has anyone here actually read the Last Dark?

Book 4 of the Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant

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Akasri
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Post by Akasri »

Same here - after so many decades, if the story ends that way I will not be happy... but I'll survive :)
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Romeo
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Post by Romeo »

So it wouldn't be considered a satisfactory ending even if it meant Linden was part of his delusion? I thought at least the THOOLAH members would rally around that one. And, hey - it worked for Newhart!

Yes, I'm still in Teaser mode. And unofficial teasing doesn't have to go in the right direction. :-) I remember before Runes came out that I posted the people of the Land erected huge statues of Covenant and Linden on the Soulsease just before Mt. Thunder. LotR-style. :-)
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Post by Savor Dam »

A strict reading of Romeo's post falls somewhat short of an actual denial. Guess we will wait and see. :P
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peter
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Post by peter »

I think it's a bit like the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compstela - the reward is in the journey as much as ever in the ending (but agreed - it would be good if he can pull off a satisfying conclusion. It will undoubtedly be the hardest part to write in all of the 10 books.)
President of Peace? You fucking idiots!

"I know what America is. America is a thing that you can move very easily. Move it in the right direction. They won't get in the way." (Benjamin Netenyahu 2001.)

....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'

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Post by dlbpharmd »

Having known Romeo personally for several years now, I can say with certainty that any truth about TLD lies in Romeo's silence. I've never believed anything he's told me about The Last Chronicles.
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Romeo
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Post by Romeo »

:-)
And then the ravens pecked out his eyes.
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Romeo
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Post by Romeo »

Ahhhh! Darn android browser! Can someone delete the extras, please?
And then the ravens pecked out his eyes.
SSCinLA
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Post by SSCinLA »

I found an ARC today on eBay and will be reading it this weekend...but no, I won't spoil it for anyone, but I am more EXCITED than I will be able to convey in this post!
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Seareach
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Post by Seareach »

dlbpharmd wrote:
peter wrote:What we have to do is shower the beautifull Seareach with gifts and delicacies untill her englamoured mind lets slip some hint or morsel of the fabulous treasure which it contains. [Summons up the enormousely persuasive power of his unequalled raffish charm]

(motto; Every man over 40 is a scoundrel)
Yeah. Good luck with that.
How could I have missed this! Peter, feel free to try! I like gifts and delicacies! :twisted:
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peter
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Post by peter »

(With a theatrical clap of his hands Peter transports Seareach to an open gazebo on the sunset shores of lake Naser where, luxuriating on a bed of down filled cussions, she is served feathery arab pastries by a trio of khol eyed nubian valets, the soft light glowing on their well muscled.......)
President of Peace? You fucking idiots!

"I know what America is. America is a thing that you can move very easily. Move it in the right direction. They won't get in the way." (Benjamin Netenyahu 2001.)

....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'

We are the Bloodguard
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Seareach
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Post by Seareach »

peter wrote:(With a theatrical clap of his hands Peter transports Seareach to an open gazebo on the sunset shores of lake Naser where, luxuriating on a bed of down filled cussions, she is served feathery arab pastries by a trio of khol eyed nubian valets, the soft light glowing on their well muscled.......)
OMG! OK! What do you wanna know?!?!?! :twisted: ;)
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peter
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Post by peter »

:lol: It would be uncharitable to ask after such a valiant and drawn-out defence!
President of Peace? You fucking idiots!

"I know what America is. America is a thing that you can move very easily. Move it in the right direction. They won't get in the way." (Benjamin Netenyahu 2001.)

....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'

We are the Bloodguard
starkllr
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Post by starkllr »

I got an ARC on Ebay as well, and it should arrive today, hopefully, or tomorrow at the latest.

I also won't spoil anything.
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Creator
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Post by Creator »

I have my ARC and am about half way through.

What to say .... that's not a spoiler ....

I like it ... I like the pacing ... and it is resolving items one after the other. But ... close your eyes ...
Spoiler
at the half-way point the WORM is still a problem!! ;)
One item that I have found in my reaction to the characters surprised me. I would appreciate others reaction to the following when you read this. How do you feel about the giants. In the first chronicles, Saltheart Foamfollwer was real ... you cared about him as an individual. The same in the scond chronicles. Pitchwife, the First, etc. You cared about them individually. In the last chronicles, and seeing them again, I like the giants ... but as a group. I don't connect to any specific giant. Perhaps I need to re-read the last book, but I wondered what others thought.
He/She who dies with the most toys wins! Wait a minute ... I can't die!!!
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Post by dlbpharmd »

Creator wrote:I have my ARC and am about half way through.

What to say .... that's not a spoiler ....

I like it ... I like the pacing ... and it is resolving items one after the other. But ... close your eyes ...
Spoiler
at the half-way point the WORM is still a problem!! ;)
One item that I have found in my reaction to the characters surprised me. I would appreciate others reaction to the following when you read this. How do you feel about the giants. In the first chronicles, Saltheart Foamfollwer was real ... you cared about him as an individual. The same in the scond chronicles. Pitchwife, the First, etc. You cared about them individually. In the last chronicles, and seeing them again, I like the giants ... but as a group. I don't connect to any specific giant. Perhaps I need to re-read the last book, but I wondered what others thought.
That complaint about the Giants is pretty common. I haven't connected with any of them the way that I did in the 1st and 2nd Chronicles.
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starkllr
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Post by starkllr »

Through FR and AATE, I feel the same way about the Giants; it's difficult to connect with them on an individual level.

It certainly doesn't help that instead of giving us a ship full of male and female Giants with a variety of backgrounds and duties, in the Last Chronicles, they're all the same - all women, all sword-wielding warriors.
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Post by Creator »

I think you're right. The really are all the same sword wielding amazonian warrior!

That said ... SRD did put a dirty joke in the giant's dialogue. He's getting to be quite a dirty old man in his old age!!! LOL

[Or maybe one of his readers suggested it to him!! ;)]
He/She who dies with the most toys wins! Wait a minute ... I can't die!!!
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peter
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Post by peter »

For the most part I not only don't connect with the Giants of the last series I don't really get it either. Women can (and do) at need make equally stout defenders of what they hold dear, as men ever could, but theirs is not the way of aggression if it can be avoided. It has truthfully been said that if all politicians were women war would be a much rarer occurence than it is with men at the helm - an understanding of how hard it is to bring life into the world compared to removing it could not but see to that!

Donaldson's Amazonian warriors have eschewed all that it is to be female, all that makes it special, and have been rendered into characatures of roistering back-slapping raucus grunts. Somehow the First of the Search avoided this (perhaps due to Pitchwife's presence) as (to a point) does - I can't even remember her name - Rime Coldspray, the Ironhand [Had to look it up]. The rest are not only indistuinguishable from each other, they are also so from men - we only know they are female because we are told they are so.
President of Peace? You fucking idiots!

"I know what America is. America is a thing that you can move very easily. Move it in the right direction. They won't get in the way." (Benjamin Netenyahu 2001.)

....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'

We are the Bloodguard
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Mighara Sovmadhi
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Post by Mighara Sovmadhi »

Hopefully I get to be a famous author one day and torture my followers--err, readers :P--with choosing some to get ARCs and others not to. How did you ARC-wielding folk get picked for the position (without eBay)?
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Post by Creator »

Done with my read! I liked it!!
He/She who dies with the most toys wins! Wait a minute ... I can't die!!!
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