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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
This is the book that interrupted my initial reading of 'Lord of the Rings'. Says it all really.
This book started strong, with an interesting character and the promise of being unconventional. But it quickly becomes a middling story let down by some incredibly tedious descriptions.
I saw people mention the rape scene that happens early, and it the scene itself is not problematic. But the real crime is how 200 pages later it is completely forgotten. I assumed it would become a pivotal character development point for Thomas but instead he and even the mother of the victim seem to have completely forgotten it which makes it seem cheap and valueless, adding nothing to the story.
I saw people mention the rape scene that happens early, and it the scene itself is not problematic. But the real crime is how 200 pages later it is completely forgotten. I assumed it would become a pivotal character development point for Thomas but instead he and even the mother of the victim seem to have completely forgotten it which makes it seem cheap and valueless, adding nothing to the story.
The hero of this story is a leper who is transported to a magical world, or at least thinks he is.
The nagging dilemma Thomas Covenant faces is weather he's in a dream or not. Since leprosy deadens nerves, it's impossible for them to grow back, but they do just that. What follows is a grand sweeping epic to recapture the Staff of Law from the vile Lord Drool. As with all epics, there's a lot of traveling. I mean a lot. There really isn't any fighting until 2/3rds of the way through the book. Instead there's a lot of moaning and bitching by Covenant.
I didn't find Covenant to be very sympathetic. He lashes out and only occasionally helps his fellow questers. I get that the tortured confusing he's going through need to be repeatedly brought up, but for me it crosses the line into annoying.
All that said, this books' leisurely pace, its Giants that remind me of Ents, its stress on magic words are all a great change of pace from today's blitzkrieg stories. The story reminds me of Lord of the Rings or the Original Shannara Trilogy, albeit not as good. But I've only read the first book. Mr. Donaldson's skill is apparent enough and I'm thinking book 2 will be better.
The nagging dilemma Thomas Covenant faces is weather he's in a dream or not. Since leprosy deadens nerves, it's impossible for them to grow back, but they do just that. What follows is a grand sweeping epic to recapture the Staff of Law from the vile Lord Drool. As with all epics, there's a lot of traveling. I mean a lot. There really isn't any fighting until 2/3rds of the way through the book. Instead there's a lot of moaning and bitching by Covenant.
I didn't find Covenant to be very sympathetic. He lashes out and only occasionally helps his fellow questers. I get that the tortured confusing he's going through need to be repeatedly brought up, but for me it crosses the line into annoying.
All that said, this books' leisurely pace, its Giants that remind me of Ents, its stress on magic words are all a great change of pace from today's blitzkrieg stories. The story reminds me of Lord of the Rings or the Original Shannara Trilogy, albeit not as good. But I've only read the first book. Mr. Donaldson's skill is apparent enough and I'm thinking book 2 will be better.
I LOVED these books when they first came out. I recently picked up the first of the series to read again . . . and I couldn't make it through the book. The story itself remains entrancing, but the writing style gives me shudders now.
Had trouble getting myself through this one, but since I had bought it, I couldn't just stop.
I've heard plenty on this series...so the infamous scene in the beginning wasn't a surprise to me.
But the slow pace and unrealistic fighting got to me. Too spoiled on better authors, I guess. Kudos to Donaldson for writing and setting the state for later authors, but as with all things, the apprentice has surpassed the master...
Perhaps I need to give this series another chance, but first, I think I'll spend some time with novels that don't have as many inconsistencies, more likeable (or understandable) protagonists, and are more action-packed.
I've heard plenty on this series...so the infamous scene in the beginning wasn't a surprise to me.
But the slow pace and unrealistic fighting got to me. Too spoiled on better authors, I guess. Kudos to Donaldson for writing and setting the state for later authors, but as with all things, the apprentice has surpassed the master...
Perhaps I need to give this series another chance, but first, I think I'll spend some time with novels that don't have as many inconsistencies, more likeable (or understandable) protagonists, and are more action-packed.
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I remembered really liking this series as a teen and had been itching to revisit it. On a second revisit, the rape scene at the start of the book that is completely dismissed because he’s the chosen one is super problematic. I also found the blatant ripping off of Tolkien and other earlier fantasy writers distasteful. DNF at 61%
I'm torn about this book. I think the story was really interesting, although fairly typical of the genre. But the main character annoyed me. He was so bitter and angry, but without me really feeling like it was entirely justified. There was also a part of me that kept saying "but leprosy is *curable*", although I know it wasn't at the time the book was written.
I wasn't totally enamored of the writing style either. It came across as pretentious in places, and "laval" is not an adjective that means lava-like, whatever the author may think.
A third (and somewhat silly) objection was the behaviour of the moon in the book. It goes through phases like our Moon, but always rises at the same time of day (night). This is such a common misconception about the Moon, I couldn't suspend disbelief enough to accept it as part of the world.
Another frivolous objection had to do with the way he referred to the people who lived on the plains of Ra. He called them Ra-men, but without the hyphen, so I kept thinking of Asian soup noodles throughout the last 1/3 of the book.
I wasn't totally enamored of the writing style either. It came across as pretentious in places, and "laval" is not an adjective that means lava-like, whatever the author may think.
A third (and somewhat silly) objection was the behaviour of the moon in the book. It goes through phases like our Moon, but always rises at the same time of day (night). This is such a common misconception about the Moon, I couldn't suspend disbelief enough to accept it as part of the world.
Another frivolous objection had to do with the way he referred to the people who lived on the plains of Ra. He called them Ra-men, but without the hyphen, so I kept thinking of Asian soup noodles throughout the last 1/3 of the book.
I read these in my teens and really enjoyed them. As my husband points out, the books try to redeem someone who starts out with a history of being a rapist, which turned him off. I likely would have a different opinion about these reading them a few decades later.
dark
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've never hated a book so much (I've barely ever disliked a book at all!). You can't continue to cheer for a protagonist after they rape a young girl. Characters are allowed to be flawed and unlikable etc, but for me there's a line. They should at least have a glimmer of redeem-ability and this character doesn't. You can feel the author's dislike of women seeping out of the pages. It's a hostile read and I thought it was complete garbage.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault