Yes, by doorstep trilogy I mean the overblown fantasy sagas that now fill the shelves of most bookstores. Originally the trilogies formed a doorstep when compiled, but over the last couple of decades it seems that the individual volumes must reach this size in order to be published.

I have nothing against large books, trilogies or series in general, but very often these works are uninspired, bloated and needless. They are either guilty of the most unoriginal world-building for thousands of pages with little or no plot or characters, or otherwise tell a story that could be much better conveyed in a 10,000 word short.

Somebody at Wikipedia has seen fit to write, “Trilogies — and series in general — are common in science fiction and fantasy because of the artistic importance of complex ideas and the commercial importance of brand names.”  I feel the second of these currently far outweighs the first, based upon the general lack of complex ideas or artistry in most of these works.

I hold the doorstep trilogy responsible for much of the blandness of the 'mainstream' fantasy market. It seems that many publishers aren't interested in well-told stories that might only be novellas or single novels – after all, if a piece is standalone they may have to go out and find something original for next week and that can be hard work.

It's part of the pathetic fixation with sequels and remakes that dominates much of mainstream media these days. Publishers, movie makers, computer games developers and TV producers want long-term, sustainable mush that revels in its generic characters, predictable plots and formulaic structure.

"Comparable to Tolkien at his best" is a hackneyed quote often used to describe fantasy works of this type. I find the word ‘favourably’ noticeably missing from the start of this sentence.

Of course, I am guilty here of the utmost hypocrisy, having written the Last Chancers trilogy, the Slaves to Darkness trilogy and now embarking on The Sundering trilogy. That is, of course, because those commercial imperatives apply to writers as much as they do to publishers and I can’t blame either. The blockbuster movie, the fantasy opus in ten parts, the interminable computer games franchise, all provide steady income for their respective creators. What needs to be done is for those resources to be put into discovering new talent, new ideas, and new markets, which doesn’t seem to happen as much as it used to.

This is also not to say that trilogies, series and franchises are inherently bad. There are great titles in all forms of media that deserve praise and are actually better for being part of longer bodies of works. I read with interest Matt Keefe’s interview with Stephen Donaldson, and in particular his comment:

“I tried very hard not to make permanent writing decisions based on temporary problems. Ten years from now – assuming that I live and I carry out my intentions and whatnot – ten years from now these books will all have been in print for a while. People will have the chance to read them the way I originally intended which is to be able to sit down and, if you want, read straight through all four books – or read straight through all ten books. Those days will come.”

This is a great attitude. Rather than seeing a series merely as a conveyor belt of sequential projects to sustain the bank balance, the body of work is considered in its entirety. This is the difference between drama and soap opera – a self-contained work with a definitive narrative, rather than an ongoing telling of events released in chunks to maintain interest. Of course, lots of people like soap operas and very few go to see plays…

No one factor or person is to blame, as is often the case with the clash between creative and commercial. It takes a brave writer to say they are going to stop writing a well-loved, successful character. It takes a brave publisher to not ask for just one more novel. It also takes a brave reader to try out something new rather than go for more of the tried and tested.

Back to my hypocritical trilogies. I would say that all three are different. The Last Chancers is not a trilogy per se because it contains short stories as well as the three novels. Each work is entirely standalone and there are huge leaps in chronology and characters between them. The Slaves to Darkness are the most ‘traditional’ in this sense, in that they were written as three novels planned from the outset, each sequentially following the next and following the same narrative thread directly.

The Sundering is different, and close to what I feel a trilogy should be, from an arty point of view. It is more like a painted triptych in that the three novels do not tell a single, linear story but rather explore the events of the Sundering from three different angles, both narratively, thematically and chronologically. Their plots are not self-contained but nor do they each follow directly one after the other. Once complete, the works could be read in any order, but all three must be read for the entire story to be understood. Whether this appeals or not, only time (and the sales figures) will tell.

In conclusion, a story has a right length. If told too short it will be rushed. If it is given too much space it will be flabby. If you have a story, pick the correct form for it. If you are writing to a pre-determined length, make sure you have little or enough story to fill it.

Other News

I sadly report that my trusty steed, an aging Rover 216, went off to the big scrap heap in the sky today. In true Old Yella (Yeller?) fashion it simply had to be put out of its misery. Still, in every end there is a beginning and I look forward to acquiring a new automobile very soon.

Looking forward to new Battlestar Galactica too.

Mouse update: No traps purchased yet due to the aforementioned untimely demise of my car.

I interviewed Stephen shortly before the release of Fatal Revenant, the latest book in his Chronicles of Thomas Covenant series, and the interview touches on both this and his many other works, as well as writing and literature in general. The interview originally appeared in issue 10 of Death Ray magazine, but the version now online contains some material not included in the magazine due to space constraints. The complete interview, as well as an overview of Stephen's work, and a fact file on the author are online now in the Articles section of this website.

Matt

As is inevitably the case with these things, a few answers had to be trimmed a little and a few others had to be missed out altogether to fit the space available in the magazine, so there's a few outtakes and a few extended highlights which I will be posting on this blog over the coming days. For now, however, you can read the full interview in Death Ray magazine, and below is a small excerpt from one of the questions we were forced to cut for reasons of space.

In the interview, Stephen talks about his decision not to write The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant - a story he conceived at the same time as The Second Chronicles - immediately after completing the two earlier trilogies, because of his feeling that he needed first to improve as a writer. I asked Stephen if the stories he wrote in the meantime were specifically chosen to help him develop his abilities in certain ways, and here's what he had to say:

"This question comes up most often in the form of: ‘Do you know what you’re going to write next? What are you gonna do after you’ve finished The Last Chronicles. The truth is I’ve no earthly idea, but I never had had an idea. I don’t try to answer that question until I’ve finished the story that’s right in front of me. Once it’s done then I say ‘oh, ok, now what will I write next?’. And the same has been true for the past twenty years. I haven’t searched for ideas that would help me prepare for Covenant, I’ve just searched for ideas that felt like they were so exciting it felt absolute necessary to write them."

Read the interview in issue 10 of Death Ray (on sale now) and check back here for more outtakes soon.

The interview should be of interest not only to readers of Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Gap saga and other books, but also all those with an interest in fiction and writing in general. Stephen talks in quite some detail about literature and provides some some thought provoking answers. I'll probably be posting a couple of blogs about this in the near future - it's impossible to interview somebody like Donaldson without forming your own thoughts on the themes discussed, so I'll share those here in due course.

In the meantime, pick up a copy of Death Ray to read the interview - available from newsagents as they say.

Eftersom min föregående bokförsäljning tilldragit intresse (du hittar böckerna här) erbjuder jag nu fler böcker till försäljning. Mina priser är inte överdrivna, men det är däremot postens portoavgifter. Tänk på det. Jag tjänar inte direkt mycket på att sälja mina böcker, och särskilt inte med tanke på det jobb som följer (packning, etc).

Detta måste påpekas eftersom jag hört av de som gärna vill ha en bok, men som när jag ombeds väga boken ifråga, förvånas över Postens portoavgifter. Mycket tråkigt! För min del skulle jag helst se att man förenklade och inte försvårade för oss som billigt förmedlar böcker via Internet. Men. . . Jag kan inte göra så mycket åt detta. Nåväl. Nog om detta. Jo, dock kan nämnas att jag har rabattmärken, varför böcker om upp till ett kilo kostar 35 kronor. Upp till ett halvt kilo kostar frakten 28 kr, och upp till 250 gram lite mindre.

Böckerna säljs bortsett från min brist på likvida medel endast av en eller båda två följande anledningar: a) jag äger förstaupplagan, eller b) pga dublett i biblioteket.

Köparen betalar porto. Foto kan skickas. Nämn i mail till anson@passagen.se vilken eller vilka böcker du vill ha - eller kommentera detta blogginlägg - så läggs de undan. Sedan meddelar jag hela summan inkl. porto och kontonummer. Böckerna postas så snart pengarna nått fram.

