Mordant's Need <> Covenant?

Post by **Drinny** » Wed Jan 08, 2003 7:44 pm

I really love both series of books. They are similar and parallel in interesting ways -

Spoiler

TCTC is about a guy who wonders if the Land is real, and MN is about a gal who wonders if SHE is real. A neat idea

But I'm thinking also about another issue. TCTC is really deep - you can spend hours thinking about its complexities, meanings, symbolism... but I must admit, I wonder about MN. While it is a wonderful piece of fiction, I'm afraid I find little that is symbolic in it, or demanding of deep consideration.

Am I alone here?

Post by **Skyweir** » Thu Jan 09, 2003 5:20 am

I think you are right that MN is not as intense as TCTC .. to me it is more of a fairy tale fantasy than an epic fantasy adventure ..

MN is a good solid work .. just not as deep or as involved as TCTC imho.

Post by **Ryzel** » Sat Jan 11, 2003 9:47 pm

I quite like Mordants Need and one of the reasons that I like it is that the characters are not quite as obviously damaged there as they are in the chronicles.

But then again there is plenty of pain to go around there as well. The one I remember best is Lebbick, but most of the others have issues as well, they just are not as obvious as Covenants.

This makes for a more even distribution of flaws in the chronicles where most of the problems settle on Covenant (at least in the first ones) while in MN they are distributed to several people.

Post by **Reisheiruhime** » Thu Jan 16, 2003 5:23 am

I read MN after I read TCTC and TCTC is just way more involved than MN. IMHO of course.

Post by **Skyweir** » Thu Jan 16, 2003 4:41 pm

characters with issues in MN

Lebbick .. following the repeated rape and torture and death of his wife

Eremis .. just what was his problem anyway?? power hungry .. eager to climb the executive ladder??

Teresa .. oh so many issues there?? dunno where to start .. complete lack of sound self-image?? ..

Saddith .. major networking probs there .. no limit to what she will do to get on ..

Joyse .. totally messed up .. no idea how to compile a workable battle strategy .. alienated himself .. from wife children .. people .. trusted no -one but whats his face??

Whats his face?? JOyse's hop-board opponent .. lost his mind .. totally ..

Garth .. well he's much of a no-show .. pretty much ..

GAreden (sp?) .. no self-confidence ..

GEraden's brother .. the weird one .. forget his name .. now that was one messed up puppy ..

yeah there were a few characters with 'issues' imho .. and I may have missed some

Post by **Drinny** » Thu Jan 16, 2003 9:57 pm

Nice summary of people with issues in MN, skyweir.

But Joyse?!

I want to defend him here... Why do you say he was messed up? He was a brilliant leader, past and present. He followed the only possible strategy for his problematic position. He trusted who he could (virtually no-one, sadly), and he alienated his family only because his strategy forced it...

Of all MN's characters, Joyse seemed to really have it together. A true hero...

Post by **Skyweir** » Thu Jan 30, 2003 8:51 am

I think his chosen strategy was steeped in futility .. and totally ineffective anyway ..

Joyse was a good guy .. but he treated everyone like crap .. via his alienation of those that needed him .. I dont believe that was his only option ..

It has been some years since I last read MN .. and really would like to read it again .. but this is one impression I was always left with Joyse ..

I would be happy to hear why you believe his strategy was sound ..

Post by **fightingmyinstincts** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 8:51 pm

Joyse was a man backed into a corner! He hated to do that to all those people...but for the sake of what he had built he was forced to, and the stress nearly made him into the dodderer he masqueraded as.
It was a very complex strategy, and one that had the potential to get phenomenally screwed up, but it was also the only one that would work. JMHO.

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

Mordant's Need <> Covenant?

Mordant's Need <> Covenant?

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