How old were you when you first read Covenant,

[storm]

In the fall of 2000, i was 18, it was the first time i'd ever read a book that wasn't required for school. My roomie was a big SRD fan and due to some problems of a personal nature i was having he thought TC could give me something to wrap my mind around. I read TWL in about 3 days and was hooked...i wonder what it would have been like had i read the first chronicles first instead of reading them after the second chronicles.

[Harbinger]

I was in the sixth grade, so I would have been eleven. I read the first book with gusto and trudged through the next two. I didn't understand a lot of the more complex themes, really I just wanted the ring to make Covenant a badass. I reread the books when I was 17 and read the Gap series as an adult.

[thefirst]

I read the first Chronicles the summer after I turned 15, I read all 6 books in less than 8days, and even then wished that the story would go on. That has now been nearly 15 years ago. I still read them every summer.

[Sill]

I was 15 almost 16 IIRC. That was a year or two after they came out - Now I'm maybe one of the oldest people on this forum and I still read them every couple of years.

Can't wait to give them to my kids - but they're still alittle young to fully appreciate them except for my 16 year old daughter - the 12, 10, and 6 year olds couldn't fully understand - and I want them to love them as I do.

[Unfettered One]

I read them when I was 14 or so... I remember being fascinated, and at the time I didn't think I was too young to read them. I think TWL had just come out, and so I re-read the series again when TOT came out, and then again when WGW came out.

I think I re-read the whole series at least one more time in my 20's.

When I heard the ROTE had come out (saw it in a used book store... I was out of touch) I read it immediately, and then re-read the series through ROTE and now again that FR is out. I'm nearly 40, and I do think I got a lot more out of the series as an adult... subtleties and vocabulary I didn't have when I was a teen.

Good topic.

[Dead Among Us]

I was 20 YO in college.....I had already LOTR & TH a couple of times, loved the anti-hero concept of TC....now my 19 YO nephew tried LFB and couldn't get past the rape of Lena (I thinks he was 16 at the time), and was a veteran of Tolkien and Narnia, maybe he was too young. My 17 YO daughter has not embraced it yet either (she is also a LOTR vet), so I think it has a lot to do with your mental make up.....back when I first started reading the TC series, we were very 420 friendly, so maybe that had something to do with it!

[mikebuck]

I don't remeber exactly. I had to have been 14 or 15 when I read LFB. That was over 20 years ago.... I remember being home sick from school and essentially reading The Ill Earth War in a day, and pretty much the same thing with WGW. I have never re-read them for some reason, perhaps it will be something to do in the 3 years I have to wait for the next book to come out.

[Endymion9]

When I first read the 1st and 2nd chronicles I was in my early 20s. The difference I notice is now back then I was in my romantic, will I ever find love?? phase and I was totally frustrated that TC and LA weren't getting together and then very happy when they finally got a short period together.

Now being with my life mate for over 10 years, I see the romance from a different perspective, plus knowing how it all ends. I'm not frustrated and can understand the time it takes to build trust and a relationship.

The first read was like an Indiana Jones movie where you just sit and keep getting wowed. Wow even more fantastic action. Now I notice characters actions more knowing they are soon to die and cherish them more.

[Prebe]

Now I notice characters actions more knowing they are soon to die and cherish them more.

I know exactly what you mean.

[Beyondthebreach]

I read the first two Covenant trilogies when I was about 14. I don't recall thinking they were above my head, but I've reread them once in my 20's and once in my 30's and I, of course, have gotten a lot more out of them since.

My introduction to Fantasy novels went like this:

- The Chronicles of Narnia
- The Chroincles of Prydain
- The Belgariad
- The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever
- The 2nd Chronicles of Thomas Covenant

Narnia to The Land in one year is quite a change of pace!

[psytech]

I was 23/24 and in my first year on my first job. I remember buying WGW and after reading it, letting my co-workers borrow it.

[JazFusion]

I think I was in high school, somewhere around 14 when my father told me it was time I put down LOTR and read the Covenant books. I was hooked from that point forward.

