My Review

[Zarathustra]

[Forgot to add: SPOILERS!]

I’m finally done. Just finished minutes ago. My review might surprise some of you.

I liked it. While I still believe it was one of the worst Chronicles books, perhaps it has edged past Runes with the ending. That was a damn strong ending. That kind of writing is exactly why Donaldson is my favorite author. It’s transcendental, existential, character-driven magic. Perfectly paced. Deeply connected to the roots of this 10-book epic, right back to the beginning of Lord Foul’s Bane. The solution to the problem of confronting Joan was completely unexpected, yet intuitively natural. Condign. And still a little foggy … like a psychedelic experience that made perfect sense in the living moment, but has now faded like some Elven forest feast.

When I tally up all parts I liked vs those I didn’t, I realize I loved the first 100 pages and the last 100 pages. The beginning and end of this book rocked. I summed up my feelings on the first 5 chapters elsewhere:

It was an extraordinarily long time for characters to sit around in one spot and debate. I've never seen anything like it. No writer has ever attempted it, to my knowledge. The first 5 chapters are basically one long 103 page scene!

But I think that's exactly why it was an astounding piece of writing. No other writer could have pulled that off. ... I was continuously amazed that Donaldson had this much to say. ... The fact that so much occurred to him at all was just shocking.

However, when Donaldson did this again in Part 2, twice as long as before, my shock turned to horror. His ability to produce a bewildering amount of text for one narrative pit stop was no longer a thing of wonder. It was just maddening.

And by the time I got to chapter 9 (part 2) where Jeremiah healed himself, I was truly amazed for the first time in nearly 400 pages. Seeing him unlock his own mind with his particular talent was perfect. That’s how it had to happen. I’m so relieved that he did it himself, instead of having his mommy do it for him. Jeremiah just became a character for the first time in this series. He built his own womb out of a pile of bones and gave birth to himself before our eyes. A miracle that even this atheist can believe.

But that’s 200 pages out of 600 that I liked. Two-thirds of this book really, really bothered me. After the supernal experience of the ending, I realize it’s a little mechanical for me to reduce my analysis to sheer page count. But that page count reveals a cause for my dissatisfaction. Those 400 pages I didn’t like were roughly the parts of the story where Covenant was not the protagonist or was reduced to a zombie/red shirt extra. I just discovered that I don’t like Linden. I’ve been defending her as a character for so long now, I stopped analyzing her as a narrative device, a point of view. But when put in contrast to the chapters that are Covenant-centric or at least Covenant-participant, it’s night and day. Or male and female. The entire feel and tone of the story changes. I like Linder as a character, but not as a point of view.

By the end of this book Donaldson automatically solves what I think are the two main problems with the Last Chronicles: Linden (at the expense of Covenant) and Jeremiah. Point of view, and protagonist's goal. Now that we have Covenant back as a main player, we should have relatively less room for Linden's POV. And now that Jeremiah is a Real Boy, the main focus of this series will no longer be tied to Linden trying to save her son. (Maybe he'll save her.) These two changes will completely reshape how the last book will be told and how it will move. The narrative point of view and the character's goal have just undergone a massive recalibration, one that automatically corrects what I feel have been the Last Chronicle's foundational flaws as a vehicle for this particular story.

[Vraith]

I had a suspicion from your posts as you went along that since you liked things about the beginning you were gonna like the end.
Jerry, Linden's last section [leading up to and including the Stave stuff, mostly because of the Stave stuff, actually], TC's ending section...just amazing...and added to the beginning the reason I've been defending the book as a whole, despite some weakness in the middle...though I liked even those parts more than you did.

I suspect you're correct that we'll see less of Linden's P.O.V. and, as important or maybe even more, a deep change when it IS her P.O.V...we've seen the first steps of a fundamental alteration in her, and not only because of Jerry's free mind. [or so I think, anyway].

[caamora]

Z - your post is right on. I got irritated with all the narrative throughout the book.

