r/DeathGateCycle

I am currently rereading the series after 25 years, and it's amazing, cannot stop reading! Also, my understanding is greater this time, though I didn't remember much of the finer details, so that adds to my enjoyment.
I was wondering though, why did Xar send Haplo alone on such a dangerous mission? Obviously, all needs to be done in secret, especially so the Sartan wont suspect their enemies are out until it's too late, but a single person can only get so much information about an entire world and can do so much behind the scen conspiracies. A large group will be more likely to be discovered, but at least some backup is needed? Especially when we see how many times Haplo almost dies from unexpected dangers.

Warning: rant incoming.

I've re-read the series again after a huge period of time and some things definitely stuck out to me this time. In particular, just how Haplo is constantly getting owned by everything.

The very first scene of him is almost dying on arrival and being saved by a mensch in a lucky accident.

He does almost nothing in the first book, then he's off to Pryan for another ass-whooping - this time by the tytans (edit - *A tytan, singular) - and has to be saved by a dragon.

In book 3, it's just a train ride of first being stupidly captured by the undead, then by the Dynast, then being poisoned and needing to be saved again. His most powerful moment in all the books arguably also comes in book 3 - it's when he duplicates the food for the starving Sartans.

Book 4, has to be saved from near death by the Mensch again due to the magic-nullifying water, then gets owned by the dragon snakes and Samah on the beach.

Book 5, captured and tortured by dragon-snakes in the elvish palace, has to be saved by the Kenkari. Later, almost killed by Sang-drax.

Book 6, captured and almost killed by Hugh, then by Marit (has to be saved by Hugh). Owned in the battle for Abri and abducted by Xar.

Book 7, "killed" by Xar, has to be saved again, defeated by Sang-drax in the Seventh Gate fight, saved/healed by Xar.

I get that the main hero must be vulnerable but come on, this is ridiculous. I guess it's especially irritating to me because in the first books, he's hyped up as this literal demi-god walking among men and yet is rarely given a chance (by the authors) to show off his supposed awesome powers. Even a "mere" human mage (Sinistrad) does far more impressive things in his limited screen time than Haplo ever does in any of the books.

I've just re-read the whole thing after 16 years, and was completely engrossed by books 1-3. I then read the rest of the series, which was less enjoyable to me for a number of reasons, but I'm still very impressed with the world-building, the characters and the authors' ability to blend fantasy and sci-fi.

Some of the other authors I've enjoyed: Liu Cixin (everything), Isaac Asimov (the Foundation series), Frank Herbert (loved Dune, liked Messiah, slogged through Children, didn't read any more), Robert Heinlein (Orphans of the Sky), G.R.R Martin (Song of Ice and Fire), Ursula le Guin, and others.

I didn't care for Stormlight archive, Wheel of time, Black company

I guess I generally like sci-fi a lot more than fantasy, but maybe there are other hidden fantasy gems like DGS. Would welcome some suggestions.