Does SRD still love the Land? A new paradox of white gold.

[jehannum_2000]

Is it necessary that SRD still loves his creation in order to write the 3rd Chronicles?

If he's set out to write its destruction, does that mean he's tired of it?

After all, he's written many books since, and it's a truism that many artists tire of their early work and are annoyed when people focus on that instead of their new work.

He's writing about the Land, and yet he intends destroying it. Is this not a paradox?

Peter.

[Romeo]

I'm sure he does still love his creation. But if something or someone dies in a story, they've got to die. In the one interview, SRD said that he really hated killing The Tor (Mirror books). But it had to happen.

I know lots of other authors go through the same thing. They're writing along, and all of a sudden one of the characters die that they didn't plan on killing. I watched an interview of the people who wrote the first Star Trek Next Gen movie (Generations?). The two writers said they were brainstorming and putting things on paper, and before they knew it, they had killed Kirk. And it fit so well that they kept it.

[Furls Fire]

I believe Donaldson wants to "end" this story. It didn't end at all with White Gold Wielder. In fact, I read way back when TWL was about to be published that he had the Second AND Third or "Last" Chronicles already plotted out.

I dont' think he's tired of it and just wants to kill it off. I think this is what he had planned all along. Actually, he wasn't even going to do a second or third..the plot just came about when Lester Del Rey made some really horrid suggestions for sequels.

I just wonder why it has taken him 20 years to do it

[Guest]

SRD has aid more than once that he will write a story if it sticks with him... If he can forget it, it's not worth writing... Obviously it has taken twenty years for a Third Chronicles to strike him in such a way that it can't be denied. He has also said that the reason he wants to "end the story" is because he doesn't want people abusing the Land after he's gone.

[CovenantJr]

Bah, that was me - I'm on a different computer...

[Tulizar]

(My computer is whacked out, so forgive me if I send out multiple posts here)

I agree with Romeo and Furls Fire. SRD must love the Land and his story, otherwise he wouldn't bother with a third chron.

Since WGW didn't end with true finality--Foul is not destroyed, the Ravers are sent cowering into the bowels of Mt Thunder, the Land is restored to some semblence of health--it makes sense that SRD would want to end things once and for all in the next chronicles. To write yet another chronicles about the rise of Despite, and its inevitable downfall at the hands of another Thomas Covenant, would be the true destruction of the Land.

The chronicles deserve a memorable ending. Should the third series contain a detailed history of the Land, Earthpower, and the ancient heroes? Yes! More stuff about the Lords? Absolutely! A cohesive creation story (or two)? Yeah man! The destruction of the Land? Of course. Not only will this eliminate Despite (a recurring theme), it will also cap off one of the best fantasy series ever written.

[ringthane]

Is it necessary that SRD still loves his creation in order to write the 3rd Chronicles?

I don't think it's necessary for a writer to love his work to write, but I think that love and passion are virtually necessary if that writing is to be good. otherwise, the writer is just going through the motions, which usually shows in the writing.

If he's set out to write its destruction, does that mean he's tired of it?

After all, he's written many books since, and it's a truism that many artists tire of their early work and are annoyed when people focus on that instead of their new work.

He's writing about the Land, and yet he intends destroying it. Is this not a paradox?

In my opinion, no -- loving your creation and destroying it aren't mutually exclsuive. A parent can spank their child and still love them. A writer can love his characters and world and still kill them off or destroy them.

[Nav]

Romeo wrote:
SRD said that he really hated killing The Tor (Mirror books).

I'd really like to see people spoiler things like that. I can't be the only person on this board who hasn't read Mordant's Need yet, but it must be the third or fourth time I've been told that Tor dies.

[CovenantJr]

Agreed

[Lord Mhoram]

ringthane--I love your avatar!

I agree that if Donaldson didn't still love his Land, then he wouldn't bother writing more about it, no? And anyone who WANTS to kill a series doesn't do it in 4 books that are probably going to be very long!

[[Syl]]

Y'know, I didn't even realize that was a spoiler until just now (haven't finished MN yet, either). I kind of glossed over it, and for some reason, I thought it had something to do with the publisher Tor.

[ringthane]

ringthane--I love your avatar!

One of my favorite artists, Mark Ryden:

www.markryden.com/

Click 'Paintings', then check out the various galleries on the left.

When I become famous and release my short story collection, Ryden is doing my book cover.

[I'm Murrin]

I think that he needs to destroy the Land whether he still likes it or not. As long as the Land is whole and protected by the Arch of Time, Foul can never be destroyed completely or removed from the world. To finally destroy Lord Foul the world will have to be completely destroyed remade without Foul within it.