Why I love Fatal Revenant

Book 2 of the Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant

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Ur Dead
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Why I love Fatal Revenant

Post by Ur Dead »

SRD has really outdone it. He has brought the magic back to the Chronicles. So much accomplished and new astonishments. I havn't felt this way since Lord Fouls Bane.

What has been revealed?
A new race, the Insequents and their determination to rid the world of the Elohim.
Only four are known as of FR.
The Madoubt
The Theomach
The Vizard
The Harrow
Each has their own special abilities, except for the Theomach. (and the jury is still out on that).

Some very revealing parts and IMO very powerful tales in this book.
Anele( the answer to the unknown question )
Meeting Berek.
The Seven words and meaning.
Who drank first.
The Mountain Breaker.
Meeting the Forestal and Linden small woven gift.
The Madoubt's qwest. (Her completions)
Sandgorgon's army. (the battle was great but it was the SG's arrival)
Avoiding becoming hot worm food and being sliced and diced.
The new one forest?
Andelain was so much on so many levels. Linden's choice to bring back TC from the dead. Plus giving the Insequents a gift.
(In a few short weeks, Linden may accomplish what the Insequents couldn't do for thousands of years)

I see that SRD has written this book with so much revealed and yet a number of new subtle events.
What's this silver looking ring doing on my finger?
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iQuestor
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Post by iQuestor »

Here, here! I loved FR, and am about to re-read runes, then FR again.
CT
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Post by CT »

I'm with you - this was a phenomenal book. Totally redeems Last Chronicles to date (I was happy but overall lukewarm on RotE). It's DIFFERENT - and I think that's what rubs some folks the wrong way. But to me the genius of how and in what ways it's different are starting to shine through for me:
1) Linden as main pov character - hated Linden in 2nd Chron, now my like/dislike is irrelevant as I'm totally bought into her character and what she's dealing with, how inadequate she knows she is
2) Land's history - this seems to be bothersome to some who for whatever reason wanted a murky, mysterious past we never get the truth about. For me, I love knowing what really happened, being able to relate that to the tales we heard in chrons 1 and 2, getting the details filled in (like the Haruchai pre-Kevin), etc.
3) Anele - I think we all know from the text that he is the salvation, but how? Why? I'm riveted anytime we get more Anele-revelations.
4) Kevin's Dirt - we all fondly remember the people of the Land and their oneness w/ their surroundings and environment. We haven't seen that since Chron 1 really. They are worth redeeming and I love that it becomes poignant in chapters like the one post-Sandgorgon battle.
5) The Insequent - this ain't deus ex machina folks, no one is flying in to solve all the world's problems. This is a very interesting new element to the story that fits in with a lot of the backstory and opens up a lot of new possibilities (and problems) for the main characters.
6) The pacing - FR was a virtual non-stop roller coaster. At times in all 6 of the original books you got stuff this hectic (Wightwarrens, Doom's Retreat, Korik's mission, TC & Foamfollower in the lower Land, the Banefire scenes, escaping Braitherealm, etc.), but never flat-out, cover-to-cover like in FR.

I could probably keep going, but won't. My level of expectation for RotE was 10 out of 10 and the actual experience of the book ended up at maybe 6 or 7 for me. I was back at 10 out of 10 for expectations for FR, and feel like it fully delivered a 10 out of 10 experience.
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Starkin
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Post by Starkin »

Ur Dead, CT, you've put it better than I ever could. FR was phenomenal on every level. I agree with everything you both said about it...

... all except what CT said about Linden in the Second Chronicles: I've loved her since day one! She's such a dynamic character, faults and all. I think she's incredible even when she's warned to "beware of love" and is set to destroy the world anyway! :)
"Ah, my daughter, do not fear. You will not fail, however he may assail you. There is also love in the world. Be true."
shrewdlydone
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FR

Post by shrewdlydone »

Fatal Revenant was the best Covenant book since PTP. I simply loved it.
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Luke The Unbeliever
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Post by Luke The Unbeliever »

I personally have enjoyed all of the Chrons so far. None of the books are the same, and who really wants to read the same basic formula over and over again (see: Terry Goodkind)?

Fatal Revenant stands apart from every other book of The Chrons. The pacing is entirely new to the series and IMO further drives home the sense of urgency felt by Linden.

So many questions have been asked in SRD's GI about the Land's past, and now we are getting some of theose questions answered.

The Last Chrons are truly a rollercoaster ride. Runes was the long wait to the top of the first drop and Fatal Revenant was that first great rush down. I think we all should be prepared for a finish that will be second to none.

I loved FR just as I loved all the other Chrons and I trust SRD to deliver the best he has to offer. That's more than good enough for me!
Brian: Who cured you?
Ex-Leper: Jesus did, sir. I was hopping along, minding my own business, all of a sudden, up he comes, cures me! One minute I'm a leper with a trade, next minute my livelihood's gone. Not so much as a by-your-leave! "You're cured, mate." Bloody do-gooder.
Brian: Well, why don't you go and tell him you want to be a leper again?
Ex-Leper: Uh, I could do that sir, yeah. Yeah, I could do that I suppose. What I was thinking was I was going to ask him if he could make me a bit lame in one leg during the middle of the week. You know, something beggable, but not leprosy, which is a pain in the @$$ to be blunt and excuse my French, sir.
shrewdlydone
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Post by shrewdlydone »

I've been referring to the Last Chronicles thus: Land, Battle Royale!

The reveal under Skyweir was somewhat expected for me, but the execution and depth of the horror completely stunned me. Fantastic work.
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