I preferred The Gap series to Thomas Covenant

Post by **balon!** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 1:33 am

For me it's much simpler. I've just always been more interested in science and science fiction more than fantasy. The Chronicles have always appealed to me because the fantasy aspect are believable. The Lords sing and use Earthpower. TOTALLY believable to me. Most other fantasy is just too far out there. I've never seen and elf or a hobbit or a dragon. Never will. So it's hard for me to like.

But Science Fiction is all about the possibilities. Most everything in Sci-Fi is all about the possibility. So I dig on Sci-Fi more than Fantasy.

Gap is Sci-Fi. Simple as that.

Post by **Relayer** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 5:32 am

Wayfriend, another great post! Like Balon I was never into fantasy but loved Sci-fi... when my friends first told me about LFB I said "I don't do fantasy"

And I still don't read much fantasy (like Balon said most of what I have tried just doesn't seem real). But I love epic fantasy movies, probably more than most SF movies. Go figure.

The Gap is among the best SF I've ever read (I don't know how to rank it with Foundation, Dune, etc except to say that it's right up there), and it's because SRD is absolutely at the mastery of his craft... weaving all those plot lines together, building suspense, shifting characters loyalties (and our feelings about them) with amazing skill. There are certainly parts that affect me emotionally. There are certainly deep characters and deep insights into them. I love the way the plot(s) are constructed, the big picture/small details contrasts, the intrigue...

But the Chronicles are so beautiful, it's people so heartfelt, and contain such profound lessons about life, they affected me as much as anything I've ever read. Maybe if I'd read the Gap first, maybe then SRD's writing would've had a similar effect (?) But I don't think so. It's more than an emotional experience, it's a spiritual one. It's a journey of the soul, for Covenant, fon Linden, for Mhoram, and for us. The Gap just doesn't have that same soulfulness, and didn't affect my life in the same way.

But the Gap also doesn't have the Land. There are no beautiful settings, no characters or races that make your heart sing, no healthsense. It's all very raw and harsh. Maybe without the beauty and spirit of the Land and it's people to give balance, without something for us to fall in love with, it's hard for us to really open up in the same way we can with the Chronicles. UMCPHQ doesn't have quite the same glory and panache as Revelstone

And it's not supposed to. The spaceships have some really cool design features, yet aren't all that extraordinary -- but Starfare's Gem has an aura about it that feels very different from any other sailing ship (and of course it has Giants

And compare the way the rapes are handled: TC - about half a page long and while shocking, is hardly brutal. Angus - rapes, beats, and abuses Morn over and over for most of the book, with some almost x-rated details. This type of visceral rawness runs throughout the Gap iin a way that's very different from the Sunbane or Ravers.

Some day I'm gonna have to get a copy of the Man Who books. And I don't usually like mysteries either

Post by **Avatar** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 8:19 am

Great post WayFriend. For me, while I certainly agree that I was more moved by the Chrons, (it's a rare book that bring a tear to my eye, I assure you, and the Chrons does so in every re-read, even knowing what's coming), I just found the Gap to be a more involved world.

As somebody said, the complexity of Human space, the eternal question of who is betraying who...all that builds a universe whose intricacies I truly enjoyed. The Chrons on the other hand, are relatively straight-forward as befits the themes and issues.

--A

Post by **amanibhavam** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 10:43 am

The two series move in different dimensions; with TCTC you never know whether you read about reality or the convolutions of a human mind, and you learn that it does not matter. It is a soul journey beautifully presented. It achieves the same effect as Tolkien does on me: I actually wish that it were true, that it were part of human history.

The Gap brings entrelacement to a mastery, you never know what awaits you behind the next corner; and achieves it with a remarkably believable future world, without handbreak U-turns done by spaceships in empty space.

And both series give me anti-heroes I can relate to, they are flesh-and-bone miserable creatures full of fear and loathing and doubt and terror of death just as I am.

Post by **Zarathustra** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:05 pm

"entrelacement"

Fantastic word. I had to look it up. Thanks for expanding my vocabulary! (And as an aspiring writer, I really should have known that one.)

Post by **amanibhavam** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:09 pm

Malik23 wrote:"entrelacement"

Fantastic word. I had to look it up. Thanks for expanding my vocabulary! (And as an aspiring writer, I really should have known that one.)

