Winter Warriors - Softcover

Gemmell, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0552142549 ISBN 13: 9780552142540

Publisher: Corgi Books, 1998

Synopsis

Upon the death of three kings the world will be plunged into darkness. Two of the kings are dead and the third is about to be born. All the terrifying forces of evil range against the pregnant queen and it is up to three old men, discarded by the king, to save the unborn king.

About this title

Review

David Gemmell has a talent for fantasy tales of heroism and villainy that feature characters who, while sympathetically flawed, are almost superhumanly good at what they do. Often these people are warriors: finely drawn, emotionally complex, and struggling with their individual human challenges against the backdrop of epic events.

The heroic figures here are three Drenai soldiers, Nogusta, Bison, and Kebra, whose services have been rejected by their king because they are no longer young. However, while these old friends might be a tad past their best, they are still very good indeed, and when they are called upon to protect the infant heir to the throne, the little prince could not be in better hands. In the midst of flight and eventual, desperate battle against the forces of the demon lord Anharat, they fight not only a human army and a band of demon riders bent on the heir's death but their own doubts about their ability and worth. Gemmell is particularly deft at describing fine gradations of the friendship between the three men, including the subtleties of liking, of loving, and of the different strengths that come with age. Winter Warriors is both a fast-paced fantasy adventure and a powerful story of living and dying well. --Luc Duplessis

From the Back Cover

Winged demons gather, silent and unseen, above the city of Usa, their talons long and sharp. Their purpose is clear, as is the prophesy: Upon the deaths of the three kings, the demon riders of the Krayakin will become flesh, free to slake their thirst with human blood -- and the stench of evil will cover the land.

Two of the kings are already dead. For the prophesy to be fulfilled, spreading carnage across the world, the demon lord must sacrifice the third king: Queen Axiana's unborn child.

When Emperor Skanda disbands his army, the pregnant queen takes flight, pursued by the Lords of the Undead. All hope lies with three ancient heroes. Though discarded by the emperor, they are still Drenai soldiers: Bison the giant, Kebra the Bowman, and the great swordsman Nogusta -- the demon lord's greatest foe. But will these warriors -- once the best in the land -- be enough to stem the tide of gruesome horror that threatens to envelop the world?

About this edition

• Publisher: Corgi Books
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0552142549
• ISBN 13: 9780552142540
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 411