sjb (05/17/82)
Does anyone know whether or not Donaldson plans to write a Third Chronicles of Thomas Covenant after he finishes the Second with \White Gold Wielder/ (any news on when that will be out, while I brought it up?)?
austin (05/18/82)
If *The One Tree* is any indication, Donaldson is not going to live long enough to put out another trilogy, and we'd all be dead, too!! malcolm Austin
jjm@hou5e.UUCP (06/24/83)
I loved the first three Covenant books. I liked the fourth and fifth much less, but I held out hoping that the sixth would make it all worthwhile. Boy, was I dissappointed. I would still recommend the first three books to people, but in the last three I just stopped caring about what happenned to Thomas Covenant. He was a pawn throughout the second series, and he just gave in to the situation - I would have enjoyed reading about him trying to cheat his fate, rather than plod along toward it. Jim McParland ABI - HO hou5e!jjm
uc.rgh%MIT-EECS@MIT-MC@sri-unix.UUCP (07/01/83)
From: Randy Haskins <uc.rgh at MIT-EECS at MIT-MC> To anyone who gets discouraged reading the first book of the first chronicles of TC: KEEP ON. In "Lord Foul's Bane," Donaldson is apparently learning how to write. The next two books are much better written. The second book is a good 'war story,' and the third book is a good study in Covenant's struggle with his power. From there, you have to decide for yourself if you want to read the second set... --Randwulf -------
pugh@topaz.ARPA (06/13/85)
From: "pugh jon%e.mfenet"@LLL-MFE.ARPA I also must give these books my recommendation as MUST reads. Truly imaginative and different from the other *regular* fantasy. Donaldson did not follow the old standards when he used the normal fantasy elements in these stories. The giants were awesome, the ur-viles were completely new to me, the power and the Land were as un-Tolkien as anything I've read. In all six of the books, I found that there was only one thing that I even noticed to dislike, and that didn't bother me, because I had nothing else to do. I was very depressed, and these books made me fight it, along with Covenant. The problem I refer to is that Donaldson can just go on for days about the littlest things. We get pages and pages of Tom worrying and fretting. We get descriptions that border on novels themselves. I mean really! It got to the point where I would be ready to jump a few pages ahead. Luckily I read over 500 words a minute, and I know how to skim very well. I figure that and boredom were the only things that enabled me to finish the books within my lifetime, despite the wonderful intrigue of the story. So, I just say beware. If you can't handle an *incredibly* verbose writer, these books may not be for you, but if you have a few weeks of free time, and the patience to enjoy a very symbolic and thought provoking story, then please, sink your eyes into these books. I enjoyed the sequel trilogy even more than the first. Good stuff, Maynard! Jon Pugh pugh%e@lll-mfe.arpa
avolio@decuac.UUCP (Frederick M. Avolio) (06/19/85)
I mentioned this in a posting a number of months ago. Yes, do read all 6 Thomas Covenant books! By the end of the first book (and maybe still later) you might find that you really dislike Thomas Covenant. He is a pain to be around! But hang in there and read the second book. You'll get hooked. I could read Donaldson's words forever. Yes, he is verbose. But I really think he writing is quite lovely and worth the wading. The characters are unique and wonderful and very different from the standard sword and sorcery fantasies (which I also like, by the way). I have read critiques stating that the second trilogy wasn't as good as the first, it was too long, etc. All I know is that after I finished each book I could not wait to get my hands on the next. And, unlike some series, the final book does leave you satisfied. The books, by the way, are: LORD FOUL'S BANE, THE ILLEARTH WAR, THE POWER THAT PRESERVES, THE WOUNDED LAND, THE ONE TREE, and WHITE GOLD WIELDER. -Fred