TCTC age limit

[Landwaster]

Quite true, Blue_Spawn ... each person does need to be taken on their merits ... blanket statements I suppose solve little.

[Lord Callindrill]

I once read a theory that there are two kinds of TCTC readers. The first found the books by themselves, got into them and loved them. The second got the books enthusiastically recommended by someone from the first category, read for a bit and hated them. I was verging on this second group for a while, but the books grew on me.

I agree. This is why, as mentioned above, it's very important to give new readers the standard LFB warning/disclaimer/pep talk before you ever hand them the book. They need to know that they won't be dealing with standard fantasy fare here.

I usually go to great lengths making sure they understand the difference between a "hero" and an "anti-heroic protagonist" I've found that almost everyone who is prepared in this way beforehand usually enjoys the books tremendously.

[Ylva Kresh]

I agree with about 1/5 of the posts above, those claiming that it is not the age that matters, but the individual. I read LFB (translation) when I was 11, and I cannot say that I understood everything then (and I still don´t), but still something captured me (the glory of the Land and Ranyhyn mostly). Since you can always reread books, there are always possibilities to find new answers and new ways of comprehention.

And unfortunately I cannot stop givning away LFB´s for birthday gifts and telling the birthdayboys/girls how fantastic it is... (I am glad that at least Theo fancied it in the end One down, the rest of the world to go...?)

[Revan]

I was forteen when I first read LFB, and fifteen when I read The Real Story (the Gap Series) Many who have problems wiith chapter seven in LFB where Thomas rapes Lena, Do NOT read The Real Story. I've always been into fantasy, and used to write my own stories at eight (though done badly) and have always had a decent imagination; and therefore I understood Covenants attitude completely. I think that it is up to the imagination and emotional advancement of the reader not the age.

[hierachy]

I'm currently reading the series for the first time; ( i'm on the wounded land; just read the bit where the guy had the spider in his hand and it bit covenant causing a relapse!!!- so exiting!) and i'm 17, I don't think there's much I dont understand ( Although if I reread in 10 years I may disagree),
I think I would have been able to understand it when I was 13 or something, but not much younger; I'm not talking about the general plot here, I could have got that at about 6...or somthing; I'm talking about Covenants actions and attitudes.

[Furls Fire]

Keep going hierachy! the best is yet to come!

You will find, as you re-read them later on, as I did, that you understand Covenant more and more. I have read them more times then I can count over the past 20 years or so and I still find new insights into him.

Coercri will bring tears to your eyes so beware!

[hierachy]

Keep going hierachy! the best is yet to come!

That may be true of us all; With the third chronicals coming!

(it is definately being written isnt it?????)

[Furls Fire]

oh yes yes yes!!! possibly out by late 2004...check out the "news that sets SRD fandom of fire" thread..all the info is there

The first book is called "The Runes of the Earth" and there will be FOUR!!!

[Myrrha]

I first picked up TCTC when I was 14/15 It took a while to adjust from the pure fantasy i was used to since it begins so strangely. I immediately fell in love with the land and have read the series so many times and always discover something new ..they are truly amazing stories.Now Im 32 and still have trouble convincing my friends to read them. In fact I think just the title LFB turns them off! In any case, they are books to be read and reread all through life as experience teaches many things. Like all SRD fans though I cant help wanting a series about the old lords but I am eagerly anticipating the new series. This is a fantastic site...

[Furls Fire]

Well, gonna get your wish about the Old Lords I think Myrrha. SRD is going to have us galloping thru Time as Foul corrupts it this next time around. So I'm sure we're going to get the see how things all began...and maybe have history corrupted.

Nasty thought

[W.B.]

I think there's definitely some stuff that people won't get unless they've reached a certain point of emotional maturity (somewhere in mid to late teens, I'd hazard). As you get older your perception broadens, but everyone's different; there's no wrong way to read a book, just more or less effective ways. I learned to read early, so I read a lot of "older kids" books growing up (though I didn't read the Chronicles until about a year ago, in my early 20s). I'd say it's not really a question of understanding the action, what happens physically (a fight, traveling from here to here, etc.), but when it comes to psychology and being aware of how characters are preceiving their world, this deepens as you mature, so I think some of the psychological/philosophical stuff may not come into focus until it's re-read when someone is older. What resonates with a person also depends on just what's going on with the person's life and experiences. So I'd always say the "age limit" varies with the individual.

