Kevin's Watch

Mine is unquestionably Lord Mhoram's Victory. I think it's one of the strongest pieces of writing SRD has ever done. I've read that chapter over and over again for the sheer pleasure of it.

Agreed! The last time Iread it, I was moved to tears (just a couple weeks ago). I also like the 1 & 2nd chapter of the Illearth War. The scene where the lounge lizard...Susie Thornton...calls him Berek...very frightening!

I'm torn between Chapt 17 of The Illearth War: Tull's Tale and The Power That Preserves, Chapter 12: Amanibhavan. The Lurker, the heartrending slaughter of the Giants and Hyrim vs Kinslaughterer! Chapter 17 literally ripped my guts out. And TPTP 12 isn't far behind, especially after how SRD descibed TC's love for the Land becoming manifest in his sheer determination against overwhelming odds during the interview at Elohimfest.

danlo wrote:Chapter 17 literally ripped my guts out.

Gee, I hope they found enough donor organs to put them back in again.


(Sorry about that . . . but I really hate it when people misuse the word 'literally' like that. 'Literally' means literally, not figuratively. It doesn't mean that you really really mean the figure of speech almost as if it were literal. It doesn't mean that it felt like the thing was actually happening. It means, in this instance, that the chapter tore a hole in your abdomen and removed your internal organs by brute force, really, actually, and verifiably.

I strongly suspect you don't actually mean that, Danlo, because my copy of TPTP isn't equipped with meathooks.



This rant has been brought to you by the letters Q and X, and the Institute for the Preservation of Good English by Pointless Nitpicking. I feel better now. But beware, all: The next person who uses 'literally' that way will have a rope tied round his or her neck and be dragged behind an SUV with no brakes through 500 miles of desert, the driver taking great care to hit every cactus and tumbleweed along the way. But don't worry . . . I don't mean that literally.)

I just literally laughed myslef silly. No really.

shot to pieces!:rant: I set up Elohimfest for this person! Introduce him to SRD, have him in my house, feed him and this is the thanks I get?!?!??? The grammar police can bite my...well in anycase...

danlo wrote: shot to pieces!:rant: I set up Elohimfest for this person! Introduce him to SRD, have him in my house, feed him and this is the thanks I get?!?!??? The grammar police can bite my...well in anycase...

Yes, I appreciate all that you did . . . which is why I didn't literally shoot you to pieces!

Gee...thanks! I hate when that happens!:D

I literally die, and rise from my own ashes, every time I read The Spoiled Plains and Lord Mhoram's Victory.

It's hard to pick a favorite, since it is all so good.
But the chapter in LFB, ringthane's choice, is wonderful, where Covenant made the bargain with the Ranyhyn and they all reared to him in respect.
It is truly one of the finest chapters I think.

Very tough question, burgs. I know I'll find this to be wrong on my next read, but my gut says Garroting Deep.

Variol Farseer wrote:This rant has been brought to you by the letters Q and X, and the Institute for the Preservation of Good English by Pointless Nitpicking. I feel better now. But beware, all: The next person who uses 'literally' that way will have a rope tied round his or her neck and be dragged behind an SUV with no brakes through 500 miles of desert, the driver taking great care to hit every cactus and tumbleweed along the way. But don't worry . . . I don't mean that literally.)

I bow before you, sir. Literally, as you can see.

Where were we? Oh, yeah...favorite chapter. You really expect me to name just one??

Chapter 10: The Celebration of Spring of LFB is special to me because it was the first time that a scene in a book had brought me to tears (hey, for a 13-year old kid, that's special). What affected me was the desperate and valiant sacrifice that the Unfettered One and his animal friends made of themselves to free the Wraiths from the ur-viles. And then the Unfettered died screaming. I still get choked up when I read that scene.

TIW has many seriously terrific chapters. If you were to point the krill at my head for an answer...then okay, I'll say my favorite here is Chapter 20: Garroting Deep. It's awesome to witness the power of the Forestal and the Deep, to see Fleshharrower's army utterly wiped out like it was nothing to the trees. Also, here we see Mr. Military Genius Troy at last exposed as a fraud (in a sense) who has run out of options. Here we have Lord Mhoram, left holding the bag by Troy, and saving everyone's butts by risking death to call the Forestal. And finally, we see everyone arrive at Gallows Howe--including Bannor and the Unbeliever. Without Elena. Uh-oh. The subplots converge. Yes, this is one powerhouse chapter!

Speaking of powerhouse, no argument from me against Lord Mhoram's Victory in TPTP. It almost wins by default because the rest of the book is so unrelentingly bleak, until the very end. I loved the surprise appearance of the Waynhim attacking Satansfist's army. And Mhoram mowing down the Raver's forces as his staff buckles under the power he's sending through it...wild and crazy stuff! Gotta love it!

I've only read the Chronicles once, and I've just begun my first re-read, so hard to say. Probably "Lord Mhoram's Victory", but that might change.

That would have to be The Ritual of Desecration and "Lord Mhoram's Victory", since they run on from one another so closely that they are like one big chapter. I love the way that even at the end of themselves, Mhoram, Amatin, Loerya, Trevor, Quaan, Borillar and Tohrm go far beyond their own abilities in serving the Land.

Sum sui generis
Vs

For me it is Andelain and the final chapter of the trilogy, Lepers End, because TC smiles (moved me).

Great question
I'm re-reading The Illearth War right now so I'll get back to you when I finish The Power that Preserves, But ...as for the second chronos my favorite is easy, The Wounded Land, chapter 24 "The Search"

"Invitation To A Betrayal". I always liked Foul's little speech to Covenant.

Whenever I am asked to pick a chapter from the first trilogy I always pick The Revelation of Spring because it was when I was reading this chapter that I suddenly realised that this was something completely different, and it was also when I understood that something could be completely different and still be incredibly good.

Why was that? I think because up to that point I had expected TC to sort of 'get with the program', but he never did. I never understood why, not then and not even now, completely, but when I read the Revelation of Spring I suddenly understood that this was great stuff even though I did not understand it.

michaelcov wrote:But ...as for the second chronos my favorite is easy, The Wounded Land, chapter 24 "The Search"

YES!!! That and Coercri are my favorites of the 2nd Chrons! I had the extreme pleasure of Dissecting The Search. kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2911

The whole siege-of-Revelstone thread in TPTP, perhaps because I like Mhoram as a person much better than Covenant.

I love the books, but I don't necessarily like spending a lot of time inside TC's head. Sometimes it's better than other times -- "The Unbeliever" is a good chapter, too.