Greetings everyone - Runes of the Earth was solid!

[Dr. Tewari]

Hi I'm new to this forum. I read the 1st chronicles back in the late 70s I think when I was in high school and absolutely was blown away by them and also by the Wounded Land when it was first published. I'm not sure what the problem was, but I was disappointed by the One Tree and even White Gold Weilder - I never thought Linden was very interesting and having the entire 2nd book take place on a boat and then WGW was somewhat anticlimactic for me - I'm not sure if it was because the last two books were flawed or having had to wait several years for the 2nd chronicles to unfold (as opposed to the 1st which were all readily available when I discovered LFB), or if I was in a difficult time in my life (just left teenage angst behind for university life and I was confused, etc.). I'm not sure, BUT I really enjoyed Runes, while it did not take my breath away like the last 1/3rd of LFB, all of IW, all of PTP and all of WL, still, it was a good story thus far and promises more, and I think I will now like to read the entire preceding six books once again, something I don't think I would ever have done as I was left somewhat disappointed with WGW - in any event, I look forward to discussing the Last Chronicles with you all! I know he has said he would never go back and write stories from the days of the Old High Lords, but I think it would be wonderful to have one solid book on each of them: Berek, Lorian, Damelon & Kevin. Krish.

[variol son]

Hail Dr. Tewari! Welcome to Kevins Watch.

I can't believe you don't like White Gold Weilder?!



Sum sui generis
Vs

[MrKABC]

Hail Dr. Tewari! Welcome to Kevins Watch.

I can't believe you don't like White Gold Weilder?!



Sum sui generis
Vs

I'm with Dr. Tewari - I was disappointed in WGW, because I wanted to see less time spent with the Arghule/Soulbiter, a more defined battle with the Clave, and I did not like the lack of a battle with Lord Foul at the end - I felt somewhat cheated when Lord Foul simply faded from existence.

I wanted to see Lord Foul get smacked down big time, not just yell "never!" a bunch of times and then just disappear.

In the One Tree I did not like the story being told from Linden's POV. In my many re-reads of the story, I grimace in disgust and Linden's cowardice in the face of the Elohim, and then "fast forward" to the battle of Bhrathairealm where Covenant masters the Sandgorgon. MUCH better reading.

[dlbpharmd]

Welcome, Dr. Tewari!

As I've said before, TOT is not one of the better books in the series, but I loved WGW!

[High Lord Tolkien]

MrKABC, the switch to Linden's perspective was nessesary for a few reasons.
TC being catatonic was the best I think.
And not knowing what was going on in TC's head made it much more suspenseful, imho.

I agree though, I had no interest in the Arghule/Soulbiter plot. Seemed like a waste of time to me.
But my favorite part of the OT was when TC and Brinn were racing to face the Kemper(?) (was it the Kemper? I forget the name of the weilder of regular gold) and Brinn was FINALLY given permission to kick some ass!!

Oh hell, forget it.
I liked it all.

[MrKABC]

MrKABC, the switch to Linden's perspective was nessesary for a few reasons.
TC being catatonic was the best I think.
And not knowing what was going on in TC's head made it much more suspenseful, imho.

I agree though, I had no interest in the Arghule/Soulbiter plot. Seemed like a waste of time to me.
But my favorite part of the OT was when TC and Brinn were racing to face the Kemper(?) (was it the Kemper? I forget the name of the weilder of regular gold) and Brinn was FINALLY given permission to kick some ass!!

Oh hell, forget it.
I liked it all.

HLT, I agree with your commentary about TOT and Covenant's pursuit of Kasreyn of the Gyre (yes, you were right, his title was the Kemper), that IMHO was the finest part of the book, in addition to the escape from Bhrathairealm.

I had to look up what a "penteconter" was - never heard of one before... <grin>

I didn't see the point in WGW of the invasion of the arguleh or why it needed to be stopped - the arguleh would have been destroyed by the desert sun anyway once they got further south. Guess it was needed to kill Hamako and increase Covenant's potential for despair.

I didn't mind Linden's perspective as much in WGW as I did in TOT... I guess because she was SO cowardly in TOT that I would gnash my teeth and want to toss her overboard the Starfare's Gem.

[dlbpharmd]

IMO, the arghuleh were needed for 2 reasons:

1) Hamako's victory through self sacrifice, giving TC another example (along with Brinn and the Guardian of the One Tree);

2) the continuation of the theme of genocide from 1st Chronicles - i.e., the Seareach Giants and then the Waynhim.

[MrKABC]

IMO, the arghuleh were needed for 2 reasons:

1) Hamako's victory through self sacrifice, giving TC another example (along with Brinn and the Guardian of the One Tree);

2) the continuation of the theme of genocide from 1st Chronicles - i.e., the Seareach Giants and then the Waynhim.

Good point! I hadn't thought of that...

[danlo]

He who does not appreciate the intense intracasies of TOT does not understand Donaldson! hrmmmph! (Reread!) **walks away in a huff carrying a "Vain Rules!" sign...**

[High Lord Tolkien]

IMO, the arghuleh were needed for 2 reasons:

1) Hamako's victory through self sacrifice, giving TC another example (along with Brinn and the Guardian of the One Tree);

2) the continuation of the theme of genocide from 1st Chronicles - i.e., the Seareach Giants and then the Waynhim.

Why is the genocide a theme that needs repeating?
What's the point?
(I wait for the answer, feeling like I just asked a very stupid question....)

And danlo, your post made me laugh out loud!

[variol son]

Part of the point was Covenant's control.

In the First Chronicles he couldn't do anything about the near total of the Unhomed.

Now he is in the possition to save the waynhim from a similar fate, but he can't use his power, even though he knows how.

Add to that Hamako's friendship, and the fact that he is one of the only people in the Land who knows and understands its true history.

So Hamako's sacrifice is not just amazing in itself, but also important in it's affects on Covenant.

Sum sui generis
Vs

[dlbpharmd]

VS makes a good point. I'm not sure that the genocide theme HAS to be repeated. The end of the Waynhim is not even genocide, it's war. But the point is, it's another race of the Land that comes to an end, and we're there to witness that. And as I've said before, if that theme continues in the Last Chronicles, then we're in for some sad reading.

[MrKABC]

He who does not appreciate the intense intracasies of TOT does not understand Donaldson! hrmmmph! (Reread!) **walks away in a huff carrying a "Vain Rules!" sign...**

I don't think I can smoke enough to understand the intricacies of TOT!

<laughing>

Although I will match my knowledge of the first two Chronicles with anyone!!

[Aleksandr]

My own feelings on TOT is that it bogged down badly in the Bhrathair chapters, although the denouement of that story line (from Covenant's "Nom" on) was good. For several chapters though Lord Foul, the Land, the Sunbane and the One Tree were all but forgotten.
WGW was not so much a problem, though I was anxious for the story to return to the Land and impatient of the delay.