David Gemmell was a respected fantasy author, famous for tales of heroism and bravery. His acclaimed debut novel, Legend, helped define modern heroic fantasy.
If you enjoy reading books by David Gemmell then you might also like the following authors:
Robert E. Howard is a classic author of heroic fantasy, most famous for creating Conan the Barbarian. His writing is intense and fast-paced, featuring tough heroes and dangerous adventures.
If you are a David Gemmell fan, Howard’s The Hour of the Dragon might grab your attention. Conan, now king of Aquilonia, faces betrayal, dark sorcery, and an ancient enemy returned from the past. Howard builds a vivid world of swordplay and sorcery.
Battles and bravery fill this story. Conan struggles to keep his throne and kingdom in the face of overwhelming evil forces. The tale paints memorable images of lost ruins, eerie magic, and powerful villains.
The Hour of the Dragon gives readers a sample of Howard’s energetic storytelling and will resonate with those who enjoy Gemmell’s strong, courageous characters and epic conflicts.
Books by Karl Edward Wagner might appeal to readers who enjoy David Gemmell’s gritty and intense fantasy tales. Wagner is best known for his dark sword-and-sorcery series centered around Kane, a complex antihero driven by ambition, power, and a thirst for adventure.
In Bloodstone, Kane comes across a mysterious ancient artifact, the legendary Bloodstone, which promises vast power but carries dark and deadly consequences.
Betrayal, battles, and dark magic fill this tense story, giving fans of Gemmell’s morally ambiguous heroes and vivid battle scenes a new compelling adventure to follow.
Joe Abercrombie is an author well-known for his realistic and gritty fantasy novels. Fans of David Gemmell’s heroic style and vivid battle scenes often find themselves drawn to Abercrombie’s books.
A great starting point is The Blade Itself, the first book in the First Law trilogy. The novel introduces Logen Ninefingers, a fearsome warrior facing his brutal past, and Glokta, a former hero turned ruthless inquisitor.
Dark humor, memorable characters, and intense fight sequences fill the pages. Abercrombie weaves realistic conflicts and moral complexity into a gripping story that fantasy readers won’t soon forget.
Steven Erikson is a Canadian author known for sprawling and complex epic fantasy, rich with memorable characters and intricate world-building. Readers who appreciate David Gemmell’s gritty battle scenes and complex heroes might connect strongly with Erikson’s work.
His book Gardens of the Moon sets off the vast Malazan Book of the Fallen series. It introduces readers to a war-torn empire filled with mages, assassins, gods, and soldiers.
Something that stands out in Erikson’s book is the balance between huge sweeping battles, personal triumphs, and tragedies of unique, highly memorable characters.
If epic fantasy with a focus on flawed heroes, military themes, and deep lore appeals to you, Erikson’s storytelling style could be worth a look.
Books by Glen Cook often appeal to readers who enjoy David Gemmell’s gritty style and strong, unforgettable characters.
Cook is best known for his dark fantasy series The Black Company, where readers follow a group of mercenaries caught in the murky politics of sorcerers and empires.
In the first book, also titled The Black Company, we meet Croaker, the company’s doctor and narrator, who documents their battles and day-to-day struggles amid betrayal and shifting loyalties.
The story explores the moral ambiguity soldiers face, filled with intense battle scenes and sharply drawn personalities, making it a natural pick for any fan of Gemmell’s hero-driven tales.
R. A. Salvatore is an author you might enjoy if you’re a fan of David Gemmell’s style. He is best known for his exciting fantasy series set in the Forgotten Realms universe. One great book to start with is Homeland, the first in the epic Dark Elf Trilogy.
It introduces Drizzt Do’Urden, a drow elf hero from a city deep underground. Even though Drizzt grows up among his cruel kin, he’s not like them. He challenges the traditions and brutal laws of his people.
Homeland has plenty of action, intriguing characters, and a darkly detailed underground city. There’s a lot in common between the worlds of Gemmell and Salvatore: strong heroes, complex moral dilemmas, and vividly described battles.
If you enjoy David Gemmell’s heroic fantasy novels filled with strong characters and vivid battles, Raymond E. Feist is definitely worth your attention. Feist’s series, beginning with Magician, introduces readers to the world of Midkemia.
In this first book, young Pug becomes an apprentice magician during a time of war between two worlds. The story combines epic battles, richly developed characters, and political intrigue that shape Pug’s growth from an inexperienced youth to a powerful figure.
Feist has an engaging style and creates believable, exciting worlds. Fans of Gemmell’s ability to blend action with deep storytelling will find a similar attraction in Raymond E. Feist’s writing.
Books by Brandon Sanderson should appeal strongly to readers who enjoy David Gemmell’s style of gritty heroism and vivid worlds. In Sanderson’s Mistborn: The Final Empire, you’re drawn into a harsh world ruled by a ruthless immortal emperor.
