[Precious]

Does anybody know which series was written first?, Donaldson's "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" or Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings"

[Lamanai]

I may be off base, but my feeling is that Donaldson's a pretty current. I think that the TC books are pretty current. I'm almost certain that LotR is quite a bit older than TC.

Why do you ask.

[Shehzad]

Only slightly off base: LoTR is almost 40 years old while the TC First Chronicles are about 25 years old and the second chronicles around 15 years old.

[Precious]

Lamanai:

I read TC about 20 years ago, I saw TLotR movie yesterday (I have never read the books)and I was surprised to see the similar plot; the power of a ring, everyone wanting it. I was curious which author came up with that plot first. That might be unfair for me to say though as I haven't read TLotR and I don't remember much from TC except for that plot and the destruction of the land. I'm motivated now to read TLotR and to reread TC.

[Erebus]

The Fellowship of the Ring was first published in 1954 in Great Britain, as was The Two Towers! The Return of the King followed in 1955.

LoTR definitely came first!

[This message has been edited by erebus (edited December 24, 2001).]

[Crant]

According to my Wounded Land it was first published in 1980. That makes LOTR quite a bit older.

[Shehzad]

I fail to see why people notice the rings in LoTR and TC and assume that they are similar stories.... they are vastly different books/series!

[Rob B]

The similarites of these two series is only on the surface...

Sure Covenant also has a ring of power, but as you read on
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you realize the ring of TC is only a symbol of the White/Wild magic and Covenant himself IS the wild magic.

Covenant is not nearly as nice a guy (understandably so) as the hobbits and the rest of the Fellowship.

I'll leave it at that, I'm sure one of the other LotR or TC experts (DennizM?) can pick up the ball...

[Cadfael]

Minor spoilers..
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I agree that at first glance they do seem similar, but that is only because both have rings... Elric Of Melnibone has a magic sword, so does Shea Olhmsford, and so does Richard Rahl... would you say that these stories are similar?

Okay... the Ring in LoTR can only be used for evil, and it will corrupt anyone who carries it.

Covenant's ring is can be used for both good and evil, also as mentioned above... it is only the catylist for the wild magic that IS Thomas Covenant.

However I am not going to sit here and say that Tolkien did not have an influence on Donaldson... he MUST have, but he wrote an original book for all that IMHO.

[kaseryn]

Yup.. and given the scale and scope of both universes, it's surprising there arent more similarities.. even shallow ones. But anyway.. as anyone moved by TC will agree, it does scant justice to Donaldson's brave and successful attempt to widen the 'fantasy' envelope to make comparisons on details like this. I haven't read a lot of the more avante guarde contemporary fantasy thats referenced on these forums but from reviews and comments i guess that some have run with the bat. When contrasting TC with LOTR u have to appreciate the incredible depth that Donaldson brought to the genre with the Chronicles. For me, nothing i've read has come close since.. I'm massively enjoying WoT atm.. and loved Feist.. but for me it isnt in the same league.. great stuff but not working on so many levels. I'm hoping that stuff like GRRM and Peridon St Station [?] will be the breath of fresh air that TC seemed at the time and still does 10 or so readings down the line/years. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif