Kevin's Watch

Ok I am on my second reading of the First Chronicles which I enjoy immensely and am wondering what the Second Chronciles are like. Are they worth reading? Are they better?

Opinions on the second chronicles vary greatly.

I liked the second chronicles much more than the first. The changes that have happened to the Land struck me so hard, it was like a slap in the face. I didn't realize how much I cared about the Land until I read the The Wounded Land. Also, you get to travel around the world a bit, and I liked that.

And Vain rocks.
And Nom rocks.

But then there's Linden Avery. You may or may not hate her. It depends on you.

Read it!!

I too was fascinated by the 2nd chrons. While I held the first chrons more FONDLY...the second chrons I enjoyed more.

The first chrons had Mhoram, Elena...Mhoram's victory over despair, etc....

The second chorns gave us something broken, nom, etc. I was appalled at the fate of the land post TC's first victory. The visage of Marid, the plight of the Stonedwners... all of it! It was great!

A Gunslinger wrote:The second chorns gave us something broken, nom, etc. I was appalled at the fate of the land post TC's first victory. The visage of Marid, the plight of the Stonedwners... all of it! It was great!

OMG, I know! I had a nightmare (my first and only) when I was about a quarter of the way through TWL. Dude. Scary stuff, nightmares. I'm glad I don't have those often.

Marid kicked my *ss...and the stonedowner who held the "gift" for covenenant ...

Spoiler

the freak with the furry venom-laden spider that jumped on and bit TC ...EEEEK!

Like I say...i will always think more findly upon the 1st chrons... which was more innocent or perhaps more pure...but I enjoy the entropy and complexity of the 2nd chrons MORE. TC search for an answer to the paradox in conjunction with the metaphorical plight of the land....BRILLIANT!

Glad to see someone who agrees about the 2nd chronicles. That and I don't mind Linden one bit. She is yin to TC yang. Yes she can annoy...but look at TC in the 1st chrons...who didn't want to slap him?

There you go, blackstar! Waddley and Guns give the series two thumbs up!

Git her done!!

In a nutshell, Donaldson surpasses himself in the Second Chronicles, in his ability to create poignant "narrative crescendos" (to borrow a phrase, but there is not a better one). I find the Second Chronicles more moving, and more illuminating, than the first.

No matter whom you ask, regardless of whether or not they prefer the First Chronicles or the Second, all will agree that the Second Chronicles is not a shabby redux: it's an awesome experience.

It is the EMPIRE STRIKES BACK of the Chronicles Series Trilogy.

Does that mean Fatal Revenant will include Ewoks?

DW

DukkhaWaynhim wrote:Does that mean Fatal Revenant will include Ewoks?

DW

Furry Jherrin anyone?

Melenkurion Skyweir is protected by a force field projected from the forest moon of endor, and it's up to the jheherrin to stage a primitive revolt to take out the shielding in time for Linden to fly in with the Millennium Staff of Law and destroy the corrupted Elohim... moments before the entire Haruchai fleet is destroyed? ...But we find out in the epilogue that the entire Chronicles really took place in Jeremiah's mind.

DW

[On-Topic P.S. -- Second Chronicles are nearly as stellar as the First, and still far, far better than anything you will find on the shelves at your local book store.]

Even with my opinion of TOT (I think it's overlong), I'd still say the Second Chrons are better than the First. They're written better, and I find the ending much more satisfactory.

Second Chronicles surpasses First Chronicles in every conceivable way.

dlbpharmd wrote:Second Chronicles surpasses First Chronicles in every conceivable way.

I don't know if I'd go quite that far, but that's relatively accurate. I can say that the Second Chrons was much more heart-wrenching than the First, due to (I believe) SRD's writing skills maturing.

Just my opinion, of course. To me there's nothing like 2nd Chronicles.

Yeah. The thing is, the Second Chrons (at least for me) wouldn't have had the impact they did without the groundwork laid in the First.

TOT is my favorite book in the series...and if you disagree I'll pat you on the shoulder with a coryel

Cail wrote:Yeah. The thing is, the Second Chrons (at least for me) wouldn't have had the impact they did without the groundwork laid in the First.

That's the thing. The second chronicles is better, but they wouldn't be if not for the first.... IMO.

TOT has grown on me, but I still say it's the weakest book of the three. In fact, of the first six, it's the easiest to skip and rely on WGW's What Has Gone Before.

There is something to be said for TPTP...that's a hell of a book!

danlo wrote:There is something to be said for TPTP...that's a hell of a book!

And easily my favorite of the First Chrons. It's bleak as Hell, but it's a great read.