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Drenai Saga (Chronological Order) #11
Quest for Lost Heroes
The Drenai stronghold had fallen. Now blood-hungry Nadir hordes spread desolation and despair across all the lands...
...even tiny Gothir, where slavers seized a young girl while the villagers looked the other way--all but the peasant boy Kiall. His unlikely rescue attempt would lead across the savage steppes and on through the Halls of Hell. The youth would face ferocious beasts, deadly warriors, and demons of the dark; he would emerge a man--or not emerge at all.
But Kiall would not face these dangers alone. Heroes out of legend joined his Chareos the Blademaster, Beltzer the Axeman, and the bowmen Finn and Maggrig. And one among their company hid a secret that could free the world of Nadir domination. That one was the Nadir Bane, the hope of the Drenai. That one was the Earl of Bronze.
Thus did a search for a stolen slave girl become a quest that would shake the very world.
...even tiny Gothir, where slavers seized a young girl while the villagers looked the other way--all but the peasant boy Kiall. His unlikely rescue attempt would lead across the savage steppes and on through the Halls of Hell. The youth would face ferocious beasts, deadly warriors, and demons of the dark; he would emerge a man--or not emerge at all.
But Kiall would not face these dangers alone. Heroes out of legend joined his Chareos the Blademaster, Beltzer the Axeman, and the bowmen Finn and Maggrig. And one among their company hid a secret that could free the world of Nadir domination. That one was the Nadir Bane, the hope of the Drenai. That one was the Earl of Bronze.
Thus did a search for a stolen slave girl become a quest that would shake the very world.
291 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
217 people are currently reading
3496 people want to read
About the author
David Gemmell
199 books3,820 followersDavid Andrew Gemmell was a bestselling British author of heroic fantasy. A former journalist and newspaper editor, Gemmell had his first work of fiction published in 1984. He went on to write over thirty novels. Best known for his debut, Legend, Gemmell's works display violence, yet also explores themes in honour, loyalty and redemption. With over one million copies sold, his work continues to sell worldwide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 244 reviews
December 10, 2018
“The few against the many. It was a time of heroes.”
This is the fourth Drenai novel, however, when it comes to the internal chronology of the saga, it is the eighth volume. This novel is proof that a book, despite its secondariness and being to a large extent a derivative, can be a very good read.
The story takes place about twenty years after the events described in “The King Beyond the Gate.” After the fall of Dros Delnoch (presently Tanaka Castle) the Nadir flooded the Drenai lands, destroying, killing, raping and kidnapping. They attacked a small village and kidnapped women to sell them as slaves. Young Kiall, in love with one of the kidnapped, demands justice from the local princeling, and when he does not get it, decides to follow the bandits. He is accompanied by four legendary defenders of Bel-azar: Chareos the Blademaster, Beltzer the primitive warrior and two superb archers, Finn and Maggrig with absolute lack of social skills. The quest turns out to be longer and much more complicated, and its purpose is not as trivial as it might seem at first.
“The hunt for pig-breeder’s daughter? Yes, I can almost hear your laughter.”
We will not find anything new here. The brilliant Blademaster Chareos, typically for Gemmell, is a veteran of a legendary defence and has a tragic past. There is also a coming-to-age arc and other minor tropes for each of the questors (Let me pause here. Mr Gemmell uses this word throughout it book and I know he means well, but all I could see in the eye of my imagination were some random finance clerks!) with the motif of friendship permeating everything. We have a classic theme of the road very well known to all fantasy lovers and a quest that takes the protagonists to the heart of a hostile and dangerous land.
What I liked about the book is that it is not as straightforward as the blurb would suggest. Quest for Lost Heroes is a novel in which all characters, even the secondary ones, have a role to fulfil. We follow the fate of both pawns, and hetmans, and the kings or queens. Mr Gemmell achieved here what he failed to do in the “The King Beyond the Gate”, he made me care about the characters; I kept my fingers crossed for them and I did believe deeply in their case. Also, the world is richer than in the previous instalments: In addition to the Drenai and the Nadir we will find Kiatze (Chinese/Japanese), Gothir (your average Westerners), and the Tattooed People from Beyond (a motif also present in Mr Gemmell’s other works). Different cultures, different understanding of honour, duty, and friendship; such diversity enriches the novel, and the characters are outlined very convincingly and realistically.
“And now you are on a quest you do not understand, that will determine the fate of people you do not know.”
On the cons side, the book is a repeated “save the girl” scheme (Druss-Rowenna, now Kiall-Ravenna) combined with “get the ring to Mordor” setting; there is a considerable dollop of YA since Kiall behaves like every immature teenager; and finally, be warned: purple eyes abound!
Still, there is a huge chance you are going to enjoy the book even if you have not read anything else in the cycle, and indeed the knowledge of previous instalments is not necessary. “Quest for Lost Heroes” is a novel representing good old high fantasy which is suitable for both fans of the Drenai Saga as well as for “ordinary” fans of the genre. It gives food for thought, entertains, teaches and does not let you get bored.
Regardless of whether you know the previous volumes of the cycle (or other Gemmell’s books) or would it be your first contact with this author, I’d encourage you to give it a chance.
---
Also in The Drenai Saga:
1. Legend ★★★★★
2. The King Beyond the Gate ★★☆☆☆
3. Waylander ★★★☆☆
5. In the Realm of the Wolf ★★★☆☆
6. The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend ★★★★☆
7. The Legend of Deathwalker ★★★★☆
8. Winter Warriors ★★★☆☆
9. Hero in the Shadows ★★★★★
10. White Wolf RTC
11. The Swords of Night and Day RTC
This is the fourth Drenai novel, however, when it comes to the internal chronology of the saga, it is the eighth volume. This novel is proof that a book, despite its secondariness and being to a large extent a derivative, can be a very good read.
The story takes place about twenty years after the events described in “The King Beyond the Gate.” After the fall of Dros Delnoch (presently Tanaka Castle) the Nadir flooded the Drenai lands, destroying, killing, raping and kidnapping. They attacked a small village and kidnapped women to sell them as slaves. Young Kiall, in love with one of the kidnapped, demands justice from the local princeling, and when he does not get it, decides to follow the bandits. He is accompanied by four legendary defenders of Bel-azar: Chareos the Blademaster, Beltzer the primitive warrior and two superb archers, Finn and Maggrig with absolute lack of social skills. The quest turns out to be longer and much more complicated, and its purpose is not as trivial as it might seem at first.
“The hunt for pig-breeder’s daughter? Yes, I can almost hear your laughter.”