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Ackebo, Lena. Rysk räka. Serieroman. Galago, 2002. Ny! 20:-

Archer, Jeffrey. Attentat mot Vita huset (Shall We Tell the President?). Inbunden med skyddsomslag. Mycket fint skick. 1989. 15:-

Arvidsson, Tomas. Utanförskapet - En thriller i livets utkant. Trevi, 1981. Inbunden med skyddsomslag. I mycket fint skick. Närmast nyskick. 15:-

Asimov, Isaac. Stiftelsen och tiden. (Foundations Edge). Tredje tryckningen. Tryckt 1998. Översattning Sam J. Lundwall. NOK pocket. Pocket i nyskick. 15 kr

Auster, Paul. Att uppfinna ensamheten. (/The Invention of Solitude). Översättning: Aris Fioretos. Månpocket, 2002. Nyskick. 15:-

Baudelaire, Charles. Mitt nakna hjärta. (Mon coeur mis á nu.) Tidens förlag. Tryckt i Frankrike, 1991. Ingår i Tidens klassiker. Översättning: Tove Fahlén. Namn på försättsblad. I övrigt mycket fint skick. Pocketformat. 15:-

Dahl, Roald. Den underbara historien om Henry Sugar och fyra andra rysare. (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar). En bok för alla, 1993. Pocket i närmast nyskick. 10:-

Dahl, Roald. Häxorna. (The Witches). Tiden, 2000. Översättning: Meta Ottosson. Tredje upplagan, tredje tryckningen. Illustrerat kartonnage i mycket fint skick!

Dahl, Roald. Matilda (Matilda). Tiden förlag. Andra upplagan, 1992. Illustrerad av Quentin Blake. Kartonnage. Fint skick men med namn nedtecknat på insidan av omslaget! 20:-

Dahl, Roald. The Witches. Illustrated by Quentin Blake. Puffin Books, 1985. Storpocket i fint skick! 15:-

Donaldsson, Stephen. Furst Nids förbannelse. (The Cronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever, Volume I: Lord Foul's Bane. Glasgow 1979.). Översättning: Roland Adlerberth. Första upplagan i Opus-serien, 1988. Legenda OPUS. Storpocket. Fint skick! 20:-

Donaldsson, Stephen. Ondskans sten (The Cronicles of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever, Volume II: The Illearth War, Glasgow 1982). Översättning: Stefan Stenudd. Första upplagan i OPUS-serien, 1988. Legenda Opus. Storpocket. Mycket fint skick. Oläst. 20:-

Donaldson, Stephen. Kraften som bevarar (The Cronicles of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever, Volume III: The Power That Preserves). Första upplagan i OPUS-serien, 1988. Översättning: Roland Adlerberth. Legenda Opus. Storpocket. Mycket fint skick. Oläst. 20:-

Duncan, David. Den svarta planeten. (Dark Dominion). Översättning: Nils Lundgren. Lindqvists förlag, 1954. Atom-böckerna. Häftad. Snedläst och bl. a. med sliten rygg. 10:-

Eddings, David. Stenens väktare. Sagan om Belgarion. Första boken. (Book One of the Belgariad: Pawn of Prophecy). BW-pocket, Wahströms, 1993. Mycket fint skick. 10:-

Eddings, David. Profetians tid. Sagan om Belgarion: Andra boken (Book Two Of the Belgariad, Queen of Sorcery). Översättning: Ylva Spångberg. BW-pocket, Wahlströms bokförlag, 1993. Tredje pocketupplagan. Mycket fint skick! 10:-

Eddings, David. Besvärjarnas kamp. Sagan om Belgarion: Tredje boken (Book Three of The Belgariad, Magician´s Gambit). Översättning: Ylva Spångberg. Wahlströms, 1993. Fjärde kartonnerade upplagan. Mycket fint skick! 20:-

Eddings, David. Rivas Drottning. Sagan om Belgarion: Fjärde boken (Book Four of The Belgariad, Castle of Wizardry). Översättning: Ylva Spångberg. Wahlströms, 1993. Fjärde kartonnerade upplagan. Mycket fint skick! 20:-

