Meh

[threemonkeys]

I suppose in the great vastness of sf readers out there, there must be quite a few people who have read the works of Stephen Donaldson and come out feeling fairly indifferent to him but they may take a bit of finding. His work does tend to generate strong opinion. I thought I'd read Daughter of Regals - a collection of short stories from around the same time as the first Thomas Covenant books. I was curious to see if his short work had the same characteristics as the novels. They do. There is no doubt in my mind that the guy has huge writing talent, but there is just something off in the attitudes that permeate it all. It even comes through in the little introductions to the stories, so I presume that it is something intrinsic to the author. Then there is that often repeated complaint that you would just like to give the characters a good slapping to knock some sense into them. I guess it shows that you are engaging with them otherwise they wouldn't be so frustrating. But it can't be good for the blood pressure.

Comments

[catsparx.livejournal.com]

I agree. I can't read Donaldson at all.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

This will be the last time I try, that is for sure

[thoatherder.livejournal.com]

And yet, Donaldson's stuff sells in huge numbers. I have met at least one person who really liked his work.

I lost interest when I read the first novel in "The Gap into Conflict" series. In a postscript Donaldson talks about how the series is intended to rewrite Wagner's "Der Ring des Nibelungen". the hubris was too much for me (and the story wasn't that interesting).

I recently started to re-read "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" but couldn't get past the rape scene in the first book, maybe I've changed over the years, but I couldn't muster any enthusiasm for the character after that.

And yet, the books sell in huge numbers. There is no accounting for taste.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Indeed, there is no accounting. The SF buyer at Dymocks is a huge fan - he rates Donaldson as his favourite author. No indifference there.

[cat-i-th-adage.livejournal.com]

I don't know about 'strongly', but his stories always feel grotty to me. I doubt I would try reading another, even with a recommendation.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Grotty - yes that is a good word. There is nothing admirable about the places or the people.

[littenz.livejournal.com]

I know someone who reread all six of the Thomas Covenant series. I couldn't see the attraction.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

It was hard enough reading them once. I think the only thing that kept me reading them was wondering whether the characters would suddnly develop some common sense. Once, you know they don't, there is no further attraction.

[russellk.livejournal.com]

Happy to be the object of derision here. I adored Donaldson's first 'Chronicles' series, feeling that he did a good job of the anti-hero. I understand that an abject main character doesn't garner much sympathy from readers, and admit that he annoyed the **** out of me. I still found the series fascinating, though.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

No derision (well not for this anyway). As noted by thoatherder, there are lots of people who love his work. Donaldson obviously has a lot of talent. Its the polarisation of opinion that interests me because you have to get engagement before you can get that kind of strongly held opinion.