''Waylander'' is a

fantasy novel Fantasy literature is literature set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without any locations, events, or people from the real world. Magic, the supernatural and magical creatures are common in many of these imaginary worlds. Fa ...

by British 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 (Gemmell novel), Legend''. A former journalist and newspaper editor, Gemmell had his first work of fict ...

, published in 1986. It is the first of three Waylander stories, followed by '' Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf'' and'' Waylander III: Hero In The Shadows''.

Plot summary

The assassin 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, a young woman and three children in her charge, Waylander gradually redeems himself and tries to save the kingdom that he plummeted into chaos.

Waylander The Slayer

''Waylander The Slayer is the main character of ''Waylander'', '' Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf'' and ''

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

''. An anti-hero like the Earl of the Bronze in ''

Legend A legend is a Folklore genre, genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human valu ...

'', Waylander appears at first immoral, an assassin with only mercenary motivations, however is revealed through a series of flashbacks to be a tortured soul, once noble, and now seeking redemption for the singular evil act that defined his legend - the regicide of Niallad, a kind-hearted and well-loved Drenai King.

References

1986 British novels British fantasy novels Drenai Novels by David Gemmell Century (imprint) books {{1980s-fantasy-novel-stub