Kevin's Watch

I was wondering how many here have a copy and/or have read Gilden Fire.


I am now re-reading LFB (my yearly re-reading of the entire series) and I was wondering what others thought about it, about how it fits in the rest of the series and finally about SRD's reasons for taking it out.


(For those who don't know he states his reasons thusly, he did so both to shorten the book at the editors request and also to preserve the pov being all Covenant.)


Also, for those who take the internal view of the series (a view I didn't know was out there untill coming here) how does an entire part of the books being written from the point of view of someone else, taking place someplace far from Covenant, fit into such a view?

WARNING: POTENTIAL GILDEN FIRE AND ILLEARTH WAR SPOILERS!!

I just re-read The Illearth War with Gilden Fire "inserted" between chapters 8 & 9 and found it to not be so much of a departure from the main story.

The viewpoint change is obviously an issue, but I found it didn't detract at all from my enjoyment. In fact I loved all the Haruchai stuff!

It felt right in some ways because it's the first of three updates (with Runnik's tale and then Tull's tale). It helps to keep the momentum of the Seareach mission even though it is somewhat in the background.

At one point it was very obvious that it didn't quite fit however:
In GF the mission encounter resistance in Grimmerdhore, but of his return journey Runnik says,
"....when we entered Grimmerdhore, we were beset by wolves and Ur-viles, though we saw no sign of them when we passed eastward."
Continuity wouldn't have been a problem before out-takes!

So I guess it shows that SRD tweaked the edited story to make it utilise that no-one had heard from the mission until Runnik arrives.
It makes sense that they went through the forest if they encountered no trouble before.
I'm guessing this part would have been different if Gilden Fire had been in the final story, as risking life and Ranyhyn returning to a wolf-ridden route would be very reckless to say the least (particularly when carrying an urgent message)!

Thinking about it now, it was kind of atmospheric when I read The Illearth War the first time (without Gilden Fire).
It felt like I only knew as much as the characters, so when the Haruchai both tell their tales it has a bigger impact.
I still remember the sick feeling I got when Tull begins to falter (thinking "What the hell could upset a Bloodguard that much?"). Maybe hearing less about the mission is more, adds to the tension?
Then again, Gilden Fire's insights about the Bloodguard made me realise why Tull is swiftly reprimanded by Terrel for "losing it".

I'm glad Gilden Fire was made available as it has shed new light on the story (well, the Chronicles really) for me at least.
I like to think there are 2 ways of reading TIW: with or without GF included in the story (although with the former, some mental editing is required to fit it seamlessly back in).
Both have their merits, and it has made me appreciate what a great book The Illearth War is, Gilden Fire or not!

Ok--this is not a criticism of anyone: after watching a new Gilden-Fire topic being created every two months for the last two years--here it is-the, stickied official thread for all to see. Please don't create another, simply put all you G-F posts here, thank you!

Thanks Danlo!
I was confused by the scattered GF topics about the place too...
Always nice to have a tidy up!

Good thread Empusae. And an important question that you slip in there for the folks who subscribe to the internal view.

How do they reconcile the two?

--A

This may offend some artsy purists out there, but extra "stuff" like GF is like MIND CANDY to me. If there's another source of material that expands on something I really like, I really like it more!! Plus, some of the cool nuggets that were in GF like the mind-speak of the Haruchai, and the interaction between everyone in that chapter I feel enriched the whole experience of reading TCTC.

Oh, I know it's been a while since I've posted something, and this is going to totally be a drive-by posting. I'm just getting (prematurely) excited about Fatal Revenant... I wonder if SRD would let me proof-read?

Better than no posting.

And I agree about GF...great stuff.

I only read it long after the other 6, so the first time I found out about the mind-speak was in the 2nd Chrons.

Anything that builds greater detail in the world is good as far as I'm concerned.

--A

Hello all,where on earth can i find gilden-fire? To be honest i didn't even know of it's existence until i joined you all here.When it comes to really great stories and there is further elaboration or character depth that originates from the author then i'm all for it!!! Maybe the publishers didn't realize what they had in their hands at the time,and required SRD to shorten the whole thing for readability.I can't really judge due to the fact that i haven't even read the extra book as of yet.PLEASE who ever can locate a copy please let me know i will be more than happy to go and get it or order it on-line!!!!! thanx fellow servants of the land.............spacemonkey.

Gilden-Fire is available in the book Daughter of Regals By SRD which is full of short stories by him. Its an extra chapter from The IllEarth War.

Most kind Warmark,by accepting the gift you honor the giver.I'll find a copy(eventually)<groaning loudly> so until then any hope of an SRD approved copy to download from everybody here or the net????

search.ebay.com/gilden-fire_W0QQfromZR40QQsatitleZgildenQ2dfire

There's copies available on the 'bay....

Strangely enough, I couldn't find a copy of Lord Foul's Bane in a used bookstore, but they did have a hardback copy of Gilden-Fire--the very first one I'd ever seen. They wanted $4. I paid it. Was that a good deal?

If I didn't already have a hardback copy, I'd pay $100 without batting an eyelash. It's one of my most treasured possessions. And the cover is my av.

spacemonkey, Daughter of Regals was re-released in paperback when RotE came out. It shouldn't be hard to find.

Yay!!! *claps hands* I'll have to take good care of it.

I did see at least two copies of Daughters of Regals as well. If we have some around here, there must be some everywhere.

Have you read it yet, Lyr? I'm quite honored to have led the Dissection of GF. (Half of the Dissection, anyway. birdandbear did an aspect of the book, and I did another aspect of it. Odd, but it worked out nicely.) I don't Dissect often or easily, but I was thrilled to do this one.
kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=934

Alas, I have not. I'm getting ready to read the entire series again. Should I read GF before I take that plunge, or should I read it where it should have been, or should I read it some other time? Please instruct.

If you have only read the First Chrons once, I'd read them again first. If you're at all like me, you'll be amazed at how much you either missed or forgot. And no point in not reading GF right there in the middle of TIW, since you already know how it all ends.

But if you've read the First Chrons at least a couple times already, just read GF now! And I mean right now!!!

Ah. . . well, I have read them at least twice, but it's been almost seven years. Maybe I should wait until I read 1st chrons again.

dANdeLION wrote:search.ebay.com/gilden-fire_W0QQfromZR40QQsatitleZgildenQ2dfire

There's copies available on the 'bay....

Thanx dAN,although I did NOT purchase one from there,I found another copy elsewhere,Maryland I think,the really cool part is I bought a first edition copy(from '81) HB, with the dust jacket in excellent condition,AND signed by SRD himself.Here's the kicker part........I paid a whopping $14.87 next day air shipped!! I don't know if the Elohim took care this one or not,but after reading everyone's post on GF,I feel VERY fortunate indeed!!!!!