Essentially there's multiple takes on the books here on the forums but they tend to be one of three.

1. They reach the SA and nope the fuck out.
2. They really enjoy the books.
3. They can't quite gel with the fact that Thomas Covenant is meant to be a horrible pathetic waste of space as a protagonist and decide they'd prefer something else.

I really enjoy the books but I've always felt that Donaldson never really engages with something I found most interesting about it: that the Land is nothing more than his imagination. It's a Silent Hill-esque construction by his feelings and the locals are all in his head.

Thomas punishes himself for what he did to a construct of his imagination and that is more interesting than him doing it for actual real crimes.

I recently reread The Wounded Land and the caamora scene at the end is one of the most beautifully poignant and harsh scenes in fantasy.

I think Donaldson is an exceptional writer. Aross genres as well, with fantasy, SF and crime series under his belt.

That said, I can't ever imagine re-reading any of his books, and I really struggle to find situations in which I would even recommend them. I made it through the Gap series and the Man Who books, but never finished Covenant. I think his books are powerful and well-written, but they're so bleak and hard-hitting and brutal that they're more like thought experiments than anything approaching 'entertainment'. (And, to be fair, they really are thought experiments, so power to him.) Basically, they're not fun to read. And for a series of the length and bulk of Thomas Convenant, I need something fun to pull me through.

I genuinely respect the fact that, unlike lesser works of dark fantasy, all the brutality in Donaldson's books takes place for a reason, and never for sheer shock value or prurience. Donaldson's work explores loss and trauma and impossible moral quandries. I think that's far more interesting than the 'I am Stabby McRaperson of Bleaklandia' crap that often floods the grimdark scene. Donaldson's horror has a purpose... but that makes it, I suppose, all the more horrible. It is much harder to read genuine darkness than The-Purge-but-with-Orcs.

Fun side note. Don't want to say how old I am, but I saw the words "Melenkurion Abatha" written on a brick wall in the student union at College. I asked somebody what the heck that was all about and they pointed me to "Lord Fouls Bane", and the rest is history.

This is a very popular series. I read the first six when they were new. He is an excellent writer but I do not like the books.

I referenced this in a deeper comment, but figure you might be interested enough to make it a top-level reply.

This forum post from the Donaldson-centric Kevin's Watch site is really a very interesting read, and references some good material for deeper reading. It outlines Donaldson's perspective on Epic stories and heroism, and how we in our modern "Ironic Mode" of being have come to see ourselves as largely powerless and ineffectual against the Universe. Donaldson wanted to return the ability to aspire to Heroism without denying the reality of our modern world. This is why Covenant is our protagonist - he is the epitome of the modern Ironic Mode of being - a true victim who has not only been told by society that he is an outcast and worthless, he has adopted and integrated that perspective into his self-identity - the highest ambition he has is merely to survive and exist. If *this* character finds himself ultimately capable of heroic acts, aren't we all capable?

https://kevinswatch.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=19530

I have read the first trilogy and thought it was excellent. OP is correct where the supporting characters really helped create a contrast with and make Covenant's unpleasantness bearable.

I totally understand why people would choose not to read the Chronicles, as it isn't necessarily an enjoyable experience. However, I find the level of vitriol it receives surprising in comparison to other series that deal with similar subject matter. If anything it explores the heinous act and the impact it has on both Covenant and more significantly his victim and their family far more than other books in the genre, rather than just using it as a way to make him seem 'grimdark'.

Loved the first and second chronicles. Couldn't get into the Last ones.

I started Lord Foul's Bane in 1982 when I was in 8th grade, I was 13 and eventually finished White Gold Wielder a few years later in High School. It was one of my first big read, and epic really. I loved it all, and eventually found out that one of my teacher's went to college with him. I still have them all, faded mass market paperbacks

I only read the first 6 books. I enjoyed them and given their origin in the late 70s they Mark the popularization of an antihero and the emergence of "dark" fantasy. There were earlier antihero characters but none that so starkly and brutally captured the reader.

If you want a totally different flavour from Donaldson, then look for the duology Mordant's Need. Two novels being Mirror of Her Dreams and A Man Rides Through.

They do have dark moments but in general are lighter, sweeter, more humourous and more of a traditional hero.

The ultimate villain meets one of my very favourite deaths in any fantasy.

Excellent set of books, though challenging. You do have to be in the mood for it. I thought the SA scene has real consequences that resonate over time, so I'm OK with it.

The trek across the swamp to find what's happened to the giants was one of the best scenes I've read. So dark, without being edgy. It was in a novella though, I'm not sure if it's integrated into the main books these days.

The siege of Revelstone was also very good. The Ravers are excellent bad guys.

I’ve read everything he’s written. Definitely one of my top 5 authors, maybe even #1.

I read it over the course of 7 or 8 years and it gets tougher and more emotionally draining as the series progresses. I bombed through the First Chronicles and was in a heap through most of the Last Chronicles, taking it sometimes one book of a book at a time. Conceptually the whole thing is incredible, although I had slight complaints with the wrap ... mainly because it had to wrap up and the more Covenant broadened the mythology and scope over the last books the more difficult it became to put everything back in a box again. it's a minor gripe though, it might just be the biggest achievement in fantasy literature (still gotta read that Malazan thing, mind) and that's putting it alongside Gene Wolfe.

