Your opinion of The First and Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant? (SPOILER CAUTION)

[Edena_of_Neith]

I am very curious as to the response to this one.

Consider all the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, and give your composite rating for all 6 books (the 3 books in the First Chronicles, and the 3 books in the Second Chronicles.)
If you have not read all 6 books, give your feelings for those books you have read.

 

[Eternalknight]

Not sure if I'm really qualified to answer, as you know I've only read haf of the first book, so i won't post in the poll, but from what I've read so far a 6 would be my answer.

 

[Lurks-no-More]

They're good and bad in one block.

Donaldson has genuine talent and he knows how to make interesting plots, and his language is rich.

On the other hand, Thomas Covenant is the most miserable, stubborn, whining antihero ever. Yes, he's a leper, and that sucks big time. But it seems to me that were he healthy, he'd still be a miserable stubborn sort of guy.

As a result, I like the books but I spend more than half of the time wanting to strangle the protagonist. For the sake of my blood pressure, I had to quit.

(As an aside, the Finnish translation of the first Thomas Covenant book is widely considered to be the most mangled translation ever, period. It's almost unreadable, if not only because the "translator" chose to translate all the English idioms word-by-word, which means they don't make any sense.)

 

[Alaric_Prympax]

I liked the first 3 much better then the last 3. The Illearth War was my favorite in the series. The One Tree I put down half way through only to pick it up after a year just to finish the series. I rated it a 6 in the poll.

 

[Storm Raven]

On the other hand, Thomas Covenant is the most miserable, stubborn, whining antihero ever. Yes, he's a leper, and that sucks big time. But it seems to me that were he healthy, he'd still be a miserable stubborn sort of guy.

That's the point. Covenant is supposed to be an unlikable anti-hero. He is what many normal people would likely be like if thrust into a similar situation. It is a feature, not a bug.

 

[Umbran]

It is a feature, not a bug.

The fact that it's designed that way doesn't make it "good".

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant are beautifully written. And the main character is exactly what the author intends hinm to be. That's effective writing, to be sure.

But, the main character is such an unmitigated shmuck that the reader generally cannot sympathize or identify with him. Donaldson takes it too far, thus weakening the work. When you've got so many people who fail to read the thing because they can't stand the main character as a person, you know you've overdone it. Luckily, Donaldson has put his talents into other, excellnt works

 

[Storminator]

I really liked the first series, oh so long ago. The second series was distinctly inferior. I don't even remember if I finished it, which probably says something about my opinions. I loved the Illearth War.

Tho I can't remember the character's name, the blind guy in IW really make Coventant look bad. He took a negative and made it a positive. Covenant took a negative and wallowed in it. I have a much higher opinion of people in general than the statement "He is what many normal people would likely be like if thrust into a similar situation," supports.

I believe Covenant was a bad person that handled his bad situation badly, not a normal person in a bad situation.

PS

 

[Zelda Themelin]

I think those books are both good and bad. Well written, yes, certainly interesting, but if only somebody would permanently disintegrate and wipe out that whiny stupid excuse for a main character.

Makes me really wonder, whatever author wrote those books at times of hard divorce process or in middle of health problems out of doctor's suggestion to help getting free of traumas by putting those depressive, angry thoughts on paper.

Or probably it was just one of those artistic moves some writers and tv-scribt creators make, not minding how much entertaiment value it reduces.

Thomas Covenant fails as an antihero. As character, he lacks every cool element, except maybe his name. (I think book names are pretty catchy).

Also, Finnish translation of first book, is probably worst translation I've ever seen. Probably one thing why I remember those series so well. That translation is actually so bad, it gives good laughts here and there.

Donaldson has good books, I've heard, but I've always failed to read them, since my experience with these series.

 

[jasper]

Ok I remember more from the Thomas C books than most of Brooks Shannara books.
However the it would be rated a 9 if he never wrote the second trilogy.

I hope and dream they take the first triliogy and do an HBO series. Probably would take 2 years per book. The only unbelievable thing was the leper reaction of the small town.

I hated T.C. because the writer did a good job. But the second set. u u icky poo!

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Thanks for the opinions.
I thought a lot of people might think the writing both good and bad, and I was right on that one.

I will state for the record that I found Thomas Covenant himself a VERY frustrating character.
All through the first series, my attitude was Why Don't You Do Something Useful? (to which Covenant would undoubtedly reply: I cannot, by definition, do anything when nothing is real.)
I pitied Hile Troy. Without giving away things, I would like to say that it would be quite the Player Character who could somehow win in the situation he was put in.
I very much liked Saltheart Foamfollower, and I liked High Lord Mhoram. I liked the Unhomed and the Rahynhim. I even liked the Bloodguard, until they decided (rest of sentence deleted for sake of not writing a spoiler.)

I did like the Second Chronicles, far more than some of you above did.
Why I liked it I cannot relate without giving out spoilers. However, I will say that what happened to some of the characters was very sad, and what happened to others was very happy. What happened to a particularly beautiful place was VERY sad, though.

I think the question should be asked (on another thread, with the SPOILER warning attached to it) what punishment was due Thomas Covenant, for his crime. What punishment, and when to punish him?
Or perhaps no punishment was due? What think you? Consider the consequences of punishment. Consider what happened in the books. It is not, unfortunately, such an easy question as all that.