David Gemmell

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David Andrew Gemmell (born August 1, 1948 in London , England , † July 28, 2006 in Udimore, East Sussex , England) was an English author of heroic fantasy novels. During his lifetime, 31 of his novels were published, 25 of them in German translation.

Life

David Gemmell grew up as the son of a single mother in West London and attended Faraday Comprehensive School there. At the age of 16, he was expelled from school allegedly for illicit gambling. He then earned his living doing various temporary jobs. Gemmell later worked as a freelance journalist for English daily newspapers - including the Daily Express and the Daily Mail .

In the 1970s he became more intensively involved with fantasy stories. In particular, the novels by Michael Moorcock and Robert E. Howard , which are assigned to low fantasy , had a lasting influence on Gemmell.

His first novel was The Man From Miami , a story about a murderer. The novel was not published. Gemmell later said The Man From Miami was so bad that he "could curdle milk in fifty steps."

In 1976, under the impression of a feared cancer, he wrote the short story The Siege of Dros Delnoch . The story was about the siege of a fortress by an overpowering enemy. Years later, Gemmell gave the story to a friend to read. On his recommendation, he then revised the manuscript. In 1984 the story appeared under the name Legend (German legend ).

Since 1986 Gemmell has worked exclusively as a writer. In fantasy circles he was best known for the Drenai saga . This saga can be seen as Gemmell's central work. It comprises eleven volumes. Four volumes are dedicated to Druss, the Drenai hero, and Waylander, three.

Gemmell, who once referred to himself as "John Wayne of Fantasy" and named Ronald Reagan as one of his role models, was married to Stella Gemmell and had two children, Kate and Jordan. He lived in Hastings , England . David Gemmell died on July 28, 2006, two weeks after heart bypass surgery.

plant

David Gemmell's novels are classified as heroic fantasy . Its protagonists usually overcome difficulties through direct, uncompromising action. They are characterized less by an exclusively good or exclusively bad disposition, but rather by noble, altruistic or mean, selfish behavior. In the end, however, good always triumphs over bad - a principle that Gemmell deliberately pursues to show that it is worthwhile to be on the side of good:

“The hero is just about the only worthwhile member of society. I'm not talking here about ax wielding warriors, but about people who take the tough path in life. The man (or woman) who witnesses an injustice and fights against it. The person who doesn't say: 'Well, there's nothing I can do about it.' The carers who sacrifice their independence to look after infirm relatives. The volunteers who risk their lives by working in the world's trouble spots. Acts of courage are always spiritually uplifting and inspirational. Self preservation is natural to us, and constantly seeks to make cowards of us all. Heroes remind us of what we can be if we find the courage. "

“The hero is pretty much the only valuable member of society. I'm not talking about ax-wielding warriors, but about people who go the difficult path in life. The man (or woman) who witnesses an injustice and fights against it. The person who doesn't say, 'Well, I can't do anything about it.' The people who sacrifice their independence to care for their frail loved ones. The volunteers who risk their lives by working in crisis regions. Courageous deeds are always spiritually uplifting and inspiring. The instinct for self-preservation is innate and constantly strives to make cowards out of all of us. Heroes remind us of what we can be if we find the courage to do so. "

- David Gemmell : The SF Site: Heroic Intentions - An Interview with David Gemmell

As Gemmell pointed out, his aim was not only to entertain his readers, but also to make them want to do good and act heroically. Unfortunately, this claim was not recognized:

"I write about love and honor and courage and the spiritual and I get dismissed as a hack and slay writer."

"I write about love and honor and courage and the spiritual and I am being dismissed as a hack-and-slay writer."

- David Gemmell : Amazon.co.uk: Out of the Dark - An Interview with David Gemmell ( Memento June 10, 2007 in the Internet Archive )

Ultimately, according to Gemmell, all of his books have the same message: it is not enough to talk about the terrible things that are happening - you have to do something. There is always something you can do, and that is what his books are about.

Gemmell's descriptions of heroism, courage and willingness to make sacrifices unintentionally earned him great popularity among English skinheads and right-wing extremists. To counteract this, Gemmell increasingly built homosexual and black characters into his books. In Ritter's Dark Reputation , Gemmell makes clear reference to the persecution of the Jews in the Third Reich .

Gemmell's writing style was influenced by writers such as Louis L'Amour , Fritz Leiber , Henry Kuttner and Robert E. Howard . He is - as Gemmell himself admitted - rather Spartan. Descriptions are limited to the bare essentials; The focus is always on the action.

All of David Gemmell's novels are self-contained. This sets Gemmell apart from many other fantasy authors. Yet many novels are loosely linked by people, places, or things. A particularly formative element of Gemmell's works is “Die Quelle” (in the original: The Source ), a primal force and source of life from which the good draws its strength. It is mentioned at least in passing in almost all novels.

Gemmell published the novel White Knight, Black Swan under the pseudonym Ross Harding . The novel is set in the London underworld of the 20th century. Gemmell published this work pseudonymously so as not to disappoint his readers, who only know him as a writer of fantasy novels. Compared to the fantasy novels, White Knight, Black Swan didn't sell very well.

