This one has "CLASSIC" written all over it!!!

[pat5150]

Hi all!

I've read the first two Chronicles of Thomas Covenant about a decade ago, and to this day they remain among my all-time favourite fantasy series! I was thus quite happy when Donaldson finally decided to return to the Land!

Finished the book today and absolutely loved it! To my shame, I wasn't even aware that Donaldson had a personal website. Indeed, I found that out on the DJ of the book. I'll be sure to snoop around and spend more time in these parts from now on...

Looks like a knowledgeabe and fun community! Should be interesting to discuss with you all!

I've become a book reviewer for my own website, an independent magazine (Gryphonwood Press), and soon to be for www.worldsoffantasy.net. If anyone is interested in my review of THE RUNES OF THE EARTH, feel free to check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com.

I was just wondering if there is a tentative release date for FATAL REVENANT? I'll do my best to get a review copy before the book comes out!

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I found Donaldson latest Covenant book to be as captivating as the previous ones. It's good to see that Donaldson is back and at the top of his form.

Unfortunately, the novel doesn't seem to have created much of a buzz. It appears that only the die-hard fans have bought it. Hopefully the rest of the fantasy readers will catch on. God knows I'm trying to stir things up on certain message boards and on my own site!

Take care, guys. And talk to you later,

Patrick

[dlbpharmd]

Welcome to the Watch, Patrick! Feel free to browse around anywhere, and join in the discussion. You may be particularly interested in the Runes forum. Enjoy yourself!

[Furls Fire]

Hail Patrick! Be welcome and true to the Watch! Well met!!

[pat5150]

Hi!

Thank you for the warm welcome! I know it's doubtless not the case here, but ever since I posted my review of THE RUNES OF THE EARTH, I keep getting messages from people who truly didn't like the book.

I've always been of the opinion that you either love or hate the Covevant books. There is no middle ground. So those who enjoy them, well they like them a lot. And those who don't, well...

Do you agree with my assessment? For me, it's always been the case. When I used to recommend Donaldson, it was either love or hate.

Oh well, I love the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. So I'm quite happy that Donaldson decided to finally return for one last time!

Have a good weekend!

Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

[Grimmand Honninscrave]

Welcome. Welcome and be true, Patrick. I just found out about the Rune book not to long ago. I went to a book store and there it was. I could hardly contain myself. I though when WGW came out, that was it. I have to agree with you. You either love the books or you hate them. Agian, Welcome.

[Furls Fire]

These people who hate it...have they read the others? Do they hate those too? And if they do, why did they read Runes in the first place? OR...are they people who just dimiss Donaldson and "hate" what he writes just because someone told them too without reading him at all?

What people fail to realize is that this is book one, and essentially "set up" for what is to come. I loved Runes for what it was.


*********** RUNES SPOILER!!!!!!!!! ***********
***** DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN"T FINISHED IT!!!*****

Spoiler

I knew Covenant probably wouldn't show up in this book until the end or at all actually.

Donaldson is not an easy author to read, but to me, that's what makes him so special. His stories are often painful to the soul, wrenching your heart. But, the triumphs are equally exquisite and raise your soul to such heights that coming down is almost regretful. Some people just don't get that.

[malinda_maloney]

To all the people I've talked to that didn't like the books, it seems like one of their main reasons was that they "just couldn't get into it."

When I began thinking about this, it almost seems to me that it takes a certain sort of person to actually get into the books. I'm the kind of person who sometimes finds myself wishing I was born in a different century, back to a time when you had more of an appreciation for the earth and all the beauties that it holds.... a time when you could actually feasibly know the sound of silence, without any hum of a vehicle in the distance or the heater and such.

That's part of the reason I fell in love with the Land in the first place; because that's exactly the type of place I wanted to live. Granted, I'm sure everyone's reason for loving it is different, but, still.

Another reason I love it is the humanity SRD makes so apparant in his writing. When I read LFB, I had the hardest time putting up with Covenant. I hated him throughout most of the book. I hated his self-doubt and his harshness; now, I could easily see where he got those from, I mean, put in his situation I'm sure I'd react the same way, but it wasn't until the genuine care that Foamfollower and Mhoram showed him that I somewhat began to like him. It definately wasn't until Elena, Bannor, and him went to Melenkurion Skyweir that I actually began to like him. Throughout the second chronicles, there are also times when I can't stand the guy.

The same with the Haruchai. Their dispassion bugs the heck out of me. But I still love them.

After saying all that, I honestly can't place my finger on what the point for most of what I wrote is, but I'm sure there is one.[/i]

[lurch]

...On this Love it ,,or hate it business...Its kinda like going to a gym...working out...Some folks do it religiously,,others,,yea rite, catch me in a spandex , working out in a gym!, HAH!...
Reading Donaldson is like a taking part in a mental work out. At different levels all at the same time, at that. I'll even go so far as,,sometimes after reading and thinking about what he has written,,my brain feels itchy,,like its sore from the exercise...Yep,,you either Just Do It or You don't....
...perhaps..there could have been a comparison in your review Patrick..What other Classical books involve a male author who writes about a female protagonist?,,as an example of my suggestion. Parrallels and divergents, etc....Thanks for the link,,and its good to see such an enthusiast here. Have fun...MEL

[matrixman]

Ah, so this was where our mysterious pat5150 introduced himself to the Watch.