[Barnetto]

Yes, I'm generally with you too - though now that I'm more than half way through a second read, I'm enjoying the middle section much more. Is it a strength or a weakness in a writer that you have to read the book twice to really appreciate a lot of the foreshadowing (even small bits of dialogue)... perhaps its just a weakness in me?

And there are parts of the middle section that now seem really strong on a second read (the whole battle of Liand's Barrow, for example) that did little for me first time around.

TBH I think part of my issue with the first read through was that, after the first 150 pages, I kept expecting TC to take more of a central role and my frustration that he wasn't doing so (as the main POV) was distracting me and reducing my involvement. Now that I know that he isn't going to be the POV in the next chapter (or the next, or the next), the issue has diminished for me. I regret it, but it doesn't frustrate as on first read through.

(Though I find Linden far more engaging at the point that she is a virtual walking desecration... )

And I know that I have that amazing final section to look forward to....

[Zarathustra]

Thanks for the responses, fellow Watchers. I look forward to a reread. It can't get any worse. I think I'll find new stuff to appreciate, and I won't be so anxious for the gang to get moving or for Covenant to take over because I'll know what to expect. I don't think I'll be rereading again anytime soon, however. I'll save that for the Grand Reread when The Last Dark comes out and I reread them all from beginning to end.

[Anele]

I've been doing the beginning to end reread since before the release of White Gold Wielder, and I just did it again. I realized how little I knew FR with this last reread, so I am going to force myself to read Runes through AATE again. As painful as that may be.

I agree with your assessment of AATE, excepting that I would extend my liking to the first 200 pages and the last 100. That middle 200+ pages was far too stagnant and contained far too much exposition. I thought it was too convenient and too contrived to have Covenant and Linden space out so the pov could be changed.

I get the inner struggles of Covenant and Linden. We have been bludgeoned to death repeatedly with them. The book soared when there were events going on, and just about died when we had to listen to the endless inner conflicts.

It was frustrating seeing the list of challenges ahead of them IE. the skurj, sandgorgons, Kastenessen etc., and have them sit around for hundreds of pages debating what to do. The middle part reminded me of the Harry Potter gang and their endless camping trip.

I very much enjoyed the non-stop action at the beginning and I was fondly surprised at how long it lasted. I knew it would have to calm down, but unfortunately it bogged down for too long. I think I would have rather there was a peek into what was going on at Revelstone than dealing with Linden's endless despair.

[thewormoftheworld'send]

[Forgot to add: SPOILERS!]

It was an extraordinarily long time for characters to sit around in one spot and debate. I've never seen anything like it. No writer has ever attempted it, to my knowledge. The first 5 chapters are basically one long 103 page scene!

But I think that's exactly why it was an astounding piece of writing. No other writer could have pulled that off. ... I was continuously amazed that Donaldson had this much to say. ... The fact that so much occurred to him at all was just shocking.

This is another meme that keeps spreading: The "5 chapters of sitting around debating" meme. Or was it? A new Insequent was introduced - no?

What else happened during this period of the book that was more than just yak yak? I could have sworn that something happened with Dead Kevin. Everybody feel free to jump in. The thing that amazes me is that you're not even being critical - you actually liked those 5 chapters, where I've seen others despising the whole scene.

Another striking aspect about your review:

Those 400 pages I didn’t like were roughly the parts of the story where Covenant was not the protagonist or was reduced to a zombie/red shirt extra. I just discovered that I don’t like Linden. I’ve been defending her as a character for so long now, I stopped analyzing her as a narrative device, a point of view. But when put in contrast to the chapters that are Covenant-centric or at least Covenant-participant, it’s night and day. Or male and female. The entire feel and tone of the story changes. I like Linder as a character, but not as a point of view.

What it boils down to (and this addresses others who make similar points about AATE) is that anything necessary for literary purposes in the novel is disliked - whereas anything that causes the senses to respond is loved. I don't think that's true of your entire review, only this part of it.

