[Eventine]

I think it all comes back to the potency vs impotency thing. Couple anger from being a leper + putting oneself into a very strict, controlling state of mind + being sexually frustrated with no release + suddenly being adored + sudden removal of impotence + Lena reminding TC of all his issues with Joan + believing he's in a dream + health + springwine + ???? and it all combines into a rape. When I was reading it this time I looked for precursors for it, and did notice three things in particular: the scene in town where he is looking at the young girls and dealing with agony of not being able to release himself sexually, the constant descriptions of TC perving on Lena, and some of the language used when discussing the effects of the hurtloam/springwine.

[Nimea]

Yes, Eventine, the story really led him there and that he raped her was even - uh-oh, saying "appropriate" sounds strange and awkward . . .
What I am unhappy about is the way it is dealt with, the way Covenant deals with it. When Triock tells Atiaran what happend - "broken without consent or care" - it really got to me. It is unbelievable what he has done to the girl, even more so in this Land, full of health, full of people that are sworn to peace!
But Covenant doesn't face it right than and later he kind of ignores it - like he does a lot. Thinking about it, it is quite in character of him - but that doesn't make me less unhappy, furious or unsatisfied.

Well, it makes me curious of what happens next. Makes me reading on . . . so, that is exactly what I will do now.

[Gary Wassner]

I was with a friend of Donaldson's this weekend at the World Fantasy Convention in Minneapolis, and he told me that we would all be shocked to hear him do a reading of his own work. What would you expect him to be like after what you have read so far?

[Eventine]

What would you expect him to be like after what you have read so far

I can't say after what I have read so far, but after reading most of his work and an interview or two I have a feeling he would be very self conscious. He has mentioned in interviews before that when writing darker characters such as TC and Angus Thermopyle (from the Gap series) he puts a bit of himself into them, and thinks that after reading the books everyone must see into a dark window in his soul (or something along those lines). So I am guessing that would make him self conscious, even when reading to a group of devoted fans who love himfor those very characters(a very Thomas Covenant like paradox there in fact).



On the topic of the book, I read the scene where Triock confronts TC and Atiaran. The great part about it is his reaction to actually feeling pain - it is the whole focus of his consciousness, even though 2 people nearby want to kill him. What struck me though, is the fact of how self centred this must make him appear to Atiaran - she is struggling with the fact that he has raped her daughter, and all he can do is mumble on about being in pain. She doesn't understand his leprosy (he is closed to her, so she doesn't understand the significance.

I'm enjoying thinking a bit more while I read this time - I'm trying to think from different perspectives to my normal reading, and I am finding I'm picking up on some of the more subtle things I missed when I was younger/less concentrated/reading for the first time.

[ezchaos]

You know, I've read some reviews & blurbs on the Thomas Covenant books that say Lord Foul's Bane and the other TC books borrow some from The Lord of the Rings. I don't see it.

Maybe you could make a comparison between Golum & Drool Rockworm and the One Ring & the White Gold Ring, but I think that's stretching it to say Donaldson borrowed these ideas from elsewhere.

IMO, LFB (and The Illearth War, since that's all I've read so far) is one of the most original stories I've read in a long time.

[Gary Wassner]

I understand that Donaldson is funny, friendly and very outgoing! Not what I expected to hear. He did a reading a while ago and my friend told me that he was a total delight!

[velvet hammer]

Have I lost my edge?

Please reassure me that I am not the only person having trouble getting into this book. I'm up to chapter 11 now and making good time but I keep finding my mind wandering. Usually I pick up a book (just about any book) and the rest of the world goes away...not this time.

I cannot make myself care about Covenant or what happens to him. The Land is intriguing but everytime it catches my attention Donaldson goes back into Covenant' head. Somehow I feel like the story line itself (up to this point) hasn't hooked me.

I'll keep slogging through it but when I'm willing to put down a book to do the dishes...:confused:

[Eventine]

That's a reasonably common complain velvet_hammer.
Most people who persever with it find that things really pick up in the following books however.

[Cadfael]

Originally posted by velvet hammer
Have I lost my edge?

I cannot make myself care about Covenant or what happens to him. The Land is intriguing but everytime it catches my attention Donaldson goes back into Covenant' head. Somehow I feel like the story line itself (up to this point) hasn't hooked me.

I wish I had a £ for every time I had read or heard that. :) TC is a very hard person to respect or care about. This was what made the books so radical at the time... it had only been done a few times before... to have a total jerk as the hero.

However it is worth persevering, LFB is the weakest book of both trilogies IMHO... they do get better.

[estranghero]

Originally posted by velvet hammer
I cannot make myself care about Covenant or what happens to him. The Land is intriguing but everytime it catches my attention Donaldson goes back into Covenant' head. Somehow I feel like the story line itself (up to this point) hasn't hooked me.

I'll keep slogging through it but when I'm willing to put down a book to do the dishes...:confused:

Hah, I know how you feel, velvet. I never really cared about Covenant but Donaldson's prose and descriptions of the Land was the only thing that kept me going to finish the book.