In the first chronicles it was clear that the "reality" was undecided. In the second, it was pretty close, but still debatable. But in the third, so much happens in the real world that cannot be explained without the land being "real" and capable of affecting the real world, that...

Yes, as Zarathustra said, it was possible for SRD to write in more of the people of the land - I guess I'm surprised he didn't. They apparently weren't as important to him as things like Viles or Demondim or Ur-Viles or Waynhim. Part of the reason I loved the land in the first chronicles was the peo...

Well yes, the people of the land were ignorant. My point was more what effect that had on me as a reader - without them, it wasn't as emotional a struggle. Mhoram leading thousands of people in a struggle against a siege or Hile Troy leading an army had much more impact. The last chronicles felt &qu...

I've been thinking that one reason why the last chronicles feel "different" is that the scale of people involved changed quite a bit. In the first chronicles the people of the land are fighting for their lives against the despiser. In the second, they are less involved as the sunbane has p...

Add: Can good be accomplished by evil means? This theme was explored. And "Must it transpire that beauty and truth shall pass utterly when we are gone?" To be sure, the phrase "beauty and truth shall pass utterly" brings shivers down my spine when I hear it, due to the first chr...

Good points SleeplessOne, I agree that "evil can change", parental influence, and "betimes some wonder" were strong themes throughout. Somehow these feel "less" than the themes and issues in previous books. Ok, evil can change - but so what? I don't feel like I learned ...

There are certainly metaphors, like "writ in water", good point. I guess what I'm trying to say is - there is a difference between a deep issue and a metaphor. It's hard to explain. "Writ in water" just doesn't open up many questions or thoughts, for me at least. Whereas the Oath...

I loved the first and second chronicles because they dealt with so many issues , serious topics worth thinking about. And this feels missing from the last chronicles. I wonder if I am missing something, or if other people feel this way? To explain what I mean, in the first chronicles here are severa...

There are successful examples in the Chronicles where the contrivance doesn't feel contrived. Hile Troy's plan to save his army was both unexpected and yet earned . TC's defeat of Foul in TPTP was also well earned, and arose naturally in conjunction with the themes embodied by Foamfollower. The &qu...

I guess I don't see how it directly relates. Yes, the kidnapping and other bad stuff happening put pressure on Linden. But resurrecting covenant seems like just one possible reaction. And how did Foul even know it was possible (how could he know Linden would be helped by Cerroil Wildwood to enable h...

I think your points on the FC and SC are interesting - I never thought of it that way before, there is an interesting symmetery there - but in the LC Foul attacks time, but does not attack with time. I am actually not sure how Foul attacks in the LC. He says he just whispers a few words here and the...

I might have missed something, but I didn't get the impression that Jeremiah gained anything from moksha but knowledge. And later Linden tells him "that raver is holding you back" after which he lets moksha run away, which further implies the raver wasn't giving him any benefit beyond the ...

What MIGHT have happened is that he could have been ejected from the Earth before it was remade. And Covenant chose NOT to do this. Which, I believe, is the most important part of this whole thing. Covevant realized that finding a way to come to terms with Foul was important to his own self. Yes, d...

Interesting points! I especially like the possession ideas, I didn't see those connections at all, but now that you mention them they make a lot of sense. The shape of the grass was indeed fang-like, so a good fit for fangthane, and Kastenessen was indeed messing with kevin's dirt around that time. ...

I finished TLD recently, together with the other books of the last chronicles, I held off on reading any until they were all out. I also did not visit kevinswatch for all those years to avoid inadvertent spoilers ;) But now that I read them, I also read through the forums here. Some great discussion...

Maybe this psychological theory is the point, but I guess I'm stuck on the details of how it was achieved. How does embracing your destructive side (or a Raver, or hurt women) give you the knowledge to remake the universe? Is there really any difference between, "I am yours" and "you...

We can also wonder why Covenant had to accept Foul, instead of fight him. Thematically, I understand why accepting Foul is the culmination of the three-Chronicle saga, but the literal reason in the plot for why Covenant can't fight Foul has always been that using enough wild magic to kill Foul will...

I am also planning to start a full re-read of the first and second chronicles, and read the first 3 books of the last chronicles which I have delayed reading until TLD was out. Is it a sure thing TLD will be released October 15 (what Amazon and other sites currently say)? I would hate to finish all ...

Suddenly, this quote of Thomas Covenant's looks different to me. This has probably been discussed to death elsewhere, of course... but anyhow, here is what I think now: One the one hand, the perhaps immediate meaning, which I've thought about for years, is his desire to remain 'distant' and uninvolv...

I see this topic has already been laid to rest here, but I'll add my own opinion for anyone that happens to read it :wink: Covenant's rape is similar to the murder in Crime&Punishment. It is a test of ethics. TC is unsure about whether the Land is real, and (driven by the various psychological f...