Any negative views?
Moderator: dlbpharmd
Any negative views?
I have to say that I really enjoyed parts of the book, but on some level I wasn't quite satisfied. I can't put my finger on it yet, maybe the lack of any strongly positive sections, maybe getting a bit bored of Linden's incessant self whining, overly cryptic dialogue. I am still looking forward to the next one, but this book, on the whole felt a little bit short in many ways. There doesn't seem to be many threads about the book yet, other than very fan-intense splooging, just wondered if people wanted to discuss their feelings in terms of how or where the book let them down, or didn't deliver. There seemed to be some pretty dull sections and rather than the usually fast paced storylines with 2 or 3 threads interchanging, it just seemed a bit like one long winded drag round with whining Linden as she messes everything up, gets loads of things killed just so she can save some dumb idiot kid that she adopted. Sorry if that sounds harsh. I'm glad I bought the book, but it wasn't the dog's bollocks as I expected, both in story and style.
I think you're probably right. In a way, the book feels a bit rushed or hastily thrown together to set up stuff later in the series. Anyway, it'll be a long wait to find out if the rest of the series hits the mark.
Also, perhaps this one will be better on a second read, perhaps chapter by chapter with discussions
Also, perhaps this one will be better on a second read, perhaps chapter by chapter with discussions
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Stonedowner
- Servant of the Land
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- Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2004 2:42 pm
Heya, I'm new to KW, but a very long-time SRD fan.
I (reluctantly) have to agree that RotE came up a little short for me. I read the 2nd Chronicles again just before buying RotE, and I was disappointed in the relative lack of invention in RotE. Everything seems to be derivative of the 1st and 2nd Chronicles, a reshuffling of what has gone before - Haruchai, Ranyhyn, Ramen, same locations, etc. Even the new characters hark back - the son of Cail, the son of Sunder and Hollian. It strikes me as being like a movie sequel that relies on what was proven popular in the original movie - which are always the worst sequels.
But that being said, I did enjoy the book - just not as much as I wanted to. As an above poster wrote, I hope RotE is the set-up to bigger and better things to come
The ending is terrific, and leads me to lots of fun "how in the world could THAT have happened??" speculation. I can't wait for the next one now!
I (reluctantly) have to agree that RotE came up a little short for me. I read the 2nd Chronicles again just before buying RotE, and I was disappointed in the relative lack of invention in RotE. Everything seems to be derivative of the 1st and 2nd Chronicles, a reshuffling of what has gone before - Haruchai, Ranyhyn, Ramen, same locations, etc. Even the new characters hark back - the son of Cail, the son of Sunder and Hollian. It strikes me as being like a movie sequel that relies on what was proven popular in the original movie - which are always the worst sequels.
But that being said, I did enjoy the book - just not as much as I wanted to. As an above poster wrote, I hope RotE is the set-up to bigger and better things to come
The ending is terrific, and leads me to lots of fun "how in the world could THAT have happened??" speculation. I can't wait for the next one now!My own complaint is that not a lot actually happens in this book. Except for the Prologue, we are 3/4 of the way through the book before there's any major action. Compare with LFB or TWL, both of which covered a lot of territory and included several major action scenes, and a fair amount of explanation as to what was going on.
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CovenantJr
- Lord
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I also thought LFB was slow, and even TWL started a bit slowly, and so did The Real Story...That's why I don't mind when the first book of the last chronicles is a bit slow. I like to reserve judgment on individual books (with Donaldson at least) until I've read the entire series.
Anyone perfect must be lying, anything easy has its cost, anyone plain can be lovely, anyone loved can be lost.
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Gadget nee Jemcheeta
- The Gap Into Spam
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re..
I'd like to point out a couple of things.
1) Lord Foul's bane IS different than the following 2 books. reread it and see what I mean. I looks as if SRD is "finding" himself as a writer, then he takes off and explodes in the second book, "The Illearth War". So, I think it almost same thing here.
2) I have said this before, but this book is basically a 500 page introduction to the next 3 volumes. Sure there were some things in it I didn't like. Matter of fact, the Second Chronicles AND this new book have exactly what irritates me! Linden Avery.
