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Loading... Lord Foul's Bane (original 1977; edition 1977)by Stephen R. Donaldson
Work InformationLord Foul's Bane by Stephen R. Donaldson (1977)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. DNF. The protagonist is a whiney rapist. ( ) Read this a long time ago, didn't take any notes but I did give it 4 stars. This time it's getting 2 stars. I have never been into the "reluctant hero" archetype and Thomas Covenant is the ULTIMATE reluctant hero. All he does through the entire book is complain and yell at people. There were a very few instances when he was talking when you don't want to punch him in the throat, I just don't understand why an author would write this kind of main character. And the fact that he seems to think he's dreaming through the ENTIRE book, doesn't seem very realistic. That said, I'm still going to give the 2nd book a try. If it's more of the same I'm out. If he's just less of a crybaby, actually does something, and starts to really believe in the world I think I'll start to enjoy it. I've come to many of these famous and celebrated series late in life, having missed them in my youth. Some suffer from the tardiness, but others stand the test of time - Thomas Covenant is one that stands the test of time. Sure, it's hard resist the inclination toward comparison with [[Tolkien]], but Donaldson's world building doesn't owe much to Middle Earth. He's created a unique and diverse world in which to deposit Thomas, one that is internally and externally complete, even if the ending of this first book leaves ambiguous the question of reality vs. dream. Thomas, a leper, is transfigured into a new realm, one which it isn't clear is in the past or future, but which has it's own rules and customs which Thomas must learn to survive. He's immediately dropped into a battle with the evil entity, Lord Foul, and left to wonder how he fits into the coming battle - either as a force for good or ill. The choice, it turns out again and again, is up to him and the story is richer for his choices against good along the way. The world around Thomas is colorfully diverse - from stone-based conjurers to wood-based tree-dwellers to sentient horses and their servants. Definitely continuing this series. 5 bones!!!!! Highly recommended! A main character who is a leper in our world is thrown into a fantasy realm where his physical disease disappears, but its psychological impact continues to plague him. It's an excellent setup, and provides narrative momentum for the exciting beginning of Covenant's introduction to the Land. However, the middle of the story becomes a more typical Tolkienesque fantasy quest, and Covenant's failure to learn anything from or even appreciate his miraculous becomes incresingly tedious. With no character growth, Covenant seems to be saving the realm without meaning to, which is not a very interesting story. I really liked Saltheart Foamfollower though. Is contained inHas as a student's study guide
Thomas Covenant is a leper, a bitter and solitary pariah who is mystically transported to another Earth where time moves differently than ours, one in which magic takes many forms. The Land is threatened by many evils, the most immediate of which is a maddened Cavewight whose subterranean excavations have unearthed the ancient and puissant Staff of Law. More dangerous to the free people of the Land is the Gray Slayer, Lord Foul, the Despiser, who intends to destroy the actual foundations of the Earth that he might wage war against the universe's Creator. And Foul's intended weapon in this conflict? None other than Thomas Covenant himself. No library descriptions found. |
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