The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant - Fatal Revenant

Some good reviews are already out there and I dont want to spoil the book or the ending for those that havent read it yet. But if you havent bought this book. BUY IT NOW! For those that read the First Chronicles and remember how good 'The Illearth War' was.. Fatal Revenant could easily eclipse that! Its a incredible ride and easily competes with anything that Donaldson has ever written! So what are you sitting here reading this for? GO BUY IT NOW!

I have found all the Thomas Covenant books to be very interesting and wonderfully written. I have all the Thomas Covenant books. This is an excellent continuation of the series. I would highly recommend this book

First of all - I have been a big fan of Mr. Donaldson, and so it pains me deeply that his storytelling and writing style has degraded so much. It is very much like Michael Jordan during his last days with the Wizards hobbling around, nowhere near his glory days. Where to begin? I though Runes of the Earth was weak, but I was hoping for things to pick up. Spoilers ahead--------

1. Stephen, does MS word have a function to count the number of times you use the same obscure words? Theurgy. Condign. Eldritch. You get the idea.

2. Stephen, thousands of years have gone by, yet compared to the 2nd chronicles (where everyone forgot about Covenenant, etc), now no one has forgotten anything (ie the Ramen without any apparent written language, remember everything, the Haruchai/Masters remember stuff from like 10 thousand years ago just from their mind melding), but the Giants from Home don't really remember much about Revelstone, Covenenant or the Grieve??

3. A whole "new" race of people happen to appear, the Insequent, who have been around almost forever, can travel through time (yet still not pollute the time line (how is that possible?? Berek learned the seven words from the Theomach, right?)), about as powerful as Elohim but can be commanded if you know their true name, etc. How weak. You had plenty of races to work with.

4. You have an epoch battle with caveweights, kresh, waynhim, urviles, Haruchai, Woodhelivinnin, Ramen, Ranyhyn and throw in a bunch of Sandgorgons for good measure? Give me a break.

I could go on all night. Bottom line, I'll read his next two books out of curiosity, but make no mistake, SRD is not what he used to be. That is very painful to say. Treasure the first 2 chronicles.

This book was missing three chapters! It's hard to follow the story when that many pages are missing. It's not like they fell out, the binding was in perfect condition and the book looked as though it had never been opened. At a time when e-reading is an option I wish the makers of physical books would do a better job with quality control.

Fatal Revenant is an impressive book I found more satisfying than its very good predecessor, The Runes Of The Earth. FR is divided into two parts. In the first section, Linden travels with 2 new companions, escaping the siege of Revelstone to journey back in time to Melenkurion Skyweir. This proves a difficult journey both physically and emotionally, and Linden is forged into a more “dangerous” person, both to the extent that she is more powerful and that her thirst for revenge has been powerfully aroused. Linden emerges as a threat somewhat similar to Covenant in the Second Chronicles. In the second section of the book, Linden returns to Revelstone, where she and her original band of travelling companions from ROTE journey to seek Loric’s Krill in Andelaine. The ending of the book really raises the stakes for the rest of the series. I am definitely curious to see where Donaldson takes the story from here.

Having Linden journey to Melenkurion Skyweir is in some ways a risky move on Donaldson’s part. Linden is separated from her main supporting cast for much of the story. She spends a lot of this time bewildered and frustrated, and if readers were hoping for the story to pull into clear focus after the bewilderments and frustrations of ROTE, Donaldon instead gives them more puzzles. The saving grace here, and a masterful stroke by Donaldson, is the addition of the Insequent. These powerful beings remind me of the Unfettered, whom I have always found fascinating. There is actually a connection of sorts, though I won’t spell it out here. The Insequent help Linden (though not all mean her well); they are used to enrich our knowledge of the Land’s history and the previous Chronicles (as in the story of the Vizard and the Haruchai); and because FR exploits time travel much more richly than ROTE, the Insequent are even used to bring together Linden’s journey to Melenkurion Skyweir and the development of the Land’s history. The Insequent provide some of the finest scenes in the book, such as the Theomach teaching the Seven Words, or the Mahdoubt eliciting gratitude from Linden and later making sacrifices on her behalf.

Linden’s travelling companions from the first volume are well rendered in this book as well. Stave is impressive. (Of course, after the end of ROTE would we expect anything less?) It is gratifying to watch how Donaldson shows how Stave’s isolation and awareness combine to give him new and unexpected advantages. The Stonedownor Liand comes into his own in FR, and even manages to win the love of the Ramen cord Pahni. The Ramen in general are given opportunities to demonstrate their worth (especially in the forest of Salva Gildenbourne), and Mahrtiir’s characterization is enriched as he is forced to cope with an especially trying setback. And Anele is still Anele, usually cryptic and mad.

The 3 “Humbled” from Revelstone also travel with Linden’s party to Andelaine. They display their formidable Haruchai competence and the Masters’ distrust of Linden. And later in the book Linden and her crew encounter and team-up with Giants as well, though the Giants are not really showcased here as they were in some of the earlier Covenant books.

FR is a more rewarding read than ROTE, though it becomes clear after reading FR just how effectively ROTE “set the stage” for FR. For instance, Linden needed her staff prior to her journey to Melenkurion Skyweir, both to assist her, but also because on her journey the staff itself is made more powerful. (This is one aspect of Linden becoming more dangerous.) It becomes clear too in retrospect that in ROTE, Donaldson introduced new features to the Covenant story that he more fully exploits in FR. It is as if Donaldson used his first volume to help smooth the transition to some of the more novel aspects of the series. One novel aspect is the time-travel; another is the existence of a host of powerful, demi-god-like figures who strut across the pages of the story with a capacity to alter everything. In ROTE we were introduced to Esmer and to a lesser extent, as it turns out, Kastennesen. In FR the various Insequent, and a powerfully enhanced Roger Covenant are added to the mix. And of course, Lord Foul, Ravers, and the Elohim Infelice are still around. More so than his other Covenant chronicles, the Last Chronicles is crowded with many different figures who could be characterized as Powers.

Having read the first 3 books of the Malazan Book Of The Fallen, I can’t help but think that in the Last Chronicles Donaldson demonstrates the influence of Steven Erikson, an author Donaldson greatly admires. Erikson’s world of course also contains a large supply of powerful, superhuman figures with differing and at times conflicting agendas, who appear out of the blue and profoundly alter the plans of others by throwing their weight around. And there was one particular battle scene in the second half of FR that reminded me of a Malazan mage battle. Another similarity with Erikson is that Donaldson in the Last Chronicles seems to be parceling out his information slowly and in bits and pieces, forcing the reader to really work hard and pay especially close attention to what is going on. Of course, Donaldson manages to incorporate these “Eriksonian” elements in a way that enhances rather than undermines Donaldson’s own fantasy creation. And, it must be said, Erikson, who is a fan Thomas Covenant, has probably taken some lessons of his own (or at least derived some inspiration) from Donaldson. Erikson’s human heroes, like Donaldson’s, refuse to walk the degrading paths of servitude laid down for them in their fantasy world, and compellingly struggle to affirm what Donaldson might style “the necessity of freedom.”

I would further suggest that Donaldson is also engaged in some sort of friendly contest with Erikson. By writing 4 volumes in his Last Chronicles, Donaldson brings the Covenant story to 10 volumes, allowing Fantasy fans to ponder which Fantasy great has the best 10 book series. Yes, Donaldson is still ambitious after all these years.

At one point in this book, the Theomach teaches Berek Halfhand and Linden to support the munificence of creation, defining this as “Life. Growth. Enhancement.” In his fantasy books, Donaldson exemplifies the munificence of creation at work. Fatal Revenant is no exception.

I'm a bit disturbed at the repetition in this book. It's unnecessary, pointless and bland - and it serves to dull the reader to the emotion of the book, not make it better. The complete absence of < 4 star ratings on the the store page did nothing to dispel my wrath at this poorly-written book. It's not that the events aren't solid, the characters intriguing, the story gripping - it's the sheer dearth of words you have to burrow through to access anything resembling action, instead of someone just repeating something someone said seven books back or 1 paragraph ago. Jesus christ. I've seen religious sermons by the buddha that are less repetitious, and he always repeats himself 3 times for emphasis and memory recall!

I was eager to read the second volume of The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. Though a vast introduction, The Runes of the Earth, with its cliffhanger ending, left fans begging for more. Hence, I couldn't wait to return to the Land once more, and see where Fatal Revenant would take this tale.

The sequel begins right where The Runes of the Earth ended. But if you are hoping for a happy reunion between Linden and Thomas Covenant and her son Jeremiah, you are obviously not familiar with Stephen R. Donaldson's work. Revelations are made that will break Linden's heart, and she must find the strength within herself to persevere.

As was the case with the previous trilogies in the Covenant saga, Donaldson's narrative conjures up vivid and magical images. Vast in scope and vision, Fatal Revenant answers many questions that were raised by its predecessor. Indeed, secrets about Kastenessen, the Durance, the skurj, the Giants, the Haruchai, Kevin's Dirt, the Elohim, Roger Covenant, the Demondim, the ur-viles, the Waynhim, and more are revealed. Add to that a journey back into time, the introduction of the Insequent -- a cabal of powerful wizards who oppose the Elohim, a showdown beneath Melenkurion Skyweir, and a lot more, and you have a very satisfying reading experience in front of you!

I truly enjoyed the manner with which the author brought Fatal Revenant to a close, even though it is more or less anti-climatic and yet another cliffhanger. I expect some readers to find this off-putting, but I thought it was apropos to end it in such a fashion.

As always, my main complaint remains that the dialogues often don't ring true. When a vulgar villager uses a vocabulary which would put an English major to shame, something's not right. So expect terms such as condign, sooth, benison, puissant/puissance, oblique/obliquely, etc, to pepper throughout the chapters of this novel.

Given the author's career, I was expecting a bit more character growth in this second volume. And yet, other than where Stave is concerned, there is not much growth to speak of. Still, since Linden and her companions find themselves into dire straits at every turn, this might explain why. . .

One facet of this novel which could have been better is the pace. Donaldson's Covenant books have never been known for their fast-paced narrative, but various portions of Fatal Revenant are sluggish and break the overall rhythm of the story.

Nevertheless, fans of the Thomas Covenant saga should love this new installment. As a matter of fact, you may pre-order this one without fear that it won't live up to your expectations.

