!!SPOILERS!! AATE complete novel discussion !!SPOILERS!!

[spoonchicken]

I'm sincerely convinced the Earth & Land will be destroyed by the unstoppable Worm...if that doesn't happen, I'll be truly surprised. All the clues (both in the text, AND some of SRDs comments) lend me to this belief. After all, we "know" there will be a "Final Showdown" with Foul, because that's how the 1st & 2nd Chronicles ended. So what else can SRD do to truly rattle our cages and entertain the %^&^%^ out of us? Destroy....everything. The Earth,the Land, and all Time and Life throughout the universe. Everything dies (except our heroes) . The end of all things. And after that happens, wouldn't that certainly constitute the Last Dark??? That's my favorite theory on the matter.

[thewormoftheworld'send]

I'm sincerely convinced the Earth & Land will be destroyed by the unstoppable Worm...if that doesn't happen, I'll be truly surprised. All the clues (both in the text, AND some of SRDs comments) lend me to this belief. After all, we "know" there will be a "Final Showdown" with Foul, because that's how the 1st & 2nd Chronicles ended. So what else can SRD do to truly rattle our cages and entertain the %^&^%^ out of us? Destroy....everything. The Earth,the Land, and all Time and Life throughout the universe. Everything dies (except our heroes) . The end of all things. And after that happens, wouldn't that certainly constitute the Last Dark??? That's my favorite theory on the matter.

Anything is possible. Imagine an epic battle involving Foul and other powers while the very Earth collapses beneath their feet, thunder and lightning raging all around.

And yet, in the case of Earth's total destruction, characters such as Stave and Anele seem pointless. What are they here for?

[blingdomepiece]

I am now about 2/3 of the way through. Yes, I got an ARC. However I will also buy a proper version upon release, so consider this my own form of aid and betrayal .

I don't want to say too much until I have finished, but my one amused observation is that much as in Fatal Revenant, Donaldson really varies the pacing. He will spend 70 pages in Andelain or two dozen more listening to the ur-viles tell stories on the one hand, then kill off four characters in four pages on the other . I jest, obviously, but it strikes me funny.

Some great scenes in here. A serious take on the previous paragraph is that like in a lot of music, Donaldson works well with tension and release. He builds things up until you are dying to see what will happen, then he pounds your senses with what happens.

[thewormoftheworld'send]

I'm sincerely convinced the Earth & Land will be destroyed by the unstoppable Worm...

But aren't you assuming that it really is unstoppable?

"With the one word of truth or treachery, he will save or damn the earth."

You will be amazed to find that the unstoppable Worm can be stopped with a single word.

[thewormoftheworld'send]

I'm sincerely convinced the Earth & Land will be destroyed by the unstoppable Worm...

But aren't you assuming that it really is unstoppable?

"With the one word of truth or treachery, he will save or damn the earth."

You will be amazed to find that the unstoppable Worm can be stopped with a single word.

I have not even read this book. YOU MEAN I WAS RIGHT? I ACTUALLY GOT A PREDICTION RIGHT?

There should be a Watchie award for this.

[thewormoftheworld'send]

I'm sincerely convinced the Earth & Land will be destroyed by the unstoppable Worm...

But aren't you assuming that it really is unstoppable?

"With the one word of truth or treachery, he will save or damn the earth."

You will be amazed to find that the unstoppable Worm can be stopped with a single word.

I have not even read this book. YOU MEAN I WAS RIGHT? I ACTUALLY GOT A PREDICTION RIGHT?

There should be a Watchie award for this.

The "one word" is probably the Worm's real name or something.

[blingdomepiece]

I'm sincerely convinced the Earth & Land will be destroyed by the unstoppable Worm...

But aren't you assuming that it really is unstoppable?

"With the one word of truth or treachery, he will save or damn the earth."

You will be amazed to find that the unstoppable Worm can be stopped with a single word.

