Legend

I borrowed Legend by David Gemmell (1948 – 2006) from the local library because I remembered reading one of his novels a couple of decades ago and wanted a refresher on how his heroic fantasy was like. There's a pretty high chance the novel was this one because only two of Gemmell's works have ever been translated into Finnish. The other one would be the second volume of this same Drenai series, called The King Beyond the Gate whose Finnish title for some reason was quite liberally set, instead meaning 'prince of shadows' (Varjojen prinssi).

The only things I recalled from Legend (assuming it was the novel I read back then) were there being a big battle and the setting up of spike barricades. I did not recall that the fighting happened at a fortress, Dros Delnoch, that stands in a passage to Drenai Heartlands and where its defenders are supposed to stop half a million men strong Nadir army.

I also did not recall there being magic in the book: Nadir shamans attempt to assassinate key defenders from afar while 'The Thirty', an order of warrior priests, fight to counter the shamans.

Viewpoint jumps around a bit but the main ones are Regnak Wanderer and the novel's titular character Druss the Legend. Rek is a coward but ends up at the fortress anyway after being persuaded by a woman he falls in love with. Coincidentally Rek is a berserker like Logen Ninefingers in The First Law trilogy I just finished reading too.

Druss on the other hand is way past his prime -- the campaign is very much looking likely to be his final one -- but his reputation and his once demon-possessed axe Snaga make up for his lack of endurance. He is pretty much what keeps the defenders in the fight against the numbers-wise overwhelming enemy.

The novel touches the subjects of courage, being a soldier, meaningful death, and the sense in waging wars or the lack thereof. I found Legend an entertaining read for those reason. Where the book lacks in particular is world and character building.