We will not find anything new here. The brilliant Blademaster Chareos, typically for Gemmell, is a veteran of a legendary defence and has a tragic past. There is also a coming-to-age arc and other minor tropes for each of the questors (Let me pause here. Mr Gemmell uses this word throughout it book and I know he means well, but all I could see in the eye of my imagination were some random finance clerks!) with the motif of friendship permeating everything. We have a classic theme of the road very well known to all fantasy lovers and a quest that takes the protagonists to the heart of a hostile and dangerous land.
What I liked about the book is that it is not as straightforward as the blurb would suggest. Quest for Lost Heroes is a novel in which all characters, even the secondary ones, have a role to fulfil. We follow the fate of both pawns, and hetmans, and the kings or queens. Mr Gemmell achieved here what he failed to do in the “The King Beyond the Gate”, he made me care about the characters; I kept my fingers crossed for them and I did believe deeply in their case. Also, the world is richer than in the previous instalments: In addition to the Drenai and the Nadir we will find Kiatze (Chinese/Japanese), Gothir (your average Westerners), and the Tattooed People from Beyond (a motif also present in Mr Gemmell’s other works). Different cultures, different understanding of honour, duty, and friendship; such diversity enriches the novel, and the characters are outlined very convincingly and realistically.
“And now you are on a quest you do not understand, that will determine the fate of people you do not know.”
On the cons side, the book is a repeated “save the girl” scheme (Druss-Rowenna, now Kiall-Ravenna) combined with “get the ring to Mordor” setting; there is a considerable dollop of YA since Kiall behaves like every immature teenager; and finally, be warned: purple eyes abound!
Still, there is a huge chance you are going to enjoy the book even if you have not read anything else in the cycle, and indeed the knowledge of previous instalments is not necessary. “Quest for Lost Heroes” is a novel representing good old high fantasy which is suitable for both fans of the Drenai Saga as well as for “ordinary” fans of the genre. It gives food for thought, entertains, teaches and does not let you get bored.
Regardless of whether you know the previous volumes of the cycle (or other Gemmell’s books) or would it be your first contact with this author, I’d encourage you to give it a chance.
---
Also in The Drenai Saga:
1. Legend ★★★★★
2. The King Beyond the Gate ★★☆☆☆
3. Waylander ★★★☆☆
5. In the Realm of the Wolf ★★★☆☆
6. The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend ★★★★☆
7. The Legend of Deathwalker ★★★★☆
8. Winter Warriors ★★★☆☆
9. Hero in the Shadows ★★★★★
10. White Wolf RTC
11. The Swords of Night and Day RTC
May 6, 2021
This fantastic heroic fantasy is the 4th volume of the wonderful "Drenai Saga" series, from the sublime author, the late David Gemmell.
Story-telling is of a top-notch quality, story is superbly structured and executed, and all characters come vividly to life within this heroic fantasy of enormous power.
Once again the characters can be related to Mongols, Chinese, Vikings, Celts, Romans, and several others, and they are beautifully intertwined with one and other in this great story of quest, glory and war.
The story is mainly about a young farmer/dreamer, Kiall, who goes in search of a kidnapped girl from his village called, Ravenna, and is most determined to find her wherever she may be.
On his quest he will meet and get the assistance of Chareos, Beltzer, Finn and Maggrig, the ghosts-yet-to-be, and later on also a man named, Harokas, who originally is an assassin come to kill Chareos on the orders of the treacherous Earl.
In their travels and battles they will rescue and meet Princess Tanaki, daughter of Tenaka Khan, also The King Beyond the Gate and the Prince of Shadows, from a sinister General Tsubodai, and together they will travel to the Palace to release Ravenna from the clutches of Jungir Khan, and they will bring her to the fortress of Bel-Azar, a place with memories for Chareos, Beltzer, Finn and Maggrig in association with Tenaka Khan, to give birth to boy-twins, in which also very important roles will be played by both shaman Okas and Asta-Khan.
What is to follow is a fascinating tale of loyalty, betrayal, love, hate, and magical determination and power, a tale that will turn into events that will shape the future for Ravenna's twins, for after seven years due to certain circumstances one is in the North with the shaman Asta-Khan, and the other with Ravenna and Chareos in the South, and these twins will now see and treat each other as enemies.
Highly recommended, for this is another excellent tale of heroic fantasy, and one that I would like to call as: "A Most Amazing Heroic Quest"!
Story-telling is of a top-notch quality, story is superbly structured and executed, and all characters come vividly to life within this heroic fantasy of enormous power.
Once again the characters can be related to Mongols, Chinese, Vikings, Celts, Romans, and several others, and they are beautifully intertwined with one and other in this great story of quest, glory and war.
The story is mainly about a young farmer/dreamer, Kiall, who goes in search of a kidnapped girl from his village called, Ravenna, and is most determined to find her wherever she may be.
On his quest he will meet and get the assistance of Chareos, Beltzer, Finn and Maggrig, the ghosts-yet-to-be, and later on also a man named, Harokas, who originally is an assassin come to kill Chareos on the orders of the treacherous Earl.
In their travels and battles they will rescue and meet Princess Tanaki, daughter of Tenaka Khan, also The King Beyond the Gate and the Prince of Shadows, from a sinister General Tsubodai, and together they will travel to the Palace to release Ravenna from the clutches of Jungir Khan, and they will bring her to the fortress of Bel-Azar, a place with memories for Chareos, Beltzer, Finn and Maggrig in association with Tenaka Khan, to give birth to boy-twins, in which also very important roles will be played by both shaman Okas and Asta-Khan.
What is to follow is a fascinating tale of loyalty, betrayal, love, hate, and magical determination and power, a tale that will turn into events that will shape the future for Ravenna's twins, for after seven years due to certain circumstances one is in the North with the shaman Asta-Khan, and the other with Ravenna and Chareos in the South, and these twins will now see and treat each other as enemies.
Highly recommended, for this is another excellent tale of heroic fantasy, and one that I would like to call as: "A Most Amazing Heroic Quest"!
February 22, 2022
Uniti nel combattere noi stessi
"Che vinciamo o che perdiamo, non otterremo nulla che il mondo possa capire". "Ma il mondo non ha importanza". "Infatti non ne ha. È piacevole saperlo."
"Allora hai deciso di morire, signore?"
"Ritengo che neppure io possa avere la speranza di affrontare l'intera nazione Nadir e sopravvivere."
"Mi hanno riversato nelle mani vino e cene, denaro e regali...ero sulla cima della montagna, ma lassù non c'era nulla. Nulla. Soltanto nuvole.
Ho scoperto che non potevo vivere sulla montagna, ma quando essa ti getta giù... oh, come desideri tornare in vetta! Ucciderei per poterla scalare ancora...venderei la mia anima...ed è così stupido."