3) Better get used to seeing the same type of character and even the SAME character. Time travel is gonna produce some very interesting combinations, i think. Still, even IF we meet up with "previous" real characters, the circumstances are different and so it won't seem like the same story. Similarities really can't be avoided. I'd like to see what Mhoram says about these events...but I doubt SRD would go quite that far. Being SRD, however, who knows?
1) Lord Foul's bane IS different than the following 2 books. reread it and see what I mean. I looks as if SRD is "finding" himself as a writer, then he takes off and explodes in the second book, "The Illearth War". So, I think it almost same thing here.
2) I have said this before, but this book is basically a 500 page introduction to the next 3 volumes. Sure there were some things in it I didn't like. Matter of fact, the Second Chronicles AND this new book have exactly what irritates me! Linden Avery.
3) Better get used to seeing the same type of character and even the SAME character. Time travel is gonna produce some very interesting combinations, i think. Still, even IF we meet up with "previous" real characters, the circumstances are different and so it won't seem like the same story. Similarities really can't be avoided. I'd like to see what Mhoram says about these events...but I doubt SRD would go quite that far. Being SRD, however, who knows?
It is better to be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
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I am not Joan
- Ramen
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- Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2002 2:30 am
It was nice to be back, but Runes was a bit disappointing. SRD's narration is cleaner than either of the two series, but it dragged on for long stretches. I thought Anele was quite annoying tword the end, and while I liked being reminded of the past (esp. since it has been a LONG time since I read both previous series), I think SRD over did that.
I think SRD has a hard time starting--LFB and TWL were both slow in long stretches also (as was The Mirror of Her Dreams). Yet the second volumes all more than make up for that.
I read Runes on the heels of The Dark Tower, and in contrast SRD drags out his suspense a lot longer.
I am very glad he is back but I hope it is not too long before we see him again. On his website I think he said he had to finish the novels in 3 year increments--if that is true it will be 9 more years. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we don't have to wait that long.
I think SRD has a hard time starting--LFB and TWL were both slow in long stretches also (as was The Mirror of Her Dreams). Yet the second volumes all more than make up for that.
I read Runes on the heels of The Dark Tower, and in contrast SRD drags out his suspense a lot longer.
I am very glad he is back but I hope it is not too long before we see him again. On his website I think he said he had to finish the novels in 3 year increments--if that is true it will be 9 more years. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we don't have to wait that long.
Not that bad!
I agree that there isn't that much that happens in Runes; however, it felt real, just plain authentic; the characters behaved in congruity with their personalities and beliefs. I had a strong sense of how it felt to be there, especially with their health sense returning outside of "Kevin's dirt".
I've never quite understood why so many people detest Linden. Some of them seemed to detest poor Roger even before we found out he was quite detestable! So, if your mind was made up not to like Linden, even though she is quite virtuous in this book, it would be hard to like the book itself.
I agree with those saying Lord Foul's Bane was short of a magical picnic. This book is more like that - things are tough, colors are lacking, no nice picnics up by Glimmermere. I think there will be more exotic stuff coming in the next books.
By the way, once the election is over, we should have plenty of folks ready to star in the Thomas Covenant movie.
: If you want someone who can say hellfire, bloody damnation,
look a bit haggard, and complain a lot - how about Ralph Nader
as Thomas Covenant?
: No doubt about who should be the "leonine" Lord Foul - Mr. Chaney
could growl out a nice "Groveler" for us at any time
: If Mr. Kerry isn't employed in the White House, his crooked smile,
long face, with just a little stoop should fit nicely as Pitchwife.
: Finally, I am sure that Mr. Jesse Ventura, who is up for anything,
would be great as Drool Rockworm.
I've never quite understood why so many people detest Linden. Some of them seemed to detest poor Roger even before we found out he was quite detestable! So, if your mind was made up not to like Linden, even though she is quite virtuous in this book, it would be hard to like the book itself.
I agree with those saying Lord Foul's Bane was short of a magical picnic. This book is more like that - things are tough, colors are lacking, no nice picnics up by Glimmermere. I think there will be more exotic stuff coming in the next books.