I have not even read this book. YOU MEAN I WAS RIGHT? I ACTUALLY GOT A PREDICTION RIGHT?

There should be a Watchie award for this.

I don't know why you replied to yourself confirming your own prediction, but since this is the spoiler thread I'll go ahead and reveal that the Worm is alive and well at the end of the third book, so none of us have any way of knowing whether your theory will be right for another 3 years, unless SRD chooses to log in and share it with us .

[thewormoftheworld'send]

But aren't you assuming that it really is unstoppable?

"With the one word of truth or treachery, he will save or damn the earth."

You will be amazed to find that the unstoppable Worm can be stopped with a single word.

I have not even read this book. YOU MEAN I WAS RIGHT? I ACTUALLY GOT A PREDICTION RIGHT?

There should be a Watchie award for this.

I don't know why you replied to yourself confirming your own prediction, but since this is the spoiler thread I'll go ahead and reveal that the Worm is alive and well at the end of the third book, so none of us have any way of knowing whether your theory will be right for another 3 years, unless SRD chooses to log in and share it with us .

Oh well, there should still be a Watchie award for accurate predictions, don't you think?

[blingdomepiece]

Oh well, there should still be a Watchie award for accurate predictions, don't you think?

OK with me .

So how about some non-spoiler spoilers to kill time?

I was happy with the resolution of Kevin that takes place fairly early on.

I think people are making a huge logical leap if they hold Covenant responsible for the Bane sacrifice. He asked Anele for help and had no way of knowing what form that help would take. I know that self-flagellation is a hallmark of any good Covenant series but that's a bit much.

I wanted to put the book down when Linden started behaving like a goth girl. Even if it was the influence of the Sarangrave (or whatever) it was a massive eye-roll.

On the other hand I LOVED the resolution of Linden's split-story. Covenant's too, but Linden's more.

The book doesn't end on a cliffhanger this time, but it is very clearly not the feel of a self-contained work. It starts like a continuation of the last chapter of FR and it ends feeling like the first chapter of Lost Dark could go in right away.

[Madadeva]

Like a goth EMO girl! Give me a break - she's questioning whether Covenant really loves her?! Pulllleeeeaaaassseeee!!

I continue to think the Lurker alliance and the use-the-Ceasure as a door in space was a wee bit contrived!!

[blingdomepiece]

Like a goth EMO girl! Give me a break - she's questioning whether Covenant really loves her?! Pulllleeeeaaaassseeee!!

As much as that is... cutting? CUTTING? Why not have Jeremiah construct an iPod so she can play the collected works of Nine Inch Nails on the road trip?

I continue to think the Lurker alliance and the use-the-Ceasure as a door in space was a wee bit contrived!!

The alliance, kind of weird. The Caesure actually kind of made sense to me.

[native]

Just finished my ARC and back in town. Hello again.

Promised the publisher a review which I'll be posting here in a week or two. But first impression is that this is perhaps the best of the run so far - and I include the other chronicles in that. I wasn't really in the mood to read a book when it landed on my doorstep but I couldn't stand to put it down. A winner.

[native]

Who is the character the lurker is allowing to pass through the Sarangrave?

And did Kastenessen and Roger's hand share the fate of Infelice.

[eg]

Just finished AATE earlier today and have been trying to collect my thoughts.

I loved it - I think each book of the Last Chronicles has been better than the one before it.

However, there were a few things I feel didn't work:

The setup for sacrificing Elena to the Bane. The act seems perfectly in keeping for how Covenant has affected her life - I love him but he's has ruined her life every chance he has had. However, what's up with Sunder and Hollian doing that? And why didn't Elena wink out to wherever the Dead spend most of their time?

Also, Liand, Anele and Esmer all buying it within pages of each other? Except as a device to keep us on her toes and remind us no-one if safe. Especially for Anele - "the hope of the land". This is his big moment that he sacrificed his sanity for? Even if restoring Jeremiah ends up being the crucial thing that allows the Land to survive, it doesn't seem worthy of the build-up he got.

