How many times have we been through this?

[Landwaster]

Hi folks,

I was wondering how many times you devout TCTC fans have read through the whole 6 books.

I ask because I completed them for the 3rd time, about a week ago.

My first sitting was back in 1987 when I was doing HSC (last year of high school at 17yrs old).

I can't remember when I got into them for the 2nd time, but as I said, my 3rd was recently. also read the first book (LFB) one additional time.

It worked out well because there were a number of points that I had forgotten, timing was about right. The second chronicles surprised me a few times!

Mordants Need I have read just the once (before losing the books), and The Gap series twice.

But back to the original question, how many times have you utterly read the whole 2 serie, and did your experiences differ between sittings?

[kaseryn]

7 or 8 times over the last ummm.. 13 years - first when i was 15 or 16. As searching of the reader and involved as the books are, i find it a fresh reading every time. My reread of TC is a bit like a travelog for how much i've changed since my last reading. Always find differences in values, perceptions etc being shown up by the experience. Pretty sure that'll always be the case too. For me they have an indefinite longevity

[Landwaster]

Gleeps! That's a hard act to follow.

I agree that I could re-read and re-read and enjoy, but in my case I need to put about 4 or 5 years gap in between them each time.

[MokshaTuriyaSamadhi Raver]

I've read them about 5 times in about 2 years if not more. I get bored really easily and read fairly fast (Trilogy in a weekend or thereabouts). Luckily if I like something I don't get bored of it... ever..

Haven't read anything else by Donaldson though, is it any good?

[Michael Giantfriend]

I read the Chronicles about once a year from 1988 - 1995, and about three/four times since then, so I guess I'm in double figures...

...Haven't read anything else by Donaldson though, is it any good?

erm, YES!!! The Mirror Of Her Dreams is superb, and as for the Gap Series ... words fail me. It is one of the finest sci-fi works I have ever read. Do your eyes a favour and start reading them IMMEDIATELY!!! IF NOT SOONER!!!

[duchess of malfi]

Michael Giantfriend, I love your little saying! weasels, hmmm? I honestly can't say how many times I've read the chronicles. I started reading them when I was a teenager back in the eighties, took them with me to college, they moved with me a million times in my school years and the years when my husband and I first got married as starving students and moved around a lot...on up to today. And if we're talking just grabbing one off of the shelf and rereading favorite bits, it's probably up into the thousands. And yes, everytime I read them I find new things. The chronicles are one of the few books that has grown up with me and I find more in as I grow and change. As an adult with a child you get a completely different view of the TC divorce issue than as a teen. After one of my best friends was attacked at knife point a few years ago, I get a completely different view of the rape (it seems a million times worse to me now). And I could go on and on in this vein. Something that has always brought me some private amusement is that my dad, who is a straightlaced Baptist, found the Illearth War sitting around somewhere deserted and brought it home to me, saying that it looked like something I might want to read (I was really into Tolkein at the time). If my poor (and very protective) father had only known what was in the Chronicles he would have messed himself! So I started out with the IW, moved on to TPTP, and read LFB last of the original books.

[[Syl]]

First read through the books in the 7th or 8th grade (1990 or 1991, I think WGW had only recently been out when I picked it up at the library). Didn't read them again until my senior year (honors english term paper). that was in '95. since then I've reread the first chronicles about once a year or so, the second chronicles every two to three years. So, 1st, around 8 times, 2nd, about 4, I'd guess.

[Landwaster]

Now this is what I call 'outgunned'.

How on earth do some of you folks get time to clean your place of abode, cook, eat, work, BREATHE even!

Though I must admit, I have read heaps of other stuff, including just about every novella to an Aust movie going, so I suppose if you stuck with one genre in general, yeah it'd probably get up to those numbers.

I need a longer break between reads than those folks listed above, it seems. I sort of need the story to become pretty well new to me again!

But cor blimey, those are hardcore fans, 7, 5, double figures! I think double figures will take me another 15 to 20 years!

Well done!

[JD]

First time I read the first 3 I was still in High School, I graduated in 1981. While I was in the Airforce, 2 of the 2nd Chronicles came out. The third came out in 1987, or 1988 I think. I try to read them every 2-3 years.



JD

[Foamfollower1013]

At the moment, I've read TCTC approximately one and a half times. I've read MN once.

~Foamy~

[Landwaster]

well that would make you more fortunate ... because its fresher to you than to those who've read it more often.

the folks i'd be really jealous of, mind you, would be those that are reading the series for the very first time. oh, if i could just wind back the clock!

[duchess of malfi]

Landwaster, you said

How on earth do some of you folk get time to clean your place of abode, cook, eat, work, BREATHE even!

