VF, please disregard the "undergrad literary theory remark"; it was unkind and unrepresentative of your obviously prodigous learning (not sarcasm), and said in the proverbial heat of the moment of the exchange. Would offer a longer, more Hallmark-y moment, but the Simpsons is about to come...

Life is too short to hold a grudge for very long. I can appreciate VF's passion (i feel it myself), and will concede I may have added fuel to a fire I kindled in the first place. In the end, I don't want to see anyone banned from the site--- it's too cool a place. And I hope all will remember it is ...

Sorry guys and gals, I'm off the playground--- taking my bat and ball and going home. Mean people suck.

(HLT, though "irrregardless" is a word of "non-standard usage", it is held to be appropriate in certain context, such as my example.)

Wow. I have to admit to being taken aback at Variol Farseer's post (whom, btw, being new to the Watch, and writing my rebuttal after 1 a.m., confused him with another poster with a similar name, Variol-son, who goes by Vs I think). Not by his intellectual argument (foreign words and undergrad Englis...

Apology and sophistry! Vs, your evidence only strengthens my arguments. Runes is a fragment--- that's my point. You're saying that's okay because Tristram Shandy was published in nine volumes? (Irregardless, if it were published today, it would be in one volume--- or certainly not three years betwee...

SRD says it is "unmistakably" TC. Of course, he is writing from Linden's POV, but she has regained her percipience, and she would know. Granted, we all know SRD is a past master at misdirection and at taking us in one direction, only to whip us completely around, but I believe that, in one...

Who says Mhoram never married? We don't really know his history after TPTP. I like to think he and Lord Amatin hooked up--- they were getting real chummy by the end of that book!

burgs, we're not as far apart on this as it seems. It all boils down to perception; we're seeing similar things, but you seem to like it, and I don't. First, LOTR isn't really three interconnected novels like the Covenant books, it is one novel broken into three (artificially imposed) parts by publi...

MOHD was such a great read because we were learning about Mordant, Imagery, and all the various characters for the first time. It was novel (in the sense of being original). We don't need that kind of pacing with a Covenant book--- we already have the background. If we prefer to regard Runes as a wi...

Does the destruction of the Earth break the Arch of Time? Harking back to the creation story, I'd be inclined to say "no." After all, there seemed to be a universe out there prior to the Earth--- I'm thinking of the Worm zipping through space, yawning and curling up for a nap within the co...

Thank you, Edge. All is forgiven. However, in the spirit of healthy debate, I will not give up my reasonable criticism of Runes, though I do recognize that two adults can agree to disagree. Just a few rejoinders: * Novels, even serial fiction, should not be relagated to telling "fractions"...

Edge, listen carefully, I'm not being rude or dismissive, and I am giving you substantive examples (re-read my posts if you missed them the first time). You're the one who has given no specific refutation--- at least not in this thread, and resorted to words like "waaaambulance". I mean no...

Edge, I have neither time nor inclination to respond to your rude and dismissive post (besides, Thaale said it better and nicer than I would have). Remember, just because we arn't on the Runes adulation train dosn't mean we arn't still (intelligent) fans of the chrons. (one might say "especiall...

UrLord: "At this point it's pretty much just a matter of opinion." Of course. In the end, all criticism is reduced to a matter of opinion. But we can say certain things definitively based on comparison and expectation (to the other TC books): * Weak climax, if any (see my above post) * A o...

Merely "entertaining" is not good enough--- it is not what we've come to expect from SRD and the Covenant books. At least with the Gap books, the Real Story had the luxury of no expectations--- it was the (enigmatic) opening salvo in a new epic, and it was evocative because it was all we h...

Wow, just five? In no particular order: Tomorrow Never Knows In My Life We Can Work It Out Help The Medly on Abbey Road (is that cheating?) Of course, this list changes from day to day. That's the magic of the Beatles! Anyone get the Lennon Acoustic CD yet? Good to hear John, but none of the stuff i...

Excellent post, Thaale, esp. concerning Linden's internal conflict (or the lack thereof). The "quip" response was to Dandelion's unconsidered remark. Challenging Runes does not change the validity or brilliance of the 1st or 2cnd chrons--- nothing can take away their much deserved success,...

That isn't an answer, it's a quip. When TWL came out, it wasn't necessary (however desirable) to have read the First Chronicles--- not only could it stand on its own, but it created new fans. Do you honestly believe a fragment like Runes can draw new readers? Is it of interest to anyone BUT TC fans ...

Hi all. This is my first post, but I've been lurking for a while. I appreciate the perceptive and good natured exchange on the Watch, and wish my first post could have been on a more positive note, but I gotta get this off my chest and see if anyone else feels the same way. I just finished the book ...