Is anyone disappointed in Runes?

Book 1 of the Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant

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CerealKiller
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Post by CerealKiller »

bikebryan wrote:
CerealKiller wrote:Loved the First and Second Chronicles and have re-read them many times over the years. The TRTE seems written in a very different style, which I guess is understandable, an authors' style will change over 20 years. It just seems a little plodding to me. Add that to a dislike of Time Travel stories, and a deep burning hatred of LA.... well I have not been able to complete it.
I am quite dissapointed. Can I just skip to the last chapters and proceed to Fatal Revanent?
I thought the same thing when it first came out and read it. But after Fatal Revenant and Against All Things Ending came out and I read both, I went back and re-read ROTE. You know what? I found it much more satisfying.
Alright, I'll give it another try.
But if I'm disappointed then all shall feel my righteous wrath :twisted: ;)
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Frostheart Grueburn
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Post by Frostheart Grueburn »

Ärrr...the emergence of TLD messed up my re-reading of ROTE and now Malazan stole the time yet again, but the 50-60% I put behind felt considerably better than upon the first read (I gave the book back then only a single star, now upgraded to three). SRD's writings have a tendency to mature.


I shall meet any and all wrath with 10 feet of whetted steel in my hands. And I kindly ask not to maul my breakfast. ;)
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CerealKiller
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Post by CerealKiller »

Frostheart wrote:Ärrr...the emergence of TLD messed up my re-reading of ROTE and now Malazan stole the time yet again, but the 50-60% I put behind felt considerably better than upon the first read (I gave the book back then only a single star, now upgraded to three). SRD's writings have a tendency to mature.


I shall meet any and all wrath with 10 feet of whetted steel in my hands. And I kindly ask not to maul my breakfast. ;)
Fear not, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and is immune to any and all repercussions. Even Lord Foul would not be so evil. ;)
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medusanyc
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Post by medusanyc »

not sure i would say disappointed but it seems as if this is really just a setup book. it seems things really get exciting after the scene
Spoiler
at melonkurion skyweir
and hasn't let up for the most part all the way through the end of against all things ending (where i am up to now)

[mod edit - spoiler tag added for event that occurs in FR.]
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medusanyc
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Post by medusanyc »

oops will be more careful about spoiler tags in subsequent posts, my bad. wont happen again ;)
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dlbpharmd
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Post by dlbpharmd »

No problem!
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Shuram Gudatetris
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Post by Shuram Gudatetris »

Shuram Gudatetris wrote:
Shuram Gudatetris wrote:Re-reading ROTE for the third time I believe, perhaps the fourth. Started in January with LFB and am reading one book a month. Every book so far has pleased me, and I have gotten something new from each book so far. But all I can say about ROTE, almost halfway through, is:

This book still sucks.

It just feels disjointed and bloated. The story stumbles from one bland scene to the next. Halfway through, there is still no point. Linden Avery is just wandering around the southern Land clueless, she has no purpose, no plan, just kind of staggers around in everyone else's wake. She is not learning anything, not doing anything. I just don't get it.

I thought maybe this time around it would feel a little different. But it is just a bad book. It takes everything I have just to pick it up again and try to limp through to the end. I probably won't ever read it again. If I re-read the chronicles again ten or fifteen years from now, I think I would be better off just skipping Runes and instead reading the last part of WHGB in FR.
Ok.
Sooooo....I am not doing a 180 degree turn. But, I must say, almost immediately after I posted that, things...well...they picked up!

So the first 40% of the book I find unenjoyable. But then Linden meets the Ramen, and it's all: hold on to your horses, we're going for a ride!
There was a point in which I was ready to throw this book out of the re-reading cycle, but every time I read it it seems to get stronger and stronger. I still agree with my most recent assessment: once Linden meets the Ramen, this book takes off like a lightning bolt!
Covenant is Linden Frankenstein's monster.

I maxed-out Tetris!
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Post by wayfriend »

Good to see you around, Shuram. Good -- for your sake -- you find more to appreciate. (I've always said, you can't really compare the Last Chronicles until you've spent as long a time contemplating it as the earlier ones.)
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Wosbald
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Post by Wosbald »

+JMJ+
wayfriend wrote:(I've always said, you can't really compare the Last Chronicles until you've spent as long a time contemplating it as the earlier ones.)
No doubts there. The LCs are a masterpiece.


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