Gli eroi di Gemmell, tutt'altro che invincibili, sono soprattutto uomini che devono combattere con i propri fantasmi: ognuno di loro ha un passato con la quale fare i conti, oppure colpe da cui sono fuggiti per tutta la vita, mentendo a se stessi nella speranza di ritrovare un equilibrio interiore.
Catturata l'essenza dell'eroe, spesso eccessivamente mitizzato oltre i meriti e la realtà stessa, quello che rimane sono luci ed ombre nell'animo di chi, perso tutto, cerca semplicemente la forza di potersi guardare allo specchio per un altro giorno ancora, prima della fine.
"Che vinciamo o che perdiamo, non otterremo nulla che il mondo possa capire". "Ma il mondo non ha importanza". "Infatti non ne ha. È piacevole saperlo."
"Allora hai deciso di morire, signore?"
"Ritengo che neppure io possa avere la speranza di affrontare l'intera nazione Nadir e sopravvivere."
"Mi hanno riversato nelle mani vino e cene, denaro e regali...ero sulla cima della montagna, ma lassù non c'era nulla. Nulla. Soltanto nuvole.
Ho scoperto che non potevo vivere sulla montagna, ma quando essa ti getta giù... oh, come desideri tornare in vetta! Ucciderei per poterla scalare ancora...venderei la mia anima...ed è così stupido."
Gli eroi di Gemmell, tutt'altro che invincibili, sono soprattutto uomini che devono combattere con i propri fantasmi: ognuno di loro ha un passato con la quale fare i conti, oppure colpe da cui sono fuggiti per tutta la vita, mentendo a se stessi nella speranza di ritrovare un equilibrio interiore.
Catturata l'essenza dell'eroe, spesso eccessivamente mitizzato oltre i meriti e la realtà stessa, quello che rimane sono luci ed ombre nell'animo di chi, perso tutto, cerca semplicemente la forza di potersi guardare allo specchio per un altro giorno ancora, prima della fine.
February 15, 2023
I still maintain that Gemmell wrote the best heroic fantasy books. Pretty much all of his works can be read as standalones.
There were a number of characters in this that had questionable pasts/motives, but there was also my favourite character from this book "Kiall" to balance things up.
A good read.
There were a number of characters in this that had questionable pasts/motives, but there was also my favourite character from this book "Kiall" to balance things up.
A good read.
March 17, 2024
Quando ho voglia di leggere un buon fantasy avendo la certezza di rimanere soddisfatto prendo un romanzo del ciclo dei Drenai e mi incammino tra le sue storie di eroi occasionali.
Non si può chiedere altro, avventura, missioni eroiche compiute da protagonisti per lo più drammatici e problematici, un tocco di magia demoniaca, spirituale e rituale, e vicende umane.
Trame mai troppo complesse ma lineari, raccontate con lo stile inconfondibile di Gemmell: dirette, realistiche e drammatiche.
Adoro come descrive gli scontri, di poche parole, che vibrano dirette alla gola e troncano una vita, niente ampollose e infinite descrizioni di mosse e contromosse che allungano e annoiano. Qui si fa sul serio non è il circo.
Non si può chiedere altro, avventura, missioni eroiche compiute da protagonisti per lo più drammatici e problematici, un tocco di magia demoniaca, spirituale e rituale, e vicende umane.
Trame mai troppo complesse ma lineari, raccontate con lo stile inconfondibile di Gemmell: dirette, realistiche e drammatiche.
Adoro come descrive gli scontri, di poche parole, che vibrano dirette alla gola e troncano una vita, niente ampollose e infinite descrizioni di mosse e contromosse che allungano e annoiano. Qui si fa sul serio non è il circo.
January 13, 2025
Some people gain immortality through the legacy they leave. Everyone should read David Gemmell they are fast paced with a lot of action and heart and he achieved in just over 300 pages what a lot of writers cant do in 600 pages or so. Some fantasy authors seem to think a book has to be long, Gemmell its short and sweet and brutal like a sword through your gut and he always leaves you wanted more.
August 27, 2024
4.5 stars for another solid early Gemmell read and a worthy sequel to Legend (I can now safely view the lackluster actual sequel in King Beyond the Gate as an early-career stumble and happily move past it knowing the publisher was forcing him to write something so similar).
Quest for Lost Heroes carves its own identity separate from Legend and feels like a very different kind of story. It delivered a rousing emotional tale of a bunch of aging warriors getting the band back together to go on a quest to save a captured villager (pretty much the premise of Kings of the Wyld). There were some moments of levity to break up the drama, but like Legend, this one was a gritty tale full of against-the-odds heroism that carried a good deal of emotional weight with its ensemble of older-middle-aged protagonists. The idealistic youth who gathers them for the quest provided a nice emotional counterbalance to some of their more prickly cynicism, and a complex and reflective swordmaster forms a solid core for the narrative to turn around.
This book is a more balanced one with a stronger start I think than Legend and without the same kind of extended battle scenes the previous two books had. It's more of a character drama punctuated by tense short action scenes every now and then with an over-arching plot that feels tight and interesting with a pace that keeps things moving extremely briskly. I cared about what was happening and even felt myself getting a bit emotional by the end which caught me by surprise.
It still had its rough-around-the-edges moments for me where the writing lost my full engagement or suspension of disbelief for a brief minute, and I'll be curious to see if Gemmell's writing continues to evolve and click even more for me as I get to his more recent 90s and 2000s books. I'm glad I continued with Drenai with this one and look forward to more!
Quest for Lost Heroes carves its own identity separate from Legend and feels like a very different kind of story. It delivered a rousing emotional tale of a bunch of aging warriors getting the band back together to go on a quest to save a captured villager (pretty much the premise of Kings of the Wyld). There were some moments of levity to break up the drama, but like Legend, this one was a gritty tale full of against-the-odds heroism that carried a good deal of emotional weight with its ensemble of older-middle-aged protagonists. The idealistic youth who gathers them for the quest provided a nice emotional counterbalance to some of their more prickly cynicism, and a complex and reflective swordmaster forms a solid core for the narrative to turn around.
This book is a more balanced one with a stronger start I think than Legend and without the same kind of extended battle scenes the previous two books had. It's more of a character drama punctuated by tense short action scenes every now and then with an over-arching plot that feels tight and interesting with a pace that keeps things moving extremely briskly. I cared about what was happening and even felt myself getting a bit emotional by the end which caught me by surprise.
It still had its rough-around-the-edges moments for me where the writing lost my full engagement or suspension of disbelief for a brief minute, and I'll be curious to see if Gemmell's writing continues to evolve and click even more for me as I get to his more recent 90s and 2000s books. I'm glad I continued with Drenai with this one and look forward to more!
