thedashdude's review against another edition
3.0
The Real Story: 3/5
Very short. A fun concept, telling the same story from several different directions to lead to different conclusions. Pretty dark. Nothing about it was really exceptional, but it was enjoyable.
Forbidden Knowledge: 2/5
A long book about being trapped in a spaceship with the same people for several months. Tedious, nothing happens but shuffling people around a bit. Characters are well done but the book just doesn't justify itself. Just drawn out connective tissue. The ending sets up the next book really well so I kept going.
A Dark and Hungry God Arises: 5/5
A whole new author I swear. Continuous high-stakes thrilling space action. Betrayals and twists and insane character developments. So good. Takes place over the course of like three days and more happens than in the last two books put together.
Chaos and Order: 5/5
Another banger. The scope is bigger, but he's still managing to pull twists and character choices that are just gripping.
This Day All Gods Die: 4/5
A good ending. Felt a little less tightly woven than the last two, but I was satisfied.
Hard series to recommend. Starts with two weak books in a row. I only kept going because book 3 has a raw title. Worth it? Maybe. I wish you could skip book 1 & 2 but I don't think it works great.
Impressed Donaldson managed to go five books without ever telling me what anything looked like.
Very short. A fun concept, telling the same story from several different directions to lead to different conclusions. Pretty dark. Nothing about it was really exceptional, but it was enjoyable.
Forbidden Knowledge: 2/5
A long book about being trapped in a spaceship with the same people for several months. Tedious, nothing happens but shuffling people around a bit. Characters are well done but the book just doesn't justify itself. Just drawn out connective tissue. The ending sets up the next book really well so I kept going.
A Dark and Hungry God Arises: 5/5
A whole new author I swear. Continuous high-stakes thrilling space action. Betrayals and twists and insane character developments. So good. Takes place over the course of like three days and more happens than in the last two books put together.
Chaos and Order: 5/5
Another banger. The scope is bigger, but he's still managing to pull twists and character choices that are just gripping.
This Day All Gods Die: 4/5
A good ending. Felt a little less tightly woven than the last two, but I was satisfied.
Hard series to recommend. Starts with two weak books in a row. I only kept going because book 3 has a raw title. Worth it? Maybe. I wish you could skip book 1 & 2 but I don't think it works great.
Impressed Donaldson managed to go five books without ever telling me what anything looked like.
itsmarkyall's review against another edition
5.0
I wasn't sure what I was getting into with this book. The first time I read Stephen Donaldson was an attempt at the first Thomas Covenant novel. I didn't hate the book but I couldn't get into it. I put it down after a few chapters, and hadn't read it since.
A few days ago I decided to give THE GAP INTO CONFLICT a shot. From the first few pages I was wrapped into the book. Putting the book down was the hard part, and I looked for every free moment to read. Angus Thermopyle began as a despicable character but by books end I found him to be sympathetic, and am looking forward to a free moment to begin reading THE GAP INTO VISION. Though not fully developed in CONFLICT Morn Hyland makes an interesting transition by CONFLICT'S end. I'm just as interested to see what paths her character takes as I am to find out what happens to Angus. I'm not as interested in finding out what direction Nick Surccorso. His character was flat, but Donaldson explains the reason why in CONFLICT'S afterword. Maybe he'll become more interesting in FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE.
I highly recommend this book. Stephen R. Donaldson has placed himself among my favorite authors after reading THE GAP INTO CONFLICT. Hopefully the story becomes more interesting with each volume. I'm going to quit wasting time and get into the next book!
A few days ago I decided to give THE GAP INTO CONFLICT a shot. From the first few pages I was wrapped into the book. Putting the book down was the hard part, and I looked for every free moment to read. Angus Thermopyle began as a despicable character but by books end I found him to be sympathetic, and am looking forward to a free moment to begin reading THE GAP INTO VISION. Though not fully developed in CONFLICT Morn Hyland makes an interesting transition by CONFLICT'S end. I'm just as interested to see what paths her character takes as I am to find out what happens to Angus. I'm not as interested in finding out what direction Nick Surccorso. His character was flat, but Donaldson explains the reason why in CONFLICT'S afterword. Maybe he'll become more interesting in FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE.
I highly recommend this book. Stephen R. Donaldson has placed himself among my favorite authors after reading THE GAP INTO CONFLICT. Hopefully the story becomes more interesting with each volume. I'm going to quit wasting time and get into the next book!
righteousridel's review against another edition
2.0
Okay - I honestly thought that reviewers were over-sensitive but this novel has fairly explicit rape scenes and combined with narration from the perpetrator's perspective, may be very difficult for many readers to read. That alone explains a low rating. It's very difficult to highly rate a complex, masterful work when the subject matter is so distasteful.
