Knight of dark reputation

Ritter dark reputation (Original title: Knights of Dark Renown ) is a fantasy novel by David Gemmell in 1989. He is Gemmell seventh novel and also the first to be published in Germany. It was first published by Laurin-Verlag in 1991 under the title Knight of Darkness and was republished in 2014 as Knight of Darkness (no fugue ) by Blanvalet .

The novel is about the knights of the Gabala, former noble fighters for good. Blinded by their own pride, they succumb to an evil power and throw the land of the Gabala into chaos. A thrown together group of outcasts takes on the fight against the knights and ultimately defeats them. They become the new knights of the Gabala.

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Six years have passed since the legendary knights of the Gabala rode through a magical gate to free an alien world from evil. Contrary to all plans, they did not return. Since then, the land of the Gabala has been falling into decline. King Ahak established a terror regime. He had the nomadic inhabitants of his empire expropriated, deported and murdered. Ahak is supported by eight knights in red armor. The "Red Knights" are terrible warriors, strengthened by dark magic. At this point in time, nobody knows that the Red Knights are the former knights of the Gabala who have succumbed to evil.

Manannan is the only one of the Gabala knights who did not pass the magic gate at the time: out of fear he abandoned his companions, hid and then wandered aimlessly for years. Now he is looking for Ollathair, the former armorer of the Gabala knights. He is supposed to remove the magical helmet that Manannan has been wearing involuntarily for six years. The once influential Ollathair is hunted as an alleged traitor by the king's soldiers. Under the name Ruad Ro-fhessa he hides in the forest of the ocean, where Manannan finally finds him.

In the Duchy of Mactha, the slave boy Lámfhada flees from his master Errin, the Count of Laene. Although Lámfhada manages to escape into the ocean forest, he is seriously injured by an arrow shot. The accidental eyewitnesses Llaw Gyffes and Nuada come to Lámfhada's aid and take him to a village. Llaw Gyffes is a former blacksmith who was falsely charged with the murder of his wife but who escaped his jailer. Since he helped many other prisoners escape on his escape, he is considered a hero and rebel among the common people. Nuada is a legendary poet and womanizer who is not interested in politics.

Meanwhile, at the request of the king, nobles with nomadic ancestors are also disenfranchised, including Dame Dianu and noble Kester. The driving forces behind the persecution of nomads are the Red Knight Cairbre and the seer Okessa. Their goal is to “cleanse” the land of the Gabala from nomadic blood. Dianus fiancé Errin, Count von Laene, stands up for her. However, he is subject to Cairbre in a duel . Dianu dies at the stake , Errin and his nomadic friend and servant Ubadai manage to escape. Kester raises Elodan, the champion of the king, the duel with Cairbre. He also succumbs and loses his sword hand in the process.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Red Knights, Samildanach, fears that Llaw Gyffes is building a rebel army in the forest of the ocean. He conjures man-eating monsters from another dimension. The monsters are supposed to make the forest unsafe and drive Llaw Gyffes, Ollathair and their followers into a corner.

Once in safety, Errin decides to look for Dianu's sister, Sheera. She wants to avenge the death of her sister and kill Okessa. Errin goes with Ubadai into the forest of the ocean, which Sheera wants to cross with two guides. Sheera and her companions are attacked by one of the monsters in the forest. While the two men die, Sheera is saved at the last moment by Errin and Ubadai. Sheera tells Errin about King Ahak's regime of terror that she wants to fight. Like Samildanach, she believes that Llaw Gyffes is building a rebel army; she wants to join this army. Sheera convinces Errin to go with her. Ubadai reluctantly comes along too.

Llaw Gyffes and Nuada are now living in the camp of the robber chief Grunzer. They are joined by Arian, a young villager who is in love with Llaw Gyffes. Grunzer, a cruel and brutal man, tries to impress Arian. Because the monsters summoned by Samildanach are up to mischief in the forest, he and Llaw Gyffes go on a hunt for the beasts. Grunzer succeeds in killing one of the monsters, whereupon the legendary writer Nuada tells a heroic story about this act. Grunts like being celebrated as a hero. He confesses to Nuada that this is the best day of his life.

