Status
Checked out
Genres
Collection
Publication
Del Rey (1981)
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Science Fiction. Thriller. HTML:�??A trilogy of remarkable scope and sophistication.�?��??Los Angeles Times Twice before Thomas Covenant had been summoned to the strange otherworld where magic worked. Twice before he had been forced to join with the Lords of Revelstone in their war against Lord Foul, the ancient enemy of the Land. Now he was back�??to a Land ravaged by the armies of Lord Foul. The Lords were besieged and helpless. No place was safe, and Foul's victory seemed certain. Only Covenant could avert it. Desperately and without hope, he set out to confront the might of the Enemy. Along with him traveled a Giant, a Bloodguard, and the madwoman he had wronged. And in Foul's Creche, Lord Foul grew in power with each new defeat for the… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member jveezer
Spurred on by having the first two books of his Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant on my shelf and knowing that the third and final should be out soon, I embarked on re-reading the first two trilogies, or Chronicles. Rather than review them separately, I thought I would treat each Chronicle as a
The Land itself is an incredible creation that for me is one of the greatest joys of reading his Chronicles and an incredible achievement for Donaldson, on par with the creation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. The land and its inhabitants are alive with health and sentience; manifested in EarthPower. The people of the land can sense the right and wrong in rock, tree, water, and fire, as well as in themselves. When their earth-sense lets them down or where despite and evil creep into the land, it has some defenses of its own. This earth-sense is something that resonates deep in my soul and in that part of me that treasures our earth. I wish I had a little more EarthSense. He has also peopled The Land with many strange and interesting inhabitants, good and bad: the giants, the Ranyhyn, Forestals, the Bloodguard, Elohim, Sand Gorgons, Merewives, Ravers, Ur-Viles and the like.
Were the books as good as I remember from reading them in my college days 20+ years ago? Suprisingly, yes. Although I still like the genre and read it occasionally, I have moved on from those times when this was my primary source of literary escape. But I found that the books have held up very well in the time since my last read. I would highly recommend them to readers interested in one of the early masters of the genre.
In The Power That Preserves, the first Chronicles come to an amazing climax. Another seven years have passed in the land when Covenant is summoned in their need. Again there is war in The Land and the Lord’s are hard-pressed by Lord Foul’s armies while Covenant tries to go it alone against the Despiser. This is a fitting and well-written end to the trilogy that ties together many of the loose ends from the first two books. In my opinion, it can stand alone. I’m not sure if Donaldson already had plans for the Second Chronicles at the time of this writing or not.
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whole, as I cannot concieve of not finishing any of the Chronicles once they grab hold of you. Although many disparage Stephen Donaldson’s writing, I don’t have any problem with it and like that I sometimes have to grab the dictionary to understand a work he has used. In fact, that is one of the joys of reading him as I like to be challenged with vocabulary while I read.The Land itself is an incredible creation that for me is one of the greatest joys of reading his Chronicles and an incredible achievement for Donaldson, on par with the creation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. The land and its inhabitants are alive with health and sentience; manifested in EarthPower. The people of the land can sense the right and wrong in rock, tree, water, and fire, as well as in themselves. When their earth-sense lets them down or where despite and evil creep into the land, it has some defenses of its own. This earth-sense is something that resonates deep in my soul and in that part of me that treasures our earth. I wish I had a little more EarthSense. He has also peopled The Land with many strange and interesting inhabitants, good and bad: the giants, the Ranyhyn, Forestals, the Bloodguard, Elohim, Sand Gorgons, Merewives, Ravers, Ur-Viles and the like.
Were the books as good as I remember from reading them in my college days 20+ years ago? Suprisingly, yes. Although I still like the genre and read it occasionally, I have moved on from those times when this was my primary source of literary escape. But I found that the books have held up very well in the time since my last read. I would highly recommend them to readers interested in one of the early masters of the genre.
In The Power That Preserves, the first Chronicles come to an amazing climax. Another seven years have passed in the land when Covenant is summoned in their need. Again there is war in The Land and the Lord’s are hard-pressed by Lord Foul’s armies while Covenant tries to go it alone against the Despiser. This is a fitting and well-written end to the trilogy that ties together many of the loose ends from the first two books. In my opinion, it can stand alone. I’m not sure if Donaldson already had plans for the Second Chronicles at the time of this writing or not.
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LibraryThing member Karlstar
The third book in Donaldson's incredibly epic trilogy. This is one of the best fantasy trilogies ever, though it is not typical sword and sorcery.
LibraryThing member reading_fox
The end of the first trilogy.
Thomas can't come to terms with the death of his daughter who never existed. Ignoring the peril of his leprosy his physical condition deteriorates until he can barely keep himself upright. When he stumbles across a girl bitten by a rattlesnake it is all he can do to try
Meanwhile we watch the remaining army batter at Revelstone's gates, and the increasingly dire straights the desperate defenders of the land are put to, whilst staving of the despair that is so dangerous to them. As with the previous books these episodes in some way spoil the essential dilemma - is Thomas brave or a coward, does the land exist or not? When the narrative focuses on Lord Mhoram's despair then it is all too easy to believe the Land is real, something that Covenant never admits.
