Linden, Stave and the Humbled walk back to Revelstone, and right away we are introduced to one of the themes of this first section – guilt. Specifically, Linden’s guilt in “wasting” the Mahdoubt’s life. She hears echoes of the Mahdoubt’s insane giggling throughout this section. Here, she also asks Stave’s permission to heal him for the first time. Also out of guilt for her former actions towards him? Stave urges her to rest, but she decides to visit the Hall of Gifts instead. Her focus is on Honniscrave’s cairn. Both as a reminder of victories that had been achieved, and of sacrifices that had been made. Possibly also as a way to subsume her current pain in the memory of old pain and loss – to hope that this new loss, that of the Mahdoubt, may be given meaning just as Honniscrave’s loss had been with the rending of the Raver. She is intimidated by the magnitude of what Honniscrave accomplished. Knowing the possession of a Raver as she did, the ability to hold Sheol, to prevent his escape, as Honniscrave did, is daunting to her.
While discussing seemingly tangential matters with Stave, Linden becomes interested in the suru-pa-maerl sculpture. Studying it up close, it makes no sense, but as she steps back, she is able to see its overall structure and beauty. Is this a commentary on how she is approaching her dilemma in the Land? Essentially not seeing the forest for the trees? Has she been so focused on individual steps that she has missed a larger picture?
Here we come to what appears to be a genuine authorial “oops” (admitted to in the GI, I believe).
Of course, Mhoram’s summoning at the start of TPTP was done without the Staff, which was in the possession of dead Elena at that time. As is stands, I think this is the only actual “oops” I am aware of in the Chrons – so we can probably let it slide….
“The first summoning was performed by the Cavewight Drool Rockworm at Corruption’s bidding. The second, by High Lord Elena. The third, by High Lord Mhoram. In each such call, the necessary power was drawn from the Staff of Law.”
Stave goes on to discuss how the next summoning of TC was accomplished with lomillialor . Given that Liand has “rediscovered” orcrest , is this a hint that the high wood may be rediscovered as well?
Linden goes on to ponder the “necessity of freedom” a theme revisited from the 2nd Chrons. Essentially she wonders if TC could only defeat Foul by surrendering because he had already sacrificed himself to save Joan. Stave gives a very succinct answer to this. He says:
Certainly there are echoes here of Brinn’s conflict with ak-Haru in TOT (and also of The Killing Stroke, outside the Chrons).
“I deem that it is not so. The Unbeliever’s surrender was his own, coerced by love and his own nature, not by Corruption’s might. Sacrificing himself, he did not sacrifice his freedom. Rather his submission was an expression of strength freely wielded. Had he been fettered by his surrender in your world, Corruption’s many efforts to mislead and compel him would have been needless.”
The cairn vs. the Howe; self-sacrifice vs. unforgiving slaughter. A very nice comparison of images here.
God, she needed Covenant! His unflinching acceptance might have enabled her to envision a path which was not laid out by wrath and bitterness. Honniscrave’s cairn counseled sacrifice – but it was not enough. Gallows Howe made more sense to her.
Finally, after dancing around her central concern with Stave, Linden voices it. She is afraid that Jeremiah has sold himself to Foul, that he entered into the bond with the croyel willingly. The fact that Mahdoubt felt this may be the case increases her fear. However, Stave points out that Jeremiah may have remained true to himself. Linden rethinks her fear – Foul certainly had marked Jeremiah, and Foul is under the impression that marking connotes ownership. But Foul has been proven wrong before. Maybe the relationship with the croyel was not a willing one.
Linden chooses to believe that Jeremiah “ ‘has the right’ every child’s right ‘to be himself.’” To this, Stave replies with the shocking statement that this is the way he would speak about his own sons, even though they sided with the Masters against him. Stave’s sons are with the Masters? Hmmm, maybe they’re people we’ve already met….. (I’m fairly sure that this was mentioned in one the FR forums, so I can’t take credit for this…. But for the life of me, I can’t find who voiced the idea first.)
A thought reading through this section – there are certainly similarities between two of the main focuses in this portion; Honniscrave and Jeremiah. By Raver or by croyel, both have been possessed. Honniscrave’s was a voluntary possession, a sacrifice that he made while remaining himself. Perhaps the conclusion we may draw is that Jeremiah’s possession is also a sacrifice of sorts – or that he too, has remained himself.
Section 2
This is essentially a brief interlude section, where the companions all regroup. Liand and Pahni appear to have a thing going….
The other major piece here is the revelation that the orcrest not only can induce sanity in Anele, and counter Kevin’s Dirt, but also possibly produce spiritual healing, and also that it may be able to change the weather, though that may cause destruction of the stone. (aside: and now after typing about Liand and Pahni followed by s**ual healing I’ve got Marvin Gaye stuck in my head…..LOL. It’s late. Sorry….
)Section 3
This section is all about confrontations and challenges. The verbal confrontation between Linden and Handir, the physical one between Stave and the Humbled, and the challenge of the Ranyhyn’s response to the call.