When Nuada is tired of life in the robber camp, he secretly leaves Grunzer and his outlaws. On his way through the forest, he comes across nomads who are fleeing from Ahak's henchmen who got caught in a blizzard and threatened to freeze to death. Nuada returns to Grunzer's camp and first asks Llaw Gyffes for help for the refugees. When Llaw Gyffes refuses, Nuada turns to Grunzer. He promises help, but makes this conditional on Nuada staying in the forest until he allows him to go. After Nuada agrees, Grunzer and his men save the nomads from death by cold. The rescued mistake Grunzer for the "hero Llaw Gyffes" for a short time. Grunzer clears up the mix-up immediately, but does not feel uncomfortable in the role of the hero.

After Ruad has freed the cowardly knight Manannam from his magical helmet, he asks him to ride through the gate alone and to secure the Gabala after the lost knights. Manannan initially refuses, but then confronts his fears. Alone he rides through the magical gate opened by Ruad and, pursued by terrible beasts, reaches the realm of the Vyre on the other side. The Vyre live a seemingly peaceful life, devoting themselves primarily to art, philosophy and physical pleasures. The basis of their civilization is the Ambria, an invigorating and healing drink. Manannan does not initially recognize that the Vyre are vampires who obtain the Ambria from the life energy of “inferior” people.

Only the vampire Morrigan tells Manannan about the secret of the Vyre and the Ambrias. Morrigan, once the mistress of Samildanach, was brought by him to the land of the Vyre and made a vampire. With the last of his strength, Manannan succeeds in resisting the addictive effects of Ambrias. Together with Morrigan, he manages to escape back through the gate. On the other side they find the murdered Ruad. Ruad had managed to use his magical powers to bring back the magical armor of the Gabala knights from the land of the Vyre. As a result, however, he involuntarily revealed himself to Samildanach, by whom he was killed.

On their way to Llaw Gyffes, Errin, Ubadai and Sheera spend the night in an old man's house, the "Dagda". The Dagda prophesies that the fight against evil depends on "the whim of a thief and a murderer". Errin suspects that the Dagda is alluding to Llaw Gyffes. In fact, however, the robber grunt is meant. The following day, the Dagda went to Grunzers camp and also predicts the future there: In spring Grunzer would die and terrible enemies would try to destroy Llaw Gyffes. Based on this prophecy , Llaw Gyffes decides to actually set up a rebel army and fight his enemies. Grunzer, on the other hand, declares that he cannot accept his fate.

Llaw Gyffes and Grunzer as well as Nuada go in search of Ruad, from whom they hope to help in their fight against Samildanach and Ahak. Finally, the paths of the protagonists merge on Ruad's corpse: Grunzer, Llaw Gyffes and Nuada meet Manannan and Morrigan.

After Lámfhada and Elodan have also joined, the rebel leaders hold a council of war. You will learn about the fate of the Gabala Knights. Lámfhada convinces Grunzer, Elodan, Morrigan, Nuada and Llaw Gyffes to put on the armor of the knights and to become knights of a new gabala themselves. They are supposed to represent the values ​​that were betrayed by Samildanach. Despite being crippled, Elodan is elected First Knight; Instead of the murdered Ruads, Lámfhada takes on the role of armorer. A short time later, the new Gabala knights are supplemented by Errin and Ubadai.

While Llaw Gyffes leads the rebellion, Morrigan and Grunzer ride to a neighboring fortified settlement to solicit support. Nuada is tasked with drawing the people in the surrounding villages to the side of the rebellion with his heroic tales. Meanwhile, Manannan rides to Mactha. There Roem, the Duke of Mactha, fell from grace for letting Llaw Gyffes escape. Manannan demands a divine judgment and kills the red knight Caibre in the ensuing sword fight. Together with Roem, he then manages to escape. Roem puts on the last remaining gabala armor. The knights of the new Gabala are now complete. They are the knights of dark repute.

King Ahak, Samildanach and Okessa meanwhile prepare the devastating blow against the rebellion. To get hold of the legendary poet Nuada, they send the Red Knight Edrin into the forest. Edrin has villagers taken hostage and threatens to kill them. Nuada then surrenders to the Red Knight. When he refuses to fight, he is executed. Lámfhada's attempt to revive Nuada through magic fails. The villagers go over to the rebels.

Grunzer and Morrigan are meanwhile attacked by the Red Knight Bersis and his henchmen. On a suspension bridge there is a fight between Grunzer and Bersis, the latter seems to decide for himself. In view of his certain death, Grunzer clutched the Red Knight and dragged him into the abyss under the suspension bridge.

