all the others first. I think that is one of the beauties of Gemmell's writing. He ties things in, but not overly much.
Fans of previous Gemmell books will see a little bit of a difference between this book and the other Drenai books. He writes about more magic use and more monsters and creatures in this book. Yes, there is the human element in this book, but there is also the added element of spirit travel, demons, summoned creatures etc. It is something that Gemmell rarely utilizes much in his writing, but he pulls it off quite well here.
The overall story line of this book is at times classic Gemmell - fighting for what someone believes is the right thing no matter what others think, but also something different from his normal fare - the demon riders want to bring their brethren back to the world in the flesh. As with the majority of Gemmell's books the plot is rather straight forward with not many subplots. Yet, for this book in particular it works very well.. with the pace of the book and the limited number of pages he is allowed, there is simply not much room for subplots to be really developed so basically he just doesn't include them in this novel. I don't believe the novel suffers from lack of subplots, in fact I think it is made stronger because the reader is not forced to read about irrelevant things that merely fill up space.
Again, as with most Gemmell books the real strength of the book lies with the fantastic characters that he creates. These are characters that all have flaws; they are by no means ultra-powerful nor perfect in any sense of the imagination. They are who they are. The main characters in this book are not your traditional characters, young, spry and energetic. In fact they are quite the opposite, they are old men who are in the twilight of their lives. Having the heroes in the end of their careers adds an element that very few fantasy books have ever explored. Gemmell pulls this piece of information off wonderfully and it adds a very nice addition to the story. Of all the characters in the book Kebra was my favorite with Bison being a close second. They were all interesting in their own way and never did I not want to read about one of them.
Overall, I enjoyed this book very much. It's refreshing to read fantasy books that don't try to be something they are not. Gemmell writes engaging stories that are easy to relate to. This book was no different. I would strongly recommend the Drenai books to any fantasy fan, be it the fantasy fan who has read hundreds of books or the person that is just starting to read fantasy books, everyone will find something they enjoy within Gemmell's pages.
Score: 4 - Posted on 2006-05-05
Good he never disapoints
While George RR Martin is my favorite fantasy author David G. is a close second.
I don't care that all the stories are the same with flawed yet noble characters fighting the good fight against impossible odds the books are very well written.
This book is interesting because while events from previous books are vaguely mentioned no one is standing around going "my father was a solider under Druss the Legend" every five pages.
Some people I know can't stand "Legend" the first book and if that's you here might be a good place to start.
Score: 4 - Posted on 2006-03-13
Good But the Storyline Has Been Overused by Gemmell...
David Gemmell, I think, has played out this scenario a few too many times. I loved it in Legend and The King Beyond the Gate and enjoyed it in Quest for Lost Heroes, but I think this one felt too similar to the others when it came to the character development. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed reading about the new characters and their history, but it seems like they have been reproduced too many times now. The story was good and the writing was the same type of Gemmell writing that I have come to love, but it lacked something new that all of his others included.
Nogusta is an aging Blademaster who just wants to go back to his Drenai home and start up his family again. Bison is prone to drinking and making a mess of things, but his heart is always in the right place. Kebra's eyesight is failing, but he is still one of the best in all the land. They are finally released from their military duties, but their path leads them away from home when they have to protect a newborn babe and his mother.
Even with the same classic Gemmell characters, this book still has enough magic and action to make it fun, but it is not one of Gemmell's best. I look forward to the next in the series, White Wolf. Enjoy this one!
Score: 4 - Posted on 2005-11-08
The Drenai Saga Continues
Winter Warriors is listed as a part of the Drenai Saga, and although it does take place in those lands, specifically Ventria, to me it feels very much as if could be a standalone novel that is only peripherally connected to the earlier books. The plot of Winter Warriors is set well after any of the previous books, with only a passing mention of Druss the Legend to tie it to earlier books in the series. So, even if you haven't read the other books in the Drenai Saga, don't let that stop you from diving into this excellent novel.
As is usual for David Gemmell's novels, there are two characteristics that make this book stand out: nonstop action and excellent, well-crafted characters. Gemmell is one of the best when it comes to writing tightly-plotted, action-driven fantasy and this tale qualifies as one of his best. He keeps the story moving at a quick pace, sending his heroes from one seemingly impossible situation right into the next.
At its core, this book is the tale of three aging heroes, whose time has seemingly passed. However, as fate would have it, they find themselves in the position of saving a kingdom, and possibly the world, from a demonic threat. It's these three heroes, Nogusta: the master swordsman with a tragic past, Kebra: the archer with unsurpassed skill, and Bison: the giant-sized fighter with a heart of gold, that gives this tale its soul. While these characters may seem similar to others in the series, Gemmell is always able to make them real and unique in their own way. He has the rare ability to make you as a reader really care about what happens to each and every one of them. Don't become too attached, however, as Gemmell is also known for being willing to kill off any character at any time.
One thing that distinguishes this book from others in the series is the fact that the main antagonist is of supernatural origin, the Windborn, or demons from another realm. In the prior Drenai Saga tales, magic has played a secondary role. Here it takes a much more prominent role. Gemmell handles this very well, although it gives the book a slightly different flavor, especially when compared to a book like Legend.
Overall, this is another top notch read from one of the masters of fantasy adventure. If you've read the other books in the Drenai Saga, don't pass this one up. If you're looking for a place to sample Gemmell's writing, this is a good place to jump in. If you're a fan of fantasy, David Gemmell is a can't miss.
Score: 4