White Gold Wielder (the Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant: Book 3)

Hardcover, 1983

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Publication

Del Rey Books (1983), Edition: Book Club Edition

Description

Fantasy. Fiction. Science Fiction. Thriller. HTML:White Gold Wielder: the stunning conclusion to Stephen Donaldson's extraordinary fantasy saga Thomas Covenant realized that despite their awful failure on the Isle of The One Tree, there was no alternative but to return to the Land and fight. Mhoram had warned him: ??. . . In the end, you must return to the Land.? After a long and arduous journey overland, the company reaches Revelstone. Following a fiery showdown with Gibbon Raver, Covenant discovers that he can come to terms with??and control??his awesome power. As he readies himself for the final showdown with Lord Foul, the Despiser, Thomas Covenant knows he has the ans

User reviews

LibraryThing member egb
It is not really possible to see the three books in the first or the second chronicles as separate from each other, but if I have to pick a favorite book of the six the choice will be between this one or "The Illearth War". In the end I will probably end up with White Gold Wielder though, as this
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is the book where the stories that have been started as far back as in Lord Foul's Bane are concluded.

The story starts when Thomas Covenant and his companions leave the isle of the One Tree and travels back to the Land to confront Lord Foul. It ends with the final confrontation between Covenant and the Despiser and with the resolution of the story of Linden Avery.

White Gold Wielder is a book that mostly concerns itself with endings. How they are brought about and what comes after. All the victories in the book are dearly bought, but maybe all the more appreciated for that.
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LibraryThing member egb
It is not really possible to see the three books in the first or the second chronicles as separate from each other, but if I have to pick a favorite book of the six the choice will be between this one or "The Illearth War". In the end I will probably end up with White Gold Wielder though, as this
Show More
is the book where the stories that have been started as far back as in Lord Foul's Bane are concluded.

The story starts when Thomas Covenant and his companions leave the isle of the One Tree and travels back to the Land to confront Lord Foul. It ends with the final confrontation between Covenant and the Despiser and with the resolution of the story of Linden Avery.

White Gold Wielder is a book that mostly concerns itself with endings. How they are brought about and what comes after. All the victories in the book are dearly bought, but maybe all the more appreciated for that.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jveezer
In the Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, ten years have passed for Covenant on our earth. When he is summoned back to The Land thousands of years have passed and his deeds have become the stuff of myth and legend while the land has changed dramatically. This trilogy is even darker than the
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First Chronicles and both of the primary protagonists, Covenant and Linden Avery, definitely qualify as anti-heroes. The Land itself has been twisted into a malevelant caricature of its former healthy self. It is really interesting to watch the character of Linden and her relationship with Covenant slowly develop as the books move along.

Finally, in White Gold Wielder, the Second Chronicle builds to a close as the quest returns to The Land to confront the Clave and Lord Foul. Donaldson has plenty of twists left in him and plenty of dispair in store for Covenant as he reaches his final crisis. All in all the book is a great ending to finish off the Second Chronicles.
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LibraryThing member rmcdow
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant series are the only books that have ever made me sweat. Stephen Donaldson weaves a tale that is excruciating to read if you tend to identify with protagonists in a story, but this is not really a problem if you are interested in character development. Years after I
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read this book, and the others in this series, I read about Donaldson's early childhood, and finally understood how he caused the protagonist's story to reach out of the book and grab you.
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LibraryThing member coffeesucker
Left me gasping for air!
LibraryThing member hredwards
Just reread this after several years and was disappointed.
I was dealing with some dpression and this book just seemed to make it worse.
Although I liked a few elements, seemed to be a dreary read.
LibraryThing member DinadansFriend
I'm no fan of Thomas Covenant, but in those days there was a good deal less long fantasy to read. So I did read this, but as my only alternatives were "Horseclans" books, I claim lack of good stuff. Dreary Thomas keeps pushing people away, and I can't see why they keep trying to help him.
LibraryThing member MathewBridle
The second Thomas Covenant Trilogy comes to an end with a more than satisfying conclusion. As is the norm with Thomas Covenant we are treated to a fair number of introspective moments as indeed we are with Linden Avery. But not without good reason. The love between the two lead characters is
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complicated by their individual inept ability to quickly forgive. This is important as it shapes the closing the moments of the book and leaves us in an interesting predicament for the next book. I’ll spoil nothing here which makes writing this a bit more difficult.

If you are fan of classic fantasy that is beautifully crafted, vibrant and truly alive then you really should give his saga a try. The heartache felt by Covenant at the desecration of the Land that he loves fuels his rage at the Despiser, Lord Foul, to such an extent that he risks tearing the world apart with his wild magic.

The Elohim, Findail, and the demondim born, Vain, draw nearer to the revelation of their purpose. Findail constantly trying to kill Vain while Vain himself becomes more determined than ever to fulfil his purpose. The giant Swordmain gets to test her mettle against the cavewights with her loyal husband at her side while Thomas Covenant and Linden Avery go face to face with ravers and Lord Foul.

Covenant fears for those that willingly lay their lives down for him with no regard for their own. Earthfriend, is what the Giants of Dromond name him for truly he loves the land. By this stage in the saga Linden Avery has learned to use her sight to heal all manner of ills and injuries and ultimately she must face the raving of the Sunbane. There is so much that happens in this one book alone that a brief review such as this cannot do justice.

I would so love to give examples from this story and give my deeper thoughts to the reasons for events and how they might play out in the future but I resolutely refuse to spoil the story in way. So to conclude: The White Gold Wielder is a fitting conclusion to the second trilogy more so than The Power That Preserves ended the first. I look forward to reading the next our the last of which may even be out by the time that I get through the rest.

A well earned 8/10
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Original publication date

1983
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