March 21, 2021
Leído y comentado en 2013:
Libro IV de la Saga drenai.
Cambia de protagonista, en realidad es como si fuese el libro 1 de Dress, un héroe con hacha incorporada en vez de espada. Hasta el libro 3 el protagonista era Waylander, héroe de los de espada incorporada.
¿Qué deciros de esta cuarta entrega?. Pues que mantiene el interés y que lo sigue manteniendo en la quinta (para cuando escribo esto ya me he leído el quinto libro.
No es nada muy original pero sí está muy bien narrado dentro del estilo este de la fantasía épica. Venga, os voy a poner los títulos de la saga para que veáis las otras críticas o para que os los apuntéis para leer si os va este tipo de lecturas :
TITULO
Drenai 1 - Waylander
Drenai 2 - En los dominios del lobo
Drenai 3 - Heroe en la sombra
Drenai 4 - Las primeras cronicas
Drenai 5 - Mensajero de la muerte
Drenai 6 - Leyenda
Drenai 7 - El rey oculto
Saludos
Libro IV de la Saga drenai.
Cambia de protagonista, en realidad es como si fuese el libro 1 de Dress, un héroe con hacha incorporada en vez de espada. Hasta el libro 3 el protagonista era Waylander, héroe de los de espada incorporada.
¿Qué deciros de esta cuarta entrega?. Pues que mantiene el interés y que lo sigue manteniendo en la quinta (para cuando escribo esto ya me he leído el quinto libro.
No es nada muy original pero sí está muy bien narrado dentro del estilo este de la fantasía épica. Venga, os voy a poner los títulos de la saga para que veáis las otras críticas o para que os los apuntéis para leer si os va este tipo de lecturas :
TITULO
Drenai 1 - Waylander
Drenai 2 - En los dominios del lobo
Drenai 3 - Heroe en la sombra
Drenai 4 - Las primeras cronicas
Drenai 5 - Mensajero de la muerte
Drenai 6 - Leyenda
Drenai 7 - El rey oculto
Saludos
June 4, 2024
Oh how I love an old school fantasy quest. I wish I'd discovered Gemmell 30 years ago.
October 30, 2017
Final rating: 4.5/5 stars
Oh boy. Where do I even start. I know! Let's start with love.
Uncoditional love...
Brotherly love...
Cofigthers love...
Friendship love...
Sibling love (and hate)...
unrequited love...
All of these are factors that gather one particular group to search for missing captive women, or in this case, only one, Ravena.
Kiall, from their village, cannot stand by and do nothing while their women are taken away, so he goes on quest and meets Chareos the Blademaster, Beltzer the Axeman, and the bowmen Finn and Maggrig (who are so far my favorites, along with Chareos). And in their journey they will face Jungir, son of Tenaka-khan and his daughter Tanaki, who is courageous, noble and brave... as much as she can be.
All of the characters in the main party were interesting. I loved their dynamics, their relationships and conversations. For example the fact that Finn and Maggrig live alone on the mountain because Finn dislikes people, and yet the only person he does love is Maggrig, who is younger than him and is his only support when they were split. Chareos doesn't know what to do with his life so he accepts the quest from 19y.o. Kiall, who is a dreamer and your actual nice guy no one deserves. And Beltzer who ruined his own life, yet would rise when the occasion came. Once he likes you, he will be there for you, always.
These books are filled with brutallity, slave trading, demons, genocid of an entire race, another world, marriages, politics, foreign diplomacies, revenge and ghosts of the past that cannot be silenced.
I will be honest, I cried in some parts. But NOTHING will ever beat the first book in the series, the Legend. And yet all of these books are greatly connected and this is happening only 20 years later after the second book, The King beyond the gate, ended.
This series is so worth it. Honestly.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFO:
⚠ Standalone: Yes, but connected to previous books in Drenai Saga.
⚠ Point of View: Third POV, multiply characters.
⚠ Cliffhanger: No
⚠ Triggers:
⚠ Love triangle: No
⚠ Angst: yes
⚠ Supernatural: demons, ghosts, magic, etc
⚠ Explicit content: Not graphical, but you know it's happening
⚠ Ending type:
⚠ Recommended: Yes
◈ Legend (Drenai Saga, #1)
◈ Waylander (Drenai Saga, #3)
◈ Quest for Lost Heroes (The Drenai Saga, #4)
Oh boy. Where do I even start. I know! Let's start with love.
Uncoditional love...
Brotherly love...
Cofigthers love...
Friendship love...
Sibling love (and hate)...
unrequited love...
All of these are factors that gather one particular group to search for missing captive women, or in this case, only one, Ravena.
► STORY:
Kiall, from their village, cannot stand by and do nothing while their women are taken away, so he goes on quest and meets Chareos the Blademaster, Beltzer the Axeman, and the bowmen Finn and Maggrig (who are so far my favorites, along with Chareos). And in their journey they will face Jungir, son of Tenaka-khan and his daughter Tanaki, who is courageous, noble and brave... as much as she can be.
► CHARACTERS:
All of the characters in the main party were interesting. I loved their dynamics, their relationships and conversations. For example the fact that Finn and Maggrig live alone on the mountain because Finn dislikes people, and yet the only person he does love is Maggrig, who is younger than him and is his only support when they were split. Chareos doesn't know what to do with his life so he accepts the quest from 19y.o. Kiall, who is a dreamer and your actual nice guy no one deserves. And Beltzer who ruined his own life, yet would rise when the occasion came. Once he likes you, he will be there for you, always.
► OVERALL:
These books are filled with brutallity, slave trading, demons, genocid of an entire race, another world, marriages, politics, foreign diplomacies, revenge and ghosts of the past that cannot be silenced.
I will be honest, I cried in some parts. But NOTHING will ever beat the first book in the series, the Legend. And yet all of these books are greatly connected and this is happening only 20 years later after the second book, The King beyond the gate, ended.
This series is so worth it. Honestly.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFO:
⚠ Standalone: Yes, but connected to previous books in Drenai Saga.
⚠ Point of View: Third POV, multiply characters.
