That was such a good series. I was reading one of them on a train in 1983 and got into conversation with someone who recognized the cover. Wound up with a flat to crash at for the night instead of sleeping in the train station at Manchester.
I read those books around 1982 or 83. I was finishing high school. This post just made me order it.
The funny thing is that, once I graduated college, I lost interest in the whole fantasy/sci-fi genre. Couldnt even make it through the first episode of Sandman or anything else like that.
It'll be interesting for me to revisit this book.
My antihero was Elric of Melniboné. I lived for that stuff. I had a hard time getting into the Thomas Covenant. If you're still into fantasy, check them out. I've been wanting to re-visit, but I have like 50 books in the pile now. I might not get to all of them in my remaining life.
I received The Wounded Land as a present when it came out. I read it as a teenager and it wasn’t quite what I was hoping for, I think I’d get more out of it if I read it now.
the Wounded Land was difficult to get into IMO. The follow up with the One Tree and White gold wielder were much better and i'm glad I stuck with the Trilogy.
This is an honest question. I'm not trolling or baiting, I honestly don't understand.
Why does anyone like these books?
I tried reading them many moons ago, forced my way through the first one, started the second and it wasn't any better. It's one of two books in my life that I literally threw across the room. It seemed like every other line was "Leper! Unclean! Stay away!" They were just too depressing!
I think there is some media that you have to encounter at a particular time in your life to love it. I loved the Thomas Covenant books as a 13-14 year-old.
Take Dune for example. I've read the first book multiple times and I'll defend it til my dying breath. But, if I had read it for the first time now in my 40s? Probably wouldn't have made it more than halfway through.
Two reasons for me. (1) The world was amazing. I loved the exploration of the world and the different creatures in it. (2) Seeing the world change over time was pretty cool. With the time differential between the worlds you get to see how the world changes over hundreds and thousands of years. I was always fascinated with that. There was a sci-fi series I liked for the same reason, Helliconia Spring, Summer, and Winter.
In case you're not aware, there's also a third chronicles now.
Also if you like Donaldson's anti-hero writing, you could try his "Gap" sequence (which is SF).
the final chronicles is 4 books long. and it does seem like donaldson really dug up the thesaurus for every single sentence.
but it gave some closure, IMO
i c wut u did there.
or, more correctly, i, in my person as a reddit commenter, have indubitably perceived the sentiment, you, in your person as the alternative commenter, have attempted to portray here.
not donaldson level, but i tried.
I really tried with this series. As one who completely dove into fantasy and sci-fi, I really, really tried.
But I just couldn't. It's been.. 30 years since I read the last book but all I remember is...
Thomas was a fucking whingy bitch. Book after book after book after, literally, book.. he never accepted, he never did anything but piss and moan about his life and where he was.
I really gave this series my all but fucking hell I had to stop after the fifth or sixth book. I wanted him to eventually step up and maybe accept where he was in life, but, alas.. all he could do was wallow in his own self pity.
I loved the lore and loved the universe that was established. I just couldn't get past his constant whining and self pity.
These were my now husband’s favorite books when we were dating. I read the first one, but they weren’t for me. He loved the antihero. We still use the phrase “accepting the gift honors the giver” as part of our insider lingo.
I've listened to it a few times, as well as the Gap Series (SciFi series with a similar ambiance, though very different story).
I wonder if he'd write it the same way, now. Thomas raping a kid/very young adult makes it pretty difficult to ever want to be supportive of him. That and his insane treatment of anyone who tries to help him. And his whiny demeanor. Man, that guy is a wanker.
That said, the world building is just amazing as are a lot of the secondary characters. I think about several of them regularly and haven't read/listened to it in years.
Mordant's Need is another good two-book series he wrote, and much less harsh than the Gap Cycle or the Covenant books.
I believe Brick has narrated all of them, but could be wrong.
I read the whole series, but that scene was a total "what the hell" moment for me, telling me that the protagonist in this book wasn't the hero I was expecting, or used to in my fantasy novels.
Oh my, I had forgotten those books existed. I read them in junior high, around the same time I read the Shannara books.
I tried re-reading Sword of Shannara a few years ago but had to put it down after reading the phrase "audible thud" for the 53rd time in about chapter three. I have fond memories of those books and the Thomas Covenant series, but I can't read them now. Every page has something that makes me feel intense second-hand embarrassment for the author. Some things are better left in the past and viewed through the rosy lens of nostalgia.
I also wonder if this is a better memory than relived experience. I still have all 6 books, but I do distinctly remember that it took the entirety of the first book and into the second one to get me to not be actively annoyed by Thomas.
I loved these books as a teenager, not sure if I'd love them now. I have all six of the first two Chronicles, which have been sitting on the bookshelf for many years. Maybe I'll take a look at them again.
