Thoughts on finishing the Gap books (spoilers)

[Iolanthe]

I shall have to read it again as I've already forgotten much of the first three books, but of course the ending is still clear in my mind.

TRS was very necessary to set up the whole series, but disturbing to read. Like the rape at the beginning of the Chronicles, but it didn't put me off reading the rest.

Angus: hated him at first, but by the end I was positively urging him to escape on his own. He became, somehow, an almost loveable character. There was something impish about him at the end. I would love to know what he did to HF!

Morn: had a legacy of the true police ethic and stuck to it. OK, she broke the law by not giving the UMC her zone implant control, but the means justified the end. I was so proud of her as she gave her evidence to the Council, and loved the way that at the end she finally gave in to her emotions.

Hashi: also redeemed himself at the end, but his arrogance earlier on could have ruined all Dios' work.

Dios: always found a fail safe, and in the end redeemed himself. Took a hell of a lot of risks though - with other peoples' lives.

Dolph: love him. Would feel safe going anywhere with him.

Min: Stuck to her rigid principles to the end. Brave woman.

Nick: so driven by his ego "I cannot lose", part of which involved Sorus, that he didn't give a fig for anyone else. Cruel and totally selfish.

Spoiler

Even managed to die twice (or so I thought)

. I couldn't like him at all, even though he eventually did managed to do something relatively good.

Sorus: woman with a big problem, but of her own making. In the end she also redeemed herself.

Milos: like I said somewhere else, slimey git!

HF: totally egotistical, on the search for eternal life. Cannot forgive him at all. Good riddance.

So much more could be said, but I offer these rather shallow thoughts. Perhaps they can be discussed in more detail.

[Avatar]

Redemption rather than salvation.

These books are SRD's best writing as far as I am concerned.

--A

[Iolanthe]

Redemption rather than salvation.

These books are SRD's best writing as far as I am concerned.

--A

Yes, redemption. Salvation perhaps for Morn and Davies, the victims.

I prefer The Chronicles, then Mordant's Need, then the Gap. The latter was very intense, extremity upon extremity. Mordant's need is lighter, so I suppose the Chronicles sit in the middle, not quite so intense and cruel, and most of the characters are much more likeable, demanding respect.

[Avatar]

Even the victims weren't innocent. Maybe Davies...can't remember.

--A

[Cagliostro]

I think it is a bit difficult to compare the two, as I think Covenant books strike at the heart, and the Gap strikes at the mind, and to a degree, the gut. While I loved the characters and the well crafted story, I never got emotionally invested like I did with Covenant.
With that said, I do like the Gap books more, but I can't deny the emotional connection to Covenant.

[Iolanthe]

I think it is a bit difficult to compare the two, as I think Covenant books strike at the heart, and the Gap strikes at the mind, and to a degree, the gut. While I loved the characters and the well crafted story, I never got emotionally invested like I did with Covenant.
With that said, I do like the Gap books more, but I can't deny the emotional connection to Covenant.

You've hit the nail on the head, Cag. I definitely didn't get emotionally involved with any of the characters in the Gap books. They are all too driven and "suffering". Don't quite know how else to explain that. What I mean is, they all survive so much torment, whether mental or physical.

[Hashi Lebwohl]

Angus: hated him at first, but by the end I was positively urging him to escape on his own. He became, somehow, an almost loveable character. There was something impish about him at the end. I would love to know what he did to HF!

Let's just say that it was not over quickly, was most likely messy, and pushed Mother Lode's sickbay to its limits. I also suspect it involved a zone implant, which would be poetically ironic--the man who used to control everything is now reduced to someone who does not control even himself.

[Iolanthe]

Yes Hashi, that would have been poetic justice. I thought you got what you deserved in the end from Davies, by the way.

[Lefdmae Deemalr Effaeldm]

Cag and Io, that's very... interesting to hear - I agree comparing them is not much effective, but the emotions - I actually felt something more like respect to Covenant himself - quite distant and detached. And Angus is one of the rarest cases for me, I almost never like main characters, but I don't even simply like him, I like him more the more I read and think about him. Though that will probably stop at some point)

...
Let's just say that it was not over quickly, was most likely messy, and pushed Mother Lode's sickbay to its limits. I also suspect it involved a zone implant, which would be poetically ironic
...