The press release claims that the addition of a synopsis of all previous Covenant books at the start of this one makes Fatal Revenant the perfect jumping-on point for new readers, who will supposedly find the story easily accessible. This, I must say, is the biggest lie I've heard in quite a while. The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant are a highly imaginative saga that resounds with depth and complexity. As such, it is impossible to jump in at this point without reading the first two trilogy, not if you want to appreciate this tale for what it is -- one of the classics of the genre.

Fatal Revenant is for aficionados who crave high fantasy tales with depth and substance.

A great follow up to 'The Runes of the Earth' (first book in the "The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" trilogy); in fact, I liked it much better that the first.

To me, this book confirms Donaldson's place among the great fantasy writers of this era; his skill with maintaining and building upon a story line is exemplified in this novel. And although I felt that first quarter of the book was a little slow to get going (my only minor complaint), it then picked up pace and held my interest right to the very end. There were some great battles, epic journeys and a smattering of the unexpected that gave a wonderful pace and variety to this tale.

Fatal Revenant is notable for its overall depth, character development and story line. There are a host of interesting characters in this latest installment that are either new, or old acquaintances from previous stories. Linden Avery is once again the main protagonist in this second novel and she presents as a rather insecure heroine that continually has concerns about the legitimacy of her 'position' and her abilities to carry through with her plans; however, these perceived frailties give her a very real human quality.

Conclusions:
A book I couldn't wait to get back to; a great addition to this, the final Thomas Covenant series. This novel invites you to find some undisturbed time, a comfortable chair and a cozy fireplace. However, be sure to bring your Dictionary/Thesaurus; I found a plethora of words here that I did not recognize and even a few that were unknown by the Google/dictionary search engine. Overall, a worthy 5 Stars!

P.S.
Anyone who has not read the previous books would be absolutely lost in this novel. Its been a long while since I read the original 6 books in this series and I had some difficultly remembering and keeping older events, (that were continually referred to in this tale), in context to this present book's storyline.

"Be cautious of love. There is a glamour upon it which binds the heart to destruction."

This is a warning given to Linden Avery, newly returned to The Land. Once known as The Chosen, Linden strives to save The Land from peril at the hands of Lord Foul. More importantly, she seeks to rescue her son from his clutches. FATAL REVENANT picks up at the precise moment where its predecessor, THE RUNES OF THE EARTH, left off.

Revelstone is under siege. Linden and her friends feel the weight of hopelessness fold over them until that one spark emerges from the gloom, offering aid and hope. Thomas Covenant, long-dead hero and ur-Lord, returns. Not alone does he come to Revelstone. In his company is Jeremiah, Linden's adopted son, who is no longer the shell of a boy he was in our Earth time. Jeremiah now is attentive, speaks and is devoted to Covenant.

For all of her joy, however, Linden cannot help but sense that something is amiss. Covenant, her old lover, seems remarkably the same and yet so different. He tells Linden that she can touch neither he nor Jeremiah, and she also is not permitted to use the Staff of Law without undoing all he has struggled to achieve. Covenant explains that he has folded time, making it possible for them to exist in two places at once. Her touch or her use of power will undo his magic. And he also demands his white gold ring.

Elusive in his answers to a growing list of her concerns, Covenant --- the longtime savior of The Land --- declares that he can end the onslaught of the forces of Kastenessen and his apparent master, Lord Foul. Linden does not share his surety, yet she also has no choice but to follow Covenant on his quest, for she is torn by her uneasiness about him and her heart's desire for him to be alive once more. Only as they undertake their mission can she hope to uncover the truth about Covenant's supposed rise from death, what his true purpose is concerning Jeremiah and how she can free her son and return home.

Forever in the back of her mind is the fateful warning to be cautious, but sometimes the heart overpowers thought. For Linden, and The Land, it can have horrific consequences.

FATAL REVENANT is a resounding success on multiple levels. It is a continuation of an already intriguing story, one that does not suffer from "middle book syndrome," in which nothing is either answered or achieved. In fact, many answers to the questions from THE RUNES OF THE EARTH are provided. Yet for every gap that is filled and for every solution uncovered, a new hurdle rises up.

Linden Avery continues to be a strong focus, and this volume shows her incredible struggle to locate and uphold her own personal strength. Faced with the heartbreaking inability to touch Covenant, for whom she still longs, or her son Jeremiah, she is equal parts devastated and concerned. That concern builds her resolve as she refuses to yield to the possibility that all is what it seems. Likewise, her trusted companion, Stave, is an excellent character to follow and is quite simply the one soul that experiences the most growth over the course of the series thus far.

As one would expect from Stephen R. Donaldson, his descriptive passages are mesmerizing and as vivid as the most spectacular of dreams. You can easily see The Land in all its glory --- every mountain peak, every lake, every plain is richly detailed and laid before you without ever becoming burdensome in the telling. Although he presents this tale in more flowered and patient language than most modern epics, it seems merely to add to the depth of his vast world rather than remove you from it.

Donaldson ends FATAL REVENANT with another groan-inducing cliffhanger, one that will not resume for another couple of years. Now, halfway through The Last Chronicles, he has elevated the stature of epic fantasy to new heights and reclaimed a throne that he never truly gave up so much as took a rest from.

--- Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard

Donaldson had to work very hard to wrap this series up, and the incessant introduction of new and spurious characters as well as sudden new species of super-powerful hominids whose purposes remained conveniently hidden so they didn't have to be explained or integrated made it hard to finish for me as well. It's a better way to fix problems than the deus ex machina resolutions that J.K. Rowlings relies on so frequently, but only barely.

Fatal Revenant is the second book in the third Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, following two trilogies published in the late 1970s and early 1980s. These two prior trilogies probably constitute the greatest work in epic fantasy ever written -- better overall, in my estimation, even than Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Silmarillion. For they fulfill Tolkien's own standards of completeness and eucatastrophe in a more adult and haunting story of beauty, power, moral challenge and complexity. The existential questions posed in the first two trilogies plumb the depths of the human soul, while the depiction of the Earthpower (probably developed from Leguin's portrayal of magic in the Earthsea trilogy) expresses the creative and unappropriable forces of nature that Tolkien saw as the heart of fairy-stories. Here again, Donaldson actually improves on the conception of "magic" that Tolkien portrays primarily through high elves. Donaldson's plot lines are intricately planned and often surprising, hard to anticipate in full even for the most avid fan. And his literary style raises epic fantasy as a whole to a higher standard, bringing it back to the great traditions to which it traces (the romantic poets, Mallory, Edmund Spenser, the Arthurian legends, and the classical epics). In this genre, the subtlety and psychological sophistication of Donaldson's writing is probably unsurpassed.

After a hiatus of almost three decades, during which Donaldson published short stories, the two-volume Mordant's Need fantasy story, and a hard-hitting science fiction quintilogy based loosely on Wagner's Ring cycle, he has returned to complete the story of Covenant, Linden Avery, and "the Land" - his Leopoldian name for the primary realm of action in this fantasy world. He has said that the story to be completed in the "Last Chronicles" was already envisioned and anticipated before the Second Chronicles were completed. The stage is set in the first book of the new series, titled Runes of the Earth, with the retrieval of the lost Staff of Law and the apparent return of Thomas Covenant to a Land unable to defend itself from the new powers that threaten to tear it apart because knowledge of the Earthpower has been repressed. While Runes of the Earth is heavy on character introduction, reflection, puzzles, and stage-setting for the entire new series, Fatal Revenant is action-packed and includes a couple scenes of transcending pathos - one as great as anything Donaldson has written. For anyone who has read the earlier novels, this scene will be impossible to put down. I found it hard to sleep the night after reading it. For anyone coming to the Covenant books for the first time with the Final Chronicles, this book will definitely compel you to read to first two trilogies.

As Donaldson promised, for part of the story, the reader is taken back to the pre-history of the Land when the forces that shaped the Land before Covenant's first arrival are in action. Several pieces of the puzzle that have been missing for readers since the 1970s are finally put in place. Thus the whole story of the Land comes alive again; the book resonates with significance for the earlier novels. At a late point in Fatal Revenant, I found myself pouring through The One Tree again trying to find clues that would help me figure out who is telling the truth in the new book. Again, the intricacy and subtlety of Donaldson's conception is almost mind-bending. Like most of Donaldson's works, it is also an emotional roller-coaster. The only problem is that the cliffhanger ending of the book will leave readers unhappy to wait until 2010 for the next volume in the series. It's an ending from which recovery seems hard to imagine, so it will be interesting to see how he manages it. We are told that two more books will follow this one, making the Final Chronicles a quadrilogy. Perhaps this new series will finally make a major film studio realize that the time has come to make large-scale feature movies of the First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

KINDLE version review
Love the story, HATE HATE THE TYPOS! Publishers need to fix the typos, sot =not, hhe = be, and many many more, too many to list.
I loved the series in hard cover but the kindle versions need fixing badly
: (

Donaldson Has Astonished Me!

Of all of Stephen R. Donaldson's books, Runes of the Earth reminded me the most of the first half of his Mordant's Need duology,The Mirror of Her Dreams. Mirror serves as a very careful setting of stage, events, and characters that explode into action in the next book,A Man Rides Through.

And like A Man Rides Through, the followup to Runes of the Earth, Fatal Revenant, is packed with nearly nonstop action.

I thought it was right up there with the better books in the series.

Lots of action and adventure.

Cool new races and characters, and return of some of my old favorites.

Can also be read as a great action story on one level and on other levels can be read as:

* the spiritual journey of one woman who had been emotionally tortured as a child, dealing with the lingering wounds of the harm done to her in the form of extreme self doubt, difficulty in making decisions, difficulty in trusting and opening up to others, and self-distrust
(For all of the complaining and whining people make over Linden Avery, to me she is an astonishingly realistic portrayal of an adult survivor of severe childhood emotional abuse, and - love her or loathe her - one of the best written characters in fantasy).

* an exploration of what parents do to their children and what children do to their parents - in other words, families; which nicely complements the First Chonicles and their exploration of the achivements (and failures) of individuals removed from their societies, and the Second Chonicles' exploration of couples

* the value of free will and self determination, from a patient being able to accept or reject the services of a doctor to decisions that affect the fate of entire worlds

As Donaldson calls upon all of his past books in this series, I would not start with this book. I would read the series in order:
Lord Foul's Bane (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Book 1)
The Illearth War: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Book Two
Gilden-Fire (an out take novella from The Illearth War)
The Power That Preserves (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Book 3)
The Wounded Land (The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Book 1)
The One Tree (The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Book 2)
White Gold Wielder (The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Book 3)
The Runes of the Earth (The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Book 1)
In fact, even for those who have reviously read all of those books, I would highly recommend a reread of them all before tackling Fatal Revenant, in order to pick many more nuances than merely rereading Runes of the Earth will provide. A reread is well worth the time when dealing with a series that is so truly epic in scope; extending through thousands of years, over two worlds, and containing many important characters, concepts, and situations. Donaldson rarely wastes a word, and brief descriptions of events and characters in previous books (especially in The One Tree) take on great importance here.

When we last met Linden Avery and company they were trapped in Revelstone with the Masters of the Land. Besieged by Demondim come out of the past and with the power of the Ill-Earth Stone directed right at them suddenly riding straight through the horde with the monsters on their heels came Thomas Covenant and Jeremiah. However, Jeremiah and Covenant are not the same people Linden knew and doubts crowd in on her love and need for them.

The cliffhanger ending of the Runes of the Earth picks up where the story left off and propels the reader into a mad dash into the Land's past and into its heart in search of the power Linden needs to free Jeremiah from the clutches of Lord Foul (yes, even though he is with his mom, he is still a prisoner of Lord Foul) and save the Land. With his characteristic high tension situations, drama, and lots of action Stephen R. Donaldson has surpassed himself. You will be able to keep up, but I challenge anyone to spot where this complex plot is going. Keep your dictionary handy for Donaldson's barrage of huge words, and pay close attention to this amazing second installment of the Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

What is there to say about Fatal Revenant that cannot be summed up with the words "wow, just.... wow." Because on completing this latest chapter in Donaldson's final chronicles of Thomas Covenant you will find his wordcraft both puissant and stupifying. There truly are no words for long time Covenant fans that will not in some way take away from the wonder. So, I have decided to review this novel a little differently.

For those new to Covenant:
Yes others have said it; so will I. Go directly to Lord Foul's Bane. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Why? Because all the joy and mastery of these works tumbles down and gathers on itself much like a landslide. When "event X" happens in Fatal Revenant you may find it kinda cool as an intro to Covenant, but with a couple thousand pages of history behind it, "wow, just.... wow."

For old Covenant fans who are just waiting for their copy of Fatal Revenant to arrive:
Would you please just go do something else? Your fertile mind does not need even the seeds of spoilers planted.

And then there's those of you who read Runes of the Earth and though "uhhh.... I don't know about this":
Personally, I was in your shoes about six months ago. I knew Fatal Revenant was soon to be released, but really wasn't sure if I was going to buy it or not. Short answer, I did. And I am so glad I did. Donaldson says Runes was the launch pad from which the ICMBs in the following installments would be launched. It is. He also says he feels Fatal Revenant is the best work he has ever done. It is. He says he took the years between the second chronicles and the last to stretch himself and grow as a writer. He did. Get off the fence you won't be dissappointed. Even those who find reason to criticize this work (few that they are) acknowledge that it is a wonderful book.

Stephen Donaldson had become, after his mind-bogglingly fertile first trilogy--well, ever since the underwhelming The One Tree--a fantasist inspiring my moderate interest. Evaluating high fantasy is a difficult business, because when high fantasy works best it is entirely subjective: a sense of plot inevitability, imaginative fecundity, and wonder, wonder, wonder. Donaldson's imaginative engine was firing on all cylinders all the way up through ROTE, but some of these later volumes just didn't have the same effect. I didn't want to visit the places (even to shudder in horror); I didn't want to spend time with the new characters; I didn't feel the need to follow the plot trajectory. Could be me, could be Donaldson. Whatever.

The Fatal Revenant was not like that. It took me back nearly two decades to when Lord Foul's Bane and The Illearth War first concussed my imagination. It jarred my jaded fantasy palate awake. This is a really good book, and I think it's in part because in FR, Donaldson manages to overpower some of his regular pitfalls.

One is "hyper-emotionalism of the lead character." Perhaps you remember Thomas Covenant, cranky to the gills and acting solely on crankiness. He glowers at everyone. He bites the hand that feeds him, rapes the person who greets him. He would like to overcome his despair and intransigence, but can't, which predicament leads to both the reader and Covenant knowing intellectually that Covenant is going to do the wrong thing before he does it, being powerless to prevent it, and kicking him before, during, and after. He is moody. He acts on his moods, unfortunately. He, at least, has the excuse of being a leper, so his emotions are exotic enough to simulate some kind of wonder, but the advent of Linden as main character removes even that excuse for Donaldson. Linden's emotional range is exaggerated but not unfamiliar: she has a wretched childhood, she feels tremendous guilt for her parents' demise, she tries to atone for her past through her career choice, she loves a man she cannot figure out, and in ROTE she goes after Lord Foul, kidnapper of her son, with a Little-League-parent's fury (you can assign a name of some acquaintance to almost all of those emotional complexes). Donaldson's moneymakers are characters-motivated-by-deep-emotional-torture. That tactic sits uneasily in a fantasy world; you'd better have some kind of fantastic emotional torture, like leprosy, to negotiate the difference between wonder and agony, wonder and psychological depth. In FR, to my great relief, the first half of the book consisted of Linden craving to behave a certain way and--not doing so! Because of logic! She was able to overcome her own inclination! That Donaldson is capable of writing such intellectual heroism for his main character gives me great hope for the future. It also makes Linden jump the tracks to become a genuinely interesting lead in her own right. FR makes clearer than anything else I've read both that Linden has a spot in the Land's pantheon right alongside the sainted TC (courtesy of the Elohim and our newly-discovered race paying her more attention than they do TC), and that she deserves it.

Another is that Tolkien knew what Donaldson seems not to know: the Anglo-Saxon monosyllable (e.g., "stone") is a much more agreeable vehicle for wonder than the Latinate polysyllable. Really, which of Donaldson's pet words thrills you more: "Land" (oh, what a land!) or "roborant"? It is possible that Donaldson means to be lexically educational: he frequently repeats the same obscure words in the same contexts so that by crushing repetition perhaps we'll learn them. In FR, we had roborant quite a bit, lacustrine . . . many of the old friends--only fitting in a book called Fatal "Revenant." What's next: a third volume "Roynish Glaive"? I cracked the book open and almost immediately saw that Linden was looking out of Revelstone from a "coign"--exactly the same spot that I learned the word years ago: a previous book, but the same Revelstone--who knows, maybe even the same 'coign.' Oh no, I thought, here we go again. But Donaldson pushed himself this time. Andelain wasn't once viridian. I can't recall exactly where, but at one spot I could tell Donaldson was just itching to use the word "irrefragable"--and didn't. I was proud of him. He reached for the dictionary and found a bunch of new pedantic words to go with his old ones, and that more or less fit the entire strategy of the book: visiting places we'd met before (chiefly in the Illearth War, best of Donaldsonian books) but with added elements, ingredients, twists. Form, meet content.

A third: the first couple hundred pages of this book (I forget if this is an old fault or not) are almost entirely discursive, consisting chiefly of Linden asking enigmatic questions and getting oblique answers. Linden in Revelstone, asking questions. Linden on a journey, asking questions at every stop. Every new character=new lines of questioning. What an abysmal narrative strategy--but astonishingly, it worked. Each line of questioning opened up new vistas of high fantastic history, shedding light on the seven previous volumes, but the kind of light that cast still more information into shadow. You couldn't have been interested in FR without reading those previous books, but if you've read them, you couldn't have helped being mesmerised by Linden's Q&A sessions. It was like talking to the author. It was like the author giving you the most fruitful questions to ask him about his creation.

Fourth, well, this hasn't changed. Donaldson (see: hyper-tortured-emotionalism discussion above) really doesn't demonstrate a sense of humour in these books. I still can't figure out why the Giants are laughing. But the long Q&A sessions do serve one of the purposes of humour: to relieve the emotional tension a little bit, to move the story off the rack into the cell--refresh it with some old bread and water, let its muscles stiffen in time for the next torture session a few chapters later.

Fifth, the addition of the new race ups the stakes of this series in a way that ROTE, with all its kidnapping and caesure-flinging, did not. Something truly new (but truly consonant with the Land and all that has come before) promises to re-invent what we know about the Land without disappointing us or demolishing what we knew about the Land. Courtesy of time-travel, we re-visit old people, old places, and learn more about them, but they do not pall (lose their wonder) in familiarity, nor do they become other than what we thought they were--just deeper. Donaldson didn't lie or mislead us before; he just hadn't told us the whole truth yet.

Pretty exciting stuff. The magic is back.

If you are reading this and trying to decide if you should be getting the next book in the series, the answer is: If you made it this far, you definitely should. The complex language, the dark themes, the vitality of the Land, it's all there.

There's a few BUTs here meaning this book disappoints in a few areas. First off, we were given a heart-breaking cliffhanger in the last book, and the first thing the author does is take away all of it. And then some. At the start of the book the story grinds to a halt recovering from the stupid cliffhanger. It's a really tedious read initially. While it picks up speed eventually, I feel like what could have been a better story was wasted in order to make me rush out to buy this book. I don't blame the author for wanting me buy more of his books but I do want to submit for consideration that there might be better ways to implement this.

The second point I guess I have to explain a bit. This is a mature well developed world and we're deep into the series now. A certain amount of repetition and rehearsal is expected to keep us firmly rooted in the world and also to keep the book attractive to new readers. However, the book is sandwiched with a story summary up front and a glossary in the back and still at every corner we get to hear it again. This gets old really fast. On a similar note, there are a few key scenes where important information is disclosed to the heroes and they're pretty obvious. These bits of information are also repeated endlessly in the book.

The next point is about time travel. Time travel nearly always sucks as it tears gaping maw sized holes into the plot. I thought it was a little forced and a lot of work went into weaving the necessary restrictions into the story to not make it completely unbalanced. And the way it was done just reinforces my previous argument, the book lives too much in the past.

The good: I really was impressed (and moved) by two pivotal scenes, the heroine's arrival at the other halfhand's camp, and the showdown. The former, because I could really relate to the essential grief of however much one individual can help it's never enough. She can do more, but it only amplifies the insufficiency. This also outlines how she is a better subject to write about than Covenant. Covenant is shielded by his disbelief. Avery the healer doesn't have it as easy, and that makes her more interesting to read about.

The showdown is just, well, RAWR! We needed an outlet after hundreds of pages of grief and it was delivered in full. She enteres a believable transformation that gives the book a fresh spin towards its end. There is a bit of a cliffhanger but this one is considerably more tame and not entirely unexpected.