Eddings, David. Ödets Fullbordan. Sagan om Belgarion: Femte boken (Book Five of The Belgariad, Enchanters’ End Game.). Översättning: Ylva Spångberg. Wahlströms, 1992. Tredje kartonnerade upplagan. Mycket fint skick! 20:-

Eddings, David. Belgarions son. Sagan om Mallorea: Första boken (Book One of the Malloreon, Guardians of the West). Tredje kartonnerade upplagan, 1993. Översättning: Ylva Spångberg. Mycket fint skick. 20:-

Eddings, David. Diamanttronen. Sagan om Elenien: Första boken (Book One of the Elenium: The Diamond Throne). Wahlströms, 1994. Översättning Ylva Spångberg. Inbunden med skyddsomslag. Mycket fint skick! 25:-

Eddings, David. Rubinriddaren. Sagan om Elenien: Andra boken (Book Two of the Elenium: The Ruby Knight). Wahlströms, 1995. Översättning Ylva Spångberg. Inbunden med skyddsomslag. Mycket fint skick! 25:-

Eddings, David. Safirrosen. Sagan om Elenien: Tredje boken (Book Three of the Elenium: The Sapphire Rose). Wahlströms, 1996. Översättning Ylva Spångberg. Inbunden med skyddsomslag. Mycket fint skick! 25:-

Eddings, David & Leigh. Belgarath Besvärjaren. Aldurs Dal. Första boken. (Belgarath the Sorcerer). Wahlströms Fantasy, 1996. Översättning: Ylva Spångberg. Inbunden med skyddsomslag. Oläst och i mycket fint skick! 20:-

Ellis, Bret Easton. American Psycho. (American Psycho). PAN Norstedts, 2002. Andra tryckningen. Nytt och oläst kartonnage. 25:-

Guillou, Jan. Ondskan. Bonniers, 1992. Inbunden med skyddsomslag. Mycket fint skick. 15:-

Harris, Thomas. När lammen tystnar. (The Silence of the Lambs). Forum, 1999. Oläst kartonnage i mycket fint skick! 20:-

Hedlund, Magnus. FLUXUS eller Vettvillingen i vattvällingen. Albert Bonniers förlag, Stockholm 1967. Första upplagan. Häftad. 168 (4) sidor. Ägaren: Ulf Eriksson diskret skrivet på första sidan. I övrigt mycket fint skick. Kostar minst 600:- på ett antikvariat, i betydligt sämre skick. Se ex. Antikvariat.net. Detta är ett väldigt välvårdat och vackert samlarexemplar! Pris: 500:-

Heinlein, Robert A. Styrd av det onda / Rysare ur kalla kårar 21(The Puppet Masters). Wahlströms, 1981. översättning: Solveig Karlsson. Pocket i fint skick! 10 kr

Hoffmann, E. T. A. Den gyllene krukan. (Der Goldene Topf). Bra Böcker, 1981. Översättning och förord: Teddy Brunius. Inbunden med skyddsomslag. Mycket fint skick. 50:-

Gibson, William. Neuromancer (Neuromancer). F;rsta pocketupplagan, femte tryckningen. Tryckår 1998. Pan Norstedts. Pocket i nyskick. 15 kr

Jones, Raymond F. Universum ockuperat. (This Island Earth). Översättning: Bo Johnson. Lindqvists förlag, 1954. Atom-böckerna. Häftad. Snedläst och bl. a. med sliten rygg. 10:-

Kalla Kårar 24. Monster. Fem skräcknoveller av bl. a. H. P. Lovecraft, Henry Kuttner, W. F. Harvey. Wahlströms, 1974. Snedläst. 15:-

King, Stephen. Carrie. (Carrie) Legenda. 6:e kartonnerade upplagan. Tryckt 1990. Närmast nyskick! Oläst! 30:-

King, Stephen. Den gröna milen. (The Green Mile). Samtliga delar i en volym. Översättning: John-Henri Holmberg. Bra Böcker, 1999. Kartonnage i mycket fint skick! Första upplagan. 30:-

King, Stephen. Dödsbädden. (Nightshift) Wahlströms. 4e upplagan. Tryckt 1998. Läst pocket med bruten rygg och andra lässkador. 5:-

