Post by: Iain on March 24, 2008, 08:01:30 AM
Of course I knew that I was taking on a lengthy reading task because I had read six of them, including the second chronicles, before. What I didn't know is that Donaldson had returned to the series in 2004 after a 21 year break intending to publish four more Covenant books, of which two have now been published.
I remember liking them, and have not been disappointed so far. Not my usual sort of reading these days, but a nice change.
Post by: Matthew Carberry on March 24, 2008, 08:13:38 AM
Suck it up man, show some bearing.
I had to force myself to finish the first trilogy, and, being a masochist, went back for more.
In the end I just couldn't sympathize with Covenant's refusal to accept, first, his illness and loss and later his power and responsibility. Even when he succeeds he mopes about it.
Too self-pitying.
But Donaldson has never been particularly into "likeable" characters. His Gap series has some doozys.
The only books of his I really enjoyed were a collection of short stories and the 2 book "Mirror of Her Dreams".
Post by: BryanP on March 24, 2008, 09:10:02 AM
The only books of his I really enjoyed were a collection of short stories and the 2 book "Mirror of Her Dreams".
Yep. Those are the only books of his that I've kept. They're quite good.
Post by: Sergeant Bob on March 24, 2008, 10:07:13 AM
I'll definitely be checking into the latest Chronicles.
Thomas Covenant is an anti-hero and the series is not for those who like fluffy bunnies and happy endings.
Post by: Devonai on March 24, 2008, 11:14:03 AM
Post by: roo_ster on March 24, 2008, 11:37:49 AM
carebear nailed it.
It wasn't just stupid/evil acts and foregoing responsibility. Plenty of characters have such characteristics and are still sympathetic. It was the incessant self-pitying & whining.
The TC character needed to man up, suck it up, and move forward.
Post by: Iain on March 24, 2008, 01:03:52 PM
Post by: Matthew Carberry on March 24, 2008, 04:23:56 PM
I dunno, not sure that I could man up and face my responsibilities in a scenario in which it is pretty possible that none of this happening and that I'm imagining it all. If I recall that is the way that Donaldson intended the first book at least to be.
See, I long ago decided that if it appears that reality has made the impossible possible, I will just react accordingly. It's the only rational choice if you think about it. Denying your senses is useless, what's the possible upside?
If it appears that the dead have risen, until proven otherwise, shoot for the head. Doing otherwise ends up with your brains eaten.
If bodies pile up drained of blood, stock up on crosses and stakes, maybe go buy a crossbow prior to the rush. Again, the worst that can happen is that the purely mortal guy who tries to bite your neck gets shot AND impaled.
Absent a reason to suspect a drug reaction, it is never a negative to just accept what your senses plainly tell you, regardless of preconceived ideas of what is "possible'.
The worst that can happen is that you survive. You can deal with the other consequences afterwards.
Almost every story or movie I've ever read or seen where regular people are suddenly faced by the impossible (including Covenant) begins with the conceit that those people have never read or seen a sci-fi, horror or fantasy movie. So they say "Oh, I have no idea what's going on, and it's impossible. Deny deny deny reality..." and they die.
Every nerd and geek in America would instead say "I kinda hoped this would happen some day, I've read this book, I know exactly what to do."
I got no sympathy for Thomas Covenant, Unbelievably Whiny.
Post by: Perd Hapley on March 24, 2008, 05:26:28 PM
Post by: Matthew Carberry on March 24, 2008, 06:39:19 PM
I could never manage that with Covenant, especially in the second series. Maybe I should give them a second read now that it's been a couple decades.
Post by: Balog on March 24, 2008, 08:33:07 PM
Donaldson is a talented writer. He paints a beautiful world, and then an equally graphic depiction of it's violation. It's not just that I don't really want to read about a hero (or anti-hero) who rapes a young girl; the whole thing is one long allegorical rape scene. The degredation of the beautiful and pure wasn't particularly entertaining to me. Just... depressing.
Post by: Bogie on March 24, 2008, 08:52:12 PM
Are these zombie books that I somehow missed?
Post by: Bogie on March 24, 2008, 09:00:19 PM
kbyethnx...
Post by: Matthew Carberry on March 24, 2008, 09:42:40 PM
Unless you just lump all fantasy in like that.
Post by: roo_ster on March 25, 2008, 03:40:34 AM
Not in the ranks of the best, but firmly in the first SD to the right of the mean.
His "Mirror" books were also well done.
His books have nothing to do with D&D and have an entirely different tone.