New trailer

[Jerico]

Maybe Linden's darkness will be like the Venom in TC?

If she uses the Staff after this darkness takes effect then Law would be based on the new darkened Staff!

[tonyz]

It seems much simpler to me (once I got over the shock of the idea that <i>Linden</i> was the Fatal Revenant instead of Covenant or Jeremiah.)

Everyone else spent the entire first book telling Linden that she was doing something wrong and evil. Whaddaya know -- they're RIGHT. And while I'm not a member of THOOLAH, I think that Linden's reckless disregard for the safety of everyone else in the Land while she tries to find Jeremiah is going to result in, well, not getting Jeremiah and wrecking the rest of the Land; her making of a caesura to retrieve the Staff of Law is the reason that the Staff was lost in the first place, and it's going to be precisely as traumatic and shaping for her as Covenant's rape of Lena was in the First Chronicles.

[wayfriend]

Well, "reckless disregard for the safety of everyone else in the land" is an attribution that has grown to mythical proportions but is rather a very stretched interpretation of what was written in Runes.

And even in the trailer, the sense is that Linden becomes what she becomes because she was abandoned and betrayed, not because of any reckless disregard.

[Aleksandr]

Before reading too much into the identification of Linden as the "Fatal Revenant" of the title, we should remember, as Donaldson mentioned once in the GI, that these titles (nearly all book titles in fact) are bestowed by the publisher not the author. So in effect this is an after-the-fact attempt to link the story to the title, not something that was inherent to the story from the beginning. And if "Runes" is is any indication this publisher is not doing a very good job of coming up with truly topical titles for the Last Chronicles. We may well be left wondering just who the Revenant was even as if we left wondering why there were no runes in Runes.

[Seareach]

I think that this was the case for one or two (?) books of the First and Second Chronicles but is definitely not the case here. All titles for the Last Chronicles have been chosen by SRD.

[dlbpharmd]

IIRC "Lord Foul's Bane" was Lester Del Rey's title, all the others were SRD's.

[wayfriend]

The title Fatal Revenant is indeed Donaldson's.

However, in the trailer, I am sure that he is intending to make it SEEM that Linden's fatal revenant is the titular Fatal Revenant. I said upstream I bet that I bet that this is a trick.

As many others have said, knowing Donaldson, Fatal Revenant is probably an appellation that applies to many things: Covenant, Linden, the Land itself, etc.

Heh. I used the word 'titular' in a sentence.

[MrKABC]

Heh. I used the word 'titular' in a sentence.

Heh heh... next comes "puissant"... and it's all downhill from there!

[Tjol]

It seems much simpler to me (once I got over the shock of the idea that <i>Linden</i> was the Fatal Revenant instead of Covenant or Jeremiah.)

Everyone else spent the entire first book telling Linden that she was doing something wrong and evil. Whaddaya know -- they're RIGHT. And while I'm not a member of THOOLAH, I think that Linden's reckless disregard for the safety of everyone else in the Land while she tries to find Jeremiah is going to result in, well, not getting Jeremiah and wrecking the rest of the Land; her making of a caesura to retrieve the Staff of Law is the reason that the Staff was lost in the first place, and it's going to be precisely as traumatic and shaping for her as Covenant's rape of Lena was in the First Chronicles.

Well that would at least fit my understanding 'Runes' as more of a prologue than a self contained story. For lack of a better word 'ignorance' does seem to be the general theme of the new story, it only fits that Linden is being as ignorant in some fashion as the rest of The Land. Perhaps she'll be Kevin Landwaster, and their introduction in the forest will take on more meaning still.

[Dawngreeter]

I seem to get the vibe that Linden will destroy the Land that she healed starting with the Staff. It's been awhile since I've read the series so my memory is not so crisp compared to you psycho yahoos. Can some kinda Ritual of Desecration be possible here at this point in the story?

[Creator]

I seem to get the vibe that Linden will destroy the Land that she healed starting with the Staff. It's been awhile since I've read the series so my memory is not so crisp compared to you psycho yahoos. Can some kinda Ritual of Desecration be possible here at this point in the story?

The mother of all Rituals I think! lol

And welcome back Dawngreeter!!

[wayfriend]

Excuse the double post ... is that Gallow's Howe at the end of the clip?

Has to be!

Okay, while I was bored waiting for my build to build, I found a page on the official site that gives credits to the "Gallows Howe pic".

www.stephenrdonaldson.com/fromtheauthor/credits.php

So there you are.

[Romeo]

Okay ... The full sized versions have some imperfections that blended away when they were reduced, but here are some links to bigger versions of those pics:

www.eccker.org/skyweir.jpg

www.eccker.org/gallowshowe.jpg

The trees behind the Howe are actually across the lake from a place we go camping every year (NY/PA border). The smaller mountains are from various pics from Vail, CO. Lots of cutting and pasting - and some lighting effects that I figured out when I was putting it all together (so it didn't look so much like they were several different pics smashed together).

But I just LOVED the dirt on that hill. It seemed like just the shade that Gallows Howe would have - and it even had little channels where the blood would run down.

[wayfriend]

Do we take it that Gallows Howe and Melenkurion Skyweir will figure in Fatal Revenant someway?

[Romeo]

I just throw together something "Land-like" with the pics I have at hand. You can't really take anything in a "teaser" as hard evidence.

[kevinswatch]

All in favor that I ban Romeo right now, say aye.

-jay

[danlo]

very smart move, go for it!

-danlo

[Romeo]

Doh! Not again!! I need to learn how to keep my big mouth shut!

But remember, things aren't always what they seem to be. For example...

Runes Spoiler:

Spoiler

When I first read Runes, I accidentally saw the name of one of the chapters, "Into the Mountains." I thoght for sure that the story must be going into Guards Gap. Needless to say, that wasn't the case.

[Usivius]

Ok, this is the first time I saw the teaser and this threat. (I probably ignored them as I usually dislike teasers... however, it's SRD and I bent...)

Wow.. what a teaser... And Poop! to all you linden haters. (I love that chick!)
Anyhoo...
I guess the real question about Linden's heart turning black is "what is the event or series of events" that brings this about?

The notion of creating a caesure is possible, but somehow I doubt it. The Ranyhyn aided her in this regard. Now it could be argued that they aided her to minimize damage. But I don't believe such an event could be the catalyst for her heart becoming "black" (full of spite/despair/anger/vengeance, whatever...). Something happens in FR that brings this ill-path about.

Of course I could be wrong, and TC sees something in her actions that I don't. So far, despite her extreme risk, I have to commend her on her strength and decision-making abilities. So far, up to the moment where the first book ends, there is no one who has had the guts or vision to take a stand against the current 'evil' (obvious and subtle) except by Linden's stubborn determination.
The reunited combo of TC and Linden should be great! The frist couple of chapters are going to be 'rough' though. I can just feel it. The appearance of TC is going to seriously undermine Linden and what she has done so far. It might be the appearance of TC that sets her on a path of self-doubt and depression.....

[wayfriend]

(I think the reunion of Linden and Covenant is going to be ... frustrating. He's dead. He won't be able to tell her anything.)

It has occurred to me that “Oh, Linden,” Covenant gasped. “What have you done?” could be uttered on the second page, when Linden tells Covenant about her ceasure.

Then we will all get pitchforks and torches and go hunting for Romeo...