I've spent the last week poring over this forum, catching up on all the Runes talk. All the fantastic discussions that have taken place here have filled me with a sense of dizzying possibilities for the rest of the saga! I feel privileged to be able to enjoy this great story in progress from a great storyteller.

After reading through almost everyone's views on ROTE, my main impression is that this book has polarized opinions more than any other Chronicles volume. Even past debates over the merits of The One Tree seem mild compared to the arguments over Runes. Some feel that with Runes SRD has failed to make a convincing case for his vision of the Last Chronicles, while others perhaps feel that he should not have bothered attempting the Last Chronicles at all. I'm certainly glad he is making the attempt, regardless of whether he succeeds or fails.

I disagree with the negative view of Runes, but I think I understand that position. It's founded on a deep love of the previous Covenant books: those disappointed by Runes feel that SRD has strayed too far from the elements that made the Chronicles magical in the first place. To put it another way, maybe people feel that SRD has betrayed his own "covenant" with his readers. The Donaldson faithful have invested so much of their thoughts and emotions into the Chronicles mythos over the years, and the language of the 1st and 2nd trilogies has become so entrenched in their minds, that any deviation from the "classic" Covenant style may seem like heresy.

Long ago in the TC forum I had voiced my fears that fans might not accept any direction SRD takes with the Last Chrons that would conflict with their own sense of how it should be done and what the story "should" be about. It looks like my fears have come true. I've maintained that Covenant is SRD's story to tell, not mine nor anyone else's. I'm not wise or arrogant enough to say that SRD should only tell the Chronicles a certain way. I remain open to what SRD has to say and how he says it. And what he has given me in Runes is a story that is breathtaking, and quite disturbing. The book sweats and oozes dread.

I would really like to compliment lurch here, but not because I think nobody else here deserves praise. Rather, because I think he's received so little praise from the rest of us. A lot of people, including me, have been hard on him in the past for his views or eccentric posting style. However, in his analysis of all things Runes in this forum, lurch has been magnificent! I think he understood, maybe better than any of us, what SRD was trying to achieve with Runes, and he has argued the case for Runes and SRD tirelessly and eloquently. Bravo, lurch!

[Nerdanel]

I'm among the people who think The One Tree was the least good of all the Covenant books, but I liked The Runes of the Earth a lot, particularly the prologue. The book doesn't get as high on my love list as my favorite The Power that Preserves, but Runes was mostly set-up after all.

I think I'm not against departure from the formula but that the formula in The One Tree just didn't work for me. It was different with Runes. I like books you can immerse yourself in. The multiple-adventure structure in The One Tree had too many abrupt stops in the momentum for me, after which the story would start to build an entirely different momentum from the scratch again.

[bossk]

The same with the Haruchai. Their dispassion bugs the heck out of me. But I still love them.

[/i]

The great thing about them is that they are so difficult to sway that when one gives in like Stave, it really means so much to the reader. You feel like "OK, if we can convince him, we really have a chance".[/spoiler]

[Avatar]

Nice to see you in here finally MatrixMan. Having fun?

--A

[matrixman]

Lotsa fun reading everyone's ideas, Av. I've got nothing much to add. I have a hunch one of the ideas around here will turn out to be spot on about the Last Chrons.

Some here think and hope that all the guesses about the rest of the books will turn out to be wrong, but Donaldson readers are a pretty bright bunch of people. After all, in early speculations about a 3rd Chrons, I think it was long-time Watcher aliantha who had guessed correctly that Linden would have an adopted son, and an autistic one at that!

Of course, guessing correctly what SRD will do with the story is one thing; for any one of us to try and write that story with the same skill as SRD is another matter entirely.

[Avatar]

Glad to hear it. I felt the same way about having nothing to add when I finally made it into this forum...looked like everybody had discussed everything already. But, the new topics keep cropping up, so no doubt (and hopefully) your thoughts will be heard soon.

(Aliantha predicted Jeremiah? Wow. WTG!)

Do you have a hunch about which idea though? Or is it less specific than that?

--A

[matrixman]

It was a general statement. Nothing specific (at this time). Once Fatal Revenant comes out, I'm sure a whole lotta of theories here will become extinct, while the hardiest and fittest theories will survive to the next stage. Can't...escape...Darwin...

[Avatar]

I guessed as much really, just testing.

--A

[aliantha]

Actually, my guess was that Linden would be preggers. Heck, she got the ring from Covenant -- why not a bun in the oven, too? But I never expected that she'd adopt Jeremiah.

Although if you want to keep attributing that to me, feel free. You can just call me The Fount of All Wisdom and Knowledge....

[Nerdanel]

Autism as a leprosy of the mind... It makes very much sense after the fact.

Although, I'll be offended if any of you says I have a leprosy of the mind. Just a friendly warning.

[Avatar]

You suggested it...metaphorically at least.

And thanks, Fount of All Wisdom and Knowledge.

--A

[matrixman]

Noooo, aliantha, you've destroyed my illusions...

This is some trick of Foul's. He's corrupting my memory...