From: Eric Herrmann Subject: (glencook-fans) Monthly Mailing List Info Date: 03 Jun 2002 17:06:28 -0600 The May mail archives have been posted to the website. Sorry, no news but I found a quote in RASFW that I thought was interesting. "For my tastes, Cook walks a delightful line between making things so real that they're no longer giving me what I read fantasy for, and so fantastical that I can't buy it. But more, he has the ability to pull off stuff that A) I didn't expect 2) I didn't want, and III) that satisfy me anyway. This is a rare and delightful skill." -Steven Brust This was excerpted from the thread "Why Glen Cook isn't that good". (Please start a new thread here if you want to discuss this.) -- This mailing list is sponsored by The Glen Cook Fan Page at: . The mailing list archives and instructions of how to subscribe or unsubscribe can be found at: . The mailing list FAQ can be found at: . The mailing list exclusive Glen Cook Bibliography can be found at: . -- Eric Herrmann ======================================================================= To unsubscribe, subscribe, or access the archives of this list, visit . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Llaneza Subject: Re: (glencook-fans) Monthly Mailing List Info Date: 03 Jun 2002 17:46:06 -0700 I'll take Brust as an authority and skip an obviously flame-ridden thread full of AOL users :-) Brust is right up there with Cook for me. I dread the day when I am faced with a new book by each, and only enough money for one. Even if I could get both, there's still the question of which to read first. Then there was that pleasant day when I found the 5th book of the Gap series by Donaldson (excellent series, far superior to his earlier works) which ends a series, and "Bleak Seasons" which I had expected to end a series, but instead started a whole new phase. I got both and read "Bleak Seasons" first. Eric Herrmann wrote: >The May mail archives have been posted to the website. > >Sorry, no news but I found a quote in RASFW that I thought was interesting. > >"For my tastes, Cook walks a delightful line between making things so real >that they're no longer giving me what I read fantasy for, and so fantastical >that I can't buy it. > >But more, he has the ability to pull off stuff that A) I didn't expect 2) I >didn't want, and III) that satisfy me anyway. > >This is a rare and delightful skill." -Steven Brust > >This was excerpted from the thread "Why Glen Cook isn't that good". >4%40mb-fa.aol.com > > >(Please start a new thread here if you want to discuss this.) > >-- > >This mailing list is sponsored by The Glen Cook Fan Page at: >. > >The mailing list archives and instructions of how to subscribe or >unsubscribe can be found at: >. > >The mailing list FAQ can be found at: >. > >The mailing list exclusive Glen Cook Bibliography can be found at: >. > > > ======================================================================= To unsubscribe, subscribe, or access the archives of this list, visit . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Lawrence Jenab" Subject: (glencook-fans) Angry Lead Skies Date: 05 Jun 2002 00:11:04 -0500 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01C20C25.7B383680 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable SPOILERS I just finished this, and I have to add my "Ugh" to those posted = already. This book maximized everything about the Garrett novels I more = or less "put up" with (the cliches, the juvenile sexism and teenage-boy = fanasies of sexual prowess) and minimized everything I love about them = (intricate, propulsive plots, intelligent commentary, a thoroughly = realized alternate world, and few wasted pages). The Dead Man was = almost irrelevant, and all Garrett's friends were reduced to = charicatures--and not in the sort of endearing way they are in the = earlier books. =20 Worst of all was the virtual orgy of unappealing sex. OK, Garrett is = supposed to be a sort of soft-hearted rake, but he more or less lies in = his bed and has strange, unappealing females of other species sexually = assault him endlessly throughout the book. The meeting scene at = Morley's was a stultifying bunch of Garrett cliches--too much like all = the other "big meeting scenses" in the series, but with no surprises--it = really IS just a meeting--that goes on, and on, and on. Without = question the worst Cook novel I've read. The whole thing felt tired. I = don't mean to bitch endlessly--I'm just disappointed that my favorite = fantasy author laid an egg. Cook just seems bored throughout. My $0.02. Hoping to see the crime novel soon. ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01C20C25.7B383680 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
SPOILERS
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I just finished this, and I have to add my "Ugh" to = those=20 posted already.  This book maximized everything about the Garrett = novels I=20 more or less "put up" with (the cliches, the juvenile sexism and = teenage-boy=20 fanasies of sexual prowess) and minimized everything I love about them=20 (intricate, propulsive plots, intelligent commentary, a thoroughly = realized=20 alternate world, and few wasted pages).  The Dead Man was almost=20 irrelevant, and all Garrett's friends were reduced to charicatures--and = not in=20 the sort of endearing way they are in the earlier books.  =
 
Worst of all was the virtual orgy of unappealing = sex. =20 OK, Garrett is supposed to be a sort of soft-hearted rake, but he more = or less=20 lies in his bed and has strange, unappealing females of other species = sexually=20 assault him endlessly throughout the book.  The meeting scene at = Morley's=20 was a stultifying bunch of Garrett cliches--too much like all the other = "big=20 meeting scenses" in the series, but with no surprises--it really IS just = a=20 meeting--that goes on, and on, and on.  Without question the = worst=20 Cook novel I've read.  The whole thing felt tired.  I don't = mean to=20 bitch endlessly--I'm just disappointed that my favorite fantasy author = laid an=20 egg.  Cook just seems bored throughout.
