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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
So, as a high fantasy novel, this one was up there. It had a rich world with interesting characters and unique creatures. They had their own customs and belief. There was a small, but not overwhelming presence of magic and the fantastical that made the world feel so real and down to earth. Even the MC's lack of belief that the world he was in really gave this book a nice atmosphere and made it so immersive. And the leprosy was a unique aspect.
But, that same quality about Covenant was also what made me give this book three stars. In his constant disbelief that the world around him was real, he became more of the anti-hero as he did not believe there would be any consequence for his actions. He even raped a sixteen-year-old girl who had done nothing but try and help him since he arrived in the world, then figured it was okay because no one came after him. Sure, he felt guilty and it stayed with him throughout the book, but after that, I can't see Thomas in a good light anymore. Nor can I give this book a better rating, even ifI did start to enjoy myself later on, after I pushed the event to the back of my mind.
But, that same quality about Covenant was also what made me give this book three stars. In his constant disbelief that the world around him was real, he became more of the anti-hero as he did not believe there would be any consequence for his actions. He even raped a sixteen-year-old girl who had done nothing but try and help him since he arrived in the world, then figured it was okay because no one came after him. Sure, he felt guilty and it stayed with him throughout the book, but after that, I can't see Thomas in a good light anymore. Nor can I give this book a better rating, even ifI did start to enjoy myself later on, after I pushed the event to the back of my mind.
Not everyone is a fan of the Thomas Covenant books, so beware. The reason for this is an irritating characteristic of the protagonist. Basically Covenant denies the reality of his whole experience through most of the first three books. I mean really... Who can say what is real and what isn't? Most of us operate from the paradigm that what seems real will be treated as real until proven otherwise.
What makes this series of novels excellent is its creativity. The creatures, places, natural laws, history, myths, and gods are all fabulously bizarre. Thinking about it now just makes me want to dive back in and read the whole series for the fourth time.
The story is about Covenant's efforts to deal with the Devil of another world. Our hero is hampered by leprosy and disbelief. Of the two, the second is the larger problem by far. Covenant's main advantage is his white-gold ring, which has mysterious and mostly uncontrollable powers.
The broad plot is fairly simple but hidden within is a wealth of detail that makes the whole tale come alive. The other interesting point is how long we live inside the hero's head. There is no thought or feeling that remains hidden
Overall the chronicles are well worth a read if you want to escape into a new world for a while.
What makes this series of novels excellent is its creativity. The creatures, places, natural laws, history, myths, and gods are all fabulously bizarre. Thinking about it now just makes me want to dive back in and read the whole series for the fourth time.
The story is about Covenant's efforts to deal with the Devil of another world. Our hero is hampered by leprosy and disbelief. Of the two, the second is the larger problem by far. Covenant's main advantage is his white-gold ring, which has mysterious and mostly uncontrollable powers.
The broad plot is fairly simple but hidden within is a wealth of detail that makes the whole tale come alive. The other interesting point is how long we live inside the hero's head. There is no thought or feeling that remains hidden
Overall the chronicles are well worth a read if you want to escape into a new world for a while.
This was just as good as I remembered from 25 years ago. This is pretty much the anti-chosen-one / fellowship book that subverts those tropes and many more.
This was one of the worst books I have ever suffered through. I finished because I thought it might get better, given there are about a million more books in the series.
Let me save you some time:
If you're 100 pages in and the hideous prose is really getting to you, it doesn't get any better. I wish there was something more purple than purple prose, because that would be perfect to describe the writing style.
If you're 100 pages in and you're annoyed by Donaldson's apparent endorsement by Roget's that requires him to eschew perfectly serviceable words in favor of misusing complicated ones... here's a taste of what you're going to "miss" by skipping the rest of the book. "Mhorm watched them with a rictus of helplessness on his humane lips". I'm not entirely sure how lips can be humane, especially on a character that's spent most of his dialogue quota growling at our main character, but there it is.