,
Well, in answer, for awhile I wasn't able to do any of those things, even breathe. About ten years ago I started to get really really really sick about twice a year -- every March and October. I mean really sick. I'd go to the doc, and he would tell me I had very bad viral bronchitis and tell me I would have to go home and spend a week in bed doing NOTHING. And he would give me a sample inhaler and tell me to use it if I couldn't breathe at all. You'd be amazed at how much reading you can get done if you can't get out of bed except to use the potty for a week at a crack! But it's also very depressing, getting sick like that repeatedly, not being able to bloody breathe, wondering if you'll ever be able to have a normal life again...my poor husband told me later that he would just lie there at night, scared as *&%#, listening to my lungs rattle with each labored breath I took. He would always wonder if he would still have a wife come morning. Anyway, because I was so bored and so sick and so worried I wanted to read something that would inspire me and give me courage. And that was SRD. TC gave me the lesson that no matter how much you might screw things up, if you are determined enough and keep going you can make it to the finish line. And Lord Mhoram kept telling me that no matter how bad the odds, if you have the courage to face what's wrong, you can prevail. And Foamy kept telling me how important it is to keep up my spirits and to try to laugh, no matter how much it might hurt my lungs. And somehow I kept going. After a few bouts of this, they finally figured out that I have adult onset allergy induced asthma! (The March problems were from specific spring pollens and the October problems were from fallen leaves that get all moldy from the rain and snow from our damp climate.) With all of the allergy and asthma meds I take, I now have a normal life again and rarely get sick, but I still read Lord Mhoram's Victory whenever I feel down.

[Landwaster]

Wow.

You would have had a terrible time being laid up like that, for so long, without even knowing what was causing it I can understand it being depressing. Very glad that you now what was behind it and can take measures!

Asthma is VERY common here in Australia, my wife is American and she is flabbergasted at how many cases we have ... so I assume its fairly rare in the States.

And of course there'd be plenty of time for reading, as you wouldn't have been capable of too much else. That would be one of the more heartfelt stories of how someone came by the books. Out of the depths of despair comes hope, eh?

Sorry to hear you came about the books through such a struggle, while glad the books came to you (if that makes sense)!

[Vain]

I'm only on my third read at the moment. Read them in 88 first time around and this year the second and now 3rd time.

It was only through stumbling on this community that I ventured forth and read them again and I cannot say I have regretted it. I hardly ever read anything more than once

[Prince of Amber]

I guess 10 times would be a conservative estimate. The Chronicles are one of the few constants in my life. I'm always part way through reading one of them. I just read other books at the same time, sometimes I'll read one book in a single session and sometimes I'll put one down half way through and come back months later.

[Earthblood]

Just finished reading WGW for the third time...my selective memory told me I had read the chrons more, but on careful time travel back, it would be the third. MN 2X. I cannot read 2 books at once - tried it, was not enjoying either, so back to one at a time.

Duchess - I'm gald you're still with us!

[AMOK]

I read them probably once a year from 1984 to 1990, and once or twice since then. The last time I read them, I took a solemn oath that I would not read them again until the 3rd Chrons came out.
I really miss them! What a stupid oath eh? I mean, there's no way I could possibly ever get tired of them.

The first time I read Mordant's Need, I kinda flew through it because, er, I was mad it wasn't the 3rd Chronicles. So, I recently went through them once more. They were sooo good! Unfortunately, the same thing happened with the Gap series - I really need to read them again.

I actually read 2 or 3 books at a time (1 at work - during lunch ), one in the car for when I eat at a restaurant, and 1 for bed. With the Lord of the Rings movies coming out, I had to re-read those. Plus, I got hooked on Orson Scott Card's books.

But this is about the Chronicles.

Well, probably too much information, but I'm reading all these books from other authors because... I'M WAITING FOR THE 3RD CHRONICLES!!

[AMOK]

I read them probably once a year from 1984 to 1990, and once or twice since then. The last time I read them, I took a solemn oath that I would not read them again until the 3rd Chrons came out.
I really miss them! What a stupid oath eh? I mean, there's no way I could possibly ever get tired of them.

The first time I read Mordant's Need, I kinda flew through it because, er, I was mad it wasn't the 3rd Chronicles. So, I recently went through them once more. They were sooo good! Unfortunately, the same thing happened with the Gap series - I really need to read them again.

I actually read 2 or 3 books at a time (1 at work - during lunch ), one in the car for when I eat at a restaurant, and 1 for bed. With the Lord of the Rings movies coming out, I had to re-read those. Plus, I got hooked on Orson Scott Card's books.

But this is about the Chronicles.

Well, probably too much information, but I'm reading all these books from other authors because... I'M WAITING FOR THE 3RD CHRONICLES!!

[Landwaster]

Just finished reading WGW for the third time...my selective memory told me I had read the chrons more, but on careful time travel back, it would be the third. MN 2X. I cannot read 2 books at once - tried it, was not enjoying either, so back to one at a time.

Duchess - I'm gald you're still with us!

That's about where I stand ...3 times plus maybe read bits extra ...

[Lady Genni]

Lets see...first read TCTC in Jr. High. Even read a passage in a class I had on oral speach. I've read the complete chrons probably 6-7 times since.

MN - now that one I've read countless times. Mostly because I didn't have a complete set of TCTC for a long time and I really like MN. There was a time when I would budget myself to only reading MN once every six months.

The Gap series - I've only read that twice. One reason was that I refused to read any of the books till I got the complete set. So I had some of them sitting on my shelf for a few years till I got the last book. Then during a vacation I read the whole set. Since I've reread them once....it's only been about a year. You may wonder why I waited till I got the whole set to read it...well it's because I got really pissed the first time I read AMRT (MN) and realized that SRD ended it with a cliff hanger. grrrr...I didn't expect that because he always wrapped up the TC books nicely at the end of each..at least in the first chrons.