Chapter 2

[thranathiril]

First part of the chapter is now up at SRD's website. I flicked through it, but there isn't much of anything that happens.

Spoiler

LA goes to Glimmermere and has a swim. The lake still doesn't recognize her (no reflection), so why is she different for TC in the Second Chronicles?.

By the end of the extract, she seems to be about to do something impressive using the white gold.

Thranathiril

[dlbpharmd]

Holy crap, I thought this was being released on the 19th, not the 9th.

How much of the book is going to be released?

[Avatar]

If we're lucky, we won't have to buy it at all...

--A

[aliantha]

I'm guessing we're just about at the end of "preview season", since part 2 of Chapter 2 comes out August 9, two months before the US release date. There won't really be enough time left to release more.

I agree with you, Thranathril -- not much happens in this excerpt. I'm interested to read the next one, though.

Spoiler

Sounds like Linden is about to march back into Revelstone and give Covenant what-for. Can't wait to read that!

[dlbpharmd]

This section was more of Linden whining and complaining than anything else.

[Zarathustra]

I like the predicament here: she can’t use the Staff, even though Covenant told her to retrieve it. She can’t restore her fading healthsense without erasing her loved ones. (Though I wonder how she was able to use it while they were riding up to Revelstone?? Why weren't they erased when she had that flame going?)

I like this thoughtful break after the rapid pace of the first chapter. Though Donaldson has previously described natural beauty better than he does here, I still get an expansive sense of appreciation for the healed landscape around Linden. I like the memories, from Sunder and Hollian to the Sandgorgon. It makes it feel like these books actually are connected to the previous ones!

I just watched Déjà Vu last night on DVD. It’s disappointing that Covenant’s “trick” is the same as the cheesy gimmick in a bad s.f. movie. Folding time. Huh. Didn’t Frank Herbert do that, too? And if time is folded, then are Covenant and Jeremiah from a different time than Linden? Note that TC didn’t say he folded space, just time. So which two times are now joined in this folding? (Remember that Covenant’s hair wasn’t as gray as she recalled, too.)

Why does her touch--and not the touch of things native to the Land--undo the folding? Perhaps it is because she herself is from a different time. Remember that time flows slower in her world than in the Land’s world. So this difference in time could be what will unfold the fold.

I like that Marhtiir is being developed. A scene alone with him was sorely needed, because thus far he has been nothing but a scowling, intense observer. Nothing else. He still doesn't do anything here, but we get to see him being thoughtful and expressing opinions. This, sadly, is more realistic than he ever appeared in all of Runes. Despite how long these books are, there doesn't seem to be enough breathing room to develop the characters. I'm glad to have a scene like this.

I’m starting to get tired of the constant reminders that the Mahdoubt told her to be "cautious of love." Three times in chapter 1; again in chapter 2. We remember! Also, the constant reminders that Covenant told her to "be wary" of him. Twice in this chapter. Once in the previous chapter. God, Donaldson is beating us over the head with this stuff. We get it. Damn. It’s ironic that Donaldson says: “She had been given too many warnings.” Yeah, no sh*t! We have, too!

I’m not sure why Donaldson keeps repeating that this place was her single—perhaps even her first—experience with joy and happiness. Wasn’t she happy with Covenant on the giant ship? They shared a cabin together, made love, and enjoyed the service and stories of giants. I don’t even remember a happy time at Glimmermere in WGW. Whatever it was, it left no impression on me.

This is the first time we’re told about the size of the lake; and, frankly, I’m shocked to hear that she can throw a stone across it. That’s not a lake. It’s barely even a pond.

So . . . Linden doesn’t wear panties or bra? Interesting . . .

I can’t help feeling that Donaldson’s ability to convey natural beauty and super-natural power is failing. Like Linden’s dimmed memory of the Glimmermere, it feels like Donaldson’s ability to perceive this imaginary world suffers from lack of percipience. It feels like he’s “phoning it in.” He tosses in a ‘fecundy’ here, and a ‘lambent’ there, and presto! we’ve got a description that sure sounds like classic Donaldson, but doesn’t feel at all like classic Donaldson. It’s like he now has these descriptions down to a formula. He’s got a couple dozen words that no one else uses, but which he uses over and over and over. They don’t evoke the same magic as they once did.

