Gap newbie - reassurance required!

Post by **variol son** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:04 pm

Second to what? Please say This Day All Gods Die. It's my favourite, although I think Chaos and Order has some amazingly strong writing. The scene where Davies confronts Morn still plays in my mind regularly.

The universe spoke to me and I did what it said! And I don't even exist! I'm just a shadow of you!

Post by **Loredoctor** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:11 pm

variol son wrote:Second to what? Please say This Day All Gods Die. It's my favourite, although I think Chaos and Order has some amazingly strong writing. The scene where Davies confronts Morn still plays in my mind regularly.

The universe spoke to me and I did what it said! And I don't even exist! I'm just a shadow of you!

You're one step ahead of me. TDAGD is awesome. God, it is incredible!

Spoiler

And the part where Calm Horizons crosses the gap into Earth orbit . . . . omfg.

Post by **stonemaybe** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:19 pm

I've seen this TDAGD written around here and it really was starting to confuse me, and I have twice gone and checked the exact wording of 'A Dark and Hungry God Arises' on my book!

Confusion now resolved!

Post by **Cagliostro** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:24 pm

Up to that point in my life, I had never read a book on the edge of my seat. This Day All Gods Die was the first and just about the only book ever to do that for me. The beginning of the book just brings it all together. Powerful powerful stuff.

Post by **CovenantJr** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 12:49 am

Nathan wrote:She smokes like a chimney! I find smoking to be an immediate and irretrievable turn-off.

She does. She does indeed. And smoking is a turn-off for me too - but I have to agree with Ted that Lane is hot. She even has a hot name, damn it. Lane Harbinger.

Post by **Farm Ur-Ted** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:58 pm

CovenantJr wrote:
Nathan wrote:She smokes like a chimney! I find smoking to be an immediate and irretrievable turn-off.
She does. She does indeed. And smoking is a turn-off for me too - but I have to agree with Ted that Lane is hot. She even has a hot name, damn it. Lane Harbinger.

Hey man, I've dated a smoker before. I don't want to get all graphic or anything, but they tend to be, um, orally fixated. Like, in a big way. Do you know where this is leading? There is an upside.

Post by **Relayer** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 8:26 pm

She liked to talk a lot?

Post by **Peven** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 2:37 pm

she spit a lot?

Post by **danlo** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:23 pm

Post by **Ghostrider** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 11:01 pm

Smokers hack and cough. I'm not sure the oral fixation is worth the reward in this case.

Being hacked on seems unpleasant.

Post by **Farm Ur-Ted** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 4:03 pm

What's so bad about coughing? It helps lubricate the throat..... and other things.

Post by **Rocksister** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:26 pm

I'm reading the Gap series again after letting it gather dust on my shelves for years. I had read it before, it didn't light my fire, and have re-read the TC books several times in between. But having finished the Chrons again just last week, I had to do something to fill the next 2+ years, so I picked up Gap. I'm still in the first book, not loving it so far. At this point, I want to castrate Angus Thermopyle, but I can see where SRD is developing his character and exploiting AT's weaknesses where Morn is concerned. Right now he's a deviant, but he's starting to have these "feelings" and he gets mad when he has them. I don't remember much about the rest of the books, but I am hoping I'll like them better the second time around. I am a fantasy lover, not much into sci-fi unless I can SEE it on the screen. It's hard to picture technological stuff, but pretty easy to picture a 12 foot tall man. I'm still trying, but it's a struggle for me. Just venting. Thanks everyone.

Post by **Roynish** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:09 am

Rocksister wrote:I'm reading the Gap series again after letting it gather dust on my shelves for years. I had read it before, it didn't light my fire, and have re-read the TC books several times in between. But having finished the Chrons again just last week, I had to do something to fill the next 2+ years, so I picked up Gap. I'm still in the first book, not loving it so far. At this point, I want to castrate Angus Thermopyle, but I can see where SRD is developing his character and exploiting AT's weaknesses where Morn is concerned. Right now he's a deviant, but he's starting to have these "feelings" and he gets mad when he has them. I don't remember much about the rest of the books, but I am hoping I'll like them better the second time around. I am a fantasy lover, not much into sci-fi unless I can SEE it on the screen. It's hard to picture technological stuff, but pretty easy to picture a 12 foot tall man. I'm still trying, but it's a struggle for me. Just venting. Thanks everyone.