Here, a group of rebels emerges, led by Kelsier, a clever revolutionary with big plans, and Vin, a young street thief swept from obscurity into an intense struggle against tyranny. This book offers vibrant battles, unique magic based on metals, and characters you’ll root for.
The fight against impossible odds and twisting betrayals resonates deeply with the courageous storytelling that readers love in Gemmell’s novels.
If you enjoy David Gemmell’s gritty battle scenes and heroes facing impossible odds, John Gwynne might become your next favorite author.
His novel Malice, the first book of The Faithful and the Fallen series, introduces readers to a richly crafted world on the brink of chaos. In a time when prophecies whisper of a looming conflict between gods, kings and warriors prepare themselves to shape their destinies.
The young protagonist, Corban, dreams of glory in battle but soon finds honor, betrayal, and friendship tangled together in ways he did not expect.
Gwynne brings authentic characters and visceral combat scenes to life, told through powerful storytelling and vivid action that fans of Gemmell will immediately recognize and appreciate.
Books by Mark Lawrence will appeal to readers who enjoyed David Gemmell’s gritty, action-driven fantasy. In Prince of Thorns, Lawrence tells the story of Jorg Ancrath, a ruthless and ambitious prince determined to reclaim his birthright.
Jorg leads a dangerous band of outlaws through a broken empire filled with violence, political scheming, and dark magic. This is a story filled with morally complex characters and vivid battle scenes.
If you liked Gemmell’s tough heroes and tense storylines, Mark Lawrence’s blend of gritty realism and intense action might draw you right in.
Anthony Ryan is a fantasy author known for characters that bring to mind David Gemmell’s heroes—those warriors who carry deep histories. In Blood Song, Ryan tells the story of Vaelin Al Sorna, a skilled warrior trained by a mysterious order from childhood.
Vaelin’s story begins when his father abandons him at the gates of the Sixth Order, committing the boy to a life of fierce training, brotherhood, and secretive magic.
As Vaelin grows into adulthood, he faces dangerous trials and uncovers powerful secrets about himself and his world. Readers who appreciate Gemmell’s style of vivid action, complex heroes, and themes of loyalty and honor may find much to enjoy in Ryan’s writing.
Readers who appreciate the heroic storytelling and vivid battle scenes of David Gemmell may find Miles Cameron a worthy addition to their reading lists. Cameron, known for his detailed world-building and realistic battle descriptions, creates vibrant historical fantasy.
His novel The Red Knight introduces readers to a skilled mercenary captain known simply as the Red Knight. The captain and his company take on a seemingly straightforward job: defend an isolated abbey from mysterious creatures threatening its inhabitants.
But as the siege intensifies, hidden motives and complex alliances emerge. The story grows deeper and the stakes higher with every turn of the page. The Red Knight navigates threats both visible and hidden while layers of intrigue and magic unravel around him.
Like Gemmell, Cameron writes memorable characters who are both flawed and courageous. The Red Knight offers plenty of action, drama, and carefully woven surroundings.
Richard K. Morgan is a British author known for his gritty stories and intense action scenes. Readers who enjoy David Gemmell’s heroes might want to check out Morgan’s The Steel Remains.
This novel follows Ringil Eskiath, a war hero reluctantly drawn back to face a new, terrifying threat that stirs violence and dark magic. Morgan weaves vivid battle sequences and sharp character interactions, wrapped in a bleak yet captivating world.
The plot moves with urgency, and the stakes are high, much in the spirit of Gemmell’s own tales. Fans of tough warriors, brutal combat, and morally complex heroes will likely find Richard K. Morgan’s style appealing.
Andrzej Sapkowski is a Polish fantasy author best known for his series The Witcher. If you enjoy David Gemmell’s gritty heroes and action-packed stories, Sapkowski offers a similar blend of morally complex characters and fierce adventure.
A good place to start is Blood of Elves, the first full-length Witcher novel. It follows the story of Geralt of Rivia, a professional monster slayer tasked with protecting young Ciri, a child whose mysterious origins attract dangerous enemies and powerful magic.
Sapkowski crafts rich worlds, vivid dialogue, and scenes full of suspense. There’s alliances, betrayals, humor, and battles—everything fantasy readers who appreciate Gemmell look for.
Simon R. Green writes fantasy novels packed with dark magic, vivid characters, and exciting adventures. Readers who enjoy David Gemmell’s tales of heroism and gritty fantasy will likely appreciate Green’s similar talent for crafting thrilling worlds full of peril.
A great starting point is Something from the Nightside, the first book of the Nightside series. The story centers on John Taylor, a private investigator blessed (or perhaps cursed) with the ability to find anything lost or hidden.
He ventures into Nightside, a mysterious hidden realm in the heart of London where it’s always 3 a.m. Strange and dangerous beings dwell there, and Taylor must move carefully through secret threats, eerie magic, and twisted mysteries to fulfill his latest mission.