Anyone know where the giants are?

[High Lord Tolkien]

Also it is my theory the Coursers are Sunbane-warped Ranyhyn.

No, SRD made it quite clear that they left the Land at the very first signs of the Sunbane.

That left plenty of other regular horses though.

[lurch]

..On a serious note..ask yourself, just what do the Giants represent in the interior landscape, and when will that element be required?

..I see the Giants a most compassionate group. Gregarious and long winded but always understanding. They Love the intricacys of a good storey. So when do I think they'll show up?..Near the end of the 3rd book. Things should be sufficently dark and hideous by then for the Giants to shine britely..imho anyway....MEL

[NightBlaze]

Although at first, I admit it. I didnt see the giants making and grand enterance, but here again I have to reconsider. The haruchai have gone crackers being the Masters. I think the giants are a necessity here this time for one reason. If the Haruchai dont want the people of the land to know about the past, who better to teach them?
Now about that JERSEY..........hmmmmmmmmm

[Variol Farseer]

I think the giants are a necessity here this time for one reason. If the Haruchai dont want the people of the land to know about the past, who better to teach them?

If I thought the Land was actually going to be saved this time, I'd agree with you. But as I've mentioned elsewhere, I'm expecting a colossally and bitterly tragic ending, the sort that would make Lord Foul himself soak about six hankies straight through, so I'm not convinced by that particular argument.

Still, I wouldn't be surprised to see Giants in the Last Chronicles . . . or to see that they have turned into something appallingly hostile and dangerous. If the Council of Lords could turn into the Clave. . . .

[MrKABC]

Well, since SRD has a tendency in his stories to pile on the corruption and bad things to established characters (death of the Coercri Giants, genocide of the Waynhim and ur-viles, Sunbane, etc) I am afraid that if the Giants *DO* reappear, it will be as the result of something terrible (the destruction of Home or something like that) or they will have been transformed into something evil this time. I'd rather not see them and remember them as the cheerful, seafaring race they were.

[NightBlaze]

Im still thinking the Giants are part of what happens in the Land. If they havent gone haywire like the Masters, then I see them fitting in to the story somehow. I dont have the exact quote, but didnt Stave hint that they were unchanged, and love to tell stories? I dont see them becoming evil. I dont believe there needs to be an ocean crossing for them to appear. Revelstone makes the point for the visit alone I think. Im sure the giants are aware of the change in Haruchai. If thats the case, then I dont see why they wouldnt pop in and say hello at some point.

[finn]

How about as refugees? There appears to be trouble on the horizons involving Kastennesen et al, the giants may be required to flee from their homes and seek sanctuary in the Land.

[Tjol]

I don't know how the Giants would be relevant to the story this time. Unless Linden & crew have a need to cross the ocean again like in the last trilogy, the Giants don't really serve a useful purpose IMHO.

I wonder if we will see more traveling to the west this time, possibly to the Outer Earth and the home of the Haruchai? THAT would be interesting.

The Giants, in my opinion, reflect a part of the land. They may only end up a part of the story as ghost, or history, or last remnants of some fight.... they may never produce a character that directly interacts in the last chronicles.... but I think the Giants are too 'earthstrong' to simply pass from the Land entirely without some tragic turn of events, which may end up being described as the story passes.

[dlbpharmd]

Agreed.

[Avatar]

.... but I think the Giants are too 'earthstrong' to simply pass from the Land entirely without some tragic turn of events, which may end up being described as the story passes.

Aaah...and SRD is good at tragedy. Trepidation...

--A

[Alberich]

Doesn't Stave foreshadow the appearance of the Giants when he says that 'there will be a reckoning between us' - and Linden knows he isn't talking about the Ramen?

Surely this is a hint at a Giant/Haruchai conflict coming?

[dlbpharmd]

I understood from that passage that Stave was referring to himself and Linden.

[Alberich]

I understood from that passage that Stave was referring to himself and Linden.

Could be, I agree. Stave's words are:

'Only Bloodguard witnessed the final murder of the Unhomed while it was yet fresh in cruelty. Only Bloodguard saw the outcome of their terrible despair.'

'The Ramen cannot know how the Bloodguard loved the Giants. They cannot grasp how the hearts of the Bloodguard were rent by what had transpired. Therefore they presume to scorn our fall from faith.
'Chosen,' he murmured; his last words to her, 'hear me.
'The judgement of the Bloodguard is not so lightly set aside. There will come a reckoning between us.'

I think 'us' could mean a number of things - Stave and the other Haruchai, Stave and Linden, Stave and the Giants. I assumed the latter because Stave seemed to be blaming the fall of the Haruchai (in part at least) on the failure of the Giants to resist Kinslaughterer.

[Amith]

I think SRD left sufficient hints that we're going to see the Giants again soon. True, the Haruchai state that it isn't their time to show up right now,

Ah, but the Ramen weren't due back in the Land at this point either; they changed their usual pattern of wandering after a visit from the mysterious Elohim who also warned the people of Mithil Stonedown.

So I don't see why the Giants might not have been prompted to hurry to the Land also. I hope we will see them -- they're my favourite race in the Chronicles.

--
Amith

[wayfriend]

It's possible that the Giants, like the Haruchai, may not exactly be on Linden's side should they appear.

[Nerdanel]

I think the Giants could play a crucial role in the story since Linden needs someone to translate from the ur-vile language and Esmer is just plain not safe to be around. The Giants could even make sense of whatever the Demondim are after.

[drew]

Plus it would be great to finally hear to story of Bagoon.

[ur-bane]

The Giants will return.
The First and Pitchwife, after Linden re-made the Sunbane into health, traveled through Andelain to refresh themselves. Along the way to Seareach, they picked up the Krill.

Having passed the story of the krill and the glowing gem down through the generations, when the gem once again came to life, the Giants, after a three-week Giantclave, decided to send out another Search to the Land.

They will come to the Land bearing the krill, using the light of its gem to guide them to the source of its awakening.
Linden will use the krill-light to find the real Covenant as she travels through time.

[drew]

Pffft--you wish.

Maybe they'll have Vain and Nom with them too...and Brinn for good measure.--ohh oh, and Mhoram too.

[ur-bane]

Don't forget the boatload of dancing Elohim and the merewives singing "I'm So Excited."