⚠ Cliffhanger: No
⚠ Triggers:
⚠ Love triangle: No
⚠ Angst: yes
⚠ Supernatural: demons, ghosts, magic, etc
⚠ Explicit content: Not graphical, but you know it's happening
⚠ Ending type:
⚠ Recommended: Yes
► REVIEW(S) RELATED TO THIS BOOK:
◈ Legend (Drenai Saga, #1)
◈ Waylander (Drenai Saga, #3)
◈ Quest for Lost Heroes (The Drenai Saga, #4)
August 5, 2017
Gemel je uvek za 5 zvezdica! Odlicna knjiga koja govori o grupi zaboravljenih junaka koji pomazu jednom mladicu da vrati devojku koju su razbojnici oteli iz njihovog sela. Tu je puno akcije magije i borilackih vestina sa dalekog istoka :) puno psiholoskih momenata u ovoj prici ima. Prica vas veze za likove koje pratite a opisi su kao da ste sa njima u poslanju zajedno i vi
February 19, 2015
Quest for Lost Heroes is only the second fantasy novel by David Gemmell that I have read. I should probably read more. I remember the first one, Legend, as being realistic and gritty. Prior to my reading of Game of Thrones, I thought it captured the filth and stench of medieval life better than anything I had read. I liked the fact that Gemmell captured heroism without glorifying battle and that he didn’t oversimplify the quests of his protagonist(s) with nationalistic/racist slogans. His characters did what did not from any particular inner virtue but because they sensed a need to do it. That tradition continues in Quest for Lost Heroes. In fact, some of the cast of characters overlap (for a good reason) and they still don’t have any unifying message as to how they did what they did or how they became heroes.
Although the veteran characters from previous books are the ones who find closure in Quest for Lost Heroes, there is a new character who desires to be a hero. Indeed, this young protagonist is determined to not only bring about epic justice with his own hand, but shed the mantle of “dreamer” that he has worn for so long. He discovers that it is more difficult to move from dreams to reality, ideal to substance, insignificance to some sort of significance than he thought possible. He makes mistakes. He costs lives as a result of his mistakes, but he establishes a benchmark for heroism despite lack of consummate skill (in anything). That is the tale that makes Quest for Lost Heroes worth reading. As Kiall learns what really matters, one hopes the reader also learns some of the virtues that truly matter in life.
Yet, Gemmell’s writings always seem to have a sadness which pervades them. Protagonists seem always to be filled with regrets, missed opportunities, and unrequited hopes. Sometimes, they don’t even know why they have taken on the quests they’ve “chosen” (or perhaps, the quests have chosen them). The main quest in Quest for Lost Heroes revolves around the rescue of a beautiful farmer’s daughter who doesn’t seem either worth rescuing or even a true object of affection for the young hero. Is it guilt or love or some combination that drives this rescue? Is it fate or is it a passion for justice? These are complex motivations intertwined in a significant way by Gemmell.
In fact, I liked the way he touched on this in a conversation between two of the aging heroes of the title:
“’Evil will never be countered while good men do nothing.’
‘Then we are nothing but a pair of fools,’ declared Chareos. …
‘Win or lose, we achieve nothing that the world would understand,’ said Finn.
‘But then, the world does not matter,’ answered Chareos, rising.
‘Indeed, it does not,’ Finn replied, ‘It is good to understand that.’” (p. 213)
These are grizzled, world-weary “heroes” and they don’t offer jejune platitudes.
There was even a cautionary proverb that I particularly liked: “…the path to evil often begins with righteous anger.” (p. 221)
In short, I truly enjoyed Quest for Lost Heroes with its maturing of young Kiall and the veterans discovering something of what it means to be “the ghosts yet to be.”
Although the veteran characters from previous books are the ones who find closure in Quest for Lost Heroes, there is a new character who desires to be a hero. Indeed, this young protagonist is determined to not only bring about epic justice with his own hand, but shed the mantle of “dreamer” that he has worn for so long. He discovers that it is more difficult to move from dreams to reality, ideal to substance, insignificance to some sort of significance than he thought possible. He makes mistakes. He costs lives as a result of his mistakes, but he establishes a benchmark for heroism despite lack of consummate skill (in anything). That is the tale that makes Quest for Lost Heroes worth reading. As Kiall learns what really matters, one hopes the reader also learns some of the virtues that truly matter in life.
Yet, Gemmell’s writings always seem to have a sadness which pervades them. Protagonists seem always to be filled with regrets, missed opportunities, and unrequited hopes. Sometimes, they don’t even know why they have taken on the quests they’ve “chosen” (or perhaps, the quests have chosen them). The main quest in Quest for Lost Heroes revolves around the rescue of a beautiful farmer’s daughter who doesn’t seem either worth rescuing or even a true object of affection for the young hero. Is it guilt or love or some combination that drives this rescue? Is it fate or is it a passion for justice? These are complex motivations intertwined in a significant way by Gemmell.
In fact, I liked the way he touched on this in a conversation between two of the aging heroes of the title:
“’Evil will never be countered while good men do nothing.’
‘Then we are nothing but a pair of fools,’ declared Chareos. …
‘Win or lose, we achieve nothing that the world would understand,’ said Finn.
‘But then, the world does not matter,’ answered Chareos, rising.
‘Indeed, it does not,’ Finn replied, ‘It is good to understand that.’” (p. 213)
These are grizzled, world-weary “heroes” and they don’t offer jejune platitudes.
There was even a cautionary proverb that I particularly liked: “…the path to evil often begins with righteous anger.” (p. 221)
In short, I truly enjoyed Quest for Lost Heroes with its maturing of young Kiall and the veterans discovering something of what it means to be “the ghosts yet to be.”
December 7, 2017
Kratko i jasno.
Ja volim ovakve priče.
Klasična avanturica sa kraja 80-tih godina. Grupica starih saboraca koja se ponovo sreće i baš nekim čudom nema pametnija posla, već da krene u istom pravcu.
Majstor-mačevalac, koji je postao sveštenik, koji je potom postao odmetnik, koji je usput ponovo postao junak pronašavši važniji poziv i rešio da pomogne nekom seljančiću u njegovom plemenitom podvigu da (pazite sad...) povrati ljubav svog života, koja tehnički to i nije, ali je on možda zaljubljen u nju... (španska serija u 300 str.)
Pomahnitali div sa sekirom (nije Drus Legenda) koji je od života želeo samo par sitnica. Žene, piće i kavgu i koji ne može da pojmi da na pitanje „Gde ti stoji piće?“ dobije odgovor „Napolje, u bunaru.“
Dvojica lukonoša, neverovatno veštih, malo otuđenih, malo čudnih... do te granice da sam se zapitao da li je Gemel na suptilan način pokušao da ubaci gej likove u priču, a onda ipak nije, pa nam je predstavio vrlo neobičan odnos „učitelj-učenik“ ili „otac-sin“ između njih dvojice. Vrlo diskutabilno...
A da... pored ovih, imamo još i jednog plaćenog ubicu, istetoviranog čudaka iz drugog sveta, prognanu princezu, šamana, stranog kung-fu izaslanika i njegovog brižnog slugu...
