The Linden Avery Anti-Fan Club?

Post by **DukkhaWaynhim** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 2:48 pm

I don't know if I am digging up an already overanalyzed topic, but there seems to be significant population of the board here that loves to hate Linden Avery.

Why would that be?

I mean, I know that she is an anti-hero, just as TC was in the 1st Chrons, but by the end of WGW, the Watchers seem to have forgiven him and forgotten what a bastard he was at the beginning of 1st Chrons.

So, will the same sort of transition occur in 3rd Chrons, since it looks as if Linden is shaping up to be the protag? Will a new main character rear up and get random drive-by fruitings from the Kevin's Watch ranks? Or will Linden be harangued anew?

DukkhaWaynhim

Post by **dANdeLION** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 2:53 pm

I hope that Linden won't be assaulted by fruit, especially the canned variety. I think she's the second most likeable of SRD's anti-heroes, just behind Teresa of Morgan. Maybe it's a gender thing, but I find her attempted crime to be of less consequence than Covenant's commited crime. And yet I don't hate him, either. He's my third most likeable anti-hero, ahead of Morn. Of course, Geraden wins my vote for most likeable overall guy, with Mhoram and Foam follower coming in close second.

Post by **Revan** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 2:58 pm

I like Linden. She's fit and she makes Thomas happy for once. Though I cannot bring myself to read the part where Linden is curing the Land, I'm sorry but I cannot.

Post by **caamora** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 2:59 pm

In the beginning of the books, I hated TC. I now love him. It is the same with Linden. At first, I hated her. Now I like her.

Post by **danlo** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 3:41 pm

I intially disliked Linden, but after the 2nd read I like her more and more. She really pissed of the Haruchai-but she was winging it...and any1 who Vain digs, well...

Post by **Revan** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 3:42 pm

I agree. I like her, but sometimes she deserves a slap!

Post by **Furls Fire** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 3:58 pm

Linden, like Thomas, grew on me. What bothered me the most about her, was the fact that she became the POV character, the creator talked to her, she had the land/health sense...etc. That irked me, the first few times I read it. I think that is one of the reasons why The One Tree is my least favorite book of the series, Covenant spent most of that book in a fugue.

Now I feel a bit differently about it all. She is in my heart now as well as Thomas is. She gave him love, something he hadn't had in such a long time, she healed the Land, she healed herself. I'm only sorry they couldn't have been together in the "real world".

Maybe SRD will find a way for them to be together in the Last Chrons. The Mega Happy Ending would be wonderful

Post by **aTOMiC** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 3:59 pm

I have always found Linden exasperating. At times she's great at other times I can't stand reading about what she is doing. All in all she fulfilled her destiny and that was pretty cool.

Post by **DukkhaWaynhim** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 6:57 pm

Darth Revan, I am curious to know why you can't read the last part of WGW, where Linden heals the Land.

Current Tally: As of 2pm 04-Dec (EST|US), the majority of folks "Like" Linden Avery.

Myself, I think she traveled the same sort of path in 2nd Chrons that TC did in the 1st. Linden came to accept that what her father did not have to define and therefore rule (ruin) her life. I liken this to Covenant's eventual acceptance that leprosy happened to him and did not have to be the one defining principle of his existence.

[low-grade spoiler follows, so I blanked it just in case]

Spoiler

To me, Linden's act upon her mother was less easy to categorize. I think she was driven to it after years of suppressed anger and resentment over her father's suicide, rather than any malicious desire to kill for the joy of killing. She's no Raver, but most of the conflict/horror within her arose from her dread that she was in fact evil, like a Raver. Some people have a way of marinading in their own guilt/negativity, softening themselves up for years of self-loathing.

I know way too many people destined for lifelong therapy sessions because of the emotional tortures enacted upon them by their very selfish parents.

DukkhaWaynhim

Post by **Revan** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 6:59 pm

I just can't read it. I will never do so. It makes me sick. I wished Thomas Covenant was the only whom saved the Land, is all.

Post by **birdandbear** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 7:12 pm

Covenant did save the Land. Linden healed it. They both played vital roles in the Land's redemption. TC was by no means unnecessary.

