Kevin's Watch

I never thought TCTC was a good place to introduce youngsters to the fantasy/sci-fi genre. But now I'm halfway through The Real Story, and I REALLY think it's not a good starting point! Holy crap! In Alb., SRD mentioned what AT repeatedly does, and now I've read it first-hand. It's certainly an intense book so far, and, obviously, not for its sci-fi elements.

The Real Story is quite possibly the hardest read of my life. Even though I think The Gap is fantastic, that little book kept me from rereading it from when the books were originally published up until I knew I was going to Albuquerque to meet with SRD and fellow Watchers.

SRD's writing is brilliant, as always, but the violence (both sexual, physical, and mental) was brutal for me to read about.

I know it doesn't bother some people, but it sure bothers me.

"Brutal" indeed! I don't imagine I'll be able to reread it any time soon either. But I trust the quality of the full Gap cycle justifies this.

Possibly my hardest read, too. But then, War In Heaven was... *shudders*

The quality of the Gap Cycle is definately worth the pain...and yes, Zindell's War in Heaven is definately another very rough read! Suffering of innocent people is a difficult topic...

This is a great series - as good or better than The Chronicles. They only get better & better as you read all the way through the set. This is your first time reading the series? I'm suprised you haven't read them yet being so well versed in the Chronicles.

I remember The Real Story as a nasty and violent piece of work. After finishing the book, I was in a daze, maybe like a hit-and-run victim just picking himself off the ground, wondering what the hell just happened. I wasn't prepared for the brutality of the story or the writing.

That was a few years ago and I still haven't read the rest of the Gap books. I'll probably have to re-read The Real Story to refresh my memory. Oh joy. I'm still determined to read the whole cycle; I'm just not in any particular rush to do so.

(A Gap Dissection might encourage folks like me to sit down and read through these books sooner rather than later.)

Dawngreeter wrote:This is a great series - as good or better than The Chronicles.

I'm glad you love the Gap. SRD has said often enough in the Gradual Interview that he feels the Gap is his best writing to date (pending the Last Chronicles), so he would appreciate your sentiments.

But let me just say that the Chronicles are very special in my life: they have affected me at a profound level, so profound that it's impossible for me to objectively compare them with other works. I'm not a religious person, but the Chronicles constitute my literary "bible."

The Real Story is the only Gap book I've read twice. It had a style I liked a lot - and the opening chapters are beautifully written.

If you ask me, the only thing more brutal than The Real Story is Forbidden Knowledge.

Fist and Faith wrote:I never thought TCTC was a good place to introduce youngsters to the fantasy/sci-fi genre. But now I'm halfway through The Real Story, and I REALLY think it's not a good starting point! Holy crap! In Alb., SRD mentioned what AT repeatedly does, and now I've read it first-hand. It's certainly an intense book so far, and, obviously, not for its sci-fi elements.

I agree with you completely there. I would never recommend the Gap to young readers (or even most adults), even though I myself was 14 when I first read the series.

I won't say that content didn't disturb me at times, but I was not shocked, or even surprised. I was going through a very dark time myself, and was able to emphasize with the characters more than I think most people generally can.

uh, YEAH. wicked dark. and stunning when not forewarned!!

I didn't warn you?

you DID NOT, well...you said "dar", you didn't say BRUTAL!!!

My bad.

Though Deadhouse Gates reminds me just a little of TRS, Felisin and all.

yeah. poor Felisin. how far are you in that?

Only about 100 pages so far, but it has my full attention now.

Have you finished TRS?

no, will finish tonight while doing laundry...arg.

---you shuold read the afterword from SRD also...it gives yuo some insight.

did read it. it DID give me some insight...not all the stuff about Wagner and stuff. i really didn't need to know all that, but that first bit when he's talking about ideas and how he gets them ( i LOVE the Lysol can thing!! ) the whole "2 ideas" thing. really helped me!! i got out some old story bits and started re-reading them for possible "second idea" ideas!!!! i have this one crazy story which i think i'm going to start working on again!! *goes looking for the Lysol can under the sink*

I loved the Afterword in TRS. It's so illuminating. I would have continued The Gap without it, though, because the way TRS ended had me very curious as to what would happen next.