How old were you when you first read Covenant,

[michaelm]

I agree that it's the pacing of the book that makes TPTP a more difficult read than the first two. It's fine to swap between two or more story lines in different places in a book, and that works well for the most part in books like the LOTR trilogy - I just think it becomes too fragmented in TPTP. I found myself trying to reconcile the number of days passed far too often as I could see how events in one place were dependent on another, but it was hard to track.

Overall I like the book, but it's definitely my least favorite of the first chronicles.

[ussusimiel]

Overall I like the book, but it's definitely my least favorite of the first chronicles.

No argument from me there. And it is still, for me, easily one of the best fantasy novels I have ever read. As a conclusion to a series and as a brave and risky way to approach the fantasy genre, it was, at the time (and still now), groundbreaking. There is no Hallmark moment or ending in the book. It holds its grim course right to the end (and on into the next series).

I feel like a Fanboy when I talk like this about the books, and Hey! this is a Stephen R. Donaldson fansite, isn't it?

u.

[michaelm]

I agree that it's a good book in its own right, but it was something of a letdown in terms of enjoyment compared to the first two.

While it's been many years since the last time I read all 6, I seem to recall a somewhat similar let down for White Gold Wielder. It hadn't been published the first time I read the second chronicles, so had to wait for it and the anticipation made it exciting. I think second and third times it was a little disappointing.

Still, I wouldn't fault any of the books as I've enjoyed all of them.

Don't know I'm that much of a fanboy, as I don't know that any of them would make my top 10 books at all (I probably wouldn't have any fantasy novels in my top 10), but that doesn't mean that I don't think they're great books.