A post to Mr. Donaldson in his "Gradual Interview"

[TincupCPG]

Towards the end of the March posts, there is a post hidden by a spoiler warning. Having read and reread "Runes" numerous times, I went ahead and looked at it.

I am not sure I could find a more insultive post in the interviews if I tried. I mean, I see what question he was getting at...but the form he took was pretty sad.

Then I read Mr. Donaldson's reply and he felt exactly the same way. (although i DO wish he had commented fully on his "not so polite replies")

I think we need to trust him and I have NO doubt at all that we will be very happy when the last of the Chronicles are done. Excepting for the fact that there most likely will never be any more, of course.

[wayfriend]

When a purported English major begins a post to a best-selling author with "Dude", you can see the train wreck coming.

But SRD reveals another clue about the Final Chronicles thereby, albeit a negative one. So I can't say I'm not glad I read it.

[Old Darth]

SRD's reply was a thing of beauty.

[TincupCPG]

Yeah, Mr. Donaldson showed some great restraint there even though it is obvious he was more than a little peeved.

I like it now that we know ONE scenario isn't gonna happen. Yes, and he HAS earned the right to publish the Last Chronicles. He stated many times that he had gotten the ideas for the Last Chronicles while he was writing the Second and so peppered them with enough "loopholes" to allow for the Last Chronicles if he ever decided to write them. So, it wasn't about being money hungry or ruining a series. This was all planned YEARS ago.

I am just grateful he is writing them.

[drew]

As I was reading this guys question, I was getting exited about SRD's answer...although simplistic as it was...deffinatly not a let down.
This guy wrote Saying how much he liked the Chrons..and then said they're a LOTR rip-off. Then he says that writting the Third Chrons is a cop-out...but that he's read Runes anyway!!
What was this dickhead's point?

[CovenantJr]

Oh, that was just disgusting! To say this person claims to be an English graduate, that whole "question" is very badly written and confused, in addition to the manifest disregard for common courtesy. I think SRD showed admirable restraint. And if this person ever seriously thought that particular scenario is the way the Last Chrons would pan out, he/she has clearly never read SRD before; I can't see Donaldson ever making it that obvious, especially so early on.

[dlbpharmd]

And if this person ever seriously thought that particular scenario is the way the Last Chrons would pan out, he/she has clearly never read SRD before; I can't see Donaldson ever making it that obvious, especially so early on.

Lots of people have made those same predictions here in this forum.

[Loredoctor]

As I was reading this guys question, I was getting exited about SRD's answer...although simplistic as it was...deffinatly not a let down.
This guy wrote Saying how much he liked the Chrons..and then said they're a LOTR rip-off. Then he says that writting the Third Chrons is a cop-out...but that he's read Runes anyway!!
What was this dickhead's point?

That's what struck me as weird. I wonder if Lee is a member here?

[CovenantJr]

And if this person ever seriously thought that particular scenario is the way the Last Chrons would pan out, he/she has clearly never read SRD before; I can't see Donaldson ever making it that obvious, especially so early on.

Lots of people have made those same predictions here in this forum.

And I scoffed then too

[native]

Lots of people have made those same predictions here in this forum.

I was one of those who thought that the removal of the Staff of Law would facilitate Foul's resurrection, as Stave indirectly warned. It would seem odd if there were no consequence of removing the Staff of Law from time, as we know it has a strong preservative effect on the law just by existing.

[firelion]

I don't think that Linden really had much choice in going after the staff-seeing as it was either removed or destroyed sometime in the past,retrieving it at least assured that she had possession of it.

[Variol Farseer]

Maybe not; but going back the whole 3000 years to retrieve it left a catastrophic hole. In fact, it's pretty clear that Linden herself caused the Staff to go missing by going back in time to retrieve it. If it had never been missing, it would never have gone missing: a lovely example of time-travel paradox in action, a.k.a. Ouroboros biting himself on the backside.