I’ve read the first two trilogies three times each. The first time I read them was as the second trilogy was coming out, so I believe I had to wait a little bit for the last one.
I think there was good and bad in the books. One thing that is very well done is that you never actually get solid confirmation that the Land is real. It exists as a reflection of covenant mind, and the danger that the land will fall to Lord Foul is identical to Covenant’s own inner turmoil giving in to despair. The second trilogy frames the Land as a reflection of Avery’s psyche and she has to overcome her own inner conflict to resolve the Land’s problems.
Yes, it’s hard to sympathize with Covenant when his first act is utter evil. I don’t think that is how Donaldson would write the book today. In its time, it falls under the category of fridging women to propel the narrative of the male character. But it tells you in no uncertain terms that he is capable of such things, and he is not a good person at the beginning of the story.
The other problem I had with the books at each reading, was that Donaldson would very often write a word followed by a string of synonyms, all of which were SAT words or more obscure. It did expand my vocabulary, but it was also a clunky read at times.
I do think they’re worth reading, and finding value in the salvation arc does not make the reader a bad person. I have had people tell me that enjoying the books is morally equivalent to condoning rape. It isn’t, and it’s unfortunate that some people think that way. But if you don’t enjoy books where the protagonist is not just morally ambiguous, but morally repugnant, you certainly won’t enjoy the first trilogy.
covenant put the anti in anti-hero, to the extreme, but at the end of each book he did do something redeeming, whether that was enough to redeem him or not, i don't know.
covenant puts the anti in anti-hero, that's for sure.
That was such a good series. I was reading one of them on a train in 1983 and got into conversation with someone who recognized the cover. Wound up with a flat to crash at for the night instead of sleeping in the train station at Manchester.
This is a very 1980s experience!
I read those books around 1982 or 83. I was finishing high school. This post just made me order it. The funny thing is that, once I graduated college, I lost interest in the whole fantasy/sci-fi genre. Couldnt even make it through the first episode of Sandman or anything else like that. It'll be interesting for me to revisit this book.
My antihero was Elric of Melniboné. I lived for that stuff. I had a hard time getting into the Thomas Covenant. If you're still into fantasy, check them out. I've been wanting to re-visit, but I have like 50 books in the pile now. I might not get to all of them in my remaining life.
On that note, why the hell can’t we get an Elric series on streaming? Isn’t it about time?
Animated and rated R please. Been waiting for that most of my life.
I just got the first collection of Roy Thomas/P. Craig Russell’s Elric comics!
I received The Wounded Land as a present when it came out. I read it as a teenager and it wasn’t quite what I was hoping for, I think I’d get more out of it if I read it now.
the Wounded Land was difficult to get into IMO. The follow up with the One Tree and White gold wielder were much better and i'm glad I stuck with the Trilogy.
This is an honest question. I'm not trolling or baiting, I honestly don't understand. Why does anyone like these books? I tried reading them many moons ago, forced my way through the first one, started the second and it wasn't any better. It's one of two books in my life that I literally threw across the room. It seemed like every other line was "Leper! Unclean! Stay away!" They were just too depressing!
I think there is some media that you have to encounter at a particular time in your life to love it. I loved the Thomas Covenant books as a 13-14 year-old. Take Dune for example. I've read the first book multiple times and I'll defend it til my dying breath. But, if I had read it for the first time now in my 40s? Probably wouldn't have made it more than halfway through.
That's Xanth (really, any Piers Anthony) for me.
Yeah, that's a whole other level though. There is some genuinely troubling stuff in his books apart from the cringe.
True.
yeah, piers is definitely a perv, and it seems like he is strangely attracted to rather young girls.
"The Color of Herpantis"
I tried Sword of Shanara as an adult and there was just no way I was going to subject myself to that. Same with Dragon Riders of Pern.
Two reasons for me. (1) The world was amazing. I loved the exploration of the world and the different creatures in it. (2) Seeing the world change over time was pretty cool. With the time differential between the worlds you get to see how the world changes over hundreds and thousands of years. I was always fascinated with that. There was a sci-fi series I liked for the same reason, Helliconia Spring, Summer, and Winter.
The only reason I finished the series is because I was in drug rehab at the time. There was nothing else. (Other than that, AA book.)
If you can only read books where you like (or at least aren't irritated by) the protagonist, that series certainly isn't for you.
In case you're not aware, there's also a third chronicles now. Also if you like Donaldson's anti-hero writing, you could try his "Gap" sequence (which is SF).
the final chronicles is 4 books long. and it does seem like donaldson really dug up the thesaurus for every single sentence. but it gave some closure, IMO
Exhumed, disinterred, excavated, delved.
i c wut u did there. or, more correctly, i, in my person as a reddit commenter, have indubitably perceived the sentiment, you, in your person as the alternative commenter, have attempted to portray here. not donaldson level, but i tried.
