Product Description

Darkness falls on the Great Green and the Ancient World is fiercely divided. On the killing fields outside the golden city of Troy, forces loyal to the Mykene King Agamemnon mass. Among them is Odysseus, fabled storyteller and reluctant ally to the Mykene. He knows that Agamemnon will stop at nothing to secure the treasure that lies within the city walls, and he must soon face his former friends in deadly combat. Ailing and bitter, the Trojan king waits. His hope is pinned on two heroes: his favourite son, Hektor, the mightiest warrior of his age, and the dread Helikaon, who will wreak terrible vengeance for the death of his wife at Mykene hands. War has been declared. As enemies, who are also kinsmen, are filled with bloodlust, they know that some of them - men and women - will become heroes: heroes who will live for ever in a story that will echo down the centuries.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #121267 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-27
• Released on: 2007-08-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 449 pages

Review
" This is how the oldest tales should be read and known. Gemmell is a master of plot, but his triumph is creating men and women so real that their trials are agony and their triumph is glorious."
-- Conn Iggulden
" David Gemmell carries us away to a four-cornered, wholly convincing cosmos, so masterfully done that the reader thinks ' Ah, this is what it was really like.' "
-- Stephen Pressfield
" To anyone who enjoys an action-packed historical epic."
-- Joanne Harris
" The loyalties and betrayals, the love and the hate, the endless, everlasting courage of the men -- and the women -- of both sides are brought to life in this vivid, inspirational recreation of the Troy myth."
-- Manda Scott

"From the Paperback edition."

From the Inside Flap
DARKNESS FALLS ON THE GREAT GREEN,
and the Ancient World is fiercely divided.

On the killing fields outside the golden city of Troy, forces loyal to the Mykene King Agamemnon mass.

Among them is Odysseus, fabled storyteller and reluctant ally to the Mykene. He knows that Agamemnon will stop at nothing to secure the treasure that lies within the city walls, and he must soon face his former friends in deadly combat.

Ailing and bitter, the Trojan king waits. His hope is pinned on two heroes: his favourite son, Hektor, the mightiest warrior of his age, and the dread Helikaon, who will wreak terrible vengeance for the death of his wife at Mykene hands.

War has been declared.

As enemies, who are also kinsmen, are filled with bloodlust, they know that some of them – men and women - will become heroes: heroes who will live for ever in a story that will echo down the centuries.

About the Author
Published in 1984, David A. Gemmell's first novel, Legend, has become a classic. His most recent Drenai and Rigante novels are available as Corgi paperbacks; all are Sunday Times bestsellers. Now widely regarded as one of the finest writers of heroic fantasy, David Gemmell lived in East Sussex until his death in July 2006.

Customer Reviews

The Fall Of A Legend
Well...word's almost fail me as I write this. Not only have i read every book ever released by David Gemmell, and the last being finished by his talented Wife Stella, I can now believe without a doubt Gemmell was the finest writer I've ever known.

This last trilogy had me year's ago when it was released, I preordered every new part to the series and only finishing the final book Fall Of King's mere minutes ago, its with almost a tear in my eye to say there will be no more, Fall Of King's in my eyes was the perfect title for David Gemmell for he was the King of writing.

I urge anyone who hasnt read this book, the trilogy as a whole, or any of David's books,to do so, you will not be disapointed. It has everything you need like action in the form's of mass battle's across the Scamander, to Hector's one on one fight's with Anchilles. The sense of bravery,loyalty,loss,happiness and the feeling that you know the character's so closely you feel their triumphs and pain like your own. I wont mention any spoiler's, I wouldnt want to spoil such a wonder to the eyes to read.

It is with a heavy heart I finish this, but to you David Gemmell, you truly were the King of storytelling, im sure Odysseus would agree!

Quality Maintained.
When David died last year this was the novel that many fans never thought would see the light of day as he'd only written 70-80,000 words before passing away. Yet the publishers had every faith that his wife, Stella, would complete the novel and do so in such a way that it would please not only the fans but be a fitting tribute to the man who was Britain's King of Heroic Fantasy.

Yet many doubted that the quality that they'd come to expect would either A) be maintained or B) achieved by a novice author. That said however Stella had conducted the research for the series as it was always something that David hated doing and due to the complications of his personal health at the time he'd left a chapter by chapter plan for how he saw the novel proceeding to its conclusion.

So what can be said about this novel? Is it as many would ascertain "a cash in" on the authors name or does it stand on its own feet?

Whilst many will feel reluctant to pick up David's final work as he's an author that they grew up with such as myself, I really couldn't tell where David left off and Stella began, a sign of a person who had so engrossed herself in her husbands work that she seems to know exactly how to phrase things as well as keep to the themes promised to many of the fans. Whilst certain critics will always complain at the way in which the tale of Troy has been adapted by this newest incarnation for not sticking to the "Homerian" account, I can only applaud the changes to fit the authors style, purely for what many will see as a simplistic reasoning, Homer was a Storyteller like Odysseus within the tale and who are authors today but weavers of modern myths, each adapting the tale for their audience.

Within the pages are hints that this is indeed the tale that David longed to write for many years with nods to scenes earlier explored within other novels to see how well they would work not only from a strategic standpoint but to make sure that it worked well for the reader. This is not only a tale to love for a modern fan but could be no more than a fitting tribute to the "Legend" who is now the "King Beyond the Gate." Well written, lovingly crafted, excellently executed with a high enough body count to keep even the most blood thirsty fan happy. A true tale of all the virtues emulated throughout David's career and the reasoning behind the trilogy will no doubt assert itself to the readers as characters they've grown to love in previous installments meet their faiths pantheon when the gods decree. I can only congratulate Stella for her skill in completing the tale and would also like to offer the stick to poke the critic's eyeballs with.

This novel is bittersweet
David delivered FALL OF KINGS to his editor the day before he went into the hospital, taking the story up to the final siege. He had discussed the storyline with Stella who has been deeply involved with the research and creation of the trilogy since its inception. He left behind him a chapter by chapter plan as to how each character should develop and how he saw the final novel ending. This is bittersweet news.
I'm delighted that his fans will be able to see the end of this series in the way DG would have wanted but it just underlines that we won't be seeing anymore from the great man. If you missed one of his prior releases, go and read the books in this series.