As a huge fan of sci-fi and fantasy writing, I dread The Storyline. You know, the cookie-cutter model that almost all sci-fi and fantasy adheres to? Insert young boy here, father dying there, beautiful girl here, add a dose of magic and a few sword fights and volia! A fantasy novel. You all know. That's why you're reading these reviews, looking for something a little different.

But not too different - we're happy in our comfort zone of magic and dragons and heros... we're just ready for the young boy to do something besides fight the evil forces for his father's throne with the aid of a beautiful woman, a knight by his side... and maybe a wizard or two thrown in for good measure.

So don't be fooled by the idea that this is just another Arthur remake. It's anything but! And after reading it, I'm kind of insulted by the comparison. Yes, his name is Uthur. Yes, there's a lady in the lake. Yes, there's a magical sword. But the story is much more than that! The details in Arthur that define it are mere afterthoughts in this, they are almost insignificant to the main themes of this story.

This book deals with ties to Atlantis. Roman Britons, the Sipstrassi stones, and some pretty fun battles. Uthur turns out to be an extremely likeable character.

This is book 1 of 5 in the "Stones of Power" series. If you're a big fan of fantasy and sci-fi, the entire series is highly recommended. But if you hate sci-fi, just read the first two books. The last three take the idea behind the stones of power - and indeed, have some of the same characters - but strays from the romantic era to a mythical future where the world has toppled (literally), and the world is once again ruled with a six shooter.

Ghost King is the first novel within the loosely associated "Stones of Power" sequence. Basically, this sequence is heavily concerned with Stones of Power, also known as Sipstrassi. These Stones give wielders the ability to manipulate things about them, like "magic", but they are also like batteries that eventually lose their power (as evidenced by black veins appearing on the stones, until the whole stone becomes black and is useless). They can be "recharged" though (this is discussed in the later period Jerusalem Man books and the method used to recharge Sipstrassi isn't very nice). Anyway, I am off topic.
Ghost King is also loosely based around the Arthurian saga, though, apart from the odd name here and there, it really bears little to no resemblance to a traditional Arthurian re-telling. To enjoy the book, you will need to move past the knights-in-shining-armour mentality very quickly.
At the beginning we meet our hero, named Thuro. But he isn't much of a hero. He is a bookish young man whom a strong wind could blow over. Anyway, several key events occur that sweep him into the stuff of legends. You follow him on his path, like when he meets the mysterious Culain, who, judging from many posts I have read remains among the most respected of all Gemmell characters.
It is really a classic "coming of age" story in a way and it is enjoyable because of it. Gemmell clearly researched well the culture and nature of the ancient peoples discussed, such as the Britons, Romans and Saxons. But this historical accuracy is combined with pure speculative fantasy. And, somehow, it all fits together to be a very enjoyable read and sets itself up for a sequel.
Ghost King is classic Gemmell set in a Dark Ages Britain...that never was.

Ghost King by David Gemmell is the first book in his Stones of Power series. There is an acknowledgement section at the very beginning of the books that briefly discusses that this story is loosely based on of the Arthur from Camelot legend. At times I guess I could see that, but overall it is a very loose tie-in if at all.

I have read several book by Gemmell, all based in his Drenai Saga so I pretty much knew what to expect going into this book. After I finished reading it I am glad I had read previous Gemmell works otherwise this may have been the only book by him I would have read. That's not to say that this is a `bad' book. It's just not very deep and thought provoking. It was a quick read and one I didn't have to invest a lot of thought in to finish and understand.

The story is relatively straight forward. A king is killed as well as his heirs but one lone boy survives and has to hide from the people wanting to kill the royal blood so they can take over. This plot is riddled with cliché after cliché, and there are many times an experienced fantasy reader will groan due to the `been there done that' type feeling. Most fantasy fans will be able to predict with some accuracy where the plot will lead and what will happen. Don't get me wrong, it's not a terribly written book. In fact it is written quite well, but while reading this I found myself inserting different characters names (from other books) into the book and realizing I had read it all before. It's mildly engaging and rather linear.

The characters are as can be expected when put in context with the plot. There is a little character development, but with the way the book is written you already have an idea on what development will take place with each character. I did enjoy the character of Thuro for the most part, but there is a scene towards the end of the book that took that enjoyment away from me. There is little new with the characters that can't be found in countless other fantasy books.

Overall, when faced with the question of to recommend or not to recommend I am torn. I think that decision would be based on who I am talking to. If it is a relatively new fantasy reader I wouldn't have a problem with suggesting this. It's a light, quick read and one that can get people used to reading this type of story. However, if the person I am talking to is relatively well read in fantasy and likes more complex characters and plot then I would by no means recommend this book. I think those fans would feel let down and disappointed at the end of the book. This is certainly not the best book I have read that was written by Gemmell. If you are looking for a very good Gemmell book read Legend. It's very good.

This is book 1 of the Stones of Power series. It is a solid fantasy. Basically it is a reworking of the Arthur legend. The story is about what you would expect from Gemmell. Good writing, lots of action, and interesting characters. As the series progresses to book 2 and beyond, it changes into a more science fiction type of story. If you enjoy this book, go pick up Last Sword of Power, Wolf in Shadow, The Last Guardian and finished up with Bloodstone. Good series.

I'd have ot rate this one as preety good now keep in mind I happen to be a fan of David Gemmell others who are looking for the same basic kind of stuff but more grounded in reality may want to look at some of the works of Bernard Cornwell.

Overall-As for myself I liked the book a lot for some reason a lot of the books based on King Arthur seem to have Atlantis tie ins. I wonder why that is? Anyway its a good mix of legand and fiction(when taken with a grian of salt). If this kind of stuff is your bag you will not be disappointed.