Yes Hashi, that would have been poetic justice.
...

Lovely to see people agreeing on calling something like that poetic, I guess the generic population could consider some other words for a situation like that, or no words at all - and steering clear of people who see that as poetry.

For the record, I agree. To make that justice also more... metaphoric, Angus could do something else as well, particularly if he did use the implants, but I'm afraid his orientation is not fitting - well, some do that on principle)

...
I thought you got what you deserved in the end from Davies, by the way.

Bad day for cool character appreciation. First Menolly suggests trapping Lord Foul into the krill's gem... I have to go finish the song rewrite dedicated to Angus. Hashi, do you accept virtual hugs, WGDs or something?

[Cord Hurn]

Dolph: love him. Would feel safe going anywhere with him.

Min: Stuck to her rigid principles to the end. Brave woman.

Hashi is the coolest character, but it would be these two I'd trust the most, no doubt about it.

[Vraith]

Let's just say that it was not over quickly, was most likely messy, and pushed Mother Lode's sickbay to its limits. I also suspect it involved a zone implant, which would be poetically ironic--the man who used to control everything is now reduced to someone who does not control even himself.

heh...some amnion mutagen, the delay treatment, and the zone implant...the three together...the new-improved Angus could surely obtain them, and oh the punishment that he could devise...especially since fear is the nastiest part of punishment, and the man is ALREADY afraid of every damn thing.

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Just finished the series tonight. Don't have any thoughts, as of now. That is, nothing other than, "Good stuff, Maynard."

[Cord Hurn]

Congrats on finishing the Gap, Wosbald! Please DO tell us what you think of it in more detail--when you can find the time and the words!

[Avatar]

Brilliant, innit?

--A

[StevieG]

The best series in the Donaldson repertoire

[wayfriend]

Wosbald is so speechless he cannot even talk.

[Savor Dam]

The first time, it does take a while to process everything that has happened.

Patience. Wosbald has shown elsewhere that he gives deep thought to the layered nature of SRD's stories. Better that approach than a hasty one that may miss the subtleties of what the author has written.


...but that sort of shallow analysis has never been applied to the conclusion of an epic Donaldson story arc, nu?

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Angus: hated him at first, but by the end I was positively urging him to escape on his own. He became, somehow, an almost loveable character. There was something impish about him at the end. I would love to know what he did to HF!

Let's just say that it was not over quickly, was most likely messy, and pushed Mother Lode's sickbay to its limits. I also suspect it involved a zone implant, which would be poetically ironic--the man who used to control everything is now reduced to someone who does not control even himself.

I'm not so sure about this.

In the message that Angus tight-beams right before Motherlode goes into tach (which couldn't have been very long after Angus' stowaway and confrontation of Holt), Angus says that he already "did" what Warden wanted in stopping Holt.

I don't see either Warden (or Angus, for that matter, after his encounter with Morn) as petty, cruel and sadistic (to lower himself to Holt's level). That Warden wanted Holt's "heart torn out" indicates, in my mind, that he didn't just want Angus to kill Holt in some anonymous sneak-attack. A cop would be happy to do just this. But he wanted "revenge" inasmuch as he wanted Holt to know that he was beaten and to know who had beaten him (and why he was beaten). To put him on trial and convict him, so to speak. This would tear his heart out, since Holt sees himself as one who never loses, especially not to someone who just wants to put a stop to him, instead of stealing his secrets and replacing him. This sort of motivation is flatly inconceivable to Holt. It's a total repudiation and defeat of him.

[Vraith]

This would tear his heart out, since Holt sees himself as one who never loses, especially not to someone who just wants to put a stop to him, instead of stealing his secrets and replacing him. This sort of motivation is flatly inconceivable to Holt. It's a total repudiation and defeat of him.

Hee....Angus could set the zone implant to fill Holt's mind with limitless moral qualms and empathy---then make him watch a constant replay of all the bad shit he'd done.

[Hashi Lebwohl]

Angus knows that Holt had put his own mother in the crib and that Holt had been engaged in activities which were designed to put all of human space in the crib. We don't need the details to know that Holt died screaming while choking and gurgling on his own blood.