Much much darker than the previous two books, although less violence without the Land's healing abilities Covenant's leprosy intrudes more, as does his feelings about it, the penetrating cold also leaches from the pages. In general it is Covenant's weakness and dependance that is the overriding darkness to the book, especially the many pages he spends getting no further than Roamsedge. His companions are of no greater cheer either, and Ravers are especially depressing.
However it is a worthy ending to the trilogy, loose ends are firmly tied off, there are satisfyingly calmactic final battles, and while Thomas is never going to get a "happy ending" he does manage to come to terms with some issues.
If you've even vaguely enjoyed the first two books, read it!
Thomas can't come to terms with the death of his daughter who never existed. Ignoring the peril of his leprosy his physical condition deteriorates until he can barely keep himself upright. When he stumbles across a girl bitten by a rattlesnake it is all he can do to try
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and save her. Unfortunetly the Land calls for him but he his able to reject all their increased suffering in order to save her. When he finally succombs to the Land's call he is not in Revelstone where he expected to be, but back at Mithal Stonedown in the depths of Lord Foul's extended winter. His dying state and the breaking of the natural Law in the last book have enabled him to be summoned by lesser powers, Triock and the Giant Saltheart Foamfollower. Covenant quickly learns that the end is nigh for the Land, Winter has extended deep into spring and he cannot regain his previous health. With anger at Elena's and the Land's troubles still frothing in his breast he treks across the Land once more to bring Foul's Creche down around his ears. As if Anger was ever an answer for Despite. But Covenant learns this. Meanwhile we watch the remaining army batter at Revelstone's gates, and the increasingly dire straights the desperate defenders of the land are put to, whilst staving of the despair that is so dangerous to them. As with the previous books these episodes in some way spoil the essential dilemma - is Thomas brave or a coward, does the land exist or not? When the narrative focuses on Lord Mhoram's despair then it is all too easy to believe the Land is real, something that Covenant never admits.
Much much darker than the previous two books, although less violence without the Land's healing abilities Covenant's leprosy intrudes more, as does his feelings about it, the penetrating cold also leaches from the pages. In general it is Covenant's weakness and dependance that is the overriding darkness to the book, especially the many pages he spends getting no further than Roamsedge. His companions are of no greater cheer either, and Ravers are especially depressing.
However it is a worthy ending to the trilogy, loose ends are firmly tied off, there are satisfyingly calmactic final battles, and while Thomas is never going to get a "happy ending" he does manage to come to terms with some issues.
If you've even vaguely enjoyed the first two books, read it!
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LibraryThing member aethercowboy
Covenant returns to The Land one more time in this last book of the first trilogy. This time, the tolkienoid element is partially diluted with a lewisian (C. S., that is) element: Lord Foul has the Staff of Law and has imprisoned the ghost of Covenant's daughter, Elena. Foul's dominion causes the
Oh, if only Aslan would come... I mean, Thomas Covenant. Entering the land after witnessing a girl getting bitten by a rattlesnake, he tries to detach himself from the Land, which he's still not fully convinced is not a dream, and returns to the real world to save the girl. However, he soon is poisoned after sucking out the venom, and back to the Land he goes.
Here, he teams up with the last uncorrupted Giant, Saltheart Foamfollower, and the two must save the Land, Elena's ghost, and relieve Foul of the Staff of Law.
Donaldson, by far, is the best of the tolkienoid authors. His works lovingly borrow from the fantasy tomes that came before his. Although the major artifact of his fantasy world is a white gold ring, this right of wild magic, is less like the One Ring than other authors' artifacts of power (say, a sword, or a stone that eventually becomes a pommel). If you're anything like me, you'll find his fantasy world to be much less annoying than Brooks' and Eddings'.
I recommend this series to all of you who like epic fantasy, and want something better than McDonalds, but not quite Smith & Wollensky.
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land to face a perpetual winter.Oh, if only Aslan would come... I mean, Thomas Covenant. Entering the land after witnessing a girl getting bitten by a rattlesnake, he tries to detach himself from the Land, which he's still not fully convinced is not a dream, and returns to the real world to save the girl. However, he soon is poisoned after sucking out the venom, and back to the Land he goes.
Here, he teams up with the last uncorrupted Giant, Saltheart Foamfollower, and the two must save the Land, Elena's ghost, and relieve Foul of the Staff of Law.
Donaldson, by far, is the best of the tolkienoid authors. His works lovingly borrow from the fantasy tomes that came before his. Although the major artifact of his fantasy world is a white gold ring, this right of wild magic, is less like the One Ring than other authors' artifacts of power (say, a sword, or a stone that eventually becomes a pommel). If you're anything like me, you'll find his fantasy world to be much less annoying than Brooks' and Eddings'.
