general question about the last chronicles

[alanm]

Actually, I've had the story for "The Last Chronicles" in mind for at least 25 years. When I first began to imagine "The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant," the ideas for this final project struck me at the same time. As a result, while I was writing "The Second Chronicles" I was able to prepare the way for "The Last Chronicles" by creating all of the loose ends and back doors I would need.

the above is a quote from SRD himself

What loose end and back dorrs are there?

[Orlion]

Actually, I've had the story for "The Last Chronicles" in mind for at least 25 years. When I first began to imagine "The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant," the ideas for this final project struck me at the same time. As a result, while I was writing "The Second Chronicles" I was able to prepare the way for "The Last Chronicles" by creating all of the loose ends and back doors I would need.

the above is a quote from SRD himself

What loose end and back dorrs are there?

It's tough to figure out. SRD pretty much wrote the Second Chronicles so that one could not tell there was a possibility for a third chronicles if he never got around to writing it. Here are what I believe are loose ends and backdoors:

1) Foul was not defeated indefinitely.
2) Cail returned to the merewives
3) The Worm was stirred in his slumber
4) The legend of A-jeroth of the Seven Hells
5) The Elohim were jerks
6) Hollian was revived while with child.
7) Covenant intrusted the stewardship of the Land to the Haruchai.
Joan was used/possessed.
9) Unnamed children were involved in the invocation of Foul in the real world.

That's what I think would be his preparations for the Last Chronicles.

[Vraith]

I definitely didn't expect a third...but once it happened, besides O's list..

Sandy eating the Raver[I love Sandies, still hope they end up on the right side]
The many hints of other powers [especially evil ones like Kasty and croyel] unresolved. [I include the lack of convincing answer to the question of the shadow on the Elo's heart there, too, though maybe that's just part of O's 5]
Guardian of one tree was a huge hindsight "duh, shoulda thought of that" one.
The krill...despite the important uses it had been put too, they seemed minor compared to it's potency/potential/stature.
[I'm particularly fond of sandy and krill ones, cuz I thought of them before anything actually happened with them...though it's easily possible that they're completely obvious to everyone else, and just as "duh"-ish as the Guardian on my part].

[Orlion]

I can't believe I forgot about Nom! The introduction of the croyel was important as well, I think, for Last Chronicles purposes.

[Hashi Lebwohl]

We definitely have at least two loose ends: moksha and turiya. Who all have they been possessing and in whose ears have they been whispering?

Both the Laws of Death and Life were broken in the Second Chronicles; they may have been patched but broken is still broken. Of course, the climax of Fatal Revenant breaks the Law of Life again.

I still think some of his ideas are retrofits and "Deus ex machina" devices like the Insequent (The Harrow 1, Army of Demondim 0--srsly?) and that detracts a little from the overall series...but I am still pleased to have read them and look forward to the rest.

[Savor Dam]

Ahem...the Law of Death was broken in the First Chrons by Elena, nu?

[Hashi Lebwohl]

hrm...an inconsequential oversight on my part. Yes, High Lord Elena broke the Law of Death at the climax of The Illearth War.