The King Beyond The Gate by David Gemmell (The Drenai Novels: Book 2)

8/10

David Gemmell is one of those beloved authors whose name has been written in stone as a fantasy author that has to be on a serious fantasy fans shelf. I don't begrudge that at all, because it's mostly true. But it's true in the same way that the Original Series of Star Trek has to be on a Trekkie's shelf, even though it isn't the best TV ever made.

The King Beyond the Gate is the second fantasy novel by Gemmell in his Drenai series, originally published in 1985 (a year after my birth, if that). So let me preface the following review by saying that I haven't read anything beyond this book, so I assume that Gemmell gets better and better.

For the moment though, the King Beyond the Gate is a good, simple book, that I loved reading and would recommend. It doesn't, however, rate much against some of the 8's, 9's and 10's out of 10 on the site.

The story is set about a century following Legend, but in the same area with the same races. The same racial tensions exist, and there is a new bad guy to defeat, but this time on the other side of the line. We're quickly introduced to our lead characters, and follow their tale as they try and defeat said bad guy and free the land from tyranny.

The characters are very simple, with very little character growth or evolution. They change, sure, but it's a firework change; one minute a bundle of explosives the next minute exploded. There is nothing subtle about the characters, and they are very predictable in their responses to each other, events and death.

Much of the story is as predictable as the characters, but makes for an entertaining and quick read which sees the book finished promptly.

None of this makes for an unsatisfactory book. Don't jump into the book expecting literary genius, but rather an enjoyable and fun romp.

The only thing I will say against the book is the speed with which the book wraps up. It seems that Gemmell must have been writing to a word  limit, and he realized he was getting close to it and thus finished the book as quickly as possible. The last fifth of the book disappears so quickly and improbably that it really took me out of the story and left me disappointed.

Gemmell, as I said, is one of those authors who is beloved by many. I assume that's because of what is coming ahead of me, not because of this book.