King, Stephen. Geralds lek. (Gerald’s Game). NOK-pocket. Andra tryckningen, 1997. Översättning: Lennart Olofsson. 10:-

King, Stephen. Lida. (Misery). Legenda. Första kartonnerade upplagan, 1989. Namn på försättsblad, i övrigt mycket fint skick! 25:-

King, Stephen., och Straub, Peter. Talismanen. (The Talisman.). Bra Böcker, 1986. Inbunden med skyddsomslag. Något lite snedläst, i övrigt mycket fint skick! 20:-

King, Stephen. Four Past Midnight. Signet, pocket, First signet printing, september

1991. Pocket. Bruten rygg, slitna kanter - ett läst ex. 10:-

King, Stephen. The Tommyknockers. Signet pocket. First Signet printing, November

1988. Pocket. Mindre bruten rygg än ovanstånde. Småslitna kanter.

Finare ex än ovanstående FPM. 10:-

King, Stephen. Night shift. Signet Pocket. First Signet printing, september 1979,.

Småbruten rygg. Småslitna kanter. Bättre skick än ovanstående två. Innehåller förord av John D. MacDonald - vlket inte ingår i svenska översättningen (Dödsbädden). 15:-

King, Stephen. Staden som försvann (Salem´s Lot). Legenda. 7:e kartonnerade upplagan, tryckt 1990. Närmast nyskick. Oläst! 30:-

King, Stephen. Varsel. Askild och Kärnekull. 2:a pocketupplagan. Tryckt 1984. Pocket,

läst, med (tyvärr) bruten rygg och smärre slitage. 5:-

King, Stephen. Varsel. (The Shining). 4:e kartonnerade upplagan. Legenda, 1985. Fint skick. 20:-

Koontz, Dean R. Blixtsken. (Lightning). Bra böcker, 2002. Kartonnage i närmast nyskick. 25:-

Koontz, Dean R. Blixtsken. (Lightning). Wiken, 1991. Kartonnage i mycket fint skick. 25:-

Levin, Ira. En vacker dag. (This Perfect Day). Översättning: Nenne Runsten. Wahlström & Widstrand, 1978. Inbunden med skyddsomslag. I närmast nyskick. 10:-

Levin, Ira. Rosemarys baby (Rosemary's Baby). Översättning: Suzanne Palme. Wahlström & Widstrand, 1977. Inbunden med skyddsomslag. I närmast nyskick. Rekommenderas! 10:-

Lindbohm, Dénis. Flygande gift. Lindqvists förlag AB, 1975. Inbunden. Saknar skyddsomslag. Fint skick. 15:-

Macomber, Debbie. Frukost klockan 8. (Thursdays at Eight) Harlequin, 2008. Ny och oläst storpocket. 20:-

Masterson, Graham. Hämnaren ur det förgångna - Kalla Kårar 41. Originalets titel: The Manitou. Wahlströms, 1976. Översättning Gösta Zetterlund. Läst originalpocket i okej skick. 8:-

Nilson, Peter. Messias med träbenet och andra berättelser. En bok för alla, 1993. Pocket i mycket fint skick. 10:-

Nilson, Peter. Projekt Nyaga. Rymdväktaren & Nyaga. Samlingsvolym. Bokförlaget Pan Norstedts, 1999. Snygg pocket i närmast nyskick. Marmeladkungen kan inte annat än rekommendera denna fantastiska svenska science fiction. Detta är bra sf-läsning! 25:-

Pinter, Jason. Jagad. (The Mark) Harlequin, 2008. Oläst storpocket. 20:-

Rice, Anne. Mumien (The Mummy or Ramses the Damned). Månpocket, 1995. Översättning: Gunilla Holm. 15:-

Robinson, Frank M. Makthjärnan - Kalla Kårar 12. Wahlströms, 1972. Snedläst med bruten rygg. 5:-

Robinson, Frank M. Makthjärnan / Rysare ur Kalla Kårar 11 (The Power). :vers’ttning> G;sta Zetterlund. Wahlströms 1979. Fint bruksskick. 10 kr.