The Drenai Saga ( Drenai )

all translated by Irmhild Seeland

Sipstrassi - Jon Shannow

The stones of Power ( Stones of Power )

both translated by Irmhild Seeland

The Parmenion Saga ( Macedon )

The Falk Queen ( Hawk Queen )

both translated by Irmhild Seeland

The Rigante Cycle ( Rigante )

all translated by Irmhild Seeland

Troy novels ( Troy )

all translated by Michael Koseler

Other works

Significant characters

Druss the legend

Druss the Legend is a fictional character from the Drenai saga. It is probably the best-known and at the same time most popular figure in Gemmell's works. Druss is described as a gigantic, taciturn warrior with short hair, a black (later gray) beard and "eyes the color of a winter sky". His characteristic attribute is a huge double-headed battle ax that becomes a deadly weapon in his hands. In the Drenai saga, Druss is regarded as a practically indomitable warrior with whom every fighting ends fatally. This also earned him the title "Death Walker" ("Deathwalker").

Druss lives by a code of honor: "Never rape a woman. Never harm a child. You shouldn't lie, cheat, or steal. You can leave that to lesser men. Protect the weak from the strong bad guys. And never let the pursuit of profit lure you onto the path of evil. "(From: Druss - Die Legende )

Druss appears in five volumes of David Gemmel's Drenai saga. They are listed here in chronological order: Druss - The Legend , The Eyes of Alchazzar , The White Wolf and The Legend and Swords of Night and Day . In the latter work, which takes place a few hundred years after Druss's death, he only appears briefly, while in the other volumes mentioned he is always one of the main characters. The works just mentioned tell the life of Druss. From his time as a 17-year-old “young man who felled trees and not people” to his time as a 60-year-old man who set out once more to help his people against an almost insurmountable threat. Even during his lifetime, Druss was nicknamed "The Legend" for his actions.

As a young man, Druss lived together with his wife Rowena and father Bress as a simple woodcutter in the mountains. However, when his village is attacked and his wife is robbed by slave traders , Druss has only one goal in mind: to find his love again. With Snaga, his grandfather's huge battle ax, and the bounty hunter Shadak, he goes in search of Rowena. Shadak significantly influences Druss, so that he even takes over his code of honor from him. Over time, Druss develops into a frenzied fighting machine and has to endure many adventures. In the process, he met the poet Sieben, who turned out to be a real womanizer. Seven eventually becomes Druss' companion and best friend. It is also Sieben who first referred to Druss as "The Legend" and wrote heroic songs about him.

When Druss finally found Rowena after seven long years, he decided to lead a life with her in the mountains. But despite his love for his wife, Druss always grabs the thirst for adventure.

At the age of 30 he ended up in the neighboring country of Gothir, where he took part in competitions. Druss made it to the final there. However, when his final opponent Klay is seriously wounded in an ambush before the decisive battle, Druss goes in search of the "eyes of Alchazzar". These are gemstones that, according to legend, bring healing to every wounded person. Druss sets off with Sieben to the land of the Nadir, a kind of Mongol people who live in the steppe, to look for the stones there. There the warrior gets the name "Death Walker".

At the age of 45, Druss defends his people at the Skeln Pass against the invading army of an expanding empire. This battle finally makes him a legend. However, Druss himself had to accept severe blows of fate at this time. During the battle, he loses all people close to him.

Almost five years later, Druss and some companions go in search of a war comrade. On the trip, Druss is confronted with huge advertising beasts for the first time. But Druss also gets to know the hero Skilgannon and the boy Rabalyn, who finally swears to live according to Druss' code of honor.

In old age, after the death of his wife Rowena, Druss lived lonely and withdrawn in the mountains. The hero has long since hung up his battle ax. However, when he receives news that the most important fortifications of his people are under attack by the Nadir, he sets out once more to stand his ground one last time in battle.

Skilgannon the Damned

The character Olek Skilgannon is - like Druss - a character from the Drenai saga. Skilgannon appears in the two volumes The White Wolf and Swords of Night and Day .

In The White Wolf he is described as a 24-year-old warrior with black hair and blue eyes who always carries a powerful pair of swords with him, the swords of the day and the night. He is portrayed as one of the best and most feared swordsmen of his time.

The young Olek Skilgannon is raised by foster parents after the death of his parents. Early on, he followed in the footsteps of his father, who was a feared warlord.

After helping Jianna, the rightful Queen of Naashan and his unreachable love, escape, he also supports her in their rebellion. Eventually he becomes the general of her army and even helps her regain her throne.

In the Battle of Perapolis, Skilgannon becomes a war criminal. On the orders of the Queen, Skilgannon and his troops massacre the townspeople after conquering the town. His murders of the innocent, women and children, the elderly and the defenseless ultimately earned him the nickname “The Damned”. But his deeds weigh heavily on his conscience and will eventually haunt him for the rest of his life. Ultimately, he resigns from his queen's service and goes into exile.

