From topher.white@mccaw.com Sat Jul 29 16:35:33 1995
Subject: Re: Doug Library
 
Doug,
 
Enjoyed your library.
 
I have to say that I disagree with some of your opinions. I
can't stand Donaldson; I felt no sympathy for the character
-- no identification there. I had a roomate in college who
kept bugging me to read the stuff, but I got about 70 pages
in and [literally] threw the book across the room.
 
You're dead on with Tolkien -- he's the master and founder of
the genere. It's interesting to see the contrast between _the
Chronicles of Narnia_ and _the Lord of the Rings_. Tolkien
and Lewis were attempting to tell the same story, Lewis
believing that analogy was the best method and Tolkien
believing that metaphor was better. Interesting, eh.
 
Is David Eddings *ever* going to finish hashing out his new
age personal god complex and get on with writing something
different??? He's written essentially the same story through
four series! C'mon, guy, get on with it.
 
I reccomend the Heirs of Saint Camber series. It doesn't deal
with the magic rites as much and is far more political and
depressing than the other books. But it is a fine link
between the series. They are, collectivly, a tragedy, so
don't expect any happy endings. If you know history, though,
you wouldn't anyway.
 
Some other thoughts:
 
Katherine Kurtz's other series are also interesting. The
Adept series (_The Adept_, _The lodge of the Lynx_, _The
Templer Treasure_, and _Dagger Magic_ ) is thought provoking.
If you don't like detailed magic, you may find yourself
drowning in the detail. I thought the depth and complexity of
the story, however, more than made up for it. The
_Brotherhood of the Blood_ novels are interesting in a
detatched sort of way, but the detail is suffocating to even
me! Additionally, the books show a division of opinion
between the authors and suffer accordingly.
 
Deborah Turner Harris, who co-authored the Adept series, has
a set of two -- _Caelodon of the Mists_ and _The Queen of
Ashes_. They take place in a mythical Scottland and displays
a remarkable earthiness. (That is, the magic is neither grand
nor all powerfull, but a small piece to play. She deals in
complex personalities, often anti-heroes, mistakes and
complex politics. If you're looking for larger-than-life
characters, don't look here.)
 
Theresa Edgerton is also a favorite of mine. She, also, works
with the eathiness and anti-heros. No larger than life people
and a quirky sort of world; but slick writing with more
twists than than the I-405 S-curves. The series of _Goblin
Moon_ and _The Gnome's Engine_ is a bit more quirky, but
therefore more enjoyable.
 
David Weber's _Honor Harrington: ..._ series is fantastic! A
good read about the very best commander in the space navy.
 
Weis & Hickman, who scored well with the first six books of
the DragonLance series (creating some of the most memorable
characters and character classes since tolkien), have scored
again with the "Death Gate Cycle." The first book seems
typical (and a bit boring), the second odd, but by the third
things are really beginning to get interesting. It stretches
for seven books and it couldn't be done in less. What starts
out as a predictable fantasy series turns into one of the
most poignant, startling and well written series I have ever
encountered. What's more, it has the single most surprising
ending I've ever read in a book -- it'll keep you guessing
until the last chapter. For those who missed the DragonLance
series, you've missed a lot. The first two series are the
only two worth reading. The first starts out as a typical
fantasy game (yes, you can definitely see the role playing
influence), but the characters suck you in like an Orick
8-pound. (Plus, there are a number of really funny jokes in
the _Death Gate Cycle_ which refer to this and other fantasy
series.) The second series is also well paced and
unpredictable, with some truly wonderful characters. If you
play FRPG's, you'll find the character classes in these books
a big boost.
 
Lastly, for a big douse of humor, check out _A Malady of
Magic_ and subsequent books. Hey, they feature such horrors as
"Gux Ufaddo: Rhyming Demon", "Conquest by Committee", and
"The seven OTHER dwarves." You'll bust a gut.
 
 Topher