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Hi y'all,
New to Kevin's Watch (as a member, that is) so let me take the opportunity to introduce myself.
I am probably one of SRD's earliest and most loyal Dutch fans (yes, I am bragging..)
It all started when at the age of 13 I read the Lord of the Rings (at that time in translation), leaving me craving for more. But there was nothing of substance readily available.
Then came The Sword of Shannara, which I liked, but was unable to fill my appetite. Started me reading books in English, though.
But one day in 1978 I found three books being advertised as "comparable to Tolkien at his best". And we all know who wrote those.
The first time I couldn't get past the rape scene. Six months later I tried again and got sucked into the books. I even put them on my required literature list and my teachers agreed that this was more than mere "escapism"; we agreed it was literature proper.
One month after my exam I found out, to my amazement, that there actually were going to be Second Chronicles! And the Wounded Land really blew me away.
Since then I have read everything by Donaldson multiple times. Right now I'm replacing my well worn paperbacks with first edition hardcovers. Almost there...
What really annoys me is the fact that he is not as popular as he deserves to be and that some publishers actually have the gall to call him a has-been.
In my opinion Donaldson stands alone among his peers and deserves to be read and appreciated a hundred years from now. I know I will, if I live that long.
Some scenes that still send shivers down my spine and back up again:
-Lena's death
-Elena at the Colossus, calling out: Strike a blow for me
-Vain speaking
-Rhanyhyn rearing to Covenant
-caamora at Coercri
-the sheer madness of a Fertile Sun
-Lord Mhoram's Victory
Oops! Probably a bit long-winded for an introduction. I can only blame my enthousiasm for SRD's work for that.
New to Kevin's Watch (as a member, that is) so let me take the opportunity to introduce myself.
I am probably one of SRD's earliest and most loyal Dutch fans (yes, I am bragging..)
It all started when at the age of 13 I read the Lord of the Rings (at that time in translation), leaving me craving for more. But there was nothing of substance readily available.
Then came The Sword of Shannara, which I liked, but was unable to fill my appetite. Started me reading books in English, though.
But one day in 1978 I found three books being advertised as "comparable to Tolkien at his best". And we all know who wrote those.
The first time I couldn't get past the rape scene. Six months later I tried again and got sucked into the books. I even put them on my required literature list and my teachers agreed that this was more than mere "escapism"; we agreed it was literature proper.
One month after my exam I found out, to my amazement, that there actually were going to be Second Chronicles! And the Wounded Land really blew me away.
Since then I have read everything by Donaldson multiple times. Right now I'm replacing my well worn paperbacks with first edition hardcovers. Almost there...
What really annoys me is the fact that he is not as popular as he deserves to be and that some publishers actually have the gall to call him a has-been.
In my opinion Donaldson stands alone among his peers and deserves to be read and appreciated a hundred years from now. I know I will, if I live that long.
Some scenes that still send shivers down my spine and back up again:
-Lena's death
-Elena at the Colossus, calling out: Strike a blow for me
-Vain speaking
-Rhanyhyn rearing to Covenant
-caamora at Coercri
-the sheer madness of a Fertile Sun
-Lord Mhoram's Victory
Oops! Probably a bit long-winded for an introduction. I can only blame my enthousiasm for SRD's work for that.
"You won't find ordinary people here" (Don DeLillo - Running Dog)
"You stared at me till your eyeballs smoked. Was it anger, or love, or the caffeine in your Coke?" -Was (not Was)
"You stared at me till your eyeballs smoked. Was it anger, or love, or the caffeine in your Coke?" -Was (not Was)
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Furls Fire
- Lord
- Posts: 4872
- Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2003 10:35 am
- Location: Heaven
Hail and well met, Tamalone and Holden! Be welcome here at the Watch!
And Tamalone, I too am a "lifer" when it comes to Donaldson. I read LFB when it first came out in '77. I was 14.
And Tamalone, I too am a "lifer" when it comes to Donaldson. I read LFB when it first came out in '77. I was 14.
And I believe in you
altho you never asked me too
I will remember you
and what life put you thru.
~fly fly little wing, fly where only angels sing~
~this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you~
...for then I could fly away and be at rest. Sweet rest, Mom. We all love and miss you.
altho you never asked me too
I will remember you
and what life put you thru.
~fly fly little wing, fly where only angels sing~
~this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you~
...for then I could fly away and be at rest. Sweet rest, Mom. We all love and miss you.
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variol son
- The Gap Into Spam
- Posts: 5777
- Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2002 1:07 pm
- Location: New Zealand
I could have seen that coming. And I did, believe it or not.wayfriend wrote:Welcome, Tamalone. We believe that it's better to be fans together than a fanalone.
Actually, the name Tamalone comes from the main character in two "fantasy avant la lettre" novels by the late Dutch author Arthur van Schendel (issued in 1904 and 1907) that I happen to like very much. Would not have been a bad choice for the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series, but I guess Lin Carter couldn't read Dutch. Well, who does?
As for being a fan alone, yes that certainly applies to me over here, when it comes to SRD. Goodkind, Brooks, Jack Vance, Paolini, Robin Hobb and Weis & Hickman are relatively popular with us Dutchies, but SRD doesn't sell that well. I guess we're not that different from you guys (assuming most of the Watchers are American)
"You won't find ordinary people here" (Don DeLillo - Running Dog)
"You stared at me till your eyeballs smoked. Was it anger, or love, or the caffeine in your Coke?" -Was (not Was)
"You stared at me till your eyeballs smoked. Was it anger, or love, or the caffeine in your Coke?" -Was (not Was)
(in best Connery voice) Welcome to the Watch!
Welcome, Tamalone, and wonderful first post! It's posts like yours that make me respond, because you've made the effort to say something more interesting than "hello."
I'm glad your teachers were open-minded enough to acknowledge the literary worth of the Chronicles. To be fair to academic professionals, I imagine it must be hard for them to see the value in fantasy literature when the market is flooded by all kinds of mediocrity.
I'm saddened too that Donaldson seems to have been lost in the shuffle of sci-fi/fantasy writers today. I'm very, very annoyed that he must languish while garbage like Paolini's Eragon sells and sells.
Anyway, great moments you picked from the Chronicles - particularly "the sheer madness of a Fertile Sun." The Sunbane was pure genius from the mind of Donaldson.
I'm glad your teachers were open-minded enough to acknowledge the literary worth of the Chronicles. To be fair to academic professionals, I imagine it must be hard for them to see the value in fantasy literature when the market is flooded by all kinds of mediocrity.
I'm saddened too that Donaldson seems to have been lost in the shuffle of sci-fi/fantasy writers today. I'm very, very annoyed that he must languish while garbage like Paolini's Eragon sells and sells.
Anyway, great moments you picked from the Chronicles - particularly "the sheer madness of a Fertile Sun." The Sunbane was pure genius from the mind of Donaldson.
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variol son
- The Gap Into Spam
- Posts: 5777
- Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2002 1:07 pm
- Location: New Zealand
