The Title

[Quisling]

The Quisling has questions about the meaning and relevance of the title, 'Runes of the Earth'.

Firstly: Runes? What runes? Quisling recalls no references to any actual runes in the book itself.

Secondly: Quisling wonders, as he is sure many of you have, if this is a 'pune, or play upon words' which references 'ruins' of the Earth.

Quisling thanks you for your time and thoughtful consideration.

[Dragonlily]

Paying a flying visit to this Forum, careful not to look around for fear of spoilers. But I happen to have read the answer to this question...

I think it was early in the Gradual Interview. Anyway, he did say that the Runes are the attempts of the Earth to communicate. (awesome idea)

Since I haven't ... read ... <hides face> the book yet ... I don't know how that applies.

Incidentally, SRD said in Portland that of the four titles of the Last Chrons, the RUNES title is the one that took the most thought and went through the most changes.

[duchess of malfi]

Actually, I belive the words runes was mentioned in the text...

Spoiler

IIRC, the markings on Linden's pants from the grass (which are so reminiscent of the markings the trees placed on Covenent in LFB) were referred to at least once as runes.

That, would of course, go right along with what Dragonlily just said.

[CovenantJr]

Runes of the Earth...Anele's odd combination of reading stone and being possessed when he touches the ground.

My guess, anyway.

[duchess of malfi]

Yes, and that would also go along with what Dragonlily said. The earth's story being read by Anele, and passed on to Linden.

With Donaldson, I am never surprised by multiple meanings.

[Quisling]

Ah, the quisling had forgotten about the part the Duchess quoted - and he wonders whether those particular runes will turn out to have a specific meaning.

He also sees wisdom in what Dragonlily and others have said, and will think more on it.

The quisling stills wonders if SRD was being 'punny', as well.

[drew]

The title of the first book in each series tends to be the theme of the entire series...The first Chrons ended with the defeat of Lord Fouls Bane...which was pressent through all three books
The second Chrons were about trying to save the Wounded Land...
And I beleive that in this series they will looking to the Runes of the Earth from time to time.

[Xar]

If you recall, Covenant was also "graced" with markings from Morinmoss during the Quest for the Staff of Law... after he started wearing a Land-made robe because of Drool's use of the Staff of Law to locate him through his boots, when the Quest entered Morinmoss following Prothall, he emerged from the forest with a series of green stains on his robe which could not be removed and which were described as appearing to him like some sort of cryptic message from the forest itself... so there's precedents for Linden's stains (although Covenant never found out whether those were, indeed, warnings of some sort... maybe "you idiots, stop playing into Foul's hands!"?)

[brinn18]

I took the markings a little bit differantly. Kind of like the worth or role one was going to play in the fight agaisnt Foul(or perhaps power). Mhoram recieved 2 markings (showing he would play an important part in the war(maybe by killing the raver) but covenant was almost covered by the markings. (showing it ultimately would be up to him whether Foul would win). thats how i saw it anyway.

[Xar]

That might also be (and is a message of some sort, anyway)

[Revan]

Runes of the Earth...Anele's odd combination of reading stone and being possessed when he touches the ground.

My guess, anyway.

No git. That was MY guess. You asked me what the title was about, and I told you That. Stop cheating

[Prince of Amber]

We live on Earth - the books take place in the Land. The 'runes' should therefore refer to something on our side, something in the opening chapters - otherwise the title would be Runes of the Land.

[ur-bane]

The Land is also on a planet called "Earth."

[Thaale]

The Land is also on a planet called "Earth."

Right, that's why Berek and TC are called Earthfriend, the people of The Land experience Earthpower, and Seadreamer had the Earthsight.

[I'm Murrin]

I had taken the title to mean Anele's reading the stone. It could easily have other meanings, though.