Best Swordsmen of David Gemmell's works

[Culain]

It's culain. He beat the best there was the best there is and the best there ever will be! This fella was the Greek god of war. And he was Lancelot as well. C'mon guys!?

[dreamhunter]

Looks like the poll has only offered the leading guys in each story, e.g. Achilles & Hector in Troy.

I've only read the Troy series, but I must say I was fascinated by DG's version of Aeneas. I must say that Aeneas, to me, seemed to be the one who could still remain ice cool in the most critical of crisis situations.

A cold killer, if you like. But a heroic type, not your average villainish sort, like.

Which is what I would prefer to have as my character, if I were a swordsman myself.

DG's Aeneas was much less athletic than either Achilles or Hector. But then, to a swordsman, a superman physique is not the most important thing. It's your deftness with your blade that counts, doesn't it?

[Boaz]

Skilgannon or Decado, does it matter? Druss would split both their skulls before breakfast.

[dreamhunter]

Provided Druss didn't meet Aeneas a.k.a. Helikaon somewhere, underestimated him, and was stupid enough to challenge him.

Aeneas would have coolly sliced Druss's throat with his first draw out of his scabbard, while Druss's blade would still be hanging there ... high up in the air.

[Connavar]

Seeing as he was a hardcore berserker too i would say Aeneas wouldnt survive killing Druss even if he was good enough

You need to read Druss stories to know he wasnt about sword,ax wielding ability, he was pure killer in the battlefield.

[Winters_Sorrow]

Jon Shannow would slaughter them all. He has these things called guns.

But to answer the question as intended, I went for Decado but Tenaka Khan was the coolest.

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by Winters_Sorrow

Jon Shannow would slaughter them all. He has these things called guns.

But to answer the question as intended, I went for Decado but Tenaka Khan was the coolest.

I went for Decado too.

If there was a death match tournament between all his warriors i would say Druss or Shannow would win.

Not Shannow because of his guns but those guys are the most able killers. I dont think Jon would need guns to kill well.

[Winters_Sorrow]

I just think both of those empitomised the "Never give up, never give ground, never compromise" attitude which saw them overcome odds which, quite frankly, they shouldn't. The others, while capable & driven, just didn't seem to have that steel in them. Some were flashy & cocky, others haunted by internal demons or troubles and one or two were just brawlers (Bane, really?).

Both Druss and Jon were caring men who became implacable monsters when the wrath took them. Injured? Won't stop me. Dying? Not dead yet, come closer...

But I disagree with you on one point Connavar. Jon Shannow was an indifferent fighter without his guns so he'd be a bit knackered if disarmed. Druss could smash your face in with his bare hands and calmly retrieve Snaga.

[Connavar]

I didnt say he was good in hand 2 hand fighting but if he had a knife,sword,axe he would be quick enough to learn how to kill with those kind of weapons.

Not like his guns but he wouldn't be defenceless with older weapons.

[dreamhunter]

Originally Posted by Connavar

Seeing as he was a hardcore berserker too i would say Aeneas wouldnt survive killing Druss even if he was good enough

You need to read Druss stories to know he wasnt about sword,ax wielding ability, he was pure killer in the battlefield.

Yes, Aeneas/Helikaon does have his wild side, I agree. That's what made Andromache fall in love with him.

But when he fights, he's cool as ice. In battle, he doesn't get angry. He just gets cold, mechanically efficient n completely emotionless. Which was what Persion, a physical superman bent on avenging his pirate father Alektruon's death, found out, eventually. Rather too late, though.

Killers come in as many characters, as well as shapes n sizes. I would be wariest of the Aeneas/Helikaon type. You could provoke a hot-tempered type to throw him off his rythm. But what can you do to a swordmaster whose brain changes him into the perfect killer cyborg the moment he starts fighting?

I'll read up more on Druss, just as a matter of interest. I'll make my final judgement then. But for the moment, my money is still on Aeneas/Helikaon.

[Connavar]

Well Druss isnt my favorite hero of DG either, Jon Shannow is.

But Druss is a monster in the battlefield. Thats a fact whether he is a big fav or not.

Dont forget to read Legend,his first book,not the best written but emotionally stronger than Troy,many other works of DG.

[Boaz]

Did you ever see the movie Stand By Me? It's an adaption of Stephen King's short story/novella The Body. Do you remember a certain conversation between Vern (Jerry O'Connell) and Teddy (Cory Feldman)?

Vern: Do you think Mighty Mouse could beat up Superman?

Teddy: What are you, cracked?

Vern: Why not? I saw the other day, he was carrying five elephants in one hand!

Teddy: Boy, you don't know nothing! Mighty Mouse is a cartoon. Superman's a real guy. There's no way a cartoon could beat up a real guy.

Vern: Yeah, maybe you're right. It'd be a good fight, though.

[woodsman]

Boaz's genius continues to blow me away...

In terms of a tournament between Gemmell's characters, Waylander wins (for me) before anyone else turned up. AND he's a cartoon.

[Boaz]

Originally Posted by woodsman

Boaz's genius continues to blow me away...

Not a bad bit of posting, huh? You know, sometimes I amaze even myself.

Okay, so I've only read Legend... but I am planning on reading the Troy series immediately, if not sooner.

[dreamhunter]

Oh yeah. Mickey Mouse vs Superman would certainly be a fun fight. I can just see it now. MM throwing Superman around all over the freakin place. Here, there n everywhere.