David Gemmell, dead at 57

Greyroofoo · 08-07-2006, 09:20 PM

I've read a couple of his books, they were entertaining to say the least.

Greyroofoo · 08-07-2006, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

The board seems to be jumping an hour back in time at least some places. My dynasty post that I just made is dated about an hour ago. I thought maybe it was confined to the dynasty forum, but this thread seems to suggest otherwise..

it seems to put all my posts an hour behind...

wow

Antmeister · 08-07-2006, 10:08 PM

One of my favorite authors died this past Friday. He was really one of the few authors I had read in the fantasy genre. The reasons I was a huge fan of his work is because he wrote about a number of different human races, unlike a majority of fantasy books that only seemed to have European roots.

I had a chance to meet him at Comic-Con in San Diego a few years back, but I ended up missing him by 10 minutes. And while living in Phoenix, I learned that he would often travel to Tuscon for vacation because he enjoyed the desert beauty.

I am not the type of person who get star struck by anyone. Have never been to a concert in my entire life and I have never went autograph seeking. However, David Gemmell was one of the few people that I always wanted to meet since he had an interesting backstory to his own life. It sucks that I won't get that chance now.

Here the link to the story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5230762.stm

Quote:

Author David Gemmell, who has died aged 57, was recognised as the best - and bestselling - writer of heroic fantasy.

David Gemmell died at the age of 57 following heart bypass surgery

He created many characters who will live in the minds of his fans for decades.
When I became editorial director of Random House's SF and Fantasy imprint Legend in 1992, he had already been published there for eight years and built a very strong reputation.
In fact the imprint, which had a long history within Arrow Books, was renamed after his first novel in the late 1980s.
David told me that he had been diagnosed with cancer in the early 1980s and writing that novel, Legend, was a release for him.
It is the story of a city under siege and he came to believe that if the city survived, so would he. They both did.

David felt he should write about strong - though sometimes flawed - characters

John Jarrold

Send your comments about David Gemmell

I live in Hastings, as did David at that time, so we often saw each other down here, as well as talking, in those pre-email days, on the phone regularly about business matters.
We chatted about his books of course, but also about other authors' work - he was a great fan of British fantasy author Robert Holdstock, whose novel Mythago Wood won the World Fantasy Award.
Another favourite was the classic Western writer Louis L'Amour. David felt he should write about strong - though sometimes flawed - characters, who had a sense of honour and did the right thing, however difficult.
Over the years, David's sales increased and his novels always hit the bestseller lists.
He always delivered on time, which is a joy for a harried editor, and also acknowledged the people who worked on his books, which was much appreciated by copy-editors and proofreaders, among others.
Recently, he had started an acclaimed series of novels based on the Trojan War.
He died far too young.

Antmeister · 08-07-2006, 10:17 PM

Correction...he passed two Fridays ago.

Antmeister · 08-07-2006, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greyroofoo

I've read a couple of his books, they were entertaining to say the least.

How did you go back in time and post before me? Are you some sort of time traveller?

GoldenEagle · 08-07-2006, 10:25 PM

Uh oh.....

Eaglesfan27 · 08-07-2006, 10:37 PM

The board seems to be jumping an hour back in time at least some places. My dynasty post that I just made is dated about an hour ago. I thought maybe it was confined to the dynasty forum, but this thread seems to suggest otherwise..

sachmo71 · 08-07-2006, 10:53 PM

whenever it was posted, it's sucky news.

M GO BLUE!!! · 08-07-2006, 11:03 PM

Wow. worst I have ever seen the time stamp bug.

Have faith. If you can post before what you responded to has been written, maybe he can continue to publish unwritten works despite his condition... kinda like Tupac!

Groundhog · 08-07-2006, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Recently, he had started an acclaimed series of novels based on the Trojan War.
He died far too young.

Does this mean he never finished these? I must admit that I had never heard of him, probably because I don't read much fantasy, but this idea has me interested. A few years ago I started writing something very similar myself. I made it through about 70 or 80 rough draft pages before my laptop's HD crashed, and I haven't had the motivation to restart it.

Lorena · 08-07-2006, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antmeister

How did you go back in time and post before me? Are you some sort of time traveller?

He might be John Titor

Antmeister · 08-08-2006, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Does this mean he never finished these? I must admit that I had never heard of him, probably because I don't read much fantasy, but this idea has me interested. A few years ago I started writing something very similar myself. I made it through about 70 or 80 rough draft pages before my laptop's HD crashed, and I haven't had the motivation to restart it.

Fantasy is not my most favorite genre. Horror would be my first and Sci-fi would be my second favorite.

