why

[I'm Murrin]

Although I'm sure we'd all have been satisfied with the ending in WGW, I think we just have to accept SRDs reason for this last series (apparently he'd always seen the second and last chrons as part of the same whole, and to him, the Last are necessary), and enjoy the chance to revisit the Land.

[variol son]

I think also no limits that part of the 20 year gap has to do with learning.

SRD has said himself that he feels that Terisa Morgan from Mordant's Need is better written because he had practise in writing a female protagonist (Linden Avery).

He then says that he couldn't write The Gap, or make it as good as it is, until he had experience in writing about politics etc, which he got from writing Mordant's Need.

Finally, the intense POV that we find in The Gap were him preparing for the type of POV required in The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

I'm not sure how the Reed Stephen's mystery novels fit in there, but I'm sure that they do.

And I'm pretty certain that SRD has alluded to this in the Gradual interview.

Finally, I must say that I agree with you no limits that the story felt finished at the end of White Gold Wielder. Even though all the ends were better "tied up" at the end of The Power that Preserves, I felt the second chronicles ending was more...fulfilling somehow.

Sum sui generis
Vs

[I'm Murrin]

I'm not sure how the Reed Stephen's mystery novels fit in there, but I'm sure that they do.

Donaldson called it "excercising different creative muscles". He was writing in a style other than that he usually does, in order to improve his writing skill overall.

[theDespiser]

i didnt really see any 'open doors' at the end of the 2nd chrons...well, not ones that would lead me to believe there would be a 3rd series...just some questions i had playing through my mind...after a good series, i always wonder what happens after the final word is read...just as a follow up...


i didnt like the way it all ended..not that i thought that it was poorly written, just that it happened that way...cant wait to read the 3rd series when i have all the books

[alanm]

All,
excellent discussion. there is obviously a mixed response to the ending of WGW. When all said and done though I will be reading Runes and will approach it with an open mind.

[Prover of Life]

This has been a very good discussion. It was after re-reading all these posts that I remembered something.

I read WGW when it came out in 1983. Felt the story was finished but also wondered about a few things. Then came the last lines:

Here end the 2nd Chronicles of Thomas Covenant

Have to admit that left me with a possibility of a 3rd.

[aliantha]

One of the things SRD has said (in the GI, I believe) that he had to wait for, before he could write the 3d Chrons, was parenthood. He knew, way back when, that the 3d Chrons would be about progeny and family ties (as the 1st Chrons were about individuals and the 2d Chrons were about relationships), and because he wasn't a parent 20 years ago, he didn't feel he could do the 3d Chrons justice.

And, okay, now he's got two kids in college. So yeah, it's partly about the $$$$.

[sindatur]

White Gold Weilder had a fine open ended ending. It served as an ending, and left room for the door to be reopened.

He mentioned in everyone of those interview segments that he just didn't have the stamina to take on the challenge of the 3rd chronicles at that time. So he was waiting until he had the stamina, and obviously the more appropriate muscles.

The Reed Stephens Novels, I believe, are a much lighter fair, and therefore didn't drain him as much as the Gap and TC series did.

So, with the Reed Stephens Novels, he was able to take a bit of a break, before tackling the mountain that will be the 3rd Chronicles.

As far as the story being finished with WGW, well, you'll have to read Runes before you make a really good judgement of that. I'm only about 200 pages in, and most of what people said were the open ends, prior to any spoilers being released for the 3rd Chronicles are indeed addressed early in Runes.