By the way, once the election is over, we should have plenty of folks ready to star in the Thomas Covenant movie.
: If you want someone who can say hellfire, bloody damnation,
look a bit haggard, and complain a lot - how about Ralph Nader
as Thomas Covenant?
: No doubt about who should be the "leonine" Lord Foul - Mr. Chaney
could growl out a nice "Groveler" for us at any time
: If Mr. Kerry isn't employed in the White House, his crooked smile,
long face, with just a little stoop should fit nicely as Pitchwife.
: Finally, I am sure that Mr. Jesse Ventura, who is up for anything,
would be great as Drool Rockworm.
For me, the prologue felt almost perfectly right.
The rest of the book was a little rushed -- it covered, what, three or four days? Most of the other books have stretched over months; things felt like they came up too fast, and too much detail was spent on tiny little happenings.
A lot of very fun stuff -- but maybe <i>too much</i> stuff: merwives' son, wandering _Elohim_, <i>Haruchai</i> doing altogether too much (sure people change in forty centuries, but if they'd change that much would they still remember?).
The Demondim were remarkably impressive.
I think too much time was spent recapping. Yeah, I know, new readers and all that -- but it was still too much recapping.
The rest of the book was a little rushed -- it covered, what, three or four days? Most of the other books have stretched over months; things felt like they came up too fast, and too much detail was spent on tiny little happenings.
A lot of very fun stuff -- but maybe <i>too much</i> stuff: merwives' son, wandering _Elohim_, <i>Haruchai</i> doing altogether too much (sure people change in forty centuries, but if they'd change that much would they still remember?).
The Demondim were remarkably impressive.
I think too much time was spent recapping. Yeah, I know, new readers and all that -- but it was still too much recapping.
Choiceless, you were given the power of choice. I elected you for the Land but did not compel you to serve my purpose in the Land... Only thus could I preserve the integrity of my creation.
Agree about LFB. In fact, my roommate tried reading it on my recommendation and couldn't get past the 4th chapter since he thought it was too dull.I think SRD has a hard time starting--LFB and TWL were both slow in long stretches also
But TWL never sruck me as tedious. The sheer power of SRD's description of the horrors of the Sunbane held me enthralled (or appalled perhaps).
I do agree with the poster who said the Prologue of Runes was quite good. Previously SRD had no good opinion of the "real world" and (except for TC, LA, and Dr. Berenford) the real world characters were caricatures: simple-minded, bigoted doofuses. Here there was real depth to world for ac change.
no offense intended re: fan-intense splooging. What I meant was that in the inevitable excitment of the book coming out, most of the views I've seen have been more along the lines of "wow, I got runes, woo hoo" and "hey loook, such and such a character is back".
I guess it's early days, I just wondered if anyone else had reservations about what I agree is basically an extended prologue.
I guess it's early days, I just wondered if anyone else had reservations about what I agree is basically an extended prologue.
Let say the first two Chronicles are the original "Star Wars" then Runes is run away Academy Award winner compared to first two new Star Wars movies!!leeharris wrote:no offense intended re: fan-intense splooging. What I meant was that in the inevitable excitment of the book coming out, most of the views I've seen have been more along the lines of "wow, I got runes, woo hoo" and "hey loook, such and such a character is back".
I guess it's early days, I just wondered if anyone else had reservations about what I agree is basically an extended prologue.
He/She who dies with the most toys wins! Wait a minute ... I can't die!!!
The first section of the book is very powerful and we get inside the albeit cliched story of Linden adopting Jerimiah.
The lack of concurrent storylines means that obviously we end a chapter read and pick right up where we were. In some of the previuous novels we had to take a breath and get into other plots and machinations. The we returned to the other plot line.
I still enjoyed the read and the ride.
Still the darkest take on fatansy I have read. But if i see puissant again I am going to puke.
The lack of concurrent storylines means that obviously we end a chapter read and pick right up where we were. In some of the previuous novels we had to take a breath and get into other plots and machinations. The we returned to the other plot line.
I still enjoyed the read and the ride.
Still the darkest take on fatansy I have read. But if i see puissant again I am going to puke.