[[Syl]]

I think the age at which you read the books is very important for one reason (and I say this in all seriousness) : this is the third thread of the same subject. I'm feeling lazy, so I'm not going to bump the other two. Besides, I'm not trying to preclude this thread... just saying. Like the rape, and the questionable reality of the Land, etc., it's a subject that comes up time and time again. And like all the questions posed by these books, there is no definitive answer.

Like others (everyone else, probably), I've learned more about the Land, Covenant, and especially myself every time I read these books. It's never the same story twice ("No man can step into the same river twice" - Herodotus, IIRC), as I'm never the same man twice. It captured my imagination when I was 13, captured my feelings of abandonment and perseverence when I was 18, and captured my mind when I was 20. With so many things of mine being captured in those readings and others, it's surprising that not only do I still have anything left, but I'm more for each reading than I was before.

I don't know if such is possible, but I'm grateful to SRD for bringing out new books, because lately I've been too secure in my knowledge of first two chrons (though when I look at the dissections, I know this is just an illusion). I'm just wondering what I'm going to learn about myself this time as I learn more about the Land.

*does the dance of anticipation*
[/ramble]

[Gil galad]

I read it for the first time earlier this year (age18 then) and i dont really think i read it slowly and thoughtfully enough to grasp all but the most obvious implications.

[Furls Fire]

That's what makes all the re-reads so great jedi

[Blue_Spawn]

I think that it should be restricted to 5 year olds.

[Gil galad]

I think that it should be restricted to 5 year olds

does that mean accessible to 1,2,3, 4,5,6,7...?

[Ylva Kresh]

Myrrha wrote:

still have trouble convincing my friends to read them. In fact I think just the title LFB turns them off!

Yes, I have the same problem. I have heard however, that it might be easier to convince people to read TCTC if you start with TIW instead. I have not tried that myself (seems like cheating... ), but it might be possible.

And then there is the question why one should force all people to read TCTC. I have the (bad?) habit to press everything I like onto other people. Perhaps one should leave them be? I suspect I should be very annoying if I were a religious fanatic, perhaps the love for TCTC is something similar???

[Seafoam Understone]

I too started with TIW and just had to get LFB before continuing on to TPTP. TCTC fans are unique I must say after been here a while on this particular site and browsing around others. SRD definitely created a one-of-a-kind fanbase with his Thomas Covenant. Definitely not for everyone.
But like those so-called religious fanatics we continually strive to spread the Wurd to all we meet.

[Theo]

I'm inclined to agree on starting off with The Illearth War, but it does feel a little blasphemous to deliberately have people read a series in the wrong order. Still this might be a good idea. You see, the other problem I have when recommending this series is that I, well...

sacrilege ahead...

...I honestly don't think Lord Foul's Bane is a very good book.*) TIW is infinitely better, and you get a nice little what-has-gone-before in the beginning. Then, after you've read TIW, you're either completely off the series, or you're sufficiently inured to its style to have a better chance of getting through LFB (if nothing else, if you liked TIW then you'll want to know the details of what happened before ).


( * I've gone into some of this on other threads. Basically, I think the Lena subplot is initially dreadfully mishandled, but what's worse is that after a hugely promising start - Covenant's first encounter with Drool and Lord Foul gave me goosebumps - not much seems to happen. The story feels very slow and a little wooden. IMO, however, things pick up very considerably about halfway into TIW.)

Theo

[Ylva Kresh]

Theo wrote:

I honestly don't think Lord Foul's Bane is a very good book.*)

and

not much seems to happen

But surely an author must be allowed to present the characters, world, names, places before going of to shape the readers emotions (for all these things)? The same can be seen in most fantasy litterature I think.

(Note: LFB has a different translator than TIW and TPTP in swedish - this acctually makes a difference. LFB has a more "fake-oldish" tone than the others. The last translator (second cronicles) keep much more of "the right tone", and she is a SRD-fan I think... I hope she will translate the last cronicles too.)