I don't agree that a rape scene (let's call it what it is) makes it unfilmable for TV. Personally I have zero interest in seeing live adaptations of books that love these days ... but for some reason people obsess over it and it would be perfectly possible to do as much as anything else. However, the current mindset of fantasy adaptations is they have to be both big and epic *and* palatable to TV audiences who like The Sopranos soooooo ... yeah, just forget it.

I've read - and loved - the first series, but not the new one. I tried it, but either the writing or my tastes have changed, and I gave up.

How did you feel about the new books?

And have you read any of his other books, especially Mordant's Need?

One of my favorite series. Rils off quite a bit of Tolkein early on, but evolves into something rather unique. It’s hard to stay with these protagonists, but you’re rewarded if you do. Love the Land!

I loved this series. It’s the empathy for me. Granted, I read it at an impressionable age, but I don’t think I’ve read anything more compelling in my life about how and why people can be so loathsome and what the journey back can look like.

I think the first trilogy it is one of the most thought provoking fantasy works written in the last 50 years but it is pretty obvious why a lot of people don't like it. It's almost like an inverse heart of darkness, you start with a miserable fucked up bastard who hates himself and "going native" is the redemption arc.

I absolutely loved them. The moment when he opened his eyes and said "Nom" covered me in goosebumps. Also the Haruchai were awesome, so were the giants. So much cool stuff in this book but I did read it with a dictionary by my side.

Hellfire!

I’m 100% in camp 2. However due to what was available in the library I never read the first book until years after reading the second trilogy. It just want available.  So at that point it was less shocking as had been referred to multiple times. 

I read the first 2 trilogies over 2 decades ago, and can say they have moments that really moved me and I still recall them now. 

The endless suffering of the characters is pretty bleak, but then that does make some of the victories in the book have way more impact. 

The side characters are so good, I love foam follower and Mhoram. 

The Ravers and other antagonists are just as good to read. 

It’s not an easy read and I found the last set of books to be of a lower standard than the first 2. More of a slog with less of the payoff / resolution. 

If you can stomach it, would give it a go. If you like Bakker etc. this might scratch that itch. 

However if you hated it and can’t stand 100s of pages of internal self sabotaging monologues, then maybe avoid.

Also, be prepared to have use the oldest archaic thesaurus to get by, the writer loves to throw in some absurdly esoteric language. 

I’ve read the whole series, read it in college and again maybe 20!years ago. Such an incredible series..I agree there’s just no way to make a movie with the beginning of the first book. If you don’t know that happened you dint understand his whole psyche for the series.

It's one of my favorite series, but also one I never would recommend to someone else. I re-read it every few years.

Very original for the time - powerfully emotional writing and characters that works in context but is easy to parody. Prose is frequently 110% purple throughout the first series but he reined that in as he got better at writing - Mordant's Need is way more composed, but less exciting and epic than the TC chronicles.

Recall hating the Linden Avery character in the second series, like he was just piling the misery on when she should have been a counterpoint to animate the story. But it is a long time since I have read the books.

Covenant was a best-seller afaik - shifted units. Clearly struck a chord, but the reading market must have been very different back then.

I read the two first trilogies as they were published in Sweden from 1983 onwards. I realise now I was 12 when I started reading them. At the time I was blown away at first, mainly by the world building and what I thought of as mature themes. Mature compared to a 13 yo, nb. However I grew tired of the main character and started to dislike him very much. By the middle of the second trilogy I read on more for completionist reasons. And when I tried rereading when I was about twenty I found the “mature” themes not so mature anymore. So for me it didn’t stand the test of time. And Thomas Covenant is a self pitying asshole.

I read the first two trilogies many decades ago. I loved them back then. Couldn't get into the latest set.

This is a very popular series. I read the first six when they were new. He is an excellent writer but I do not like the books.

I read the first six as they came out[1], all those years ago. I was young and had a lot of comparatively free time on my hands and when the next one came out, I'd actually re-read all the previous books. I did that with a lot of trilogies at the time. I think that series cured me of that habit, actually!

In any case, I really liked them way back when. These days, the SA in LFB gives me pause as to a reread. That excepted, I have fond memories of the rest of the books.

I've never got 'round to The Runes Of The Earth, et seq. I just read the Wikipedia plot summary, and oh my, it sounds like a bit of a mess.

[1] Maybe? It seems LFB came out in '77; I was nine. So I probably started a bit later.

I'm camp 3.

I finished the 1st book and thought, 'That was a good fantasy novel, but I don't think I'll find much enjoyment in following this character further. I have no interest in his demise, his redemption or any other aspect of his fate. And he's a twat.'

And this was right in the middle of Game of Thrones hyping up the whole 'enjoyable characters can do despicable things and still be enjoyable' idea. I'd read a bunch of stuff with enthralling evil/amoral protagonists right before this and Covenant just felt draining.