And I love Linden. If for no other reason than that she made TC happy for 3 pages.

Post by **Revan** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 7:15 pm

LOL! No, but Thomas was uunnecessary in a way, being Linden could have killed FOul (or weakened him) herself, if she'd just taken the White Gold.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 8:32 pm

Darth Revan wrote:LOL! No, but Thomas was uunnecessary in a way, being Linden could have killed FOul (or weakened him) herself, if she'd just taken the White Gold.

Oh no, I don't think so my good Sith. Covenant was very necessary. There is no way Linden could have defeated Foul. For the simple reason, she wasn't the white gold. Covenant was. Mhoram told him that at the beginning of TPTP. And he literally became wild magic/white gold after his caamora in the banefire. There is no way Linden could have stood between Foul and the Arch like Covenant did. He knew Foul couldn't be "killed". "You can't kill Despite, it's not that easy". He knew the only way to defeat Foul was to hand him the ring and then stand in his way...let him diminish himself. Linden couldn't have done that. She was a doctor, her purpose in the Land was to heal. Which she did. It wasn't to defeat Foul. That is and was Covenant's task.

Post by **Furls Fire** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 8:34 pm

oh crud, that's the second time that happened to me today! arrrrrgh!

That was me who posted that...

*crumbles about cookies and timeouts and puters in general...*

Post by **dlbpharmd** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 10:05 pm

Anonymous wrote:
Darth Revan wrote:LOL! No, but Thomas was uunnecessary in a way, being Linden could have killed FOul (or weakened him) herself, if she'd just taken the White Gold.
Oh no, I don't think so my good Sith. Covenant was very necessary. There is no way Linden could have defeated Foul. For the simple reason, she wasn't the white gold. Covenant was. Mhoram told him that at the beginning of TPTP. And he literally became wild magic/white gold after his caamora in the banefire. There is no way Linden could have stood between Foul and the Arch like Covenant did. He knew Foul couldn't be "killed". "You can't kill Despite, it's not that easy". He knew the only way to defeat Foul was to hand him the ring and then stand in his way...let him diminish himself. Linden couldn't have done that. She was a doctor, her purpose in the Land was to heal. Which she did. It wasn't to defeat Foul. That is and was Covenant's task.

I agree, but have this question: if Covenant was so sure of his plan, why did he offer the ring to Linden just before the Cavewights captured them?

Linden's mastery of the wild magic was complete, Covenant's assertions to the contrary aside. But Linden would not have been able to defeat LF with the wild magic (even combined with the Staff of Law, had she had it at the time.) The reason for this is b/c wild magic is not the answer against LF, as witnessed at the end of TPTP and WGW.

Post by **Loredoctor** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 10:45 pm

I just hope TC comes into the 3rd chronicles soon; having Linden as the main character will not be as good.

Post by **caamora** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 12:03 am

Agreed!

And Furls, I agreed with everything you have said. I like Linden simply because she was able to give Covenant love. Something he had not had for 10 years. She was the one who taught him that impotence was not the whole story, so to speak. She was not afraid of him.

Also, I do not feel that she could have defeated Foul. Only TC could have done that. Just as Furls said, Mhoram told TC that he was the white gold. He was the paradox - a sick man in a healthy world. Not only that, Covenant was the only person in both chrons who was not afraid of Foul. Everyone else seemed to shrink from Foul and his evil. TC mocked it! He was sooo stubborn. Linden wasn't.

Post by **duchess of malfi** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 2:37 am

Linden grew on me as she grew...

Post by **Gil galad** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 4:31 am

caamora wrote

Not only that, Covenant was the only person in both chrons who was not afraid of Foul. Everyone else seemed to shrink from Foul and his evil. TC mocked it! He was sooo stubborn. Linden wasn't.

i agree, its TCs stubborness with evil that makes him the saviour of the land, i dont believe that linden would have been able to make much of a stand against foul even with the mastery of the white gold.

its one thing to master something and another thing to BE something.

Post by **Furls Fire** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 5:18 am

"Ah, you are stubborn yet."

"Yes, by God, stubborn."

LOVE IT!!!

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