The Gradual Interview

[Relayer]

I haven't read the Man Who yet, so I can't comment...

Other than that I agree with the posts above that very few characters are truly villains through and through... Foul, the Ravers, Holt, Eremis, and Gilbur are pretty much it. Maybe Kasreyn?

Spoiler

And so far, Roger.

The Gap plays around so much with changing roles that it's really hard to say about Angus, Nick, or Sorus but I'd agree that all three of them would become buddies w/ Foul pretty quickly. But who can say? Up until the time the story starts, Warden Dios 'looked' like a pretty bad guy to the outside world too.

[drew]

Only EIGHT answers last month.

That's the least yet.

And I don't think there was too many appearances...none comming up too.

Are there just not many questions? Or is he just Busy writting?

BTW-I haven't been keeping up with the Seafest threads too much...DID SRD make an appearance?

[dlbpharmd]

BTW-I haven't been keeping up with the Seafest threads too much...DID SRD make an appearance?

No, not this year.

[drew]

Really?

That's too bad.

Especially with the Readers Three all in attendance

[CovenantJr]

Sereach met him though, so it wasn't an entirely SRD-free fest.

[wayfriend]

Especially with the Readers Three all in attendance

You know, I spaced that until yesterday, when I thought ... I wonder if I could get all three to sign my copy of FR - doh!

[Menolly]

Sea just announced she's planning on returning to the states in 2010. Perhaps the readers will all sign AATE at elohimfest in Albuquerque, along with SRD...

[wayfriend]

He's BAAAACK.

With some news about the Gap series, among other things.

Teresa: This is not at question, but a thank you to Stephen. When I first encounterd Thomas Covenant I felt repelled, but soon I was caught. The chronocles have followed me growing up, together with Mordants need. To discover that you are working to complete the chronicle gave me great satisfaction. Sadly the latest books has not yet been translated (to Swedish) but in return I have come to appriciate reading the books in the original language. I must say you are my favourite writer, of all. Again, thank you for bringing your stories into my life.

• This seems like as good a time as any to make a couple of points of about the Gradual Interview.
  
  First, I know I've been away for a while. For a variety of reasons (including two deaths in the family), one of which is that I've been proofreading Orion's upcoming edition of the GAP books, a task which has pretty much sucked up every spare moment. I hope to be back to what I laughingly call "normal" next week.
  
  Second, when one (not to mention "Teresa" by name <grin>) posts a question or comment without leaving an email address, one precludes the possibility of a personal reply--which would have been appropriate in this case. My site suppresses email addresses automatically whenever I make a question or comment "public". And when I send a personal reply, the site then deletes the email address to which I sent it. That should obviate most privacy concerns.
  
  (07/02/2008)

Is this edition of the Gap Series going to be revised? Anyone know?

(And why do people say "GAP", all uppercase? Is it an acronym that I'm not aware of?)

[aliantha]

GAP is indeed an acronym for the type of stellar drive SRD invented, isn't it? Not that I remember what it stands for. Somebody help me out here....

[Seareach]

Is this edition of the Gap Series going to be revised? Anyone know?

Don't think so.

[CovenantJr]

GAP is indeed an acronym for the type of stellar drive SRD invented, isn't it? Not that I remember what it stands for. Somebody help me out here....

Hmm, I don't remember GAP being an acronym. In fact, as far as I remember, it's printed in the books as 'Gap' rather than 'GAP'. I seem to recall characters talking about 'crossing the Gap', so I just assumed the term referred to the gulf of human-free space between settlements/stations (and earth, of course). And that the Gap Drive is so called because it enables people to cross the Gap.

I can't guarantee that's right though, since I don't have all the books here. There's a Gap on my bookshelf.

[aliantha]

There's a Gap on my bookshelf.

Mine too. I don't have the Gap books any more....

[Relayer]

Actually it's on my end table, because I'm re-reading it right now I did a quick search for the real name and couldn't find it, but it's something like

"The Juanita Estevez Mass-Field Hysteresis Transfer Device"

Anybody remember?

[CovenantJr]

Ok, I've found that my copy of Forbidden Knowledge is actually here, and by fortuitous coincidence this is the book that contains the Gap Drive info. You were very close, Relayer: Juanita Estevez Mass Transmission Field Generator (I like your name better). It eventually became known colloquially as a 'gap drive' (note that 'gap' doesn't even have a capital G) because it enabled gap crossings; 'it was possible to design and build a gap drive without ever having been aware that the gap existed'.

In short, I was right.

[wayfriend]

I was darn sure there was no acronym. Which leaves me wondering why even SRD says "GAP" and not "Gap". (Searching the GI, you can see he's very consistent about it, too!).

[Menolly]

Submit a question and ask him?

[aliantha]

Sadly--or perhaps happily, who can say?--I appear to have no "literary groupies". I can't speak for other writers, of course.

Shouldn't FBH count for something?

[dlbpharmd]

What the hell are we?

There have been now 2 GROUPS of Watchers who have traveled all the way across the country to see each other AND SRD.

If that doesn't qualify us as groupies, I don't know what does.

[aliantha]

Yeah! YEAH!!

I left out the question, which sorta boiled down to, "have any fans ever propositioned you?" Which leaves all of us Watchers out. I think.

But as for general, all-purpose groupies? Yeah, I think we qualify...

[wayfriend]

Interesting insights on Covenant and Linden.

Marcus James: Mr Donaldson,

I first read your Covenant series when I was about 12, and then again several years ago. I've only just started reading the first book of the new series and it's given me an urge to re-read the first two once again. It's also reminded me of questions, which concern the use of wild magic, I had when I read the first two Chronicles both of those times.

Every time, throughout both Chronicles, Covenant uses wild magic, there's always a catalyst; a Lord's staff, the Illearth Stone, the poisonous venom (these are the ones that come to mind). In The Power That Preserves you write that Covenant knows how to use wild magic, or at least, you hint at it. In the Second Chronicles again, he seemingly knows how to use the white gold, but it's only ever used (as far as I remember) when there's another driving force there.

When Linden gets transported to the Land in the Third Chronicles she uses wild magic to heal herself of her gunshot wound (not knowing how she did it and without the aid of any catalyst either). Now, like I said, I've only just started the Third Chronicles so perhaps my question will be answered later in the series but I'd still like to know as it's been bugging me for years... How does wild magic actually work? From Linden's use of it, it doesn't need any other power present to activate it, but seemingly Covenant always does when he uses it. Or perhaps Covenant's unwillingless to use it throughout his time in the Land is the reason he only ever activated it in the present of another power. Does it work differently for different users (if I remember rightly wild magic is the antithesis of Law)?

Thanks for reading this, and thank you for the many hours I spent as a 12 year old in the Land (I probably learned more vocabulary from your books than I ever did at school).

• It's generally true in "The Chronicles" that power is about character. It's an expression of character. Or identity. Or the nature of the individual. Covenant's need for a catalyst or trigger arises from who he is: his reluctance to use power (which could be interpreted to mean "accept responsibility") is profound; so profound that it inhibits him. Linden is a very different person. Like Hile Troy, she's more inclined to assume too much responsibility than to accept too little. So what she needs in order to raise wild magic is not an external trigger, but rather an internal focus.
  
  (08/06/2008)

What SRD says about Covenant I already see. What he says about Linden is a bit more of a revelation to me.