I read many books and write few reviews; I did care about this book and I hope the criticism is taken in the most constructive manner. In my opinion Donaldson should have left the dead resting in their respective graves and trusted Avery to be a worth while protagonist on her own (which she really is!). Despite its flaws however this book still has enough going for it to be a worthwhile read.

As other reviewers here have written, it would be difficult in the extreme to discuss aspects of this book, without giving away important plot and story concepts/secrets.
So, let's deal simply with it's strengths.
Like all good genre fantasy or science fiction, the first and foremost important feature of a well crafted book is its ability to draw you in and completely immerse you in an 'alternate' reality.
Stephen Donaldson has never failed to provide this visceral thrill. His 'Chronicles of Thomas Covenant' books have been a fan favorite since the late 70s and Fatal Revenant is no different.
There are some who will complain about his verbose writing style, while others revel in the sheer detail such density provides. My personal benchmark for whether or not a book is 'delivering on the goods', is whether or not the world it describes is at all times believable. If so, I usually cannot put the book down. That was the case here.
Every character unique and exquisitely fleshed out, plot twists that were at times somewhat predictable, were always well executed and the unenviable task of having your characters adventure across time with all the inevitable paradoxes that could ensue... being able to keep all those story elements in line, clear and concise for the reader? Not an easy task.
As a second installment of a trilogy... Revenant did exactly what it was designed to do, left you thirsting for more.
What exactly happens when you break all the laws of nature to bring back the 'Land's' greatest savior/threat?
I'm not sure... but can't wait to find out.

Fatal Revenant , the second book in the Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant is an improvement over the prior installment Runes of the Earth, although it takes a while to get going. It's not until Linden travels back to the time of Berek Halfhand that the story finally picks up steam. The major problem with the story is Linden herself. She is a good character but Donaldson has her perpetually in the dark about things. Linden goes somewhere, mysterious character tells Linden she doesn't understand the situation, and she will make the wrong decision. Linden complains she doesn't understand the situation, mysterious character does not help- Linden makes a decision, mysterious character says the Land is doomed. This pattern is repeated several times in both books with different mysterious characters (The Theomach, The Harrow, The Mahdoubt, Thomas Covenant,Esmer, Jeremiah etc.). Anyway I still enjoyed the book but I at this point I would only recommend it to those readers who really liked the first two series.

NOTE: no spoiler's here.

Like the second books in his earlier series, Donaldson turns it up a notch in Fatal Revenant, the second book of the Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. In FR, everything is more extreme, the emotions, the plot, the narrative style, and the ending. Donaldson treats his initial books as set up pieces, and the readers begin to reap the rewards as the series progresses. FR is no different.

FR, as was Runes, is a time-travel story, and Donaldson begins to weave a complex plot intermixing the past and the future. Readers of the first two series will be well rewarded because FR makes little sense without that background, despite his attempts to re-tell some of the past. And Donaldson separates himself here, because the time travel parts of the story are not just the "hey its cool to go back and see famous characters", it is an intertwining of new understanding, of a new subtlety of what happened before. That is precisely why Donaldson transcends the purely escapist tradition of the genre and has cultivated literary interest: he gives us more.

But he also falls into old habits, like his penchant for wielding obscure words, which can interrupt a narrative, and very long periods of inaction. He makes up for this to an extent by pushing himself as a writer later in the book, when the book becomes nearly thriller-like. That effort does not entirely succeed--no one will ever mistake Donaldson for Dan Brown-- but the effort is worth high marks in itself, especially in this genre.

There are also some times when the plot strains under the weight of the twists and turns. At one point, when two characters of great power are suddenly dismissed, I had the feeling that Donaldson was just trying to get rid of Powers to make the later plot work better. There are also times when the hierarchy of power is so discombobulated that I began to stress that the outcome was plot driven, and not entirely organic. And the many unchanging peoples in the land over thousands of years begins to challenge the willing suspension of disbelief that is so essential to a tale of the fantastic. But these are minor disturbances for a work as ambitious as FR.

The novel is a remarkable success on a number of levels, not the least of which is that the Last Chronicles are clearly not just a "sequel" as one might expect, but they are clearly aimed at integrating the wide swath of the Land's peoples and history in a way that transcends either of the first two series. FR also introduces us to a new, mysterious people, known as the Insequent (which is not any more of a spoiler than looking in the glossary). So his inventiveness still works and I strongly suspect we'll be seeing a lot more of it.

For sheer fun, I'd rate FR a solid 3 stars, but I marked it as 4 because it is clearly an ambitious book which is largely successful--much more so than anything Donaldson wrote previously and much more so than any other contemporary fantasy work that I'm aware of.

I wasn't too impressed with The Rune of the Earth, so by the laws of probability Fatal Revenant was going to be better.

Also the actual story improves, by which I mean a few things actually happen. Unfortunately the incredible slow pacing and Thesaurus begging prose made reading the whole book a slog.

By now I am largely reading this series just to finish it as reading 8/10 books is just too far along to stop.

Fatal Revenant (2007) is Stephen Donaldson's second book of four in the Last Chronicles of Thomas Convenenant. In this book the reader is again taken to the "Land," where magic and the very earth is puissant. There is no technology as we know it, and the Land and its people face potential destruction as Lord Foul, the personification of despair, seeks to break the barrier that imprisons him. He seeks to destroy land and break the arch of time, which would allow him to leave the Land to seek out and destroy his enemy, the "creator." Lord Foul is and demonstrates throughout the story that he is evil incarnate. The creator cannot directly intervene in the Land without shattering the arch of time and thus freeing Lord Foul. In order to save the Land and its people, the creator must send an emissary. The person he sends has the power to destroy or save the Land. Once again, he calls upon Dr. Linden Avery who was introduced in Donaldson's second trilogy of the land. Linden, like her predecessor, Thomas Convenant, is never able to fully discern whether the Land is real or if it is a delusion. In Fatal Revenant she undergoes a transformation and begins to understand the dark side of herself and humanity. Whether reality or in a dream her transformations are real and critical to her ability to save the Land and its people.
When she is transported to the Land, Linden Avery arrives to discover that her adopted, autistic son Jeremiah has been captured and enslaved by Lord Foul. Her goal above all else is to save her son, but she also commits to her entourage of supporters to save the Land from destruction. At this point in the story, she has regained the staff of law. Linden Avery had rebuilt the staff of law in the second series. It is one of if not the most potent artifacts in the Land. She created the staff by fusing two sentient beings, one constructed in perfection and an "Elohim", or a manifestation of the power of the Earth. She designed it to heal, and the ivory white wood of the One Tree of the world almost seems to glow as it is formed. The staff of law is more of an extension of Linden Avery's being. She was able to do this in part due to her heath sense or "earth sight." Earth sight is percipience above that of the normal person to see the natural order or to see abomination in any of it.
This time when she returns to the Land, she arrives to find it polluted with "Kevin's Dust." Kevin's Dust clouds and eventually blocks earth sight. In many ways, Kevin Dirt represents the Land. Its have lost the lore of earth power, and are ignorant of the many wonders of the Land. After recovering the Staff of Law and battling a series of enemies, she finds herself at Revelstone, the ancient keep of the lorewardens who channeled earth power millennia ago. It is there that she meets Thomas Covenant, her love who had been killed in the land and in the real world. He has passed through the arch of time and is reunited with Linden. He brings with him, Jeremiah. Not only is Thomas Covenant changed, her son is no longer autistic.
The three are magically transported into the past where they embark on a quest to find the blood of the earth. The blood of the earth is pure earth power. Anyone drinking of it can invoke the power of command, which allows the speaker to make one thing come true. Before being transported back, Linden is told that she must be the first to drink the blood of the earth. She does so and commands Covenant and Jeremiah to revel themselves. Covenant is actually Thomas Covenant's son, Roger, and Jeremiah is being controlled by demonic creature attached to his back. The three instantly engage in battle, and in the course of the battle almost destroy the mountain range that they are underneath. During the course of the battle, the staff of law is blackened. The wood is white underneath, but it is unmistakably ebony after the battle. Linden is also changed after the confrontation with Roger Covenant. She finds that she is not only capable of healing, but also destruction. She can destroy, and she can also want to destroy. This is the nature of the emissaries that the creator sends to the land. They become personifications of power that can preserve or damn life.
After her battle, she finds herself with the Mahdoubt, one of the insequent. The insequent are a race of people who are concerned with the mysteries of magic. The Mahdoubt is a master of time, and she takes Linden back to Revelstone where her companions were ignorant of her voyage to the past and what transpired there. They do see the blackened staff of law. They knew of Linden's ability to love and heal. However, they now begin to understand that she is capable of hate and destruction. She then decides to take her friends and supporter to Andelain where another artifact, a sword infused with earth power, rest. The story ends with the revelation of her hidden agenda in seeking out the sword.
Fatal Revenant is not an easy fantasy read. This work demonstrates Donaldson's mastery of English. His use of sophisticated vocabulary and syntax exact a focused read in order to capture the many nuances he infuses into his literature. Like his other works, Donaldson takes us right to the internal conflicts of his protagonist. Anyone reading Fatal Revenant will come to know Linden Avery's self doubt, her desire for destruction and most of all her unconditional love for her son. Fatal Revenant is Donaldson at his finest. This work will surely take its place among the best of fantasy fiction.

Ever since I read his 2-book Mordant's Need back in college, Stephen Donaldson has been one of my favorite authors; both The Mirror of Her Dreams and A Man Rides Through are in my all-time Top 5 books list. I have thoroughly enjoyed the Thomas Covenant trilogies as well, and when Runes of the Earth was released a few years ago, I devoured it eagerly and with pleasure. As he often does, Donaldson ended that book with a cliffhanger, and so I impatiently awaited the arrival of the next volume in the series.

In many ways, Fatal Revenant does not disappoint. Here again the reader is transported back into the Land, this time with the return of main character Thomas Covenant as well. All of the familiar faces return, from Linden Avery and her followers to the Masters and other inhabitants of the land. We also learn more about several key figures introduced in the last book, including Esmer and the Mahdoubt, as well as discover several new friends and foes along the way. Many of the mysterious questions posed by The Runes of the Earth are answered here, most notably the appearance of Covenant and Jeremiah. However, plenty of new mysteries are raised as well, and thus most readers are likely to await the next installment of the series with bated breath.