Ovako kada nabrajam ne verujem ni sam sebi kakvu sam papazjaniju pročitao i još uživao u njoj. Ali ovo je klasičan Gemel, koji je uspeo da me iznenadi time što ovog puta (nakon tri romana), nema borbu na zidinama neke utvrde, iako sam u jednom trenutku pomislio da će biti (o ne, ne opet). Lepo je od njega što je spomenuo neka stare (drage) likove. Drusa, Tenaku, Ananaisa... Pa nas je na kratko prošetao i do samog Dros Delnoka.
Gemel nas ne vezuje za likove, svi njegovi likovi su prolazni i za jednokratnu upotrebu (osim onog nadrdanog Skitaoca kome je neka vračara prorekla da se pazi žene riđe kose, pa je morao da ga reprizira čak tri puta), mi se sami vežemo za njih iako smo kod Legende videli da čak i glavni likovi „žive“ samo stotinak strana. Njegove knjige znaju da pričaju priče od po 100 godina u razmaku, ali Dros Delnok i dalje stoji, Nadirci i dalje žele da osvoje svet, a skupina nekih nevoljnih junaka upravljana okrutnom rukom sudbine i dalje igra svoju igru na pozornici Drenajske sage.
Sve u svemu... kratka i pitka priča, za lenja nedeljna popodneva, kada ne želite mnogo da razmišljate, već samo da proživite neku avanturicu na brzaka.
Ja volim ovakve priče.
Klasična avanturica sa kraja 80-tih godina. Grupica starih saboraca koja se ponovo sreće i baš nekim čudom nema pametnija posla, već da krene u istom pravcu.
Majstor-mačevalac, koji je postao sveštenik, koji je potom postao odmetnik, koji je usput ponovo postao junak pronašavši važniji poziv i rešio da pomogne nekom seljančiću u njegovom plemenitom podvigu da (pazite sad...) povrati ljubav svog života, koja tehnički to i nije, ali je on možda zaljubljen u nju... (španska serija u 300 str.)
Pomahnitali div sa sekirom (nije Drus Legenda) koji je od života želeo samo par sitnica. Žene, piće i kavgu i koji ne može da pojmi da na pitanje „Gde ti stoji piće?“ dobije odgovor „Napolje, u bunaru.“
Dvojica lukonoša, neverovatno veštih, malo otuđenih, malo čudnih... do te granice da sam se zapitao da li je Gemel na suptilan način pokušao da ubaci gej likove u priču, a onda ipak nije, pa nam je predstavio vrlo neobičan odnos „učitelj-učenik“ ili „otac-sin“ između njih dvojice. Vrlo diskutabilno...
A da... pored ovih, imamo još i jednog plaćenog ubicu, istetoviranog čudaka iz drugog sveta, prognanu princezu, šamana, stranog kung-fu izaslanika i njegovog brižnog slugu...
Ovako kada nabrajam ne verujem ni sam sebi kakvu sam papazjaniju pročitao i još uživao u njoj. Ali ovo je klasičan Gemel, koji je uspeo da me iznenadi time što ovog puta (nakon tri romana), nema borbu na zidinama neke utvrde, iako sam u jednom trenutku pomislio da će biti (o ne, ne opet). Lepo je od njega što je spomenuo neka stare (drage) likove. Drusa, Tenaku, Ananaisa... Pa nas je na kratko prošetao i do samog Dros Delnoka.
Gemel nas ne vezuje za likove, svi njegovi likovi su prolazni i za jednokratnu upotrebu (osim onog nadrdanog Skitaoca kome je neka vračara prorekla da se pazi žene riđe kose, pa je morao da ga reprizira čak tri puta), mi se sami vežemo za njih iako smo kod Legende videli da čak i glavni likovi „žive“ samo stotinak strana. Njegove knjige znaju da pričaju priče od po 100 godina u razmaku, ali Dros Delnok i dalje stoji, Nadirci i dalje žele da osvoje svet, a skupina nekih nevoljnih junaka upravljana okrutnom rukom sudbine i dalje igra svoju igru na pozornici Drenajske sage.
Sve u svemu... kratka i pitka priča, za lenja nedeljna popodneva, kada ne želite mnogo da razmišljate, već samo da proživite neku avanturicu na brzaka.
October 25, 2025
A pesar de que teóricamente ya sabemos lo que va a pasar, (por haber leído Leyenda antes) el libro es super dinámico y no da respiro.
Espada y brujería en su máximo esplendor.
Druss es un héroe.
Y todo héroe en sus comienzos necesita un maestro. O varios.
Shadak, el cazador, le enseña paciencia, saber elegir el momento, lo que separa un héroe de un criminal, el código del guerrero.
Sieben, el poeta, le enseña cómo reírse de él mismo (le hacía falta).
Brocha, el luchador, a pelear con disciplina y vencer.
Eskodas, el arquero, el compañerismo.
Después de que unos traficantes de esclavos rapten a Rowena, la esposa de Druss, todo lo que sigue es muerte y destrucción, (ja, ja), hasta que la rescata.
En el camino se convertirá en el Mensajero de la Muerte, la Muerte Plateada, el Maestro del Hacha. Se convertirá en Leyenda.
Por ahora, éste es mi favorito de la saga.
Espada y brujería en su máximo esplendor.
Druss es un héroe.
Y todo héroe en sus comienzos necesita un maestro. O varios.
Shadak, el cazador, le enseña paciencia, saber elegir el momento, lo que separa un héroe de un criminal, el código del guerrero.
Sieben, el poeta, le enseña cómo reírse de él mismo (le hacía falta).
Brocha, el luchador, a pelear con disciplina y vencer.
Eskodas, el arquero, el compañerismo.
Después de que unos traficantes de esclavos rapten a Rowena, la esposa de Druss, todo lo que sigue es muerte y destrucción, (ja, ja), hasta que la rescata.
En el camino se convertirá en el Mensajero de la Muerte, la Muerte Plateada, el Maestro del Hacha. Se convertirá en Leyenda.
Por ahora, éste es mi favorito de la saga.
September 3, 2022
Quest for Lost Heroes, published in 1990, is a novel by British fantasy writer David Gemmell. It is the fourth entry in the Drenai series.
The story is set several decades after. It makes several references to the events in Gemmell's earlier title, The King Beyond the Gate. It also provides a conclusion to the story of Tenaka Khan, one of the chief protagonists of The King Beyond the Gate.
As is usual for a Gemmell book, this is about a journey of redemption. Where the characters who discover the true nature of heroism. In their prime these characters they were the best. But in David's tales, they've passed their prime. These heroes are forced out of retirement.
