Kevin's Watch

Hey, there's no accounting for taste in literature. Some people have it and some don't!

So you're saying you don't? Probably have the Terry Brooks board in your favorites, eh?

Have you read both Malazan and Bakker?

Just joking. No, just Gardens of the Moon (which I enjoyed quite a bit, though it did make my head spin in a couple of places) and have Prince on my TBR list. I know you have taste, just stay off that Brooks board, okay?

I just got Bakker from the library...they didn't have Book 1 of any others...neraly done with the prologue...interesting, though a good writier doesn't do a prologue in the first novel.

Brinn wrote:Have you read both Malazan and Bakker?

i have.

As have I - and Bakker is an intelligent and highly talented writer.
I would have expected people who enjoyed Covenant to be interested in his work, characters like Achamian and Cnaiur run in a similar vein, just taken more to extremes.

Malik23 wrote: To be fair, of the ones listed here, Malazan is the only one "Donaldson approved."

Pah! In one GI answer, SRD mentioned being a fan of Mervyn Peake.

Not that I'm recommending reading the Gormenghast books. They're among my favourites, but very different to Donaldson. Stylistically, they remind me of Dickens more than anything else. And they're the only true ensemble novels I've read, which can make them an odd experience.

jacob Raver, sinTempter wrote: though a good writier doesn't do a prologue in the first novel.

I generally don't like prologues. I think they are needless and pretentious. It always seems like a way to fire off the story with a bang, a marketing tool, because the writer doesn't trust his real story.

And in the case of Bakker, I didn't like the first couple of paragraphs. I distinctly remember being overwhelmed by a flurry of unfamiliar names.

But then I quickly became impressed with his language, and the observations his character made. I could tell that a very intelligent man was peering through these characters, and seeing things that made reading it worthwhile.

Anisurimbor Kellhus is one of the most interesting characters you'll ever read.

I'm undecided on prologues. They often strike me as an infodump of stuff that a skilled writer should be able to work into the story proper. Nonetheless, I'm not sufficiently widely read to say they can never work.

I liked Burst's prologue to Brokedown Palace because it's a legend of original contact, which you can believe, or not.

i like the prologue in The Exorcist. its a good example of good use of prologue. sets up the story. it contains information regarding a character that doesn't come into the story until later and ties him into the story in an interesting way.
(i read the book 3 times before the movie ever came out. good book.)

i also like the prologue in GotM. in fact, prologues are okey dokey with me. i don't agree with malik and cov jr on prologues.
most writers have a reason for telling the story the way they tell it
and any device can be over-used on occasion.

edit: in fact, i liked the prologue in PoN too. and i agree with murrin regarding Achamian and Cnaiur. those are two of the best characters
in the series.

Say No to Prologoos!

jacob Raver, sinTempter wrote:Say No to Prologoos!

Then you'll hate Mordant.

Speaking of which...

Auleliel wrote:...read Mordant's Need. Fluff compared to the rest of Donaldson's stuff, but entirely worthwhile nonetheless.

Fluff??!!

matrixman wrote:

Auleliel wrote:...read Mordant's Need. Fluff compared to the rest of Donaldson's stuff, but entirely worthwhile nonetheless.

Fluff??!!

Only comparatively. Sheesh.

Don't care what it's compared to, MN ain't fluff. So there.

matrixman wrote:Don't care what it's compared to, MN ain't fluff. So there.

I concede.

Malik23 wrote:Definitely got to finish Gap. Start over from the beginning, and go through as fast as you can. It will be a hell of a ride.

*snip*

At the risk of sounding like a lunatic fanatic I wholeheartedly agree with Malik - finish the Gap you fool!! But don't pick it up where you left off. Start again from the beginning (it sounds like you've already made your choice based on your previous posts, but - finish the Gap you fool!).

StevieG wrote:

Malik23 wrote:Definitely got to finish Gap. Start over from the beginning, and go through as fast as you can. It will be a hell of a ride.

*snip*

At the risk of sounding like a lunatic fanatic I wholeheartedly agree with Malik - finish the Gap you fool!! But don't pick it up where you left off. Start again from the beginning (it sounds like you've already made your choice based on your previous posts, but - finish the Gap you fool!).

Wow...you gonna take that Malik?