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Submitted by Dennis Miller
(Apr 05, 1999)These books comprise two trilogies, The First - and The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, The
Unbeliever. In my opinion, they are without doubt the finest books available in the fantasy genre at the present
time. Donalson's writing style is florid with detail, his very words convey the despair that the hero faces.
A new reader when approaching these books for the first time should take heed, throw away any pre-concieved
ideas you may have on how the hero should behave. he will disapoint you. Many may even be tempted to lay the
books aside, because of frustration with the main character. In the first book at the beginning of the tale he
commits an act so dispicable, that it is very very hard to forgive him, and thereby associate with him.
The key reconciling this is to look first at what has happened to our "hero" before the events related in the books
come to pass, through no fault of his own he has been taken to the edge of madness, his family deserts him, and
his friends and neighbours treat him as an unclean outcast. It takes him a long time to come to terms with how his
life is to run its course, but come to terms he does. Then all of a sudden, he is put in a situation where the very
reason for his predicament is impossibly taken away, his very surrounding assault all that he has come to accept.
Having said all that, it is not a book where you have to be super intelligent to understand, it is at the end of the day
a damn fine tale, open the first page with an open mind, do not expect Thomas Covenant to be 'your' hero, give
him time, he has a long hard road to climb.
Submitted by Dark Lord
(Mar 14, 1999)Poor Dr, you obviously have missed out somehow. Donaldson is one of the few authors to bring tears to my
eyes. Nothing happened? What happens is the gradual transformation of the anti-hero into the hero, the outcast
into the saviour, the bitter hater into the shamed lover. It is the passage of humanity into godhood, the redemption
of our most base emotions. Covenant is what we hate most about our selfish world, and yet he is what is needed
most by another, more perfect world. The final lesson to learn about Lord Foul is not that hatred and superficial
strength, but the power of love and joy. Is this not Tolkien's message? Were we not taught that the strong shall
fail (Haruchai), and the humble shall win (Covenant, Brinn, Pitchwife)? Does not Donaldson's work teach us the
value of sacrifice, that life is worthless unless it needs defence by blood and death? Thrill-seeking readers beware,
you are unprepared for this author. Only those who wish to question that which is worthy should read on....
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