Waylander by David Gemmell

All of Waylander's instincts had screamed at him to spurn the contract from Kaem the cruel, the killer of nations. But he had ignored them. He had made his kill. And even as he went to collect his gold, he knew that he had been betrayed. Now the Dark Brotherhood and the hounds of chaos were hunting him, even as Kaem's armies waged war on the Drenai lands, intent on killing every man, woman, and child. The Drenai soldiers were doomed to ultimate defeat, and chaos would soon reign. Then a strange old man told Waylander that the only way to turn the tide of battle would be for Waylander himself to retrieve the legendary Armor of Bronze from its hiding place deep within a shadow-haunted land. He would be hunted. He was certain to fail. But he must try, the old man commanded--commanded in the name of his son, the king, who had been slain by an assassin... Waylander was the most unlikely of heroes--for he was a traitor, the Slayer who had killed the king...

An excellent tale of war, honour and morality.

High expectations if I were to endeavor a guess. for me this sage just refused to take off. While the world was certainly interesting and the characters engaging there was something amiss for me in the writing style. It was a very matter a fact tone that probably put me off. Don't think I am going to come back to this series again.

Waylander, published in 1986, is a heroic fantasy novel by British fantasy writer David Gemmell. It is the first of three Waylander stories, although chronologically the earliest. Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf and Waylander III: Hero In The Shadows follow on from this story.
The novel introduces the eponymous assassin Waylander. It also brings other characters important to the Drenai saga, such as Karnak and the Thirty into being. Waylander is doomed to travel the world in search of revenge against those who killed his family. After allying with a priest, a fellow assassin, and a young mother, Waylander redeems himself. He also tries to save the kingdom. The origin of the Armour of Bronze is also detailed in the course of the story. Also detailed are the events that lead to Drenai becoming a republic.

In summary this is another winner by David Gemmell. Waylander is the usual subtle blend of action, extreme violence and humans struggling to come to terms with change. And this is where Gemmell excels over other authors. He realises that we all struggle with change. Why is that? The people who populate Gemmell's world all cling to the the illusion of certainty. Just as we all do in real life.

Gemmell realises that we all want things to be certain. A certain income each month, a routine that works, dependable relationships, a trustworthy version of ourselves. In other words a version of reality that isn't fluid. A version that is predictable and dependable. Rationally we know this isn't possible, but it's still hardwired into us that this is what we need and should strive for.
The book uses dark fantasy to explore this desire, along with themes of friendship and faith. The scenes covering besieged fortresses and vast plains are bleak, the future is unknown. The anti-hero is a flawed, an uncertain man. The philosophical musings on the idea of redemption are profound. The epic, sprawling story and plot is basic but that isn't the most important point here. What's most critical is what drives the characters. Can they ever be certain of anything?

Waylander is entertaining, masterfully written and a morally challenging fantasy. Its also a fast-paced adventure in which Dardalion, Danyal and Waylander grab the reader's attention. They become people you care about, people who you care about. The story holds you until the end. This is Gemmell at his best.