I learned it from Tom Shippey's books on Tolkien, well worth reading.

Post by **balon!** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:27 pm

Good post Relayer. I agree, even though I prefer Sci-Fi the world of the Gap is missing Adenelain.

Post by **Stutty** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:16 am

Well as the resident newbie I'll wade in here with my opinion. Yes, I preferred the Gap to TC, but why? Firstly it's a complely unfair comparision from me when you consider TC was read by a 16 year old high school geek where Gap was read by an uber-cool 30ish rockin' guy in the middle of proving he can reproduce. Two seperate people really.

The list of what I love about Gap is extensive, and I don't think includes an item original to what has been listed here. So so many things that mix up in a delicious stew that I never wanted to end. That said, I hope he never picks it up again. It's perfectly comeplete.

Oh, and damn you people for gushing about the Gap so much that I have to read it yet again (soon as I re-finish ROTE, read Un-Lundun, and the new Harry Potter [don't hate me for that])

stutt

Post by **amanibhavam** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:43 am

Stutty wrote: Gap was read by an uber-cool 30ish rockin' guy in the middle of proving he can reproduce.

You mean you read the Gap in bed in between two attempts of action?:) A heck of a time...

Post by **Stutty** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:08 pm

You mean you read the Gap in bed in between two attempts of action? A heck of a time...

phffff... A true SRD fan boldly reads alout IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ACT!

Stutt

Post by **Roynish** » Wed May 07, 2008 8:41 am

Comparing The Gap and TC is a bizzare thing. I am a sci-fi fan first and a fantasy reader second.
Look dudes, the landsacpe and the land created by D in the Covenant books exceeds almost anything in fanatsy literature. Sure he took from Tolkien. But is this another world. The Sunbane, a most brilliant inspiration never before constructed. Re-read the Wounded Land guys and just marvel and the world created. The giants, Vain, the Elohim and now he brings in new stuff for the third (controversial I know).

You just have to go with Thomas I belive and accept he is an arsehole. If you can't get past that I don't think you have read the books, and you are not reading on Kevins Watch.

But unlike Angus or whoever in The Gap we don't care as much.

It still could be a dream for TC. No dreams for those poor suckers trapped inside a brutal future of mining companies.

Now does not the chronicles on even a basic ontological level have more possibillities.

Post by **Auleliel** » Tue May 13, 2008 9:10 pm

I love fantasy more than any other genre (except fairy tales, which could potentially be viewed as a sub-category of fantasy), and until a few years ago I did not like science fiction at all (it is slowly growing on me). My entry into the realm of Donaldsonian literature was somewhat unorthodox, mostly because my best friend was trying to gradually introduce me to his work in a way that would make me fall in love with it (it worked). I started out on the short stories and Mordant's Need, so I could get used to Donaldson's style(s) of writing. I loved most of the short stories, and thoroughly enjoyed Mordant's Need. Then I read the Gap series to prove that I could handle TCTC (the logic was: if I can handle the Gap, I can handle anything). I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed a sci-fi series. Then I read the first and second Chrons pretty much on top of each other. To tell the truth, I was kind of disappointed when I read TCTC. My friend had been raving about how wonderful the TCTC was, so I guess my expectations were simply raised to high. I'm re-reading first Chrons right now, and I appreciate it more, but The Chronicals of Thomas Covenant (first, second, or final) will probably never be my favorite of Donaldson's work. I don't know that I like the Gap series better, but I found it easier to like the first time around (maybe because I wasn't sure I would like it at all, so it exceeded my expectations). I do love Donaldson's writings, but right now I will not (and cannot) rank any one work over the others.

Post by **Roynish** » Wed May 14, 2008 12:08 pm

After a gap after reading The Gap, I am astounded how unpleasant the reading experience was. I am a mad donaldson fan but this goes down as the most unpleasant series of books i have ever read.
It just does not capture me, and I can see how it could but its just not for me. If you are aware of literature and not just sci-fi and fantasy I would recommend some Faulkner or Roth. Read Light In August and you will see where Donaldson is coming from, but its all more succint and to the point and well better written.
I may at some stage attempt these books again, but it is doubtful.
Please give me reason to do so. I love Donaldson's other works.

Why did he write this. i mean why?

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

I preferred The Gap series to Thomas Covenant