In fantasy, my reading was only limited to those Dungeons and Dragons roleplaying books when I was younger. David Gemmell was one of the few authors I could tolerate in the fantasy genre. You will probably enjoy his stuff because they are you typical fantasy stories. You won't find the goblin, trolls and dragons in his books. Instead you will find a leading character(s) with some flaws that are usally forced to do something based on what happens around them.

GrantDawg · 08-08-2006, 04:47 AM

It's weird. I've heard the name before, but I've never read any of his books. I'll have to pick some up. They look interesting.

Pumpy Tudors · 08-08-2006, 08:16 AM

True story:

I was once at the same school as a guy named David Gemmell, although he was about 5 or 6 years ahead of me (this was a K-12 school). His sister was in my class, and I had the hots for her.

Anyway, I'm reasonably certain that this guy at my school was not the same David Gemmell.

Antmeister · 08-08-2006, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

True story:

I was once at the same school as a guy named David Gemmell, although he was about 5 or 6 years ahead of me (this was a K-12 school). His sister was in my class, and I had the hots for her.

Anyway, I'm reasonably certain that this guy at my school was not the same David Gemmell.

Thanks Pumpy, I am glad you discovered it wasn't the same David Gemmell

Pumpy Tudors · 08-08-2006, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antmeister

Thanks Pumpy, I am glad you discovered it wasn't the same David Gemmell

Yeah, it's not him, unless he got held back in school a lot.

Pumpy Tudors · 08-08-2006, 01:20 PM

Dola

And I wonder if his sister is still hot.

daedalus · 08-08-2006, 03:32 PM

He's one of my favourite author. I will admit that many of his story take the same underlying tone in that it focuses mainly on a flawed hero who attempts to do the right thing. They are, regardless, enjoyable.

The Druss books are fun get started with in the Drenai serie. I like the Celtic Mythology-references in the Rigante serie.

08-07-2006, 10:17 PM	#4
Antmeister Pro Starter Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: At the corner of Beat Street and Electric Avenue	Correction...he passed two Fridays ago. __________________ "I'm ready to bury the hatchet, but don't fuck with me" - Schmidty "Box me once, shame on Skydog. Box me twice. Shame on me. Box me 3 times, just fucking ban my ass...." - stevew

08-07-2006, 10:25 PM	#6
GoldenEagle Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Little Rock, AR	Uh oh..... __________________ Xbox 360 Gamer Tag: GoldenEagle014

08-07-2006, 10:37 PM	#7
Eaglesfan27 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: New Jersey	The board seems to be jumping an hour back in time at least some places. My dynasty post that I just made is dated about an hour ago. I thought maybe it was confined to the dynasty forum, but this thread seems to suggest otherwise.. __________________ Retired GM of the eNFL 2007 Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles (19-0 record.) GM of the WOOF 2006 Doggie Bowl Champion Atlantic City Gamblers. GM of the IHOF 2019 and 2022 IHOF Bowl Champion Asheville Axemen.

08-08-2006, 08:16 AM	#14
Pumpy Tudors Bounty Hunter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	True story: I was once at the same school as a guy named David Gemmell, although he was about 5 or 6 years ahead of me (this was a K-12 school). His sister was in my class, and I had the hots for her. Anyway, I'm reasonably certain that this guy at my school was not the same David Gemmell. __________________ No, I am not Batman, and I will not repair your food processor.

08-08-2006, 01:20 PM	#17
Pumpy Tudors Bounty Hunter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	Dola And I wonder if his sister is still hot. __________________ No, I am not Batman, and I will not repair your food processor.

08-07-2006, 10:53 PM	#8
sachmo71 The boy who cried Trout Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: TX	whenever it was posted, it's sucky news.

08-07-2006, 11:03 PM	#9
M GO BLUE!!! Pro Starter Join Date: Sep 2005	Wow. worst I have ever seen the time stamp bug. Have faith. If you can post before what you responded to has been written, maybe he can continue to publish unwritten works despite his condition... kinda like Tupac!

08-08-2006, 04:47 AM	#13
GrantDawg World Champion Mis-speller Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Covington, Ga.	It's weird. I've heard the name before, but I've never read any of his books. I'll have to pick some up. They look interesting.

08-08-2006, 03:32 PM	#18
daedalus Pro Rookie Join Date: Oct 2000	He's one of my favourite author. I will admit that many of his story take the same underlying tone in that it focuses mainly on a flawed hero who attempts to do the right thing. They are, regardless, enjoyable. The Druss books are fun get started with in the Drenai serie. I like the Celtic Mythology-references in the Rigante serie.

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