Kevin's Watch

I just reread the Scene of Trells RoD, i'd forgotten how good it is.

A coupl eof my favorites:

1. Hile Troy clapping out the rythm of the pace he wanted the army to march into the ear of the the warward's drummer. [IEW]

2. PitchWife, who has become close with Linden, and then hears her say the Covenant intends to give the ring to the Despiser. "Hear, me: I doubt!" he says to Covenant. "Good!" Says Covenant. (not verbatim) (WGW?)

3. PitchWife, as he invents PitchBrew, a mix of DiamondDraught and Vitrim. He has all these waterskins full of it tied off to his waist, and has become a great admirer of the Ur-Viles. [WGW]

4. Vain's escape from the isle of the Elohim. [TOT]

5. Findail entrapping Vain in a gilden tree by the Mithil in Andelain, and then Vain busting out of the tree. [WGW]

6. Morham deciding to ride out the gate of revelstone to confront the Giant Raver SatansFist, when he finally realizes that the Oath of Peace has been what caused the New Lords to never regain the strength of the Old Lords. [IEW]

Just finished Variol Son in TPTP--now that whole chapter kicks some SERIOUS butt!

Have not read TCTC in at least 10 years so this is what I can recall that still sticks with me:

"Joy is in the ears that hear"
(I used this one in my wedding speech when I got married; don't congratulate me, I have long since been divorced.)

"It is up to the living to make meaningful the sacrifices of the dead"
(I used this one to smack a friend upside the head who was still wallowing in mourning for his mother over a year after she had passed away.)

"It boots nothing to avoid his snares, for they are ever beset with other snares, and life and death are too intimately interwoven so they cannot be severed."

I hope I have got the wording right...

danlo wrote:Just finished Variol Son in TPTP--now that whole chapter kicks some SERIOUS butt!

Amen!!!!

Farsailer wrote: "It is up to the living to make meaningful the sacrifices of the dead"

I like that one aswell.

for me its the raft ride. the story covenant tells about the man who slits his wrists on the plane. that bit really got me.

cheeseman wrote:the story covenant tells about the man who slits his wrists on the plane. that bit really got me.

Yes, this was one of those passages in LFB that made me understand that I was reading something deeper than what went on in a "mere" swords-and-sorcery fantasy book. Donaldson was saying something important about the human condition on an adult level in this scene, and throughout the Chronicles, as I found out. (I was 13 when I first read TCTC, so Donaldson's language and the things he was saying did feel "grown-up" to me, compared to the fluff fantasy I had been reading prior to TCTC. Donaldson spoiled me at an early age - thank goodness.)

Covenant's tale of that man was disturbing for me because there is nothing worse in my mind than dying slowly and painfully, and slicing one's own wrists is a deeply horrifying way to die. It must be. Not to trivialize the subject, but if I were contemplating suicide, razor blades as a method would definitely be OFF my list.

For me, the other interesting thing about this scene is what isn't described: Foamfollower's own thoughts/feelings about Covenant's tale. All we have is Foamfollower asking his passenger quietly if this was why he stopped telling stories. Of course, it would've violated Covenant's POV if we suddenly got into Foamfollower's head. Foamfollower's gentle query is so much more eloquent. However, I can't help but be curious as to what exactly the Giant thought of a world in which men would willingly take their own lives in such a grisly manner. (Not to mention, how would Foamfollower's mind wrap around the concept of an airplane? Just kidding. Sort of.)

In TIW, Covenant tells another "real world" story - about the crippled woman who had nothing left but her smile at the end. This also affected me very much, though in a very different way from the suicidal man's. These passages, in which Covenant confronts the people of the Land with the realities of his own world, help to remind us that he has "real" complex dilemmas that aren't necessarily be solved by the simple heroism of the Land or by a magic ring. "It's not that easy."

MatrixMan, that was well said.

Very good post Matrixman. Both of Covenent's stories about the guy slitting his wrists on the plane and the leperous women with the smile I found very powerful. But I can't stop thinking what a drag Covenent would be at parties. Everyone sitting around having a good time then Tommy boy comes in with one of his "stories" and leaves everyone all depressed and angry.

Great post MM. I think that that particular story of the man on the plane underlines an interesting facet of the human condition, and it certainly was a powerful one.

--A

Thank you kindly, everyone.

Sandgorgon rider wrote:I can't stop thinking what a drag Covenent would be at parties. Everyone sitting around having a good time then Tommy boy comes in with one of his "stories" and leaves everyone all depressed and angry.

Could make for a good TC parody!

And then Linden enters and tells everyone her sad stories about her mom and dad...and the partygoers are ready to jump out the window to end it all.

Matrixman said:

These passages, in which Covenant confronts the people of the Land with the realities of his own world, help to remind us that he has "real" complex dilemmas that aren't necessarily be solved by the simple heroism of the Land or by a magic ring. "It's not that easy."

Oooh, nice! I was irked by Covenant's irracibility and party-pooping behavior, especially in the rock garden scene, but you just gave me a sound reason (in terms of the structure of the books) for his manner. Neat.

*waves* Hi, I'm back, with all my goofy Caer-Caveral wuv in tow. When the site was hacked I got logged out, forgot my password, had a houseguest, crazy deadlines, blah de blah. Nice to see you're all here making fun and interesting posts!

(I actually have a question about the afterlife in the 1st and 2nd Chrons, but it feels very dopey in the face of all this intelligent discourse. )

Welcome back, jwaneeta! We missed you.

I'm glad you found something useful in my post. I figure that if I ramble on long enough, something intelligent is bound to pop up.

Go right ahead and ask your question. I think there is a thread somewhere on the afterlife in the Chrons.

Good to see you back.

If there isn't a thread, then just start one.

--A

I'm going to check around and see if I can't find the thread MM mentioned... maybe my nerdy question has already been answered.

jwaneeta!!!! happy to have you back!!!!!

*waves* Hi, Lucimay! Glad to be here.

Saltheart Foamfollower to Covenant

in three words you will break my heart

Got to be Foamfollower coming out of the Hotash Slay. I love that damn giant.