 
My $0.02.  Hoping to see the crime novel=20 soon.
 
------=_NextPart_000_0006_01C20C25.7B383680-- ======================================================================= To unsubscribe, subscribe, or access the archives of this list, visit . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Klobas@aol.com Subject: (glencook-fans) Re: glencook-fans-digest V1 #191 Date: 05 Jun 2002 11:41:21 EDT Donaldson's Gap series was quite good, but not better than his Covenant series. But then I'm just an AOL user. S. Klobas In a message dated 06/04/2002 10:11:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time, owner-glencook-fans-digest@lists.xmission.com writes: << 'll take Brust as an authority and skip an obviously flame-ridden thread full of AOL users :-) Brust is right up there with Cook for me. I dread the day when I am faced with a new book by each, and only enough money for one. Even if I could get both, there's still the question of which to read first. Then there was that pleasant day when I found the 5th book of the Gap series by Donaldson (excellent series, far superior to his earlier works) which ends a series, and "Bleak Seasons" which I had expected to end a series, but instead started a whole new phase. I got both and read "Bleak Seasons" first. >> ======================================================================= To unsubscribe, subscribe, or access the archives of this list, visit . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Joe Murphy Subject: Re: (glencook-fans) Re: glencook-fans-digest V1 #191 Date: 05 Jun 2002 16:13:22 -0700 Klobas@aol.com wrote: > Donaldson's Gap series was quite good, but not better than his Covenant > series. But then I'm just an AOL user. > > S. Klobas > That D name is not good enough to be used on this list. Especially in connection with the C series. I read all of 2 pages in book 1. I refused to finish it because I hated it that intensely. No where NEAR Glens stuff, even Angry lead skies. As far as Angry goes, ok, almost everyone was disappointed. Nevermind almost, seems like all. I really hope the next book gets a little more involved than the party at Chodos. As a plot line it seems fairly weak. I hope he works on the next mercenary trilogy before going back to Garrett Degenret01 ======================================================================= To unsubscribe, subscribe, or access the archives of this list, visit . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sam Roberts Subject: RE: (glencook-fans) Re: glencook-fans-digest V1 #191 Date: 05 Jun 2002 13:14:33 -0700 I think Cook is much better at making the reader like "unlikable" characters. The chief reason I didn't like the Covenant series is that I couldn't stand Covenant himself. I thought the world was interesting and I liked many of the other characters but I loathed the protagonist so much I couldn't get past it. And look at the Black Company guys, I mean they're pretty much all a bunch of murdering bastard to one degree or another, but Cook manages to make them likable, flaws and all. That's a fantastic achievement. Sam I Am -----Original Message----- Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2002 4:13 PM Klobas@aol.com wrote: > Donaldson's Gap series was quite good, but not better than his > Covenant series. But then I'm just an AOL user. > > S. Klobas > That D name is not good enough to be used on this list. Especially in connection with the C series. I read all of 2 pages in book 1. I refused to finish it because I hated it that intensely. No where NEAR Glens stuff, even Angry lead skies. As far as Angry goes, ok, almost everyone was disappointed. Nevermind almost, seems like all. I really hope the next book gets a little more involved than the party at Chodos. As a plot line it seems fairly weak. I hope he works on the next mercenary trilogy before going back to Garrett Degenret01 ======================================================================= To unsubscribe, subscribe, or access the archives of this list, visit . ======================================================================= To unsubscribe, subscribe, or access the archives of this list, visit . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Llaneza Subject: Re: (glencook-fans) Re: glencook-fans-digest V1 #191 Date: 05 Jun 2002 14:20:01 -0700 I liked Angry :-) It was, well, different. I also liked the C series. The main character didn't quite turn me off to the series, there's this technique called 'skipping pages'. The Gap series is very sharp. He doesn't ramble like he did in the Mirrors books (good, but wanted to be less wordy) and does a very good job on his first science fiction outing. Hhis travel times are wrong, but he got some stuff right other writers ignore - like spinning ships for gravity. The female lead goes through seven kinds of hell, including one or two made up for the books and the main male characters are usually slime, but one or two of them redeem themselves (a bit) and everyone meets a suitable ending. It is important to note that the style changes a lot between the first book and the rest of the books. He still isn't Cook, but with the Gap series D is now close enough for reasonable comparison. I do agree that the C series can stay off this list. Some people just need editing more than others. Joe Murphy wrote: >Klobas@aol.com wrote: > > > >>Donaldson's Gap series was quite good, but not better than his Covenant >>series. But then I'm just an AOL user. >> >>S. Klobas >> >> >> > >------------------------------------------------------- > That D name is not good enough to be used on this list. Especially in >connection with the C series. I read all of 2 pages in book 1. I refused to >finish it because I hated it that intensely. No where NEAR Glens stuff, even >Angry lead skies. > > As far as Angry goes, ok, almost everyone was disappointed. Nevermind >almost, seems like all. I really hope the next book gets a little more >involved than the party at Chodos. As a plot line it seems fairly weak. > I hope he works on the next mercenary trilogy before going back to Garrett > Degenret01 > > >======================================================================= > To unsubscribe, subscribe, or access the archives of this list, > visit . > > > > ======================================================================= To unsubscribe, subscribe, or access the archives of this list, visit . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: schew@interzone.com (Steve Chew) Subject: Re: (glencook-fans) Re: Donaldson Date: 05 Jun 2002 23:27:55 -0400 (EDT) > >He still isn't Cook, but with the Gap series D is now close enough for >reasonable comparison. I do agree that the C series can stay off this >list. Some people just need editing more than others. > I have to disagree. The Covenant series has superb writing with amazing use of simile and metaphor. Pick virtually any page from the series you will find interesting comparisons and original descriptions. The Gap series (which I like) is lacking in those respects -- it is more tell rather than show. The "Mirror of Her Dreams" series is in between. Glen Cook also uses excellent simile and metaphor despite his extremely concise style. I would agree that the Donaldson has a roundabout approach as compared to Cook's, but the writing is beautiful. Steve ======================================================================= To unsubscribe, subscribe, or access the archives of this list, visit . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Llaneza Subject: Re: (glencook-fans) Re: Donaldson Date: 05 Jun 2002 21:00:49 -0700 It''s the concise writing ;-) When tellign people about Cook, I describe the first chapter of Black Company: puts down a rebellion, plots to betray their employer, hunts the forvalka, and enters the service of a dark sorcerer from across the sea. Then I ask them if they want to know what happened in chapter two. A lot happens in few words and I really appreciate that. Steve Chew wrote: > I have to disagree. The Covenant series has superb writing >with amazing use of simile and metaphor. Pick virtually any page from >the series you will find interesting comparisons and original descriptions. >The Gap series (which I like) is lacking in those respects -- it is more >tell rather than show. The "Mirror of Her Dreams" series is in between. >Glen Cook also uses excellent simile and metaphor despite his extremely >concise style. > I would agree that the Donaldson has a roundabout approach as >compared to Cook's, but the writing is beautiful. > > > ======================================================================= To unsubscribe, subscribe, or access the archives of this list, visit . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: timtheencntr@aol.com Subject: Re: (glencook-fans) Re: Donaldson Date: 06 Jun 2002 05:26:42 EDT i personally think that the covenant series was one of my all time favorite series, they made me think about life and how we will and can live it. how someone can always see the worst in things when there is so much beauty all around and how we can do good in the face of so much misfortune. they were a rare find for me and gave me much pleasure and also tears and the desire to strive to do better. far superiour to any of glens books ======================================================================= To unsubscribe, subscribe, or access the archives of this list, visit .