[idn8tiv]

I was about 16 or 17 when I first began the Covenant series...the book was loaned to me from a friend in high school.

I had always enjoyed reading, however when I began reading that first book I was absolutely hooked. I was enthralled by the story line...the pain and relief, the joy and the sorrow of Thomas Covenant. I soon found myself checking the local bookstore every few weeks looking for any book written by Stephen R. Donaldon.

I know this is a site dedicated to the chronicle series, however his Gap series was another great piece of work as well.

I had given up on looking for new releases from SRD; the other day I happened to be in a bookstore and thought I'd just check to see if there were any new releases, and to my suprise I found the Covenant series was back!

I promptly purchased both the Runes of The Earth and Fatal Revenant. I just finished the Runes of the Earth and am getting ready to start the Fatal Revenant. I fear that I am now going to be checking the bookstore frequently for new releases again.

I am now MUCH older (about 20 years give or take) and I am still very thrilled to be reading such great works as SRD has produced. I would recommend any of his Covenant or Gap series to anyone over the age 16...not really any younger however because as a few other posts have stated, but because you need a certain level of maturity to truly appreciate the events that transpire.

And by the way...great site here so far...

[Loredoctor]

I was twenty-four.

[Prebe]

Welcome to the watch idn8tiv!

Don't be checking to book stores to often. The next installment in the last cronicles is not due untill 2010

We DO have a very active Gap subforum as well, as most (darn near everyone) of the watchers have read both TC and the Gap Cycle.

Be sure to check out Hile Troy's Think-Tank if you are into debate and political discussion a couple of notches above the usual internet standard.

Edit: Oh, btw, my avatar is a joke

[idn8tiv]

I was about 16 or 17 when I first began the Covenant series...the book was loaned to me from a friend in high school.

I had always enjoyed reading, however when I began reading that first book I was absolutely hooked. I was enthralled by the story line...the pain and relief, the joy and the sorrow of Thomas Covenant. I soon found myself checking the local bookstore every few weeks looking for any book written by Stephen R. Donaldon.

I know this is a site dedicated to the chronicle series, however his Gap series was another great piece of work as well.

I had given up on looking for new releases from SRD; the other day I happened to be in a bookstore and thought I'd just check to see if there were any new releases, and to my suprise I found the Covenant series was back!

I promptly purchased both the Runes of The Earth and Fatal Revenant. I just finished the Runes of the Earth and am getting ready to start the Fatal Revenant. I fear that I am now going to be checking the bookstore frequently for new releases again.

I am now MUCH older (about 20 years give or take) and I am still very thrilled to be reading such great works as SRD has produced. I would recommend any of his Covenant or Gap series to anyone over the age 16...not really any younger however because as a few other posts have stated, but because you need a certain level of maturity to truly appreciate the events that transpire.

And by the way...great site here so far...

[Loredoctor]

We DO have a very active Gap subforum as well, as most (darn near everyone) of the watchers have read both TC and the Gap Cycle.

What Prebe said.

[Cshaw71]

I read LFB in 6th Grade! Followed by the other two shortly after. My brother who is 8 years older than me got me into them. I must admit though I really didn't appreciate SRD until I reread the series when I was about 19 when I reread them after reading the Second Chronical and being totally confused.

[Blackhawk]

I was 14 years old and they were the best books i had ever had the chance to read. a bit wordy but that helped me in my younger years, everything else i read i have to compare..and believe me almost all of it falls way short...some authors know how to tell a story so long as it doesnt end.. and im sure some of you know who im talking about,.....SRD does beginning to end very good for my eyes.

[Mr. Broken]

Sixteen and Covenant was my first Anti-hero, from there I was advised by my grizzled mentor that if I liked the less than perfect edge given by stories that centered around the anti-hero, that I should try the Elric of Melnibone stories by Michael Moorcock. If you think leprosy is bad try being a Satanic Albino whos in love with his cousin.