In my opinion you will not find the books satisfying in any way. Its painful and an incredibly difficult read.

Post by **Loredoctor** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 11:34 am

Roynish wrote:In my opinion you will not find the books satisfying in any way. Its painful and an incredibly difficult read.

As you keep posting in every thread here.

You've made your point.

Post by **Zarathustra** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:25 pm

As I've said here many times, I think the Gap is Donaldson at his best. Now I'm going to contradict myself and assert that the Chronicles is my favorite Donaldson story (well, at least until the LC started coming out . . . we'll see how that goes). So let me clarify.

The Gap is Donaldson's best writing. Yes, it is difficult and painful. It's not as beautiful, uplifting, and inspiring as the Land. However, as a story (rather than a world) it is simply better crafted, better written. The sheer complexity of all these interacting POVs is astounding. It's not just the number of characters and perspectives, but how these perspectives intersect and interact. Writers like G.R.R.Martin have plenty of characters (sometimes too many). But Martin doesn't utilize the form of multiple POVs to its full potential like Donaldson does here. Donaldson uses the fact that all these people have different versions of "the truth," different perspectives on reality, and they are all misleading and manipulating each other. Martin just uses it to show a larger view of the world. Much of the time, his characters aren't interacting at all. They're on different sides of the continent living out separate lives. They might as well not even be in the same story. But with Donaldson, every character has a direct part to play in the actual main story. Each character is moving it towards one specific end. That's an amazing achievement.

And there's also the level of tension. I've never read such an intense story in my life. The fact that he can maintain this intensity throughout 5 books is almost unbelievable. It's certainly exhausting. There's only one point where I felt it starting to lag: Chaos and Order. But he ended that book with a bang, and then gave us the most satisfying single-volume conclusion any story has ever had. I've said it before, I'll say it again: the final book is one long 500 page climax. It's an astonishing display of writing. I'm truly in awe.

Is that enough reassurance?

How's it going Stonemaybe?

My wife is stuck in Chaos and Order right now. Donaldson has broken her heart by

Spoiler

giving Nick Angus's codes,

and she hasn't gotten back into it in a few weeks. That's the low point I was talking about. It got me, too. Very depressing.

Post by **Loredoctor** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:33 pm

An excellent post, Malik.

Post by **Orlion** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:29 am

These are books that you have to read all the way through to the end. The reason? For me, I found the entire series engaging throughout the series, but didn't have a very high opinion about it until I finished TDAGD. I can now state that the GAP series is (censored for your virgin eyes) incredible! Though it may not be entirely my favorite sci-fi piece, it ranks up their with Asimov's Foundation trilogy and Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

Post by **Cleburne** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:14 pm

I have finally purchased the first book in the Gap series and read the first few chapters and now know where Mallory came from.

Anyway Ill see how I get on as this is my first sci-fi book. Ill keep you posted

Post by **Loredoctor** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 8:25 pm

Cleburne wrote:I have finally purchased the first book in the Gap series and read the first few chapters and now know where Mallory came from. Anyway Ill see how I get on as this is my first sci-fi book. Ill keep you posted

Enjoy, my friend!

Post by **MsMary** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 3:47 am

The Gap series is well worth the read.

There are some characters with some redeeming traits and some who are out and out bastards.

But I have to say I found reading the Gap series akin to torture, and I haven't been able to bring myself to re-read it, yet.
I am sure I will eventually.
I guess that's not too reassuring.

It's a great story, though. Definitely worth your while.

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

Gap newbie - reassurance required!