''Hero in the Shadows'', published in 2000, is a novel by British

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...

writer

David Gemmell David Andrew Gemmell (; 1 August 1948 – 28 July 2006) was a British author of heroic fantasy, best known for his debut novel, ''Legend''. A former journalist and newspaper editor, Gemmell had his first work of fiction published in 1984. H ...

. It is the third of three Waylander stories and was preceded by Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf.

Characters

* Waylander (The Grey Man) * Keeva * Yu Yu Liang (Pria-shath) * Kysumu * Eldicar Manushan * Ustarte * Niallad

Plot

Waylander, the assassin anti-hero of Waylander and Waylander II, is now a rich old man looking for a world that will give him peace and atonement for his crimes. However, his relatively quiet peace is broken by the appearance of old demons from the past, and enemies from the present. Faced with enemies he cannot easily fight, even a magical sorcerer working for an unknown cause, he is forced to take up his crossbow and sabre to once again become Waylander. Aided by an idealistic warrior, a braggart with a stolen sword, a girl with a special talent, and a mysterious priestess and her followers, he seeks to close the chapter of his life by destroying the evil he has created by his own hand.

References

2000 British novels British fantasy novels Drenai Novels by David Gemmell Bantam Books books {{2000s-fantasy-novel-stub