Rating: 
Summary: Morningstar
Review: I'm not surprised that this is one of the best books that I have every read. Strap yourself in and hold on for one of the best mind rides that your brain will be able to handle.
Rating:
Summary: Best Fantasy Novel I've Read to Date (Maybe)
Review: I've been reading fantasy since junior high. (Almost 20 years). I enjoyed the Hell out of this book. It completely transcends the typical, blah, two-dimensional fantasy novel and offers us the true irony behind the forming of a legend - about a "hero" who is several rungs below the decent. It is a rites of passage awakening for the main character (and reader?) as he sees his supposed idol caught between the desires of his selfish nature and the misguided perceptions of the world he lives in. Great character development. Dark Irony. No powder-puff BS. Classic!
Rating:
Summary: Best Fantasy Novel I've Read to Date (Maybe)
Review: I've been reading fantasy since junior high. (Almost 20 years). I enjoyed the Hell out of this book. It completely transcends the typical, blah, two-dimensional fantasy novel and offers us the true irony behind the forming of a legend - about a "hero" who is several rungs below the decent. It is a rites of passage awakening for the main character (and reader?) as he sees his supposed idol caught between the desires of his selfish nature and the misguided perceptions of the world he lives in. Great character development. Dark Irony. No powder-puff BS. Classic!
Rating:
Summary: The Truth Behind the Legends
Review: Morningstar is the first novel I've read by David Gemmell. I must say that after reading this book, I cannot wait to dive into more of his work. The story is told in the first person perspective of Owen Odell, a bard who gets mixed up with one Jarek Mace, the outlaw that becomes the legendary Morningstar. In this book, Gemmell makes an interesting examination of what makes a hero. He borrows heavily from the Robin Hood and King Arthur legends, but transforms them and makes them part of the legacy of the Morningstar. Gemmell shows how a hero can be made, not necessarily through his own actions, but through how these actions are perceived by the people. While Mace's actions were serving his own ends, the people still perceive him as a hero.The main strength of this book is the tightly plotted adventure that keeps the action coming at a breakneck pace. Gemmell has created a solid cast of characters that you really want to hear more about. The ending is great and kind of took me by surprise. I highly recommend Morningstar to any fantasy fan. If you're looking for a standalone tale that isn't a doorstopper, this is the book for you.
Rating:
Summary: Another good (sort of) stand-alone?
Review: Of course, there's a reference to one of the characters thinking about fleeing to Ventria, so you never know if the island of the Ikenas and Highlands aren't northwest of Drenai... However, that's not the point. This is an excellent book about the nature of heroism and legend that twists and turns throughout history. Unlike most of his books, Morningstar is narrated in the first person, in this case by one Owen Odell, a bard/magician who meets and befriends a rakish thief named Jarek Mace, and tells us his story. As others have said, it's a decidedly different manner of writing for Mr. Gemmell; every other of his books that I've read have been third-person, before and since. It's a very good read, and quite fast, too; it's much thinner than his normal books, and read much faster, which is sometimes a good thing. All in all, I rather enjoyed this novel, and highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: MORNINGSTAR is excitement all the way!!!!!!
Review: This book is one where you don't wan to put down until each word is read. The story lay out is simply brilliant as the end is like the end of two stories of the same person. Read it and you'll know what I'm trying to say.......
Rating: 
Summary: Is this the best fantasy has to offer?!?
Review: To begin with, let me start by saying: when I was fifteen I LOVED David Gemmell's books. I have read plenty of fantasy in the past, but now that I'm thirty I tend to read less genre-based fiction and more novels set in the real world.
After reading the glowing reviews on this site I thought I might revisit David Gemmell and see if he still held any appeal for me. Based on other Amazon reviewers, I expected deep characters, an innovative plot, a well told story and an anti-hero. Let me address each of these in turn.
Deep characters? Are you serious?!? Let me see if I can summarize the sterotypes for you (shout out once you recognize them):
1. a nervous, squeamish, bookish bard with bullying brothers, but an innate talent for magick
2. a money-minded, likeable rogue with an eye for the ladies, a quick wit and a quicker sword
3. a gentle giant with a disfigurement, but with a nuturing side
4. a virtuous woman who resists the hero at first with mock disgust, then ends up falling in love with him
5. a tyrannical overlord with a penchant for torture and conquest
6. an evil wizard, who is corrupted by his lust for power and eventually consumed by the denizens he summons
It's hard to imagine a more common collection of fantasy stereotypes - and they are all in this one book. Incredible!
Innovative plot? Wrong. It's Robin Hood. Next.
A well told story? Here is where my three stars game from. As a writer, David Gemmell knows his craft. Many books draw attention to their unique writing style. This one allowed the style to take a back seat to plot and moving the story along. This is the best thing I could say about the book. Let's face it, there aren't that many writers that could do as good a job as Gemmell in this area.
Contains an Anti-Hero? Not even close. For the people that included the phrase "anti-hero" in their review I suggest they consult a dictionary or go directly to the Jerry Cornelius and Elric books by Michael Moorcock, American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis, Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov and the novels of Chuck Palahniuk.
Even if Jerek's actions were motivated by greed and self-interest, the outcome of his actions were generally still heroic and based in chivalry. A true anti-hero should leave you genuinely confused about their motivations, upset and disgusted with at least some of their actions and morally conflicted about whether you think the way they live their life should be emulated by others.
If this is considered the best that fantasy has to offer (as some reviewers would have me believe): stereotypical characters set in the most unoriginal of plots, then I for one won't bother with the rest of the genre.
I guess you end up growing out of these things.
Rating: 
Summary: Superficially different, for Gemmell
Review: Totally entertaining and never boring (as usual) Morningstar suffers (I think) a little from its experimental first person point of view. In Gemmell's other books the evil characters and protagonists are given room to develop and grow with nothing between them and the reader...here the narrator's view obviously obscures some of this (apart from a jolting jump into third person for a short section near the end...) It's still vastly superior to most of the other Tolkien-esque fodder around.
Rating:
Summary: Unputdownable! Gripping!
Review: Well, these reviews are for the benefit of those who might be interested in the book so lets start... Well, this book is written in true David Gemmell style as his other fans would probably testify. Heroes with plenty of flaws, companions who are more than just bit players...they have a real character and display it every chance they get. Well in this book I love the style he uses... the never ending story style mixed up with a narrative style..keeps you going. ..it also lets you know that the story was well planned from start to finish...David Gemmell knew where he wanted to finish and how and proceeded to write his story. This book is gripping...no doubts about it.. I loved it and think it's one of his better books.. buy it and read it. You won't regret it. I personally rate this book a wee bit higher than The Quest For Lost Heroes which was my fav David Edding book.
Rating:
Summary: Simply the Best
Review: Without a doubt the best Gemmell book i've read< and i've read them all>
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