Admittedly, I didn't like Fatal Revenant quite as much as Runes of the Earth. I think this was due in part to the fact that book was darker, more akin to the sense of hopelessness and pessimism which abounded through most of the second Covenant trilogy. Furthermore, Donaldson's tendency to gravitate towards uncommon words became quite tiresome, from his overuse of the term "puissance" to his frequent tendency to use obscure terms rather than more accessible language. I even had to look up the title word, Revenant, which Wikipedia defines as "a folkloric corpse that returns from the grave" or "a creature brought back to life to fulfill a special goal"--both of which obviously fit here.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and I look forward to the continuation of this fascinating series.

I was a big fan of the original series. I read them in my teens and early twenties when they first came out. However, I moved on to other things for many years. Recently I decided to make time to return to the Land and read Runes, and I started to read Revenant. However, after a short ways into it I see no reason to continue. The books are all the same... plots based on people who are guilt-ridden, illogical, and ineffectual.

The Land is compelling. The variety of creatures and environments are somewhat interesting. Nothing makes much sense, though.

Supposedly, we have a modern well educated human who ten years ago was suddenly transported to another world where white gold is all powerful. Then she is transported back to Earth. If you thought there was a chance that you might suddenly be re-transported to this world where white gold was all powerful, wouldn't you be decked out in white gold? A ring on every finger, chains, etc. Linden is a physician so presumably she would have the means to buy a few pieces of white gold jewelry, no?

Ok, so Runes comes out and she's back in the Land with the one white gold ring. Doesn't make much sense. Where is the explanation about Lord Foul? Maybe I don't remember enough of the original series but I don't recall him ever being explained other than he was trapped there by the creator (for what? what kind of being is he? how can he have so much power?) And now we have more crazy companions, a space-time continuum and new unexplained beings of power.

Thank you Mr. Donaldson for the effort, but I just don't have the patience for this kind of self loathing, craziness and nonsense. I slogged through Runes because you are such a very, very good wordsmith and I enjoy the challenge of your vocabulary. You are one of the few adult fantasy writers that can expand my understanding of language and I applaud you for that. However, please turn all that skill to a work that has more interesting, believable and guilt free protagonists.

Starting this book, I was a bit apprehensive. Like many, I was slightly displeased with Runes of the Earth and had hoped for a more drastic shift in returning to the Land; similar to what I encountered when reading "The Wounded Land". I felt that RotE had not delivered quite what I had wanted and hadn't tugged at my heartstrings as severely as its predecessors. As well, I had felt that RotE was simply rehashing old themes and mistakes.

Fatal Revenant has fixed that, both within itself and retroactively for its predecessor. In this second volume of the final series of 4, we see Donaldson shine in his creativity with new races, new wonders, new depths of the human spirit, and answers to mysteries from the first and second chronicles. Are some of these explanations a touch contrived or a little melodramatic? Yes. But what he achieves by far outweighs these petty complaints and begins to feel "comfortable" very quickly.

If you respond to the book like I have, there will be parts of Donaldson's writing in this book that make you a bit angry, frustrated, and annoyed with how he progresses things. You'll have wanted things to go in a different direction. But on the same token, you'll appreciate some of the things he's kept hidden until now and that what seemed like poor and contrived writing in previous books was in fact a series of masterfully planned motives.

Is this book flawless? No. Like always, Donaldson's verbosity caters to a specific audience but that's nothing new. As well, there are a few things in this book that the reader will WANT to happen that simply don't. But this is Donaldson's tale and he still writes a powerful book that satisfies.

I can't speak for anyone else, but this book invoked in me a lot of the old wonderful feelings the first and second chronicles gave. Empathy for the characters, anger at unfairness, second-guessing the Despiser and his minions, holding my breath for certain outcomes, and a slight feeling of loss on reaching that last page of the book. Sure to delight!

Thought not particularly a fantasy book fan I love the Thomas Covenant books.

I was introduced to them by a friend about 15 years ago and was soon hooked. Initially I was not so enthralled with the second chronicles as I found it harder to relate to Linden and the fact that Thomas Covenant had been pushed to the background, but Stephen Donaldson writes amazing books and I was soon pulled into the tales of The Land again.

I enjoyed the first book in the final chronicles, but I have to say Fatal Revenant is simply amazing. I've just finished it and am starting the third book in the series, and I am thrilled to see the fourth book will be released later this year.

I just finished re-reading all eight Thomas Covenant books, and was most impressed with RotE, but Fatal Revenant isn't far behind. Donaldson's writing is a lot sharper than in the first two trilogies. He's still a sesquepedalian (he uses big words), but the words FIT. He used to throw fancy words around to show off, like calling the sky "cerulean" (which means "sky blue"). Now he uses them to draw his scenes carefully.

Some reviewers have complained about Linden's personality. I really liked her throughout the second trilogy, RotE and the first half of FR. But there is a key scene in Melenkurion Skyweir where Linden's personality changes somewhat. I found it much harder to identify with her after that. But I'm still very eager to read books 3 and 4 when they eventually come out!

Fatal Revenant suffers from the common fate of second books in a trilogy, a kind of "limbo" quality. The first volume has faded in memory, and the final book that brings everything together will not be out for a year. Welcome to the literary "twilight zone."

For all of its roughly 600 page size, this remains a very engaging book. It is hard to put down. The character of Linden is so well realized, as are several of the second-tier characters. The book seems well plotted, and seems based around three major battles with evil. Between each battle the characters journey across the map of this land. Donaldson is an excellent writer on the level of the sentence or paragraph, and his descriptions really bring this world alive.

I see that other reviews have mentioned the choice of diction. Donaldson loves polysyllabic Latinate words. For instance, a cloak is never red -- it is "carmindine." Generally, this penchant of Donaldson's works pretty well to enhance the exotic nature of the landscapes, but occasionally I do strongly suspect Donaldson uses some words inaccurately -- reaching and reaching for exotic-sounding diction, whether it fits or not.

All of the Thomas Covenant chronicles have a certain measure of paranoia to them. Characters seem to need therapy. Linden is hard to understand -- adopting a special needs child and then sacrificing a normal life for that child. In this book, Linden is continually ready to throw her life away for Jeremiah. Don't get me wrong -- I know there are adults who make great sacrifices for special children -- but I think Linden is too eager to martyr herself. The book has the glimmer of psychosis just lurking behind the stage sets. Now, before faulting me for "panning" the book, hold on! This element of thinly veiled madness gives the book a terrific tone and mood, and considerably stokes the tone of brooding evil and terror that are Donaldson's trademark.

There has always been a hint of psychoanalytic allegory to the Covenant books -- all of them. The Despiser, the ur-viles, the forrestals, and other characters appear to be elements of a disturbed consciousness, trying to find expression. This mental pantomime is suggested by the duality of the "Land" in this book to the world of normal daily life. Characters are exiled to the "Land" to work out overwhelming problems they have encountered in their daily, worldly existence. The book is very complex, and has more depth than casual readers might appreciate.

A fine book. Heck of an experience to read it. Can't wait to see the third and final volume. Write faster, Stephen!

Yet again Stephen R Donaldson shows himself to be, hands down, the best writer in the fantasy/sf field today. By far. Donaldson is light years ahead of everyone. While some writers are happy to turn out marginal works of questionable worth, Donaldson turns out master pieces of literary greatness.

That said, this is not his best work. While the writing remains top notch, the plot leaves me flat. Without going into the spoiler realm I can only say that there are far too many happy coincidences going on here. In the end all of the ingredients are awesome...they simply have not been allowed to combine into a tasty combination.

In short: Great writing...sub-par plot. Donaldson has the courage and ability to reach for greatness, and that makes him well worth reading.

First of all, I have to ask one simple question: What does the word, "condign" mean? OK, I did look it up, but you got to hand it to any auther who can use "condign" in a sentence and have the guts to stick it in a fantasy novel. Not only that, he must use that word at least a dozen times throughout Fatal Revenant. Not only does he overuse that one word, but the rest of the novel reads like an SAT test. After putting the text down, I kept wanting to fill in bubbles with a #2 pencil. I had the great fortune of reading the original Covenant series while in high school, right as it first came out. I swear that by reading those books, I added 50 points to my SAT scores. However, as far as new and interesting vocabulary words go, Donaldson totally outdoes himself in Fatal Revenant. Keep a Webster's handy.

More to the point: Was this a good book? Well, I guess that will depend on your perspective. Was it better then "Runes of the Earth". Most assuredly. The first volume in this unnecessary series was simply horrible and the three year wait for the next novel meant nothing as I simply was not looking forward to reading another mindless rehash of the previous six books, which still rank right up there as some of the most engaging and wonderfully written fantasy novels ever. So, yes, it was better then "Runes of the Earth", but it wasn't nearly as good as any of the earlier novels. Donaldson had never seen the need before to drag out his books with mindless plot contrivances and silly story lines, but he seems to be full of them now. After suffering through a ridiculous time travel story line in the previous book, we have to suffer through another even more vapid time travel sequence in this one. Come on, Steve, can't you lay out a plot any better then that? Also, the whole "Covenant" and "Jeremiah" incarnation line is quite transparent and not worth the several hundred pages it takes to get through it all.

Not to go on and on, but I can only imagine the author needs a bit of bread to line his pockets which is why these stories are coming out. Either that or he's just showing off his new vocabulary. Trust me, people with no formal education who live in grass huts just don't use words like this in everyday speech. Also, the beauty of the previous books was the way Lord Foul set up his foes to do exactly what he wanted them to do while making them believe they were serving their own ends. In this book, the attempt is being made to create that same atmosphere, but now it seems forced and labored, not at all as fluid and cunning as in the previous works. I have read the first two series many times over in the past 30 years since I first read "Lord Foul's Bane" and I treasure those books a great deal. I have never felt it necessary to continue the story, especially since the author's writing skills diminished so drastically after he finished "White Gold Wielder". I would love to see them come back and certainly some progress was made in "Fatal Revenant". However, if three years from now when the next book comes out (are you taking lessons from Robert Jordan, Stephen?), we get yet another silly time travel story, I'll be very disappointed.

Many people have reviewed the first two volumes of "The Last Chronicle.... " I am a real fan of the first two series but I have been disappointed by these volumes especially this volume. The story has little forward development considering the 600 pages in the hardcover book. The characters give us little new to add to the development. It appears that Donaldson is treading water and showing off his command of the language. But he is doing it at the expense of story and character development. For me there is nothing new, no character that grabs you and won't let go. No story line that we have not seen before. The book is not really bad, but just average especially compared to the first two chronicles.