Finally, I agree with what has been said about Linden cutting herself. However, it does seem clear that the stains on her pants are somehow crucial and wasn't that what she was trying to copy on her skin.

But overall these are at most minor flaws. I can't wait to read it again.

[blingdomepiece]

Who is the character the lurker is allowing to pass through the Sarangrave?

For some reason I thought this might be Longwrath on his way to hook up with Linden. But we never find out, I guess.

And did Kastenessen and Roger's hand share the fate of Infelice.

I don't understand, do I need to reread something?

[Fist and Faith]

Also, Linden is still whiny! In one scene, where Covenant 'brings her back' from a - lets say - mental breakdown caused by the escape from She-who-must-not-be-named, she is thrown for a loop by the fact that Covenant will not embrace her! She thinks and internally whines about it incessantly even though she should know it is NOT because he has lost his love for her ... but it is to allow him to remain 'in control'. She thinks the worse of his 'rejection' and I felt she should know better!

Classic Linden!!

He hasn't really exhibited power per se - although he did use the Krill in a fight against Roger and the Croyel in the Lost Deep that was awesome!

That might be cool to read.

The Ranyhyn take them to a bone grave yard (leaving the giants to follow-up since they could not match the speed of the great horses.) At the graveyard, Jerimiah creates his ultimate construct out of bones. There Infelice interferes. She claims that Jeremiah will eternally trap all Elohim and that she will not allow. She also lets all know that the Despiser wants Jeremiah to trap the Creator ... and with him all creation!! But her efforts are thwarted by the party. At the last momement Linden throws Jerimiah his restored racecar. As it is added to his construct it is completed. With a flash of power the Elohim are trapped. Infelice is gone. And Jeremiah's mind is restored to him! [This is my second favorite part.]

Interesting. So Jeremiah's mind was taken away, or blocked, by the Elohim, and getting rid of them restored his mind. I wonder if, in regards to the safety of the world, his mind is worth the loss of the Elohim. Maybe he'll have outrageous powers in the last book.

[native]

For some reason I thought this might be Longwrath on his way to hook up with Linden. But we never find out, I guess.

Of course - and the object of power must be that Sandgorgon smiting sword.

And did Kastenessen and Roger's hand share the fate of Infelice.

I don't understand, do I need to reread something?

Well as I understood it - all the Elohim were sucked into Jeremiah's contruct, not just Infelice. And Kastenessen is Elohim too. And so therefore is his hand, now stuck on Roger. But then he escaped the Durance - maybe he can escape this too.

[eg]

For some reason I thought this might be Longwrath on his way to hook up with Linden. But we never find out, I guess.

Of course - and the object of power must be that Sandgorgon smiting sword.

And did Kastenessen and Roger's hand share the fate of Infelice.

I don't understand, do I need to reread something?

Well as I understood it - all the Elohim were sucked into Jeremiah's contruct, not just Infelice. And Kastenessen is Elohim too. And so therefore is his hand, now stuck on Roger. But then he escaped the Durance - maybe he can escape this too.

You could be right but it seemed to me that it was only Infelice but then again why would she show up only in order to be imprisoned?

[native]

You could be right but it seemed to me that it was only Infelice but then again why would she show up only in order to be imprisoned?

IDHTBIFOM but I certainly came away with the impression that it was all of them. Otherwise, as you say, why would Infelice turn up at all? It wasn't exactly a mobile weapon.

[rdhopeca]

You could be right but it seemed to me that it was only Infelice but then again why would she show up only in order to be imprisoned?

IDHTBIFOM but I certainly came away with the impression that it was all of them. Otherwise, as you say, why would Infelice turn up at all? It wasn't exactly a mobile weapon.

It was definitely all of them. The other thing I've considered, actually, is while it may seem like a prison, I'm wondering if it's actually a sanctuary, a place for them to be protected from the Worm until it's been dealt with, after which they can be released back into the World (or what's left of it).