Linden and her companions go to the forehall of Revelstone, only to be denied exit by Handir, which was Linden had expected. Handir states that neither Anele, nor Liand (now that he has orcrest ) can be allowed to leave. More importantly, Linden is stronger, and the fact that the Masters had been misled by Roger’s glamour makes them concerned that they can be misled again. Handir states:
This is, IMO, a pretty fair description of Linden at this point, though the Masters’ opinion must be viewed with the knowledge that they have shown that their mastery is predicated on the prevention of the use of power. It is interesting to compare this statement of Handir’s with the Mahdoubt’s from the previous chapter:
“Yet the state in which you have returned to us is beyond question. You now resemble the transformed Staff of Law. Darkness fills your heart. Indeed, you are as tinder, awaiting only a spark to achieve destruction. According to your tale, this alteration has been wrought by the Blood of the Earth and your son’s plight. Mayhap you have spoken truly. Yet the threat remains, regardless of its cause.
More than any of your companions, you may not safely roam the Land. You have become an avatar of woe and ire, and all of your deeds will conduce to evil.”
Both the Mahdoubt and the Masters are aware of the changes and the potential danger in Linden, but their responses to her are very different.
“…That good may be accomplished by evil means defies explication. Yet the Mahdoubt has assured herself that you are equal to such contradictions. Therefore she believes that you must not be turned aside.”
And as a last protest, Handir is afraid to let Linden go because he seems to feel that the Harrow would wup her and take the staff and the ring.
Handir then sums up the Masters’ core goal for Linden (and us):
Once again, we are reminded of how TC’s every action seems to follow the “law of unintended consequences” and how even his well meaning, seemingly benign request had disastrous consequences for the Land.
“…We seek only to forestall Desecration. Such evils may be performed only by those who wield power and love the Land and know despair.
The true Thomas Covenant, ur-Lord and Unbeliever, charged us to preserve Revelstone…..”
Now, though, Stave proposes a test of truth through combat, and without giving Handir a chance to respond, the Humbled accept. Mahrtiir also immediately proposes a test concerning the response of the Ranyhyn to Linden’s summons. After an apparent non-verbal discussion between the Humbled and Handir, both Stave’s and Mahrtiir’s challenges are accepted. Handir states:
Essentially saying that if Linden wins the trials, the Masters still have their perceived obligation, so that nothing will be resolved. And if, Linden fails in these challenges, she will still attempt to leave – even if she doesn’t, the desecration they try to prevent can just as easily by begun within Revelstone. Here Handir is showing quite a bit more insight that we’ve come to expect from the Masters so far.
“It is in my heart, however, that such trials resolve naught….Conceding them, we accept only the hazard of greater uncertainty…..my words will bear no sweet fruit. Rather they will ripen to gall and rue.”
As Stave’s combat begins, there are some implications that things may be more personal for Galt at least, than simply defending the Master’s views.
This combat section I found particularly well done. The description of the fighting is very intense, and I convinced myself that I could see some of SRD’s martial arts training coming through. Stave wins, of course, because he can still hear all of the Humbleds’ thoughts, but the Masters, in ostracizing him, have cut him off from the same. This is obvious in retrospect, but was a revelation the first time through.
In response to Mahrtiir cheering his victory, Stave replies that he wasn’t attempting to demonstrate his own worth, but that he did it for Linden,
Is this possibly a presaging of the Master’s realigning their position?
“ – and to teach my people that they also may exceed themselves, if they elect to make the attempt.”
The Masters open the gates to allow the summoning of the Ranyhyn. If the Ranyhyn don’t come, Linden will stay in Revelstone. If they come with 7 horses, it will be a declaration of full support for Linden. If they arrive with more than 7, they are acknowledging that the Master’s concerns have value as well.
As Linden prepares to summon the Ranyhyn she touches the three things most important to her – the Staff, the ring, and Jeremiah’s red car. Is the car just a reminder of Jeremiah, or does it have greater, significance of which we are not aware yet?
Stave summons the Ramen for Linden, and they arrive with ten horses, not seven, at least partially validating the Master’s concerns. Who are the extra three for? Well, we only know four of the Masters by name – Handir and the three Humbled, and while it possible we may get introduced to new characters in the next chapter, it wouldn’t seem likely.
Again quoting Handir:
Compared with this from LFB
“Thus, the great horses acknowledge both your intent and your capacity for desecration”
With the alteration of the pronoun from “he” to “she” these words could now just as easily be used to describe Linden.
And he who wields white wild magic gold
Is a paradox
For he is everything and nothing,
Hero and fool,
Potent, helpless –
And with one word of truth or treachery,
He will save or damn the Earth
Because he is mad and sane,
Cold and passionate,
Lost and found.
(An aside – as I was spell checking before posting, the suggestion that kept coming up for Mahrtiir’s name was “martyr”. Maybe spellcheck is worth something afterall…..
)
Right at the beginning, we have
