Kevin's Watch

kevinswatch wrote: The fact that when SRD introduced the giants in FR we were given one real character (what's her face) and 10 clones is rather disappointing.
-jay

I figure that SRD is planning on killing most of them, and weeding the group of giants down to the 2 or 3 who's name I'll eventually remember.

This has probably been posted here before, but here are several pages from Fatal Revenant on Amazon.com

books.google.com/books?id=kuYUXSl09gIC&pg=PA508&lpg=PA508&dq=Caer-Caveral&source=bl&ots=8FXz6Sqb5v&sig=kxfmN1_LVsF6fzKpl6zjwR0AHWE&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result#PPP1,M1

First impressions: wow, this was a very enjoyable book. Wow, SRD managed to slip TC in at the very end of ANOTHER book.

I found a disagreeable lack of enjoyment while reading and rereading The Runes of the Earth, but that in no way kept me from getting excited about Fatal Revenant (don't get me wrong, I didn't HATE the Runes, but, well, you know....). It's been over a year and a half since the book came out and I only just now have finally got my chance to read the book. Can you imagine?....Just patiently waiting while carefully avoiding any spoilers until the time was right for me to enjoy the book. The only thing that held me together is knowing that there would be more waiting when I was done with FR, so it really didn't matter at what point I read FR before the other books came out. Yet, still, it was tough. Turns out, it was DEFINATELY worth the wait.


This book made me pull my hair out for a few hundred pages, confused as all get out about what the heck was going on with TC and Jeremiah. I was really stressed out. But besides that stress, everything was thoroughly enjoyable. Linden confronting the Demondim, meeting Berek, the confrontation with the Viles (one of my favorite parts), and of course the climax under Melenkurion Skyweir. Oh man, I LOVED the first half of FR!

And the second half kept me gripping the book tightly until the end.... Linden's struggle against the hypnosis of the Harrow. Later on, I shouted with glee when Linden saw the ur-Viles giving Liand strength while he was summoning his storm, and then, finally in Andelain, TC comes out and stands behind the Krill and covers his mouth . . . I loved that subtle detail.
Of course we all knew what he was going to say once Linden was done restoring him, "Oh, Linden. What have you done?" but it was still amazing.


Man what a good week this has been for me.....

Now comes more waiting.

A sigh of relief. Some of the old magic from the 1st and 2nd chronicles returned for me. Up 'til 3am (before a flight) finishing the book. Intense! Runes was more enjoyable the second time through because I have some context now. I remember thinking, years ago, "what's on the other side of the westron range?" Thanks SRD! A satisfying picture! A source of answers and more questions. Good policy! Before Nom was called, I was sreaming, call Nom!! So I get a few treats and have some carrots dangled in front of me (motives for various characters). I like that. I fully expect the next book to improve exponetially. FR sure did in my opinion.

I'm definitely with the group that says "wait for the whole picture before you judge the middle", but I can't deny that there were points where I wanted to flip forward ten pages or so because my interest wasn't being held. That's new for me in the SRD ouvre.

The repetition of certain phrases and vocabulary words is starting to bug. And any notion that the Covenant we met was the real Covenant was gone (for me) in the first five minutes. I can't believe that someone who knew him as well as Linden would be able to convince herself this lout was her beloved just because she really wanted him to be.

It's kind of sad to me that the only thing that gives me joy these days is an appearance of Giants. But it does feel good every time they show up. It's like someone's saying "there there, it's all going to be alright now".