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vickerstaylor's review
5.0
A satisfying conclusion to a great (though rough beginning) space opera. I don't think it quite lives up to book 4 due to a meandering middle section, but per usual, Donaldson is quite good at climaxes, and this one is no different. Glad I took a chance on this series, and I look forward to reading more Donaldson in the future.
thedashdude's review
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.
angrywombat's review
4.0
This book finaly did something I didn't think possible - made me cheer for one of the most despicable characters ever written (Angus Thermopyle).
There is so much going on in this book - the final return of Morn/Nick/Angus to earth, the final revelation of the immunity drug, Alien warship invading a unprepared earth, suicide bombing of the Earth Government - and it all ties together!
The whole book maintained my interest, and I found it hard to put down even while on holiday in France :)
There is so much going on in this book - the final return of Morn/Nick/Angus to earth, the final revelation of the immunity drug, Alien warship invading a unprepared earth, suicide bombing of the Earth Government - and it all ties together!
The whole book maintained my interest, and I found it hard to put down even while on holiday in France :)
catsy2022's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Death
joshreading's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Trigger warning: sexual violence.
This five-book series, Stephen R. Donaldson's Gap Cycle, was one of my absolute favorites in my early 20s. I've returned to it every five years or so, and while I still very much appreciate it I'm also much more aware of its flaws. Interestingly, unlike some other old favorites in this genre, the flaws are less about racism and sexism (though see below) and more about the writing itself. Donaldson is hugely ambitious (almost as much so here as in his Chronicles of Thomas Covenant), but the bones of his complex yet satisfying plotting are a little too visible, and his decision to name and spell out the characters' internal dilemmas in the text now seems too easy and on-the-nose.
I still find the story thrilling in the way it starts with a tightly-focused, seemingly complete-unto-itself novella, and then expands and expands until it encompasses the fate of the entire human race. The first book introduces Angus Thermopyle, as vile and awful a villain as could be imagined, and Morn Hyland, a police ensign on her first mission, who falls into his hands. In an Afterword, Donaldson says he intended to introduce an archetypal villain, victim, and rescuer (a third character, Nick Succorso), and then examine how they change roles. So he establishes Angus as the villain; the rape and degradation that Angus visits upon Morn is horrible, lengthy, and unforgivable. As an opening setup for a story, it does exactly what Donaldson intends. But I'm very aware that as a dude I have a lot of emotional distance from the topic of sexual violence, and for anyone without that distance this part of the story might well be a dealbreaker.
To his credit, Donaldson never loses sight of or minimizes the consequences of that sexual violence, or of any of the violence, betrayals, and desperate actions that follow. Indeed, he is intensely interested in those consequences, and the whole cycle is an exploration of consequences for everyone involved -- including for Angus. We learn how Angus came to be someone who commits horrible acts, and we see Angus suffer immense and horrible punishments himself. Morn is ultimately the protagonist, and her transformation from victim to rescuer (in Donaldson's terms) is richly explored and feels earned -- even when she chooses to set Angus free despite everything he's done. She doesn't forgive him exactly, but she sees that continuing the cycle of violent retribution is not the answer she needs in order to heal. Morn is the center of the story; her feelings and actions in response to her suffering are explored extensively (if not as deeply as might be possible in a different kind of novel). And she proves herself a person of great strength.
But Angus constantly threatens to take over the story, and asking us to care about the fate of a character like Angus Thermopyle is a hugely ambitious undertaking, as well as arguably problematic on a fundamental level -- do we really need a story in which we're asked to care about a rapist? You get the sense that Donaldson set out to create the biggest challenge he could think of -- create the most vile possible character and then get the reader to care about him (if not forgive him). And while it's impressive that he succeeds to the extent that he does, this is also what I meant by the bones of the plot being too visible.
And all this is taking place in the context of space pirates, alien mutagens, and political intrigue. All of which involve plot points and payoffs that just deliver and deliver -- Donaldson knows how to set up his pieces and knock them down in a very satisfying way. The ending manages to bring everything together so perfectly that it starts to feel a little contrived. In fact, if you look too closely at some of the plot points (like the Amnion's interest in Davies -- why couldn't they just repeat that experiment with any human they get their hands on?) you see that they're arbitrarily set up a certain way just so that the payoff can happen.
