How do the 2nd Chronicles compare to the 1st.

[CovenantJr]

Second Chronicles surpasses First Chronicles in every conceivable way.

Reverse those, and I agree with you.

The Second Chronicles are truly fantastic, and must be read at the earliest opportunity.

BUT

They aren't even close to matching the First Chronicles for me.

[Zarathustra]

This is a hard choice. It's similar to the Runes-vs-the-other-two debate. The writing is certainly better in the 2nd chronicles, but I like the world-building and action better in the 1st. WGW only redeems itself with the ending. All the stuff in the snow and ice seemed tedious to me, and didn't serve the story--except for Hamako's foreshadow of what TC does in the banefire and Mt. Thunder. But then again, I don't really like TPTP as much as the 1st two, either. Stumbling around in the snow and ice just doesn't do it for me--though the seige of Revelstone was amazing. Donaldson may "write his stories for the ending," but I typically don't like the final books in his series as much as the earlier ones. (The Gap series is another story . . . )

My favorite of all 6 is TIW. Troy, Elena, Earthblood, the war, the giant ravers, the forestal . . . when I think of classic Donaldson, this is what I think about. In addition, the sense of discovery in LFB isn't equalled in any of the others. And I like common setting of the 1st Chronicles better. Keeping the story of all three books in the Land allows the progressive deterioration of the Land to build. In my opinion, this is a more powerful "crescendo" than what happens to the Land in the 2nd Chronicles. The Sunbane may be shortening its cycle, but it pretty much starts out at a crisis level from the very beginning. And while I love TOT, it certainly dampens the tension of the Sunbane to be out of it for months.

However, I have to say that the character crescendo is more powerful in the 2nd chronicles. Covenant's growing power and diminishing control is more effective than the character development of the 1st chronicles. In terms of the mechanics of writing, that is simply a tighter story. It retains a tighter focus on the ending. So I'm fairly conflicted on this issue. Let's just say I like the individual Chronicles for different reasons.

[The Dark Overlord]

While the Second Chronicles were totally excellent but the NOTHING has ever compared to the First Chronicles- especially The Power That Preserves. Lord Mhorams final battle being my second favorite and Covenant's final battle with Foul being my absoulte favorite. Also, in the first series, Covenant's character IS the most desolate character I have EVER read. He is SUCH a contrast to the Land and his situation/condition is the bleakest I've ever seen- especially in TPTP.

[mortem]

First Chronicles for sure... I happen to be in the middle of my favorite of all six books (TIW), and though I am a fast reader, I am purposely reading as slowly as I can to savor every well-written sentence and appreciate it anew.

[Zarathustra]

He is SUCH a contrast to the Land and his situation/condition is the bleakest I've ever seen- especially in TPTP.

On thing I like about the 1st Chrons is that he starts out, as you say, in such a contrast to the Land, but then his condition and the condition of the Land slowly approach one another, reaching a culmination of degradation in TPTP.

[danlo]

Re: WGW-Hamako was twice bereft for gods sake! There was a major lesson there!

[Zarathustra]

Re: WGW-Hamako was twice bereft for gods sake! There was a major lesson there!

I'm intrigued, Danlo. Please elaborate.

[Rocksister]

Wasn't Hamako from a Stonedown that got destroyed, and then his Waynhim rhysh also was destroyed? Not sure on that one.

I can't choose between First and Second Chrons. The First got me hooked and made me WANT to go to the Land for all its beauty and love. The Second broke my heart to see what had happened to it. But it still contained the beauty of the unbreakable spirit of the people who lived there. You could conceivably read the First Chrons and stop there. But I don't think you will. You'll want to go back to the Land; that's my prediction. Enjoy the trip.

[danlo]

Wasn't Hamako from a Stonedown that got destroyed, and then his Waynhim rhysh also was destroyed? Not sure on that one.

exactly! And then he fought the arghuleh to the death-what a hero! Covenant could not desert him for all he had done for the Land: he lost his family, he lost the ecological salvation of the Land, and probably something else I'm missing). The existence of another croyel, vindication for Dukkha, the opportunity to ask the Waynhim about Vain's purpose. Hamako's final scene ranks right up there with Boromir's for god's sakes (it wrenched my guts out man!)! I'll need to go on cause there's more... ...Covenant was twice bereft, as well, and couldn't dare use the Wild Magic. "Thomas Covenant, I wish we had met in kinder times."-danlo, president of THRFC! The Hamako Rules Fan Club!

[wayfriend]

I'm in that club, Danlo. But let's not fail to mention the most important thing about Hamako:

For a long moment, her glare held. But then slowly the anger frayed out of her face. At last, her eyes fell. Thickly, she murmured, "I'm sorry. I just don't understand. Killing people is wrong." The memory of her mother was present to her as it was to Covenant. "But dear Christ! Saving them has got to be better than letting them die."

"Linden." She clearly did not want him to say anything else. She had raised the fundamental question of her life and needed to answer it herself. But he could not let the matter drop. With all the gentleness he had in him, he said, "Hamako didn't want to be saved. For the opposite reason that your father didn't want to be saved. And he won."

"I know," she muttered. "I know. I just don't understand it."

[A Gunslinger]

One of the things I regretted most about the 1st chrons, that was settled in the 2nd chrons, was that in TPTP, Mhoram and TC never got to spend any time together, save for the very beginning whn TC refused his summons.

I oved it when the mountain of bitterness that was TC would share the scenery with Mhoram, they very apex of positivism and serene wisdom. Quotable fun was always the result!

[danlo]

Thanks Way! That was exactly what I was missing-oh this Xmas shopping can be so nerve racking!

[wayfriend]

Thank Way! That was exactly what I was missing-oh this Xmas shopping can be so nerve racking!

You need to get into the Christmas spirit...

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
- a wild white magic gold ring.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
- two missing fingers
- and a wild white magic gold ring.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
- three days of Sunbane
- two missing fingers
- and a wild white magic gold ring.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
- four forestals
- three days of Sunbane
- two missing fingers
- and a wild white magic gold ring.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
- five Giant Songs!
- four forestals
- three days of Sunbane
- two missing fingers
- and a wild white magic gold ring.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
- six Coursers gnashing
- five Giant Songs!
- four forestals
- three days of Sunbane
- two missing fingers
- and a wild white magic gold ring.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
- seven words of power
- six Coursers gnashing
- five Giant Songs!
- four forestals
- three days of Sunbane
- two missing fingers
- and a wild white magic gold ring.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
- eight aliantha
- seven words of power
- six Coursers gnashing
- five Giant Songs!
- four forestals
- three days of Sunbane
- two missing fingers
- and a wild white magic gold ring.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
- nine Ramen bowing
- eight aliantha
- seven words of power
- six Coursers gnashing
- five Giant Songs!
- four forestals
- three days of Sunbane
- two missing fingers
- and a wild white magic gold ring.

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
- ten Lords a-blazing
- nine Ramen bowing
- eight aliantha
- seven words of power
- six Coursers gnashing
- five Giant Songs!
- four forestals
- three days of Sunbane
- two missing fingers
- and a wild white magic gold ring.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
- eleven Bloodguard serving
- ten Lords a-blazing
- nine Ramen bowing
- eight aliantha
- seven words of power
- six Coursers gnashing
- five Giant Songs!
- four forestals
- three days of Sunbane
- two missing fingers
- and a wild white magic gold ring.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
- twelve Ranyhyn running
- eleven Bloodguard serving
- ten Lords a-blazing
- nine Ramen bowing
- eight aliantha
- seven words of power
- six Coursers gnashing
- five Giant Songs!
- four forestals
- three days of Sunbane
- two missing fingers
- and a wild white magic gold ring.

[danlo]

Linden: Can you put your finger here so I can tie the bow?
TC: Ahhh, errrrr, are you sure? *gulp*

[dlbpharmd]

Very clever, WF!

[mattbuma]

First are the best.

In the first you get a feeling of history, keven Landwaster doesn't seem so far removed. You have great protaganists ellana, Lord Morham, Who are wise, moral and tragic. I like the second books, but I still have trouble with covanant the protaganist Donaldson did such a good job making him into an Anithero that I have trouble forgiving him. In the first books he is lead and you see lord morham and Ellana from the point to veiw of an ordinary coward (Covanant). In the second book he leads, and he cares. It's is a harder sell for me.

[danlo]

...yet it is a natural prgression...

[DrBerenford]

The Wounded Land is hard to take if you love the Land. My first time, I had some nightmares and was prone to crying jags. And it is worth it! The two trilogies are very different and both great. I like to think of the 1st Chrons as the Iliad, and the 2nd Chrons as the Odessy. Both are terribly important. This is the most original fantasy I have encountered.

[Peven]

i am not comfortable pitting the first chronicles against the second. they are both great, in their own right, for the purpose they serve. imo, the first chronicles is more of a conventional tale, a hero, or antihero in this case, is thrown into a conflict against a big baddie, and in the end triumphs. oversimplifiction, i know, but bear with me, i am feeling lazy today, lol. also, it is establishing the depth of character of The Land, its history, its people, etc.

the second chronicles takes all that was built in the first chronicles and expands on it, giving it more depth, and widens the scope of the "world" The Land exists in. the questions/issues/problems/themes that are dealt with in the second chronicles are more complex, imo, and ask more of the reader's intellect. it isn't so much of an ABC questing as it is a philosophical journey. at least that is the way it has always struck me.

what SRD created with the first and second chronicles is quite impressive in that they are so complimentary to each other, despite how different they are.

[iQuestor]

what SRD created with the first and second chronicles is quite impressive in that they are so complimentary to each other, despite how different they are.

well said.