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From: pugh@topaz.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Thomas Covenant
Message-ID: <2272@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 12-Jun-85 17:02:48 EDT
Article-I.D.: topaz.2272
Posted: Wed Jun 12 17:02:48 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 13-Jun-85 03:17:23 EDT
Sender: daemon@topaz.ARPA
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 29

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