And ah, our main character. I don't mind an antihero. I certainly don't need to like the protagonist to enjoy a book. But an antihero works best in an ambiguous world (for all its faults, A Song of Ice and Fire has done a great job of this). Donaldson has created a world where there is only good and evil- it's hard to miss, with a bad guy with the name of "Lord Foul". The conflict is very clearly spelled out, and all the other characters are very clearly on one side or the other. Thomas Covenant seems to oscillate between apathy and outright asshole behavior, but manages to never, EVER, let up on his whining. Every other character adores him and drags his weak ass along, even though he's nothing but a serious burden and never a help. I'm actually kind of surprised that there wasn't some tree-magic someone had to work for him to wipe his butt. Every so often, he magically knows how to use his magic ring that keeps a few of the characters from dying in some battle with wolves or orcs or something (no shit, magic ring, why didn't someone thing of that narrative plot line before?). In the interest of full disclosure, I absolutely HATE fantasy novels that use some sort of intuitive magic that only comes at the absolute peak of the battle and then disappears, requiring nothing of the user in the way of knowledge or personal exploration. It's an extremely weak narrative crutch. Maybe this would develop later in the series, if I could stomach it. But I can't, so I guess I'll never know if Covenant's magic turns out to be the most interesting thing in modern fantasy.
But I seriously doubt that. Despite the pages and pages of tedious description, not a single character came alive for me, with perhaps the exception of Lena. But she's raped and discarded from the narrative structure before the first quarter of the book is over, only later popping up in Covenant's memory to remind him that he once did a bad thing and giving him leave to further wallow in his own self-loathing. Rape can be used to interesting purpose in fiction- it's a horrible act, but that is why it can be useful in exploring the psyche of both the aggressor and the victim. But Covenant's rape of Lena is just put there to show that he's not a leper anymore, and then he spends the next 400 pages whining about being a leper. Like the magic, maybe Lena comes back in a later book for some narrative purpose, but I've got better things to do than stick around to find out.
This book isn't just 400 pages long, it's a slow 400 pages long. Let me sum it up for you in a single word, so you don't have to suffer through- tedious.
Let me save you some time:
If you're 100 pages in and the hideous prose is really getting to you, it doesn't get any better. I wish there was something more purple than purple prose, because that would be perfect to describe the writing style.
If you're 100 pages in and you're annoyed by Donaldson's apparent endorsement by Roget's that requires him to eschew perfectly serviceable words in favor of misusing complicated ones... here's a taste of what you're going to "miss" by skipping the rest of the book. "Mhorm watched them with a rictus of helplessness on his humane lips". I'm not entirely sure how lips can be humane, especially on a character that's spent most of his dialogue quota growling at our main character, but there it is.
And ah, our main character. I don't mind an antihero. I certainly don't need to like the protagonist to enjoy a book. But an antihero works best in an ambiguous world (for all its faults, A Song of Ice and Fire has done a great job of this). Donaldson has created a world where there is only good and evil- it's hard to miss, with a bad guy with the name of "Lord Foul". The conflict is very clearly spelled out, and all the other characters are very clearly on one side or the other. Thomas Covenant seems to oscillate between apathy and outright asshole behavior, but manages to never, EVER, let up on his whining. Every other character adores him and drags his weak ass along, even though he's nothing but a serious burden and never a help. I'm actually kind of surprised that there wasn't some tree-magic someone had to work for him to wipe his butt. Every so often, he magically knows how to use his magic ring that keeps a few of the characters from dying in some battle with wolves or orcs or something (no shit, magic ring, why didn't someone thing of that narrative plot line before?). In the interest of full disclosure, I absolutely HATE fantasy novels that use some sort of intuitive magic that only comes at the absolute peak of the battle and then disappears, requiring nothing of the user in the way of knowledge or personal exploration. It's an extremely weak narrative crutch. Maybe this would develop later in the series, if I could stomach it. But I can't, so I guess I'll never know if Covenant's magic turns out to be the most interesting thing in modern fantasy.
But I seriously doubt that. Despite the pages and pages of tedious description, not a single character came alive for me, with perhaps the exception of Lena. But she's raped and discarded from the narrative structure before the first quarter of the book is over, only later popping up in Covenant's memory to remind him that he once did a bad thing and giving him leave to further wallow in his own self-loathing. Rape can be used to interesting purpose in fiction- it's a horrible act, but that is why it can be useful in exploring the psyche of both the aggressor and the victim. But Covenant's rape of Lena is just put there to show that he's not a leper anymore, and then he spends the next 400 pages whining about being a leper. Like the magic, maybe Lena comes back in a later book for some narrative purpose, but I've got better things to do than stick around to find out.
