[Elan Morin Tedronai]

What has he written?

[Steven Savile]

Stephen R Donaldson was one of the breakthrough writers of the fantasy genre. His titles include The Chronicles of Thomas Covanent (Lord Foul's Bane, The Illearth War, The Wounded Land, The One Tree, White Gold Wielder, The Power That Preserves - as well as Gilden Fire (an excised chapter released as a novella) and Daughter of Regals (his first short story collection). He followed up the amazing success of Covanent with a duology, Mirror of Her Dreams and Mordants Need, which took the idea of mirrors from John Myers Myers Silverlock... Then he changed publisher and released The Gap Series, which saw him move into SF, with The Real Story, Dark And Hungry God Arises, This Day All Gods Die, Forbidden Knowledge and Chaos and Order). Last year he released a second collection of short stories, Reave The Just and Other Stories... rumours abound that a Third Chronicles of Thomas Covenant might appear...

In his spare time Stephen has also written 3 crime novels under the name Reed Stephens - The Man Who Killed His Brother, The Man Who Risked His Partner and The Man Who Tried To Get Away....


Stephen is a phenomonal writer who's first series was awarded the first prize of the British Science Fiction Society in 1977-1978, and he also received the John W. Campbell Award as the best new science fiction writer of 1978.

[Cadfael]

Elan... e-mail me your address brother, it is a crime that you cannot get these books in your country... I will send you the series, belive me... this is in my opinion one of the finest works of fantasy you could ever read.

Thomas Covenant is a very hard hero to like, in fact for the first 12 or so chapters of book one I hated him... but then I began to understand why he behaved the way he did.

'Covenant' is also the best 'crossover' book in my opinion. Covenant is believable in his reaction to finding himself in another world... he behaves just like I would... either I am dreaming, or I have gone insane.

[Shehzad]

Donaldson is a phenomenal writer, but opinon on him is rather sharply divided. His is not your run-of-the-mill fantasy series. No, his series has amazing depths that one either loves and gets lost in or feels encumber the story and hate. However, like Tolkien's LoTR, it is one of the series that every serious fantasy fan must have sampled.

'Covenant' is also the best 'crossover' book in my opinion. Covenant is believable in his reaction to finding himself in another world... he behaves just like I would... either I am dreaming, or I have gone insane.
Well, Dennizm, we agree again. but then where Covenant is concerned, we stand together.

And I KNOW FF is going to come in on this one.... http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[kaseryn]

Well said lads, I myself have sent copies of the COvenant series out complete to 3 poeple, just hoping they'll get to see some of what i found so amazing abt those books. They challenge the reader, but if u can get past superficial reactions to the main character and see his motivations.. the wider contexts.. the rewards are amazing http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Arithon]

I totally agree with all of you. Stephen Donaldson is an exceptional writer and Thomas Covenant is a piece of wonder. Surely, a must for every reader. I think that The Chronicles are equal to many great books of non-fantasy literature.

[James Barclay]

Another ting about Donaldson, who's work I've admired for years.

I met him at a UK launch party for 'The Mirror of her Dreams' quite a few years back now and got talking to him about his fight to get published n the first place.

He said that he took his work to 41, FORTY-ONE!! publishers before having it accepted.

It's extraordinary to think it could have taken a man of his talent that long but it tells us a few things. First, to all aspiring writers, keep going if you believe in your ability. Second, that publishing is a hugely subjective business and just because one, or forty-one, editors turn you down it doesn't make you bad. Third, that unless you're lucky, you have to have a very thick skin if you want to get published.

He's a supremely talented writer, in my opinion but even he had a really long struggle at the outset. It's a story that should give all the writers on these forums hope and inspiration.

[Kyleran]

There's no question that Stephen R. Donaldson is the most sophisticated and adept fantasy writer of the past 20 years. The hilarious part is that he ripped Tolkien off and got away with it. Both center on a magical ring in a medieval fantasy setting. The reason Donaldson could get away with this is because the feel of the book and the advanced use of symbols and archetypes is lightyears ahead of any writer in the field. I still have fond memories of Thom, Moram, Saltheart, the Elohim, Linden, and of course Lord Foul. It was so good I'm tempted to reread those novels. Too bad I'm not a speed reader. I'd give anything to read faster. -sigh-

Kyleran

[Elan Morin Tedronai]

Thanks guys for the info!

[Shehzad]

The hilarious part is that he ripped Tolkien off and got away with it. Both center on a magical ring in a medieval fantasy setting.

With all due respect Kyleran, I think you're mistaken here. The ONLY thing that Covenant and LoTR have in common is the fact that a ring figures prominently in both. However, the significance of the ring is vastly different, as is the feel of the novels. If you want to read a Tolkien rip-off, go read The Sword of Shannara. Donaldson got part of his idea of the "Ring" from Wagner's classic The Ring of Nibelung which, coincidentally also features a magic ring in a fantasy setting. (Hmm I wondered if Tolkien ripped Wagner off... http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif) Just because a magic ring is involved in both suggests more than it should. For the record people: LoTR and Covenant are two entirely different books in feel, style and scope.