Rysare ur Kalla Kårar 17. Vraket.Fem noveller av bland andra: Henry Kuttner, Richard Matheson, William Hope Hodgson. Tryckt 1980. Bruten rygg. 10:-

Sadler, Barry. Casca 1. Straffet. Död utan slut. Förbannelsen. Wahlströms, 1993. Närmast nyskick. 30:-

Sadler, Barry. Casca 2. Evig död. Dömd mans väg. Dödlig skuld. Wahlströms, 1993. Närmast nyskick. 30:-

Semitjov, Eugen. Den hundraåriga spådomen. A & K, 1975. Första upplagan. Första tryckningen. Inbunden med skyddsomslag. Fint skick, men skyddsomslaget är något naggat i överdel. 15:-

Tolkien, J. R. R. Sagan om konungens återkomst. (The Return of the King). Översättning: Åke Ohlmarks. Awe Gebers, 1982. Andra inbundna upplagans femte tryckning. Inbunden med skyddsomslag. Skyddsomslaget naggat, främst i övre del, annars gott skick. 10:-

Vonnegut, Kurt. Slakthus 5. (Slaughterhouse Five - Or the Children's Crusade). Norstedts, 1987. Pocket i gott skick. 10:-

Winter, Douglas E (red/ed.). Prime Evil. Originalberättelser av bl. a. David Morrell, M. John Harrison, Stephen King, Clive Barker, Peter Straub, Ramsey Campbell, Whitley Strieber. Översatt till svenska under titeln Ondskans väsen. Corgi Books, 1989. Pocket med diverse slitage. 10:-

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Du hittar fler böcker som Marmeladkungen säljer här

Accetto di buon grado il sollecito.

Avevo in verità già pensato di trattare delle saghe che nel tempo mi hanno più favorevolmente impressionato, non entrando nello specifico della trama, ma limitandomi a commenti che pur generali potessero comunque dare il polso di qualità e pregi.

L'idea rimane ferma, ma non è fuoriluogo, a mio avviso, in un post iniziale, programmatico e di sintesi, quantomeno nominare le saghe di cui poi, se il tempo non sarà tiranno, tratterrò più diffusamente in futuro.

Ebbene:

Tra gli imprescindibili (oltre ovviamente Il Signore degli Anelli):

- Stephen Donaldson: Le Cronache di Thomas Covenant l'Incredulo (trilogia): La Conquista dello Scettro; La Guerra dei Giganti; L'Assedio della Rocca.

La saga, attualmente in ristampa, fu uno dei maggiori successi di fine anni '80 della Mondadori (le copertine erano tra l'altro semplicemente splendide, molto meglio delle originali inglesi e lontanissime dalle anonime attuali).

Tratti da rimarcare:

1. l'antieroe protagonista per antonomasia, Thomas Covenant, un lebbroso, cinico e misantropo;
2. l'idea di un Male machiavellico che prevede ogni mossa del Bene e la ritorce contro i suoi campioni.

Il Mondo di Ambientazione (La Landa) è intriso di magia; le creature che lo popolano sono molte, ma il bestiario non è dei più floridi.

La seconda trilogia delle cronache (Il Sole Ferito; Il Primo Albero; L'Oro Bianco) non è all'altezza della prima. Donaldson sta attualmente lavorando alle Ultime Cronache (in 4 volumi): è già uscito (non in Italia) il primo volume ed è imminente l'uscita del secondo.

Giudizio: 9

- Tad Williams: Il Ciclo delle Spade (trilogia): Il Trono del Drago; La Pietra dell'Addio; La Torre dell'Angelo Verde

La saga, pressocché introvabile, risale a metà degli anni 90 e fu pubblicata dalla Mondadori interno giallo.

Update luglio 2008: E' in uscita per Armenia una nuova edizione della saga: da non perdere!

Tratti da rimarcare:

1. trama semplice ma molto ben costruita, attorno a personaggi indimenticabili di cui è facile innamorarsi;
2. fantasy classico, con protagonista un ragazzo dagli oscuri natali che timido ed imbranato scoprirà di avere in se stesso una formidabile fonte di risorse.