This book isn't just 400 pages long, it's a slow 400 pages long. Let me sum it up for you in a single word, so you don't have to suffer through- tedious.
I have a long, complex history with this book. I've read it twice before, both times during periods of personal upheaval, and each time I've been able to suspend my dislike of Covenant for about half the book before I get bored. This time, I was at least able to appreciate the use of an anti-hero in what is otherwise a very direct retelling of The Lord of the Rings and the hero's quest parable containted therein. Appreciate, but not exactly enjoy. The writing itself is just not on the same level as a Tolkien, or a Gaiman, or any of the other fantasy authors I really enjoy, nor is Donaldson's problematic fave as well-developed as Stephen King's Gunslinger character - the other non-heroic hero that always springs to mind when I think about this series. A gold star for effort, but ultimately, not a series that has captured my interest enough to want to continue. Should I ever find myself wondering how Covenant gets on in his future, I'll head to the wiki summary.
I'm making notes of books which critics I trust have steered me away from; with moderately popular fantasy titles like this I find it helpful to make lists of what I want to seek out and what I want to avoid
I'm not crazy about the beginning or the lack of resolution on how the Land exists, but it's a solid story. Covenant irks me when he's too introspective in the middle of major events or how arbitrary the things he cares for seem to be. I don't buy his conviction that being a leper explains it all. I would continue to series based on this start though.
The best part is that Lord Foul’s Bane is profound and symbolic in many ways. I can’t help but feel like this is one of the most moving fantasies I’ve read in a long time. However, in order to appreciate it, you have to get Thomas covenant. You don’t have to love him (in fact he’s impossible to love) but you have to understand and sympathize a little bit.
I will admit that my experience of this book is colored by my buddy’s reading of it. I read this with my best friend who’s recovering from substance abuse and going through an ostracization very similar to Covenant and the book touched him very deeply. For this, I’ve allowed myself to give Covenant a lot more sympathy and patience and that may be the biggest reason I came out of it with a great experience.
For some reason I’m getting intense déjà vu reading this book. I’m certain I’ve never read it before and the scenes which trigger it I don’t think I’ve seen in another book. It’s like I’ve read this book before in a dream.
Lord Foul’s Bane does feel a little bit slow. Most of the novel is concerned with introducing us to the Land and Covenant’s internal conflict. The land is wonderful and the people are all so precious. However, I did lose a little bit of interest with all of the build up in the book. It feels like it’s going to great lengths to set the stage for the next two books, which is fine, but I also struggle to read multiple pages of exposition/travel description. And… I did get a little sick of Covenant’s constant whining. That said, the important parts, the dialogue and the battles against evil, were brilliant. Donaldson is a great writer with an interesting style that’s quite unlike anything else I’ve read.
I will admit that my experience of this book is colored by my buddy’s reading of it. I read this with my best friend who’s recovering from substance abuse and going through an ostracization very similar to Covenant and the book touched him very deeply. For this, I’ve allowed myself to give Covenant a lot more sympathy and patience and that may be the biggest reason I came out of it with a great experience.
For some reason I’m getting intense déjà vu reading this book. I’m certain I’ve never read it before and the scenes which trigger it I don’t think I’ve seen in another book. It’s like I’ve read this book before in a dream.
Lord Foul’s Bane does feel a little bit slow. Most of the novel is concerned with introducing us to the Land and Covenant’s internal conflict. The land is wonderful and the people are all so precious. However, I did lose a little bit of interest with all of the build up in the book. It feels like it’s going to great lengths to set the stage for the next two books, which is fine, but I also struggle to read multiple pages of exposition/travel description. And… I did get a little sick of Covenant’s constant whining. That said, the important parts, the dialogue and the battles against evil, were brilliant. Donaldson is a great writer with an interesting style that’s quite unlike anything else I’ve read.
