The Gradual Interview

For discussion about Stephen R. Donaldson's other works, Reed Stephens, group meetings, elohimfests, SRD sightings, and more.

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dlbpharmd
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Post by dlbpharmd »

OK, what do you know that you're not telling?
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Seareach
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Post by Seareach »

...um...well...it's kinda like this.... :biggrin:
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Post by wayfriend »

Darn darn darn darn darn....

But he *did* (also) use the phrase "Shall Pass Utterly"!
In [u]Lord Foul's Bane[/u] was wrote:"Thus he ran, hunted by death, and the memory of the shadow was upon him. For three days he ran, never stopping, never resting - and for three days the King's host came behind him like a murderous beast, panting for blood. At the last of his strength and the extremity of his despair, he came to Mount Thunder. Climbing the rock-strewn slope, he threw himself down atop a great boulder and wept, saying, `Alas for the Earth. We are overthrown, and have no friend to redeem us. Beauty shall pass utterly from the Land.'
What's wrong with Berek's beautiful words?
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Seareach
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Post by Seareach »

Yeah, you're right Wayfriend. I'm not sure what he's talking about there.
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Post by Menolly »

Perhaps you should submit that quote to SRD via the Gradual Interview and remind him?

Instead of misremembering the words, he may be misremembering where he got the phrase from.
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dlbpharmd
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Post by dlbpharmd »

Seareach wrote:
Anonymous: I've been waiting for this one to be asked but haven't seen it yet. Why the name change for the 3rd book?


Ah, well. There hasn't been a name change for Covenant 9 (Book Three of "The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant")--yet. I simply mis-remembered the line of verse from which I wanted to derive the title. I remembered the line (from "Lord Kevin's Lament" in TIW) as "shall pass utterly," but when I (finally) checked the text, I saw my mistake; so I corrected the announced title on this site.

Since then, however, my editors have let me know that they dislike "Should Pass Utterly" as a title. They think it will inhibit sales. By contract, they have the right to insist on a change. (When I was first published, I was told, "It's a rare writer who can call his title his own.") But they won't insist on a title I don't like, so I've been asked to come up with a new one. Sometime comparatively soon, a new title will appear here--after which I'll strenuously try to pretend that nothing has happened.

(02/22/2007)
;)
Based on this, I don't think the editors will like "Shall Pass Utterly" either.
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Cameraman Jenn
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Post by Cameraman Jenn »

Well it flows alot better than "Should Pass Utterly."
Now if I could just find a way to wear live bees as jewelry all the time.....

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dlbpharmd
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Post by dlbpharmd »

I don't think flow is the problem, it seems the editors don't like the title at all.
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Post by I'm Murrin »

I expect the editors' problem with the title would apply even if it were Shall rather than Should.
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Seareach
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Post by Seareach »

...I think Dlb and Murrin have a point there! ;) :biggrin:
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dlbpharmd
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Post by dlbpharmd »

Murrin wrote:I expect the editors' problem with the title would apply even if it were Shall rather than Should.
Agreed.
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Post by I'm Murrin »

On the other hand, have the editors considered that they don't really need to be selling this book on its title? It's the third volume in a series, after all.
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Post by wayfriend »

I'm pretty sure that the editors were sold on the titles of the four books a long time ago. It makes no sense that the title would have been published in hundreds and hundreds of press releases if that wasn't so.

So I interpret it the problem is the "Should".
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Post by wayfriend »

Meanwhile ...

I WANT IT!

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Post by Cail »

Wow, that's actually a pretty cool shirt. I'd wear it.
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Seareach
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Post by Seareach »

cool tshirt!!!!! I want one too!
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Post by kevinswatch »

Ooo, that's interesting.

Death to Should!

Yay!!!

Yeah, someone really, really, really, should (sorry to use that word) send a GI or tell SRD about the use of the phrase "Shall Pass Utterly" in LFB, the quote Wayfriend posted. Maybe the "Should" really was the problem, and maybe he'll change it back to Shall.

It's amazing how much one word will do, though. Personally, I think "Shall Pass Utterly" is a great title for a book, while "Should Pass Utterly" is completely terrible.

But yeah, someone should tell him about "Shall". Long live Shall!

-jay
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Post by Menolly »

Whoa!!

Nice shirt!
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Post by wayfriend »

... maybe the publishers finally figured out that there are too many books called "Should Pass Utterly" already out there.

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Post by dlbpharmd »

kevinswatch wrote: It's amazing how much one word will do, though. Personally, I think "Shall Pass Utterly" is a great title for a book, while "Should Pass Utterly" is completely terrible.
-jay
I'm OK with "Shall Pass Utterly."
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