Stephen Donaldson

[rune]

I tried reading Lord Foul's Bane some years ago and couldnt get into it. I think it was the tone of the story as much as anything that really put me off

 

[dwndrgn]

Oddly enough rune, when I read it for the first time many years ago I quite enjoyed the story. However, I recently picked up the first in the series again and had a difficult time getting through it. I found the world to be flat in that I couldn't quite conceptualize it with his descriptions and I found that the self pity and selfish arrogance of the protagonist to be annoying. I'd much rather that all protagonists act realistically but I felt that the author went overboard in the other direction on this one. As if he was proving a point, Donaldson made his protagonist an over-the-top anti-hero.

 

[rune]

Oddly enough rune, when I read it for the first time many years ago I quite enjoyed the story. However, I recently picked up the first in the series again and had a difficult time getting through it. I found the world to be flat in that I couldn't quite conceptualize it with his descriptions and I found that the self pity and selfish arrogance of the protagonist to be annoying. I'd much rather that all protagonists act realistically but I felt that the author went overboard in the other direction on this one. As if he was proving a point, Donaldson made his protagonist an over-the-top anti-hero.

I actually found the main character distasteful, which is what really put me off the book

 

[Foxbat]

For me, the self-centred and self-pitying attitude was understandable considering he was a leper (this same self-centred view is what keeps him from harm through his VSE). Also, this attitude (I felt) always left the Land somewhat ambiguous and the reader is never quite sure whether it is an alternate reality or a manifestation of Covenant's illness - a battle between himself and his own disease. This ambiguity, incidentally, was why the chapter Gilden Fire was dropped from The Illearth War as it leaned too much towards alternate reality and destroyed the ambiguous nature of the story.

My view for what it's worth

 

[captaintripps]

Although I thoroughly enjoyed the Covenant books I could never quite get over how often Mr Donaldson uses the word 'clench'. Seriously, its all over the place to the point where it makes you wonder who edited the things...

 

[dragonqueen]

I've read a lot of his books, and think his writing excellent, but his minds twisted! Honestly, I never liked any of his characters personally, but I can't complain about the writing as it's really wuite good

 

[Estelthea]

A few years ago I got hold of the first set of Thomas Covenant books but I never made it past The Illearth War! It was pretty disapointing really because I had heard some good things about the books and the whole belief/unbelief idea sounded very promising. I think I became a bit burried in the prose and did not follow it very well. I do remember the opening of the first book, where Covenant is in hospital and all the details about his illness, being far more interesting that the story of the Land which I always found a little difficult to feel for. I stopped taking much notice in it quite early on when it seemed that all the plants had fabulous powers and most of the places on the map had really silly names and the other chracters never really made a mark on me although I did admire the way he wrote Covenant warts and all.

I did have a flick through The Illearth War recently and I now wonder if it is some kind of elaborate joke, some it it read a lot like parody! I doubt I'll ever finish the series but maybe I can change my mind about it

 

[Lacedaemonian]

His prose are quite excellent, better than the usual fantasy drivel. The land is so beautiful which works as a counter for Thomas' sheer malice.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

So far I am awed by the magnitude of this venture. Is there is a more complex character than Thomas Covenant within the fantasy genre? In fact I am not sure if I have ever come across a character of such depth and colour in any work of fiction. Bukowski created some pretty deprived characters too, but they lacked the imaginitive world and any form of plot. This is a highly intellectual work of fiction, and you have to be intrigued by what drives this man. He is so alien to the location that he can not be held accountable for his actions/inactions. The scope is pure madness.

 

[Michael]

The Giants kind of grew on me. Saltheart mainly through Covenant's feelings. But all the Giants in the Second Chronicles really stood out to me.

 

[GOLLUM]

So far I am awed by the magnitude of this venture. Is there is a more complex character than Thomas Covenant within the fantasy genre? In fact I am not sure if I have ever come across a character of such depth and colour in any work of fiction. Bukowski created some pretty deprived characters too, but they lacked the imaginitive world and any form of plot. This is a highly intellectual work of fiction, and you have to be intrigued by what drives this man. He is so alien to the location that he can not be held accountable for his actions/inactions. The scope is pure madness.

Couldn't agree with you more about it being a "highly intellectual work of fiction" that to me is really a study into the pyschology of the human condition within a fantasy backdrop and the reason why I've always maintained the T. Covenant series is a landmark series in the fanatsy genre and one of the best to appear in the past 30 years. Not to mention the quality of the writing of course....

 

[freebird]

I enjoyed all of his works, but I must say that at times some of the things included were a bit offensive, i.e. the rape. But overall I think that he did an awesome job of transferring the pain of Thomas Covenant to the reader. I truly wonder if Mr. Donaldson has personally experienced a great deal of pain in his life, and perhaps he himself is something of an unbeliever. Or maybe he is just a sicko.

 

[GOLLUM]

UM..I don't think I'd classify Mr Donaldson as a sicko. If you listen to him speak or read any of his interviews he comes across as a highly intelligent and considered indviudal who never writes anything without a reason first. Don't forget that the orginal T Covenant charater as the leperous outcast came to Donladson from his own experience with lepers when he was living in India from ages 4-16 where his father was a doctor treating lepers, so he's really writing like most writers do form their own experiences or what they know of when you think about it.

Over and out..

 

[Foxbat]

I see Donaldson as the Wagner of Fantasy. He pummels his characters so much as to bare their very souls before the reader - and all to a backdrop of devastation and drama that even the great composer himself would have been proud of....I can just hear the thumping brass and swooping strings as Covenant faces his enemy

 

[GOLLUM]

I see Donaldson as the Wagner of Fantasy. He pummels his characters so much as to bare their very souls before the reader - and all to a backdrop of devastation and drama that even the great composer himself would have been proud of....I can just hear the thumping brass and swooping strings as Covenant faces his enemy

Quite a nice analogy in some ways really...

 

[HieroGlyph]

I've enjoyed re-reading these old comments about Covenant and his 'creator'. There hasnt been much activity around the Donaldson thread, to my slight disappointment. But, if I 'grew up on' Coventant wouldnt I be finding all too many things disappointing!?! Hmmm, maybe thats why folks wish to avoid such psychological meanderings?... "Its a dark an' grim road, down ther', mister. I'd watch thee step if I were thee..."


[Oops: chronologically incorrect. Ive been browsing the older threads having not taken too much notice of the dates on the more recent replies. Or to get to my point: Donaldson is far-from-dead! ]

 

[GOLLUM]

[Oops: chronologically incorrect. Ive been browsing the older threads having not taken too much notice of the dates on the more recent replies. Or to get to my point: Donaldson is far-from-dead! ]

Well spotted my fellow time taveller. Donaldson like Rock 'n' Roll will never ever die!...

 

[demigod.bran]

LOL. gosh got back to my thread after two years and its still going??!! haha. from the start i was 17 and now im 19 nearly 20. hehe.

thanks again for all the responses. iv read all the anne mcafferey dragon books since then. and im currently half way through the wheel of time series. i feel old now.