Kevin's Watch

I think they're great - FR is definitely picking up speed and momentum after RoTE. Are they perfect? No. Were the 1st or 2nd Chrons perfect? No. RoTE was not one of the best books in the series, but FR is up there with the best of the previous two chrons in my opinion. I've really liked some of the developments and twists - others I've been ambivalent about. But definitely worth the effort. I'm very keen to see the next two books.

Were the 1st or 2nd Chrons perfect? No.

Blasphemy!

Griffins...

Yes I too will read the next two books in the series. One would hope that they offer more than ROTE and FR.

I am not gonna say any of it is perfect. It is however, a literary journey that I have enjoyed every moment of, and will continue to do so, long after SRD has ceased to publish books. Thank you, I'll be stepping down off of my soap box now.

Agreed - easily amongst the very best books I've read, and I've read 1000s by now. I'm just pointing out that the Last Chrons has some flaws, but that in acknowledging that, it should be acknowledged that not every line of the 1st and 2nd Chrons were perfect either. Not saying its better than the two previous series, or even saying that its AS good, but just that people maybe need to bear in mind that perfection is a tall ask and to keep in mind that RoTE and FR are miles better than anything else released recently.

I have to agree, I haven't read anything lately that compares, though for some reason, I've reverted back to a lot of classics and mythology the past few weeks.

it should be acknowledged that not every line of the 1st and 2nd Chrons were perfect either.

LA LA LA LA I AM NOT LISTENING LA LA LA LA LA

Not a big fan. I even won a Watchy for a post about the reasons I don't like FR very much.

I just finished the chapter "Into the Mountains" where Anele is telling the story of the Land before people and after people came along. I found that to be one of the best passages in the Chrons so far. So I am enjoying it. I also am enjoying Linden as heroine, although I know she has her detractors who grasp after significance by creating a phony organization to make them sound like something.

Cail wrote:I'm firmly in the "Shoulda quit after WGW" camp. The Last Chrons are, in my opinion, wholly unnecessary. Moreover, there's been absolutely nothing captivating about them; no amazing characters, no breathtaking set pieces, and nothing innovative. The two books are standard fantasy novels, and I think they're tremendously disappointing.

Now, it may well be that there will be some sort of amazing reveal at the end of the 4th book, but I'm a firm believer in the journey, not the destination. I don't like the direction it's heading, and I don't like the way the story's being told.

I felt the same way about Stephen Kings the dark Tower series... if you love the journey and not the destination (as do I) then read those books but throw book 7 away and come up with your own ending..anything will be better thatn what was written. I like SRDs endings and if King & Donaldson got together we would have a great journey finished by a good ending with Donaldson leading the way for the last couple miles.

I have to say i like the series so far..while alot is different than i thought it would be..i was hoping for a return to the wonderful land of pre LFB.
early in the series for me so im going to hold final judgement until 2010 or so

I finished RoTE a couple days ago. I enjoyed it tremendously, but part of that is that it was a lot less "work" than some of the other books. Does that make sense? Maybe those who are unhappy with it want the labyrinthine frustrations of the 1st and 2nd.

deer of the dawn wrote:I finished RoTE a couple days ago. I enjoyed it tremendously, but part of that is that it was a lot less "work" than some of the other books. Does that make sense? Maybe those who are unhappy with it want the labyrinthine frustrations of the 1st and 2nd.

I'm not sure why but it seems that my favorite Authors, King with the Tower series and Donaldson with the last CTC have been quickly put togather...SRD is taking a little more time with it which i am happy about,. I have to agree with you, there is alot less of the characters past described so leaves more room for actual storyline as its happening in the land, with the first and second chronicles alot was devoted to the pasts of the main characters setting reasons and motivations that were responsible for the way TC and LA reacted to the land and its inhabitants. I dont remember the time frame it took him to write the first two chronicles, but I Very VERY much hope that SRD does not let other books or the GI infect his thought process and makes these last chronicles as good as the first, after all when i read LFB for the first time i dont remember thinking OMG that book changed my life..but as time went on and after reading other series that were considered to be great, I thought that the search is on...and nothing so far that i have read outside kings Tower series even came close to TCTC still today.

anyone think SRD should have stopped the Chronicles with PTP? I dont but im sure there has to be a couple out there. I would post this as a subject or thread but i want to stay on the watch forever

Nope, I love everything the man writes. I think someone said a long time ago, "If he wrote ads on the back of matchbooks I'd read them too!"

Instead of "strike here -->" they'd say:

"The argent puissance of sulfurous flame can be enkindled on the flank of the container."

Relayer wrote:Instead of "strike here -->" they'd say:

"The argent puissance of sulfurous flame can be enkindled on the flank of the container."

LMAO!

danlo wrote:Nope, I love everything the man writes. I think someone said a long time ago, "If he wrote ads on the back of matchbooks I'd read them too!"

so would I

danlo wrote:Nope, I love everything the man writes. I think someone said a long time ago, "If he wrote ads on the back of matchbooks I'd read them too!"

Yeah, but I bet if you tried to light the matches, you'd blow your hand off. Then, while you were screaming in pain, some dude would come along and rape you.

Farm Ur-Ted wrote:

danlo wrote:Nope, I love everything the man writes. I think someone said a long time ago, "If he wrote ads on the back of matchbooks I'd read them too!"

Yeah, but I bet if you tried to light the matches, you'd blow your hand off. Then, while you were screaming in pain, some dude would come along and rape you.

(at least you haven't been posessed by a raver)

ninjaboy wrote:I have to say that I love it! It was very different to what I'd expected.. But basically it seems the people who don't like it (so far) don't like it because it challenged their pre-existing concepts of the Land, at some points (especially in Runes) it's quite slow, Linden's thoughts can be a bit repetitive and I think some people just don't like where it's going..

I can understand why the end of WGW was enough - it was beautiful, and it left us with a sense that the Land would recover and regain its strength..

Now 2 books into the 3rd Chrons it seems that such a beautiful, inspiring end in which we can sense the Land again be saved and be recovered from all the evils which encompass it will be a much more difficult thing to achieve than in the previous books..

And for what it's worth I like the new characters.. The 'bad guys..' there is so much more to them than 'the Clave' and the Na-Morham..

Anyway when I read it, it doesn't feel like you're reading a book written by an Author, but a book that's writing itself - as if Donaldson hasn't got a choice but to write this story and to write it this particular way..

And even - hypothetically, of course - even if it doesn't seem as good as the first 2 Chrons, is there any other series that even comes close to being that good?

I'm just about 50 pages from the end of FR and so far totally agree with your points.

I also remember feeling a little bit strange reading the 2nd Chronicles the first time after reading the first Chronicles numerous times, but it grew on me. I think Runes started that way for me even for a time into FR, but now I'm starting to feel comfortable with the style and like the differences.

As a musician who posts at a large music forum I often read threads debating over great bands who've been around a long time but changed in the minds of many in ways they don't like. But I also read threads about bands who have grown stale in the minds of many for keeping their style and sound pretty much the same over many years. Sometimes newer listeners seem more open to the newer music and sometimes the newer changes in style just take a bit of time to grow on longtime fans who might be a bit averse to changes to something they loved just the way it had always previously been. Maybe that's at least a bit like readers of longtime writers who make a bit of change in writing over time vs. staying with the exact same writing style.

I personally like the freshness of the writing (although there have been a couple spots that've dragged here and there initially, IMO) and once again catch myself intruiged in various characters and how plots might unfold. And I once again find myself feeling a bit sad that I'm nearing the end of a book I like and yet don't have the next one to open up and immediately continue the story.