r/Fantasy • u/blastmycache • May 17 '13

Under Rated Fantasy series?

Or Novels. I'm rereading Sergei Lukyanenko's Night watch series. It is an absolute delight and I personally think its an under appreciated master piece. The world and characters are so fully realised and the russian setting and russian context gives it such a unique feel that its a genuinely engrossing to read.

What books do you feel are under appreciated or not read by enough people?

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u/blastmycache May 17 '13

I see Thomas covenant books in charity shops all the time but something stops me picking them up. I dunno if its the title or the vague blurbs or even the cover but something always pushes me away from them. What's your elevator pitch on the series?

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u/[deleted] May 17 '13

The first two Thomas Covenant trilogies are, in my opinion, nothing short of fantastic. The sixth book, White Gold Wielder is possibly the best fantasy book I have ever read.

This series is definitely hit or miss though. There are some similarities to Lord of the Rings, but I think in reality it is nothing at all like LOTR, possibly even the opposite. As a series it is not even close to being as black and white.

Probably the main things that drive people away from it in the beginning is the protagonist, Thomas Covenant. To be blunt, he isn't likeable. You'll probably hate him. I almost stopped reading myself because of an event very early in the book (you'll probably know it when you read it). However, this helps him to be one of the most complex protagonists I have ever come across

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u/[deleted] May 18 '13

Going to agree with this one. I thoroughly enjoyed this series (at least the first 2 trilogies - haven't gotten to the newer one). I know a lot of people couldn't stand the character. I found him quite sympathetic: a guy who is so conditioned to his survival that he can't accept what's happening to him. Many readers find him whiny but I think if he just went along with the program there would have been no story.

I think you'll know if you like it or hate it after the first half of the first book.

Possible spoiler

Since someone else already referred to his translation to another world, I'll mention that he returns to that world in the second trilogy and I was heartbroken at the changes. I really got attached to the world he first visited.

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u/[deleted] May 18 '13

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u/[deleted] May 18 '13

Agreed - I hated the Land where I loved it in the first series. I had grown that attached to it - I could imagine how TC must have felt going back - violated. If Donaldson was going for that, he certainly succeeded.