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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
Interesting world building...
I'm a suckered for world-building, but there are a lot of hours in the lot and in the characters. I don't think the supposition that leprosy caused the protagonist to be such a jerk really holds water.
I'm a suckered for world-building, but there are a lot of hours in the lot and in the characters. I don't think the supposition that leprosy caused the protagonist to be such a jerk really holds water.
I read this trilogy a long time ago & while I mostly liked it, there is a rape scene in the first book that I wish hadn't been there. It does play into the rest of the story, though. These aren't books that I would read again.
Not for me. Not exactly who it’s for, but definitely not for me.
This is one of those books that I’ve meant to read for a long time. I had friends who enjoyed this series and recommended it to me. I don’t think I would’ve liked this 40 years ago and I definitely do not like it now that I’m in my 50’s.
I can get behind anti-heroes. I can get behind redemption arcs. But, in this, Donaldson has created a character so awful, so painfully terrible, loathsome, self absorbed, and irredeemable that there is nothing Covenant can ever do to offset that. Save the world? Thanks, much appreciated, but also, by the way, f you! You giant walking talking piece of crap.
I tried. I read the first 3 books and never, ever, does Covenant get better. Good on Donaldson for somehow making money from this.
This is one of those books that I’ve meant to read for a long time. I had friends who enjoyed this series and recommended it to me. I don’t think I would’ve liked this 40 years ago and I definitely do not like it now that I’m in my 50’s.
I can get behind anti-heroes. I can get behind redemption arcs. But, in this, Donaldson has created a character so awful, so painfully terrible, loathsome, self absorbed, and irredeemable that there is nothing Covenant can ever do to offset that. Save the world? Thanks, much appreciated, but also, by the way, f you! You giant walking talking piece of crap.
I tried. I read the first 3 books and never, ever, does Covenant get better. Good on Donaldson for somehow making money from this.
I read this book a long, long, time ago around 7th grade or so. I remember severely disliking it and I did not read the second book in the series. I remember nothing from that reading other than not liking it. I don't even remember why I didn't like it. But if I had to guess, I would presume that it was because it was unlike any of the other fantasy books I had read and loved; The Hobbit, The Sword of Shannara, Pawn of Prophecy, etc.
Here is a story with an unlovable un-hero. A man who is a leper, who is consumed with rage, who hates himself, who lashes out at everyone around him. Cowardly, bitter, unlikable.
Yet, the author has created a world full of a rich people who revere the world and all of the life in it. Who have sworn an oath of peace even as their world is threatened by an ancient evil.
Now that I'm older and I do not have to have an obvious and likable hero to enjoy a story, I was able to appreciate more about this book, but it still leaves a lot to be desired. The author's names for things are a bit generic and simple. Lord Foul, Drool, Ur-viles, etc. I think I will finish the trilogy. Partly because this series is one of those series that any self-respecting fantasy fan should probably read (kinda like Wot) as a badge of honor if nothing else, and partly because every fan of these books say that the author's genius is revealed over the next two books. I suppose we shall see.
Here is a story with an unlovable un-hero. A man who is a leper, who is consumed with rage, who hates himself, who lashes out at everyone around him. Cowardly, bitter, unlikable.
Yet, the author has created a world full of a rich people who revere the world and all of the life in it. Who have sworn an oath of peace even as their world is threatened by an ancient evil.
Now that I'm older and I do not have to have an obvious and likable hero to enjoy a story, I was able to appreciate more about this book, but it still leaves a lot to be desired. The author's names for things are a bit generic and simple. Lord Foul, Drool, Ur-viles, etc. I think I will finish the trilogy. Partly because this series is one of those series that any self-respecting fantasy fan should probably read (kinda like Wot) as a badge of honor if nothing else, and partly because every fan of these books say that the author's genius is revealed over the next two books. I suppose we shall see.
I found the story intriguing and very creative. The protagonist -- if you can even call Thomas Covenant that -- was entirely unexpected and I thought the premise of the character was fascinating.
That said, I did not enjoy the writing at all. I found it stilted to the point of obfuscating the story at times. It felt as if someone taught the author that he should use similes to make his prose more engaging, and he just took that and ran with it. It seemed like every sentence had a "like" or "as if" phrase attached to it, and many of them made very little sense to me. Clearly he wrote with a thesaurus next to him, but it wasn't a good one, because he often uses words in ways that don't actually fit their definition (including antiquated usages of those words). I never mind having to look up words I'm not familiar with, but when I find no definition that fits the context of the author's usage, I find that bewildering. This made it a lot less enjoyable to read.
That said, I did not enjoy the writing at all. I found it stilted to the point of obfuscating the story at times. It felt as if someone taught the author that he should use similes to make his prose more engaging, and he just took that and ran with it. It seemed like every sentence had a "like" or "as if" phrase attached to it, and many of them made very little sense to me. Clearly he wrote with a thesaurus next to him, but it wasn't a good one, because he often uses words in ways that don't actually fit their definition (including antiquated usages of those words). I never mind having to look up words I'm not familiar with, but when I find no definition that fits the context of the author's usage, I find that bewildering. This made it a lot less enjoyable to read.
This book savors itself slowly - it wasn't until about halfway through that I got excited for it. The beginning is intriguing though because the character of Thomas is a leper. An expert leper. But he is soooo broody, it's completely melodramatic (somehow this works).
Fish out of water, and the reluctant hero themes are exploited harshly all while we drink from a firehose the lore of "the Land." The end was abrupt but I will continue on with the series.
Fish out of water, and the reluctant hero themes are exploited harshly all while we drink from a firehose the lore of "the Land." The end was abrupt but I will continue on with the series.
although the start left a sour taste in my mouth, I managed to get into it a bit more and found the Land an interesting, if sometimes dull, fantasy world. having Thomas Covenant be such a bitter and broken man lends it some complexity, and I think prevents the novel from becoming too trite. there is a real darkness and dread permeating here, and ultimately works in its favour. my main gripe is with the descriptions, or lack there of, of some of the characters and creatures and leaves a lot to be desired visually.
despite some of this I hope to read the sequels of the First Chronicles soon.
despite some of this I hope to read the sequels of the First Chronicles soon.
A difficult book. Thomas Covenant's actions (or one at least) are horrifying. This seems to be the intention, and I get that, and I get that it leads to a lot of introspection as a character, but it's just too much. Is it justified to include that shock for a bit of character development? Something that becomes all about him as the perpetrator. It just doesn't feel right.
The rest of the story is decent enough old-fashioned fantasy, crap names and all. On the plus side, I'm interested enough in the world that I might read more, and (that moment aside) there was some character to Covenant that I'm interested to find out more about. I'm okay with him being a dis-likeable person - less okay about sexual assault as a plot device.
The rest of the story is decent enough old-fashioned fantasy, crap names and all. On the plus side, I'm interested enough in the world that I might read more, and (that moment aside) there was some character to Covenant that I'm interested to find out more about. I'm okay with him being a dis-likeable person - less okay about sexual assault as a plot device.
I like a good anti-hero, but casually having him rape someone just to establish what an awful person he is so he can have Big Character Development is awful. He rapes someone and faces basically no consequences for it