Loved both the First and Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. Was thrilled to find that the Law of Death could not prevent his return. Seriously, I was very happy to see Donaldson return to continue the series. I was in the middle of the final book of another excellent fantasy trilogy, The Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb, and I had to put it down when Fatal Revenant arrived. I enjoyed it as much as I did Runes of the Earth, explaining as they have some of the background lore and characters of the series. Going back in time to meet Berek Half-hand was a treat. To be honest, though, I have stopped running to the dictionary at every recondite adjective or noun, relying mostly on context and situation for a general understanding. I'm more interested in the overall story, and I'd never get it finished if I had to keep looking up words. If you're a Donaldson fan, you know what I mean. On a side note, I was totally surprised to discover that I had read Donaldson some time ago, his Gap Into.. series, a more straight forward science fiction trilogy which I found striking and will have to return to read again and compare.

I've read all the books in this series since the beginning in Chronicles I. This one is probably my least favorite. I found moments predictable with an occasional surprise to make it worth it. Unfortunately, I also found it to be a "filler" book until the next one comes out. Lots of long drawn out sequences that take forever to get anywhere. I don't usually mind that as it's typical for Donaldson in this series; however, the stories weren't as attention commanding as previous books. I still recommend it as I love the series and enjoyed the welcome return of some races of beings.

I have made it through about 40% of Fatal Revenant. I swallowed "lacustrine roborant", thinking it an amusing display. Then, I came across a passage where in the space of half of a page (hardback) I found 3 words which I did not recognize, and I am no stranger to unusual vocabulary (however immodest that claim might sound). The author's penchant, whatever its motivation, of injecting extraordinarily obscure words into his prose *gets in the way* of enjoying the book. While I do wish to know how the story resolves - the overall plot is somewhat intriguing - between this obnoxious writing style, and the extreme self loathing found in the protaganist (see numerous other reviews) I cannot imagine finishing this book and facing the 3rd and final installment. Therefore, I am doing something I have never in my life done - leaving a book unfinished.

Whatever else you can say about Stephen Donaldson, he knows how to write a cliff-hanger. At the end of The Runes of the Earth, the first book in the Last Chonicles of Thomas Covenant, Linden Avery saw Thomas Covenant and her son, Jeremiah, racing towards Revelstone, seemingly hale and fit. How could that happen, considering that Covenant is dead and Jeremiah is in the hands of Lord Foul? How could the reader wait three years to find out?

Well, in Fatal Revenant, Donaldson delivers the answers, and they turn out to be shocking and exciting. It is obviously from the beginning that something is different about Covenant and Jeremiah. Covenant keeps on saying "Don't touch me" and doesn't explain clearly how he came back to life. Nevertheless, he says that he has a plan to save the Land from Lord Foul. Jeremiah is restored to health, but he is also distant from the mother who raised and loved him.

The first half of the book has an almost kinetic energy, as you eagerly await to find out what happens next. Linden, Covenant and Jeremiah go back in time to the time of Berek Halfhand to find a solution to the Land's ills. Donaldson delivers a satisfying blend of action and mystery -- the group faces constant challenges, but the more you find out

Since the book has been broken down by other readers, I won't bore anyone with my version of events. Overall, Fatal Revenant takes a while to get going as the first couple hundred pages can be a bit onerous in their repetitive musings of Linden's internal conflicts. However, you will come to understand later choices and revelations if you commit yourself not to skip over the early material. My only real complaint about the book is Donaldson's obvious heavy use of his Thesaurus. I'm not a poorly spoken individual but it seemed Donaldson made some effort to consternate my word knowledge on every page. Nothing breaks the flow of a good tale like reaching for the dictionary all the time. Though...the meaning can usually be guessed within the context of the scene or sentence. I would recommend you look up "fecundity" though before you start reading.

Overall, I liked his first six books over these last two but it is still a good read and I am sure I will miss Thomas Covenant/Linden Avery once they are gone for good...

I am amazed after all these years and after all of the books he has written in this series that he is continuing to outdo his own works.
I love the way Stephan Donaldson continues to fill in the mysteries
of the previous series but at the same time opens up new avenues of
thinking. His way of treating each character with reverence even if they
are portrayed as "Evil" or "Bad". His story line behind each character gives me as the reader the thought to question what i would do in the place of each of the said characters. The honor, humility and challenge of each character to do the "right" thing given each test of their knowledge, skill and beliefs is very refreshing. I am loving this book. I am most grateful to Mr. Donaldson for not just cranking out "just another book" but for giving us his heartfelt effort for what i see as his greatest book in this series yet. The only downside is that i am halfway through and at the end will again have to wait for the next book to get done. please don't stop writing now...

I loved the Thomas Covenant books when they first came out - the plots which were complicated yet resolved and the writing that was literate without being incomprehensible. The descriptions of the Land & the beauty of its peoples made you care deeply about the events and emphasise with Thomas in spite of himself. That is why the current two books (of a planned 4 book finale to the series) has me intrigued but nervous - there are just too many characters & powers that we have never encountered in the history before to make sense (Donalson is great at detail so why are these details missing in the earlier books?) . Perhaps the final two books will make sense of the series but the new books are far too easy to put down - something the original series was never guilty of. That said - I'm a fan so I am eagerly awaiting Books 3 & 4

Well, what is there to say about this latest installment in Mr.Donaldsons franchise? Simply, that it is worthy.
I enjoyed the new attitude of the Heroine; Linden Avery, which I can't help wondering is perhaps aided by Donaldsons wife in collaboration somehow. The way Linden Avery thinks, or is portrayed rather, smacks of a female process, far more circular than Thomas Covenant's mainly linear approach. This is not a bad device in my view, and it certainly has me thinking a number of conclusions at this point, all of them baseless.That leaves the next two books to be very desirable!
I was able to read this book quite easily and really enjoy that so many of the old characters have been introduced in this latest offering. I had one disappointment nearer the ending of the book and without spoiling it for anyone wanting to buy this very absorbing tale, it would be to ask if the publisher recommended the 'premature' conclusion to this tome, in order to leave room for two more books. i was ready for a more protracted and emotional conclusion, and felt that perhaps Mr.Donaldson had heard the jug boiling for a cup of tea and hurriedly wrapped up Fatal Revenant. If you buy this book, you may disagree with that view, but the main thing is to take a trip to the 'Land' again and immerse yourself in a story written by a 'Master' of the genre. Thoroughly recommended and worth every US dollar I paid for it.

I was probably 12 when I first read Lord Fouls Bane. I remember the emotional impact of the series. Foamfollower and Mhoram are possibly my two favorite characters ever (sorry Bilbo). The beauty of the Land and the emotional depth of its inhabitants was captivating and inspiring. When Covenant threatened to "bring Fouls Creche down around his ears," I cheered. I stayed awake nights to read those books.

That is truly lost here. I bought the book when it first came out and have just now finished. I believe that I moved a Terry Brooks trilogy and a WWII book ahead of it -- after I had started to read it. It is just too slow. Everyone is too enigmatic. Towards the end, it takes like 50 pages to go through the woods to Andelain. I have to ask myself if I would read this if it weren't for the earlier books.

Please don't get me wrong, It is worth reading - I'll certainly buy the remaining books in the series. I guess that's the puissance of the series over me. Sorry, I meant POWER. I understand using alternate words occasionally, but he must have used find and replace to change every use of the word power to puissance. Anyway, I hope that this picks up now that we've added, hopefully, the last character.

I won't spoil anything for the future reader of this book except to say that nothing is as it seems. The only certainties are Linden Avery herself and the immediate members of her party - the Stonedowner Liand, the Ramen, and the Haruchai. Don't trust anything or anyone else in this book. It'll make for a far more enjoyable read.

The theme that stuck in my mind from ROTE is that; unfortunately, those that are most determined to try to address tortures from their own past are the ones that are least capable dealing with the issue. Linden Avery is the personfication of this principle. She has devoted her life to healing and making up for assumed deficiencies in her past; partially by adopting her son. She finds herself in what appears to be the ultimate opportunity to prove herself an activist for all the issues that have haunted her. I think this is supported by the depth of descriptions (that use incredible vocabulary) as an attempt to guage the depth and breadth of all the ills she intends to cure. As she collects perceptions of what is right and wrong with the world she is now a part of, she thinks she is cataloging all the problems that will be addressed, unfortunately...

Perceptions are tainted, emotions are betrayed, and hope is reft from Avery. This is an incredible tale of personal torment, and trying to find a way to explain how this can happen in one's world literally and figuratively. The deeper the emotions, and one's seeming understanding of reality only lead one to beleive that one can influence the situation, but the game is bigger that expected,and the tools that one has at their use are ineffective.

I am eager to see where SD takes us next.

This was a tough read. As the Thomas Covenant series gets longer, the books get heavier and heavier. Not just in their physical weight, but in the prose as well. It seems that there are plenty of words to fill up the pages, but none of them say anything. Does that make sense? That's how I felt. I was excited to continue the journey, especially with Covenant back in the mix, but it was too laborious. Sadly, I couldn't finish the book, and I think I'll just miss out on this final trilogy. I'm going to forget this book ever was written and bask in my recollection of the power of the first 2 trilogies. Those memories are vivid and wonderful. And I don't want to blemish them.

I am only 40 pages into FR and OMG!! I am blown away. After you have read all of Donaldson's published stuff 20 or 30 times, they are like old friends-you know them so well there aren't any surprises. When something like FR comes out-it's Gosh! wow! holy S*&t! all over again and I'm loving it! Donaldson has once again written a book that jumps up and slaps your face so much it's like a thrill ride! I'm savoring this book-reading very slowly so it will last a few days because I'm gonna be LOST when it's done. BUY THIS BOOK if you love Donalson's work because he's back at the top of his game-as always.

Now I have finished and re-started the entire thing again. Right back to Lord Foul's Bane. the reason? After you have read the best book you have ever read in your entire life, what else is there to read? You have to go back and start over.

This is Donaldson's finest work.

Fatal Revenant is book 2 of The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. I have to say that after so many years I was pretty stoked about this four book series and was happy with the first book The Runes of the Earth. However I can't say the same for Fatal Revenant.

Warning!!! The following contains spoilers.

