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ORIGINAL: homersimpson_esq

That's possibly folk who read the first book, went 'dear lord what is this filth?' and gave up. The first book is thin, but the story is fairly heavy-going, emotionally wise. Not a lot happens, but what does happen isn't particularly nice. Utterly engrossing though, and as I say it expands exponentially from thereon in.

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ORIGINAL: homersimpson_esq

Ah, a discussion begins! Excellent!

Hozay, I do see where you're coming from. When I first picked up the books it was on the understanding that the first book, while short, is tough going. But I didn't see any underlying misogyny from Donaldson. Yes there is the rape connection with the first of the Covenant books, but just because a novelist decides to explore a distateful event, and the fallout from it, does not make him necessarily enjoy it. I find that it is the horrific nature of the events in The Real Story that underpin everything that happens later on. Choice, or lack thereof, plays a huge role in the series - freedom and imprisonment are key factors.

What I would say is if you've got this far with the book, what harm can be done in finishing it? As Beerman says, there is an explanatory passage at the end (which means that you may be nearer the end of the book itself than you think because of this addendum at the back) which goes into the structure of the books without necessarily spoiling the story.

Sure, the world that Donaldson is creating is unpleasant. Pirates, corrupt cops, aliens (that's to come) populate this with nary a moral fibre between them. And at the centre of this is this trio of Thermopyle, Succurso, and Morn. I've just finished Forbidden Knowledge and I'm having a break for a couple of books. Yes, they're not easy reads, but they are ultimately rewarding.

Sharky, have you read the whole sequence, or just the first one? If you've read them all, what did you think?

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ORIGINAL: hozay

beer do you really not consider Morn a victim? I'm sure Donaldson felt or intended as much.

Spoilers

I don't have a problem with nasty or unlikeable characters whether capable of redemption or not.That's not my problem with this book.I don't like the style it's written in and I really hate unnecessary repetition.Thermopyle is an angry,relentlessly bitter man but how many times does the reader need that reinforced,every second paragraph for the entire book? I found the writing to be artless and totally lacking any subtlety or wit.The three main characters are caricatures worthy of a comic book rather than a novel and the story itself,supposedly about two swashbukling space piratey types, is nothing more than a vehicle/excuse to unleash hell upon the central character Morn- everything revolves around this.
On the mysoginist interpretation,it's pretty obvious why some people might leap to that conclusion.The woman is stunningly beautiful,the archetypal object of desire.She's vulnerable from the off.She destroyed her father (subtle that) and family.She is,as far as Thermopyle reckons,responsible for everything wrong with his world/universe.Both men are instantly beguiled by her (the siren?) and everything they do is solely with the aim of possessing and controlling her.She's described as cold,cunning, calculating,incapable of compassion (the one time she does show any compassion it is clearly portrayed as self serving) and dangerous,even deadly, when left to her own devices.Thermopyle's jealousy and the percieved betrayal etc.etc christ it's endless and if there isn't enough symbology there we can move onto the violence and degredation directed at Morn and last but not least the zone implant.Jesus,the more I think about it the worse it gets.

I hadn't noticed the lengthy Afterword at the back of the book. I'll read that tonight.Wagner? That's a long bow.