I have to say I enjoyed Runes. It was good meeting some of my old "friends" in terms of the races. But I agree with you ... the "High Language" SRD used in the past is mostly absent. And I also agree - the Land IS a character. And the language SRD uses to immerse ourselves in the Land is as critical as the story development.Ard Rhys wrote:Runes is not a good beginning to this new series, but therein lies the problem more than likely. Nothing happens in this first book. There is a minor quest, but there is no real villain once Linden steps into the Land. I found the story boring for a book, and I have had to constantly keep reminding myself that it is only 1/4 of a story. This part, I will just have to wait and see.
But the worst part of the book was the writing. Donaldson has changed as a writer ALOT since 2nd Chronicles was released. If you go and compare WGW to RotE... well... there really is no way to compare the two. They are apples and oranges. Whereas the first two chronicles were rich and vibrant in language, bringing the characters and the Land to life, Donaldson has now after 20 years decided that less words is more. But he has come out of writing first person mystery stories, and that writing has really effected RotE in a very bad way. I felt as if I were being preached to rather than being able to immerse myself into the story.
What's sad about this fact is he knows what he is doing. He admits in the new issue of Locus Magazine that upon re-reading the first six books in preparation for the Last Chronicles, Donaldson realized that he isn't that wonderful writer anymore. Right after this realization, however, he rationalized that he has merely changed as a writer and he now is only interested in characters and conflict. This is almost verbatum from the article.
Now this isn't good. Why? Because the Land IS a character in the first two chronicles. That character is completely absent in this new book.Spoiler
As is Covenant.
I am a huge fan of the first two chronicles, so much so I actually wear a white gold band on my right hand with the word BELIEVE inscribed on the inside. But this new book shook my belief in Donaldson's ability to wrap up the story as strong as he entered it. I guess time will tell. I pray I get to eat my words.
S.
I'd recommend you do more than wait for time to tell! Share you insightful thoughts with SRD directly on his bulletin board - after Runes is officially released of course!! He has already noted that the writing of the first book has significantly modified his thought about the structure of the second.