Nel mondo di ambientazione sono di primaria importanza, oltre gli uomini, solo due creature, simili agli elfi tolkeniani. Bestiario limitato.

Giudizio: 9

* - * - *

Tra i Vivamente Consigliati:

- Terry Goodkind: Il Ciclo della Spada della Verità (15 libri): L'assedio delle Tenebre; La profezia del Mago; Il Guardiano delle Tenebre; La Pietra delle Lacrime; L'ordine Imperiale; La Stirpe dei Fedeli; La Profezia della Luna Rossa; Il Tempio dei Venti; L'Anima del Fuoco; La Fratellanza dell'Ordine; I Pilastri della Creazione; L'Impero degli Indifesi; La Catena di Fuoco; Fantasma; Confessor [ultima uscita].

Pubblicata dalla Fanucci, anche in edizione economica, si caratterizza per idee molto originali ben sviluppate e per una trama accattivante semplice da seguire. Splendide ed indimenticabili talune scene, anche quelle più violente e crudeli.

Tratti da rimarcare:

1. buona commistione di fiaba, romanzo d'avventura e tipica storia fantasy;
2. Ben sviluppato il tema di profezie e magie;
3. buoni meccanismi di trama.

Il mondo di ambientazione conosce molte magie e ne è intriso. Poche le creature fantastiche, ma ben variegato il tipo di poteri cui possono attingere gli umani con il "Dono".

Rimando comunque alla mia recensione dell'ultimo romanzo della saga pubblicato.

Uscirà a novembre, negli Usa, il telefilm, a firma Sam Raimi, ispirato alla saga: vedi post sull'argomento.

Giudizio: 8

Donaldson took a deliciously dark view on epic fantasy with his break through trilogy "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant Unbeliever", unfairly but understandably compared to Tolkien if you haven't read any of his stuff you're missing out on a treat.

If you prefer science fiction then check out the GAP sequence, they're good but it's for Covenant I hope he is remembered.

I'm lucky enough to have a signed first edition of "The Runes of the Earth" and hopefully, if he comes over the pond again, I'll get the second book signed as well.

In 1995, California became the first state to specifically ban gender differences in pricing for services. Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D- San Francisco) had introduced AB 1100, The Gender Tax Repeal Act, a year earlier, but the first version was overturned by the governor. From a press release:

Upon introduction of this year's bill, Speier met with the Administration and carved out a compromise agreement which reduced the scope of the bill to include only services and not products. Language was also added to clarify that price differences based specifically upon the amount of time, difficulty or cost of providing the service are not prohibited.

The only good link I could find was to a Harvard Law Review article in JSTOR, so apologies to those of you without fancy-pants institutions.

I also uncovered the text of "A Million Jockers, Punks, and Queens: sex among American male prisoners and its implications for concepts of sexual orientation," a lecture delivered by Stephen Donaldson at the Columbia University Seminar on Homosexualities in 1993. Here's a bit from the beginning that I found particularly interesting:

Considering the numerical significance of the prisoner population, not only at any one time but in terms of the enormous cumulative number of American males who have experienced the subculture of confinement, it is remarkable that the sexuality of prisoners has barely been examined by academically-affiliated scholars. Remarkable, but understandable: the walls exist as much to keep civilians out as to keep the prisoners in, and academics are generally more interested in studying middle-class people like themselves.

Donaldson goes on to point out one of the signs that language isn't universal when it comes to notions of sex and sexuality (he's referencing a study by Nacci and Kane of homosexuality in federal prisons):

The federal employee doing interviews asked prisoners: 'Have you had a homosexual experience in prison as an adult?" The middle-class researchers think this refers to any same-sex involvement, but the lower-class prisoner thinks he is being asked about passive behavior, since he does not consider penetration of another male to be a 'homosexual' act; he may be fucking his cellmate every night but will truthfully, as far as he is concerned, answer 'no.' And many of the researchers and interviewers have been employees of the authorities whose main purpose appears to be to justify existing policies of blanket sexual prohibition rather than to understand actual behavior.

Interesting stuff. You can read the rest (I plan to) at Stop Prison Rape.