The way I see it is that, literarily, Linden represents the passive, "dark," female side of human nature, or the human race. (Don't get me wrong, there is also a positive female side that's not often being represented through Linden's character, so I'm not saying women are passive and evil.) Covenant, on the other hand, represents the active, heroic male side of human nature. (There is also the "dark" male side of human nature - Lord Foul.) And "SHE" represents the evil female counterpart of Foul. There are all merely male/female archetypal roles.

Some people don't like Linden Avery: so what? Whatever she is, her character represents something of great literary significance which, being as it is, doesn't necessarily appeal to the part of us that enjoys a heroic action movie. There is plenty of that action/horror/suspense in AATE and all other Covenant books. But it's a mixed bag of elements. Similar to Covenant in the first Chrons, Linden is not a hero, she is a mommy, a person whom (she believes) is not cut out for the hard task ahead of her. So she needs Covenant, the heroic archetype - therefore, without her and her negativity, Covenant would not even be present in the story.

[Zarathustra]

I've seen a dozen or so attempts to account for or "explain away" the dissatisfaction people have felt for this book. I'm not sure I understand the need. We certainly don't see a corresponding need by those who dislike AATE to "explain away" the joy others find in the book. It's an odd discrepancy between the two camps.

Despite the dozen or so attempts I've seen, they all follow general strategies that depend upon making assumptions about the reader which aren't justified by the posts of the reader. For instance, this groundless assumption:

What it boils down to (and this addresses others who make similar points about AATE) is that anything necessary for literary purposes in the novel is disliked - whereas anything that causes the senses to respond is loved.

Nothing in my post justifies this interpretation, no matter how much you boil it down. The scenes I praised (e.g. Jeremiah healing himself, Covenant confronting Joan, and the first 100-page debate) could very easily be described as "literary," and they didn't really have much for the senses. Indeed, scenes in the book which bored me included some of the most visceral and sensual scenes in the book: the viles' watery ballroom, the various battles, the deaths, the Bane chasing the group, etc. Your characterization of my review is so obviously inaccurate, it's almost like you're using my review as an opportunity to vent about other things which you've read, without really even addressing your points to me (a point which your paranthetical statement above seems to back up).

Not only is your description of what I like/dislike inaccurate, but I'm not even sure the dichotomy you're trying to present makes much sense. What exactly is "necessary for literary purposes"? How is getting one's senses to respond to written text not a literary purpose? Why is the "female" more a literary necessity than the "male?"

This is another meme that keeps spreading: The "5 chapters of sitting around debating" meme. Or was it? A new Insequent was introduced - no?

Any one-sentence summary of 105 pages is necessarily going to leave out a detail or two. Sure, a new Insequent was introduced. And his very first action is to debate the Harrow. He joins the 105 page debate. His introduction doesn't substantially alter the conditions which led to my description.

What else happened during this period of the book that was more than just yak yak? I could have sworn that something happened with Dead Kevin.

Which was another thing they debated, no? I could have sworn that the 4 dead Lords debated among themselves as to whether Kevin deserved forgiveness.

The way I see it is that, literarily, Linden represents the passive, "dark," female side of human nature, or the human race. (Don't get me wrong, there is also a positive female side that's not often being represented through Linden's character, so I'm not saying women are passive and evil.) Covenant, on the other hand, represents the active, heroic male side of human nature. (There is also the "dark" male side of human nature - Lord Foul.) And "SHE" represents the evil female counterpart of Foul. There are all merely male/female archetypal roles.

I mentioned the male/female dichotomy in my review, too. But I certainly don't think one is more literary than the other. And calling Covenant an action hero seems like a gross mischaracterization in search of a point. The man who stands around for most of the book, either lost in memories or simply following Linden's lead, most certainly did not represent the active heroic male side of human nature. I'm frankly shocked that this phrase can be written by anyone who has read the Chronicles. Covenant is almost the exact opposite of an active heroic male. He spends most of these books denying his power in one form or another (either authentically or inauthentically), refusing to act, refusing to decide, refusing to kill. How many heroic male archetypes have you seen give up or refuse the talisman of their personal power? How many male action heroes have you heard say, "I think we should let the woman decide"??

