You know the drill. The clock is ticking down to zero, the evil hordes are swarming through the gates, the virgins are about to be sacrificed and the damsel in distress is about to be lost forever–and then the heroes show up in all their glory to save the day. This happens all the freaking… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Big Damn Heroes
Tag: heroism
Trope Tuesday: Bittersweet Ending
WARNING! CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR AMERICAN GODS, LAGAAN, LORD OF THE RINGS, TREASURE ISLAND, AND CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON. And he sang to them, now in the Elven-tongue, now in the speech of the West, until their hearts, wounded with sweet words, overflowed, and their joy was like swords, and they passed in thought out to… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Bittersweet Ending
The Swords of Night and Day by David Gemmell
A thousand years ago, a young warrior named Skilgannon helped the princess Jianna escape an attempt on her life. They became lovers, and when she retook her throne, she made Skilgannon her chief general. When she ordered the abject annihilation of her enemies, he loved her too much to refuse her–and thus became Skilgannon the… Continue reading The Swords of Night and Day by David Gemmell
Winter Warriors by David Gemmell
Eons ago, in the Days of Fire, demons feasted upon the souls of men the way that men feast on cattle. Those days ended when the second most powerful demon betrayed his people, damning them to purgatory so that men could inherit the Earth. Four thousand years have passed, and the demons are beginning to… Continue reading Winter Warriors by David Gemmell
The King Beyond the Gate by David Gemmell
Tenaka Khan was a child of two nations and an outsider to both. Half Nadir, half Drenai, the only home he ever knew was in the ranks of the Dragon, the elite fighting forces of the Drenai. But now, a mad dictator rules the land, and the Dragon has been destroyed. With all his friends… Continue reading The King Beyond the Gate by David Gemmell
A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Almost twenty years have passed since the fall of the Targaryen dynasty–twenty years since the last of the dragons was seen in the Land of the Seven Kingdoms. Now, the libertine Robert Baratheon sits on the Iron Throne, blind to the conspiracies and secret combinations that surround him. In this dangerous time, Ser Jon Arryn,… Continue reading A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
In the Realm of the Wolf by David Gemmell
Never leave home without a weapon, Dakyras taught his adopted daughter Miriel. Though they live a quiet life alone in the mountains, death is never far from the man known as Waylander. When the Assassin’s Guild puts out a high price on Waylander’s head, both Waylander and Miriel find themselves on the run. With them… Continue reading In the Realm of the Wolf by David Gemmell
Waylander by David Gemmell
The Drenai lands have been overrun, and the Vagrian conquerors, led by Kaem and the Dark Brotherhood, are laying waste to all that lies before them. Only the stronghold at Purdol withstands them, but unless the Drenai can rally a counterattack, all will be lost. In these trying times, a strange old man visits the… Continue reading Waylander by David Gemmell
Quest for Lost Heroes by David Gemmell
It has been forever since I read this book. Still, I really should review it. Here goes. At Bel-Azar, four friends held out against hopeless odds, only to be spared by the Nadir Khan. Known by the Nadir as the “ghosts yet to be,” they enjoyed the fame of heroes for a time, but now… Continue reading Quest for Lost Heroes by David Gemmell
“Why people read”
Dave Farland puts out this great e-newsletter called “Dave’s Daily Kick-in-the-Pants.” For the kick today, he suggested the following exercise: You probably have a good idea about what you want to write—horror, mainstream, fantasy, historical, romance, westerns, religious fiction, and whatnot. Sit down for ten minutes and on the left-hand side of your paper, list… Continue reading “Why people read”