Still, I know I'll keep coming back to this series. Not recommended for anyone who wants to avoid stories about sexual violence. But if that's not a dealbreaker, and if space pirates and alien mutagens and political intrigue sound like fun, then I highly recommend you give it a try. Despite its flaws, it's a hell of a read.
This five-book series, Stephen R. Donaldson's Gap Cycle, was one of my absolute favorites in my early 20s. I've returned to it every five years or so, and while I still very much appreciate it I'm also much more aware of its flaws. Interestingly, unlike some other old favorites in this genre, the flaws are less about racism and sexism (though see below) and more about the writing itself. Donaldson is hugely ambitious (almost as much so here as in his Chronicles of Thomas Covenant), but the bones of his complex yet satisfying plotting are a little too visible, and his decision to name and spell out the characters' internal dilemmas in the text now seems too easy and on-the-nose.
I still find the story thrilling in the way it starts with a tightly-focused, seemingly complete-unto-itself novella, and then expands and expands until it encompasses the fate of the entire human race. The first book introduces Angus Thermopyle, as vile and awful a villain as could be imagined, and Morn Hyland, a police ensign on her first mission, who falls into his hands. In an Afterword, Donaldson says he intended to introduce an archetypal villain, victim, and rescuer (a third character, Nick Succorso), and then examine how they change roles. So he establishes Angus as the villain; the rape and degradation that Angus visits upon Morn is horrible, lengthy, and unforgivable. As an opening setup for a story, it does exactly what Donaldson intends. But I'm very aware that as a dude I have a lot of emotional distance from the topic of sexual violence, and for anyone without that distance this part of the story might well be a dealbreaker.
To his credit, Donaldson never loses sight of or minimizes the consequences of that sexual violence, or of any of the violence, betrayals, and desperate actions that follow. Indeed, he is intensely interested in those consequences, and the whole cycle is an exploration of consequences for everyone involved -- including for Angus. We learn how Angus came to be someone who commits horrible acts, and we see Angus suffer immense and horrible punishments himself. Morn is ultimately the protagonist, and her transformation from victim to rescuer (in Donaldson's terms) is richly explored and feels earned -- even when
But Angus constantly threatens to take over the story, and asking us to care about the fate of a character like Angus Thermopyle is a hugely ambitious undertaking, as well as arguably problematic on a fundamental level -- do we really need a story in which we're asked to care about a rapist? You get the sense that Donaldson set out to create the biggest challenge he could think of -- create the most vile possible character and then get the reader to care about him (if not forgive him). And while it's impressive that he succeeds to the extent that he does, this is also what I meant by the bones of the plot being too visible.
And all this is taking place in the context of space pirates, alien mutagens, and political intrigue. All of which involve plot points and payoffs that just deliver and deliver -- Donaldson knows how to set up his pieces and knock them down in a very satisfying way. The ending manages to bring everything together so perfectly that it starts to feel a little contrived. In fact, if you look too closely at some of the plot points
Still, I know I'll keep coming back to this series. Not recommended for anyone who wants to avoid stories about sexual violence. But if that's not a dealbreaker, and if space pirates and alien mutagens and political intrigue sound like fun, then I highly recommend you give it a try. Despite its flaws, it's a hell of a read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
angelahayes's review
4.0
The Gap Into Ruin: This Day All Gods Die (The Gap Cycle Book #5)
by Stephen R. Donaldson
Buddy Read. Review to come.
by Stephen R. Donaldson
Buddy Read. Review to come.
ineffablebob's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Over the last month or two, I've read through the entirety of Donaldson's Gap Cycle. It starts out bleak, and moves slowly, with a ton of internal dialogue as the characters struggle with various stresses. The series continues that way until the around last quarter of book four. From there and through all of the final fifth book, events move fast and there's plenty of excitement to wrap up the story. I'll admit, during books three and four I considered just giving up on the whole thing because it was so boring, with the plot moving at a glacial pace and the characters retreading the same ground over and over in their own heads. But there's enough recommendations out there in support of the series that I felt I needed to see where it went, and it does finally deliver in the end. I can't say that I recommend the series exactly...it's got a lot of terrible people doing awful things, and it takes real patience to wade your way through that and the interminably slow journeys through the heads of all these people as events slowly come together. But if you're able to stomach some really horrible actions by awful people and have the patience to work through a couple of books that move very slowly, the payoff is there in the end.