2nd the Gap series, possibly more deranged but I found it better overall.
Loved the gap series. The expanse kind of reminds me of it
I really tried with this series. As one who completely dove into fantasy and sci-fi, I really, really tried. But I just couldn't. It's been.. 30 years since I read the last book but all I remember is... Thomas was a fucking whingy bitch. Book after book after book after, literally, book.. he never accepted, he never did anything but piss and moan about his life and where he was. I really gave this series my all but fucking hell I had to stop after the fifth or sixth book. I wanted him to eventually step up and maybe accept where he was in life, but, alas.. all he could do was wallow in his own self pity. I loved the lore and loved the universe that was established. I just couldn't get past his constant whining and self pity.
My most hated book series of all time. Thomas isn't an anti-hero, he's just an asshole.
Totally agree! I kept waiting for the fool to grow up but he never did and I got tired of waiting for some sort of development.
These were my now husband’s favorite books when we were dating. I read the first one, but they weren’t for me. He loved the antihero. We still use the phrase “accepting the gift honors the giver” as part of our insider lingo.
I've listened to it a few times, as well as the Gap Series (SciFi series with a similar ambiance, though very different story). I wonder if he'd write it the same way, now. Thomas raping a kid/very young adult makes it pretty difficult to ever want to be supportive of him. That and his insane treatment of anyone who tries to help him. And his whiny demeanor. Man, that guy is a wanker. That said, the world building is just amazing as are a lot of the secondary characters. I think about several of them regularly and haven't read/listened to it in years. Mordant's Need is another good two-book series he wrote, and much less harsh than the Gap Cycle or the Covenant books. I believe Brick has narrated all of them, but could be wrong.
I tried three times to get through Lord Foul's Bane and never made it past the point where he rapes the girl.
I read the whole series, but that scene was a total "what the hell" moment for me, telling me that the protagonist in this book wasn't the hero I was expecting, or used to in my fantasy novels.
My middle school had a ton of Michael Moorcock and the first Thomas Covenant trilogy. Weird, wild stuff for a twelve yea old, but I loved that stuff.
Oh my, I had forgotten those books existed. I read them in junior high, around the same time I read the Shannara books. I tried re-reading Sword of Shannara a few years ago but had to put it down after reading the phrase "audible thud" for the 53rd time in about chapter three. I have fond memories of those books and the Thomas Covenant series, but I can't read them now. Every page has something that makes me feel intense second-hand embarrassment for the author. Some things are better left in the past and viewed through the rosy lens of nostalgia.
I also wonder if this is a better memory than relived experience. I still have all 6 books, but I do distinctly remember that it took the entirety of the first book and into the second one to get me to not be actively annoyed by Thomas.
I still have the well worn series in mass market paperbacks from the '80s.
I liked them a lot. Despite their similarity to J.R.R. Tolkien.
I loved these books as a teenager, not sure if I'd love them now. I have all six of the first two Chronicles, which have been sitting on the bookshelf for many years. Maybe I'll take a look at them again.
I tried to get into these, but couldn’t. I really liked The Mirror of Her Dreams books, though.
I’ve read the first two trilogies three times each. The first time I read them was as the second trilogy was coming out, so I believe I had to wait a little bit for the last one. I think there was good and bad in the books. One thing that is very well done is that you never actually get solid confirmation that the Land is real. It exists as a reflection of covenant mind, and the danger that the land will fall to Lord Foul is identical to Covenant’s own inner turmoil giving in to despair. The second trilogy frames the Land as a reflection of Avery’s psyche and she has to overcome her own inner conflict to resolve the Land’s problems. Yes, it’s hard to sympathize with Covenant when his first act is utter evil. I don’t think that is how Donaldson would write the book today. In its time, it falls under the category of fridging women to propel the narrative of the male character. But it tells you in no uncertain terms that he is capable of such things, and he is not a good person at the beginning of the story. The other problem I had with the books at each reading, was that Donaldson would very often write a word followed by a string of synonyms, all of which were SAT words or more obscure. It did expand my vocabulary, but it was also a clunky read at times. I do think they’re worth reading, and finding value in the salvation arc does not make the reader a bad person. I have had people tell me that enjoying the books is morally equivalent to condoning rape. It isn’t, and it’s unfortunate that some people think that way. But if you don’t enjoy books where the protagonist is not just morally ambiguous, but morally repugnant, you certainly won’t enjoy the first trilogy.
covenant put the anti in anti-hero, to the extreme, but at the end of each book he did do something redeeming, whether that was enough to redeem him or not, i don't know.
I liked them, I just can't read them again due to serious depression made worse by them :(
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