[Kenaustin Ardenol]

I don't think Linden's removal of the staff from the past had any effect other than saving all those waynhim from being destroyed by it one buy one gradually over the next 2 and half odd thousand years. I mean it was allready missing and probablly could have easily been recovered without going into the past from the waynhim cave if they had of known were to look. I also don't think bringing it forward in time would have removed it's effect as it still passed through all that time to come to the present. The ceasures are connected to all moments at once. I haven't seen anything go on in Runes that is definately against the law other than things performed with white gold which is above the law anyway.

[drew]

I figured that Linden should have found the Staff back in the past..and then Gone back to the present, and gotten it. Like once she found that it was taken from Anele's cave by the Whanyn's; she should have found the remnants of their cave in the present. Although, I'm sure Donaldson knows where he's going with this..even if the LeeI fellow thinks he's coping out!!

[native]

Maybe not; but going back the whole 3000 years to retrieve it left a catastrophic hole. In fact, it's pretty clear that Linden herself caused the Staff to go missing by going back in time to retrieve it. If it had never been missing, it would never have gone missing: a lovely example of time-travel paradox in action, a.k.a. Ouroboros biting himself on the backside.

I also find this troubling. You can get out of it a bit by saying the Waynhim took the staff and that's why it went missing. One then has to ask why the ur-Viles couldn't have located it in the present in the way they located it in the past, making the time trip unnecessary. Even if proximity to the staff had killed all the Waynhim by that point, it would still be buried in their Rhysh, ready to be found.

I'm thinking perhaps the ur-Viles have another motive in creating the need to go back in time - serving Esmer, rescuing the Waynhim, bringing the Demondin to the future? Who can say?

[Old Darth]

I'm thinking perhaps the ur-Viles have another motive in creating the need to go back in time - serving Esmer, rescuing the Waynhim, bringing the Demondin to the future? Who can say?

I strongly believe your second and third points will become very important elements.

[Variol Farseer]

I also find this troubling. You can get out of it a bit by saying the Waynhim took the staff and that's why it went missing. One then has to ask why the ur-Viles couldn't have located it in the present in the way they located it in the past, making the time trip unnecessary. Even if proximity to the staff had killed all the Waynhim by that point, it would still be buried in their Rhysh, ready to be found.

Except that it did not exist in the present, because Linden, 3000 years before, had lifted it right out of the stream of history. For those 3000 years, there was no Staff.

I think the conclusion is inescapable. Linden herself 'lost' the Staff by removing it from the place where Anele had hidden it. If she had not intervened to 'find' it, it would never have been missing at all.

[Kenaustin Ardenol]

I think the conclusion is inescapable. Linden herself 'lost' the Staff by removing it from the place where Anele had hidden it.

But she didn't, the waynhim removed it.

[ur-bane]

I also find this troubling. You can get out of it a bit by saying the Waynhim took the staff and that's why it went missing. One then has to ask why the ur-Viles couldn't have located it in the present in the way they located it in the past, making the time trip unnecessary.

Why would the ur-Viles go back in time to obtain the staff?
It was not made for them, and therefore could be of no use to them.
They needed someone else who could use the staff. Enter Linden.
They agreed to help find it because that is what Linden wanted, and also in some way they knew it was necessary that she have it.
Such as shown by the creation of Vain, the ur-viles are somewhat prophetic in their lore. Although they may not necessarily know the outcome, they tend to guess the path rather well.

As for the time trip, I think the ur-viles knew it had to be done. For reasons we don't yet know. Perhaps the ur-viles knew what was happening to the Waynhim that possessed the staff, and needed the damage undone. That could only be done in the past, not the present. Certainly there will now be Waynhim in the present that will remember Linden's healing deeds. Another Linden Avery ally is born...eh...made.

[Jerico]

Maybe the Ur-viles went back to get the Waynhim, and possibly the Demondim? All three will have major impact on the last cron. I believe!