Linden Avery is a great character. She is compassionate, a mother, a doctor and intricately connected to The Land that makes up this fantasy series. Having said all of that I am exceedingly disappointed with the stupidity of this character in book 2. At the end of book 1 we are left with Linden Avery being confronted by none other than the deceased Thomas Covenant and her autistic son Jeremiah who is apparently no longer afflicted by his condition. She's confronted by these two figures and the conflict to believe or not to believe they are who they say they are begins. I'm sorry Mr. Donaldson but it's very evident that they aren't who they say they are and if you want us to believe that Linden Avery would somehow be fooled by this is not plausible. I feel like I'm not given enough credit as I read page after page of mind games between the three characters. The only reason I read to the end was in hopes that I was somehow wrong and you had strung me along to emphasize the twist. But alas nothing. The end of book 2 is exactly what I thought it would be from the very beginning and the two Fatal Revenants (Fake Thomas Covenant & fake Jeremiah) do not surprise me to find out they are not the real people. This was a waste of an entire book and a waste of my time and money. If the last 2 books are anything like this one then it becomes apparent that the only reason for this series is to make more money and not to actually tell a story. I cannot recommend this book. I give it a rating of Waste of Time!
(Ratings are MUST READ, ENJOYED, ALRIGHT & WASTE OF TIME.)

If you are a fan of this series you will not be disappointed; however, if you have not read the first six books I recommend you start at the beginning before purchasing Ruins of the Earth or Fatal Revenant.

Stephen R. Donaldson enjoys his unique descriptive words and is one of the few authors that I have to use my Kindle dictionary with, and often...but reading is a joy and learning is the benefit. If you are a new Donaldson reader give his style a chance, it might be a bit of work but well worth the experience. ;-)

Donaldson is one of my favorite authors, and going in to this book, I had pretty high expectations. They were exceeded at every turn! This was an incredible read; emotional, action-packed, and very complex plotting. It also featured ever-expanding details on the history of the Land that do not feel contrived in the least, but rather, felt like they had been part of the story from the beginning. If you've ever enjoyed anything by Donaldson, I urge you to pick this up. If you're bored with the predictability of standard fantasy. I urge you to pick up anything by Donaldson.

Thank you, Mr Donaldson, for an outstanding effort!

Fatal Revenant was so much more than I expected, in many ways.

I've read the First and Second Chronicles countless times over the years. I've treasured them, as part of a small niche in the sea of fantasy that transcends the genre. To my mind, these books are about humanity, and the cost of choices. They speak about the price of love, and the eye of paradox. The fact that they take place in a magical realm is only secondary, a useful tool for Donaldson to paint a broad canvas. Most fantasy is content to explore the archetypes, Donaldson is giving us story in a pure and potent form.

I remember as a young adult coming to the second chronicles with shock and distate. All that Donaldson had created, and all Covenant had defende, in the first chronicles was rent from the reader and twisted. It was a difficult challenge to adjust. But with time, I started to mine the gems of 2nd Chronicles. Eventually, they took their place in my mind as novels I will never forget (as novels I need).

Something similar happened in the 3rd Chronicles. Again Donaldson has changed all the rules on us. Runes of the Earth was difficult to accept, Covenant was a memory - Linden Avery was the new protaganist. It almost didn't work. But Fatal Revenant is the payoff for trusting Donaldson through Avery's interminable monologues. It is spiraling, floating way above his other works. This is his best novel (better than anything in Mordant's Need, or the Gap series, or the The Man Who). This is a triumph, but I don't have the skills to tell you why. If you have any interest in Thomas Covenant or the Land read this book. If you don't know Thomas Covenent or the Land, run *don't stop*, to the page about Lord Foul's Bane---and enjoy.

Having thoroughly enjoyed the first and second series, first as a teenager when they first came out, and now as and adult, i find the third series a colossal disappointment. Why? because the third series lacks any credible continuity with the first two series. For the third series to be credible we have to believe that all the revelations that happen in the third series, are still a part of the system of the land in the first two. Instead it looks like Donaldson has spent a number of years trying to think up of a story which can continue the series, and still mesh in with the history of the land. To do that he has come up with time travel and the reinterpretation of the land's history. To me he has singularly failed to come up with the continuity needed. As i am reading I can't help the "he's making-this-up-as-he-goes-along' feeling and if he runs into problems then, zap, let's have time travel or have a character reinterpret history and explain what really happened in the first two series ........ Donaldson should have stopped at the end of the second series. Flogging the land like this has done neither him, nor the land any good.

I have read all of the other TC books. I enjoyed the first series more than the second; and so far, this last series only a little. Maybe I am getting impatient with Donaldson's overly verbose, complex writing style. Perhaps it's the way he makes everything so complex that it sucks all of the air out of the character development. No matter: the guy knows how to use long, abstruse words abundantly and he knows how to set down an extremely complex story. What he doesn't know how to do is write a compelling, interesting story.

By the way, his dedication line: 'To my son in whom I am well pleased' (gee - I think I read that somewhere before.... Mathew 3:17) - is over the top. Perhaps that should have been my tip off concerning his mind set.

This isn't that good - the depth of the first serries rested in the fact that you could chose to read the story as the acting out of TC's problems in his unconscious. For example the "vow of the bloodguard" could have represented his wedding vows with his wife...the first trilogy is full of these parallels. And they are part of what makes these books special.

The second trilogy blows that depth out of the water, but was still a good read.

The third one just isn't woking for me at all. I didn't even buy it, I read a friends copy.

This book is as good as and probably better than the first trilogy and on a par with the second. The Land in the trilogy's is not that we know - the Land created by Donaldson has feelings with wood, stone and the Dead having a physical appearance, along with Wild Magic carried by the bearer of a white gold band. Told from the point of view from a lady doctor, with her feelings and insights towards the Haruchai, the Ramen, and the Giants by way of examples; her flaws and feelings in allowing herself to be fooled by her love for an apparently dead man in the Land.

A very good read.

Wow. What an incredible journey. What amazing charactors. I too am a longtime fan of Donaldson and I think this might be his best book ever. I laughed, I cried, I cheered, I jeered, I got angry, I got frustrated, I pounded my head on the desk and I loved every word that evoked all those emotions throughtout this masterpiece of a novel. It's brilliant simply brilliant. If you are a fan of fantasy and you haven't read Donaldson, then you are missing out on some of the best fantasy ever written. I repeat another reviewer's suggestion, for those who haven't read any of this series you should start with "Lord Foul's Bane."

To try to describe this story in a review seems all but impossible. The characters and story is so well-written, they feel alive inside my mind, and I wish the story would never end. Linden and her companions are like old friends of mine, and they truely have all the shortcomings of humans everywhere, which makes them all the more believable; more 'real' than anything else I've ever read. Simply put, you MUST read this series; you'll be missing out if you don't.

Book number 8.
Great review of the series
and great reference book.
It makes me want to read the other books again.

Maybe Donalson can write the next book in the wheel of time series.

Great ending.
Great ideas.
Lord Foul is in trouble now.

I believe the Fatal Revenant delivers as expected. As with all the Chronicles, there's always a bit too much rehashing of events which make the books longer than need be. There are certain things worth repeating but you have to give more credit to the readers for their memory of events. For readers with a memory you just have to glance over those sections. But the story itself delivers as expected and it really makes you look forward to the next one, too bad it takes so long between releases.

Just because an author uses five dollar words does not make his/her work stellar, if that were the case the dictionary would be the greatest book ever... I have been a fan of SRD for many years, his first series was brilliant, the second was ok, this third is horid. The first series kept me on my seat, waiting to find out what happened next, truly a brilliant set of books. The second series, well I was entertained, but I think I read them out of loyalty for the characters. This second of three, well.... was a HUGE chore, I could care less for the characters, I was exhausted reading 30 pages describing a simple walk, I got tired of all of the convenient plot points that came out of the blue, hell even the colossal fight was boring. I looked forward to this series of books, I was completely disappointed.

I thought Runes of the Earth was a little slow and re-used some of his old ideas. However, Fatal Revenant is a return to what I love about this entire series. Highly recommend this if you already are a fan of Thomas Covenant.

I've been a Donaldson fan for about 20 years. I've read and enjoyed all of his previous works, especially the first and second chronicles of Thomas Covenant and the "Gap" books.

With this book however, I can't read more than two pages before getting utterly bored. The story plods forward at the pace of an arthritic slug. After 40 pages, nothing of import has happened in the story.

I don't know if I can finish this clunker.

I'm only 20 pages into the book and it has already transported me right back to "The Land". It has dug up memories of the first two Chronicle of Thomas Covenant and I'm going to purchase and read those also. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys The Lord of the Rings, Dragonlance: Chronicles and Legends, and The Riftwar Saga. It is a sweeping epic with rich deep characters and meaning.
Read these books!

I enjoy this author's work. It was just a matter of deciding how to purchase it. The book came in a timely fashion and in good condition. I expected a paperback book, but received a hard back book.

The book leaves you wondering what is going to happen next to Linden after finding out that Covenant and her son Jeremiah have appeared to her through a twist in Time. I am looking forward to the ongoing saga and the next book in a four part series.

EDIT: Initially, I was slightly critical of Donaldson's word choices. We all know that he picks and chooses words carefully, and nowhere do we see his wordsmithing at play more than in the Covenant series. In Fatal Revenant, it seemed to me that he had gone overboard with his use of so-called $10 words, even by his standards, and I voiced a concern that some readers might find that the book required too much work to get through. While I can't disagree with that concern - I know that his use of language turns people off - I have a different take on it now.

When you do the extra work required, you're more often than not rewarded. Sometimes you'll find hidden humor, sometimes added depth. In my experience, it's rare to find a word that he absolutely shouldn't have used, or that he should have replaced with a simpler synonym, because the word he chose is precise. Not all synonyms mean the same thing. To use a very simple example, "black" is a synonym of "dark". So is "gloomy". All three words have very specific definitions.

A sentence that I picked out as initially frustrating became beautiful when I went one step beyond looking the words up and thought about how they were used, where they were used, and then, of course, why. Some fine folks at Kevin's Watch were most helpful in this, and went a long way toward helping me see my error. That sentence appears on page 229 of the American hardcover (this version), and is as follows: "'You can hear me,' she pronounced, speaking now in lambent chrysoprase and jacinth rather than saffron blots."

I won't say a word about this sentence, because doing so would be giving away a REAL gem in the book, but I'm pointing it out to make sure that YOU do the work I was initially too lazy to do. It will help you appreciate the scene. I promise.

THE BOOK

**NO Fatal Revenant (FR) spoilers in this review.**

There were some (not me) who thought The Runes of the Earth (ROTE) was not all it could be, and by extension thought The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant were a disappointment. I want to address those Doubting Thomas's first.

