It took me about 3 goes to get into the first book too, and I've heard the same from others. Just got to get past the rape scene and then you're in. I suspect I'll be reading the last chronicles for a while as they're not on Audible so I have to actually read them with my eyes. Audible is my usual means of book consumption!
I'll queue up some Gemmell for after the current chronicle I'm reading to split it up a bit.
Yeah that's the bit I had trouble with meself. It also didn't help that he was such a moany fecker too! ;)
I just had a look and there's loads of Gemmell audiobooks so you won't get eye strain! ;)
Moany fecker, lol. You're right though. In the second chronicles he goes back to the land with a doctor, Linden Avery. In the last chronicles, she's the moany fecker. So much so in fact that there's a fan group called the Holy Order of Linden Avery Haters! I'm really enjoying it though. My own blog is at sunbane.com, named after the Sunbane in the second chronicles, and my wedding band is, of course, white gold! Saddo, right?
Lol, no not a saddo, just a fan! Some people confuse the two, usually people with no life who don't see past football, soaps and celebrity magazines! ;)