Thomas Covenant - Runes of the Earth

[Ebon Shar]

Okay, I've read the first six books of the Thomas Covenant series about three times. The last time I read them was in 1986. I absolutely loved them and felt they had a profound affect on my reading preferences for years thereafter. So....now I've picked up Runes of the Earth and I'm having a HELL of a time getting into it. Is it me, or is the writing/plotting/characters just terrible this time around? What I used to love about Donaldson, his diction, his style, I find insufferable with this book. Given I'm only half way through it, please tell me it gets better. I'm just not getting it! I want The Land back that I so loved, but I'm not feeling it anymore.

 

[Lockridge]

I've read both the Runes of the Earth and the next book, Fatal Revenant. I've enjoyed both as well as loved the original series. However I can't tell you it gets better. If you don't like this then perhaps your tastes have changed.

On the one hand Donaldson does the reader a service by moving forward so that the Land you remember is always changed and never comes back. On the other hand: the Land you remember is changed and never comes back.

I did find that the second book, Fatal Revenant, does move faster as it takes the reader into the Land's past. So that might appeal to you.

As I said, I enjoyed both books. But I don't know what to tell you if you don't like the first book. Have you read any other books by Donaldson? Like the Gap series or the Mirror of Her Dreams. What did you think of them? I loved the Gap series but just couldn't get into the Mirror books.

Anyway, I'd suggest you persevere a little longer if for no other reason than your love of the first books.

 

[Rl'Halsinor]

I , too, loved the first 6 books of the Thomas Covenant series.

And I had an almost 100% opposite reaction to The Mirror of Her Dreams. It was like, "Is this the same guy that wrote the Covenant Chronicles?!?"

His style changed.

 

[Chimera]

So....now I've picked up Runes of the Earth and I'm having a HELL of a time getting into it. Is it me, or is the writing/plotting/characters just terrible this time around?

Then you certainly won't like Fatal Revenant. Good god, I was getting so pissed off at the pages and pages and flippin' pages of NOTHING. Linden asking someone for answers, getting none, repeat for 20-50 pages at a crack. Please dear OG IN HEAVEN, someone get an EDITOR!

Seriously, the book could have been condensed down to 50 pages and lost nothing.

But then, this seems to be almost common practice these days. Gave up on Terry Brook's Tanequil, etc for the same crap. Pages and pages of angsty non-information.