Linden, on the other hand, is the one who fits this role for AATE. She's the one with the ring and the staff. She's the one who is fighting cavewights and caesures. She's making the decisions, calling the shots. If anyone in this book is an "action hero," it's Linden. But really, I don't think Donaldson has written any action heroes into this series.

Some people don't like Linden Avery: so what?

I like Linden as a character. I said so in my review.

Whatever she is, her character represents something of great literary significance which, being as it is, doesn't necessarily appeal to the part of us that enjoys a heroic action movie. ...Linden is not a hero, she is a mommy, a person whom (she believes) is not cut out for the hard task ahead of her. So she needs Covenant, the heroic archetype.

How is Linden more "literary" than Covenant? How is Covenant more "action hero" than Linden? Can you give examples from the book? What "literary necessity" was she fulfilling when she blasted the cavewights to dust? I'm not saying there wasn't one ... I'm just pointing out that this doesn't fit your neat male/female categories. Your categories seem hand-picked to criticize my review, rather than to accurately characterize this book. While "boiling things down" to such simple dichotomies might make it easier to criticize me, it simultaneously does a grave disservice to the source material.

[thewormoftheworld'send]

I did say "I don't think that's true of your entire review, only this part of it."

I liked the part of your response where you gave examples distinguishing between the literary and sensationalistic aspects of AATE.

I don't think I created any dichotomies or said anything was necessary about the female and male aspects of the novel. What I mean by "literary necessity" seems to have whooshed over. And no, I'm not accusing you of liking only the parts of it that appealed to your senses. I am using a part of your review as an example of how literary necessity must sacrifice the part of the reader's psyche that needs sensationalism.

So what do I think is literary? The fact that the Creator is male, while the Destroyer (Linden) is female. Yin/Yang. And to an extent I am indeed responding to criticisms of Linden even if they are not your own. By the way, I have never known an action hero to engage in self-cutting: even if you use the term "action hero" very loosely that whole scene with the cutting was very bizarre compared to typical hero behavior. As for Covenant being a hero, I never actually said that. I only said he plays the active role in the Last Chrons, Linden the passive - yes she has tools of power, but also the greatest tendency toward despondency, self-doubt, internal conflict, black moods, self-mutilation, obsessive introjective episodes. And then, suddenly, she does something useful, thus pulling everybody back from the brink that she led them to. And I suppose I would have to call Covenant the hero, but only as Linden is looking to Covenant to play the hero role, to save her and them from herself, in this way saving her from taking responsibility for her own potential failure. But that wasn't my point. As for a hero being necessary, that is only stating Linden's point of view as I said in my response. But literarily, I agree with you that this story has no heroes. I am trying to view this in terms of male/female archetypes, not so much hero/villain archetypes. The latter are far too artificial for the story being told. That story sometimes has to do with erasing distinctions and dichotomies (even with absolutes such as life and death intermingling). So when I say "male/female" it is probably the case that Donaldson is striving toward something transcendent of these archetypes. So while I do think these are neat categories, as you say, that is not an apt criticism as it is still the case that there are life/death distinctions, it is still the case that there are male/female archetypes being portrayed in the story.

Beyond that, I do not intend to dwell on Donaldson's eventual purposes, but on the needs of the reader to be stimulated emotionally and intellectually by the story at hand - and, how I thought ONE PART of your review did not satisfactorily touch on that issue.

I've seen a dozen or so attempts to account for or "explain away" the dissatisfaction people have felt for this book. I'm not sure I understand the need. We certainly don't see a corresponding need by those who dislike AATE to "explain away" the joy others find in the book. It's an odd discrepancy between the two camps.

Despite the dozen or so attempts I've seen, they all follow general strategies that depend upon making assumptions about the reader which aren't justified by the posts of the reader. For instance, this groundless assumption:

What it boils down to (and this addresses others who make similar points about AATE) is that anything necessary for literary purposes in the novel is disliked - whereas anything that causes the senses to respond is loved.

