Kevin's Watch

Mine's the first. There are two reasons I like it better than the others:

1) Nostalgia. This is the series that taught me that fantasy can be meaningful.

2) In a similar vein, no other series had affected me anywhere near as powerfully as the first when I read it. I was kind of prepared for the Second and Final chronicles, having already experienced the first, but there wasn't anything to prepare me for the first Chrons!

Oh, and I put this in the FR forum since people might mention things from any of the books, and it's easier not to have to worry about spoilering everything.

The second packs a larger emotional punch.

The 2nd is the better story, overall.

Hmmm ... the first one did indeed catch me with its tremendous originality and quality. But I think my appreciation of it suffered slightly from my mild dislike of TC early on. (Oh no, tell he he did not just say that!) Only in relation to the second one mind you. Plus the second one still brought a lot of original ideas to the table. Definitely no retread. The Banefire, the One Tree, Vain, the Elohim, the venom, the ending. Yep, second one for me.

I voted for the Final Chrons. I Loved the first one, to me that's my favourite because the Land itself is pure.. While the 2nd is a better story and has a much better ending, the way it's a completely twisted Land was disturbing for me.

But I voted for the 3rd because it's so.. Unexpected - it raises so many more questions.. The going back in time - brilliant! Esmer - some sort of Haruchai Jekyll & Hyde, WTF! The Insequent - does ANYone know what they're up to? And the Demondim and there creations have a huge role to play.. What I gotta say made methehappiest tho was knowing that the Ramen an Ranhyn were back and safe!

I can reread any book from the 1st series in a day or two and enjoy it as much as when I first read them.
The second series is deeper, richer and a much more emotional read that has to be taken in at a slower pace.
The 3rd.....I hate to sound like a broken record but I think the 3rd *could* have been my favorite if I liked Linden.
It's going to answer all our questions!!!
I should be making love to each page of the 3rd Chronicles (it's poetic speech, relax ) but everything is tainted with Linden.

Since the last Chronicles aren't finished, you really can't place it in the voting.

It's like comparing TWL to the first chronicle.

The first chronicles are my favorite, merely because they introduced me to the series. However, officially (for when I run for president in twenty years) I like to view it all as one series, and it is simply incredible all the way through. Kinda sucks that most of the other people I know who have read the first and second chronicles absolutly loathe the second chronicles

To be fair, I find it's an extremely difficult decision

We're talking about 8 (so far) of the best books I've ever read here, and any of them stand head and shoulders above most other books. So really, there's no wrong answer

I was just curious about people's preference. Of course, I'm well aware that as the Final chrons are ending, my preference could change!

Hmm... now, if this were about individual books rather than sets, I'd have a tough time choosing between TPTP and TOT. Those two were always the most powerful for me.

I voted for the first. In particular because my favorite book in the trilogy was the Illearth War. When I look back on it I believe that I liked it so well because of the character of Hile Troy. How he dealt with his war and the price he paid for victory was some of the best storytelling ever in the history of fantasy. I have never come to terms with the mystery of Hile Troy. He was from the 'real' world, but Covenant could not find record of him. I would imaging this is discussed at length in one of the forums.

The Power that Preserves is scarcely less good than the IW and is good for a different reason. Here Covenant comes to grips with his acceptance of the Land and his desire to fight back. The interaction of Covenant with the creator is deeper than you migh imagine on a first read.

The Second Chronicles was good, but I remember a 'taint' in that Covenant was no longer the only main character. Still, the 2nd Chrons are a close second to the first.

I'm personally having trouble with the Final Chronicles. Mistakes by Donaldson (somewhat minor, really) and the change in the conceptualization of the history of the Land brought on by time travel (major) are hard to contend with in evaluating all of the Chrons as a whole. Still, even the Last Chronicles, with its flaws, kicks the a** of just about any fantasy works out there today.

SRD is still the best.

I voted for the first, because I thoroughly enjoyed the dislikeable nature of Covenant, which disappeared in the second. I also enjoyed the "muscle" of Foul, visualizing the kresh devouring flesh and bone of a worn out army on the run was dramatic. I loved the whole bit about hiding the 7 wards, the Lords, the Giants and their history in revelstone, the Vow by the Haruchia, etc..

And Mhoram. I still miss him.

I'm personally having trouble with the Final Chronicles. Mistakes by Donaldson (somewhat minor, really) and the change in the conceptualization of the history of the Land brought on by time travel (major) are hard to contend with in evaluating all of the Chrons as a whole. Still, even the Last Chronicles, with its flaws, kicks the a** of just about any fantasy works out there today

I hear you. I feel for Donaldson here, because I think he's right that the next logical attack by Foul be on Time itself, having already flexed his muscle and attacked Law and failed. It's too bad he couldn't come up with a different method to attack Time without introducing "Time Travel".

ParanoiA wrote: And Mhoram. I still miss him.

Is there anyone here who doesn't think Mhoram kicks a**? He's and Bannor are still my favorite side-characters

ninjaboy wrote:I voted for the 3rd because it's so.. Unexpected

Fair enough! As for me I just can't form a good relative opinion about the third chron because it is too new (haven't fully digested it) and isn't finished yet.

I love Mhoram. But I'm not sure I'd call him a side character... 4 chapters are written from his POV!

ParanoiA wrote:
And Mhoram. I still miss him.

I voted for the Second Chrons but it was a difficult choice. I love the first books for all the reasons given and then some!!!

And I too miss Mhoram.... Maybe he will get an opportunity to say something in the last books.. that would be awesome. He said great things like:

It boots nothing to avoid his snares, for they are ever beset with other snares, and life and death are too intimately intergrown to be severed from each other. But it is necessary to comprehend them, so that they may be mastered

I voted for the first simply because it was my introduction to the story.

I was deeply affected by the First ones when I first read them when they came out, but they no longer affect me in the same way. I can certainly appreciate the writing and ideas, but no longer have the same visceral reaction to them.
I voted for the third, just because (so far) the charcters and style of writing are now for me at this stage of my life.
Rating the Chrons is hard, because they are ALL fantastic, but if I HAD to (and I don't, but I will), I would go: 3, 2, 1.

first chronicles for mine.

I found the abrasive, socially inept, bitter, lonely and miserable Covenant to be more compelling than the more overtly heroic Covenant of the 2nd chronicles - the issue of his Unbelief was more pronounced, as were the externalisations of his inner turmoils. I generally enjoyed SRD's secondary characters far more in the 1st chronicles too; Mhoram, Hile Troy, Elena, Foamfollower, the Lords, even the Ravers ...
The scenes themselves also captured my imagination in a way that the 2nd and 3rd chronicles (so far) failed to do; the 'real world' moments, Covenants first experience of Andelain under the spell of his newly aroused health-sense, his initial encounter with Foamfollower, his interactions with Troy, Elena and Mhoram in TIW, the mystery of Amok (which, to be fair, was equalled by the mystery of Vain in the 2nd chrons imo), the doomed mission to Seareach, Triock's story, the siege of Revelstone, and Covenant's final journey to Foul's creche under the guidance of Foamfollower; so many great moments that entranced me in a way that the other chronicles didnt quite manage.

Since the 2nd Chrons were the first books in this series that I ever read, they have to get my vote for favorite.

Hail, Pitchwife!

I voted for the first, because without them, I would have never discovered SRD.

I do think it's too early to tell where the 3rd will fall... it may end up being my favorite.