Even in death, Skilgannon the Damned's name lives on. Now, as an ancient evil threatens to flood the Drenai heartlands in a tide of blood, he returns...
A thousand years after they fell in battle, two heroes - Druss and Skilgannon - are revered throughout the war-torn lands of the Dernai, where men and women live in abject fear of the dark sorceress known as the Eternal...
But what if the soul of one such hero could be called back from the void, his bones housed again in flesh? An ancient prophecy foretold that Skilgannon would return in his people's darkest hour. To most, this was a foolish hope. But not so to Landis Kan. Having found Skilgannon's ancient tomb, he gathers up the bones and peforms the mystic ritual.
But the reborn hero is an enigma: a young man whose warrior skills are blunted and whose memories are fragmented. This Skilgannon is a man out of time, Marooned in a world as strange to him as a dream, remote from all he knew and loved. Or nearly all. Before bringing back Skilgannon, Landis Kan had experimented upon other bone fragments found in the hero's tomb. That ritual resulted in a surly giant who possessed astounding strength but no memories. To Kan, he is a dangerous failure. To Skilgannon, this giant represents their last hope.
As ageless evil threatens to drown the Drenai lands in blood, two legendary heroes will once again lead the way to freedom.
David A. Gemmell's first novel, Legend, was first published in 1984 and went on to become a classic. His most recent Drenai and Rigante novels are available as Corgi paperbacks; all are Sunday Times bestsellers.
Widely regarded as the finest writer of heroic fantasy, David Gemmell lived in Sussex until his tragic death in July 2006.
A thousand years after they fell in battle, two heroes - Druss and Skilgannon - are revered throughout the war-torn lands of the Dernai, where men and women live in abject fear of the dark sorceress known as the Eternal...
But what if the soul of one such hero could be called back from the void, his bones housed again in flesh? An ancient prophecy foretold that Skilgannon would return in his people's darkest hour. To most, this was a foolish hope. But not so to Landis Kan. Having found Skilgannon's ancient tomb, he gathers up the bones and peforms the mystic ritual.
But the reborn hero is an enigma: a young man whose warrior skills are blunted and whose memories are fragmented. This Skilgannon is a man out of time, Marooned in a world as strange to him as a dream, remote from all he knew and loved. Or nearly all. Before bringing back Skilgannon, Landis Kan had experimented upon other bone fragments found in the hero's tomb. That ritual resulted in a surly giant who possessed astounding strength but no memories. To Kan, he is a dangerous failure. To Skilgannon, this giant represents their last hope.
As ageless evil threatens to drown the Drenai lands in blood, two legendary heroes will once again lead the way to freedom.
David A. Gemmell's first novel, Legend, was first published in 1984 and went on to become a classic. His most recent Drenai and Rigante novels are available as Corgi paperbacks; all are Sunday Times bestsellers.
Widely regarded as the finest writer of heroic fantasy, David Gemmell lived in Sussex until his tragic death in July 2006.