I think my biggest problem with this book was that I hated the main character. It's an intriguing story... a man in America (I believe) has leprosy & as he's crossing the street, he gets hit by a car & is thrown into a fantasy world. He's ecstatic to find that he no longer has leprosy...and ends up raping a girl in a village that gives him food & shelter. He feels badly about it, but for me, there's just no coming back from that sort of thing. I know this series is highly rated, but I just have never been able to pick up the others.
adventurous
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This one looked right up my alley as far as being the sort of genre fiction I like, and I was rather disappointed in it.
It follows a portal fantasy formula, but has a pretty unique Earth-human main character: a leper, from an era when leprosy was somewhat understood but still not very treatable. Thomas Covenant's disease thus does not destroy him or render him a complete outcast, but exerts a heavy influence on his life. Until he unexpectedly finds himself in The Land ...
Fairly early in the book, there's a rape scene. Not only is it rather too graphic for my taste - it's not committed by an antagonist, but by the main character. Yep. To be fair, 1) he is at least half-convinced he is dreaming at the time, and 2) he eventually realizes what a horrible thing he did and tries to make restitution. It's still a pretty over-the-line choice for a protagonist, and as someone who was expecting some nice escapism, I found it jarring.
I also grew to dislike Thomas because he began to come across as so very whiny. At first I did sympathize with him! I think a man with a horrible disease like leprosy is allowed to complain and have some bitter thoughts about his life. But when he enters the book's alternate/dream universe, he is given a reprieve from his leprosy, he is hailed as a Chosen One ... and he continues complaining, avoiding responsibility, and generally being as useless as the plot will let him be.
The psychological explanation for this seems to be that he fears giving himself false hope. Overconfidence would be disastrous to his life as a leper, so he refuses to believe that he is cured or has any power. This might have been interesting in moderation, but it went on for the whoooole book. Even at the end, Thomas fails to adapt; he returns to his home on Earth seemingly having learned nothing. The book overall feels like the portrait of a man who allows himself to be defined by his limitations, and in his obsessive quest to survive, neglects to live. That makes for a depressing read.
I wish I had something to say about the alternate reality and the native characters who become Thomas' companions, but I guess I can't think of much. I remember it as a perfectly acceptable fantasy setting, with original elements ... but nothing that particularly stood out, nothing that I loved.
I had a poor enough experience with this one that I did not go on to read the rest of the series.
It follows a portal fantasy formula, but has a pretty unique Earth-human main character: a leper, from an era when leprosy was somewhat understood but still not very treatable. Thomas Covenant's disease thus does not destroy him or render him a complete outcast, but exerts a heavy influence on his life. Until he unexpectedly finds himself in The Land ...
Fairly early in the book, there's a rape scene. Not only is it rather too graphic for my taste - it's not committed by an antagonist, but by the main character. Yep. To be fair, 1) he is at least half-convinced he is dreaming at the time, and 2) he eventually realizes what a horrible thing he did and tries to make restitution. It's still a pretty over-the-line choice for a protagonist, and as someone who was expecting some nice escapism, I found it jarring.
I also grew to dislike Thomas because he began to come across as so very whiny. At first I did sympathize with him! I think a man with a horrible disease like leprosy is allowed to complain and have some bitter thoughts about his life. But when he enters the book's alternate/dream universe, he is given a reprieve from his leprosy, he is hailed as a Chosen One ... and he continues complaining, avoiding responsibility, and generally being as useless as the plot will let him be.
The psychological explanation for this seems to be that he fears giving himself false hope. Overconfidence would be disastrous to his life as a leper, so he refuses to believe that he is cured or has any power. This might have been interesting in moderation, but it went on for the whoooole book. Even at the end, Thomas fails to adapt; he returns to his home on Earth seemingly having learned nothing. The book overall feels like the portrait of a man who allows himself to be defined by his limitations, and in his obsessive quest to survive, neglects to live. That makes for a depressing read.
I wish I had something to say about the alternate reality and the native characters who become Thomas' companions, but I guess I can't think of much. I remember it as a perfectly acceptable fantasy setting, with original elements ... but nothing that particularly stood out, nothing that I loved.
I had a poor enough experience with this one that I did not go on to read the rest of the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Violence
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content