Nothing in my post justifies this interpretation, no matter how much you boil it down. The scenes I praised (e.g. Jeremiah healing himself, Covenant confronting Joan, and the first 100-page debate) could very easily be described as "literary," and they didn't really have much for the senses. Indeed, scenes in the book which bored me included some of the most visceral and sensual scenes in the book: the viles' watery ballroom, the various battles, the deaths, the Bane chasing the group, etc. Your characterization of my review is so obviously inaccurate, it's almost like you're using my review as an opportunity to vent about other things which you've read, without really even addressing your points to me (a point which your paranthetical statement above seems to back up).

Not only is your description of what I like/dislike inaccurate, but I'm not even sure the dichotomy you're trying to present makes much sense. What exactly is "necessary for literary purposes"? How is getting one's senses to respond to written text not a literary purpose? Why is the "female" more a literary necessity than the "male?"

This is another meme that keeps spreading: The "5 chapters of sitting around debating" meme. Or was it? A new Insequent was introduced - no?

Any one-sentence summary of 105 pages is necessarily going to leave out a detail or two. Sure, a new Insequent was introduced. And his very first action is to debate the Harrow. He joins the 105 page debate. His introduction doesn't substantially alter the conditions which led to my description.

What else happened during this period of the book that was more than just yak yak? I could have sworn that something happened with Dead Kevin.

Which was another thing they debated, no? I could have sworn that the 4 dead Lords debated among themselves as to whether Kevin deserved forgiveness.

The way I see it is that, literarily, Linden represents the passive, "dark," female side of human nature, or the human race. (Don't get me wrong, there is also a positive female side that's not often being represented through Linden's character, so I'm not saying women are passive and evil.) Covenant, on the other hand, represents the active, heroic male side of human nature. (There is also the "dark" male side of human nature - Lord Foul.) And "SHE" represents the evil female counterpart of Foul. There are all merely male/female archetypal roles.

I mentioned the male/female dichotomy in my review, too. But I certainly don't think one is more literary than the other. And calling Covenant an action hero seems like a gross mischaracterization in search of a point. The man who stands around for most of the book, either lost in memories or simply following Linden's lead, most certainly did not represent the active heroic male side of human nature. I'm frankly shocked that this phrase can be written by anyone who has read the Chronicles. Covenant is almost the exact opposite of an active heroic male. He spends most of these books denying his power in one form or another (either authentically or inauthentically), refusing to act, refusing to decide, refusing to kill. How many heroic male archetypes have you seen give up or refuse the talisman of their personal power? How many male action heroes have you heard say, "I think we should let the woman decide"??

Linden, on the other hand, is the one who fits this role for AATE. She's the one with the ring and the staff. She's the one who is fighting cavewights and caesures. She's making the decisions, calling the shots. If anyone in this book is an "action hero," it's Linden. But really, I don't think Donaldson has written any action heroes into this series.

Some people don't like Linden Avery: so what?

I like Linden as a character. I said so in my review.

Whatever she is, her character represents something of great literary significance which, being as it is, doesn't necessarily appeal to the part of us that enjoys a heroic action movie. ...Linden is not a hero, she is a mommy, a person whom (she believes) is not cut out for the hard task ahead of her. So she needs Covenant, the heroic archetype.

How is Linden more "literary" than Covenant? How is Covenant more "action hero" than Linden? Can you give examples from the book? What "literary necessity" was she fulfilling when she blasted the cavewights to dust? I'm not saying there wasn't one ... I'm just pointing out that this doesn't fit your neat male/female categories. Your categories seem hand-picked to criticize my review, rather than to accurately characterize this book. While "boiling things down" to such simple dichotomies might make it easier to criticize me, it simultaneously does a grave disservice to the source material.

[ur-Timewarden]

Very nice review, Z! I had to wait 2 months from the book's release date until Christmas Day for the joy of finally ending a very long 3-year wait.

