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6,140861,582 (3.56)177
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.… (more)
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» See also 177 mentions

English (81)  French (4)  Spanish (1)  All languages (86)
Showing 1-5 of 81 (next | show all)
DNF. The protagonist is a whiney rapist. ( )
  jdowner | Feb 17, 2024 |
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. ( )
  ragwaine | Jan 31, 2024 |
Similar to Tolkien with a twist. Unsure if I'll read the next book. ( )
  SteveMcI | Jan 26, 2024 |
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! ( )
  blackdogbooks | Feb 19, 2023 |
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. ( )
  Audacity88 | Oct 12, 2022 |
Showing 1-5 of 81 (next | show all)

» Add other authors (12 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Donaldson, Stephen R.primary authorall editionsconfirmed
Donaldson, Stephenmain authorall editionsconfirmed
Herring, MichaelCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Sweet, Darrell K.Cover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Tate, Janice C.Cover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Wyeth, S. C.Cover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Epigraph
Something there is in beauty
Dedication
For James R. Donaldson, M.D., whose life expressed compassion and commitment more eloquently than any words
First words
She came out of the store just in time to see her young son playing on the sidewalk directly in the path of the gray, gaunt man who strode down the center of the walk like a mechanical derelict.
Quotations
A real man - real in all the ways that we recognise as real - finds himself suddenly abstracted from the world and deposited in a physical situation which could not possibly exist~: sounds have aroma, smells have colour and depth, sights have texture, touches have pitch and timbre. There he is informed by a disembodied voice that he has been brought to that place as a champion for his world. He must fight to the death in single combat against a champion from another world. If he is defeated, he will die, and his world – the real world – will be destroyed because it lacks the inner strength to survive.
The man refuses to believe that what he is told is true. He asserts that he is either dreaming or hallucinating, and declines to be put in the false position of fighting to the death where no ‘real’ danger exists. He is implacable in his determination to disbelieve his apparent situation, and does not defend himself when he is attacked by the champion of the other world.
Question: Is the man’s behaviour courageous or cowardly? This is the fundamental question of ethics.

He could not bear the alternative. If he were dreaming, he might still be able to save his sanity, survive, endure. But if the Land were real, actual – ah, then the long anguish of his leprosy was a dream, and he was mad already, beyond hope
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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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.

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