Gemell's skill is how he weaves familiar themes into a gripping story. He gradually revealing his characters thoughts, hopes and fears, while mixing in brutal action.
This is great reading.
The story is set several decades after. It makes several references to the events in Gemmell's earlier title, The King Beyond the Gate. It also provides a conclusion to the story of Tenaka Khan, one of the chief protagonists of The King Beyond the Gate.
As is usual for a Gemmell book, this is about a journey of redemption. Where the characters who discover the true nature of heroism. In their prime these characters they were the best. But in David's tales, they've passed their prime. These heroes are forced out of retirement.
Gemell's skill is how he weaves familiar themes into a gripping story. He gradually revealing his characters thoughts, hopes and fears, while mixing in brutal action.
This is great reading.
October 22, 2025
3.5 ⭐
book is a strange mix for me. I liked all the elements individually, but I wasn't fully grasped by them as a whole. Good, but not great.
book is a strange mix for me. I liked all the elements individually, but I wasn't fully grasped by them as a whole. Good, but not great.
November 25, 2017
Oggi puntiamo sull'epic fantasy con un commento a cura del nostro Carsit :)
http://piumaecalamaio.blogspot.it/201...
http://piumaecalamaio.blogspot.it/201...
March 28, 2018
I started this book with a pang in my heart because I knew that my favorite half-Nadir, half-Drenai, Tenaka Khan was dead. His son was now the Khan of the Nadir and his daughter, Tanaki, exiled. Having conquered the Drenai, the Nadir were now the ruling nation in power.
This story brought to my mind the image of a snowball rolling down a hill, gathering mass and momentum until at the bottom it’s the size of a mountain, headed on a collision course. How the search for one common woman led to a grander scheme.
QFLH was filled with unlikely heroes who had a lot of personal demons to face and complicated events, appearing fragmented but were instead all part of a bigger picture. There was adventure and magic and mayhem. Unthinkable atrocities and heartbreak.
And Tenaka Khan, decent and noble as always, even in death.
Posted on Blog
September 30, 2016
Ελαφρως κατωτερο των προηγουμενων κατα μισο αστερακι.Η μεταφρασμενη σειρα απο το επος των ντρεναι ειναι ενα εξαιρετικο δειγμα ηρωικης φαντασιας,που αξιζει να διαβαστει απο τους fantasy οπαδους!!!!!
December 8, 2020
"Evil will never be countered while good men do nothing.”
Another utterly beautifully written story of loyalty, friendship, devotion and travelling together as a band and working together for something ineffable that is bigger than yourself. I know the books are about heroes and legends and you sort of have to die to earn that title, but still I am loving all of these characters so much I bawl my eyes out every time we lose one of them because if there's one thing Gemmell can do it's write beautiful and tender death scenes that break my heart.
I'm honestly running out of positive adjectives for this series. I'm just astounded he can keep up this level of quality.
Another utterly beautifully written story of loyalty, friendship, devotion and travelling together as a band and working together for something ineffable that is bigger than yourself. I know the books are about heroes and legends and you sort of have to die to earn that title, but still I am loving all of these characters so much I bawl my eyes out every time we lose one of them because if there's one thing Gemmell can do it's write beautiful and tender death scenes that break my heart.
I'm honestly running out of positive adjectives for this series. I'm just astounded he can keep up this level of quality.
April 24, 2018
Back to Gemmell after a while and it's nice to see one of his classic conundrums:
"What is the most important to you, duty or freedom?"
It's another tale of love, duty, honour and friendship, where we have a young guy learning the ropes from the older, cynical, experienced guys.
"The few against the many. It was a time of heroes." "It's a time for survivors."
The first half is filled with cyclical references to life, death, progress and society, but the last part is more Gemmell, though, we don't have his 'classical' final stand in the same as the other books.
Overall, it's not as strong as the previous books about Drenai, but Gemmell does write in a way I like.
"What is the most important to you, duty or freedom?"
It's another tale of love, duty, honour and friendship, where we have a young guy learning the ropes from the older, cynical, experienced guys.
"The few against the many. It was a time of heroes." "It's a time for survivors."
The first half is filled with cyclical references to life, death, progress and society, but the last part is more Gemmell, though, we don't have his 'classical' final stand in the same as the other books.
Overall, it's not as strong as the previous books about Drenai, but Gemmell does write in a way I like.
October 4, 2025
Another great installment. Sean Barrett returns as the narrator. He has quickly become THE voice for Gemmell’s work.
A young villager seeks to free the woman he loves from slavers. During this quest this youth manages to assemble the legendary heroes from an epic past battle, and this simple quest becomes a pivotal moment for the future of the region.
There was one surprising reveal that completely shocked me. I wholeheartedly enjoyed this one!
A young villager seeks to free the woman he loves from slavers. During this quest this youth manages to assemble the legendary heroes from an epic past battle, and this simple quest becomes a pivotal moment for the future of the region.
There was one surprising reveal that completely shocked me. I wholeheartedly enjoyed this one!
January 24, 2023
Somehow this DG escaped my notice. All the characters and plot felt familiar at first glance, but there were enough twists and turns to entertain any fantasy reader. Not his best book, but it’s absolutely in my top 10 Gemmell books!
November 24, 2020
Good story. A little complicated maybe with all the weird cultures, clans, names and places, but by the middle it had me hooked. In a minor way, this reminded me of Lord of the Rings. All the elements are here: wizards, the void, brave heroes, damsels in distress, battles, action, and the search for an object that will save the world. In this case, a pig farmer's daughter!
Unlike many quest stories whose hero is a reluctant girl, this legend is about a bunch of magnificent old men. They are has-been heroes who miss the glory of war and set off on a quest just for something to do.
All sounds rather amusing, but this is serious stuff. One rape scene near the end of the story seemed unnecessary and almost had me throwing the book away in disgust.
Seemingly, it's the fourth in a series, so I came in a bit late, which explains why I found it tough to get into. Still reads fine as a stand-alone though. I shan't go back to read the earlier titles, but if there had been a follow-up, I would have read that too.
Unlike many quest stories whose hero is a reluctant girl, this legend is about a bunch of magnificent old men. They are has-been heroes who miss the glory of war and set off on a quest just for something to do.
All sounds rather amusing, but this is serious stuff. One rape scene near the end of the story seemed unnecessary and almost had me throwing the book away in disgust.
Seemingly, it's the fourth in a series, so I came in a bit late, which explains why I found it tough to get into. Still reads fine as a stand-alone though. I shan't go back to read the earlier titles, but if there had been a follow-up, I would have read that too.
July 11, 2021
The first one is a genre cornerstone, a classic with good reason. The second one is a solid piece of storytelling, with a genuinely interesting lead character. After that, though, it’s just the same story, the same characters, the same themes and backgrounds, every time. Nothing wrong with the book, an enjoyable read - but there was nothing new.