And that is my conflict: the author has done a masterful job writing from the perspective of a rapist. You can almost empathize with the main character and their narration. Maybe a part of you even cheers him on, hoping that he will survive despite the odds. Do I feel dirty just suggesting these things? Yeah. I respect the author, but how can I recommend this book without suggesting that I agree with the actions of the main?
If you can accept that fiction is fiction, then behind the curtains is a terrifically complex, multi-layered story that purposefully shows how easy the *real story* is distorted and lost to our biases. The first few chapters are very rough, but once you get deep into Angus's plot line, things pick up pace and it's quite the ride. The near-future setting in space is critical to the plot, character motivations, and I appreciate that because I'm getting sick of authors writing stories where it's just some plot IN SPACE!
So am I going to recommend this to anyone? No. Absolutely not. But I won't lie -- I liked this novel and will read the next one, and I'm going to cross my fingers that book 2 is a fine place to start because then it's acceptable to skip this moral quandary and never speak about this book again.
UPDATE: Book 2 is not any better. If you couldn't stand his short story, break it off right now. I quit after suffering through the entire sequel and the many rape scenes. Downgraded to 2 stars.
And that is my conflict: the author has done a masterful job writing from the perspective of a rapist. You can almost empathize with the main character and their narration. Maybe a part of you even cheers him on, hoping that he will survive despite the odds. Do I feel dirty just suggesting these things? Yeah. I respect the author, but how can I recommend this book without suggesting that I agree with the actions of the main?
If you can accept that fiction is fiction, then behind the curtains is a terrifically complex, multi-layered story that purposefully shows how easy the *real story* is distorted and lost to our biases. The first few chapters are very rough, but once you get deep into Angus's plot line, things pick up pace and it's quite the ride. The near-future setting in space is critical to the plot, character motivations, and I appreciate that because I'm getting sick of authors writing stories where it's just some plot IN SPACE!
So am I going to recommend this to anyone? No. Absolutely not. But I won't lie -- I liked this novel and will read the next one, and I'm going to cross my fingers that book 2 is a fine place to start because then it's acceptable to skip this moral quandary and never speak about this book again.
UPDATE: Book 2 is not any better. If you couldn't stand his short story, break it off right now. I quit after suffering through the entire sequel and the many rape scenes. Downgraded to 2 stars.
wdkilpackiii's review against another edition
5.0
It's said that the definition of "drama" is where you have a protagonist, antagonist and victim, and drama outlines how they change from one role to the other. The Gap Into Conflict certainly embodies this. You think you know who the good guys and the bad guys are, then you are hit in the face by how much you were misled. Sometimes, I was almost angry, then I stopped and thought about how well is was done, how believably, how logically, and found myself reading on looking for clues of future twists while still thoroughly enjoying the story. True to Donaldson's form, there are characters you love and those you love to hate. Highly recommended!
acardattack's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This was an okay read. I know some people probably had a problem with what happens to a certain character, that kind of stuff doesnt make me hate a piece of art.
The characters were bland, but it is a quick read. I saw someone else describe this almost like a newspaper reporting of the events. Im not sure if I will read the next book. This was a very local problem book, but apparently it does grow and grow with each book and the stakes get larger
The characters were bland, but it is a quick read. I saw someone else describe this almost like a newspaper reporting of the events. Im not sure if I will read the next book. This was a very local problem book, but apparently it does grow and grow with each book and the stakes get larger
zmb's review against another edition
3.0
Certainly a different style. I am cautiously optimistic about the sequels.
peterkovacs's review against another edition
1.0
Got halfway through an audio book performance, but this is a terrible book — basically a rape fantasy with no redeeming value whatsoever.
antkneeomonster's review against another edition
3.0
3.5, maybe?
This was my first Donaldson and while it's certainly well written, it wasn't a whole lot of fun. Apparently this opening novella is the least of the series to come, but it felt like the endless rape and misery ratio was disproportionately weighted in favour of bleakness over story.
Don't get me wrong, I like my narratives dark and violent and hideous at times, but what's it all in service of, I wonder. Anyway, I'll give the next book a bash, it sounds much more interesting.
This was my first Donaldson and while it's certainly well written, it wasn't a whole lot of fun. Apparently this opening novella is the least of the series to come, but it felt like the endless rape and misery ratio was disproportionately weighted in favour of bleakness over story.
Don't get me wrong, I like my narratives dark and violent and hideous at times, but what's it all in service of, I wonder. Anyway, I'll give the next book a bash, it sounds much more interesting.