Simon Darkshade
Mysterious City of Gold
http://www.abc.net.au/news/arts/articulate/200607/s1700642.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5224868.stm
Fantasy writer Gemmell dies at 57
Gemmell worked as a labourer and bouncer before turning to writing
Fantasy novelist David Gemmell, best known for stories such as Legend and Waylander, has died at the age of 57.
Gemmell had heart bypass surgery two weeks ago and appeared to be making a good recovery, according to his publisher Transworld.
His career began in 1984 with Legend, a tale of a fortress under siege. He wrote 30 novels in total.
Transworld managing director Larry Finlay said Gemmell was "writing at the peak of his powers".
"He was a true pleasure to work with," he said.
"We will surely miss him, as will his thousands of devoted fans around the world. Our thoughts are with his wife Stella and his two children."
A statement from the publisher said he died on Friday morning.
'Sense of adventure'
It added: "His themes of heroic adventure, leadership, personal heroism and the possibility of redemption for every one of us ring as true today as they did when he first published the novel that was to become a classic of heroic fantasy, Legend."
He had a real sense of how excitement builds in a story - his books were real page-turners
Dave Bradley
SFX magazine
SFX magazine editor Dave Bradley said: "Gemmell wrote heroic fantasy novels - he had a real sense of adventure about him, wrote stories about great battles.
"At the heart, they're cracking fantasy yarns but he also had a good eye for character and how people develop, like how a young soldier deals with war.
"He had masterful plotting and a real sense of how excitement builds in a story. His books were real page-turners."
The second part of a planned trilogy of historical novels, Troy: The Shield of Thunder No 2, is due to be published in September.
Born in west London in 1948, Gemmell was expelled from school for gambling and went on to work as a labourer, driver's assistant and bouncer.
One rejection letter he received in the early 1960s read: "You mention in your resume that you are working as a lorry driver's mate for Pepsi Cola. This is an occupation not without merit. Good luck with it."
He went on to become a journalist and editor of newspapers in Sussex, but his career ended after the publication of his third novel, Waylander, in 1986, after he used his colleagues' names for characters in the story.
"The managing director regarded it as a poisonous attack on his integrity," he later recalled.
A giant of a man and a writer. Good grief.
He leaves behind him a great body of work, but so much tantalising unfinished writing. A master of the epic style, he defined modern heroic fantasy, hearkening to the likes of Howard, Leiber and Tolkien. His prose was spartan, but laden with power and glory. His characters would leap off the page into the imagination of the reader and into their hearts. One felt better reading him - better in terms of literary satisfaction, and better as a human being. He captured the notion of sacrifice, redemption and toughness perfectly.
The world is a little darker today.
A few interviews where he deals with his own death in a straightforward fashion that is now sadly eerily prescient.
Alas for his passing, but thanks for his being. A man to walk the mountains with.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5224868.stm
Fantasy writer Gemmell dies at 57
Gemmell worked as a labourer and bouncer before turning to writing
Fantasy novelist David Gemmell, best known for stories such as Legend and Waylander, has died at the age of 57.
Gemmell had heart bypass surgery two weeks ago and appeared to be making a good recovery, according to his publisher Transworld.
His career began in 1984 with Legend, a tale of a fortress under siege. He wrote 30 novels in total.
Transworld managing director Larry Finlay said Gemmell was "writing at the peak of his powers".
"He was a true pleasure to work with," he said.
"We will surely miss him, as will his thousands of devoted fans around the world. Our thoughts are with his wife Stella and his two children."
A statement from the publisher said he died on Friday morning.
'Sense of adventure'
It added: "His themes of heroic adventure, leadership, personal heroism and the possibility of redemption for every one of us ring as true today as they did when he first published the novel that was to become a classic of heroic fantasy, Legend."
He had a real sense of how excitement builds in a story - his books were real page-turners
Dave Bradley
SFX magazine
SFX magazine editor Dave Bradley said: "Gemmell wrote heroic fantasy novels - he had a real sense of adventure about him, wrote stories about great battles.
"At the heart, they're cracking fantasy yarns but he also had a good eye for character and how people develop, like how a young soldier deals with war.
"He had masterful plotting and a real sense of how excitement builds in a story. His books were real page-turners."
The second part of a planned trilogy of historical novels, Troy: The Shield of Thunder No 2, is due to be published in September.
Born in west London in 1948, Gemmell was expelled from school for gambling and went on to work as a labourer, driver's assistant and bouncer.
One rejection letter he received in the early 1960s read: "You mention in your resume that you are working as a lorry driver's mate for Pepsi Cola. This is an occupation not without merit. Good luck with it."
He went on to become a journalist and editor of newspapers in Sussex, but his career ended after the publication of his third novel, Waylander, in 1986, after he used his colleagues' names for characters in the story.
"The managing director regarded it as a poisonous attack on his integrity," he later recalled.
A giant of a man and a writer. Good grief.
He leaves behind him a great body of work, but so much tantalising unfinished writing. A master of the epic style, he defined modern heroic fantasy, hearkening to the likes of Howard, Leiber and Tolkien. His prose was spartan, but laden with power and glory. His characters would leap off the page into the imagination of the reader and into their hearts. One felt better reading him - better in terms of literary satisfaction, and better as a human being. He captured the notion of sacrifice, redemption and toughness perfectly.
The world is a little darker today.
A few interviews where he deals with his own death in a straightforward fashion that is now sadly eerily prescient.
Alas for his passing, but thanks for his being. A man to walk the mountains with.
.
. Start with Legend, it's a difinitive work, if you like that then move onto WayLander the first and third book of the series are the best, and then try the Slipstrassi tales:The stones of power, the books with John Shannow are particulalry good too. Especially the first and third book(what can I say he knows how to write trilogies, unlike Douglas Adams j.k 
I mean in a numerative sense here, I love Adams too) The second is a bit of an empire strike back deal that sets up the third book beautifully.