The vampire Morrigan, although she belongs to the Gabala Knights, cannot do without the blood of other people. When Manannan discovers what she is doing, he expels her from the order. In desperation, Morrigan goes to Mactha and has King Ahak, who is now also a vampire, be brought as a "victim". She kills Ahak and then cuts her wrists. Lying dying in Samildanach's arms, she reminds him of his time as a shining young knight.

After a few skirmishes in which the seer Okessa and the disenfranchised Duke Roem also die, the royal army finally meets the rebel troops. Since the rebels are defeated, Manannan Samildanach suggests that the decision be brought about by a duel between two knights. Samildanach agrees and faces the duel as the leader of the Red Knights. As an opponent he only accepts the First Knight of the Gabala, i.e. the crippled Elodan.

Samildanach, who despite his depravity still believes he stands for knightly values, advises Lámfhada to heal Elodan's crippling with magic. Lámfhada follows this advice. Elodan's right hand is regenerated so that he believes he has a real chance against Samildanach.

Before the battle, both the Red Knights and the Gabala Knights spiritually band together through magic to strengthen their First Knights. In a duel, Elodan manages to fatally injure Samildanach. Samildanach, who remembers Morrigan's last words during the fight, for his part waives the fatal blow to Elodan. Together with Samildanach his Red Knights die.

The knighthood of the Gabala then dissolves: Manannan and Elodan ride through the magical gate into the land of the Vyre to help the nomads who have been deported there. Llaw Gyffes and Arian get married, as do Edrin and Sheera. Lámfhada takes the place of the Dagda.

people

Knight of Dark Reputation stands out from other Gemmell novels by the relatively large number of characters in the plot.

The Knights of the New Gabala:

• Elodan , formerly the king's fighter, crippled by Cairbre in a duel, now the First Knight of the New Gabala
• Manannan , once a knight under Samildanach, was too cowardly to follow him to the land of the Vyre
• Morrigan , the Ambria forfeited lover of Samildanach, warns Manannan about the Ambria
• Grunzer (English Groundsel ), a robber captain who dies fighting the Red Knights
• Llaw Gyffes , known as “Stronghand”, a former blacksmith who became the leader of a rebellion after his wife was murdered
• Roem , the disgraced Duke of Mactha who wants to regain his title
• Errin , a former count in the Duchy of Roems, joins the rebels after the execution of his fiancée
• Ubadai , a nomad, servant and friend of Errin
• Nuada , a legendary poet and womanizer, sacrifices himself to prevent the murder of innocent villagers

Magician and Healer:

• Ollothair , the last armorer of the Old Gabala Knights, falls out of favor , then lives incognito as a skilled craftsman Ruad Ro-fhessa , is killed by Samildanach
• Gwydion , a healer, friend of Ruad Ro-fhessa
• Lámhfhada , young armorer of the New Gabala Knights, later successor to Dagda, was an apprentice to Ruad Ro-fhessa as a child
• The Dagda , an old man with powerful magical abilities

The Red Knights and their allies

• Ahak , king of the lands of the Gabala, succumbs to Ambria and thus to evil
• Okessa , the king's evil seer
• Samildanach , once First Knight of the Gabala, then First of the Red Knights, succumbs to evil without first realizing it, dies in a duel with Elodan
• Cairbre , a Red Knight, actually Pateus
• Paul , leader of the vampiric vyre

Other people:

• Deanu , young nobleman and fiancée of Errin, is sentenced to death at the stake for alleged treason
• Sheera , Deanus sister, wants to avenge her death
• Arian , young villager, in love with Llaw Gyffes

Gemmell took the names Ruad Ro-fhessa, Ollathair and Dagda , Nuada , Morrigan , Cairbre , Gwydion , Manannan , Llaw Gyffes , Samildanach, Lug and Lámhfhada from Celtic mythology. However, none of the characters in the novel corresponds to their mythological namesake.

Classification, interpretation, meaning

Knight of Dark Reputation plays with the idea that heroes and villains are interchangeable and that classification into one or the other category ultimately depends on perspective. Gemmell named the Sioux Crazy Horse as an example , who became a hero for the Indians after the Battle of Little Bighorn , while the white Americans regarded him as a criminal.

Gemmell argued that evil always carries the seeds of its own destruction, but good does too. In Knight of Dark Reputation , this becomes clear in the person of the first knight Samildanach. Samilda then fails in two ways - both as a hero and as a villain. As a hero, he does not succeed in resisting the temptation of Ambrias - and thus of evil. As a manifestation of evil, he hesitates to kill his opponent in the final sword fight and pays with his life for it.