I have to say that I agree with your assessment (first 100+ pages, last 100+ pages), but I may be in the minority when I say that I like the tidbits of the Land's history that are thrown in there. Really adds depth to what seemed to be throw-away stories in the first 6 books. Only disconnect there is the same feeling I got when I read the 2nd Chrons, which is: "There are all these other places in the world (especially those introduced in the 2nd Chrons.), yet no one else is concerned that the world is ending?"

If I have any gripe, it's the convenience with which people's powers become accessible/inaccessible when it benefits the story. I enjoyed the way Jeremiah saved himself, but I absolutely groaned when Infelice announces her intent to take care of the problem (finally, the Elohim decide to get involved!) and then she somehow can't immobilize Stave and Linden. Or worse, she lets Stave distract her (which was a cool Stave moment) and that miraculously lets Linden reach in her pocket and throw a car to her son. Meanwhile, Infelice stands between them doing what? Thinking of a comeback to Stave's offer of a throw-down?

All that being said, I'm back to a point that I was 3 years ago...waiting 3 years to hopefully get a satisfying end to the mysteries of the Land.

[thewormoftheworld'send]

If I have any gripe, it's the convenience with which people's powers become accessible/inaccessible when it benefits the story. I enjoyed the way Jeremiah saved himself, but I absolutely groaned when Infelice announces her intent to take care of the problem (finally, the Elohim decide to get involved!) and then she somehow can't immobilize Stave and Linden.

Even Plato's stepchildren did better than Infelice:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=avTfiRccYIA

[ur-Timewarden]

Even Plato's stepchildren did better than Infelice:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=avTfiRccYIA

The third season of Star Trek got a little...um...bizarre...at times. If I'm not mistaken, didn't Season 3 also give us hippie Spock?

I'm sure Infelice had a lot on her mind at the moment. I'm surprised that Stave didn't just say, "Hey, is that the Worm of World's End behind that pile of bones over there?"

[thewormoftheworld'send]

Even Plato's stepchildren did better than Infelice:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=avTfiRccYIA

The third season of Star Trek got a little...um...bizarre...at times. If I'm not mistaken, didn't Season 3 also give us hippie Spock?

I'm sure Infelice had a lot on her mind at the moment. I'm surprised that Stave didn't just say, "Hey, is that the Worm of World's End behind that pile of bones over there?"

Yes, but I think we deserve an explanation from Donaldson as to how Infelice could have lost her grip on everything so easily.

[ur-Timewarden]

Yes, but I think we deserve an explanation from Donaldson as to how Infelice could have lost her grip on everything so easily.

I'm sure it is probably something that will remain unstated, like Linden's wielding of the Staff of Law while holding the ring and Stave's inherent Earthpower (or whatever it is that makes the Haruchai the Haruchai). Like I said, I felt it was a bit contrived, and it wasn't the first of such events, nor will it likely be the last.

It was obvious that Infelice was hoping that Linden would stand down from her course of action, but when it was clear that she wasn't going to do so, I'm not sure why Infelice didn't just whisk Jeremiah away to South Elohimville and seal his mind or somesuch. Roger and/or Kastenessen seem to be able to transport cavewight armies as needed, so how hard would it be to grab one (at the time) mindless kid in the time it takes a toy car to travel 6 feet?

As I said, Infelice probably had other things on her mind...like where her next hiding place was going to be. She's obviously going to be proven wrong about Jeremiah...I don't think the Elohim have been right about too much.

[thewormoftheworld'send]

Yes, but I think we deserve an explanation from Donaldson as to how Infelice could have lost her grip on everything so easily.

I'm sure it is probably something that will remain unstated, like Linden's wielding of the Staff of Law while holding the ring and Stave's inherent Earthpower (or whatever it is that makes the Haruchai the Haruchai). Like I said, I felt it was a bit contrived, and it wasn't the first of such events, nor will it likely be the last.

I thought Donaldson answered quite a few questions in AATE, for example, how did Esmer seem to know in FR that Linden was going to encounter the Viles? (It is almost as if he saw my question about this point on this forum some time back.)