Donaldson raises the stakes so high in Fatal Revenant  (FR) that it was difficult, at times, to wonder how he was going to pull it off. I'll be honest: I doubted that he could do it, and I'm a true, dedicated (not obsessive, thank you) fan. However, after turning the final page of FR and sadly setting the book aside, I'm more than a little embarrassed to admit that my ability to express my emotions and thoughts had been significantly diminished. Rational cogitation evaded me entirely, and I felt like the teenager I was when I first stumbled on Donaldson in the early 1980s (gulp). All that ran through my mind, in a continuous loop, and for about five minutes was, "Dude! This is awesome!" And it was. It is. I hold Donaldson to a higher standard than most writers, because he's earned it. Not only did he meet meet my already inflated expectations, he by far exceeded them. To say that I'm anxiously awaiting the third book is like saying that as a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan, I really want them to win a World Series. (The third book will likely arrive first...*sigh*)

So, to those disappointed by ROTE, to those unsure as to whether you want to continue reading, I say: READ! THIS! BOOK!

***If you haven't read ROTE, please skip the next paragraph. (You really shouldn't need this warning anyway, should you? You know better. <grin> )***

At the end of ROTE, Linden Avery discerned six figures riding to Revelstone. "One was Jeremiah; her son beyond question... The other stranger was unmistakably Thomas Covenant." If you're a fan, you've been waiting three years to find out how or why Jeremiah seemingly regained control of his mind, and why Covenant is corporeal (he's supposed to be dead, after all).

Donaldson will answer your questions, and the answers will stagger and satisfy you, and leave you gasping for more. In typical Donaldson fashion - and something he's been getting better and better at over the years - the answers, or solutions to the problems, aren't what they seem. Nothing is. Hellfire <wink> - Covenant, alive? Jeremiah, talkative and energetic? Surely this is impossible.

The book opens with Linden facing a corporeal Covenant, and a responsive Jeremiah. Please: Read the first few chapters carefully. Don't speed through them in a mad desperate dash to start the marathon run to the finish, because if you do, several events leading up to the ending, and the ending itself (Donaldson has become, I daresay, the master of the cliffhanger) might not make a bit of sense to you. For that matter, the entire book should be read carefully. After finishing this book I see more and more why Donaldson thought that he needed to take time away and work on other projects before coming back to this. Most fantasies - his First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant included - are fairly straightforward in their presentation. That's why The First Chronicles had such a broad appeal. They most certainly were not simple - when you scratched the surface, there was surprising depth - but you could, at thirteen years of age, read the books and fully enjoy them without looking into the vast abyss of nuance Donaldson wrote with. While I don't want to say that young readers should be wary of these books, they have layers and layers of subtlety and subtext. I expected Donaldson to write a book that made me think, but I wasn't expecting to be addled and befuddled, and I just want to say THANK YOU to SRD for writing a book that that caused so much cerebration.

Linden needs answers. The Demondim are at Revelstone's gate. The Mahdoubt is nowhere to be found. Covenant and Jeremiah are too foreign for her to trust completely, and so Esmer is her only resource. His duality often prohibits him from speaking clearly, and his aid often creates more problems than it solves. The book starts out with a simple (yeah, right) quest, and her companions are two who should bring more delight to her than any: Covenant and Jeremiah. But they do not, because she cannot physically touch them, something she longs to do, for reasons I'll let Donaldson dramatize. But imagine Linden's grief. After ten years in the "real world", and several audacious days in the Land (ROTE), Covenant and Jeremiah stand before her, restored. The only man she ever loved, and her son.

Essentially, this book is about the choices she makes. Perhaps she was dubbed "The Chosen" for more reasons than we know.

SELECTED VERBOSITY

I feel the need to address some reviewers concerns regarding ROTE, if only because I wouldn't want those reviews to dissuade someone from reading it and, thus, this book. Addressing those here is germane to the topic at hand, I believe, for reasons that should become obvious. Some reviews have said that The Last Chronicles suffer from original, inventive characters like Pitchwife or Saltheart Foamfollower, and they have said that this is a detriment to the series. I would argue with that. First, we know that this is a time travel story. To think that we won't go back in time and meet some folks we've been aching to meet for the past seven books wouldn't be logical. I'm not saying that we will, mind you, I'm just saying that the likelihood (and I thought the same before reading ROTE) is pretty darn good. Second, remember that Donaldson's mind is fertile (the Amnion, anyone?). Do we really think that the only characters that we will encounter are the ones we've met in ROTE? After satisfying first books in his first and second Covenant series, Lord Foul's Bane and The Wounded Land, respectively, he introduced us to people, races and creatures that left us in awe of his creative muscle. In the Illearth War, he gave us Hile Troy, Elena, and Amok. In The One Tree we had the Elohim, Kasreyn, and the Sandgorgons. Think back to how brilliantly Donaldson's world opened up to us.

Have faith. You will be well rewarded.

The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant began with Donaldson setting the pieces on the board with great care. Since the First Chronicles, Donaldson's writing has at times reminded me of a chess master. While he is not plodding, as one reviewer here wrote of ROTE, he is meticulous in the placement of his pieces. When I finished reading The Real Story: The Gap Into Conflict, the first book of his five-book space opera, The Gap Series, I couldn't see how he was going to get five books out of it and frankly really didn't care about reading the next book, Forbidden Knowledge: The Gap Into Vision. Yet he did get five books out of that, and the universe that he unveiled to his grateful readers was breathtaking in its conceptual amplitude. It was like being inside the tiniest Russian doll, and escaping, to find that there's a larger doll, then a larger doll, etc., and finally you escape and you're in, well, Russia. Maybe not as exciting as warm and inviting as Hawaii, but you get the idea.

Regarding the "sameness" of everything. Why are the Haruchai still the Haruchai? Why is Foul still around? The Ramen? The Ranyhyn? Shouldn't things have changed in the Land? Why hasn't technology replaced "magic"? After all, it's been about seven (?) thousand years since Thomas Covenant first appeared. And what about this Linden character? Isn't she annoying?

Foul is still around because he can't be killed. We know this. The power required to kill him - even were it possible - would break the Arch of Time, and that would fulfill Foul's plans nicely. As to the races - well, realize that the Land itself is a very small area, and it's fairly well secluded. It shouldn't be terribly surprising that things are still so similar. I'd agree with someone if they argued that things don't need to be so exact. For example, Mithil Stonedown is still Mithil Stonedown. In seven thousand years (granted, different world, different rules) what's Chicago going to look like? What did Chicago, for that matter, look like seven thousand years ago.

With regard to technology, that's really the easiest issue to deal with. Necessity breeds invention. If you have magic, and it provides everything you need, then hasn't necessity been taken out of the picture? Without need, there is no desire to explore any further than with what you have already. How many thousands of years did people live on this, our Earth, with the only answers available to them, and the only answers required by them, provided by their religion/mythology?

About Linden. There's a "group" who call themselves THOOLAH, The Holy Order of Linden Avery Haters. It's a bit extreme for me. I understand that Donaldson's characters aren't always likeable (Covenant's first act in the land in Lord Foul's Bane was to rape a girl), but that's kind of the point. Would you rather be reading about morally altruistic characters like Richard and Kahlan from Goodkind's universe? If so, that's great, no harm done. But I prefer my characters to not only have grey spots on their morality gauge, I like them to be *real*. Whine all you want about *Linden's* whining (regarding her son), but find me a mother that wouldn't be doing and thinking and struggling *exactly* as she is. Good luck. (I mean no offense to THOOLAH members, or anyone who simply doesn't like Linden, and while I don't care for Goodkind's work at all, I mean no offense to his fans either.)

If you'll indulge me in a final burst of verbosity:

When I saw the cover art for Fatal Revenant - the main image, a figure of a wizardly-looking chap bearded and robed in snowy white - I cringed. It was bad enough that Del Rey tried to cash in on the success of The Lord of the Rings movies by releasing mass market paperback editions of The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant with pastel covers displaying a *yellow* gold wedding ring. (They hoped that the new readers of fantasy that the LOTR movies gave birth to would see a gold ring while perusing the shelves at their local bookstore, and think, Hey! I need to read this Tolkien knock-off - which it most certainly is not.) The problem there is that our buddy Tom wore a *white* gold wedding ring, and it is the nature of the alloy of white gold that formed the paradox of "white wild magic gold" in the Land. Now we are treated to what looks to me, and probably every fan of fantasy extant, Gandalf the White or, as depicted in the films, perhaps the figure more closely resembles Saruman. Let me reassure you that neither Gandalf nor Saruman appear in this or any other Covenant book. Who is it then? I'm not saying, but even a casual reader of the Covenant series should be able to make a good guess.

Happy Reading. Donaldson himself said that we would be going on a ride. I am more anxious, now, given how high he has raised the stakes, to see the third book than I was this one. The next three years will go very slowly.

...What gets in the way is Donaldson's near-fatal case of logorrhea. As one who has thoroughly read and enjoyed this author in the past, my hope is for him to overcome his Roget's addiction and be all-write before this peculiar illness infects the next installment of this series.

Donaldson's White ring trilogys are amazing. However reading this book is a gruelling exercise. Okay Steve we all get that your a smart guy but does every page have to contain a word I have to look up or gloss over because I'm not a Mensa member. I'm not talking about magic or fantasy lexicon, made up phrases and words are to be expected. Just give us a break. Describing walking from a castle to a forest shouldn't lose the reader. Big fan but this book is cumbersome and not as fun as the previous books that I stayed up till early hours of the morning to read about what happens next.
Sincerely
Kevin McLoughlin
P.S. Linden Avery is a bore

So for those of you who have read the time-challenged Narnia chronicles, you will not be surprised by the serious jolts in time as Thomas Covenant goes through time back and forth to his present day real world from a fantasy realm where he is the expected hero.
Save yourself hours of hoping things get better. They don't. Covenant's life gets worse and worse and the little bits of possible hope that the author dangles are quickly snatched away. Everyone dies, the end.
I remember reading and thinking, "Oh, he's just taking me down this road of strife, to deliver us at the end." Wrong! Some will find this refreshing because it doesn't offer a happy ending and the "hero" falls short, but I look to fantasy and sci-fi to be lifted out of real life, to be inspired, not to fall into despair.

No I have not read this series but judging by the cover, looks like a rip off of Tolkien. Come on the picture here (hardcover) looks like Saruman (Christopher Lee) from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Movies. I think I'll pass. Lord Foul? Give me a break.

Linden has learned much from her time traveling time. but it is not enough. there are too many sides grasping for the power she holds and wields for her to be sure of her path. her decisions made; her companions chosen, she sets off to save or destroy.