Reviews

The novel was received positively by the majority of the critics. Gemmell's attempt to clearly portray his heroes and their motivation to act was particularly emphasized. However, it was also criticized that he had only partially succeeded in doing this with some people.

Reviewer James Long describes Knights of Dark Reputation as very entertaining, meaningful read, a strong mix of magic, fighting and personal expeditions against a backdrop of madness and chaos. Only the last 50 pages of the novel seemed hasty.

Kat Hooper certifies that Gemmell did not create stereotypical heroes and villains, but rather complex, three-dimensional characters. Knights of dark reputation are deep and captivating heroic fantasy.

In the opinion of the reviewer Graeme Flory, Ritter's dark reputation suffers from the fact that a number of main characters take similar trips. If Gemmell had their way, salvation or heroism must be made possible for each of them. But there is not enough space for this in a book of only 400 pages. You wouldn't get close enough to the characters and their experiences. The book is therefore not as strong as it could have been.

In contrast, Fantasy Book Review praised the book for its interesting and well-designed characters. The story is an excellent example of heroic fantasy. In addition, Gemmell succeeded in incorporating horror and dark fantasy elements.

Bibliotheka Phantastika criticizes the fact that history is "too much stuck in the physical". The internal conflicts would be resolved quickly and not convincingly. On the other hand, the reviewer liked the story, which was sometimes perceived as exciting, and its high speed. It awards three and a half stars out of five.

More novels

In 1992 Gemmell published the Dark Knight Heldenlied, another novel about a group of outlaws who fight against vampires. The novel is set in the same world as Knights of Dark Reputation , but in a later age. The narrator of the story, Owen Odell, refers in a conversation to Manannan, the "Last Knight of the Gabala". He later entertains his companions with the story of Arian and Llaw and the return of the Gabala Knights.

The historical novel The Knights of Dark Renown (German title: Ritter der Finsternis ), published in 1969, comes from the British writer Graham Shelby . Shelby's novel takes place in the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century. It has only the English title in common with Gemmell's story.

expenditure

Knight of Dark Reputation was published in 1989 by Century Hutchinson , a division of Random House . The German translation was published in 1991 by Laurin-Verlag as a hardcover and in 1993 by Goldmann-Verlag as a paperback. In 2014 another paperback edition was published by Blanvalet .

literature

Text output

• Knight of Dark Reputation . 1st edition. Laurin, Hamburg 1991, ISBN 3-89260-004-X (English: Knights of Dark Renown . Translated by Irmhild Hübner).

• Knight of Dark Reputation . Goldmann, Munich 1994, ISBN 3-442-42365-1 (English: Knights of Dark Renown . Translated by Irmhild Hübner).

• Knight of dark reputation . 1st edition. Blanvalet, Munich 2014, ISBN 978-3-442-26961-7 (English: Knights of Dark Renown . Translated by Irmhild Hübner).
• Knights of Dark Renown . 1st edition. Century Hutchinson, London 1989, ISBN 0-7126-2542-9 .

Audio book

• Knights of Dark Renown. Read by Christopher Kay. Clipper Audio, ISBN 1-84197-137-5 .

Reviews

• Carolyn Cushman: Review. In: Locus No. 341, July 1989.

swell

1. ↑ Interview with David Gemmell. April 7, 2002, archived from the original on September 14, 2010 ; accessed on March 17, 2019 (English). 
2. ^ Anne Gay: The Line One Interview with David Gemmell. Archived from the original on September 7, 2011 ; accessed on July 15, 2011 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
3. ↑ James Long: Book Review: Knights of Dark Renown. November 27, 2009, accessed July 14, 2011 . 
4. ↑ Kat Hooper: Review of Knights of Dark Renown. Fantasy Literature's Fantasy Book and Audiobook Reviews, accessed July 14, 2011 . 
5. ^ Graeme Flory: Review of Knights of Dark Renown. February 20, 2007, archived from the original on April 8, 2011 ; accessed on July 13, 2011 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
6. ^ Review of Knights of Dark Renown. Fantasy Book Review, accessed July 13, 2011 .  
7. ↑ Knight of Dark Reputation. Bibliotheka Phantastika, accessed on February 13, 2014 .  
8. ↑ David Gemmell: The Dark Knight's Hero Song . Bastei Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach 1996, ISBN 3-404-20296-1 (Original title: Morningstar . Translated by Dietmar Schmidt).