August 27, 2024
Histoire passionnante et pleine de rebondissements ! Des personnages dont on a envie de découvrir leurs aventures, pages après pages sans s'arrêter !
December 23, 2020
3.6* Meni najzanimljivija avanturica do sada :)
August 21, 2014
Talk about jumping into the middle of a series.. Okay, apparently, I read the first two books of this series a long time ago. However, I was able to jump into this one and not feel like I was missing anything. Really-- this was was almost a stand alone story.
I remember meeting the big axe wielding hero from the earlier books... so I was not completely lost. The big battle that made the guys our heroes was covered in those, but not reading them probably would not affect the reader too terribly.
One of the things I liked about this book was that the author used little tricks to "condense" the book from normal fantasy novels. For example, his actions sequences are quick and decisive. He uses a "Spirit Path" and a "Magic Gateway" to move his characters quickly from one territory to another-- thus condensing the normal journey and many campfire conversations--- At times, this was a little bit annoying.. at others-- well-- it was a relief-- If this was written by George R.R. Martin it would have been written into a seven volume series-- with each book well over 600 pages...
Also, Gemmell doesn't shy away from subjects like rape or sex-- but he also doesn't make them the centerpiece of his works... Also, Martin is not afraid to kill off characters.
Discovering that this is # 4 of a series (and I do think I read the first 2, possibly the third) causes me to look forward to the next in the series. It also made me decide to try to fill in the gaps of my Rigante collection so that I can get to that.
A really decent fantasy that primarily focuses on the action-- but the magic becomes sort of a Deus Ex Machina to move the story along and for me that made it better than average.
I remember meeting the big axe wielding hero from the earlier books... so I was not completely lost. The big battle that made the guys our heroes was covered in those, but not reading them probably would not affect the reader too terribly.
One of the things I liked about this book was that the author used little tricks to "condense" the book from normal fantasy novels. For example, his actions sequences are quick and decisive. He uses a "Spirit Path" and a "Magic Gateway" to move his characters quickly from one territory to another-- thus condensing the normal journey and many campfire conversations--- At times, this was a little bit annoying.. at others-- well-- it was a relief-- If this was written by George R.R. Martin it would have been written into a seven volume series-- with each book well over 600 pages...
Also, Gemmell doesn't shy away from subjects like rape or sex-- but he also doesn't make them the centerpiece of his works... Also, Martin is not afraid to kill off characters.
Discovering that this is # 4 of a series (and I do think I read the first 2, possibly the third) causes me to look forward to the next in the series. It also made me decide to try to fill in the gaps of my Rigante collection so that I can get to that.
A really decent fantasy that primarily focuses on the action-- but the magic becomes sort of a Deus Ex Machina to move the story along and for me that made it better than average.
October 8, 2023
Did Gemmell ever write a bad book? I've made it my business to find out, and so far, so good. QUEST FOR LOST HEROES is another in his Drenai saga which began with the excellent LEGEND and shows no signs of slowing down at this stage.
As the title would imply, this book adopts a quest/journey narrative and casts a band of ageing one-were-heroes as its leads. The story is slight and the characters fill out the usual archetypes, but as usual Gemmell uses this background as a springboard for his two main concerns: action and philosophy.
The many action sequences are as frequent and varied as ever. Gemmell has a knack for action that lifts him above every other author I've encountered: his fights are short, bloody and achieve a level of style and realism that few other authors can match up to. It may be because Gemmell actually researched his fight scenes, heading out into his back garden to practise with makeshift weaponry, but he's bloody good.
The philosophical side to the story is the icing on the cake, really. Once more, Gemmell questions the true nature of heroism vs. reality, and looks into the minds of the guys behind the legends. What he finds isn't very nice, but it does make for great reading, especially Druss-alike Beltzer. Despite the simplicity of his characters, he makes what happens to them moving beyond belief and his knack for pithy dialogue is used in spades.
If I had to find a fault with this book, it would be its shortness; the adventure comes to an end all too soon, and the ending feels a little rushed in its efforts to tie up all the loose ends. Never mind - QUEST FOR LOST HEROES is still a fine read from one of my top authors of all time.
As the title would imply, this book adopts a quest/journey narrative and casts a band of ageing one-were-heroes as its leads. The story is slight and the characters fill out the usual archetypes, but as usual Gemmell uses this background as a springboard for his two main concerns: action and philosophy.
The many action sequences are as frequent and varied as ever. Gemmell has a knack for action that lifts him above every other author I've encountered: his fights are short, bloody and achieve a level of style and realism that few other authors can match up to. It may be because Gemmell actually researched his fight scenes, heading out into his back garden to practise with makeshift weaponry, but he's bloody good.
The philosophical side to the story is the icing on the cake, really. Once more, Gemmell questions the true nature of heroism vs. reality, and looks into the minds of the guys behind the legends. What he finds isn't very nice, but it does make for great reading, especially Druss-alike Beltzer. Despite the simplicity of his characters, he makes what happens to them moving beyond belief and his knack for pithy dialogue is used in spades.
If I had to find a fault with this book, it would be its shortness; the adventure comes to an end all too soon, and the ending feels a little rushed in its efforts to tie up all the loose ends. Never mind - QUEST FOR LOST HEROES is still a fine read from one of my top authors of all time.
August 5, 2023
2023 reread: I only used to hold on to this book because it was part of a series. It was just so bleak and pointless to younger me. Older me realises now that it’s probably the most important book in this series as it bridges the novels written previously with the novels written afterwards by virtue of restating the themes of those earlier books and taking them in a new direction. The previous books spoke about the bonds forged by people in combat situations and how important they are. This one talks about how those bonds can become toxic and meaningless, and how fighting itself perpetuates them. It also looks at “quest” stories and reframes them as being ultimately pointless. But because this is written by Gemmell we get a lot of meditation on the nature of conflict and how it creates cycles of violence and despair while also suggesting that breaking them is possible and a good thing. But the story itself, while superficially, quite simple and shallow, becomes something rather amazing: Kiall, our point-of-view character, would be the hero of another story, whereas here he’s frequently in the way until he begins to pay attention to the actual hero of the story who spends most of his time deconstructing what that actually means. It also - finally - gives us some closure on the heartbreaking final line of The King Beyond The Gate and tells the story leading up to a tale that Gemmell never wrote but referred to quite often: the mysterious War Of The Twins.
Yeah, this may be one I misunderstood for far longer than I feel comfortable admitting to.
Yeah, this may be one I misunderstood for far longer than I feel comfortable admitting to.
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