After a few years in the seclusion of a monastery, Skilgannon meets Druss, the aged ax fighter who is looking for a former war comrade. Skilgannon accompanies Druss and gets caught in a vortex of events that ultimately lead to his worst opponent, the murderer of his foster parents.

Waylander the Butcher

The character Waylander appears in the Drenai saga. He appears in the books Waylander , In the Realm of the Wolf and Waylander the Gray .

Waylander is described as a man with black hair and black eyes. He wears a black leather vest with burnished chain reinforcements. In combat he uses several knives ( three in the Waylander book , indefinitely in the others), which he uses for close combat as well as for throwing. In addition to a sword (later two), he carries a pistol crossbow with two barrels and black bolts. The crossbow is an expensive custom-made item made from Ventria and Waylander's trademarks.

While he was in Waylander a man in his late thirties / early forties is, he is in the realm of the wolf ten years older and Waylander, the Gray already a man older age. He already has black and silver hair there and is repeatedly referred to as a gray man .

Originally named Dakeyras, Waylander was an officer in the Army of Drenai before his marriage. Twenty years before the events in Waylander , his wife Tanya, son Gellan and twin daughters were killed by 19 robbers while they were infants. This was the hour of birth of the assassin Waylander (English ~ stranger).

For the next twenty years he hunted down his family's killers. Though some of them had renounced the robber trade and changed for the better, Waylander took cruel revenge on each one. He financed his campaign of revenge with money he received for contract killings. In this way Waylander himself became the butcher of the guilty and the innocent. Even after his vengeance was carried out, Waylander continued to hire himself as an assassin.

Shortly before the plot of Waylander began , Dakeyras had murdered Niallad, the king of the Drenai. This event enabled the Vagrian army, under the command of General Kaem, to invade the land of the Drenai and subdue most of the country within three months. Kaem himself had given Waylander the order to eliminate King Niallad. However, he did not intend to pay Waylander. However, when Waylander demanded his payment, Kaem tried to murder the assassin who had become annoying to him. The ensuing argument resulted in the death of Kaem's only son, who died at Waylander's hand. Since then the general has been seeking revenge.

During this war, the first thirty , warrior priests, whose medals reappear in most of the other volumes of the Drenai saga, emerged. They were founded by the young priest Dardalion, the Waylander who, according to his own admission, “just on a whim” had saved his life.

Jon Shannow

Jon Shannow is the main character in the novels Wolf in Shadows (published 1987), The Last Guardian (1989) and Bloodstone (1992). As a lonely gunslinger , he roams the post-apocalyptic world of the 24th century. Shannow's purpose in life is the search for the city of Jerusalem , which is why he is known as The Jerusalem Man . The Bible-believing Shannow hopes for answers to his questions and peace for his soul from Jerusalem: "In Jerusalem there will be answers, and my soul will rest."

Gemmell describes Shannow as tall and gaunt, bearded and with dark hair. Its wide-brimmed leather hat and leather coat are characteristic. Shannow is armed with several handguns that he knows how to use with incredible speed and accuracy.

When creating Jon Shannow, Gemmell had a friend in mind who had beaten up the abusive inn owner in front of his cronies in order to retaliate for a previous attack on Gemmell.

Jon Shannow is “a flawed man in a flawed world”, a flawed person in a flawed world. Born Jonathan Cade, he took the surname of his mentor Varey Shannow after his parents were murdered. Because of his skills, he has been hired repeatedly to rid peaceful settlements of marauding bandits. So he made a name for himself as a “brigand slayer”. However, Shannow himself sees little point in his actions. It is like a stone thrown into a pond - the stone creates high waves, but after a while the water calms down and everything is as before; the bandits return.

In 2011 the British band Paul Lisak & After the Ice released the song Ballad of Jon Shannow (Or Wolf in Shadows) .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e David Gemmell - Author whose heroes battled with doubt and dotage in the fight for good. Times Online Obituary, August 1, 2006, accessed April 17, 2011 .
  2. ↑ a b c Interview with David Gemmell. SFFWorld.com, August 1, 1998, accessed April 3, 2019 .
  3. ↑ a b Christopher Priest: Obituary: David Gemmell - Fantasy author loved by thousands for his strong narrative and quirky characters. Guardian.co.uk, August 2, 2006, accessed April 17, 2011 .
  4. ↑ herebedragons.co.uk: Anne Gay - The Line One Interview with David Gemmell ( Memento of September 7, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
  5. ↑ a b David Gemmell: Wolf in Shadow , Chapter 1.
  6. ↑ David Gemmell: Wolf in Shadow , foreword.
  7. ↑ Out of the Dark. An interview with David Gemmell. ( Memento of March 7, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
  8. ↑ David Gemmell: Bloodstone , foreword.
  9. ↑ The gesture of Jon Shannow (or wolf in Shadow) _ After The Ice
personal data
SURNAME Gemmell, David
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Gemmell, David Andrew (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English fantasy writer
DATE OF BIRTH August 1, 1948
PLACE OF BIRTH London , England
DATE OF DEATH July 28, 2006
Place of death Udimore, East Sussex, England