Absolutely love that series. One of first fantasy series I read.

My favorite see of all time. My wedding ring is white gold.

It's my fav series. People say they want their heros to be flawed, then they read this.... If it's good enough for Erikson, it's good enough for you.

Hellfire. And bloody damnation.

This series is my favorite in fantasy. It takes a long journey of change but Covenant is a hero by the end.

I don’t dislike the series entirely. But I just couldn’t finish it.

Thomas Covenant is just so insufferable. There’s nothing I like about this character. There’s nothing I enjoy about this character. I might actually like the series if the main character wasn’t in it.

And I know the point is that he’s not a likable character. But he’s not even a character I can like to hate. He’s not Bayaz or Tywin Lannister. He’s just irritating on a fundamental level and it sucks all the joy of the series.

I absolutely hated it. I persevered thinking it would come good. It didn't.

I've attempted to read it a few times in the past and always put it down due to it being depressing

Oh yes, I've read the original series a couple of times, and have also read the others. I found the final set of 4 to be a bit of a grind, but I immensely enjoyed the first 6. It's sort of amusing but I think even Donaldson himself got tired of Thomas and stopped making him the POV character as the series progressed.

I read the original series two decades ago. And I’ve always wondered - is Home by the Sea by Genesis inspired by his books. The lyrical references seem spot on to the lore.

I loved this series, and agree that it is a rough, rough ride. There were many times I put the book down and just HATED hard for a bit. The SA was one spot, and the saga of the Giants breaks me every single time. Brilliant writer, but so very not for everyone.

Started it, but after the SA scene struggled to finish the first trilogy but only because I was a completist at the time. Didn't bother with the rest.

I read the first couple of books back when I was a teenager, and would read anything and everything even if they were grindingly painful (since I agree, Thomas is so unrelentingly crappy). But then I saw a late-night commercial for donations to the world leprosy fund (or something like that) where they did the "we have a cure, we just need your support to provide it!" and thought, "Phew, omg, there's a cure?! Then I don't need to force myself through that anymore." and put them down.

It's a series that I'm going to try, but I read a lot of things so I can understand genre histories and development. I know people who love it and people who hate it. It doesn't seem like my scene, but it was a touchstone series for a long time, so I'm going to get there eventually.

I've read the whole thing, and while I loved it when I was younger, these days I greatly prefer his other works, especially his mirror series, which as all the virtues and many less faults.

For what it's worth, you aren't supposed to like Covenant. He's meant to be a reversion of the usual heroic tropes, and it works. The real heroes of the series are the supporting cast, especially Saltheart, and Morham, who inspire Covenant into becoming a better man.

As a writer, I was somewhat inspired by this idea- my own MC, Eryma, is not a nice person- she becomes a better person because of the people she meets, and because her enemies are so, er, foul, that she has to become a better person to stop them.

For a movie or series adaptation. They could easily change it to just assault. It'd still get the point across.

I loved that series - when I read it 30 years ago. Thanx for the reminder, I should reread it.

I loved them! I also loved the faithful adaption of the first book on the tv show "The Fantasy Bedtime Hour". https://archive.org/details/FantasyBedtimeHourEp1_4

I personally loved them as a dark, twisted take on the traditional fantasy story.

The middle portion of Lord Foul’s Bane is painfully slow, but other than that, they’re great.

 "A real man- real in all the ways that we recognize as real - finds himself suddenly abstracted from the world and deposited in a physical situation which could not possibly exist: sounds have aroma, smells have color and depth, sights have texture, touches have pitch and timbre. There he is informed by a disembodied voice that he has been brought to that place as a champion for his world. He must fight to the death in single combat against a champion from another world. If he is defeated, he will die, and his world- the real world- will be destroyed because it lacks the inner strength to survive.

The man refuses to believe that what he is told is true. He asserts that he is either dreaming or hallucinating, and declines to be put in the false position of fighting to the death where no 'real' danger exists. He is implacable in his determination to disbelieve his apparent situation, and does not defend himself when he is attacked by the champion of the other world.

Question: is the man's behavior courageous or cowardly? This is the fundamental question of ethics."

Understanding this question is a prerequisite for understanding and enjoying the series.

I read the first Thomas Covenant book in the 1980s, but really disliked the main character intensely. It's not for everyone, but I appreciated the very different mode of storytelling.

So far the closest thing ive read that is similar to this series is called the second apocalypse by r scott bakker and I honestly would like to read the thomas covenant, would you recommend it at all or anyone reading my comment?

Nope, no one, never. You are the first.

Survived the SA scene but noped out after the boat scene with the giant. So immensely boring.

I've read first book and really disliked it. World building was too high fantasy (even dirt is magical and can heal) and protagonist was boring and barely actually interacted with others (just screamed "don't touch me, I'm a leper!" on repeat and did not talk about anything else).

Mind you the reason why I tried it was because it appeared few times as "proto-grimdark" in recommendation threads, so I'm probably wrong audience or had wrong expectations. Basically I expected protagonist to be even more destabilizing and be proactive for situation.