As for how the Haruchai came to acquire Earthpower, that was answered in one of the books. The swearing of the Bloodguard oath filled them with Earthpower. Also, Linden is wielding the Staff while holding the ring, but it's on a chain around her neck so that doesn't count. Is there some specific incident where the Staff should have caused the ring to respond?

It was obvious that Infelice was hoping that Linden would stand down from her course of action, but when it was clear that she wasn't going to do so, I'm not sure why Infelice didn't just whisk Jeremiah away to South Elohimville and seal his mind or somesuch. Roger and/or Kastenessen seem to be able to transport cavewight armies as needed, so how hard would it be to grab one (at the time) mindless kid in the time it takes a toy car to travel 6 feet?

As I said, Infelice probably had other things on her mind...like where her next hiding place was going to be. She's obviously going to be proven wrong about Jeremiah...I don't think the Elohim have been right about too much.

If a good question is asked on the Watch, then likely it will be addressed in one of the books. Perhaps (speculating) Infelice was weakened by the temporal proximity of the Earth's end when Earthpower itself is coming to an end. The Earth is dying after all, and since the Earth and the Elohim are inextricably linked, the Elohim are dying along with it, both in power and literally.

[Vraith]

Yes, but I think we deserve an explanation from Donaldson as to how Infelice could have lost her grip on everything so easily.

I'm sure it is probably something that will remain unstated, like Linden's wielding of the Staff of Law while holding the ring and Stave's inherent Earthpower (or whatever it is that makes the Haruchai the Haruchai).

Seems to me there is an underestimation of the powers of Linden and Stave here, and an overestimation of Infelice [though not as much as she overestimates herself and Elohim]. There's plenty of backstory/foreshadowing that points/leads to the situation.

[thewormoftheworld'send]

Yes, but I think we deserve an explanation from Donaldson as to how Infelice could have lost her grip on everything so easily.

I'm sure it is probably something that will remain unstated, like Linden's wielding of the Staff of Law while holding the ring and Stave's inherent Earthpower (or whatever it is that makes the Haruchai the Haruchai).

Seems to me there is an underestimation of the powers of Linden and Stave here, and an overestimation of Infelice [though not as much as she overestimates herself and Elohim]. There's plenty of backstory/foreshadowing that points/leads to the situation.

Stave's ability to fight against the stasis, if not explainable another way, seems to be part of his character development. This Haruchai has recently learned to feel, and now it seems that other repressed abilities are coming forward.

[ur-Timewarden]

Seems to me there is an underestimation of the powers of Linden and Stave here, and an overestimation of Infelice [though not as much as she overestimates herself and Elohim]. There's plenty of backstory/foreshadowing that points/leads to the situation.

I don't know. Didn't seem like the Elohim had trouble dismissing Haruchai in the past. Linden is a different story though, especially with the Staff. I think Worm may have it right and the time of the Elohim is drawing to a close.

[Vraith]

The Haruchai have a long history of exceeding prior limits...and it isn't like Stave leapt a cliff, tumbled through an army, and launched a flying kick to her head. He startled her by moving a hand a tiny bit...and she's a bit busy.

[shadowbinding shoe]

Congrats on finishing the book Z I guess I liked the middle part more than you did though there were plenty of problems in it.

So you liked Jeremiah's scene (boo!) I on the other hand really liked Linden's hallucinatory confrontation with the Feroce.

But that page count reveals a cause for my dissatisfaction. Those 400 pages I didn’t like were roughly the parts of the story where Covenant was not the protagonist or was reduced to a zombie/red shirt extra. I just discovered that I don’t like Linden. I’ve been defending her as a character for so long now, I stopped analyzing her as a narrative device, a point of view. But when put in contrast to the chapters that are Covenant-centric or at least Covenant-participant, it’s night and day. Or male and female. The entire feel and tone of the story changes. I like Linder as a character, but not as a point of view.

Welcome to the light, brother.