And it seems like he can’t decide whether or not the lake helps her.

The waters healed bruises: they washed away the strain and sorrow of battle.
They could not undo the emotional cost of the things which she had suffered. . .
But the lake did more. . . the stain of Kevin’s Dirt had been scrubbed from her senses. . . .
In other ways, nothing had changed. Her torn heart could not be healed by any expression of this world’s fundamental bounty. . . .
Nevertheless the lake had given her its gifts. It had made her stronger . . . And it had erased the effects of Kevin’s Dirt. . .

Wow, that's a lot of back and forth. "healed . . .could not undo . . . did more. . . nothing had changed . . . could not be healed . . . had given her its gifts . . ." I'm dizzy from that description.

So the whole point of this trip was to physically heal her and to erase the effects of Kevin’s Dirt. Okay, I suppose that’s worthwhile. But given all the build-up, I’m a little disappointed. I expected insight, not just, “now I’m ready.” This doesn't compare at all to Covenant's first trip to the lake, where he was told that his dreams are real. That was profound. This trip did nothing we haven't seen before; a few aliantha berries and using the Staff have accomplished the same effects. A trip to Glimmermere should be profound, startling, and life-changing. At the very least, if Donaldson isn't going to out-do his previous work--which includes out-doing previous scenes at the same spots--then what's the point of writing this series? I don't want a travel guide or memoir of the Land, where characters go to the same places and remember more significant times. Damn that's disappointing. I want something more significant to happen this time around, not merely remembering previous trips. That pretty much sums up my disappointment with the Last Chronicles thus far. If I wanted a recap or fond memories of what happened before, I'd just reread those books.

I hope I'm not too much of a downer in this discussion, but I've got to be honest.

[aliantha]

Okay, I agree: as a short story, it sucks. A little character development (I like Mahrtiir better after this short selection than I did through all of Runes, where he came across as kind of a jerk), a little fulminating (nice to see THOOLAH representin', DLB ), and not a heckuva lot of action. But keep in mind that this is, what, 5 or 6 typeset pages of a 500-plus page book. I'm not yet ready to declare that SRD is off his stride.

[Zarathustra]

Aliantha, you're right. I'm probably being too critical. I really hope my favorite writer is not off his stride completely. It is always possible for what comes later to totally redeem what I don't like now. Maybe I'll even see it in a new light.

[Ur Dead]

After reading this chapter reaffirms my suspicions about Mahrtiir. He's is
trustworty. He will be a stalwart friend to Linden throughout. In Runes, like
I said before, he almost told Linden what he saw concerning the Mahdoubt.
Until Linden broke his train of thought and the Mahdoubt was preceived as ordinary.
Now he has concerns about TC and Jeremiah along the lines that
he had about Esmer.


As far as the end of this section. It seems and feels to me that Linden is going
to try something along the lines to what she did to the Land at the end of WGW.
She's going to try to expand her concious and try to preceive what is wrong with
the land and maybe remove Kevin's dirt.

But this may fail because she won't be able to balance the staff and the
white gold or she will cause TC and Jeremiah to fade. She will get a warning and stop.

Anele could not see TC or Jeremiah because of his nature. I brought that point up in the
Chap 1 thread. Anele could be the voice of the Land. He hears the stone speak. His true
purpose is undefined to me right now. But he will be a major part in this series.


Just some thoughts from little ole me.

[Creator]

...I can’t help feeling that Donaldson’s ability to convey natural beauty and super-natural power is failing. Like Linden’s dimmed memory of the Glimmermere, it feels like Donaldson’s ability to perceive this imaginary world suffers from lack of percipience. It feels like he’s “phoning it in.” He tosses in a ‘fecundy’ here, and a ‘lambent’ there, and presto! we’ve got a description that sure sounds like classic Donaldson, but doesn’t feel at all like classic Donaldson. It’s like he now has these descriptions down to a formula. He’s got a couple dozen words that no one else uses, but which he uses over and over and over. They don’t evoke the same magic as they once did...

Is it? He certainly isn't the same young writer that enchanted us with the vibrancy of the land.....

But we also are not the same young readers. Is it Donalson's powers weakening ... or our aging making us a little jaded. Or maybe a bit of both!!

I don't even allow for magic revisited on a re-read (I've just finished LFB and will probably do the next six before October ... and a few other books.) Those are old friends ... and they evoke the nostalgia of those first times long ago.

