David Gemmell dies, aged 57

[Decado]

I don't know how many of knew David Gemmell (British Authour)

As you can read from the title, Gemmell recently passed away.
Gemmell, best known for his novels Legend, Waylander, Swords of Night and Day, TROY series and so on, published 30 novels in a career spanning 22 years.

Gemmell was - is still my idol. His books inspired me and I know many others in their daily lives. His books were beyond compare... the greatest authour and 'person off page' that I ever knew. I can't express how sad I feel at his passing. I always has someone to look towards through his books, whenever I had bad times. His death is a huge loss for everyone, the whole world could have benefited from his philosophies. I'm really, really going to miss him and his books....
I hope he is in the "Hall of Heroes," among the many historical characters he wrote about...looking over us.

[Lex]

I CAN'T BE LIEVE IT! I DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE IT!!!!!!! Don't tell me this...he was my favorite too, I've read most of his books and own a few, I was hoping one day with my writing that I could meet him personally!
There's one more shattered dream! This is too totally sad! No more action packed stories...
Right! I'm making a pact right now, my first book published will be solely dedicated to him, the man that inspired me to pick up the pen after so many years. Mark my words!

[Sanzora]

Although I haven't read many of his works I am still a fan... Man, it's a pity that he died so young. But as they say, all things happen for a reason... I guess we can only be grateful that he blessed us with his many tales while he was still alive. May he rest in Peace.

Thanks for letting us know

[SHiKaMaRi]

It seems that September is not a very good month. First Steve Irwin, then Peter Brock, now David Gemmell. I was one of the many fans that loved his work, and this is terrible news. It is very unfortunate that he passed on at such a young age... May he rest in peace.

[Decado]

Thanks guys...
yeah, when I found out I felt like I was hit by a fricken anvil.

Good stuff Lex, I hope your book is a success
I read all of his books and started reading them all again this year... such an inspiration.
He was in the middle of a trilogy as well - the TROY series. I read his first book, one of my favorite for sure...and the second was meant to come out in Nov, the third around jan.
The second book is still to come in Nov though, i guess he finishe it. But there'll be no third...

Only 57...just like his greatest fictional character Druss, they both died around 60 years of age.
I remember one of his quotes in the book --

Person1: "Are you an idiot? What is the point of preaching love in this time of war? Love won't turn arrows, it won't turn knives!!"

Person2: "No, Love will turn minds."

lol, awesome stuff...

[Vampyrelord]

Sorry to hear this. I read several of his books and I thought they were pretty good.

[Decado]

Gareth Wilson has written a memorial for David that I'm including here:

When David died on Friday, I felt as many fans have done that our safety net in a chaotic world had disappeared. A man who made sense of everything in a world where everything was confusion. David was a man who brought the Heroic Epic back for a new generation, and I for one am amongst many have judged our own life trials against those within his work for the past 22 years.

Perhaps the greatest testimony to David is not his amazing output or the sheer scale of the tales he told, but the way in which he affected his readers. So many tributes have poured in for the "big man" and everyone spoke of the personal way in which his work affected them. Everything from giving their lives a moral code to judge themselves by through to direct action against what "violated the code" such as the fan who after finishing one of David’s books, ran to the aid of a woman being attacked by two men............................ *plus more*
_______________________________________________________________
and THIS ONE ESPECIALLY by Brisbane writer Chris McMahon:

"I believe he was truly under-rated as a writer. His books were such amazing page-turners that it would only be on the fourth or fifth read that I could actually slow down enough to see his amazing craft - a craft that was always understated, one lubricated by deftly constructed plots. He knew how to get out of a readers way, gradually building the story and getting inside the characters - both good and evil - in a way that made you see the thin line of choices that separated them. His ability to build atmosphere and put you right into the story with such remarkable economy was truly breathtaking.

"His novels saw me through some tough times: dark times. For me - and for many others - they were a true inspiration in a world of compromise and banality.

"During some of those years, deep depression would send me into a suicidal orbit on a weekly basis - just like clockwork. In my filing cabinet at work (where my fellow workers had as much idea about my emotional problems as they did about my closeted creative side) was a sealed envelope marked 'Deep Blue - Open in Case of Emergency'. Inside was a brand new copy of Waylander with neatly handwritten instructions to 'Stop Thinking Immediately. Go Home. Read the Book'. It was opened only a few months after I sealed it. That Gemmell book and others helped me many times. But 'help' seems to weak a word - they saved me.

"His work had a huge impact on me - more so than any other writer. And the themes that he dealt with resonated with me strongly. I just can't believe he's gone."

[Decado]

srry for the double post. here are some covers of his books in case ur interested.

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/1807/sondal0.th.jpg (http://img83.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sondal0.jpg)

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/5701/troyoc0.th.jpg (http://img83.imageshack.us/my.php?image=troyoc0.jpg)

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/1691/hawketernaluz5.th.jpg (http://img147.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hawketernaluz5.jpg)

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/9690/lionofmacedonyb4.th.jpg (http://img247.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lionofmacedonyb4.jpg)

plus many many more

[sweeter]

Necrobump

I first heard about Gemmell in CB (from Decado, iirc). I'm not a big fan of fantasy, but I had the chance to read The Swords of Night and Day recently when a friend gave me a copy.

I was floored.

His use of language was nothing short of magnificent. Comparable to Nabokov's, I daresay. I found myself highlighting beautiful and uncommon words (festooned! perplexing! quiver!) that I originally planned to incorporate in my everyday vocabulary, but by the end of the day, the book resembled a ****ing rainbow!

The characters were archetypes in the truest sense of the word, idealistic and rich. And I had no idea how the author did it, but he built up a boring and cowardly merchant (a character I never thought I could love) to a fierce and fearless leader. The character development was well-paced and subtle so during the climax, it hit me at full force. When Stavut crawled to Shakul, both of them with spears through their torsos, and Stavut asked Shakul why he came back and Shakul said it was because "we are pack", oh man, I teared up. It was so heartbreaking.

Skilgannon, Druss, Decado, Jianna... they were wonderful, but I felt they lacked background. My friend said they had their "starring roles" other books, but I'll have to read them after August 15. I hate quarterly ITR's.

RIP David Gemmell. Brilliant fantasy writer.

(:

[Decado]

Thanks sweeter.

Well, at least some recognition. Can't believe how few people read his work.

That's why he was my idol.. what Chris McMahon says (quoted a few posts above) was extremely true for me. I just hope my writing can someday do justice to his work.

And now one other person knows why I'm known on CB as Decado.