I recommend this series to all of you who like epic fantasy, and want something better than McDonalds, but not quite Smith & Wollensky.
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LibraryThing member Lizparker
The final book in The chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. Covenant must come to terms with "the Land" and how he feels before everyone he knows is doomed. His final confrontation with Lord Foul will have farther reaching consequences than he knows. One of the best trilogys I have ever
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read, it stays with you long after with questions about what makes a hero, and how even the most horrid person can be redeemed. Show Less
LibraryThing member renbedell
Great ending of the first trilogy of Thomas Covenant. There has been a good build up to this book. The great part about this series is the characters and how they change through all the events of the 3 books. It really shines in this last book as the characters have to come to terms with who they
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are and how to preserve the future. Stephen Donaldson's philosophy really shows in this book too. I don't think it would have been so clear without the first 2 books building to it. So while the storyline is not wholly original, the characters, ending, prose, and the message really make this one of the best fantasy series I have read. Show Less
LibraryThing member alexis3700
Had to read because it is part of a series. Hero is still annoying.
LibraryThing member idanush
All that starts bad ends bad. This book gives the poor protagonist several seconds of hope and renewal and then it dutifully snatches them away.
A painful ending to a painful trilogy. Very strong stuff but I simply couldn't take it.
A painful ending to a painful trilogy. Very strong stuff but I simply couldn't take it.
LibraryThing member macha
best of the trilogy, with some nice descriptions of the terrain in the Land. a somewhat ingenious combination of the Fellowship of the Ring with Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, the series is marred by an inability to resolve the extreme inconsistencies of the main character's central tenets in any
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believable fashion. Show Less
LibraryThing member DinadansFriend
This is as good as Donaldson gets, this volume three of the dreary tale of Thomas Convenant. i don't care for Covenant, and have never been able to read Donaldson again with the exception of the first volume of his next trilogy, because I hoped it would be better.
It wasn't.
It wasn't.
LibraryThing member gayla.bassham
The best book of the trilogy, for sure. I liked this series OK, but it certainly does feel dated. Covenant is an interesting character, though. I am still planning to read the next trilogy, and I'm curious about whether Donaldson's writing style changes over the years.
LibraryThing member heidilove
decent enough, a satisfying conclusion
LibraryThing member ragwaine
The awesomeness of this book almost makes up for the tortuousness of the first book, and part of the 2nd book. Donaldson is an expert at writing about suffering. Every character in these books suffers from start to almost finish. A couple get lucky and make it to the end still alive, heavily
I guess, it's kind of original in fantasy novels, so I appreciate that, just not sure I want to read more of it. I hated Covenant almost the entire time. When one of his companions was someone who he had wronged and they loved him, I was delighted by thinking that he would suffer for it. Then I realized that he loves suffering and was always looking for a reason to be even more negative, so that ruined it for me.
BUT this still got 4 stars. What I loved, corrupted giants, friendly giants, ancient artifacts of power, huge sieges of ancient strongholds, lots and lots of magic, the deep history of the land, and of course, finally some good news for the good guys. About that good news, a couple people have talked about the "victory chapter". I loved it, but it seems like the key to it was "the oath of peace", which always seemed kind of lame to me. Like, "our whole world is being destroyed and everyone is being killed, but we better be nice and make sure we don't hurt the bad guys too much, unless we absolutely have to." Again, it almost became like a superhero trope, "we don't kill villains".
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scarred. I've seen this kind of plot structure in story arcs in comic books. Just completely beat the hell out of the heroes, make it seem like there's absolutely no way the good guys can win, and then they do. Except that Donaldson makes it so painful, that in the end you don't know if they really did win, considering how broken and damaged they are now. And unlike comic books, these heroes don't come back.I guess, it's kind of original in fantasy novels, so I appreciate that, just not sure I want to read more of it. I hated Covenant almost the entire time. When one of his companions was someone who he had wronged and they loved him, I was delighted by thinking that he would suffer for it. Then I realized that he loves suffering and was always looking for a reason to be even more negative, so that ruined it for me.
BUT this still got 4 stars. What I loved, corrupted giants, friendly giants, ancient artifacts of power, huge sieges of ancient strongholds, lots and lots of magic, the deep history of the land, and of course, finally some good news for the good guys. About that good news, a couple people have talked about the "victory chapter". I loved it, but it seems like the key to it was "the oath of peace", which always seemed kind of lame to me. Like, "our whole world is being destroyed and everyone is being killed, but we better be nice and make sure we don't hurt the bad guys too much, unless we absolutely have to." Again, it almost became like a superhero trope, "we don't kill villains".
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1977
Physical description
6.9 inches
ISBN
0345296583 / 9780345296580