Perhaps we are not innocent enough to capture the old magic ... and need to find something anew for ourselves.

[Zarathustra]

Creator, I thought about that. Maybe I'm jaded. Maybe I'm too critical. But I did reread the first two Chronicles in 2005--which would be my 3rd time reading them in all. They moved me even more that time around than the first two times (both of which were more than 15 years ago). Nostalgia may have something to do with it. But it sure didn't feel like nostalgia. They felt brand new, like I was discovering them all over again. I saw things I didn't see the first time around, and read plenty that I didn't remember at all. And what was familiar was great in its own right, not for how they made me remember the past.

Maybe 15 years from now, the Last Chronicles will have the same effect on me. I just don't want to wait that long. I want them to move me now.

[kevinswatch]

Well, I pretty much agree with most of Malik's first post. I haven't been too impressed with what I've seen with FR at all so far. And Runes hardly moved me to turn the next page.

Yeah, yeah, I also hope and believe that the series will get better, and have faith in SRD...but at some point, I'm going to get tired of waiting. Heh.-jay

[Avatar]

I suppose after reading that thread I better go and download the damn preview.

(Somebody got a direct link? )

--A

[Seareach]

Is it? He certainly isn't the same young writer that enchanted us with the vibrancy of the land.....

But we also are not the same young readers. Is it Donalson's powers weakening ... or our aging making us a little jaded. Or maybe a bit of both!!

I don't even allow for magic revisited on a re-read (I've just finished LFB and will probably do the next six before October ... and a few other books.) Those are old friends ... and they evoke the nostalgia of those first times long ago.

Perhaps we are not innocent enough to capture the old magic ... and need to find something anew for ourselves.

Great post, Creator!

And I agree with Aliantha (there's a lot more of this book to read!).

I'd love to discuss Malik's post in detail but I'll wait until the book is released.

[Creator]

...

Great post, Creator!

Thanks!!

Well, I pretty much agree with most of Malik's first post. I haven't been too impressed with what I've seen with FR at all so far. And Runes hardly moved me to turn the next page.

Yeah, yeah, I also hope and believe that the series will get better, and have faith in SRD...but at some point, I'm going to get tired of waiting. Heh.-jay

Heh ... hard to be moved when you read one page a week!!

*ducks the ban stick!*

[kevinswatch]

I suppose after reading that thread I better go and download the damn preview.

(Somebody got a direct link? )

--A

I linked to it twice in the announcements forum. So nyeh.

Heh ... hard to be moved when you read one page a week!!

Heh, well, perhaps it's Runes fault that I would fall asleep after reading every page, and not my own.

-jay

[emotional leper]

Malik: Herbert never folded time (Atleast, Frank Herbert never did. That no good hack of a graverobbing son of his, different story, maybe.)

I get the impression that, since Wild Magic and Law are at odds with each other, and since Covenant is the Wild Magic more than ever before now, that Linden, using the staff in close proximity to him could cause his breaking of the rules to stop. Which would imply, since Wild Magic is supposed to be (if I remember correctly) more powerful than Law, that either TC has weakened somehow, or it's such a strain on himself and reality to do what he's doing that he wouldn't be able to do it.

And as to the not touching, as TC is the Wild Magic, could Linden be Law after the end of WGW, where she created the new staff? Or maybe the staff, in being used to restore her healthsense, has left some sort of imprint or residue of law on her that would clash with TC's use of Law-bending.

[renny]

not read any of revenant so cant really comment but I will say this - I felt really flat after real story and forbidden knowledge but I'll never forget how I felt after dark and hungry - it was like I'll never doubt you again o master

runes was the set up book,I'm confident that revenant will be different bananas !

[Zarathustra]

Renny, that's a very good point. The Real Story didn't prepare us for the greatness that followed. I agree that the Gap series didn't really blow me away until book 3. I'll have to keep that in mind, because my overall impression of that series is "pure genius." I'm probably just too impatient, like Jay.

[Avatar]

I suppose after reading that thread I better go and download the damn preview.

(Somebody got a direct link? )

--A

I linked to it twice in the announcements forum. So nyeh.

Fine! I'll go find it myself you lazy good-fer-nuthin'...

(Thanks Jay. )

--A